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kissing crane
- Thread starter s7brad
- Start date
It is not right, but most of the ones in smkw are made in China. The sodbuster is made in Italy. I like the wood handle sodbusters, I have seen one in person. I am not sure about the Stiletto, but I don't think it is made in China.
It is sad to see them go to China. I guess the price is right, a bone handle starting at $9.99, so I guess the value is there. A lot of members have bought them and have liked them.
It is sad to see them go to China. I guess the price is right, a bone handle starting at $9.99, so I guess the value is there. A lot of members have bought them and have liked them.
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2003
- Messages
- 1,705
The stiletto was made by Angelo Campolin/Falcon Knives of Maniago Italy. I've heard that they are now made in China, but I am not sure of it. The Italian made Kissing Crane knives are good knives IMHO.
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- Joined
- Sep 26, 2008
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- 8,160
I have two KC stiletto's, both say KC-46 on the tang and are made in Germany. I don't know how old they are. One has what appears to be walnut scales and the other is stag.
I have a bunch of the trappers, copperheads and small lockbacks that are all the China made knives and everyone is beautiful. Without exception, they all have better fit and finish than the two German ones I have.
I have a bunch of the trappers, copperheads and small lockbacks that are all the China made knives and everyone is beautiful. Without exception, they all have better fit and finish than the two German ones I have.
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2003
- Messages
- 1,705
The tang stamps do say made in Germany. They may be assembled in Germany. But the components are, or where, made in Italy by Falcon.
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2001
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- 1,055
I just picked up a Kissing Crane "Coal Miner"; their version of a sodbuster in black. In a word, "Ick". Big thick cheap feeling injection molded handle with an enclosed backspring, and about 1/2" thick overall. It only cost something like $14 shipped, and I suppose "you get what you pay for", but I guess I was expecting more. It wasn't particularly sharp, and had really wide bevels. I reprofiled it surprisingly quickly, which makes me suspicious of the steel hardness, but we'll see what happens in use. Tang stamps are "INOX" (stainless) and "Italy", fwiw.
I should have just broke down and bought the Case (couldn't find a full size) or the Boker, but the KC was a little shorter closed and seemed that it might be a little more pocketable. I realize the Case is still Delrin, but they seem to do plastic right, and it feels a lot better in the hand than most others. And, imo, the yellow is even better than their own textured brown Delrin.
-- Sam
I should have just broke down and bought the Case (couldn't find a full size) or the Boker, but the KC was a little shorter closed and seemed that it might be a little more pocketable. I realize the Case is still Delrin, but they seem to do plastic right, and it feels a lot better in the hand than most others. And, imo, the yellow is even better than their own textured brown Delrin.
-- Sam
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I was wondering about the quality,are they better than roughrider or about the same?I think part of the production is still german while the lower price models are china production.it is the lower price model I am interested in,because the german made knives are out of my price range right now.
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2001
- Messages
- 1,055
Well, early on in this topic someone said they thought KCs were "better than average" for Chinese knives, but based on my above experience I would tend to disagree. My Chinese Marbles Stockman is a much better knife than this KC Coal Miner, and cost less. Neither one is a "quality" knife, but at least the Marbles has (non color fast) bone handles as opposed to injection molded plastic.
FWIW, I use the Marbles for cleaning hair out of the bathroom drain and the KC for cleaning, er, "sod", out of my shoes, so I suppose these knives are fitting for these roles...
-- Sam
FWIW, I use the Marbles for cleaning hair out of the bathroom drain and the KC for cleaning, er, "sod", out of my shoes, so I suppose these knives are fitting for these roles...
-- Sam
I noticed in another post you said the Coal Miner had "Italy" on the blade. It might be useful if we compare KC's made in China to the Marbles made in China. Not that would be any better, but you never know.
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- Dec 17, 2001
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I would hope that knives made anywhere (except maybe Pakistan) would be better than the majority of the Chinese knives I've seen. They make just about everything to meet a low price point, not for quality.
-- Sam
-- Sam
I basically agree, made in China was considered the worst. The last few years, they have improved by leaps and bounds. I have a few knives made in China, my Buck knives from China seem to be pretty well made. The Marbles that you talked about, are OK to pretty good.
I do tend to shy away from "made in China". I see the stag handle KC from China in SMKW for $30 and I think, why would I spend that kind of money on Chinese stuff. Still, if you look at it objectively, they seemed to be getting better and buying $30 or more knives from China maybe considered normal in the future, maybe???
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- Dec 17, 2001
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- 1,055
Let's hope not. :barf:
To clarify: The Chinese are capable of producing quality products, and do when their client companies (Buck, etc, apparently) pay for it. But those cases are the exception rather than the rule, and you're much more likely to run across something that is worth every bit of the $3.99 you paid for it.
-- Sam
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