Knives Made in China thoughts?

all these chinese Sanrenmu threads got me to buy a couple of these knives.
i got them today after about two weeks time.

overall impressions....they are nice, sharp, solid, and very usable.

i am impressed. i am going to keep each in a glove box of my cars so i doubt they will see hard use but i paid less than a cost for my dinner tonight for the pair of folders and well worth it in my opinion.

i bought the 603 and the 710.

the 603 was nice..just a bit small.
the 710 was nice...i just am not a fan of black blades.

these are waaaay better than the pakistan junk i used to buy as a kid.
 
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I ordered a pair of sanrenmu knives to see what all the hype was about. The 710 was under $7 and the 763 was under $4. So I get 2 knives shipped from Hong Kong for under $11 shipped. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of quality $11 (including shipping) buys.
 
Fanglekai said:
I ordered a pair of sanrenmu knives to see what all the hype was about. The 710 was under $7 and the 763 was under $4. So I get 2 knives shipped from Hong Kong for under $11 shipped. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of quality $11 (including shipping) buys.
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wow the 763 for $4 is great.
i only saw them online for about $10
 
Gadfly22 said:
I am familiar with that thread, which contains a mix of clear counterfeits and the kind of copies we were discussing from Navy. You can't confuse the two. A counterfeit using a known trademark is wrong. A similar design may appear unfair, but as I already pointed out unless you know the contractual relationships that might exist (which ordinary posters here do not) you don't know if the copy is permitted or is not permitted.

If any principal with actual knowledge cares to weigh in, I'm interested. If you're just another uninformed guy with an axe to grind and an unhealthy and overused sense of outrage, your opinion is worthless.
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Also, is anyone aware of whether Spyderco files design patents or not? The looks of an object can only be protected by design patents as opposed to utility patents which cover, among other things, functionality. Gadfly22, are you an IP attorney?
 
sheepdog229 said:
Also, is anyone aware of whether Spyderco files design patents or not? The looks of an object can only be protected by design patents as opposed to utility patents which cover, among other things, functionality. Gadfly22, are you an IP attorney?
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Nope. Tax, trust and estates and corporate. Which is why I would be interested in learning about the contractual arrangements between US makers and offshore OEM producers. Though I doubt that I ever will.
 
Luis G. said:
We live in a free market, Old man. The US exported it's job to China because USA could not keep up with the demand, and overhead for many products and to be plain jane. Most USA companies are and have been becoming complacent and incompetent.
If USA cannot keep up the quality, price, and the supply then it does NOT deserve the consumer's business even if it's in the consumers are in the same country.
Tough luck.
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We will just have to agree to disagree, Luis. My take on it is JQ Public knows the price of everything and the value of nothing, although I do hear what you are saying.
 
A.P.F. said:
We will just have to agree to disagree, Luis. My take on it is JQ Public knows the price of everything and the value of nothing, although I do hear what you are saying.
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Very well, we have derailed from the original thread.
 
adotc said:
Hey guys,

I was wondering what opinions or thoughts you guys may have on knives that are made in China? The reason why I ask this, I am curious what knife enthusisast think about this issue.
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I have no objection to the idea of buying products made in China, in fact I own many items that are made in China. The quality of products has very little to do with the country of manufacture and lots to do with the effort put into making it high quality, often a lot of effort is put into reducing the cost of the item instead (this applies to products made in lots of countries).

I don't actually have a lot of knives made in China though. My Ontario Rat-1 is made in Taiwan, I like that knife so much that I ordered another one ($21). My Spyderco Endura is made in Seki-City Japan, also a great knife. I have knives made in Switzerland, France, Sweden, Nepal, El Salvador and USA - many of them are really good. The knives that I don't like tend to be the very cheap ones made with a cheaper steel and maybe manufactured in China but the cheap construction & materials are the more important factor.

I have some high-end flashlights made in China by Chinese companies - I didn't buy them because they were cheap, they definitely aren't cheap in price or in quality. When you pay ~$60 for a 1 x AA light you can consider the fact that similar sized lights can be bought for under $10 but you should also consider that those cheap lights are NOT the same quality. Both cheap junk and excellent quality goods come out of China - the same as with Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and many other countries. I would never judge a product solely on the country of manufacture, I consider that sort of thinking to be rather ignorant.

When I buy a product I consider how good the quality, performance and features are and what the cost to me is. I DON'T really care where it is made. I have bought plenty of USA made products and I have bought plenty of non-USA made products. My ESEE, KA-BAR and Leatherman products are all very nice, but so are my Mora, Victorinox & Opinel products.

The only Chinese made products that I have a real aversion to are Apple products - I really hate that Steve Jobs guy and wouldn't touch any of his products. No iPhone, iPad or iPod for me, thanks!
 
i wanted to know if anyone knew which chinese model had the same flipper type opening as the kershaw skyline.

anyone know?

i'd like to get one
 
jmsodpc said:
i wanted to know if anyone knew which chinese model had the same flipper type opening as the kershaw skyline.

anyone know?

i'd like to get one
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I have a rough rider flipper stiletto, its not spring assisted though but is a good knife and flips well.

Model code is RR465

rr465.jpg
 
pinetreebbs said:
So you have nothing but your opinion, thanks for your input.
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Actually, I helped you by clarifying your conceptual errors -- i.e., your confusing actual counterfeits with knives that resemble other knives. One of those things is very bad all the time, and the other is a matter of patent law, trademark law and possibly copyright law, with contractual relations between the manufacturers trumping all. You're welcome.
 
Well the jury is in on Rough Rider, at least for me, at least for what I like.

They are great knives for the money, yadda yadda. I'll buy more I'm sure. The steel is just OK though.

My Rough Rider barlow took a while to get scary sharp, and then its edge holding wasn't so great. I sharpen to a fairly acute angle and like my knives to be pretty sharp. I'm sure that if I put a secondary bevel at a more obtuse angle it will hold it's edge better.

People may call me a "steel snob", maybe I am one of sorts. I don't have many knives in exotic steels or anything, never owned D-2, ATS-34, etc. I like carbon steel a lot. Of the stainless's I've tried I like some AUS-8.

I actually don't have a lot of steel experience I imagine. I do know that I have a Mercator "cat" knife at work which I believe is good old 1095 carbon and I have spent a few years trying to kill it. I've used it to deburr aluminum and I've cut plastic by hitting it with a rubber hammer, etc., etc.. It gets real sharp easily, keeps that edge pretty well even with abuse, and resharpens quickly.

I didn't put the Rough Rider though that kind of use but I can see that it won't hold an edge as well, even just cutting cardboard and other light use. It's funny, 'cause I didn't like the fit and finish on the Mercator a lot (which is why it was relegated to being a beater, literally)

Still, the Rough Rider has better steel than many other cheap knives. Definitely good for cheap slipjoints. I wonder if an Opinel is better in that price range though. Wish I didn't worry about an Opinel opening in my pocket.

All in all, Rough Rider is still a great knife for the money. Still, I have a problem with tried and true German or American companies moving operations to China and putting out a shoddier product. Not everybody gets on the internet and talks about a knife buy for weeks before making it.

As I said in a previous post, I bought Red Wing shoes for years and, being hard to fit, got to know a model number and size which suited me well. Got a pair which gave me problems. I looked at the tag on the shoes and the model number and size were correct but the tag now said "Assembled in USA w/ imported components". I went back to my old pair and my problems went away.

Cost me $180.
 
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If a knife is built in China and has a tang stamp just like a Case knife or who ever, marketed and sold as a Case knife it's a counterfeit - If they build a trapper pattern or Sunfish and it's stamped Rough Rider - it's not a counterfeit - I have had guys ask me to engrave them a Case stamp - now why do you think they would want something like that! The knife worls has more than it's share of crooks - some have even became very well know & respected in the knife world.

I sold a collection of doctor’s knives for $4,000.00 to a large knife dealer in the South - I had worked dozens of shows with him. Nice guy. He asks if he could pay me with in 30 days - I told him that was fine. No paper work - just a hand shake - After 3 months & lots of phone calls his wife told me that he was just busy & that his mother was dieing - I explained to her that we are all dieing I also explained to her that it appeared that he had found the time to pay his phone bill! - I gave her 7 working days to get me a check or I would be on their door steep - 3 days later I had my money - he was just one of the good old boys.

China is doing a better job than we are with their industrial base - Our manufacturing base was 27% a few years ago - now it 9% - with China getting the rewards. Hey - they’re a right to work country & their not strapped with Obamma - matter of fact Mr. O is one of their best friends!
 
I'm leaving for Hot Aug Nights in Reno for a couple of days - 800,000 people - Hot rods from all over the US - good looking ladies - Going to be in the mid 90's so they will be dressed for the occasion- Yeah Baby - you guys have this all figured out by the time I get back:D
 
davek14 said:
Still, the Rough Rider has better steel than many other cheap knives. Definitely good for cheap slipjoints. I wonder if an Opinel is better in that price range though. Wish I didn't worry about an Opinel opening in my pocket.
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opinels , the newer ones have a lock shut feature . It generally takes a couple years solid work for them to be free enough in their movement that you need worry about them opening without using 2 hands even without that lock in my experience .

edit to add : My experience too is that opinel is miles ahead in edge holding of a rough rider . Roughrider has far better fit and finish tho , just blunts faster .
 
Myal said:
opinels , the newer ones have a lock shut feature . It generally takes a couple years solid work for them to be free enough in their movement that you need worry about them opening without using 2 hands even without that lock in my experience .

edit to add : My experience too is that opinel is miles ahead in edge holding of a rough rider . Roughrider has far better fit and finish tho , just blunts faster .
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my opinel doesnt last any longer edge wise than my RR's do...
 
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