The big deal about CRKT and Taiwan??

BOK

BOK

Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
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Why is that some people don't take a liking to CRKT because of their Taiwanese production? To my knowledge they're only put together their anyway...without any compromise to build quality. Their QC is excellent and at the price point put out a great knife.

Is it partly because most prefer their knives 100% US made? or is it the "made in Taiwan" myth that scares people away?
 
Makes me no never mind where its made. But Tiwan and Korea are both good for mass producing rip off of other products.

I think that is most peoples biggest issue.

My .02

Otha
 
The "Made in Taiwan" label should not frighten anyone at this point. For just about the last decade, Taiwanese manufacturing has been first rate. Add to that the obvious QC that characterizes CRKT and you really can't go wrong.

Not everybody is in a position to buy customs or even high-end manufactured pieces and CRKT offers very solid quality at affordable prices. They've gotten some high-end makers to collaborate with them and I think that speaks well for their reputation.
 
I think for most people, it was the fact that most knives coming from Taiwan were POS knives, just utter crap. Now with firms like CRKT, Taiwan is changing their image. Taiwan is capable of producing quality knives at affordable prices.
 
You know I work at a retail knife and as soon as the customer sees the 'Made in Taiwan' they are immediately put off the knife. This I can partially understand if a person is new to knives but there's also that percentage of people that come in and know their stuff about knives and still refuse to purchase or even acknowledge that the knife isn't half bad.

There's a lot of quality stuff in that store that's Asian built. Even the 2 man Henckels flatware is all produced in different parts of Asia.
 
Stigma of an earlier era.

However, another contributing factor is that Q.C. or not, a steady diet of rice and beans (I mean AUS6A beadblast finish and textured Black Zytel), makes Jack a dull boy.
 
CRKT make OK stuff and good prices and they are pretty well made.

I am getting my very first one - M16, carbon fiber scales, tanto point with Carson flipper. I believe I'll be pretty happy with it when it comes. Tried one out at a store, but got it from a reseller in CA.
 
Well apparently CRKT are willing to listen to us nuts' opinions.
I asked them about the new collaboration that Crayola brought up, and here's the reply.
Thanks for taking the time to drop us a line, and for bringing the comments on the forum to our attention. We always enjoy reading the comments of the knife enthusiasts that have a passion for edged tools and take the time to express their comments & opinions on the forums. We always appreciate hearing from customers and potential customers, it always helps us improve.

We are working with James Williams on a project, however nothing has been finalized at this time.

Best regards,
Rod
Click to expand...
May not mean much but that's a start.
I never was disappointed by CRKT's knives, and their CS is very good, however they need to clean up the warranty's act, the warranty guys does half of the job at times.
 
I have to admit that when CRKT first started out the "Taiwan" on the blade kinda turned me off. But since then I've had many favorable experiences with their line and it no longer deters me from buying anything from them.
 
have updated their manufacturing capabilities. Fifteen years ago, labor costs in Japan made japanese products expensive commodities. Thus, their production moved towards higher priced, high tech items. This became cost prohibitive for items that required labor yet were relatively low priced items. The manufacture of these items then went to Taiwan which were technologically capable, yet offered inexpensive production costs. Manufacturers dropped low quality items and started making higter quality items because there was now a demand, specifically for Taiwanese manufacturers. (on a side note, the cheaper low quality stuff is sometimes still but mostly made in the People's republic of China). As a matter of fact, you may find a lot of Japanese manufacturers move their production to Taiwan as you have both technological capability along with cheap labor.

Although you will still find junk made in Taiwan, you will find that market conditions have allowed manufactured goods, knives and other items as well, to rival the quality of Japanese goods as they were only a few years ago.
 
I have run the gammet in lightning fashion. I think USA is best, followed by Japan, followed closely by Taiwan, with China in last place and falling back fast!

I have two CRKT products and couldn't be happier with them.

On the other hand I have a buddy who is a SNOB! He doesn't even think my Japanese Kershaws are any good, and when he asked to see one and it was in a box marked China that was all she wrote! He bought a RUKO 0016 made in Solingen Germany (that I admit is a pretty nice knife) but the next thing I buy will almost certainly be CRKT!!!

I have roughly six China knives and the only one worth much is my Kershaw Vapor II, but the S&W Framelock clone I got ain't too shabby...

Joe Shmoe = CHEAP but not STUPID!!!
 
Having visited Taiwan, I can understand how quality products can be produced there at a low price. Their standard of living is much lower than in the US, and the island is badly overcrowded. However, the Chinese are very industrious and well-educated.
 
Cold Steel has also started making more of their knives in Taiwan. While I think I disagree with the switch to the cryo-treated 420, their QC is as good as ever.

Asha'man

(edited to fix sig)
 
Look at Japan. 30 years ago, people were of the opinion that they made crappy ripoffs of well-engineered designs. Maybe they did, but I'm sure there was some designing going on there too. Now the stuff manufactured in Japan is considered high quality, because of the rapid development spurred on by the manufacturing industry.

Taiwan seems to following that same route, and now it's a major power in the electronics and computer manufacturing industry.

I wouldn't judge a knife based on where it was manufactured, unless I thought my business would sponsor an unworthy cause. Quality is quality, whether made in Taiwan, China, or the US.
 
Originally posted by AlphalphaPB
I wouldn't judge a knife based on where it was manufactured, unless I thought my business would sponsor an unworthy cause. Quality is quality, whether made in Taiwan, China, or the US.
Click to expand...

I agree 100% although everyone will have a different opinion on what's an "unworthy" cause.
 
Personally, I think Japan is definitely up there with the best U.S., Swiss, and German manufacturers, followed by Taiwan. Every country also makes crap; there are crappy knives made right here in the U.S. When I was a kid, "Made in Japan" usually meant low quality to most people; see what difference 30 years can make?

I feel Taiwan's knives began their quality with CRKT, then Outdoor Edge and now others following suit. I still prefer more my knives stamped "made in USA", "made in Japan," "Switzerland," etc., but I have nothing against a quality piece from Taiwan.
Jim
 
My opinion started changing with the Fred Carter Gigands. The first Gigand I picked up was a quality knife. Smooth operating, solid lock-up, the steel wasn't absolute top quality, but overall it was a great knife.
 
here's the deal with cheap labor overseas, first it's the low end models that are made in taiwan and china then the companies see that sales are still good despite where they are made so they send their higher models to be made overseas and soon only the very top of the line stuff is made in the USA. at that point since it's too late for the customers to do anything they don't exactly have to offer the good prices anymore cause customers don't have a choice, you can see the same thing happened with brand name clothes, shoes, electronices etc
 
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