Opinion on the United brand Omega Liner Lock

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potatofrog

Joined
Oct 19, 2002
Messages
56
Greetings -

I'd just like a generla opinion of the Omega Liner Lock - Deep Blue - folding knife. I'm interested in purchasing it @ Completeknives.com for $9.95 - But I'd just like an opinion on the quality of United knives. I've never bought any of their knives and I'm only really familiar with CRKT and Benchmade products. If you can, please assist me in my decision.

Thanks.
 
If your knife experience is with CRKT and Benchmade, you might be better off bypassing United. The difference in quality could be a shock :)

There is a reason they only want $9.95 for it.

By the way, I don't want to put down Completeknives.com, but I'm not familiar with them. They aren't one of the regular online retailers most of us buy from. On the other hand, for $9.95? It's not a bad way to try them out, and you could always use the Omega for a beater.

Be careful with cheap liner locks, though. It is an inherently convenient design, but if it isn't executed properly, the lock will give way and the blade can close on your fingers, especially in a twisting motion.

Oops! forgive my late-night, sleep-induced lack of manners -- Welcome to Bladeforums !! :D
 
Greetings -

I'm not familiar with completknives.com either - I was actually just poking around the internet looking for a decent retailer. I live n New York City and there aren't many reputable dealers in knives here. I had to go to a sporting goods store here called Paragon Sports and their prices are outrageously expensive - But they have an excellent selection - A lot of Boker, Spyderco, and Benchmade knives.

If you have any suggestions for online reatailers, again I;d appreciate any assistance.

By the way, thanks for the tip.
 
look up at the very top of the forum and click on the link that says store...thats the 1 Stop Knife Shop, try looking at the knives there.;)
 
I spent most of my life in NYC. I know how hard it is to find knives there. There were some window displays on Lexington ... but their prices were no prize, either.

One Stop Knife Shop is very good, as well as being the forum sponsor. They give you a lot of information about the knives you're interested in, which makes them an excellent place to research possible purchases.

Roger at Bayou Lafourche also has great prices and service. Mike Dye at New Graham is also a pleasure to deal with.

You can also sidestep the retail process and go to The Knife Exchange here on Bladeforums. Buying knives from other forumites, you save money on what is either all-but-new, or generally pretty well described if it's a user. On The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, you can check who is reliable, including retail dealers.

Being in NYC already, you might like to stop by the 25th NY Custom Knife Show. It's on Friday, November 1, 2002 at 12:00-20:00 & Saturday, November 2 at 10:00-18:00. This year, it moved to the New Yorker Hotel, 481 Eighth Avenue @ 34th Street.

That way, you can get to meet other Bladeforums people, easily spotted as we rust all the knives on display, drooling on them ... :D
 
Greetings -

Well, I thank you all for your assistance. I was actually looking to purchase the knives for this coming Christmas and give them away as stocking stuffers for my co-workers. I work at a retail housewares store in New York City called Gracious Home and my fellow co-workers are in desperate need of some real knives - They've been using box cutters for everything from cutting rope, to trimming fabric, and of course opening boxes. I thought it would be a nice gesture to get them something better than box cutters for everyday use. United was the lowest priced knives I could find that I could buy in bulk because I need 10 to 20 of them - I definitely would have liked to get them some CRKT knives or better yet some Benchmade knives, but that would go beyond my means. I truly know how great a a well made folder can be, I own several myself - I just wanted these guys to know too.

Anyway, thanks again for all your assistance.
 
potatofrog, I hope you do find knives that will work as gifts for your friends. It's a really generous idea, and useful, too.

Until we can find good knives for you to buy, let me leave you with a story to brighten up the day, in tribute to whatever inspired your name ...

You know that all potatoes have eyes.

Well, Mr. and Mrs. Potato had eyes for each other, and finally they got married, and had a little sweet potato, whom they called 'Yam'. Of course, they wanted the best for Yam.

When it was time, they told her about the facts of life. They warned her about going out and getting half-baked, so she wouldn't get accidentally mashed, and get a bad name for herself like 'Hot Potato',
and end up with a bunch of Tater Tots.

Yam said not to worry, no Spud would get her into the sack and make a rotten potato out of her! But on the other hand she wouldn't stay home and become a Couch Potato, either. She would get plenty of exercise so as not to be skinny like her Shoestring cousins.

When she went off to Europe, Mr. and Mrs. Potato told Yam to watch out for the Hard Boiled guys from Ireland. And the greasy guys from France called the French Fries.

And when she went out west, to watch out for the Indians so she wouldn't get scalloped.

Yam said she would stay on the straight and narrow and wouldn't associate with those high class Yukon Golds, or the ones from the other side of the tracks who advertise their trade on all the trucks that say, 'Frito Lay.'

Mr. and Mrs. Potato sent Yam to Idaho P.U. (that's Potato University) so that when she graduated she'd really be in the Chips.

But in spite of all they did for her, one day Yam came home and announced she was going to marry Tom Brokaw.

Tom Brokaw! Mr. and Mrs. Potato were very upset.

They told Yam she couldn't possibly marry Tom Brokaw, because he's just a...
.
.
.
.
.
.
Common Tater
 
Maybe I found something! Go to Smoky Mountain Knife Works. Search (in the upper right-hand corner) for "Kissing Crane". When that page loads, go to the upper right and sort by "least expensive first".

You will get a page headed by six basically identical knives, differing slightly in price, handle material, and size.

Small Black Angus with Blade Etch 3-1/2" KC43 $5.99
Small Coal Miner with Blade Etch 3-1/2" KC43CM $5.99
Large Coal Miner with Blade Etch ·4-1/8" KC44CM $6.99
Small Brown Mule 3-1/2" KC37 $7.99
Medium Brown Mule 4" KC36 $8.99
Large Brown Mule 4-5/8" KC35 $9.99

Smoky Mountain is a great source for all sorts of knives and accessories -- sheaths, sharpeners, lubricants, etc. They are reliable, they've always shipped my purchases quickly, and the one time I had a return, there was no problem.

The "brown mules" are a classic workman's knife. With the wood handles, slip joint rather than complicated or flimsy locks, and simple design, they won't upset the non-knife people around, either.

The sizes noted are closed (handle) lengths. The blades should be about an inch shorter. I would recommend the small or medium brown mules, but you may want to consider the etched blades instead. They all come from the same good company.
 
Another option is the Victorinox Recruit. I haven't been in the market for one recently, but at least in the late 1990s the Target near my house sold Victorinox Recruits for under $8.00 each around Christmas time. In case you can't find a sale, Eknifeworks.com sells it for $11.99.
 
That sounds good, too. I just picked up a Recruit second-hand, with blue scales. Looks really nice, and it has those classic boy scout blades. Very handy, and the blades are sharp.

(Eknifeworks.com is Smoky Mountain Knife Works' website.)

You might like to check out another near-universal favorite, the Opinel line, at Bayou Lafourche.
 
Greetings -

Thanks - I started checking out the in-expensive folders at Smokey Mountain, and I found the CRKT Ace thier for only $10, the Red Dog and DooLittle for $13 a piece as well as some KA-BAR International Lockbacks and Meyerco knives for under $10 - But I'm leaning more towards the CRKT Ace because I'm personally familiar with the brand and have only heard of Meyerco and KA-BAR through second hand talk. I'm no sure on the quality of their knives so if you have an opion about them, please let me know.

Thanks again for the assist.
 
potatofrog -

Consider staying away from the Ka-Bar International series. It's my opinion that Ka-Bar should never have put their names on those knives.

In the Meyerco line, I only have experience with the Speed Demon. My opinion is that it was "okay" for $7, though I don't have it anymore.

All the CRKT knives you mentioned are worth the asking price, but remember, they're all offered for under $15.

By the way, I've done a fair amount of business with SMKW and I've never had any problems.

Good luck :)
 
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