This is HERESY!!! Knife Opinions

[Slice-and-dice]

What have you observed about the state of knife-making today that might have seemed like heresy 10-15 years ago?
Focusing on traditional folding knives here.

My list:

==>If you want a reasonably priced multi-blade folder, you've got to buy Chinese made product. Quality has improved tremendously. Rough Ryder, Cattleman, Buck Chinese, etc make better, i.e. sturdier, sharper, higher quality, knives for the money than Case and other favorites do.
==>Buck classic folders have slipped a little bit in quality, and the 420 HC steel is arguably not as beloved as the former steels (425M, 440C), but Buck makes a rock solid working knife. The 110 / 112 / 501 / 55 are still virtually indestructible.
==>Case makes the most gorgeous folding knife around, but it has become a "pretty boy" knife. Awesome to look at and use to cut fruit or open mail, but will wilt under the pressure of real work.
==>Way too many expensive knives, greater than $300, that will never be used. Too many of these are viewed as investments.

Your opinions?

 

[Modoc ED]

What have you observed about the state of knife-making today that might have seemed like heresy 10-15 years ago?
Focusing on traditional folding knives here.

My list:

==>If you want a reasonably priced multi-blade folder, you've got to buy Chinese made product. Quality has improved tremendously. Rough Ryder, Cattleman, Buck Chinese, etc make better, i.e. sturdier, sharper, higher quality, knives for the money than Case and other favorites do.
==>Buck classic folders have slipped a little bit in quality, and the 420 HC steel is arguably not as beloved as the former steels (425M, 440C), but Buck makes a rock solid working knife. The 110 / 112 / 501 / 55 are still virtually indestructible.
==>Case makes the most gorgeous folding knife around, but it has become a "pretty boy" knife. Awesome to look at and use to cut fruit or open mail, but will wilt under the pressure of real work.
==>Way too many expensive knives, greater than $300, that will never be used. Too many of these are viewed as investments.

Your opinions?

Just what sort of real pressure work do you do? Evidently, not enough to be able to afford a BF Membership.

Frank knarfeng once said I was blunt spoken. I guess he's right.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I have observed a certain company making knives with a marijuana leaf as the shield, which would have seemed like a terrible idea 10-15 years ago.
Honestly it's still a terrible idea today, and I don't think it's very well received.

I have also observed companies shutting down that one wouldn't imagine going out of business 15 years ago.

 

[Hickory n steel]

You don't think Case knives can " Slice and dice " things ?

 

[OldHercDude]

I learned a long time ago to try and use the right tool for the job.

I've seen small slipjoints have breaks/ failures or close on people's fingers due to being used for something best left to a better tool.

I do admit to using my traditionals on occasion for breaking down some cardboard for recycling. BUT, never heavy cardboard or large amounts. I grab the box cutter for those things.

I'd have no problems using any of my small pretty boy knives for the things they're designed to do.

As to things from the last 10-15 years...

Agree with the issue of certain knives companies going out of business.

Also - seeing a resurgence of Traditionals was a little bit of a surprise to me, and watching knives from a company like GEC become unobtanium to mere mortals.

 

[TheIncredibleHoke]

What have you observed about the state of knife-making today that might have seemed like heresy 10-15 years ago?
Focusing on traditional folding knives here.

My list:

==>If you want a reasonably priced multi-blade folder, you've got to buy Chinese made product. Quality has improved tremendously. Rough Ryder, Cattleman, Buck Chinese, etc make better, i.e. sturdier, sharper, higher quality, knives for the money than Case and other favorites do.
==>Buck classic folders have slipped a little bit in quality, and the 420 HC steel is arguably not as beloved as the former steels (425M, 440C), but Buck makes a rock solid working knife. The 110 / 112 / 501 / 55 are still virtually indestructible.
==>Case makes the most gorgeous folding knife around, but it has become a "pretty boy" knife. Awesome to look at and use to cut fruit or open mail, but will wilt under the pressure of real work.
==>Way too many expensive knives, greater than $300, that will never be used. Too many of these are viewed as investments.

Your opinions?

My opinion is that I want a knife made in the Unites States by people paid well. I want the people that make my knives to enjoy a decent quality of life with benefits. I would also like the people making those knives to have the luxury of work breaks, and decent treatment. I do not judge others for buying knives from China, but I refuse. I’m not anti-Chinese, I hire and help many of my staff from all over the world, and several from China (four amazing staffers), get H1B visas to work here In the US. It’s not the people, it’s the system.

I would also like to see more products made in the USA. We used to make things here. We were good at making things. We can be again. A great example of this is the Brooklyn Navy Yard near me, where dozens of companies are making and distributing products made here and sold here.

I know there are high quality knives coming from China, but they won’t end up in my pocket. It’s probably more my issue and maybe my loss, but I don’t buy goods from China if I can buy similar goods made here. This can be tedious, difficult, and yes expensive, but I feel very strongly about it.

 

[dsutton24]

Well, the hobby shifts constantly so I can't really say that anything in particular has happened in the past ten to fifteen years. Case knives aren't worth nearly what they were years ago. Buck continues to churn out a quality product with regular surprises. The big sellers are Automatics and Tactical Letter Openers, and to some degree fixed blades.

I tend to buy stuff that's out of favor so it works for me. The rise of the Asian made knives, no matter what claims of quality are made for them, doesn't interest me.

 

[King of the Cheese]

I know it is a dead horse.. beaten to a pulp.. but HOW can people criticize knives made in China while literally posting their comments to this forum on a phone.. made in CHINA?

 

[OldHercDude]

I know it is a dead horse.. beaten to a pulp.. but HOW can people criticize knives made in China while literally posting their comments to this forum on a phone.. made in CHINA?

Sometimes there are choices available. Sometimes not so much.

That's all I'll say on a topic likely to draw some attention soon.

 

[Quiet]

What have you observed about the state of knife-making today that might have seemed like heresy 10-15 years ago?
Focusing on traditional folding knives here.

My list:

==>If you want a reasonably priced multi-blade folder, you've got to buy Chinese made product. Quality has improved tremendously. Rough Ryder, Cattleman, Buck Chinese, etc make better, i.e. sturdier, sharper, higher quality, knives for the money than Case and other favorites do.
==>Buck classic folders have slipped a little bit in quality, and the 420 HC steel is arguably not as beloved as the former steels (425M, 440C), but Buck makes a rock solid working knife. The 110 / 112 / 501 / 55 are still virtually indestructible.
==>Case makes the most gorgeous folding knife around, but it has become a "pretty boy" knife. Awesome to look at and use to cut fruit or open mail, but will wilt under the pressure of real work.
==>Way too many expensive knives, greater than $300, that will never be used. Too many of these are viewed as investments.

Your opinions?

None of these opinions are heresy, though a couple are objectively incorrect. Like Modoc ED I too would like to know what tasks Case knives can't do that you consider "real work". Secondly, it's odd that you'd consider them "pretty boy knives" when most of the Chinese import knives are literally the same recipe, just in modern materials (even going so far as releasing the same model in several different covers....just like Case/GEC/etc. do). By definition, I would expect that you would agree then, that this makes Chinese made slipjoints also "pretty boy knives". Well done, there.

All of the Buck folders I've purchased recently have been of a very high quality, and I'm curious as to which knives you've purchased recently that led you to believe that their quality has been slipping a little bit. As for the last bullet point, I mean....so? Some of these knives are investments, and depending on model/rarity, can reward a handsome return. No reason why that should be seen as a negative. You're on one of the largest knife forums on the internet, so it stands to reason that many folks love, use, and collect knives, and collectors are generally fine with spending more money on something they enjoy. My last comment would be that it's odd that you'd say that there are way too many expensive knives when some of the hottest Chinese slipjoint knives are also extremely expensive. Modern materials cost money, who knew?

 

[kyhunt]

Yep definitely a “pretty boy” knife that can’t do anything.

 

[Locutus D'Borg]

What have you observed about the state of knife-making today that might have seemed like heresy 10-15 years ago?
Focusing on traditional folding knives here.

My list:

==>If you want a reasonably priced multi-blade folder, you've got to buy Chinese made product. Quality has improved tremendously. Rough Ryder, Cattleman, Buck Chinese, etc make better, i.e. sturdier, sharper, higher quality, knives for the money than Case and other favorites do.
==>Buck classic folders have slipped a little bit in quality, and the 420 HC steel is arguably not as beloved as the former steels (425M, 440C), but Buck makes a rock solid working knife. The 110 / 112 / 501 / 55 are still virtually indestructible.
==>Case makes the most gorgeous folding knife around, but it has become a "pretty boy" knife. Awesome to look at and use to cut fruit or open mail, but will wilt under the pressure of real work.
==>Way too many expensive knives, greater than $300, that will never be used. Too many of these are viewed as investments.

Your opinions?

Your reason for buying knives may be different than others. And "real work" to you may mean something different to others.

I mainly use my $300 plus knives to open envelopes and packages. Why? Because I enjoy using high quality knives (materials and built) to cut ordinary stuff. And I like to fondle and play with my knives.

I don't judge others on what knives they buy and how they use them. I don't want to live in a world where all knives are similar and used for the same purpose. But I'm a non-conformist. YMMV.

 

[kamagong]

I don't want to live in a world where all knives are similar and used for the same purpose. But I'm a non-conformist. YMMV.

You're a terrible Borg.

 

[Modoc ED]

Yep definitely a “pretty boy” knife that can’t do anything.View attachment 2256322

kyhunt - I'll see your "pretty boy", can't do anything Case knife and raise you my "pretty boy" can't do anything Case Knife



Quiet - Good thoughts and summation in your post.

I'm not worth a darn doing these multi-quote posts so, it's something I just live with.

 

[dsutton24]

I know it is a dead horse.. beaten to a pulp.. but HOW can people criticize knives made in China while literally posting their comments to this forum on a phone.. made in CHINA?

If that was in any way aimed at me, I'd like to point out that I've never said anything disparaging about China. There are many reasons that people do or don't do things, you have to set limits and sometimes those limits are arbitrary.

I guess I'm interested in knowing how you can criticize others without knowing who they are and what they think. Not everything that rubs you the wrong way is the result of base motives.

 

[kyhunt]

kyhunt - I'll see your "pretty boy", can't do anything Case knife and raise you my "pretty boy" can't do anything Case Knife

View attachment 2256357

Quiet - Good thoughts and summation in your post.

I'm not worth a darn doing these multi-quote posts so, it's something I just live with.

Nice looking one. I’m kind of glad to see I’m not the only one that struggles with multi quotes. I tried it a couple times and ended up with a incoherent mess.

 

[King of the Cheese]

If that was in any way aimed at me, I'd like to point out that I've never said anything disparaging about China. There are many reasons that people do or don't do things, you have to set limits and sometimes those limits are arbitrary.

I guess I'm interested in knowing how you can criticize others without knowing who they are and what they think. Not everything that rubs you the wrong way is the result of base motives.

I didn’t quote you, so I guess it was more a Rorschach test for who takes offense at it. I raised a valid point, as angry as it makes anyone.

 

[Steven65]

I won't comment on the Chinese knives but as for Case being no good for work, that's rubbish.

I carry a Case every day of my life. It is in my pocket constantly and is used on a daily, often hourly basis.

This knife has been around the world with me half a dozen times and is always my primary cutting tool choice because of its size and unobtrusiveness.

 

[TheIncredibleHoke]

I know it is a dead horse.. beaten to a pulp.. but HOW can people criticize knives made in China while literally posting their comments to this forum on a phone.. made in CHINA?

As I said in my post - if I can buy similar goods made here, I will. There are not similar US made smart phones. But you already knew that.

 

[King of the Cheese]

As I said in my post - if I can buy similar goods made here, I will. There are not similar US made smart phones. But you already knew that.

I’m not trying to “win the game” here.. just pointing out that selective application of principles with electronics vs. knife country of origin doesn’t win anyone virtue points. Navigate the market and select what you desire.. but people thumping their chest about not buying knives from China while operating computers made there to post their comments is a bit ironic. That’s all.