Inexpensive, hich quality, U.S.-made EDC

Don't forget that the Kershaw ZT line is made in the US of A. And there are several models there that are some of the best buy's around. Not inexpensive, but not expensive either, just a WHOLE lot of knife for the money you spend!:thumbup::thumbup:
 
Originally Posted by thombrogan
Yeah, your list; while very throrough; Needs Work.
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LOL It also needs a Walmart, Spydero Native. US made, S30V, and under $40.
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Don't forget the Case CV knives in yellow and red bone with CV blades.
I like my only Kershaw (a Sapphire) which was made in Japan. I like the looks of the Skyline, just there are other blades that need buying right now.
 
cutter17 said:
Don't forget that the Kershaw ZT line is made in the US of A. And there are several models there that are some of the best buy's around. Not inexpensive, but not expensive either, just a WHOLE lot of knife for the money you spend!:thumbup::thumbup:
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Those things start out at about $150 don't they? In the context of a thread about $30-$40 knives, yes, they are very expensive.
 
I think that "Made in USA" is an outright lie. "Assembled" perhaps, but the materials that go into the knife all come from outside the USA.

Sandvik steel is Swedish, and I suspect that all the remaining materials from micarta to pins, clip, etc. come from China, possibly Japan or Taiwan.
 
CWL said:
I think that "Made in USA" is an outright lie. "Assembled" perhaps, but the materials that go into the knife all come from outside the USA.

Sandvik steel is Swedish, and I suspect that all the remaining materials from micarta to pins, clip, etc. come from China, possibly Japan or Taiwan.
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Raw materials can come from anywhere in the world and be made to work at another location. It is unlikely anyone is concerned about where the raw materials themselves come from. The raw materials for your keyboard for example or your computer come from all over ranging from Japan to Taiwan or in all liklihood China also. I understand the steel industry has outsourced for many things that used to be in done in the USA. We are not the industrial giant we once were because much industry has moved. Is that the makers or manufacturers fault now? I don't follow you. When a custom maker says he makes the knives obviously he is making them using 'raw materials' that he bought from a supplier never told where the supplier gets them and he/she then uses those raw materials to build the knives. He isn't in most cases making his own titanium from scratch or his own G10, or forging his steel from ore found in a meteor. He buys from a supplier usually based in the USA. So is he a liar then because the supplier did not tell him, oh by the way, we get our sheet micarta from China?

STR
 
Jennifer_B said:
Those things start out at about $150 don't they? In the context of a thread about $30-$40 knives, yes, they are very expensive.
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They are only expensive if your top dollar is going to be $40 to $50. Otherwise they are a heck of a good deal when you consider how much knife you are getting, and this includes fit/finish, materials, and warranty.

A good deal is not always about how inexpensive the product is.:D
 
STR,

I know what you mean, but these items can only be accurately described as "assembled in USA" since the materials come in pretty-much finished form already (nobody takes steel wire and makes screw out of them here.)

Actually, in my line of work, I am intimately aware of what is manufactured in what country. (In your example, if you give me your computer brand and model, I can tell you what contract-manufacturer actually made it and which city in China it came from.)

Personally, I don't really care where anything comes from, I'm more of a "quibbler" with the "Made in USA" brand.
 
Knife Outlet said:
Inexpensive, high quality, U.S. made. Pick any two.
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I've got to break ranks and disagree with you, Fred. Kershaw makes quite a selection of high-quality knives in the USA for under $60. Their Junk Yard Dog knives (complete with polarizing pocketclip) are bargains as are their US-made priced-to-own models from that Onion guy. Kershaw's Storm series are simply excellent framelocks as are their Leek series (I've never used a Chive or Scallion, so I wouldn't know).
 
CWL said:
I think that "Made in USA" is an outright lie. "Assembled" perhaps, but the materials that go into the knife all come from outside the USA.

...I suspect that all the remaining materials from micarta to pins, clip, etc. come from China, possibly Japan or Taiwan.
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I suspect you're wrong, and I'm not sure I like your word lie.

The 410 stainless we use on our framelocks and liners come from the USA. We produce our own screws, pins, and clips internally from materials in the US. The G-10 is produced in the US. We use a ton of 420HC (Chive's and Scallion's), US made. We did use 440A which is US made (have a ton of product on the market), and only switched when it was borderline discontinued. We also use Crucible (USA) for steel as well.

Fred, sounds like you need a new catalog.
 
CWL said:
Personally, I don't really care where anything comes from, I'm more of a "quibbler" with the "Made in USA" brand.
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Quibbler? That is not what I read in your post my friend. I read that you were saying Made in USA makes any one claiming it to be liars. I simply disagree with that. If you want to play with semantics and try to say liar, quibbler falls within the same meaning I would have to differ with that definition. It sounds like by quibbling you want to dispute the accuracy of the statement Made in the USA being made these days and thats fine I see your point but I'd still have to disagree because if the end line product is made here by the human hand or machines out of raw materials that were not that product before hand and from raw materials regardless of where they hailed from its still made to work as the item it is right here or wherever it was made to be that item.

Let me be clearer still . Assembled indicates to me something that is all the completed parts already made into that part out of raw materials somewhere other than the USA. Someone had to make the raw materials into those parts and that is not technically assembling to take a raw material and cut it, shape it, thread it mill out cuts, or whatever else and make it into a part that for the end line user ends up being a knife. The Guild for example, considers screws that are bought and cut to specific lengths, or colored by heat or decorated in some other way or even just cut to fit and nothing else to be raw materials.

Through out human history man has had trade with other nations. So let me throw out an example of my thoughts for this further. And please know I'm not being a smart a$$ here I'm just trying to be clear. When an Egyptian artifact was found in Eqypt during a dig on National Geographic and what it was made of was discovered in 2005 to have come from bronze consisting of brass from copper ore and tin from the Andes does that mean it was made into the saw it was forged into in Egypt by a craftsman or is it made in Peru from the mine since the raw materials to make that product came from there originally.

STR
 
why does kershaw put that bead blast on many of their blades????

i myself think that their knives would look way nicer with a mirror/shiny type blade. for some reason the beadblast on kershaw knives seem to rust very easily . i have the same problem with crkt beadblast blades.

does anyone know why they prefer the beadblast to the shiny blade??

that skyline looks awesome, but it would look much better with a shiny blade inmop.
 
3mptin3ss, we bead blast because we are set up for it internally, and it keeps costs down on our USA made volume products.
 
way things are going there be no more american made knifes unless there 300 dollars a pop and union backed! its about over with!
 
As a European I have no particular preference for or against US-made knives. I look first for general quality & a pleasing design, not the country of origin. In the end I have ended up with quite a few Japanese-made knives as in my perception they typically do both quality & design right.
 
I would also recommend checking out the Shallot.

One thing I really like about Kershaw, and a few others, is the fact that you can get a coated (read black) blade in a non-serrated edge. It seems that many other manufacturers do not like to give you a choice.
 
Thanks Thomas. I wanted to inform him that you made your own screws and hardware and that it was not bought from China but I figured you'd be along shortly and join in so I covered all my other thoughts on the matter leaving that to you.

Dagon, some of the Japanese cutlery is up there with the finest made anywhere at anytime in the world. I have many fine Japanese knives.

I prefer and look for USA made ones mostly and I support the ones made here when I can even if it means buying it for a bit more. Kershaw does this so the average working man can still afford to own and use their knives though and they need to be commended for it. My Damascus Leek is one of my favorite knives. The Storm II is also one of the best values in a harder use frame lock that you can find and believe me I've got one that has seen a ton of work from multiple users and its still quite frequently relied on by me.

One thing about an inexpensive user is you are not the least bit hesitant to get after it and put it to work. If you want to bite the bullet and spend more though the USA made items are available from Golden Colorado by Spyderco, as well as Kershaw and some of them are certainly top shelf.

The Tyrade for example compares in workmanship. quality, and esthetics with many higher dollar customs I've owned from big name makers and at a fraction of the cost.

STR
 
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