Rebranded knives for less!

[thunderdome]

Manny brands, amongst which Cold steel, just rebrand knives made by others. I have always had my eyes on a carbon steel trail master Bowie just as a gimmick, but I think that they are overpriced. So does anyone know where I can get a non-brand one for less? It would also be nice if we could have a list with, where we could buy non-brand knives for less, that are sold rebranded for big $$$.

 

[BenLankford]

I don't think they are "rebranded" but they are knock offs.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I don't think they are "rebranded" but they are knock offs.

Yup. Not often that there's ever anything even remotely like that. A lot of Chinese companies have just gotten good at making it LOOK like you're getting something like it. It's especially telling when the knockoffs are of models that are USA or European in manufacture, but are being sold on a Chinese website. Sometimes they even copy the logos.

 

[eisman]

Please give us an idea of another "brand" or company offering identical product as Cold Steel under another name. I can't say that I've ever seen one, and with the numbers of copied knives available that's something.

I don't find Cold Steel to be expensive. But if price is your only criteria (as it is for unfortunately too many people) you can always buy their seconds.

 

[dangreco]

Trailmasters aren't "Gimmicks". They're not Battle Mistresses, but they work.

 

[rifon2]

Manny brands, amongst which Cold steel, just rebrand knives made by others. I have always had my eyes on a carbon steel trail master Bowie just as a gimmick, but I think that they are overpriced. So does anyone know where I can get a non-brand one for less? It would also be nice if we could have a list with, where we could buy non-brand knives for less, that are sold rebranded for big $$$.

A knife is not necessarily of lesser quality just because the company whose name is on it does not have in-house manufacturing facilities.


What you have is Cold Steel, Spyderco, Fallkniven, A.G. Russell, and other knife companies legitimately contracting with manufacturing companies
(in Japan, Taiwan, China, and elsewhere) to produce knives for them.

It's the same type of business relationship you have with ESEE knives and TOPS knives being manufactured by Rowen.

Browning's and Beretta's knives are produced by different manufacturers world-wide.
Some of Browning's knives were produced by Rowen and some by Mcusta.
Some Beretta knives are made by Moki of Japan.

And often, you'd actually find yourself paying more for an original Moki or Mcusta brand knife than its counterpart with the Browning or Beretta name on it.

 

[Fort Henry Custom Knives]

And often, you'd actually find yourself paying more for an original brand knife than its counterpart

I find this to be very true.

Here is a list I put together to illustrate that point. The list is of Knife Brands, who owns them and who makes knives for whom - note the duplicate names and you will see how several Brands are made by ony a few Companies: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=628153&highlight=made+pocket

 

[rifon2]

And often, you'd actually find yourself paying more for an original brand knife than its counterpart

I find this to be very true.

Here is a list I put together to illustrate that point. The list is of Knife Brands, who owns them and who makes knives for whom - note the duplicate names and you will see how several Brands are made by ony a few Companies: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=628153&highlight=made+pocket

Wow, that's a heckuva list! Thanks for putting it together & posting it.

Edit: I see, after looking it over, that you might want to update some entries.
For instance, not all Gerber brand knives are made in China. Some are made in Taiwan and some are made in the USA.

But definitely a great list overall IMO; obviously a lot of work went into it. :thumbup:

 

[Knife Outlet]

No, Cold Steel knives are not "rebranded." They are designed, made for and marketed by Cold Steel. Some Chinese companies have copycatted them but that certainly isn't "rebranding" because it isn't the same product. It just looks something like the same product.

Many U.S. knife companies like Cold Steel aren't manufacturers. They are designers, importers and marketers of knives. That doesn't make their products any better or worse than those from companies that own and operate production facilities.

Don't confuse "rabranding" with knock offs.

 

[BenLankford]

If i'm right he is kind of saying like why buy Coke when you can buy the generic brand for less.

 

[Fort Henry Custom Knives]

Thanks for the compliment Rifon. I made changes to the Gerber Brand Name.

Also, to the OP - I think KnifeOutlet is correct, it's important to note the difference between re-branded and copy-cat or counterfeit knockoff.

 

[GWashington1732]

It's like getting a counterfeit twenty, it might look and feel like the real thing, but you're going to run into trouble if you try to use it.

 

[Sep]

Half of what makes a knife good is the design. You can have a knife made of premium materials, but if the design sucks it won't work well. Therefore, the design company deserves the credit for creating a functional knife, while the manufacturing company deserves the credit for the quality of workmanship.

 

[knarfeng]

Manny brands, amongst which Cold steel, just rebrand knives made by others. I have always had my eyes on a carbon steel trail master Bowie just as a gimmick, but I think that they are overpriced. So does anyone know where I can get a non-brand one for less? It would also be nice if we could have a list with, where we could buy non-brand knives for less, that are sold rebranded for big $$$.

A knife is not necessarily of lesser quality just because the company whose name is on it does not have in-house manufacturing facilities.


What you have is Cold Steel, Spyderco, Fallkniven, A.G. Russell, and other knife companies legitimately contracting with manufacturing companies
(in Japan, Taiwan, China, and elsewhere) to produce knives for them.

It's the same type of business relationship you have with ESEE knives and TOPS knives being manufactured by Rowen.

Browning's and Beretta's knives are produced by different manufacturers world-wide.
Some of Browning's knives were produced by Rowen and some by Mcusta.
Some Beretta knives are made by Moki of Japan.

And often, you'd actually find yourself paying more for an original Moki or Mcusta brand knife than its counterpart with the Browning or Beretta name on it.

What rifon said. With the addition that Cold steel has other companies make knives that Cold Steel designs. That is not the same as taking somebody else's knife and putting Cold Steel's name on it.

 

[Mannlicher]

Manny brands, amongst which Cold steel, just rebrand knives made by others. I have always had my eyes on a carbon steel trail master Bowie just as a gimmick, but I think that they are overpriced. So does anyone know where I can get a non-brand one for less? It would also be nice if we could have a list with, where we could buy non-brand knives for less, that are sold rebranded for big $$$.

good luck with your quest.