Schrade: Why the Hate?

T

tvacchino

Joined
Mar 19, 2014
Messages
44
So I'm going to risk sounding like a total NEWB here :D
But as I was skimming the forums I came across a lengthy thread(s) about Schrade Knifes being "crap" and to stay away etc etc?
I did some research and see that they are "Made in China" now (of course. find me something that isn't and I'll but it).
Is that the reasoning for the hate or is there more to the Story?


I only ask because my first Knife that my Father bought me was a Schrade LB7 Lockback.
This would have been around my 16 Birthday so let's say 1983 or so?
I still have this knife and have used it on many, many Hunting & outdoor activities and it has never been anything but a great knife IMO.

out,
t
 
Old Shade knives are well liked in the traditional subforum. The new ones are not made by Schrade. They went out of business and another company bought the name.
 
Fanglekai said:
Old Shade knives are well liked in the traditional subforum. The new ones are not made by Schrade. They went out of business and another company bought the name.
Click to expand...

And the old Schrades really were great. And still are, when you find them used.
 
The Schrade USA marked knives are favored and sought after by many who want an affordable reasonably well made knife. Following the bankruptcy, the Schrade trademark was purchased by Taylor Cutlery LLC and to my knowledge all are manufactured in China. Hence the "hate". If you choose a current Schrade, you just need to be aware of what you are actually buying. That is about as far as my "hate" goes. I own knives made in China, Taiwan, Japan, the US and other places and it is just a matter of knowledge.

But to buy a Schrade now because of the "name" is not a good idea. My impression is that they are pretty much the same as the other Chinese manufactured knives being made for Taylor. The "brand" does not mean anything any more.
 
Because they are company that feeds off people's memories of the old name, puts out substandard product, and steals designs from other companies.
 
Old and respected companies like Schrade had a long-lasting heritage and tradition. When they are sold to a foreign company (or go out of business and the name is picked up by a foreign company) who no longer respects that heritage or tradition but rather floods the market with cheap knives then you are going to see the brand name diluted and the "haters" emerge.

Plain and simple.
 
Fair enough.
I rarely buy anything new anyway. You should see me trying to buy Tools at the Big Box Stores
"Can I help you sir?" Yes, can you point me to the section of "Made in America" Tools"... Laughter commences.

Like I said mine was a gift at the age of 16 (30yrs ago) and has given me many memories.
I'll post a picture someday.

Thanx!

out,
t
 
Well don't buy tools at big box stores. They are there to provide you with the cheapest prices possible, not necessarily quality goods.

That doesn't mean there aren't good usa made tools to buy.
 
addylo said:
Old and respected companies like Schrade had a long-lasting heritage and tradition. When they are sold to a foreign company (or go out of business and the name is picked up by a foreign company) who no longer respects that heritage or tradition but rather floods the market with cheap knives then you are going to see the brand name diluted and the "haters" emerge.

Plain and simple.
Click to expand...

I mourn Camillus more than Schrade, they were the company who gave us the Cliphanger after all.
 
Agreed.
Honestly I'll buy a cheaply made and or expensive USA Made Tool if I can find one than anything saying "Made in China" just to prove a point!
Even if only to me (my wife doesn't understand).

out,
t
Scurvy092 said:
Well don't buy tools at big box stores. They are there to provide you with the cheapest prices possible, not necessarily quality goods.

That doesn't mean there aren't good usa made tools to buy.
Click to expand...
 
The Schrade you own is the old USA made Schrade. Schrade went bacnkrupt somewhere around 2005 give or take a few years I think. It was than picked up by a foreign company which just wanted to cash in by the name and style of the knives and not keep the heritage, quality, etc that made Schrade a Schrade.
 
Since tools were mentioned, I generally buy Craftsman. I do hope Sears survives as a retailer. But, there is a place for your cheaply made tools for folks that don't use a tool much. Same probably applies to knives.

Taylor Cutlery is not a foreign company. They just have their knives made outside the US.
 
I have one of their more recent old timer bowies. It's pretty decent. I think there's more butthurt than bad product. Considering the butthurt is about a good company dying then coming back as a revive line then slowly killing off the traditional stuff and using Schrade as a label to put on "tacticool" stuff.
 
My Father gave me a bunch of his old Tools (power and otherwise) and most were Craftsmen. And I can say that they were built to last no question!

out,
t
22-rimfire said:
Since tools were mentioned, I generally buy Craftsman. I do hope Sears survives as a retailer. But, there is a place for your cheaply made tools for folks that don't use a tool much. Same probably applies to knives.

Taylor Cutlery is not a foreign company. They just have their knives made outside the US.
Click to expand...
 
In getting good steel in a knife, heat treat is as important as steel type. Since you can't know the heat treat by reading a label people get to know what companies do a good heat treat. Then there's fit, finish, etc.

When a company goes under and the name is bought, they don't exactly announce it publically with great fanfare. They buy the name with the full intent of using the name recognition. When they make a product inferior to the original they are milking the name and, in my opinion, deceiving the public.

Even non-knife knuts get to know good brands. I've talked to a few people at work who have told me Schrade was great (and owned USA made Schrades) and were surprised to hear they were made offshore now. They were set to be deceived on their next purchase.

It's not just Schrade, many great brands aren't the original company any more.
 
tvacchino said:
My Father gave me a bunch of his old Tools (power and otherwise) and most were Craftsmen. And I can say that they were built to last no question!
Click to expand...

The hand tools are. The power tools are pretty much the same as other better brands. I bought a saw at Sears for demolition work (cutting metal and nails and so forth), and the thing burnt up within 5 minutes of using it. The problem was I bought it more than 12 months before using it. I like gadgets and toys.

Remington knives aren't what they used to be either. They used to be made by Camillus. I believe Bear & Sons makes them now for Remington.
 
Bugout Bill said:
I mourn Camillus more than Schrade, they were the company who gave us the Cliphanger after all.
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The Cliphanger..... Ugh - what a turd of a knife! The worst knife I have ever owned, hands down. Here's what I said about it in 2005:

It has a handle as ergonomic as a cactus, a blade that won't hold an edge, a retention system that doesn't work at all, a thumb opener that absolutely sucks, the roughest opening of any folder EVER, and a "liner lock" about as thick as rice paper! (with it "locked" open, you can move the blade toward the handle and watch the "liner lock" bow) The thing is an absolute piece of trash. I use mine as a grout scraper, and it barely functions at that job!

WHAT AN ABSOLUTE P.O.S.!!!!!!

______________________________________________

Shrade used to make some great stuff though. I used to love the Sharpfingers. I've probably had more multiples of them than any other knife.
 
I never owned a Schrade when the original company was still in business, and the first one I bought (XT2B) was a Chinese version of a knife previously made in the US. I then tracked down a used US-made one, as well as identical knives apparently made by United Cutlery under the Outdoor Life and Rigid brand names, also in the US. In other words, I have four versions of the same knife, despite not knowing what steel was used for any of them. Classics? Probably not. Also probably not mourned by the knife enthusiast community compared to Schrade's more traditional models, but that doesn't make them bad. Whether or not US construction really made any difference in the quality remains to be seen. Meanwhile, I have a couple of the Taylor-era knives now, and the build quality seems as good as that US-made XT2B.

However, I have a Cliphanger myself, and yeah, that thing is a real turd.
 
AntDog said:
The Cliphanger..... Ugh - what a turd of a knife! The worst knife I have ever owned, hands down. Here's what I said about it in 2005:

It has a handle as ergonomic as a cactus, a blade that won't hold an edge, a retention system that doesn't work at all, a thumb opener that absolutely sucks, the roughest opening of any folder EVER, and a "liner lock" about as thick as rice paper! (with it "locked" open, you can move the blade toward the handle and watch the "liner lock" bow) The thing is an absolute piece of trash. I use mine as a grout scraper, and it barely functions at that job!

WHAT AN ABSOLUTE P.O.S.!!!!!!

______________________________________________

Shrade used to make some great stuff though. I used to love the Sharpfingers. I've probably had more multiples of them than any other knife.
Click to expand...
That is funny!
:D
 
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