Review Knives for people on a budget #1

[Pete1977]

For about a decade I couldn’t afford to buy high end knives but I worked in a profession that required a knife and expected a lot of them. In this series I am going to review and test knives that are available to people with limited funds to spend and as a source of information for non-knife people who need a good knife but don’t want to break the bank.
Most people looking for a knife are going to go to a hardware store, big box store or online to either Ebay or Amazon. That is what I did.
There are thousands of options of fixed blade and folding knives, of all shapes, sizes and uses.
I carried and used a Byrd Rescue for about 6 years. MSRP $30 at the time. Before that a Byrd Raven and after the Rescue wore out, a Buck Bantam.
Some people are not even going to want to spend that and will buy overseas clones or something that looks cool or scary. These reviews are for those people (you guys too, but mainly for those people who plug knife into Google Search and wind up here.

I’m not a knife snob. I buy what I like. It could be a $15 Milano assisted opening stiletto or a $150 tactical folder or a $20 hardware store slipjoint.
A lot of us buy nice knives but carry something inexpensive, a “beater” when we don’t want to ruin our investment in a higher end knife. Most people however buy the “beater” and use it until it breaks and buy another. Hopefully this series helps those people pick a good “cheap” knife vs junk.

So, without further adeiu- the “Poor Man’s Knife Review” Chapter 1: The MTech USA MT-528C Fixed Blade Knife 10.5-Inch Overall, Small.

I spent $12.31 on this knife so you don’t have to.
The knife is as described in its long name, 10.5 inches OAL. It is a full tang knife which is obvious because it does not have any handle scales. The grip is cord wrapped, but for $12.31 don’t expect paracord. Mine is OD nylon shoelace material that the manufacturer could not even bother to melt the ends.
The grip is small, there are angled edged that press into your hand when you grip the knife. Mine came with a rudimentary dull edge. After about an hour I got a working edge on it after a slight rebevel. i polished it to 8000 grit. Only one section of the blade shaves hair.
The blade is a mystery stainless steel that is coated with a black paint-like coating. Mine also had black powder on the blade but for $12.31 the fit and finish was as expected. This is no Randall. It isn’t even a Gerber.
I haven’t had a chance to actually use the knife but if anyone cares I will update this post when I can do some cutting. I do not have high hopes for its cutting ability.

The sheath is a typical two ply OD ballistic nylon sheath with no liner and a belt loop and snap closure around the handle.

For $12.31 this is not a knife I would recommend that any of you non knife people who search MTech fixed blade purchase. It is barely a knife.

Also for $12.31 I couldn’t be bothered to take many photos but here is one.

Here it is with a SOG Seal Pup for size comparison. Note the shoelace wrapped grip and the thin nylon sheath.

I do like the blade shape and the color of the sheath and cord wrap. That is about all I like about this knife.

One of two things is going to happen to this knife- I am either going to beat the everloving poop out of it to see how much crappy knife $12.31 gets a person, or throw it in the patrol truck in case i need a knife for whatever this knife may be good for.

In conclusion, especially you non-knife people- if you are looking for an inexpensive fixed blade, whether you are on a budget, are cheap, or just don’t care about knives, save your $12.31 and don’t buy this one.
I’ll update this post when and if I get around to using this knife.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for “Knives for People on a Budget #2” coming soon to a forum near you.

 

[old4570]

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[Pete1977]

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[dogstar]

Honestly, if you didn't use the knife at all, how can you give it an emphatic thumbs down?

 

[Sbs1974]

This really doesn’t make any sense

 

[Pete1977]

Honestly, if you didn't use the knife at all, how can you give it an emphatic thumbs down?

I have used knives for 33 years from cheap S&W folders to high end Spyderco knives and I know a POS when I see one. Even minimal use without serious modification to the handle will be uncomfortable for most people and I have small hands. I don’t actually have to cut anything with this knife to know that it will be difficult if not painful to use for the work a knife of this nature is intended for. The stock is too thin, the grip is too small and the cross guard and pommel have unfinished sharp edges. I can use it when I get a chance but I can assure you that it will not change my mind. There are much better inexpensive fixed blade options out there even by MTech. I have two more under $15 fixed blades to review however in my experienced opinion this knife would not be my first choice. In its defense it is thin enough and light enough to leave in a truck or tacklebox, toolbox or pack for those times when you for some reason do not have a better knife handy.

This really doesn’t make any sense

What doesn’t make sense and I will try to clarify it for you

 

[Pete1977]

If someone were to invest the time and money into modifying it with handle scales and making a new sheath this may be a serviceable knife but that would defeat the purpose of an inexpensive knife for someone who can’t afford to buy a mid to high end fixed blade.
I absolutely love the blade shape and the sharpened swedge. The steel probably isn’t bad possibly 7CR or 8CR- the blade is only described as “high carbon stainless.”

 

[LG&M]

If you have 33+ years of experience you should have been able to see the shortcomings BEFORE you bought it.

I don't mean to sound harsh, I do appreciate you taking the time to take photos & post.

 

[Pete1977]

If you have 33+ years of experience you should have been able to see the shortcomings BEFORE you bought it.

I don't mean to sound harsh, I do appreciate you taking the time to take photos & post.

I bought it specifically for this purpose, to review and test and to provide info for non knife people who come here looking for a knife, maybe their first knife, that isn’t a $200 Benchmade or $500 custom.

The purpose of a knife review isn’t to sing the praises of a particular model or style of knife- it is to provide information for people to then use in making a decision to purchase a knife.

I am fortunate to have the experience that I do to be able to assist others in making a decision if they are browsing a big site like Amazon or Ebay looking for a knife.

Most people buying knives are not knife enthusiasts, just people looking to get a knife for whatever reason, going to a site like Amazon and buying a knife that looks interesting and won’t cost them much.

I guarantee that MTech or United Cutlery or any number of low end brands sell more knives than Spyderco and Benchmade combined in any given week because the people buying them are looking for a knife, don’t collect knives, and don’t want or are unable to spend more than $50 for one.
They don’t care about “super steels,” will probably resharpen it on a pull through sharpener or power grinder if they even sharpen it at all, and when it breaks, throw it away and buy another. To them it’s just a knife.

This is the largest accumulation of knife knowledge on the internet if not in the world, with hundreds of thousands of members and double that amount of people who come here, read, neither join nor post, and once they find the info they are looking for, don’t stick around.

I am fortunate that I can afford $12 to buy a knife, review it, possibly test it, and save someone who may not be able to afford that $12 the trouble of finding out that a particular knife is not going to work for them because of inherent flaws in the design or manufacture that even an experienced knife user would be unable to see from the limited photos and details provided on the web.