Knives Made in China thoughts?

For quite a few years I tried to pretend that it really didn't matter.
But truthfully, I just cannot carry a knife made in China.

Sure, I have many items in my home made in China....but a man's knife is not just any trinket...it is something special.
For me, as a U.S. citizen, there just isn't any pride in carrying a Chinese made knife.
 
i use to hate buying knives from china. but sanrenmu, bee, enlan changed all of that . just got the L01-1. wow. 8 dollars shipped. amazing quality, solid lockup. will definetly buy more. the price is to good to pass up.
 
gentry738 said:
i use to hate buying knives from china. but sanrenmu, bee, enlan changed all of that . just got the L01-1. wow. 8 dollars shipped. amazing quality, solid lockup. will definetly buy more. the price is to good to pass up.
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+1!

Sanrenmu is superb. I've got the 710, and I've got a Sanrenmu B4-781 on order. Also, I just bought another Chinese brand -- a Rough Rider. It's a toothpick (4-inch closed) Fit and finish are great. I love the thing.

Oh, and for Father's Day, I got another chinese brand, a Timber Wolf Desert Sun lockback. Also very well made.
 
sharpenit said:
+1!

Sanrenmu is superb. I've got the 710, and I've got a Sanrenmu B4-781 on order. Also, I just bought another Chinese brand -- a Rough Rider. It's a toothpick (4-inch closed) Fit and finish are great. I love the thing.

Oh, and for Father's Day, I got another chinese brand, a Timber Wolf Desert Sun lockback. Also very well made.
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:) 710 is on the way. I also have 3 rough riders. stockmam, giant cooperhead , and a trapper. all very nice. never heard of timberwolf? ill have to checkout.
 
Tom Hudson said:
It's a tough deal - China is the place to have something built - They are getting their space program together while we are closing ours down. I don't know what they’re not building.

I never have been a big Union guy - But I'm not anti-union either. I have belonged to a couple unions in my life - but of all the companies to move their manufacturing out of the USA I think everyone of them were Union companies? Does this say anything? Big goverment telling Boeing they can't open shop in SC? - Because of the weather people are being ask to conserve electricty because there is a shortage but big brother wants us to plug in electric cars? Our President told the auto makers yesterday he expects 57 MPG avg. for cars sold in a few years while he drives around in a vehicle thats lucky to get 4 MPG - I just don't understand every thing I know.

I quoted a guy this morning 75 bucks to hand engrave a folder - not chuck it up in a vice & push some buttons on a computer laser - hand draw the pattern & then hand cut it - 75 bucks - Nice guy but he passed on it saying he didn't think it would cost that much - 30 minutes later I put gas in my pickup & it cost me 70 bucks at Sam’s Gas &i had to pump it myself.

Just a sign of the times - I'm 65 years old - might have another 10 years left in me, who knows? If I get to the point I can't drive my Corvette or buy the gas or set at the engraving bench I would just as soon check out - I just feel sorry for our kids & grand kids - Not going to be an easy road ahead. The US has changed - people have changed - the past couple years has really hurt our Homeland - I think it can recover but not so sure it will be in my life time.
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It's our own stupidity, GREED, narcissistic, hubris, frugalness, something for nothing attitude and ignorance that has caused all of this over the years, the US has been heading down this road for decades and now we are knocking on the door.

It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better...

If people want someone to blame all they have to do is look in the mirror and blame the one they see. ;)

We are our own worst enemy and we just keep going down that same road with blinders on..
 
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Ankerson said:
It's our own stupidity, GREED, narcissistic, hubris, frugalness, something for nothing attitude and ignorance that has caused all of this over the years, the US has been heading down this road for decades and now we are knocking on the door.

It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better...

If people want someone to blame all they have to do is look in the mirror and blame the one they see. ;)

We are our own worst enemy and we just keep going down that same road with blinders on..
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I agree with the most, what you said. Not sure if things will get better so.
Unfortunately many people have no idea what are you talking about :mad:
 
allenC said:
For quite a few years I tried to pretend that it really didn't matter.
But truthfully, I just cannot carry a knife made in China.
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I feel the same way.

After a so many years of not giving a shit about where my stuff comes from I recently was in a kind of transition and now I try to buy everything made in Europe/USA/Japan...or at least not made in China. Why? Several reasons:
I don't like the way the chinese government treats their citizens. Sure there are plenty of other countries mistreating their inhabitants but I don't want to support them either.
I don't like chinas attitude towards the environment.
I don't like the quality of many chinese prdocuts.

I was shocked when I found out how difficult it is to acquire clothes not made in china....WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I own a Spyderco Tenacious and used to have a Byrd knife - both were not bad but now I rather save some bucks and get something better. No chinese blades for me anymore. I prefer to support europe, the states,....
 
jbmonkey said:
which imports some of the raw unfinished materials from china.:)
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That's probably true. Most of the times there seems to be no way around china -> we are already too dependent and I'm afraid there are too many people who could afford "western" products but because of their greed rather get their stuff as cheap as possible.
 
jfive said:
That's probably true. Most of the times there seems to be no way around china -> we are already too dependent and I'm afraid there are too many people who could afford "western" products but because of their greed rather get their stuff as cheap as possible.
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In truth, it's not "greed". It's the free market at work. People naturally buy from the lowest-cost source. People who shop at Wal-Mart aren't "greedy". They just want a bargain -- the same way you may shop for a particular knife from a number of online sellers.

But anyone is free to limit themselves to whatever supplier they choose based on whatever criteria. But bear in mind that not buying China-made products is not the same as striking a blow against the Chinese government. You're not buying from the government, but from Chinese entrepreneurs and businessmen. In fact, by not supporting those Chinese entrepreneurs and businessmen, you may be undercutting the same growing middle class that could (someday) work toward changing the Chinese government policies you don't like.

My view: I buy knives. If I don't like the policies of the knifemaker, I probably don't buy that company's knives, just as I don't buy from any company wherever located that I really really don't like. But I don't judge a knifemaker by the policies of its home country, because those policies are beyond its control.
 
gentry738 said:
i use to hate buying knives from china. but sanrenmu, bee, enlan changed all of that . just got the L01-1. wow. 8 dollars shipped. amazing quality, solid lockup. will definetly buy more. the price is to good to pass up.
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+1, I have a few 710s, and a black Enlan EL01 - The EL01 is amazing, very nice coating, nice handles, great knife.

Better liner lock-up than my Ontario Rat model one which I should probably even send back since its liner is way to the right. But not a flaw I can see on the EL01...
 
Gadfly22 said:
In truth, it's not "greed". It's the free market at work. People naturally buy from the lowest-cost source. People who shop at Wal-Mart aren't "greedy". They just want a bargain -- the same way you may shop for a particular knife from a number of online sellers.

But anyone is free to limit themselves to whatever supplier they choose based on whatever criteria. But bear in mind that not buying China-made products is not the same as striking a blow against the Chinese government. You're not buying from the government, but from Chinese entrepreneurs and businessmen. In fact, by not supporting those Chinese entrepreneurs and businessmen, you may be undercutting the same growing middle class that could (someday) work toward changing the Chinese government policies you don't like.


Very good post - well said!

My wife & I shop at Wal Mart 2 or 3 times a week. We have no choice. At 65 years old & having six foster children in our home four of which have been adopted, Wal Mart & Sam's Club is where we buy 99% of our food & gas. We also buy a lot of the kid’s cloths there. With out these box stores we would not be able to be foster parents! If it wasn’t for drug infested parents we wouldn’t have the need for foster parents.

Lets not forget that the companies we are buying our knives from are USA companies that have employee's working for them. Every knife I buy I buy from a US company.

Like it or not China is here to stay. In 10 years these China rants will go away just as the Japan rants have gone away. Assuming that there is still a mother earth as we know it today?
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bh49 said:
I agree with the most, what you said. Not sure if things will get better so.
Unfortunately many people have no idea what are you talking about :mad:
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You are probably right on that, most people won't get it.. ;)
 
Mtell1 said:
Yes I am new to knives...I honestly thought it came from the factory like that.
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i think you did all you need to on this. you made a mistake, admitted to it, and apologized quickly. what more can anyone ask.

i think you just hit a very sore spot with engravers and unlike other professions...engraving is a very highly skilled and hard profession. i was always told if you find an engraver who's any good.....hold on to their info cause you may never find another one...this was told to me by an old timer who is aware of the internet and still said that. so take that into perspective. engraving is high art combined with machining skills. it's not something anyone can learn and do well with even lots of practice. it's very hard to find anyone with any skills in it. it's not really my thing, but i can appreciate what it takes to do. i know folks who have it done and have seen their wares and i appreciate the business.

to sum up better. what you did (i believe accidently) was like spitting on the mans work. his work couldn't be replicated by a machine at that level or a low level chinese line worker. go back and relook in detail at the picture..... sure a machine and software could copy it, but nowhere to that level of intricate detailing. don't confuse machine software engraving with hand done. easy to do on a quick glance, at a picture...but if you really look..... the difference will pop out at you. its easy to do in our modern world of cnc machining and computers, hollywood special effects, etc.....but not unlike a hand built custom knife compared to a production line built one......if you look close enough you'll see the differences very quickly. this is one of those things that in person makes all the difference very quickly. pictures are good if you already know what to look for. hobbies are all about paying attention to details and this is no exception.

anyways, it's not really your fault as you just didn't know. it's not like engraving is ultra popular even in knife or gun collecting anymore. sure there is a niche of collectors who love it, i can't argue and won't argue that. i find it admirable you admitted to your honest mistake and i think you've done everything a reasonable person could be expected to do. maybe the engraver and others might not agree with me, but really what else can do you, that you haven't done already?

wait i got an idea, have this engraver do some work for you, then you can see the skill set and level of detail he does and why he is so proud of his work. seeing quality engraving in the the metal or in person will show you what even good pictures can fail at. engraving in the metal is far better than any picture can capture. just a thought. :)
 
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gentry738 said:
i use to hate buying knives from china. but sanrenmu, bee, enlan changed all of that . just got the L01-1. wow. 8 dollars shipped. amazing quality, solid lockup. will definetly buy more. the price is to good to pass up.
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I'm hearing a lot about these makers lately. How is their steel? I'm finding Rough Rider to be very not bad.
 
davek14 said:
I'm hearing a lot about these makers lately. How is their steel? I'm finding Rough Rider to be very not bad.
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You can find some 440C steel in a few Navy brand knives. But most are produced in 8Cr13Mov -- with some promotional material suggesting the Sanrenmu will be using some kind of Sandvik soon.

I can tell you that all but a couple of the Sanrenmu/Bee/Enlan/Navy knives I've gotten have come razor sharp out of the box, and the couple that didn't got that way after a short session with the Sharpmaker. As to durability of the edge, I can't answer, since my knives get very light use day-to-day.
 
I support local knife makers and brands, and try to opt for Made In The USA, altough I`m not American. I support knowlege and the tradition of knifemaking which I can`t find (or feel to find) on Made in China knives.

That said I do own 1 knife made in China. Spyderco Persistience. It truly is a great knife. F&F is almost perfect, and hard to beat at that price. I wish the Spyderco Sage 2 was made in Japan or USA, but that would put it in the Sebenza price range.
 
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