Taylor Cutlery...Was: Just how bad are the current Schrades?

Knife Outlet said:
No, I don't catch your drift. I'll try to explain why you feel the way you do since I don't think you understand it. Schrade is a brand. Gerber is a brand. The ownership of the Schrade brand changed and so did the country of origin. The ownership of the Gerber brand also changed (to another country by the way) and so did the country of origin for at least the majority of the product line.

The difference is you don't like Taylor Cutlery and you don't dislike Gerber for whatever reasons you have. That's why you view them as apples and oranges. In fact, they represent very similar situations. You are viewing my comparisons subjectively and I view them objectively.

I'm sure you wish Taylor had put some other brand on the Chinese made Schrade knives but that would be a poor business decision after having spent the money to buy the brand. The fact is, the first thing Taylor did, was to take the entire Schrade line - all of it - and have it manufactured in China. And, while you may not like the knives, those that were part of the U.S. Schrade line were pretty well done as far as quality goes in China. In fact, most of them are pretty decent knives. Taylor has grown the line way past what he bought from Schrade but that's just growing the business. Some of that growth is in knives of lower quality. No argument there. But overall, Taylor did the right thing with the line. It is the same thing Schrade should have done with it.

You can argue the quality all you like. Personally I think the the Old Timer Schrades with the carbon steel were better performers but I don't see much difference in the stainless models. But quality wasn't my point. My point was that collectors of Schrade knives face about the same situation collectors of Gerber knives do. And except for the fact that Buck is still owned and managed by the Buck family, Buck collectors have to deal with domestic and import lines also.

I'll grant you one point. Schrade was a manufacturer and Taylor is not. Taylor is an importer and marketer. So that is a difference to be sure. However, SOG, Cold Steel and a host of others aren't manufacturers either. They are designers, importers and marketers of knives. You may like one product line better than another but that isn't the point. The point is the similarity in the business environment for these companies and their customers.

I'm not trying to sell you an Taylor Schrade knives. I don't care. I'm just trying to add some perspective to the thread. Feel free to disagree. No problem there. We all have opinions.
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First, let me make it clear that I have never fancied myself as a collector but more of an accumulator of usable knives, firearms and fishing tackle. I am by my very birth and natural heritage an outdoorsman from a long line of the same. I use my knives and I use them hard. I do not fit in well here in most of this forum where I believe the bulk of the folks here are more along the lines of collectors, and or would like to be collectors. Many of these who do say they use there knives either use them occasionally for mostly light use or do not use them very much for anything at all. That is fine with me. Nothing wrong with that, its just never been who I am.

Your post here is mostly quite right, and on the mark for me. I suppose my biggest grief with Taylor is as you and I both agree, that is the quality of the knives are sub-standard to the originals. I also believe that they intentionally tried to deceive customers into buying the new Taylor 'Schrades' from the onset with copies(facsimiles) of the design of the traditional models themselves right down the identical packaging even including "old glory" on the box. I mean really, a product made off shore with the American Flag waving stamped on the box?!

These two things combined left a lousy impression on me forever about Taylor. I for one will never purchase any of they're products. And if I can help others see my point and my position and perhaps push them into perhaps purchasing the real thing on the secondary market for very reasonable prices, then I am obliged to steer them in that direction. I think anyone would be happier with the real thing rather than a cheap copy. clarity

Thanks,

Anthony
 
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The new Schrades that I have seen do not have any flag on the boxes on the U.S.A. made or China made.The China made very nice and U.S. is also well made.
 
I disagree that Taylor was trying to deceive anybody, Anthony. Understand that the brand name, the logos, the artwork, the tooling, the designs and everything related to those knives is genuine Schrade. All that stuff belongs to Taylor. The knives are no different than they would be if Schrade, the manufacturer, still owned the brand and sent production overseas just like Gerber and many others have done. The problem isn't deception or ownership, it is just that you don't like Taylor. That's OK. You don't need to like Taylor. If you don't like them, don't buy them. That is always your decision.

I like them because they are one of the largest and best selling lines of knives in the industry and we get almost zero returns. I think those who buy them get a good value. TThere are lots of people who can't or won't spend the money for high end knives. TThese products are "taylor" made for them. I don't own any of them personally but I would if I didn't have a drawer full of knives I like better.

Since we're on the subject I thought you might enjoy an image of one of my personal favorite Schrades from my own collection. It is the one at the top on the image below. The tang stamp is New York Knife Company. It was made by Schrade some years ago as a special edition. You don't think Schrade was trying to deceive anybody into thinking these knives were actually made by the real New York Knife Co., do you? ;)

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Knife Outlet,

Nice looking Trapper pattern! Thank You. Yes, you were right I did enjoy it.

Here is my very old half wore out Schrade, Walden, NY, USA, #285. She ain't near as purdy as yours now-a-day's. Never was to begin with,, but just made right!. She is such a vintage old Gal she even has the worked brass liners on her back side and the stamping inside the liners as well on her front. She has gutted and skinned more Whitetail deer, Wild hog, Rabbit, Squirrel and filleted more Largemouth bass amongst others over the years that I've lost count long ago. She's got no blade wobble and a hard and fast snap open and close and I still use her today. She still performs like a scalpel with her carbon steel and is an old friend who's tried and true.

I hope you enjoy these too..

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The one I bought for 8 bucks is worth about that
The blade seems ok
The rest of the knife had sub standard fit and finish
About what fit and finish would be for a 8 buck knife

The US flag on the packaging is BS
But..it's my fault for not being an informed Schrade knife consumer
I blame no one but myself
I learned the hard way , I guess
It is a pretty interesting "loophole"
"It's the same packaging ART that was bought"
I guess it doesn't SAY Made In The USA on the box
That would be deceptive advertising
 
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