Lets talk about the bottom of the barrel

not2sharp · Oct 18, 2000

I guess you are a real knife nut when you can enjoy looking at and playing with any type of knife.

Last weekend I took the folks over to a local flea market, and while I was waiting I couldn't help playing with many of those ultra cheap knockoffs knives from India, Pakistan, Tiwan, and China.

Many of these looked outright dangerous (for the wielder not the opponent), and a few actually fell apart when I picked them up. Yet, those Pakistani knives seem to be getting better, and a few of the Chinese knives (Juguar Line) looked very good.

I am old enough to remember when we used to consider Japanease production as capable of generating little more than cheap and fragile toys. They certainly surprised us, which makes me wonder whether we should pay closer attention to these low end knives.

Who knows, maybe one of these makers will become our next great knife company.

johno · Oct 18, 2000

As an Air Force brat in Japan in the early 60s I can remember the 'cheap Japanese junk', the toys made from beer cans and such, but there was also some pretty nice stuff. Japan always seemed to have some nice quality knives around, I remember my mom liking the crystal and chine, and as kids we had we nice little kits of break down fishing rods in cases, rods made of split bamboo. My dad had a nice Canon. During the Korean war some of the Life photographers, Duncan and others, used what would become Nikon lenses as their 'secret weapon', after dumping their Leica gear. In WWII the Japanese periscopes and rifle scopes didn't tend to leak and fog up like the American optics did.

Raptor · Oct 18, 2000

Everytime the wife takes me to the flea markets, I find myself drawn to the Pakistani knife table. I try to walk the other way, but the force is too strong.
I know what I'm going to find, but I have to go look anyway.

It never ceases to amaze me...How can they sell a 16" Bowie knife (with genuine frostwood handle he-he) and a "real" leather sheath for $5.00???

A Tuf-Cloth costs more than that?!?!?!
And it's probably worth more too.(At least to me!!)

I hope that they're not the next big player on the block.
Unless, of coarse, they can make a good quality folder (or better yet...Bowie) and still keep the $5.00 price tag.

--The Raptor--

[This message has been edited by Raptor (edited 10-18-2000).]

redvenom · Oct 19, 2000

It doesn't cost a lot to produce a knife, at least not if you don't care about all the little things knife knuts consider important: lock strength, cutting ability, comfortable handles, good steel, proper heat-treating, hi-tech materials, etc.

In those countries mentioned, knives are made without sophisticated (and expensive) CNC machines as manual labour is more readily available and much cheaper. In my own country I can pick up a servicible knife for something like RM20-RM30 which is about US$5-8. They won't cut very well or very long or fit any knife knut's dream, but they do make an inexpensive first knife for youngsters.

BTW I still have a couple of hollow-handle survival knives bought at the height of the Rambo craze years ago. They look better than they work, but I still keep them for the memories.

Red

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"Praise not the day until evening has come;a sword until it is tried; ice until it has been crossed; beer until it has been drunk" - Viking proverb

RH · Oct 19, 2000

Up until a year ago, I was more of a knife "accumulator" than "collector", because I never spent enuff on a knife to call it collecting. I have a drwaerful of POS's & knockoffs. What's good about it is that you can try different styles, sizes, lock types without spending a lot of $. But only after buying some quality did I learn what SHARP means, and what a real engineered linerlock is. I'm a little snobby at the fleamarket tables, but I still MUST stop & touch. And I still have a little joy when a new Smokey Mtn or BudK catalog comes.

Disco Stu · Oct 19, 2000

True. As much as I bad-mouth Smokey Mountain for the crap they sell, especially their 'quality' line of Frost Cutlery, I still like to look at all the cheap junk as much as I do the good stuff.

Danbo · Oct 20, 2000

The Smoky Mountain catalog is worth sifting through, because they mix some good stuff in amongst all that junk. They sell Hen and Rooster knives, which are pretty good knives. Also, they sometimes have closeouts on good knives. Last summer, they had a closeout on the actual Buck Master Series bowies for 69.95 apiece! I bought two, and now wish I had bought every one they had. Both of mine are regrettably gone. Yeah, I made about $20 on each one, but now they are skyrocketing in value. Plus, they are damn good knives for the money. I still wish I had one of mine back to keep.

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Danbo, soul brother of Rambo

Squid · Oct 20, 2000

My junk drawers of full of those POS knives. They're all Spyderco or Benchmade knockoffs. Eagle, Fury, etc... Yes, they are crappy knives, but what do you expect for $5??? I don't know why I get them, but I do. They're scattered all throughout the house - they're convenient.

MAURICE · Oct 19, 2000

I kinda like the pakistanknives.you cant put an edge on them.but the fit and finish is usuall pretty good for 3 dollars.i have a pakistan boot knife theat i LOVE,that only cost me 2 dollars at a flea market.its real solid.

but chinese folders....no.i bought some and im sorry i did.they were *ok* for a few weeks,then the liners start wearing down,etc.

now i like brand names.it amazing how things change over a year or so.

MAURICE · Oct 19, 2000

speak of the devil.

i just posted and decided to go up to a.g. russel to see what was goin on,surprisingly,allison hadnt heard about the crkt thingy-she was shocked;and i got her to hold an m-16 for me

.but anyway,i was driving back to the house and saw some guy selling knives,so i HAD TO STOP.of course. but i got to lookin at some of the china made knives and realized how much fun(?) they are.i dunno,i just like playing with them.
some cheap balisongs-oh goody

later,after my brain has started to work again:
one other thing-i saw the guy had aome kick off k.i.s.s. knives-they were called "cute"-they didnt look to cute,they sold fr about the same price as a sampsons kiss.figures!

[This message has been edited by MAURICE (edited 10-19-2000).]