Smokey Mountain Knife Works Buyer Beware

Keith, Keith, Keith!!!!
I said $5.00 knife not $6.99 and not more than $5.00. Opinels generally cost more than $5.00...:D :D :D
 
Well, I stand corrected except I am sitting down!!!:D

Are there anymore? Probably not..................................:p
 
In_blade said:
Wasn't the cheap price little clue?
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Not a solid indicator. The CRKT S-2 I bought on clearance from SMKW was only $25. Of course, regular retail was much, much more than that. About 4 times as much. Thing is: There're places to find out about such things before plunking your hard-earned $$$ down ;).
 
Keith, so is Micarta but the name "carbon fiber" and "micarta" would be so much better marketing names that to call them "composition" handles would demean them. I don't think anyone would.
 
This was a case of a mistake...he bougth a cheap knife by mistake, not knowing the knife and not really understanding the details on the knife, since it was not that much lost I don't see it as being a big deal, like I was alreayd said he got a learnign experince out of it, but I do understand how he must have felt, Im sure with all the knives comming in and going out with all of us everyone has gottena knife that dissapointed them one time or another right? I ahve anyway...I understand is all...Sucks but like I said at least you didn't lose all that much...Not as bad as buying a custom and not liking it...
 
Yes, I also hate it when something for $5.00 doesn't meet my expectations. Like when I get that Big Mac that has the cheese, meat, lettuce, and middle bun all going different directions!
 
LOL they look go good in the commercials but when you roder one it looks like you someone has been sitting on yours to keep it warm for you...lol, and the chicken? Ever get a grilled chicken sandwitch and disected it, lol, the grill marks look like a show print, like they have some guy in the back stepping on the meat to make it look like it was flame broiled...lol but I still love the stuff, whats wrong with me?
 
TorzJohnson said:
The point has been made about cheap knives and quality. I only want to add my experience as well; I have had 2 good transactions with SMKW, actually both were close-outs at terrific prices, for instance a flawless Spydie Lum Chinese for $50. They do sell good stuff as well as cheapos and the best solution, as mentioned above, is becoming an educated consumer. I have no doubt that if you hang around these boards for a while you will be an expert on the good stuff in no time.
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This echos my experience with SMKW. Nothing but positive business. They completed my collection of Benchmade Crawford Leopards. Thought I would never find the purple one, but they had ... just one.

Best,
Razz
 
wolfmann601
I would love to hear how many on Bladeforums have purchased a $5.00 (retail) folder and were/are happy with it's performance.

That is of course if you have the guts to admit it!!!
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Maxam SKLW001 & SKLW002 (http://www.bnfusa.com/results.lasso?catagory=sport%20knives) the wholsale price is just over $2 for each.

SKMX9115 & SKMXD12 (http://www.bnfusa.com/results.lasso?&srch=&catagory=sport%20knives&skip=10)
SKWDCP & SKMXDBX (http://www.bnfusa.com/results.lasso?&srch=&catagory=sport%20knives&skip=40) all somewhere around $5 wholesale

And there are a few more. The next time you see one, pick it up.
I have no problem admitting to owning AND carrying them.

Alvin
 
I own cheap knives about a dozen or so, but they were all gifts and I display them, they were birthday gifts or christmas gifts from over the years from relatives like aunts and uncles, and grandparents...my parents and sister know I like good knives but the distant family just knows I like knives in general, and I like that they buy them for me I don't care if they are cheap, its the thought that counts, anyway I don't use these knives just because I don't have to I have better ones I like to use obviously...but there was a day where I too like many of us once were, unedjucated about knives and their true quality...and in that time I bought ym share of cheap crappy knives, I had no idea they were crappy, lol, but I liked the way they looked and at the time, I was a young boy so any cutting tasks I had were small, most of that was sharpenign twigs, lol, so they performed ok for me...when they got dull I threw them out, lol, cheap enough to do so plus I didn't know hopw to sharpena knife back then...Anyway I got over cheap knives pretty quick when I discovered knife forums like this one accidently while doing a knife search online...So you see thsi very forum saves lives by letting people know to not use there cheap knives, lol, its all fun and games until someone takes an eye out...LOL!!!!!!!!
 
In_blade said:
wolfmann601

Maxam SKLW001 & SKLW002 (http://www.bnfusa.com/results.lasso?catagory=sport knives) the wholsale price is just over $2 for each.

SKMX9115 & SKMXD12 (http://www.bnfusa.com/results.lasso?&srch=&catagory=sport knives&skip=10)
SKWDCP & SKMXDBX (http://www.bnfusa.com/results.lasso?&srch=&catagory=sport knives&skip=40) all somewhere around $5 wholesale

And there are a few more. The next time you see one, pick it up.
I have no problem admitting to owning AND carrying them.

Alvin
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Are the prices listed for SKMX9115 and the other for a case, gross, or just one?

Did they all pass the "spine whack" test? Have you put any real pressure on the locks yet?

Just asking as As I have had terrible luck with them five buck knives. Thats what I bought when I first became interested in knives. I had a collection of 50 knives, that cost me a total of maybe $90 bucks 8 years ago when my love affair with knives started.

I used maybe 10 of the 50 and they all performed horribly, dulled very quickly, sharpened badly, and had flawed locking devices and proved dangerous (to me) to carry. I have the scars to prove it!!!:D :D
 
wolfmann601, the prices are wholesale for one individual knife, direct from the manufacturer in Texas (via China). I bought some a while back and sold them at flee markets.

No, not ever one passed my lock test. I inspected each one before I put them on my table. There were a few that I had to send back.

I know what you mean about them $5 knives. I'm bought some real dogs before but what did I expect for the money. I'm just saying that in general, these particular models of the Maxam brand are great knives. But they also make some real p.o.s. so you have to watch out. Just make sure that you pick up one in person somewhere rather than sight unseen.
 
I've a variety of blades myself ranging from cheap to decent. My main carry blade is a Kershaw. I also am known to pocket now and then Frost, Master Cutlery, or other cheap ones for when I don't feel like abusing the blade on my Kershaw on cardboard and such. Actually I almost always have a cheapie on me just for that purpose. Interesting thing about Frost is the locks sometimes actually hold up. Although I'm not inclined to put a lot of faith in the mass produced "bargain" blades. Buyer beware works with ANY retailer - the buyer needs to make an informed purchase and not blame the retailer unless the retailer is being geuinely deceptive.

There I did that without a rant about whining customers after a disaster I had yesterday resulting in one customer deciding to "take my side" and then wanting me to call 911 because he "felt threatened" by the other customer. I was thinking if he wanted to be a knight in shining armour he needn't be such a weenie.... oh well.
 
I have bought quite a bit from SMKW and there are times I have been dissapointed. A few times a brand new knife would have a blemish, one I can recall was from Buck. I bought a few grab bags, some have been poor and some have been good, a seconds grab bag from Remington was great, all from Camillus. On my last order I bought 3 knives and bought a small knife that matched my larger knife, the larger knife was made in Italy, but the smaller knife was made in China. I try and be careful about were a knife is made, if it is a Buck, I usually know but sometimes you get caught. Of all the knives I have bought I have never returned one. Just too much of a hassle.

Also, I find you get the better deals from ordering than from visitng the store. In the store the special deals you see in the catalog are not there. Still, you can't come out of that store empty handed.
 
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