Does Frost make anything worth buying?

I have a couple of the steel warrior imports.
The quality is decent as a using knife, but for the money, I prefer rough rider as they are a step up in quality.
Steel warriors certainly aren't bad though, and if there is a pattern that rough rider don't make that steel warrior do, I'll happily buy the steel warrior.
 
We knife knuts tend to be an arrogant lot sometimes.

To us, a Frosts knife may be junk, but to the other 99% of society that are the non knife nuts of the popualtion at large, it may be the bargin of the year. They sell to a price point. That price point it people who a knife is nothing more than a .99 cent screwd river from a flea market. In fact, it may be less.

It's the disposable tool.

I knew an old farmer that would let us shoot ground hogs on his land. He was a hard working guy, and to a hard working farmer, money can be tight. He carried a cheap pocket knife from a far off Asian country. Once, in conversation, I asked him why. I showed him my higher end knife with genuine India stag scales and forged carbon blades. He just shook his head, and told me something I remembered as a good lesson. He said a knife like mine was far too nice to tear up woring around the farm. Cutting dirty bailing twine, cutting loose roots and stalks from the machine, and other rough work, wears out a knife in a year or two. To him, there was no sense in buying something that nice if it was going in the trash in a year or two. A 4.99 flea market special was good enough for his work. He'd sharpen it up with a good mill smooth file edge, and use the hell out of it. When it got dull, the 6 inch mill smooth file got it going again a few minutes. When the blade got skinny after a year, he tossed it and got the spare out of the kitchen drawer.

It may come as a shock to some of us, but to many out there, a knife is nothing more than a disposable tool. A higher class box cutter or Stanley utility knife. That's all. The other 99% of society that does not care about knives, but they need a cutting tool, doesn't care about fit and finish, carbon or stainless, or any of the other things we may hold dear to our knife loving hearts. The just want a piece of steel that can cut something, and is cheap to buy.

Frosts knives would not be in business if there was not a demand. Their knives are 'good enough' for the others that don't have our obsession.

Carl.
 
I got a Steel Warrior copperlock as a gift from my good friend Roland. It is kind of a clever design too, depressing the secondary blade to unlock the opened master. It is sharp and has solid open and close action. It is not a collectors piece, but has a substantial blade that would cut the crap out of something thats for sure.
 
I own one "Frost's" knife. It is a Swedish Army Mora. I bought it in 1992 from a surplus store for 15$, I still have it and carry it to this day.
 
RRR1977 said:
I own one "Frost's" knife. It is a Swedish Army Mora. I bought it in 1992 from a surplus store for 15$, I still have it and carry it to this day.
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Not the same company I'm afraid. (But I agree that the Swedish Frost's knives are some great knives.)
 
Here are most of my Steel Warrior knives. Not even one of them is "crap".

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Here is the locking Copperhead pattern, the same as i have carried and used for 3+ years and the same as i sent to Hal.

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Stockman with a Turkish Clip

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"Peanut"

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Stainless Steel Interframe Muskrat

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If you have any doubts about quality of build, look at this:

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Ram's Horn Saddlehorn (Spey looks similar in profile to a T. Bose)

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If you want an attractive, well made, sharp, inexpensive, user knife, Steel Warrior folders do all this nicely.
roland
 
Frost also puts out Ocoee River brand. Here are some examples.

This Saddlehorn with Desert Ironwood scales has the sharpest blades of any production knife i own (about 5000). Nice saber ground Clip. Very Scary Sharp.

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Money Clip Lobster

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Muskrat and Sowbelly in Horn. The Sowbelly blades look to be a copy of the first generation Bulldog Sowbelly.

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Frost also is behind the Wrangler brand. Stag Wrangler Copperheads.

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Those who say that none of the Frost knives are worth buying are ill informed and not speaking from any degree of personal experience.
roland
 
My new large Sunfish is one of the Ocoee River line. I wonder if Frost associates higher and lower quality with certain "brands". They have many. Can't say that I normally spend time going though pages of Frost knives online but the Steel Warrior comment above actually made be go back and look at the various brand names they are using.
 
I have several of Frosts acquired brands; Smith and Wesson; Schrade. Both liner or frame locks and assisted openers (all made in Japan or China). While certainly not "top of the line" knives; they are good users and if one gets lost, no big deal. One I really like the the S&W Swat assisted opener with 3.1 inch blade. Just right for an EDC (I don't care for pocket clips, so I removed it and use a belt pouch). BTW, I'm not a knife outsider; have been collecting for about 60 years some of the finest folders and fixed blades ever made.

Oops, I was thinking of Taylor's acquired brands (S&W, eetc), not Frost. Forgive the error, at my age I've killed off a few too many brain cells. Don't think I've ever owned a Frost knife (except for the Swedish (Mora) Frosts - no relation).

Rich
 
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The way I look at it, if someone likes a knife and gets good use out of it or enjoys just having it. That is a good thing regardless of what I think about the knife.
 
Bastid said:
The way I look at it, if someone likes a knife and gets good use out of it or enjoys just having it. That is a good thing regardless of what I think about the knife.
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I certainly agree but i think we can also agree that a knife that takes and holds a decent edge, has good blade action with no free play, and has reasonably good fit and finish, is a "good" knife, whether or not it appeals to us.
roland
 
I received a few Frost's slipjoints (various sub brands) from a buddy who went a little nuts on Frost's late night shopping show. I told him numerous times to check out SMKW's show if he wanted to, and look for our well known and beloved brands. The Frosts weren't well made, but weren't as bad as the fantasy junk they put out. The ones I received even got me interested in acquiring the same patterns from more renowned makers.

The Frost made Case knives out there have held up surprisingly well, my buddies have used the hell out of them.
 
Roland, I was unaware that the Ocoee Rivers were made by Frost, but I concur with you on their quality.
I have two of the 3-1/2" saddlehorns, and they are fine little knives, especially for the pittance paid for them.

White smooth bone
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Exterior rams horn
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Well, this thread has taken a hair-pin turn and taken us somewhere i didn't expect, the ones I was looking at were the Steel warrior ones. im not much of a slip-joint guy because they are usually the size of a key-chain and cost more than a Buck Vantage Pro, but these range from $10-$17.... that's hard to say no to.
 
rprocter said:
Frost also is behind the Wrangler brand. Stag Wrangler Copperheads.

customs020-1.jpg


Those who say that none of the Frost knives are worth buying are ill informed and not speaking from any degree of personal experience.
roland
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Absolutely! I got a few Wrangler red jigged bone peanuts and was impressed by the fit and finish - so impressed I bought a bunch more knives in various patterns, both the red jigged and the stag antler, none of the knives has disappointed me and they compare well with more expensive knives, they are all razor sharp and as a nice touch for an inexpensive knife they are serialized.
 
Don't buy junk "knives"...it's an issue of safety. Failing locks and generally cheap construction combined with sharp edges is a dangerous combination. If you a want inexpensive but decent knife, get an Opinel. If you want a throw away blade, learn how to knap flint.
 
Sven, can you help to keep us safe by naming what knives you have had with "failing locks", etc. that put you in a "dangerous" situation ?
I did read a post some time ago in which a guy claimed his Sebenza frame lock failed but i doubt these are the "junk knives" you are referring to.
roland
 
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