New neighbor's Knife?

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Minnesota Man

Minnesota Man

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I told my neighbor about this forum after he came over for the first time. He saw my collection and we got to talking....... I digress, he was telling me about his "nice Rambo" knife. He was ecstatic but I have/had that "I can't wait to see it (sigh). He asked if you guys could tell what it is and how old it is?
I told the guy that it most likely is a POS and he didn't believe me. But now I can't help to wonder myself. I told him that Taiwan and 420 stainless advertised on the blade isn't usually a good thing.
Here it is... Screenshot_20180612-174506.jpg
 
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We can't tell without more information than Taiwan and 420 Steel. Might be nice, might be junk. Buck uses 420 and people don't seem to mind it and Spyderco makes some of their more expensive models in Taiwan, so country of Origin and Steel aren't necessarily telltale signs of a bad knife.
 
b00n said:
We can't tell without more information than Taiwan and 420 Steel. Might be nice, might be junk. Buck uses 420 and people don't seem to mind it and Spyderco makes some of their more expensive models in Taiwan, so country of Origin and Steel aren't necessarily telltale signs of a bad knife.
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You probably forgot more about knives than I'll ever know. Does the fact that it just feels like a cheap POS mean anything? I just couldn't see Buck or Spyderco putting out a knife of this quality? Keep in mind I have it in hand not just a picture. The pommel is heavily rusted but not the rest of the knife.
The knife is very loose and I believe it's a thin rat tang?
 
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Taiwan was not what it is today, nobody was really having quality knives produced in Taiwan if at all.
This knife is your typical cheapo $10 " survival knife ".
420hc from Buck is a different animal than any other 420 and not all steel is created or treated equally, I have one of these made in Japan which is garbage and my brother had this exact knife which would take an edge but retention wasn't great and overall construction is weaker than many folding knives.

Tell him this knife is in fact cheap junk , but will make an excellent letter opener.
 
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Minnesota Man said:
You probably forgot about knives than I'll ever know. Does the fact that it just feels like a cheap POS mean anything? I just couldn't see Buck or Spyderco putting out a knife of this quality? Keep in mind I have it in hand not just a picture. The pommel is heavily rusted but not the rest of the knife.
The knife is very loos and I believe it's a thin rat tang?
Click to expand...

420hc from Buck is a different animal, treated like no other.
With cheapo knives like this it doesn't really matter what steel it is, it's such a crap shoot.
A steel that's genrally considered bad could be treated well while one considered better could he treated poorly, you could end up with 420 that holds an edge better than Aus8.

No matter how the blade performs this is just not a good knife.
 
Hickory n steel said:
Taiwan was not what it is today, nobody was having quality knives produced in Taiwan, and this knife is your typical cheapo $10 " survival knife ".
420hc from Buck is a different animal than any other 420 and not all steel is created or treated equally, I have one of these made in Japan which is garbage and my brother had this exact knife which would take an edge but retention wasn't great and overall construction is weaker than many folding knives.

Tell him this knife is in fact cheap junk , but will make an excellent letter opener.
Click to expand...
I told the guy I'll put an edge on it again. He was happy and I get to sharpen some metal. He thinks it great and after I sharpened it he would carry it. I gave him a Chinese Wally- world Camillus fixed blade to carry instead. He said "Wow! This is a nice knife! How much did it set up back? I didn't tell him but around 12$. Made his day.
 
Yeah I agree now that I see the pictures. I had something similar in my teens, it's the typical Rambo Survival Knife that is in the aforementioned ~10-15$ range. If it makes him happy, good on him, but it's far from a useful EDC.
 
I remember these knives from the late 70s/early 80s. They were imported from Taiwan using 420j2 steel and found in every knife or marital arts shop back then during the "survival knife craze" and were usually the lowest priced models in the glass counter. They usually had a ball compass on the pommel end and a hollow tube handle, but not always. They usually came in black with an extremely thin floppy sheath with stone pocket, or a camo'd handle and sheath. That bottle top opener was a distinct feature. They were pretty much as you say "POS" level as they were a good cut below even the relatively inexpensive Guttman Explorer knives imported from Japan
at the same time period. However I'd say that knife has some "vintage" value, selling on the bay for $5.00-15.00.
 
I have a question i have boot knife i bought years ago at the Spokane valley mall i am trying to find out all the info about it if has an D with a half circle stamped on the blade that's all the markings on one side on the other it says made in USA it came with a black scanners shaped like an arrow smiths the same D stamped on it i would post a picture but can't figure out how to
 
I had one like it a long time ago to keep in the garage for tasks I would not use s decent knife for. :rolleyes: I paid $5 as I recall; I finally threw it out a couple of years ago because it had become a real mess. :( BUT, if he is happy with it and you will sharpen it whenever he uses it, what the hey! ;)
 
Minnesota Man said:
I told my neighbor about this forum after he came over for the first time. He saw my collection and we got to talking....... I digress, he was telling me about his "nice Rambo" knife. He was ecstatic but I have/had that "I can't wait to see it (sigh). He asked if you guys could tell what it is and how old it is?
I told the guy that it most likely is a POS and he didn't believe me. But now I can't help to wonder myself. I told him that Taiwan and 420 stainless advertised on the blade isn't usually a good thing.
Here it is... View attachment 923890
Click to expand...

I believe the chewing tobacco is the most valuable item in that photo.
 
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