Good American Knife Companies

wintermute

wintermute

Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
3,018
Looking for a new folder (whittler or stockman most likely) from a good, not so expensive ($100 or under) American company. Who do you guys like? Buck makes things in China now, so they're out. Schrade's bankrupt. How's Case's quality and steel nowadays? Seems like some people like Queen and Canal Street, some don't. What's Mooremaker like? I want something that's good to use, but good to collect and proud to show also - like German folders (and Buck) used to be. Thanks.
 
NOT ALL BUCKS ARE MADE OFFSHORE! Their website is honest with what is produced off shore and whats made in the US...
I just picked a Schatt & Morgan Wildcat thats really nice :D
ivan
 
To correct you on one point; Buck is still manufacturing in the U.S. big time. If you look at thier catalogue, the ones with the American flag are made here. The 301 stockman and 303 cadet are very tough using knives, and have a lifetime backing from a very moral strait shooting family.

I have used both the stockman and cadet and they will do anything you need from a pocket knife.

Case is the other U.S. knife company. Their products are exellent as well.
 
I understand that Queen blades come very dull, which isn't necessarily a problem, if it's something I can sharpen with my Arkansas stone, but it sounds like there may be more to it than that. I know that Buck is still making their better knives in the U.S.A., but it saddens me that they've had to ship some work over to China.
 
Welcome to the forums, wintermute.

Let me suggest (strongly) that you don't want to attempt sharpening Queen's D2 on an Arkansas stone. (Maybe a quick touch up to an otherwise already sharpened knife.)
 
i had a knife-it was second rate,bent blade poor fitting and chipped slabs with bad finish-

i wasnt offered a repalcement-i was told to take a refund- they said it was fine and they would resell it-

yes i received a full refund-the way i was talked down to on the phone was disgusting also
 
rosconey2 said:
i had a knife-it was second rate,bent blade poor fitting and chipped slabs with bad finish-

i wasnt offered a repalcement-i was told to take a refund- they said it was fine and they would resell it-

yes i received a full refund-the way i was talked down to on the phone was disgusting also
Click to expand...

Customer service is everything.
 
rosconey2 said:
i had a knife-it was second rate,bent blade poor fitting and chipped slabs with bad finish-

i wasnt offered a repalcement-i was told to take a refund- they said it was fine and they would resell it-

yes i received a full refund-the way i was talked down to on the phone was disgusting also
Click to expand...

I was told pretty much the same thing from the sales manager about a knife from them. He's responce to a replacement knife with poor fit & finish was "There is nothing wrong with that knife & we will gladly accept it back because we have people waiting on a list who will pay more $ for it than we sold it to you"
That was enough for me. I'll spend my knife $$ else where.

Dave
 
knowtracks said:
I was told pretty much the same thing from the sales manager about a knife from them. He's responce to a replacement knife with poor fit & finish was "There is nothing wrong with that knife & we will gladly accept it back because we have people waiting on a list who will pay more $ for it than we sold it to you"
That was enough for me. I'll spend my knife $$ else where.

Dave
Click to expand...

yup i remember that- i also lived it-lol
 
I have a Mooremaker Muskrat coming from Santa and I have a Robeson Barlow coming soon next week. The Robeson is made by Queen and I'm hoping it is the same quality of a Queen or Schatt & Morgan. Anyone have any new Robesons? The one I'm getting has Root Beer scales.I'm not sure from the picture how much I'll like the scales jigging.
RS69CRB1.jpg
 
wintermute said:
Buck makes things in China now, so they're out. Schrade's bankrupt. How's Case's quality and steel nowadays? Seems like some people like Queen and Canal Street, some don't. What's Mooremaker like? I want something that's good to use, but good to collect and proud to show also - like German folders (and Buck) used to be.
Click to expand...

As others have pointed out, the Buck 300 series of slipjoints are still made very well in the USA. They're a great option if you want a stainless, delrin-handled stockman of about 3.5" (the 303) or about 4" (the 301).

If you prefer carbon steel, you can't go wrong with a Case in CV steel. There, your handle options are yellow delrin, or amber bone or red bone. Case also makes a ton of great stainless steel knives - there, your handle options are virtually limitless. Steel snobs look down on Case's stainless, but there is LOTS of anecdotal evidence here on the folksy, old farts' forum ;) that it does quite well for normal, real world use.

Another option is a Queen slippie with D2 steel. I read great things about them ..... with the stark exception that they seem to come from the factory - more often than not - quite dull. And reprofiling a hard D2 steel is really difficult and takes a lot of elbow grease. You might find that's worth it if you really prefer a hard, high-performance steel.

Me, I'd go Case one way or the other. Get one that's newly made, in the past two or three years or so.
 
The Queen sounds a little too complicated for the knuckledragger level of sharpening technology that I own. Sounds like Case in CV is the one for me. My problem is that I remember when they were having difficulties, before Zippo brought them back.
 
Case CV is a can't miss wintermute. Carry a case Red Bone CV peanut everyday. Love it.

Is "wintermute" a Neuromancer reference?
 
I edc a Case stockman or Texas jack. Case makes a great knife and while my Texas jack is CV, the stockman is stainless. I've not toted and used the CV blades enough yet to be able to tell the difference in performance, but the stainless blades never let me down.
 
I strongly agree with endorsing CASE:thumbup:

Surprised by others' experiences with Great Eastern (&shocked by the rudeness they received as customers) as my experiences have been totally positive, got my eye on a ram's horn model now:D
 
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