new taylor made schrades?

BJE

BJE

Basic Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2006
Messages
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How have your experiences with them been? I know they aren't as good as the old ones and they are made in china, but the one I have (older senior stockman in buffalo horn) is quite nice.

None of the blades have play, the blades are pretty thin with good grinds, and the whole knife seems to be made pretty well. Worth the $20 I paid for it. The steel seems to hold an edge for a decent time and blades have perfect walk and talk. While a serpentine jack I handled was terrible.

Did I just get lucky or are these good knives for the money? I never hear anything about them. Please let the dicussion begin.
 
The one I got- a 125OT that the seller misrepresented- was a trainwreck.

- Blade had next to no snap opening or closing
- Handles were sharp and dug into the hand just holding it
- No lock, so it wasn't a 125OT at all
- Poorly fit shield
- Poor liner-scale-spring fit, lots of light
- Sharp exposed corners on the scales

Just speaking for myself, I wouldn't have one if you gave it to me. Too many little issues to solve.
 
The only one I have bought since the change over is a 190T Landshark. I bought it because I own several of the original Taylor Cutlery Sharks from years back. Fit and finish are great on it, knife is very smooth to the touch and it has a super positive half stop and lots of snap. I am actually very pleased with it.

sharkschrade.jpg
 
I'm disappointed that these are so crappy, because the original USA ones are drying up, and some dealers don't bother to distinguish between them. Your best bet is to try to trade for them on these forums or try eBay.

My best friend's knife while we were growing up was what I now know is a 194OT until he broke the blade doing something stupid when we were woodsloafing one day as teens. I've been looking for one as a sort of youthful memento, or maybe to give to him. He's not a knife knut, but I'm sure he'd remember it.
 
I just cant find a Taylor made one I want. Like a carbon steel, flat ground OldTimer sharpfinger. Or better yet a 164UH.
 
Foilist said:
I'm disappointed that these are so crappy, because the original USA ones are drying up, and some dealers don't bother to distinguish between them. Your best bet is to try to trade for them on these forums or try eBay.
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Simply ask, the knives are marked "Made in China". Even on ebay you can ask the dealer a question unless you wait till the last minute.

And as I said the ones I have seen have been every bit the quality of the recent US made knives.
 
All of us who collect schrades have been suckered into a taylor at some point, just happens and your not expecting some of what there making to come from china. now whatever I buy on ebay unless Im positive I always make sure it is usa before I spend a dime on it. and A dime is just too much for one of the china ones, IMHO. - Joel
 
It's not so much the "made in China" issue that bothers me as much as quality. I've heard that the Taylor quality varies from very good to awful. In my case at the moment, I want an original USA Schrade for nostalgic reasons because that's what my friend had.
 
The 194OT is a very popular Old Timer, and often times the USA Schrades run pretty high on Ebay. The price on this single blade trapper with a linerlock really fluctuates too. It is not rare at all, so be patient. If you are wanting a user in excellent shape, you should be able to pick one up at a decent price. An alternate option is to look for an SC503 which is a scrimshaw handled version. Same delrin handle. Pay attention to SC503 or SC503+ (stainless blade) as the SC503 came in both types of steel. The 194OT Old Timer is supposed to be a 1095 carbon blade.
 
gradall5200 said:
All of us who collect schrades have been suckered into a taylor at some point, just happens and your not expecting some of what there making to come from china. now whatever I buy on ebay unless Im positive I always make sure it is usa before I spend a dime on it. and A dime is just too much for one of the china ones, IMHO. - Joel
Click to expand...

:thumbup: +1 here course Joel aready knew that about me:D

Let me just say after handling and collecting ORIGINAL Schrades of ALL models (the co. started in 1904 and left in June 2004:grumpy:) that in my experiences the new NOSTALGIA (use of an old trademark):yawn:ain't even close! BUT I am extremely biased! Now also note that you will NOT and I repeat NOT (unless they at some point change) be getting the good old 1095 carbon ;)in the Old Timer line that Schrade was famous for.


Now I will shut up cause this is sort of a sore spot for us TRUE Schradeaholics!:D
 
I still don't understand why they went out of business, they were inexpensively priced, avaliable everywhere, and were very popular. Why didn't queen go out first, they are the smallest (to my knowledge) of the major US brands and they are hard to find/more expensive?
 
I Think one of the main reasons (I have descerned from reading) is that there was a lack of owner support:confused: and poor management decisions in a changing market IE. post (9/11/2001):mad:! Also there are some schools of thought that the worlds largest retailer had a significant affect on their (ISC.= Imperial Schrade Corp.) bottom line during this time frame.



There are a ton of posts and research back in the collectors forum do some research/reading back there and you will get a better feel for the whole picture;) although just know there are some very strong opines on the Taylor ownership :barf:of the NAME!
 
I'm sorry...maybe I am mental but I tend to judge any product...knife, car, firearm...on it's merits. Is it well made? does it look good? Does everything function as it should? If the answer is yes then I feel the product is worthy of being purchased by me. Where it is made is not nearly as important to me as how it is made. My daily driver is a 2005 Mini Cooper, obviously it was not made by the original Mini. In fact it is made by BMW. Does this mean it is junk? It isn't an original Mini after all. Actually it is a very well made car and worth my money. I also don't understand the animosity towards Taylor, in the past they have sold some very nice products, I own several of the Taylor Cutlery/Elk Horn knives and they are of excellent quality.

I would have preferred Schrade had been able to stay in business but they didn't. Taylor bought them and just because the knives are being made out of country does not make them junk. Those who automatically say they are are simply being snobs. Taylor isn't trying to pass their knives off as originals, they are marked from the country of origin. What they are doing is preserving a name that I would hate to see fade away. If you dislike the new knives don't buy them, that is simple enough. But let others judge for themselves if Taylor is selling a good product or not. From what I have seen the quality of the Taylor Schrades is every bit as good as the last few years of the original Schrades. I doubt I will buy many of them but then I don't buy many entry level knives. There are many tho that can't afford to drop the money on a Bose.
 
Hi,

I've looked at the new Schrades' and I've not seen one yet that would tempt me to buy it. The ones I've looked at have always had some little thing that put me off. But if I find one that I like, I will buy it.

Absintheur, I like your landshark, I would have bought that one too.

dalee
 
awhile back i bought about 6 Taylor Schrades to judge for myself. 5 were very good; no problems at all, good fit & finish, smooth action, no blade play, reasonably sharp. only one(smallest stockman) was poor; meaning flimsy, so different from the others, i have wondered if they are all made in the same factory. i.e. early on, Taylor may have contracted with a few different manufacturers in China and then dropped the lousy ones, but only after a fair number of unacceptable knives were already in circulation.
however, both Rough Rider and Steel Warrior knives are consistently superior knives for the same price as Taylor Schrades.
i just got a Steel Warrior Chactow 3 3/4" knife for $6.81. it's fit & finish, action, ergonomics and sharpness are as good as any production knife i own, many of which cost 10 to 20 times as much, or more.
roland
 
I don't know that I would order one blind off the net, I have seen several that are crap and not worth $4, but the one I already own is very good. They are worth checking out if you can handle them in person.

They don't feel the same as the old Schrades, they feel like copies with the same name to me. They look alike on the outside and the overall design, but there are alot of differences in the details, i.e. the blades aren't the same thickness, different materials are used, nail pulls aren't as deep.

That doesn't mean I won't ever buy another, but I am a rather set in my ways and much prefer the origanals myself. I also prefer to support companies that are still making things right here in the US, they are becoming a rare breed. Another reason I like the USA versions better is I can get them in CARBON. If Taylor started a new line in carbon steel you bet I will buy at least one of them.

I wish Taylor cutlery well, they have one hell of a reputation to uphold and I hope they can make a consistantly good product for future generations of Schrade users/collectors.

With the differences in materials, details, and manufacture origin I wish they would have called them something else such as Schrade II or something. I don't want to see the name die, but to have a good company die with its reputation than to have one fade away due to lacking quality(i.e. Gerber) is worse.
 
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