Thoughts on TwoSun knives

[Chronovore]

My initial impressions from TwoSun are that the knives are reasonably well-made and can be had for a decent price. They use a lot of 14C28N on the budget end and that's nice. One issue that's been consistent in this thread over the years is that they tend to use overly thick blade stock. That has discouraged me from trying some of their knives.

I have a TS201 with an unusual feature. There is a ramp on the lock bar for engaging the detent ball. So when it closes, the detent ball contacts the ramp, rides up, pops over the top and into the hole. I'm familiar with feed ramps from guns and I think I get the general concept... but was there an issue with not having a ramp there? A result of this design is that whenever the ball is against the ramp and there is pressure from the lockbar, it wants to push the blade away. It gives the action a strange feel and actually prevents the knife from being "drop-shut".

 

[Boombats]

I have a couple of early TwoSun knives and they were just OK. I actually sent them out to be tested to see if the materials were as advertised with mostly good results. I don't think the overall quality compares with what's coming out of CIVIVI, Artisan, Bestech, Kansept and CJRB though. Although the TC4 construction may seem premium, knives like the CIVIVI Pintail or CJRB Ria and Feldspar outperform as knife-like cutting objects.

The TwoSuns that I have feel a little raw and poorly finished. The fit and action are OK, but the handles have hot spots from poorly finished edges.

As others have said, their distribution method is less than optimal.

Also, most of their designs are fairly derivative.

If you enjoy your TS knives, that's awesome, but IMO there are better choices out there.

If Civivi et al made knives that were like my favorite Twosuns then I definitely would have bought them. But this company makes some stuff that isn't replicated elsewhere. My personal faves might not match up with other folks' but the ones I like don't have analogs. Hell my favorite might be this first-gen titanium TS09 and the closest thing I can find to it is a Chris Reeve Umnumzaan, and tbh that doesn't float my boat like this thing does.

 

[Brummie]

What model is this?

 

[Arathol]

What model is this?

TS121 with bronze anodized titanium.

 

[SpaceGhost88]

I've been seeing lots of these sell for $200-$250 on eBay. Do owners previous/current think the quality and craftsmanship warrant this sort of pricing?

Never handled or owned one... so just interested.

 

[Boombats]

I've been seeing lots of these sell for $200-$250 on eBay. Do owners previous/current think the quality and craftsmanship warrant this sort of pricing?

Never handled or owned one... so just interested.

No, that's wack. The whole thing with Twosuns is that they are inexpensive but you have to wait a month for them to ship from China. An extra hundo for the luxury of having them shipped from a reseller is not worth it.

 

[MolokaiRider]

Two Sun knives seem pretty polarizing.

I ordered one today to see for myself if they offer a good value or if they are artsy desk toys.

Its the TS264 in M390.

I am also curious how long the shipping will take.

 

[Chronovore]

Two Sun knives seem pretty polarizing.

I ordered one today to see for myself if they offer a good value or if they are artsy desk toys.

Its the TS264 in M390.

I am also curious how long the shipping will take.

My main issue is that a lot of their folding knives use thick stock, usually 0.14"-0.16". Even with a good grind, that's way thicker than I need or want for regular EDC. Their kitchen knives are another story. I'm only an amateur cook but their chef's knife seems "just right" to me.

Shipping might depend on where you buy them. Most of my TwoSun knives come from late-night auction stalking. I recently picked up some kitchen knives in 14C28N, both for my kitchen and for a few relatives that had recent birthdays. Ordered at different times, they all took 2-3 weeks from China to my front porch.

 

[JeremiahWeaver09]

their quality is pretty high, especially for the price, and they get the important things correct like good detent, good action, solid lockup etc............all the ones ive handled have been scary sharp as well

 

[Neo]

Just buy from the bay and look who the seller is. The 2 for sure legit sellers are twosunknives and d-win99. Ive ordered 10 so far and honestly I'm absolutely shocked how well they are made. Every single one is machined so well, sharp as hell and not one, and I mean not one has a tick of blade play. I only have a handful of knives that I can't detect the tiniest play in and yet every twosun knife ive bought locks up as tight as my zt 0550. Plus for them coming from China ive got mine in 2 weeks. Oh and there is a US seller btw that carries them if you want to go that route. Whitemountain knives has them.

Does anybody know how to see all the twosun listings on ebay?
I can not see the lisings from China, only those selling from the States and I'm in Europe.
The Chinese seller does not list to ship to Europe but if you ask him he will enable it for you, but than you need to be able to see their listings in the first place!
I've deleted all my cookies but I still can't see all listings on ebay.

 

[Flatlander1963]

I've acquired so Two Sun knives this year. I bought a couple off this forum and then decided to give d-win99 on eBay a try for a couple of kitchen knives.
I like the folders. They tend to be big and loud. The materials are good for the price point and the blades have been very sharp. I really like them and plan to keep the ones I have.

The kitchen knives are outstanding. Both came in about two weeks and are made in 14C28N. Very good blade profiles and very sharp...they just cut.

If you like the pattern go get one. You will likely be more than pleased. Btw, quality is just fine and easily exceeds the price point.

 

[Vis07]

That Chimera... I love that thing. I need it lol

 

[Boombats]

That Chimera... I love that thing. I need it lol

Hey, keep it to Twosuns buddy... (jk)

But seriously, I can't get enough of my TS232 (the pointed version, not the spoon tip). I quit using the pocket clip on EDCs and just carry them loose in my pocket, so having a smaller (than the 4-5" edcs I usually rock) is pleasantly comfortable. It's no pen knife but it's no clunky tanto either. The TS232 has such gorgeous lines, wonderful feel to the texture, and provides a satisfying cutting experience. I haven't cut anything tough with it yet and am enjoying the factory scalpel-like edge. It's a thin blade and I'm not going to test its durability, but I'm not worried about using it for normal tasks.

 

[Chronovore]

I've acquired so Two Sun knives this year. I bought a couple off this forum and then decided to give d-win99 on eBay a try for a couple of kitchen knives.
I like the folders. They tend to be big and loud. The materials are good for the price point and the blades have been very sharp. I really like them and plan to keep the ones I have.

The kitchen knives are outstanding. Both came in about two weeks and are made in 14C28N. Very good blade profiles and very sharp...they just cut.

If you like the pattern go get one. You will likely be more than pleased. Btw, quality is just fine and easily exceeds the price point.

Either d-win99 is a very enterprising individual or he is their designated seller on the bay. I noticed his business ticking up around the same time that TwoSun's AE store started winding down. I've bought several TwoSun knives from him including this year's bulk Christmas present: a TwoSun chef's knife for various family members. (Most of these people have been using the same cheap kitchen knives for years, if not decades, and probably bought them on super saver at K-mart. The major task is convincing a few of them to ditch their "ceramic cutting boards"...)

That said, I've been using a couple of TwoSun kitchen knives since sometime this past summer. They seem to be very well-made and have the properties I want for food prep. I think 14C28N has a wonderful balance of properties for kitchen use. Ever since experiencing the ergonomic dumpster fire that was Ontario's Agilite knives, I've been waiting for someone to release affordable quality kitchen knives in 14C28N.

 

[Smyles77]

My own 159 Two Suns came razor sharp. Great Action and great build. May I ask why anyone thinks American Knives are not Made in China? Name one large commercial manufacturer of knives than is 100% US made. Two Suns likes is as American as Kershaw or Benchmade. Japan's Moki makes knives superior in make quality to nearly any American knife. In fact the American Knives are clunky and so bizarre in serrated nature until smooth cutting blades become the norm Two Suns seems superior in design. New Super Steel should be used in traditional blades.

 

[stabman]

Name one large commercial manufacturer of knives than is 100% US made.

Hinderer and Medford Knives. There's two.

 

[Smyles77]

Hinderer and Medford Knives. There's two.

 

[Smyles77]

Hinderer and Medford Knives. There's two.

Their Steel and parts absolutely come from locations outside the US to include China.

 

[stabman]

Their Steel and parts absolutely come from locations outside the US to include China.

The steel is made in the USA, and they make their own fasteners.
Not sure what point you think you are making.

By the way, I live in Canada, so this isn't a "USA! USA! USA!" post either, just so you know.

 

[POCEH KOCEB]

I personally find most of the Chinese companies that are sold on US sites to have really great manufacturing quality.
I'm not surprised, lot's of US companies gave them equipment and know-how long time ago, they already have experience and everything to produce good quality product.
Except the models that are colabs with US or other designers, to me most of the Chinese "original" models look all the same or completely pointless... Some of them are looking like they just
put together trendy materials and geometry, just for the fidgety target market here, in US. Here in US, simply because this is the largest market everyone is trying to cover with sales...

Two Sun are well executed from what I had chance to touch on some gun shows but I only like few models that make sense to me, the one I can think right now is the listed earlier in the thread TS121 and the one Amazon sells,
the TS 212. It's designed by a blogger ( I know this guy from IG) by the name Tiguas and I'll probably buy this knife, priced around $100, D2 steel. It should be a frame lock, but you can find it somewhere listed as "slipjoint" (?!)
I will never pay more than $150 for a Chinese knife of this type, I must like the geometry or find something very attractive to pay more money for it...

Someone brought my attention to another company of this type - Miguron Knives. They have nicely organized front page, clearly listed where they manufacture their products and at least to me, their models don't look like knock offs
of known models but I don't follow too much so I could be mistaking. I think they have original designs... However, their prices too are too high, they ask for more of their knives $150-200+ and this is just too much for me for those knives.
Nothing against them, just I think they are overpriced.
Interestingly, their "Who we are " section hints that they can take large orders from other companies, I'd assume soon we will see another Microtech caliber company, moving some models to company as this one.
Anyway, I think they have couple models that worth checking, particularly the around $40 Velona flipper and around $190 Pagos front flipper pictured below, I personally like the blade shape, I'm sure the craftsmanship will be on par...

I understand the US companies that outsource some of their models to a Chinese companies, there is lots of advantages in this f-ed up economic times for our country.
I think the cure for this would be few US companies with good CNC capacities, taking orders from US companies, basically copying the Chinese model, just locally here, in US.
I think this could be possible, there is lots of $$ in our economy, we already have the technology and material base, no shipping expenses to China and back for the product, I'm not economist in any way,
but I think this would give the Chinese run for the money and bring the prices to a bearable level, even so $200 for a decent all metal framelock with some CF inlays doesn't seems too bad these days...

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