Sanrenmu 710= best budget folding knife right now?

[SPXTrader]

... If you want a warranty, pay double or triple for a Kershaw or byrd made in the same factory. I paid 8 bones for my last 710 so I don't need a substantial warranty.

Perhaps you don't need a warranty, but you do need an education. While Sal has said some of his Chinese offerings are made by Sanremu, that's's not the case for Kershaw. KAI owns their factories in China, the employees are KAI employees, working on KAI equipment. The same as you'd find in the US or any of the other foreign countries they operate in.

 

[Cereal_killer]

He did deny that they made the Byrd knives, but he more recently told us that he had recently switched manufacturers for Byrd too.

That was an interesting read, thanks for the link.

 

[Nutty Knife Nut]

If you really want a srm 710 that bad then just get it

I'm ordering it right now.....next knife on my radar is the Kershaw Thermite.

 

[spydercobenchmadekai]

Are we SURE that "Nutty SRM Nut" isn't associated with SRM?

 

[benchwarmer380]

the SRM-710 is similarly priced as a gas station knife but gas stations don't sell them and I think the fit & finish is a step above a "gas station knife".....A lot of those budget kershaw knives are also pretty similar to gas station knives.

Which Kershaws? I've handled a couple of Crowns which are one of their cheapest offerings and own a Select Fire and all are miles beyond "gas station knives". All came shaving sharp and solid with a smooth fast action. The Select Fire has developed very slight side to side play but I don't really care. It's just my tool to practice sharpening and to take apart my Emersons.

 

[larrybar]

My 710 has developed up-down lockrock. Get the 763 instead. A better lock and ingenious bottle opener. The exact size of a Buck Vantage.

 

[BellaBlades]

I would say absolutely not. Id get a Tenacious, Rat or a Kershaw chill or cryo. I dont care if it was 1$ . I would not care to own a knife of that size or design. I also feel that Kai and Spyderco have the best warranty on the market.

My local store also has carbon Opinel knives in all sizes. I would love to buy one of those when I feel like spending 10$

 

[Smokinape]

 

[Downhill Trucker]

FWIW... I have a srm 704 I EDC and love it. It's not the best knife I own, but it does the job and I will not lose sleep if I ever lose it.

 

[shecky]

I like SRM knives. Some folks grasp at any reason to dismiss them, but truth be told, they are well made and many of the people with nasty feelings about them may even already own one, just branded with a more familiar name.

Some folks still like to conflate cost with quality. The big factor here is that SRM branded knives are so inexpensive because they are gray market items. There is no official distribution channel for them in the US, and they almost always seem to come directly from China/Hong Kong by mail. So retail prices here are probably pretty close to wholesale prices an American brand name would pay for SRM to manufacture their design. What the American brand gets is a well made knife, that it can market it with a recognizable name and reputation, through established distribution channels and sales personnel, to actual retailers serving the US market. That's a significant overhead name brands have, but also translates to a marketing advantage.

The internet and inexpensive small quantity shipping have allowed SRM products to venture beyond Asia via independent small vendors. Wonders of technology not only allow Chinese manufacturers to produce high quality knives, it also allows people in the West access to them that would have been unthinkable ten or fifteen years ago. Remarkable time we're living in.

Certainly the 710 is a pretty good value. Better than some well regarded and more expensive American made knives that I won't mention so as to not cause the inevitable butt-hurt. Though frankly, I prefer several other SRM models to the 710. Just different tastes.

 

[o4tg]

Lots of LOL's in this thread.

An Opinel does not have a stronger lock. In fact, just about any liner lock including $3 truck stop knives have stronger locks than an Opinel. A great knife it is, but don't make it out to be something it's not.

Of course the Tenascious has slightly better edge retention than the 710. It has nothing to do with tye heat treat likely, and more to do with the edge profile. This should be fairly obvious just by looking at them.

The Tenascious is a Sanrenmu, no matter how much Spyderco fans want to distance the two names. In my opinion, the Ttenascious is a good $15 knife, a mediocre $25 knife, and a not worth it $40 knife. It's quality is no better or worse than the 913P and 710 I have experience with.

Spyderco/Sanrenmu, Kershaw, and CRKT CRMOV steels don't hold up as well as the AUS8 on my Utilitac II, so I would expect the same for the RAT series. I find 8CR13MOV to be fairly good for light cutting, but it seems to fade out quite a bit faster on the harder stuff.

 

[spydercobenchmadekai]

If you want to support a company that rips off real American BASED companies and produce inferior products for SLIGHTLY cheaper, that's your choice. I'll spend the extra $5 to get a decent knife with a known steel, good warranty, and authentic design.

 

[spydercobenchmadekai]

Just in case anyone cares, the 710 is a rip off of the Chris Reeve Sebenza 21. Is the Sebenza really worth $400 more? Absolutely. I own one--it has a premium steel, Ti frame lock, option for custom graphics, is made in the USA, and when you buy one, you support the guy that designed it, not some Chinese slave that stole that design.

 

[Twindog]

The price of these Chinese copies is truly amazing. Just $8, as someone posted, shipped from China, and delivered to your door. If you back out shipping, what's left? $5 for production costs?

How do you get the steel, grind it, heat treat it, hone a "razor sharp" edge on the blade, polish it, find the screws, pivot and handle materials, shape everything, assemble it, put it in a box, etc. All for $5 and still make a profit? The factory owners have to be exploiting someone to make this work.

Then, on an American knife enthusiasts forum, we hear from members that the "steal" and build quality is as good or better than Spyderco knives. Amazing.

But despite being amazed by the economics, I'm not buying any of it. I have a first-production Benchmade Rukus in my pocket. It's served me extremely well for years of hard use (I'm a homesteader), and it is still rock solid. I wouldn't trade it for a boxcar full of cheap Chinese knives no matter how cheap they are.

A well-made American knife is also amazing.

 

[spydercobenchmadekai]

how do you get the steel, grind it, heat treat it, hone a "razor sharp" edge on the blade, polish it, find the screws, pivot and handle materials, shape everything, assemble it, put it in a box, etc. All for $5 and still make a profit? The factory owners have to be exploiting someone to make this work.

A well-made american knife is also amazing.

THAT.:thumbup:

 

[jill jackson]

Whom do you think took all the technology over to China in the first place, in the interest of finding the very cheapest labor on the face of the earth? Those good old American companies packed up and went over there with all the know how, money and machinery, plus they are still doing it, only difference is the Chinese have independently faked everything in high demand because they have the training & machines and no doubt a few are very well off even if the ones doing the actual labor are making next to nothing. I'm not talking about just knife companies, either many USA name brands. that were 100% USA are now 100% Chinese. So, don't buy these Chinese knives I know I don't, but in reality it has been developing into this for years and USA based companies have taken their jobs, technology and money to China for years ultimately leading to China's ability. And it goes way deeper than knives.

 

[MNofUSN]

I do not own the Rat folder, and I've never even had the chance to handle one. I do like the blade shape and have been interested in one. I might just go ahead and see if I can find one in a cool color. Now, the Skyline for me, is one of the best "thin" knives around. My first one was the Damascus version from the first batch. Such a perfect knife for me, Such is the Zing. Fits great in the hand, small in the pocket and cuts really well.

you are missing out on so much right now. though its not a fancy super steel, the temp. job on the blade is phenomenal; & the construction of the whole knife is outstanding. get one!!

the ESEE Zancudo is similar in aspect of built & is also excellent from what i gathered from fondling it

 

[Puer Aeternus]

Im surprised no ones mentioned the Utilitac by Joe Pardue $24.00.
I gotta say the Utilitac JPT-3 and JPT 4r [are decent knives for the money. I've got some pretty good knives in my collection and pretty cheap ones too...non of the cheap (sub $40 knives) come close to the quality of 2 Untilitac knives I own. You cant beat the price for what you get. Recommended if you want a cheap knife that has a tactical look and fairly dependable for all your letter opening/box cutting needs.

 

[spydercobenchmadekai]

I can speek highly of the Ontario Rat 1, and people seem to like the 2 as well. The Kershaw Thermite is one of my favorite knives for under $40.

 

[RevDevil]

you are missing out on so much right now. though its not a fancy super steel, the temp. job on the blade is phenomenal; & the construction of the whole knife is outstanding. get one!!

the ESEE Zancudo is similar in aspect of built & is also excellent from what i gathered from fondling it

Alright.....You sold me on it as did Remy. I'll order one this weekend and see what it's all about.