Dalton fake or quality issue ?

R

Ram

Joined
Apr 3, 2003
Messages
65
Hello everyone,
I bought this knife this past weekend at the Austin gun show and was
excited because it is my first Dalton. I was so excited to find a Dalton
that I really didnt look it over really good until I got home. I noticed that
the blade is not centered, the fit of the bolsters is not very good and
the spine of the blade has some deep grinds in it. I am wondering if
its a fake or is this one that got by Dalton ? Here are some links to
HI-Res pics for your evaluation.

Thanks,
Ram

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa47/aerospace1970/DSC02388.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa47/aerospace1970/DSC02385.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa47/aerospace1970/DSC02386.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa47/aerospace1970/DSC02387.jpg
 
Looks to be a Dalton to me. I am sure this one just got by the QC guy. I am sure if you got it at a decent price, it would make a great user if it opens hard and locks good.


Best of luck,
John
 
Looks real to me.

I haven't seen too many counterfeit Daltons that actually have the deep engraving right.

You might be better off asking in that other knife forum with the Dalton knife section, since you are more likely to see a comment by someone who owns that model.
 
Daltons are not known for their fit and finish. Unless you're a Dalton collector trying to get every variation, Daltons weren't meant to look pretty. They are first and foremost a good user auto. I'd say right off hand that it looks legit and is equivalent to my Daltons.
 
The blade does NOT have to rest dead-center. That's a myth and even some super expensive folders can't claim it.

The engraving is superb. If it's a fake, it's like a Swiss made dupe Rolex.
 
thanks for all the replies. I guess I was under the wrong impression that
Daltons fit and finish were better. It is a good user, but I am just to chicken
to carry an auto. Texas laws need to be rewritten ! Dont really need to
carry an auto, but they are fun to play with when bored :)
 
I think Dalton's fit is pretty good, in general - at least in comparison to similar knives from Benchmade, etc.

Dalton's seem to use a finish that is more industrial (bead-blast and such) and, as such, is good. Shiny should not be equated with quality.
 
orthogonal1 said:
I think Dalton's fit is pretty good, in general - at least in comparison to similar knives from Benchmade, etc.

Dalton's seem to use a finish that is more industrial (bead-blast and such) and, as such, is good. Shiny should not be equated with quality.
Click to expand...
Perhaps, perhaps not. But can you explain how a powder coat or other such finish is superior to a well-executed satin or mirror finish on an uncoated blade?

I look at the photos above and I see an unfinished knife with grind marks in the spine of the blade. I see an edge that was ground, but never got a final sharpening or polishing. When makers take short cuts like this, it leads one to suspect that the blade coating is yet another shortcut - a way of avoiding having to go through the time and trouble of putting a real finish on a difficult-to-finish blade steel.

No, mirror finishes don't necessarily indicate the finest blade quality, but in my opinion it's far too easy to call a knife tactical, throw a non-reflective coating on a poorly-finished blade, and call it a day. That's not something I'd accept in a high-end or custom knife, and honestly, I'm surprised at how many otherwise knowledgeable knife folks are willing to do just that.
 
It boils down to this, if you want functional quality at a good price, you buy a Dalton, if you want functional and f/f quality you get a Microtech for $100 to $1000 more. Protechs are in between the two. I've owned many Daltons and have never had a complaint about them and I've used them hard. I've also had many MT's, Protechs, AlMars, Sandsharks and quite a few custom auto's and for pure user quality, I'd stack Daltons up there with the best of them.
 
chuckschilling said:
Perhaps, perhaps not. But can you explain how a powder coat or other such finish is superior to a well-executed satin or mirror finish on an uncoated blade?

I look at the photos above and I see an unfinished knife with grind marks in the spine of the blade. I see an edge that was ground, but never got a final sharpening or polishing. When makers take short cuts like this, it leads one to suspect that the blade coating is yet another shortcut - a way of avoiding having to go through the time and trouble of putting a real finish on a difficult-to-finish blade steel.

No, mirror finishes don't necessarily indicate the finest blade quality, but in my opinion it's far too easy to call a knife tactical, throw a non-reflective coating on a poorly-finished blade, and call it a day. That's not something I'd accept in a high-end or custom knife, and honestly, I'm surprised at how many otherwise knowledgeable knife folks are willing to do just that.
Click to expand...

Polishing does little, if anything, to improve the functioning of the blade or any non-friction bearing surface. Polishing looks good, but polishing takes time and time is money. Satin and such finishes can often hide minor scuffs and scratches.

Further, polishing can reduce the functioning of a knife, notably when applied to the handle (reducing grip). And note that scratches can show on a polished blade just as well as on a coated blade.

I do get a bit irked when rather severe machining marks are left under coatings, but when good coatings are properly applied they provide benefits (usually rust prevention) and can result in the same or higher cost to the manufacturer.

But the above knife has no blade coating.
 
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