Schrade knives

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bentblade

Joined
Feb 29, 2008
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Anyone have an oppinion on the quality of the new Chinese made Schrade knives? Ive been looking for a U.S. made sharp finger at a reasonable price but havent found one yet.
That probably is the answer.
 
Not having owned one I should probably keep my nose out but IMO the type of blade a Sharpfinger is you are highly unlikely to be Batoning or prying with it so it should be perfectly fine.

Being made in China it probably isn't going to be a high end steel which might mean you sharpening it a little more often, the flip side is that it should be easier to touch up than the high end steels.
 
FIrst off I'll admit to having a prejudice for the Schrade knives over the Chinese copies being made for and sold by Taylor Brands LLC. I don't understand why you are having a problem finding an original though. Dozens a month go across that online auction site and most are excellent users, some few are as-new and some are new in the box. I have several dozen of them (none for sale though) and can buy one any day of the month, year-round if I had the money and the want. I buy one every month or two to add to my collection, mostly low production special factory orders and early new in the box examples. Seldom if ever do I pay more than $50, usually a bit less. Just keep a bolean search going in your favorite searches and check it every day or two. Pick out several likely candidates and bid what you are willing to pay, no more. Eventually you will get a nice one at what you feel it is worth. I have picked up several over the years in the $20-25 price range that way.

I only have one of the Chinese knives that I bought by mistake in '05. Those first imports were in deliberately copied packaging to fool unwary buyers. I was not at all impressed with the fit and finish of the knife. But in all honesty, they have likely improved their process since then. I've never tried using it though. It resides in my drawer of shame. I do use an original one every year to dress deer and fish. The copies are some unspecified stainless. I prefer the original in 1095hc carbon steel. Let me know if I can help you in your search.
 
I recently bought a NIB Taylor Schrade slip joint by accident (I did not read the fine print carefully).

The blades were wafer thin and unevenly ground. Not just the edge, the entire blades. Fit and finish was bad. The main blade was bent. When I applied fairly gentle pressure to it with just my thumb and index finger, it snapped right off.

Absolute rubbish.
 
Why bother with Chinese junk when there are good American made knives !! Schrade and Camillus where part of a once thriving knife industry in NY. Get good made in USA knives even if it costs a few more bucks.
 
Schrade did make millions of them in the thirty odd years they were in production. And Camillus made them for two years after Schrade closed as their GP152. Last night's search of that place turned up 159 hits in less than two seconds. About half were the imported knives. Some were made up from blades shipped overseas to have various wooden handles riveted on. But there were still plenty used, near new and new originals. I may just have to buy myself another new one for Christmas!
 
I have the Chinese version. To be honest I haven't noticed any problem with the steel. The biggest issue I had with the knives is the pressboard leather sheaths. Now I am a big fan of recycling and using up bits and scraps of leather, but that sheath is hard to love. Mine has been in and out of many a deer and has of course needed a touch up between, but I haven't had to stop mid deer to touch it up, and I've seen many others with more expensive knives that did. I think honestly that has a lot more to do with what edge you put on initially.. Everyone seems to think that hair shaving is the test of an edge, but it doesn't mean you have a durable edge. I don't frankly care too much where things are made as long as they work, and I can afford them. My sharpfinger has been passed down to my middle son, and that means I got to buy a new toy. I am now sporting a new BK 15 and time will tell how it holds up and whether my youngest son will pick it from the pile when he passes his hunter training and it is his turn to take his pick.
 
With all due respect for Codgers knowledge and experience, and I do respect it. I actually like the Chinese Sharpfinger so far. I just experimented by running that thick wonderfully squared off spine across a cheap fire steel, and MAN does it shower thick fat sparks ! I almost love it for that alone. It came a bit dull from the sheath and I touched it up on a Sharp Maker. Time will tell if it holds an edge, but it was super easy to sharpen. My sheath is leather and this thing was a spontaneous buy in a chain store. Kind of like a chocolate bar when you get a craving. No idea if the leather is from the scrotum off a dead goat, but it seems to be made well enough, and the snap is strong and tight. For 35 bucks I have no qualms with the money spent so far. I would indeed pay more for a quality U.S.A. made sharpfinger. But I am ok with this for what it is, and Lordy does this thing kick sparks off a ferro rod. Almost makes me want to square off all my knife spines.

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Nice pics up north. It's hard to see real clearly from photos but it looks like you may have lucked out and got the actual leather sheath instead of "manufactured leather". If I had a clue how to post a pic on here I would get a comparison pic of my kids sheath to show you the difference. The knife is still a winner in my book anyway. If I figure out the pic thing I will post a scary sheath picture. I noticed one day at a big box store that they had "golden spikes" and I looked at one and realized now that you always have to ask to see the sheath. The first one I looked at had actual leather, and a few days later in another town, but same box store was gonna pick one up until I realized it had the manufactured sheath. Both made in PRC.... Just different sheaths.
 
I use Photobucket. I right click into the bottom image selection under a picture, come here and drop it into my text. If you need help send me a PM and we'll work it out.
 
230870116521


This knife \ sheath I could grow to love. Sadly it's not mine.... But. At least figured out how to post picture from URL... Now if I can figure out how to get my jpeg from ipad to URL....
 
230870116521


This knife \ sheath I could grow to love. Sadly it's not mine.... But. At least figured out how to post picture from URL... Now if I can figure out how to get my jpeg from ipad to URL....

Or not.... Sorry. I guess I will stop now
 
I have quite a few USA made Sharades. Love them. Great fit and finish awesome steel. Not impressed with Chinese copies. I had 2. They have since been binned.
 
Some folks are satisfied with the Pakistani copies and they are even cheaper ($2-7 at flea markets)! Some folks prefer a more expensive custom version and that is good too! Here is one I am trying on a passaround right now (JParanee photo).

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As car dealers say, a seat for every butt! :p
 
Nice custom. My oldest son relieved me of my "mountain lion". My second of my "sharpfinger". Knocked me at least as afar as hunters go, out of the Shrade business. Hence me shopping for golden spike just to even out the bench. I'm a sucker for the blade style where dressing animals is concerned, and I guess that's what drove me to the bk15. It's a good thing I don't live in a place where there are a lot of customs like that at shows etc or I would be divorced, bankrupt, or both.
 
Jackfish said:
Nice custom. My oldest son relieved me of my "mountain lion". My second of my "sharpfinger". Knocked me at least as afar as hunters go, out of the Shrade business. Hence me shopping for golden spike just to even out the bench. I'm a sucker for the blade style where dressing animals is concerned, and I guess that's what drove me to the bk15. It's a good thing I don't live in a place where there are a lot of customs like that at shows etc or I would be divorced, bankrupt, or both.
Click to expand...

You are posting in a place where these customs and other are available 24/7. They are much more affordable than you might imagine. Here is the WIP thread from maker Ryan Weeks on the above knife. It shows one being made from start to finish, reviews from users and some custom variants made to order after the start of the thread. Some very nice eye candy there!

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/990920-RyanW-SPK-Passaround-WIP
 
Guyon said:
Man, how did those not sell? :confused:
Click to expand...

Check with him and see. He may have sold them locally or elsewhere, or may still have one. They are nice!

Schrade made some great hunting knives. Here are the ones I own.
Wish I could find the top one (Golden Spike 153UH) in carbon steel. Missed one on here by a few minutes a while back.
Click to expand...

A nice group of real-deal Schrades! :thumbup: There were more made in carbon steel than in stainless, so you may luck out soon if you are persistant!
 
Got a stockman online(new one by imperial). Wasnt over the top
Expensive and I whittled with it for 3 hours (pine wood) and it still have a great edge and will slice through paper like nothing.
 
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