Knives Made in China thoughts?

[chloesdada]

i just became a dealer for a Chinese owned and operated knife and flashlight company, TeKut/Nextorch, i instantley fell in love with my Ares A when i first saw it at a surplus store, it was sad though because the owner of the store had them hidden in shadow under a shitload of Benchmade knives, I highly recommend checking them out

 

[BeTheToad]

Kind of tied my hands in the second post.

I will say that I bought a RR Stockman just to see if I liked the pattern as an EDC. I do, so, I bought two Case Stockmans this week and now the RR must go.

 

[jbmonkey]

Maybe I am weird, but I have a high respect for china. Sure there is some crap coming out of there, but there is also some high quality stuff. China is right on the edge of making that change that both japan and south korea did. 10 years from now people will talk about how all the cheap junky stuff used to come from china, while buying there state of the art high end chinese brand x tv that rivals sony and samsung. Just like I use to hear as a kid about japan, while I listened to my state of the art high end walkman. This includes knives, we are already seeing competition coming from china in knives, and as time goes on well likley see stuff that rivals the best euro and american production knives.

You don't have to like it, but the future is already here and china isn't going away.

 

[ssblood]

Hopefully as their country advances so will the costs of production over there. This could quote possibly shift manufacturing back to the CONUS.

 

[brets-ftw]

Maybe I am weird, but I have a high respect for china. Sure there is some crap coming out of there, but there is also some high quality stuff. China is right on the edge of making that change that both japan and south korea did. 10 years from now people will talk about how all the cheap junky stuff used to come from china, while buying there state of the art high end chinese brand x tv that rivals sony and samsung. Just like I use to hear as a kid about japan, while I listened to my state of the art high end walkman. This includes knives, we are already seeing competition coming from china in knives, and as time goes on well likley see stuff that rivals the best euro and american production knives.

You don't have to like it, but the future is already here and china isn't going away.

Honestly im just waiting for Singapore to pop up in the knife crowd the way they turned around their country in 50yrs is pretty darn amazing if you ask me

 

[Chris "Anagarika"]

Singapore as part of Commonwealth is ver much knife unfriendly. Any purchase of common folder we see here must be registered, the store owner submit to police dept. I was into balisong during the time I stayed there, so I carried self made Balicomb just for the flip.

 

[OhShoot]

This one is nice... Bee L03 ...

That is nice. I recently bought a Sanrenmu 710 and love it. Fit and finish are very good. I'll be buying more of the Sanrenmu/Enlan/Bee line.

I like some knives made in china specifically the Chinese Spyderco line and SRM knives.
I love SRM 710s...

Well, between guys like you and this thread

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/861668-whats-the-deal-with-enlan-knives

I got to messing around on eBay and next thing I know I've got an Enlan, a Navy, and two SRM's on the way from some entrepreneurial comrades over there on the mainland.
These will be my first actual knives-made-in-China-by-a-Chinese-company-not-masquerading-as-an-American-one to the best of my knowledge.

- OS

 

[brets-ftw]

Singapore as part of Commonwealth is ver much knife unfriendly. Any purchase of common folder we see here must be registered, the store owner submit to police dept. I was into balisong during the time I stayed there, so I carried self made Balicomb just for the flip.

ah bummer. I remembered they were strict (i stayed there for 2 1/2 yrs) but that was when i was 1st/2nd grade so the biggest problem i had was chewing gum and my brother needing permits for having groups bigger then 5.

 

[jbmonkey]

Hopefully as their country advances so will the costs of production over there. This could quote possibly shift manufacturing back to the CONUS.

exactly you can almost bet on that happening eventually, unless they shift production over to say vietnam or another developing cheaper labor cost country.

i guess what is important is we can get american made knives for low dollars and high quality, that can almost compete price wise roughly with chinese made, and easily with taiwan made, etc. i like choices, and more of them gives us better prices, and should give us better quality, at least on paper.

 

[Bastid]

OK, I won't bash, but I do have my own opinions, those that I may freely express due to the First Amendment to the US Constitution, something I've defended for 19 years. My comments relate to the fact that the US once had manufacturing industries, like metals, textiles, etc. but I can't go to REI, Home Depot, AAFES BX/PX, or anyplace else without having to dig through the PRC-made items! If I can't find an American-made product, I'd at least like to get something from a more friendly foreign country. I have four Chinese-made knives, three of which are crap that refuse to take an edge or have fit and finish issues.

Uh unless BFC has become the US government (and it has not) it would be best not to think free speech applies to private venues. Also would be best to follow the rules that are established here.

 

[Chris "Anagarika"]

ah bummer. I remembered they were strict (i stayed there for 2 1/2 yrs) but that was when i was 1st/2nd grade so the biggest problem i had was chewing gum and my brother needing permits for having groups bigger then 5.

Needing permit for group bigger than 5? :shocked:
Besides they are moving away from 'hard' industry and into services. Unless we're talking about custom maker coming out of Singapore, I still have hope, but it'll be mostly for export!

 

[doctorsuds]

Not a fan of PRC products. I got rid of all my foreign made knives, and buy strictly US made product now. But people have the right to get what they want for their money. As for me, it's worth the extra dough to score US made knives.

 

[GMAHN]

Hopefully as their country advances so will the costs of production over there. This could quote possibly shift manufacturing back to the CONUS.

1. Then cheap stuff will get made somewhere else in the world other than here.
2. Why would anyone want there to be a bunch of shit jobs making shit in the USA?
3. Probably one of the most disturbing things about goods made in China is that they have been known to substitute materials and not tell anyone leading to products that don't meet advertised specs.
This can be a safety issue and its one reason that I avoid them when I can.

 

[nightman]

My thoughts on chinese knives is that they pretty much ---- for the most part.

 

[wings]

Singapore as part of Commonwealth is ver much knife unfriendly. Any purchase of common folder we see here must be registered, the store owner submit to police dept. I was into balisong during the time I stayed there, so I carried self made Balicomb just for the flip.

I do not know where this "registered" thing came about but I have never been submitted to it. Could be retailers here trying to pull a fast one so that no one would dare buy online. The only time I was called up by Customs was when they suspected my XM18 Flipper was a flick knive. Had to go down personally and showed them it was not a flick knife (switchblade). I have had around 100 knives shipped from the US without any problems.

 

[shaving sharp]

I didn't read all the posts so maybe some of this has already been covered. First off when I look through my A.G. Russell catalog it seems that most of the knives he offers are made in China. I am just as apprehensive about China made knives as the next guy. I have to think though that as respected as A.G. Russell is there has to be some good stuff coming from China or he would not be offering it in his catalog.

Second I also have this thought and it makes sense to me about knives from Japan also. These countries have been making swords and knives for thousands of years. Heck they conquered civilizations with swords and knives in the early centuries so I would think they are pretty good at making blades. I think if you know the materials that the knife you are buying is made from China is more than capable at producing good stuff. That is why you should use a dealer like A.G. because he knows the source and quality of the product.

I think stuff you buy from an unknown source with unknown material made in China is most likely just junk.

 

[Davor]

No thank you. I will consider some made in Taiwan though.

Same.

 

[wings]

The problem with China made products is that they are out to maximize profit at the expense of everything else. It is changing as there are new companies starting up that are run by people who are educated in the western world and have absorbed some western business ethics. But, these are in the minority. My brother lives in Shenzhen( same town where Sanrenmu is) and runs our factory there producing fireproof doors for houses. He is there to ensure his staff does not cut corners and produce inferior goods. I do not know how Spyderco or Kershaw maintain the quality of their Chinese knives. It could be done, but needs lots of supervision.

I have a few Chinese knives just to check on the quality and they are not too shabby. But my XM18 is what I take when push comes to shove.

 

[D56]

I have 2 Chinese knives. Both are the old Benchmade Red Class. The Vex and the NRA Slippie, and both are serving me well - here's a couple of pics from when they were new:

Vex

NRA

 

[Gadfly22]

What appears to be happening in the short time I've followed knives and knife producers is that China-based companies like Sanrenmu are beginning to make the move from OEM makers to global brand names in their own right. To make that move, they have to improve their QC but still keep a price advantage. You'll know they've embarked on full-scale expansion when you see "Sanrenmu" or "Navy" branded offerings on the major internet knife dealers.

But even now, there are excellent value, medium to very high quality knives available from China at rock-bottom prices. You won't find Benchmade quality and you won't find premium steels, but all the knives I've gotten are Byrd/Tenacious quality at least.