Maxam Sharpfinger

B

Barry E Harris

Joined
Nov 27, 2006
Messages
136
I saw a Maxam Sharpfinger clone on eBay. I did a little research. These knives can be bought new for a little under $8.00 if you shop around. The sheaths look like an original leather sheath, not nylon or compressed leather bits. Does anyone know anything about this particular clone (country of origin, steel, Rockwell, general quality, etc.)? Might be a candidate for a thorough Codger review.
 
I finally got around to looking one up on eBay, #160069143375 for $12 and shipping. "Maxam Skinning Knife with Stainless Steel Rivets. Features a fixed, blade Leymar handle and leather sheath. Lifetime warranty"

In the process of finding this one, I had a look at some of their other products. Some look Pakastani, some Chinese, a couple stated Japan. Most were knockoffs of Spydeco, Ken Onion, Kit Rae and other United fantasy knives, and some were just...well. Wanna but a dozen knives for $10? So now I know what a Maxam is. I still know nothing of the company history, ownership or it's operations.

The above included description didn't tell me much about the Sharpfinger copy. What is "Leymar"? Is it an annogram for "Ramyel? Well, if someone wants to buy one for me to review, I'll be glad to post my honest opinion of it as compared to an original Imperial Schrade Sharpfinger, giving credit where credit is due, and pulling no punches on it's faults, if any. Then I'll add it to the box of other copies, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

As an aside, understand that the Sharpfinger, if ever it was the subject of a design patent, is no longer so. Any such design patent has long ago expeired. Only the name trademark is currently registered to th enew owner of the other IP. You and I can make copies til our heart is content, we just cannot call it Old Timer or Schrade, or Sharpfinger.

Michael
 
Ya did? How so? Lemme guess. You confuzzed Maxam with the United Max Edge?

Anyone know from whence Maxam springs?
 
Well, first I had Magnum up there...:rolleyes:

Then I couldn't get the above link to the Maxam site to show...:mad:

Anywho, it's there now...the link that is. :thumbup:

I did see a set of 50 Maxam liner locks for $66.00...so I'm gonna go way out on a ledge and say.....they aren't made in the U. S. of A. :(

BilLobo
 
It is so hard sometimes to keep it straight just who is who in the zoo. Visit Levine's forum and the RIGID thread to see what I mean. Say... you have any knowledge of the Rigid history?

Michaelodger
 
I went in and looked around for the knife in question, but didn't see it displayed, not much info on the company itself, other than the contact location of Dallas, Texas. I sent them an eMail asking formore info on the knife's materials and construction. We'll see if they respond.

Thanks again Bill

Michael
 
They are a step below Frost. We used to get them as give away knives from salesmen when I was a groundskeeper. Just the worst sort of junk. A lot of glued on handles and dead soft metal.
 
Michael,
You know I'm a folder lover...:D

I knew less about them before reading the thread in BRL's forum...and I'm still confused. :confused: :)

Bill
 
Well, you can bet Mr. Levine is checking around to get the straight scoop on Rigid even now. He loves a challenge. And quite willing to admit when he is wrong, he'll go to great lengths to get it right the next time around. Did you scoot over to the Buck forum to see what was posted there about RIGID's founding? Hmmmm...

Michael
 
Michael,
This particular knife is an SKSOT. It has a delrin handle on it. The
Delrin name is trademarked by the Schrade company so we may not use it. It
was desgned after the Schrade company went under. It is a great knife. It
is made with 420 stainless steel. The knife is made in China along with
the sheath.
We strive to provide the best product for the price and back it with a
lifetime warranty.
Hope this is the info you are looking for.
Best Regards,
XXXXX

So there you have it. Now, is it sourced through TBLLC? Dunno. I'd have to compare the tooling to the Taylor knife to really know for sure. But for now this is... the ...rest....of the story.

Michael

PS- I sent them a link to the Delrin trademark still wholly owned by Dupont.
 
I thought the Maxam Sharpfinger clone looked a lot like the Camillus version - a little more upswept - similar grind. Supposedly the cheap folding knife that Buckmasters was clampacking with the Camillus GP152's they were selling was a Maxam. I'm going to do a little more digging. I wonder if the Maxam clone might be an offshore version made with tooling from Camillus? Just thinking out loud; but, worth a little digging just for curiousity's sake.
 
i got further info from Maxam. 420J2 steel @ 52 Rockwell. The 420J2, while not great, isn't the end of the world in and of itself; the Colt knives made by United were 420J2. However, the 52 Rockwell speaks for itself. I think my infant's plasticware might be tougher. Camillus can not confirm or deny any relationship between their carbon steel GP152 and Maxam's Sharpfinger clone; nor, can they explain how the Maxam folder ended up clampacked by Camillus with the Buckmasters version of the GP152 (they say the guy who knew is gone).
 
Asked if they were sourced from the same China manufacturer as the TBLLC Sharpfinger, Maxam replied:

These knives are actually coming out of different factories. They are in
the same province though.
 
Codger, I got similar information:

It's a little tough to answer without giving everything away. There are
three different factories in China producing that knife. All are very
close. Does that make sense?
 
It seems that maybe they are using some, if not all common components for three assembly facilities.
 
Makes your wonder if Taylor is shooting straight on blade steel. Maxam claims they went with an intentional 52 Rockwell to make the knife easy to sharpen. They claim they are using 420J2. Taylor says they are using 440C hardened to Rockwell 56-58. Maybe they are and just sharing other components. Also, the blade design looks a little different between the two. The Maxam looks a little more upswept than the Schrade, like the Camillus.
 
Just as an astride...er, I mean ASIDE...

The address of 4481 Exchange...Dallas...75236.....

...also appears to belong to Meyerco, the joint effort of Bill Meyer and the legendary "Blackie" Collins...based on a letter from their customer service. I know that they primarily import their line, as well. Here is a Blackie Collins/Meyerco speed assisted "Speedster" I got back in the '90s, right after it hit the market...

331imqa.jpg


It utilizes a coiled spring assist (U.S. Patent #5,815,927).

I know this is a reach from Schrade talk, and it could be a large building, (pure coincidence), but man, the knife business is interesting.

Bill
 
El Lobo said:
...I know this is a reach from Schrade talk, and it could be a large building, (pure coincidence), but man, the knife business is interesting.

Bill
Click to expand...

Never a truer statement made. While we might thrash and angst over the Chines knife imports, such as the two mainly mentioned here, TBLLC and Maxam, in reality, very few U.S. based companies produce 100% of their knives domestically, and of those who do, even fewer do so with 100% domestic components. Quality of the imports varies widely too. From what I've seen of the Rigid branding, some of those come from top makers in Japan. And the quality of some of the latest Chinese knives is on par with a few of the better U.S. standards.

Figuring out "who is who in the zoo" among the knife manufacturers and importers is difficult at best.

Maxam said:
...It's a little tough to answer without giving everything away.
Click to expand...

Few of them will out and out identify their overseas sources, or their corporate structure and affiliations.

"This is our company, and this company we also own makes knives for us here, and this company we own imports knives for us to sell".

Can you say that Case or Canal Street are 100% domestic producers using 100% domestically made components? Where is their giraffe and stag farm? Can you grow tropical woods here?

Michael
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top