Schrade imperial

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Balrog99

Joined
Apr 13, 2013
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I bought a Schrade imperial IMP17S at my local Ace hardware a couple days ago for 15 bucks. I bought it because I wanted to get a new Schrade that didn't wobble a lot. Unfortunately I found out it was not made in the U.S. it seems like a good knife, but in the long run will it fall apart in a couple weeks, and how good are they? I am asking this because I have had terrible luck with Asian made knives, the only accept ions being a gerber fast draw and a buck 373. Any info or past experiences with this model would be greatly appreciated.
 
Lets sum that up for China made knives not asian shall we as some knives like the knives comming out of Taiwan from Spyderco a top notch and we can go at it for awhile. Schrade is no longer made in the US they went out of busniness and were bought up and production is done in China by a company that isn't known for producing quality knives. Not all China made knives are junk, just majority. You have to know what your looking for.

Kershaw and Spyderco has their more budget oriented knives made in China and their far from junk. In terms of slip joints Rough Riders are quite good and will set you back $5-10 and they do a proper heat treat on their 440a and they are held in high regard for the price as a way to try out knife patterns and make great users, you can do a quick search to learn more about them. The newer Colt slip joints are made in the same factory as the Rough Riders to my knowledge but are held to a slightly higher standard and handle materials are different and slight changes in design, can't comment on their carbon steel slip joints on where they are made despite owning 2 of them but I can say it's made pretty dang well and is built like a tank but I haven't put that steel through it's paces yet but the one person who I heard did was quite impressed.

Forgot AG Russell has some knives made in China which are top notch in fit and finish, quality, etc. I hear great things about the knives coming from them and in fact I am currently looking at possibly picking up the AG Russel Rancher over the Queen Country Cousin to see how good their fit and finish, quality, etc and everything I keep hearing about really is.

There are a lot of other knives made in China that are of good quality and in fact are too numerous to list, but next time around do a quick search on here for what your looking at or ask and you find out quite quickly whether it's worth it.
 
Thanks for the advice. They also have marlin knives which I know nothing about. Some cheap looking metal ones, victorinoxes, which I love, Bucks which have been too expensive for me in the past and a couple other makes which I can't think of, and leathermans which I want to get but are too spendy.
 
The manufacturers in Asia will generally make knives to any pricepoint an importer wishes. A fifteen dollar knife cost the merchant perhaps ten. The importer perhaps paid five. You will not get a new high quality knife for $15, IMHO. You can get a higher quality knife lightly used on the secondary market however, for only a bit more.

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I'd say to use it and see if it holds up to normal tasks. If not, you haven't lost much.
 
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