Coast knives, worth it?

Those cheap Kershaws are of course Chinese made. Probably in the same factory as some of the knockoffs.
 
So the consensus seems to be that the coast knife will not stand up to hard use as well as a better made knife, so why would you get one to use in place of that better made knife? Either the coast is actually better for the task at hand, or this is a bit silly. If the knife you are saving from the harder use can take it, or its not really any better, or (and thus might just be the point) you are asking a knife to do the job of a hammer, or screw driver, or pry bar, or some other non-knife task. You seem to be looking for a knife that you intend to actually use, as opposed to one that looks cool, etc. So pick based on how you expect it to perform. And if you think it will perform better than your rat, then, for this task, it would be better than your rat. If your rat its better, then use it.
 
Coast knives really are the current generation of "hardware store knives" that a typical user will buy for $10-15, throw in a toolbox, and actually cut something with a few times a year. Any grade of stainless steel will do, it doesn't really need to lock, and it doesn't matter if the blade is centered. I bought my brother (very much not a knife guy) a Coast FX411 because the look of it more or less matched that of his 1911 and his SKS. It sits on the workbench in his basement. Not a conversation piece, just a tool.
 
W.M.B. said:
So the consensus seems to be that the coast knife will not stand up to hard use as well as a better made knife, so why would you get one to use in place of that better made knife? Either the coast is actually better for the task at hand, or this is a bit silly. If the knife you are saving from the harder use can take it, or its not really any better, or (and thus might just be the point) you are asking a knife to do the job of a hammer, or screw driver, or pry bar, or some other non-knife task. You seem to be looking for a knife that you intend to actually use, as opposed to one that looks cool, etc. So pick based on how you expect it to perform. And if you think it will perform better than your rat, then, for this task, it would be better than your rat. If your rat its better, then use it.
Click to expand...

Complely true but I keep playing this "old lady and the fly" trying to get a cheaper knife to save the last one. I bought the Manix to save the Calypso jr, I bought the Rat to save the Manix, I want the Coast to save the Rat... I dont know why I swallowed the fly... I blame Spyderco:D
 
I have one by Coast that is basically from what I can tell a similar knife to the Puma Soligen steel knives I've seen for shape and styling of the blade. The knife is the size and foot print of a Buck Esquire, has a lockback back lock like that and a very shaply small bowie blade with a long pull and looks good! The stag is real stag and pretty and to be perfectly honest with you it holds an edge and works every bit as well as the Case stainless, the Buck stainless and the Puma so I have no real issue with this one.

It was given to me years ago as a gift and its higher quality looking than what is being offered today under the same name but it says quite plainly "COAST" and I'd have to rate it an excellent little folder in all honesty! The lock up on this one is tighter than my Spydercos, my Buck Esquire, my GEC Beaver Tail wharncliffe lockback and others that all exhibit click up and down in use! This one is dead still and solid!

Personally from experience, to a guy on the street unlike most forum dwellers that are knife nuts, this kind of knife works just fine. They usually carry a knife that is a beater. They want something with an edge but not so delicate it keeps them from cutting their steak on a glass plate later that evening after cleaning it and not so hard it can't be made sharp without help.

At best most carry somewhat of an edge worth a darn on the blade so a knife steel that holds somewhat of a dulled edge for a long time is just dandy so long as its tough for abuses! Besides when can buy it for eleven bucks or twelve bucks and it locks up like a rock when the ones fifteen times the price don't you look at it and say WTF in somewhat of an anger at times! But people don't realize that often times the higher priced knives are mail ordered. When you can buy in person its usually cheap but you at least can find a good one playing with them in person!

My neighbor just bought a knife I wouldn't be caught dead with but he just loves it man! Its an old Parker Frost that won't keep an edge better than a cheap kitchen paring knife but he has it on him all the time and just had me snag another for him from some site he likes it so much so cheap can certainly work I just insist and recommend buying them in person.
 
Hard to find a better knife for the money than a Sanrenmu. Some of the multi-tool knives have a "flattened tanto tip" which should theoretically make it more appropriate for prying and the like... that said quite a few hit and misses re:model from SRM and Enlan, but I don't even bother with Ganzo. In my experience steel is ridiculously soft and won't hold an edge at all plus I paid extra because it was supposedly 440C or equivalent.

Opinel 8, Douk Douk, Mercator, and EKA Swede 8.
 
Neko2 said:
Nevermind. It looks like the same knife as an enlan but is much larger with cheaper steel.

I think I'm going to order up a knockoff Sebenza and Hinderer to see what Enlan and SRM are all about.
It'd be nice to have a stylish beater.

Thanks everyone for saving me from myself.
Click to expand...

Neko2 said:
Already did.
I bought a Kershaw Cryo.

And if they don't claim to be a CRK or Hinderer, how is it ripping off?
Click to expand...

You said you were going to buy a "knockoff". Merriam Webster defines that as: : a copy that sells for less than the original; broadly : a copy or imitation of someone or something popular
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top