Steel Quality in Chinese Schrades?

D

drducati

Joined
Nov 20, 2004
Messages
2,828
I'm curious if anyone has any real experience with the steel quality in the Chinese Schrades. The Chinese can make good stuff but you have to really want it done. I suspect Taylor is not in it for quality but you never know.
Does anyone know what is the stainless they are using? Is it a 440 series?
I haven't paid much attention but I'd like to know what these new knives look like now that they've had a year to get it sorted out.
 
I oops two of these pieces of junk and can tell you that I would be afraid to try and use one.The handles would fall off.I don't think Taylor is selling enough of these to upgrade the steel nor do I think he cares or the quality would have been there from the start.Arnold
 
When you are contributing to the loss of jobs in America, I guess you want quality for your money. But even if it was the best steel in the world, you would still lose. As would every one else.
 
The steels used in the Chinese manufactories differ widely, I believe. Benchmade is having some knives made there, and if I remember correctly, the steel is specifically imported from Japan for them. I have no idea what TBLLC specs are for their steels or heat and quench. I have several of these... knife-like objects, but they reside in a "box of shame" under my desk. I've never tried actually using one beyond comparisons of fit and finish for reviews. The ones I have are early production and were of poor quality. They may get better as production continues. The ones in the box under my desk won't. Neither will those sheaths become leather instead of reconstituted leather fiber product.

Michael
 
My point in the whole thing was just as I said:"the Chinese can make good stuff but you have to really want it done".
Olin-Kodensha made better Parker shotguns than Parker did. That doesn't make them "Real Parkers" in the eyes of Parker fans but to the rest of us thy are very nice shotguns.
"Real Schrades" will never be made in China for several reasons ,not the least of which is the lack of desire on the part of the owner to make high quality goods.
 
it has been my experience that knives from china are "inferior" to all others besides pakistan! i bought a "china" knife at a local flea market just to use for gutting wild hogs, and the whole tip of the knife, about 1/2" broke off soon as i hit bone. i have never owned a "quality" china knife, but i did have a samurai sword from japan(wwII era) that was folded steel, and thing was sharp!! as for most pocket knives made overseas, specifically china and japan, i find their quality lacking to say the least. the "china" shrades i have seen have all really been sorry looking to me. u can feel a difference when u hold one. i havent used one yet because i like my fingers intact, but judging from what michael has found out about them, i would much rather spend a little more for one that wont crash and burn than spend $30 for one that wont give me 8 hrs work. thats just my 2 cents.
 
fireman said:
it has been my experience that knives from china are "inferior" to all others besides pakistan!

......as for most pocket knives made overseas, specifically china and japan, i find their quality lacking to say the least.
Click to expand...

Fireman, that may be your experience, but I have to challenge your assumptions. I do not have any Schrades made in China, but I did buy a Boker pocket knife from their "Magnum" line, which is made in China, and I was impressed with the fit, finish, and overall quality of this knife which sold for only $10.00. I'm sure Boker spec'd it out and maybe even provided the raw materials, but if Chinese production standards are raised up to the quality I found in this knife, they're going to have the world by the ass.

As to the quality of knives made in Japan, you have disparaged some very fine knives by Al Mar, Kershaw and others. If you ever have the opportunity, you might want to look into the knives made by the Japanese consortium of knife makers known as Seki Cut. Some of the best knives (for the money) I've ever owned or held were made by G. Sakai, another Japanese maker of known repute and a worldwide reputation.

Blackbeauty2.jpg
 
i have never heard of them. i usually just skip by any foreign knives. i dont know, maybe i am just to "gun-ho" or something redshanks, but i just love my american made knives. i am sure some knives from other countries are good, but i prefer ones made by my own people, unless its something special like a samurai sword or katana or something along them lines. now i do know that most japanese blades are better than china's, but they are probaly out of my broke-butt price range. i just remember my father talking about schrades, he won them in the cotton mills around here as awards, and i can remember him talking about the heritage in the company and stuff. i was just a kid, and i thought the handles were pretty, i didnt care much about peoples jobs are anything else then. but now i realise, especially since i have to work for a living now, the hard work and pride that we as americans instill in most of our products. i guess i am just to nostalgic or something, and i guess i have had way to many bad experiences with "cheap" foreign knives, but also, i cant afford the high end stuff. i apologize if i have offended u redshanks. u must forgive my ignorance. i am from a mill community, and i am just used to the american knives, or the super cheap gas station knives. but u know my friend, those are some sharp looking knives in your pic, maybe u want to send your dear friend kris one??
 
Fireman, I'm not the least bit offended and you shouldn't be so sensitive. I'm not criticizing your beliefs except to say that there is a whole world out there to experience and you shouldn't make broad assumptions based on limited exposure to a few foreign products. The Japanese have been making knives and swords for as long as, or maybe even longer than any other culture. I only wish I could afford to buy the ones that appeal to me.
 
naw, i aint sensitive, just joshing with ya. oh man, have u seen some of the prices for the old, old, japanese stuff?? WOW!! i attended a gun show in greenville sc a few months back, a guy, had a blade, just a plain folded steel blade, no handle for $13,500!!! it was signed by someone, but i couldnt tell u who. the blade itself wasnt but about 10-11" long, and it was pitted pretty good, but he said that it was discovered in a small village on one of the islands. i have seen some samurai swords go for a high price, and even tsubas go for more than my truck, but that one piece of folded steel took the cake! also, i made a huge stupid mistake once at a flea market. a guy had a old jap dagger, had a brass handle and it was a solid little thing, he wanted $18 for it, but i walked. needless to say a collector bought it, and then re-sold it for $300!!! thats when i really started researching knives alot more. i know when we ran the hog hunting service, we purchased alot of "cold steel" products, and they were very good, even though i never used one. clients were satisfied. but of course, some of those city boys believed me when i told them they were supposed to hunt with tee-ball bats and club the hog to death. whats your experience with "m-tech"?? i keep hearing they are good, but i aint got one yet.
 
I would have to comment Japanese knife history is vastly different than Chinese knife history. All knives from either country can't be lumped together just because they are Oriental countries. I buy neither, but that's besides the point.
 
Not related to the original question, but,
as for most pocket knives made overseas, specifically china and Japan, i find their quality lacking to say the least.
Click to expand...
My own experience, the average Japanese-made knife is much better quality than the average American-made knife. For example, every one of my Japanese Spyderco knives is better than my USA models, especially the Camillus contract-made. Same with Gerber - there are few (none?) USA Gerbers made as well as their Japanese Silver Knight line. AG Russell has many of his knives made in Japan and they are at least equal in quality to his USA and German products. Ditto Soque River, Paragon, etc., etc.

I've never handled a Chinese knife that was anything but junk, but I haven't tried the latest Benchmade stuff that consistantly gets good reviews.

I'm not dogging on you, Fireman, for having different experiences than myself. I'm merely sharing my own experiences to bring balance to the topic.

-Bob
 
Bob, the Gerber Silver Knight line was made by G. Sakai:
G. Sakai
Check out his catalog of knives, I think you'll see some that look familiar:
English Catalog
Click to expand...
Fan-freakin-tastic!

Some of those look suspiciously familiar... I think you've 'discovered' one of the 'secret' makers used by a popular old-school mail order catalog. :)
I'd suprised if I didn't already own a few G. Sakai knives...

-Bob
 
Last year a friend who has a yen for swords was the Blade Show and picked up an old blade for $300. He took it to a specialist who told him he could send it to Japan to get it restored but not to ever expect to see it again. The Japanese have an antiquities law and he felt this blade would come under that law. He said "They'll probably offer you a high 5 figure sum for it".
It was a "walk away" to everyone else.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top