Paul Chen?

Paul Chen products are good quality. I have an Outrider Bowie and a Paul Chen Chinese sword - both very good for the price.
 
Paul Chen's folding knives are wonderfully put together. I have a fixed german trench knife from hanwei, and where I'm not terribly impressed by it, it performs incredibly.
This is a good one. I've actually seen it at my local place and the finish is nothing less than greatastic!
-KC
PS: No, I'm not selling this. My competitor is.
 
ivan_yulaev said:
100$ seems kind of high for a folder...looked into queens?
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Not even close! A Kershaw Blur (Black) retails at $105. I can't keep them in the store. And I will guarantee that the quality of the Chen will surpass it 3 fold.
-KC
 
I didn't know Paul Chen made knives, I was only aware of top notch swords, but yeah, I hear they are pretty good stuff.
 
ChuckBuck said:
I didn't know Paul Chen made knives, I was only aware of top notch swords, but yeah, I hear they are pretty good stuff.
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Oddly enough, I don't think Paul Chen makes swords. I've heard from a number of people who are much more "in" with the sword scene then myself, that he only makes smaller knives. But because they (Hanwei) have a Japanese smith who is making these swords (Japan frowns on this big time) they are putting his name on them to hide the smith's identity. It makes some sense to me. "Paul Chen" isn't the most Japanese name in the world...
-KC
 
I purchased the Quan Dong when my son was born to be one of the first knives to place in his collection when he got older. I was impressed with the knife traditional design, heft and the performance of the button lock.
 
Ive heard many mixed things about hanwei and chen. It would be interesting to get the opinions of those who own and use his knives.
 
Knifeclerk said:
Oddly enough, I don't think Paul Chen makes swords. I've heard from a number of people who are much more "in" with the sword scene then myself, that he only makes smaller knives. But because they (Hanwei) have a Japanese smith who is making these swords (Japan frowns on this big time) they are putting his name on them to hide the smith's identity. It makes some sense to me. "Paul Chen" isn't the most Japanese name in the world...
-KC
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you might want to do some actual research besides the rumors. go to swordforum.com and search for the posts where posters have gone on factory tours and seen the swords being made in the factory in Dalian, China, you can also find photos from the tours.

given the cost of a true japanese smith made sword, why would he work for so much less? and with the amount of swords that Hanwei forge puts out, do you think "a japanese smith" is actually capable of making them?

much like the "straight razors made with titanium alloy" post, this is something you can fairly easily verify with some research.
 
Interesting. So, is the quality comparable to a Seki cut? B/c that's really good! Or is it more CRKT territory?
 
Pardon me for being unclear. I know I said that the swords were being made by a Japanese smith, But that is not what I meant. Obviously there are far too many being put out to be done by one man. What I was meaning to say was that the designs and the practices are coming from someone else, not Paul Chen, but someone from Nihon. Then the swords would be made by apprentices.
I'm sorry if I'm unclear most of the time. I usually don't get to post untill very late, which makes communication difficult.
-KC
 
Paul Chen is the businessman who runs the factory. It was set up mostly with American investment, as I understand it, and it is most definitely not part of the Chinese government's vast manufacturing system. He started out making Japanese swords for Bugei, who sold them in the $1000+ range and he is, as I understand it, still producing for them. But his major customer is CASI, who sell a wide variety of his swords and knives at a number of price ranges. From what I understand, they are all reasonable quality for their price ranges and some are really quite excellent. I have one of his Seax knives and it is a well-finished, solid hunk of carbon steel in what is called a Frankish style. It is quite handsome, but the sheath is a pain and everyone that I know has had to modify it so that the knife will stop falling out of it.
 
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