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Thinking about buying a cheap china knife
- Thread starter 00ChevyScott
- Start date
I just did a quick count, and I own 20 knives from Sanrenmu (including Bee and Enlan), Navy and Ganzo. Here's what I know:
1. For light use, Sanrenmu is an excellent choice for a really inexpensive knife. They mostly use 8Cr13MoV steel, but it comes shaving sharp out of the box. These are NOT light elegant knives. They have thick, unskeletonized, unrecessed liners. They are not light. Their "AXIS" locks can be sticky. But their blades work and I have never had any blade play issues.
2. Ganzo is more of a crapshoot. You can get a very well-built knife, but I have found a bit of blade play in one.
3. Navy builds the heaviest of the 3 and tends to use 440C steel. These will come less sharp out of the box (and the little bag they give you) but can be made extremely sharp with a little effort. If you are looking for a heavier style knife, Navy is the choice of the 3.
None of these knives will compare favorably to a good VG-10 steel knife from one of the Big 3 (or other makers). They will be in the ballpark with lesser offerings from those companies that are made in China or Taiwan. Figure about a 3-4X value factor - $9 Sanrenmu knife = $27-36 US-maker knife. Some will have an even higher value factor.
For those who have some reason (rational or otherwise) for ruling out Chinese-name makers, feel free to ignore. But if you want to experiment on the cheap, these Chinese brands can be inexpensive fun. And they seem intent to improve, with Sanrenmu moving to some kind of Sandvik steel soon.
1. For light use, Sanrenmu is an excellent choice for a really inexpensive knife. They mostly use 8Cr13MoV steel, but it comes shaving sharp out of the box. These are NOT light elegant knives. They have thick, unskeletonized, unrecessed liners. They are not light. Their "AXIS" locks can be sticky. But their blades work and I have never had any blade play issues.
2. Ganzo is more of a crapshoot. You can get a very well-built knife, but I have found a bit of blade play in one.
3. Navy builds the heaviest of the 3 and tends to use 440C steel. These will come less sharp out of the box (and the little bag they give you) but can be made extremely sharp with a little effort. If you are looking for a heavier style knife, Navy is the choice of the 3.
None of these knives will compare favorably to a good VG-10 steel knife from one of the Big 3 (or other makers). They will be in the ballpark with lesser offerings from those companies that are made in China or Taiwan. Figure about a 3-4X value factor - $9 Sanrenmu knife = $27-36 US-maker knife. Some will have an even higher value factor.
For those who have some reason (rational or otherwise) for ruling out Chinese-name makers, feel free to ignore. But if you want to experiment on the cheap, these Chinese brands can be inexpensive fun. And they seem intent to improve, with Sanrenmu moving to some kind of Sandvik steel soon.
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2011
- Messages
- 165
dude didnt experienced these knives but here my thoughts;
my first knife is a böker counterfeit black coating, tanto,liner lock,ss liners and metal handle scales. the tip is pretty weak for a tanto and except getting loose the pivot screw its a pretty decent knife.(can solve witha loctite maybe)
u should give them a try 8$ cheaper than dirt.
my first knife is a böker counterfeit black coating, tanto,liner lock,ss liners and metal handle scales. the tip is pretty weak for a tanto and except getting loose the pivot screw its a pretty decent knife.(can solve witha loctite maybe)
u should give them a try 8$ cheaper than dirt.
My thumb can testify to that.