Made in China, would you bet your Life?

aafanatic

aafanatic

Joined
Feb 7, 2007
Messages
99
I am interested in what other knife lovers think of "Made in China", or pacific rim in general. Can China manufacture a good knife made of good steel? I am not just talking about a good deal, or a good knife for the money, but a knife that you would bet your life on. I have a few knives that I would bet my life on, but none of them are made in China.
The idea for this thread comes from a Blade Mag article a few months back. After reading the article I did not get any answers, just more questions. Eveyone knows that you can get a good knife for the money that is made in China, but does anyone believe that they can get a knife that they would bet thier life on that is made in China, or the Pacific-rim for that matter. I would like to hear about it. Thanks.
 
Geography has nothing to do with quality. Japan is Pacific rim and they've been making great knives for a long time. Even China, and certainly Taiwan, will manufacture knives as good as the contractor pays them to.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Geography has nothing to do with quality. Japan is Pacific rim and they've been making great knives for a long time. Even China, and certainly Taiwan, will manufacture knives as good as the contractor pays them to.
Click to expand...
That's pretty much how I feel about the subject as well.
 
flatgrinder said:
Depends who's making it. You can have crappy knives made in any country.
Click to expand...

heh, thats too true, but I agree with whats been said, its all up to the contractor what kinda products are produced, if their good then yes ;)
 
I am sure that a Chinese knife company could make knives that would rival if not surpass the Sebenza in quality and fit and finish. But most find it easier or more cost effective to sell cheap, shoddily made knives.

In answer to you question: Yes, if the maker had a good reputation on the forums, and the knife was well made, I would be willing to bet my life on a Chinese knife just as much as I would bet it on any knife.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Geography has nothing to do with quality. Japan is Pacific rim and they've been making great knives for a long time. Even China, and certainly Taiwan, will manufacture knives as good as the contractor pays them to.
Click to expand...

I agree with Esav.

I have seen the Benchmade Vex and I think it is unbelievable quality and it is made in China. I need to see more China made knives before I give a definite answer, but going by the Vex I would say "yes" I would bet my life on it.
 
The Chinese could make knives of whatever quality they wanted. If people would be willing to pay $500.00 for a knife made in China, they could make a very good $500.00 knife. The Chinese make what they can sell. Right now, that is cheap stuff, but someday they will move into the higher end.
 
They probably are able to produce good knives with good steel. But they choose to mostly make cheapies, and people who don't know anything about knives will buy them (WHO OF YOU GUYS NEVER BOUGHT A CHEAP KNIFE???). I agree with Keith, I was going to write something similar before I read his post. Wherever a knife is made, a 10$ knife stays a 10$ knife and a 500$ knife stays a 500$ knife.

My Camillus Heat was made in Taiwan, I think Byrd knives as well. Both are known to be a great bang for the bucks.
 
I have seen some very well made Chinese knives. they export cheap crap, because thats what sells at Wall-mart. The ones I saw were 50 years old , and handmade, My friens Father got them in China, They were a bit crude, and of simple design, but built for work. Japan makes excellent knives and swords also. Going back thousands of years, But you can`t buy these at K-mart.
 
The quality might be there or not. Certainly no pride of ownership will be. China is not worth supporting, but I have no problem buying a Taiwanese blade.
 
go to USN,
at custom arena you'll find a folding subhilt by CE SUN ( a chinese maker)which
even S.R.Johnson said:" Unbelievable is all I can say"
 
Sorry for any confusion, I was not thinking of Japan as Pacific rim, though it certainly is. For this discussion I am more interested in China and Taiwan. I was trying to keep my own comments breif as to let you tell me what you think. I see a possible parallel between Japan of the 1950's and China of today. Made in Japan post war was refered to as "Jap Crap". Today they are capable of manufacturing some of the best knives available. Is china heading in that direction?
I know that a crappy knife IS a crappy knife no matter where it's made or the price paid. I don't believe that Chana can yet produce what ever quality that they are contracted to. I would love to be disproved, but as of yet I have not. I have seen good knives made in China, but not great ones. Cold Steel has a lot of their middle of the road knives made in Taiwan, but none of their better knives are made there.
Thanks for particapating in this thread. I am more interested in what you have to say than "Experts". Together we are the knife market.
 
Have you held a Byrd Cara Cara? That thing is a tank and I bet it will outlast my delica4...I would bet my life on that.


BTW, yes I believe that in the next 20-30 years China will be the next "Japan" in quality.
 
Chinese man said:
Have you held a Byrd Cara Cara? That thing is a tank and I bet it will outlast my delica4...I would bet my life on that.
Click to expand...

Not sure on which one would take more abuse, the Byrd or the Delica. However, the Delica will take a better edge, and is a higher quality product.

BTW, yes I believe that in the next 20-30 years China will be the next "Japan" in quality.
Click to expand...

Will be interesting to see what happens. With 1.3 billion people, they certainly have the potential. Wonder how the whole Communist thing will work for them in 30 years though?
 
China makes whatever you ask them to make ! I have seen goods from China that rivals ,if not better than anybody else. I hav ealso seen crap from them that people will still buy as they are cheap enough to just discard when not useable anymore. Ask yourself, "if you had to to buy something that was made in China that was also made here in the USA ALL things being equal, which would you buy??
 
Ultimately, the quality control of any product depends on the parent company.
The advantage of Pacific Rim is the savings in the cost of labor, and their ability to copy.
In Hi-Tech (where I work) neither Taiwan or China is producing any new product, it is based on copy and perhaps improve.
But it is significantly cheaper.

I presume that the Pacific Rim manufactures have the knowledge and equipment to do good blacksmithing for quality knives.

It falls on us the consumer to demand from our American companies to ensure only the highest quality goods are imported.

Neeman
 
What exactly are you betting your life on with this knife? Cutting through seat belt material? Prying yourself out of an elevator? Defending yourself from an attacker?

It's better to be prepared (i.e. carrying a knife, regardless of origin) on you than not carrying anything at all. I'm sure most of us here are more than "prepared." ;)
 
ehhh said:
That's pretty much how I feel about the subject as well.
Click to expand...

yep.

have you handled the Boker Trance (made in Taiwan)? the fit and finish is much better than an Emerson or Strider, in some respects, of course...the steel quality and the robustness is not the same. price too.
 
however, I like to add that Spyderco's Japanese offerings or WH's Japanese offerings are miles better than those made in China or Taiwan.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top