Schrade: Why the Hate?

The older Schrades are light years ahead of current offerings. They knew what they were doing with 1095 steel.
 
It's about what Schrade (and America) once was...and coming to grips now with what they aren't.
 
There are very few knives that I'd rather have than the old Schrades. I have a few and I'm always looking for more. They did 1095 better than anybody that I know of. Their handles are fantastic for my hands and the fit and finish are top notch. I have no experience with the Taylor Brand ones being made now though.
 
I have a very battered USA made old timer that needs some professional TLC, but it has an edge and will cut stuff.
 
I actually have been very happy with the new schrade stuff I own have several of their new non traditional knives and they have been solid good knives. I've got one old sharpfinger from 30ish years ago but I can't really compare. That said I don't think it's steel is any better than the modern ones at least from what I've seen.

Take care!

Luke
 
No hate here.

If it wasn't for an old Schrade I would have never found this forum. I was researching some of the old knives I had in my collection that my grandfather gave me in the early '70's. While I was disappointed to see the original factory sold and now the brand made overseas, I still continue to look for nice USA made pieces to add to my collection.

Here is one of my recent finds:

 
"Because they are company that feeds off people's memories of the old name, puts out substandard product, and steals designs from other companies." That sums it up. Nothing more needs be said. If you agree, spread the word whenever and wherever you can.
 
Who makes the Schrade automatics? Don't these have to be made in the US?

Taylor owns several old American cutlery brands that are made in China now. I bought a few Hammer Brand traditional folders at a local store. I knew they were made offshore, but not that they were from Taylor Brands. They all ended up being fairly decent knives with blades that took a razor edge, but did require frequent sharpening after frequent use.
 
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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.
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it sucks that Craftsman is now starting to make their tools in China.
 
tvacchino said:
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).
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Spyderco, Benchmade, Ka-bar, Bark River, and Kershaw all have extensive USA-made lines in their catalogues, and that's just off the top of my head.
Not to mention the dozens of custom makers right here on this very forum.
Spend a little more time here, lots to learn.
 
who are you referring to Bugout ??? not schrade, taylor, but that is not schrade. to answer the OP question it's about sheep, cows and lemurs, all of which march in the sun and will walk off a cliff behing the "leader" because thay lack their own minds. go to the Cove and ask them about the money deal someone got on a schrade this past week. the schrade golden spike fixed is still a super knife, their line of excelsior knives are wonderful. and most of the old scrimshaw are actual bone, some ivory. the skinner model was copied by everyone in the 70-80's and a hugh number of service men carried a schrade. Type in Lance and look at the knife I just posted, a rare Schrade Lance knife.


Bugout Bill said:
Because they are company that feeds off people's memories of the old name, puts out substandard product, and steals designs from other companies.
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treeshaker said:
who are you referring to Bugout ??? not schrade, taylor, but that is not schrade. to answer the OP question it's about sheep, cows and lemurs, all of which march in the sun and will walk off a cliff behing the "leader" because thay lack their own minds. go to the Cove and ask them about the money deal someone got on a schrade this past week. the schrade golden spike fixed is still a super knife, their line of excelsior knives are wonderful. and most of the old scrimshaw are actual bone, some ivory. the skinner model was copied by everyone in the 70-80's and a hugh number of service men carried a schrade. Type in Lance and look at the knife I just posted, a rare Schrade Lance knife.
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I am referring to the Taylor incarnation of Schrade.
 
Schrade has Zero to do with Taylor, Zero. They simply purchased the name and the rights to market. As for other post I read here, Benchmade, and others are making knives in China today. Find an original Linda Layden Schrade scrimschaw and then you will see a masterful pc of art. Yes Taylor is a Walmart knife, but so is Sog and Case and others now. I just feel that anything a person buys with their money is fine by me.
 
Inazone said:
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.
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I don't know if the XT2B is carbon steel or not. If you do like carbon steel, get one of the older USA Schrades in carbon and use it next to a newer Schrade. The newer ones are OK I suppose. Rough Riders are quite OK. (Ssshhh, I don't like them)

Once you've looked for a while you can usually find decent USA Schrades for as much or less than the new models. Like as in, it's the grail quest at first and then you can get choosy.
 
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I got these for less than 80 dollars for both. They are tight and nearly new.

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Old Schrade Sharpfinger and the old Schrade Woodsman are simply fantastic knives, that anybody interested in hard use traditional American quality knives ought to take a very close look at.
 
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