Higher end smith & wesson folder

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SURVIVAL&WEAPONS

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Feb 2, 2014
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I got an email from smkw earlier and noticed a s&w folder going for over $120. Specs say it has 14c28n as blade steel.
Anyone handle one of these more premium offerings? Whats the general consensus? Sorry if this has been discussed prior.
 
The impression I've picked up over the past few years boils down to this: Stay away from gun company knives, except for Hogue and the now-discontinued HK series manufactured by Benchmade. It's served me well so far. :)

There's zero chance I'd pay $120 for a Smith & Wesson folder, let alone one with 14c28n steel.

Edit: I was conflating 14c28n steel with other "alphabet steels," and have since learned more about it. I still wouldn't a Smith & Wesson knife, but I own a couple in 14c28n and like them a lot. :)
 
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Dadpool said:
The impression I've picked up over the past few years boils down to this: Stay away from gun company knives, except for Hogue and the now-discontinued HK series manufactured by Benchmade. It's served me well so far. :)

There's zero chance I'd pay $120 for a Smith & Wesson folder, let alone one with 14c28n steel.
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Yes, i generally follow that rule too. However, i was entertaining the idea in my mind that maybe theres new hope for s&w offerings. Combine that with how southern grind also uses 14c28n.
 
I would also avoid that knife, especially at that price tag.

If you want to spend $129 on a knife, we'd be happy to offer some alternatives.
 
SURVIVAL&WEAPONS said:
Yes, i generally follow that rule too. However, i was entertaining the idea in my mind that maybe theres new hope for s&w offerings. Combine that with how southern grind also uses 14c28n.
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I have a S&W M&P9c. A fantastic firearm. My wife carries a 9mm S&W Shield. Also a fantastic firearm. I too hope that S&W would re-think their knife line. I guess using 14C28 is a start but the price on that knife is not competitive in the current marketplace.

Of course, made in the USA is going to cost more but 14C28 (which is a great steel) + G10 for $129 doesn't cut it for me.
 
$129 is almost $100 too high for 14C28N, which is used on budget Kershaw and Steel Will knives.

gazz98 said:
I have a S&W M&P9c. A fantastic firearm. My wife carries a 9mm S&W Shield. Also a fantastic firearm. I too hope that S&W would re-think their knife line. I guess using 14C28 is a start but the price on that knife is not competitive in the current marketplace imo.

Of course, made in the USA is going to cost more but 14C28 (which is a great steel) + G10 for $129 doesn't cut it for me.
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S&W owns the company that makes their knives, Taylor Cutlery, so don't expect their quality to improve any.
 
14C28N isn't a bad steel, Kershaw uses it in their mid to upper priced knives.

I went and looked it up, looks like that Smith&Wesson one is made in the USA, or at least it's heavily advertised as being made in the USA. Just for fun, I went and looked at Blade HQ, first at knives in 14C28N. The cheapest was a $29 Ruike made in China. Then I looked at the USA made knives with 14C28N. The cheapest was the kershaw Skyline at ~$50. There were various kershaws between $70 and $100, and then Southern Grind makes their $250+ Bad Monkey with 14C28N.

Then I saw that Bear&Son makes some axis style knives with 14C28N under their BearOPS line. Based on the styling, I'm guessing that if the S&W knife really is made in the USA it's probably made by Bear&Son.

I eventually found the knife you're asking about on Blade HQ:
frbKznI.jpg

BHQ's price seems about right
 
Silent H said:
14C28N isn't a bad steel, Kershaw uses it in their mid to upper priced knives.

I went and looked it up, looks like that Smith&Wesson one is made in the USA, or at least it's heavily advertised as being made in the USA. Just for fun, I went and looked at Blade HQ, first at knives in 14C28N. The cheapest was a $29 Ruike made in China. Then I looked at the USA made knives with 14C28N. The cheapest was the kershaw Skyline at ~$50. There were various kershaws between $70 and $100, and then Southern Grind makes their $250+ Bad Monkey with 14C28N.

Then I saw that Bear&Son makes some axis style knives with 14C28N under their BearOPS line. Based on the styling, I'm guessing that if the S&W knife really is made in the USA it's probably made by Bear&Son.

I eventually found the knife you're asking about on Blade HQ:
frbKznI.jpg

BHQ's price seems about right
Click to expand...

i wasnt sure if smkw was a paying dealer on here so thats why i didnt provide a link to what i originally saw. But yes this is the one and im surprised at difference in price; really makes me wonder whats going on.
Im not in the market for the aforementioned knife, i have a zt and barrage in the mail. I just merely had my interest peaked, and thought i would start a discussion.
 
The Dallas Cowboys don't make knives and neither does Smith&Wesson.
Taylor Cutlery

Smith and Wesson knives used to be manufactured in house, although for a period of time (1986-1993) Vermont Cutlery Co of West Rutland VT made knives for Smith and Wesson. Today Taylor Cutlery makes and sells Smith and Wesson knives.
71ALfb5O8OL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
 
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SURVIVAL&WEAPONS said:
i wasnt sure if smkw was a paying dealer on here so thats why i didnt provide a link to what i originally saw. But yes this is the one and im surprised at difference in price; really makes me wonder whats going on.
Im not in the market for the aforementioned knife, i have a zt and barrage in the mail. I just merely had my interest peaked, and thought i would start a discussion.
Click to expand...
Stay away from $120 knives that are discounted to $15. It's like the watches that are advertised as $4000 MSRP but you can get it now for two installments of $100. They are both crap
 
I'll go one step further and say I don't deal with SMKW. They adore them some cheap Chinese junk often slathered with former USA brands and I find their prices are often higher than others.
 
I like 14C28N but the general consensus here seems correct. I'd have to get this knife in front of me to know for sure but with that price tag and those materials, it'll never happen.

The low-cost Smith and Wesson knives are pretty terrible and should be avoided like the plague. There are just too many budget knives that are too much better starting around $20. It's jarring considering the quality of their firearms. However, it should be taken in context with what's traditionally been available at big-box and hardware stores. The relatively recent Renaissance in budget knives still hasn't reached a lot of those places.
 
Silent H said:
14C28N isn't a bad steel, Kershaw uses it in their mid to upper priced knives.

I went and looked it up, looks like that Smith&Wesson one is made in the USA, or at least it's heavily advertised as being made in the USA. Just for fun, I went and looked at Blade HQ, first at knives in 14C28N. The cheapest was a $29 Ruike made in China. Then I looked at the USA made knives with 14C28N. The cheapest was the kershaw Skyline at ~$50. There were various kershaws between $70 and $100, and then Southern Grind makes their $250+ Bad Monkey with 14C28N.

Then I saw that Bear&Son makes some axis style knives with 14C28N under their BearOPS line. Based on the styling, I'm guessing that if the S&W knife really is made in the USA it's probably made by Bear&Son.

I eventually found the knife you're asking about on Blade HQ:
frbKznI.jpg

BHQ's price seems about right
Click to expand...

Odds Bodkins! It's incredible that this same knife is listed at $149.99 at Smith and Wesson's website. It's also incredible to see 14C28N for under ten bucks. Setting aside issues like the bead-blast finish or tip-down clip position, I'd assume this is real 14C28N. How bad could it be? (Is anyone brave enough to try it?)
 
Dadpool said:
The impression I've picked up over the past few years boils down to this: Stay away from gun company knives, except for Hogue and the now-discontinued HK series manufactured by Benchmade. It's served me well so far. :)

There's zero chance I'd pay for a Smith & Wesson folder
Click to expand...

FIXED!

Oh and btw, Hogue is now making knives for H&K.
 
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K.O.D. said:
Oh and btw, Hogue is now making knives for H&K.
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Oh nice, I didn't know that. Kind of funny that the same gun brand's knives have now been made by two different quality knife manufacturers...one of which is itself primarily a firearms-related business.
 
I know S&W the brand as whole was recently sold, and the rights that Taylor Cutlery had owned to produce knives under their name was sold as well, but I'm not sure who is manufacturing their knives now. I know the rifle manufacturer isn't making their own knives but still selling the naming rights, so it would be good to know who owns those naming rights currently... I don't feel like doing the Google search right now...
 
Silent H said:
14C28N isn't a bad steel, Kershaw uses it in their mid to upper priced knives.

I went and looked it up, looks like that Smith&Wesson one is made in the USA, or at least it's heavily advertised as being made in the USA. Just for fun, I went and looked at Blade HQ, first at knives in 14C28N. The cheapest was a $29 Ruike made in China. Then I looked at the USA made knives with 14C28N. The cheapest was the kershaw Skyline at ~$50. There were various kershaws between $70 and $100, and then Southern Grind makes their $250+ Bad Monkey with 14C28N.

Then I saw that Bear&Son makes some axis style knives with 14C28N under their BearOPS line. Based on the styling, I'm guessing that if the S&W knife really is made in the USA it's probably made by Bear&Son.

I eventually found the knife you're asking about on Blade HQ:
frbKznI.jpg

BHQ's price seems about right
Click to expand...
i noticed that too, but im assuming the bladehq price had to be a mistake
 
also remember in the early 2000s when people didnt know as much about knives, people thought that smith and wesson swat folder was really high quality

swat-knife.jpg
 
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