knives with surprising quality

I'll throw in for the Kershaw Crown: $10 of really useful edc for me.
 
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Just to try a brand I was unfamiliar with, I recently purchased two Utica slip joints; a barlow and a trapper. The fit and finish were quite good. In fact I thought the trapper was excellent. Given the low prices I was very pleasantly surprised. Being made in the U.S. (upstate N.Y.) was another plus.
 
enlan and ganzo have wow'ed me with the quality. sanrenmu has been hit or miss quite honestly.

the hogue ex-01 has wow'ed me for being hogue's first folder
 
I'm also going to say the Kershaw Chill. For $17, it provides a surprising amount of utility. Feels good in hand and looks good, too. RJ Martin designed, 2 ounces, and a 3+ inch blade? Excellent knife.
 
Like the OP, the Gerber Paraframe surprised me too... I still carry the same II after 6 years of serious use. The Moras always amaze me; I bought 2 carbon blade Companions for about $8 each. Opinels also are amazing for the quality/price value.

The knife that really surprised me, and came to be a favorite is the Kershaw Tension. It's not in the regular lineup, and was only available through select dealers as an "exclusive". Originally it cost like $40, but I got mine for $20. It has the same blade as the 1-ton, and looks like a 1-ton, except that it's not a framelock with just metal on 1 side... instead it's a linerlock with G-10 on both sides, which I like much better.

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It was a knife without any metal liners. Ultra lightweight, made in US (not the china one) and an evil slicer.
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Sadly, I lost it while doing workout in the open.
 
Sanrenmu 710. Been beating the crap out of it for a few months
and for less than 7 bucks delivered it's doing very well...
 
Everyone so far has only talked about cheap(er) knives - high end knives are "meeting" your expectations?

I find it almost ironic to say this, but the CRK Sebenza was actually the knife that surprised me. I expected it to be just like the rest of the knives I have, and it's really so much more. The other knives I've bought over the years met my expectations, but the Sebenza completely blew it away.

In the expectation vs. perception game.. CRK won me over.
 
The cheapest folders I regularly carry are Delica 4's. (I love the Rat 1, but it lives in my truck, functions more as a backup or loaner knife. The Rat 1 is too heavy for EDC, and dulls too fast.) The Delica is an amazing value at around $50 and it works so well and is so light, especially the FFG models. At work the PM2 gets most of my pocket time. The Delicas go to church and the movies, etc, often loose in pocket with clip removed.
 
None, mainly because I don't buy something without expecting quality in operation and construction. Price is irrelevant when Victorinox, Opinel, Case, etc can provide a good knife for under 10 or 20 bucks. I've been disappointed at times, but I'm not lowering expectations to allow for poor products to become the norm.
 
Bear MGC knives are a much better value than reviews imply. I was worried by all the negative comments here, but their fixed blades are evidently much better than their folders. It's definitely not a safe queen (asymmetrical bolsters and "stag bone" handles) but it's most certainly a high-value beater.
 
The way some people talked about CS, I didn't expect much at all. But they quickly became my favorite brand, and I have more of their products than any other brand
 
CS Roach Belly, great knife for the $13. I think it may be worth getting a couple and having a sheath made for more carry options
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SOG jungle canopy. So far it has been a really tough stainless chopper that keeps an edge better than expected. $48 at Wholesale sports.
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I know it sounds lame but I am surprised by the quality on every custom I get from the knifemakers exchange. After you spend sometime on there it's hard to justify spending money production knives anymore.
 
Sanrenmu 710 in camo- even the painted(?) finish is tough as nails. Cold Steel Kudu, takes more abuse than any knife I own. Kabar Doziers and the Kharon; expected very little got a lot. A tiny little Steel Warrior lockback amazing F and F. The best of all was probably this Kissing Crane Brown Mule.
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yobbos1 said:
Sanrenmu 710 in camo- even the painted(?) finish is tough as nails. Cold Steel Kudu, takes more abuse than any knife I own. Kabar Doziers and the Kharon; expected very little got a lot. A tiny little Steel Warrior lockback amazing F and F. The best of all was probably this Kissing Crane Brown Mule.
kksoddie001.jpg
Click to expand...

Is that a German or an Italian Mule?
 
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