Made In China...

[evilgreg]

Good knives under 10 bucks are rare, regardless of place of origin. So you may not be getting a junk Chinese knife, you may be getting a junk $10 knife.

Wouldn't get my hopes up. Odds of getting anything decent for $10 are pretty slim, but you might get lucky.

I don't know, I paid ~$10 or less for these and have ended up carrying and using them a bunch:

That $10 tanto outperformed my terrible CQC-7B at a tiny fraction of the price (though that's a low bar to cross, given that any knife that locks properly would meet that standard).

And don't get me started on all the $12 -$20 Kershaw knifes I think are awesome for the money. I paid $12 for my Kershaw Tremor, and that's an insane deal on a great knife. Ditto the Chill, the Crown, etc.

IMO, while we're on this topic, the Chill is an unbelievable deal. What a great little non-assisted flipper design . . .

 

[Bob6794]

I would say a ten dollar knife will be junk regardless of origin.

I think a lot of people with Opinel's would argue with you on that one.

 

[southernknives]

I only have one. Not because there aren't any well made Chinese made knives, but for knives I will stick to American made. I didn't know the Kersaw Crown was made in China until after I bought it.

I do buy Japanese vehicles though. I will admit, the quality has drastically dropped in Japanese vehicles once they started putting American parts in them and then made them here.

Back on topic...I will never buy another China knife again.

 

[Morrow]

I have a ton of Kershaw imports (China). I carry them often. I give a lot of them away especially when I see people using crap knives. The Kershaw Tremor is a great value and a lot of knife for the money. The Boker Plus line has produced some quality knives as well. I'm particulary fond of the Boker Plus Exskelibur.

 

[manowar669]

I would say a ten dollar knife will be junk regardless of origin.For me personally the whole China issue is more than just quality. I try my best purchasing USA products as much as possible irregardless.

There are some outstanding $10 knives out there. Opinel and Mora for example. I've carried Sebenza's and customs, but I use Moras as work knives. Outstanding values, good steel. Opinels have been made for several hundred years, good steel, and still a great value. Probably the best value in a folding knife today. Mora, the best value in knives today, PERIOD. If you've ever worked the docks, or farmwork, you'd appreciate knives like these. I've done both, and I have my own farm today, for myself. All those "looking for a hard use knife" threads are bunk.

 

[richard thurman]

the name brands that are made in china hold a very good edge but the regular knifes that are made in china don't hold a edge worth a shoot. cat cut butter with them.

 

[Sam Dean]

I only have one. Not because there aren't any well made Chinese made knives, but for knives I will stick to American made.

I would say a ten dollar knife will be junk regardless of origin.For me personally the whole China issue is more than just quality. I try my best purchasing USA products as much as possible irregardless.

Same here.

No denial, there are some good knives with a china sticker. If we could look at the percentage this represents as part of all Chinese knives produced, I'm certain it would be a small one.

I feel like its more than the quality issues. I'll take any opportunity to buy American over Chinese!

 

[ignatius]

I think that China can manufacture very good quality stuff. I have a few MIC firearms that are well made and function without complaint. I " discovered " the Bob Dozier designed Ka-Bar folding knives ( MIC) about a year ago and they are a great under $20 folding blades. I use one for EDC now ,and I have given several away to friends who needed a decent working blade.

 

[EldoEsq]

I have an Enlan...knife is pretty awesome for its price point...rock solid lockup, good construction and decent enough blade steel! Took me a while to break it in, but a great knife.

 

[marcinek]

I think that China can manufacture very good quality stuff.

Precisely. They will make what sells. If there is demand for junk knives, they will make them. If there is demand for good knives, they can and will make them. No different than any other country with sufficient manufacturing capability.

 

[dericdesmond]

Kershaw oso sweet baby, great value

 

[PURPLEDC]

I have learned the key to getting a decent made knife from china is to make sure there is a well known name backing the product up. When dealing with products directly from china it is completely luck of the draw. You can get a good knife here and there but you have to filter through a lot of crap to find the good stuff. And even when you find a product that you think is somewhat decent the first one you get might be great and the rest you pick up will be total garbage. When you have a chinese knife like a kershaw or Spyderco you have a company involved in the process that will be checking fit and finish and ensuring the customer gets a the value and quality they expect. The exception to the rule seems to be enlan and saremnu. They are completely china based and seem to care about their quality control. But I still have heard of a few lemons, but you will get that with any company. The real question is where are these companies after the sale?

 

[jimh0220]

I don't understand the fascination with the 'Made In' discussion any more. If you are on this site, you own Chinese made items. Your appliances are all at least partially made with parts from all over the world. We obsess with China, but revere Japan, Scandinavia, Italy, Germany, etc. All foreign made knives have the same potential to make outstanding products in the hands of individuals properly trained, and companies with high quality control standards. The country where the products come from is not the factor. American companies are just as capable of turning out crap these days...

 

[MC Chan]

Quality control is enormously expensive. Add in warranty work and repairs for nitpickers who want a different color spacer on their knives and you see where a large part of the pricing difference between run of the mill MIC copies and the remaining made in America knife companies are.
In general you should buy the best quality you can afford.

 

[CARRERA50]

I would say a ten dollar knife will be junk regardless of origin.For me personally the whole China issue is more than just quality. I try my best purchasing USA products as much as possible irregardless.

Some time ago there was a lot of controversy regarding the San Ren Mu 710. I bought one for less than $10 shipped just to see what the
fuss was all about; definitely a quality knife and not a Sebbie rip-off either. I am not a fan of Chinese products in general but the 710 was
certainly a surprise.

 

[ebidis]

Spycerco has many decent knives that are made in China...

?
The only Chinese Spydies I'm aware of are the Tenacious line. Unless you are including Byrd, but they are not branded as Spyderco.

While I own a Tenacious, a Resiliance, and a Byrd Cara Cara 2, and they are a good value for the money, I find, at least on my examples, that the fit and finish is not in the same league as other Spydies. Mostly the blade grinds.

However, I find that other manufacturers Chinese made offerings have the same issues. I guess it's not really that big a deal on a budget "beater" knife.

 

[dericdesmond]

?
The only Chinese Spydies I'm aware of are the Tenacious line. Unless you are including Byrd, but they are not branded as Spyderco.

Bug, grasshoper, kiwi 3, honeybee, was a mule or was it just the steel? Thinkin a cpl more, oh yeah the cheaper baliyo : p
Imo All good stuff : )

 

[Egnar T Seinnhoj]

Bug, grasshoper, kiwi 3, honeybee, was a mule or was it just the steel? Thinkin a cpl more, oh yeah the cheaper baliyo : p
Imo All good stuff : )

The MIC Baliyos are terrible. But besides that I'd agree with you.

I bought my SRMs for $8 and $7 shipped. They're brilliant knives. The only problem I have with them are the non adjustable pocket clips.

Also, saw someone said 8cr13mov was an awesome steel. I have to disagree. It's good for the price point, takes an edge, holds it fairly well but it rusts far too easily.

 

[ebidis]

Bug, grasshoper, kiwi 3, honeybee, was a mule or was it just the steel? Thinkin a cpl more, oh yeah the cheaper baliyo : p
Imo All good stuff : )

I stand corrected. Never really looked at those knives.

 

[FearAgent]

The Epicenter is the only "Made in China" knife I own and its got Japanese steel strangely enough. It's a hell of a knife and a great bargain.

Personally, I've got no problem buying a knife from china, as long as they're not trying to pass it off as a knife from a more popular knife maker.