Underrated must see(s)

JayDeep

JayDeep

Joined
Dec 13, 2022
Messages
283
What is one or are some, in your opinion, highly underrated and/or must check out brands/specific knives and why?

For me TwoSun is the bees knees and I don't see near enough of them around. Chinese, sure, but original designs only from what I've seen. Kevin John Venom also and yes Chinese again, but both known for super high quality and OG designs.
 
Twosun does make some really good knives for sure. I kind of real recently reunited with checking them out again and I own a few. Their fit and finish is astounding for the price. Another company in that same category, not too expensive but with a fit and finish level of much higher knives is Kizer. Check them out if you haven't already.
 
LimpCroissant said:
Twosun does make some really good knives for sure. I kind of real recently reunited with checking them out again and I own a few. Their fit and finish is astounding for the price. Another company in that same category, not too expensive but with a fit and finish level of much higher knives is Kizer. Check them out if you haven't already.
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Oh yes I have. I've owned two and regret giving them both away, but just ordered another...A1. Kizer Comet Denim Micarta 154CM.jpg

Also a couple TwoSun I have on order right now...A1. TwoSun TS129 M390.jpgB2. TwoSun TS16 D2.jpg

And a few I'm eyeing for purchase...1477362746285126056.jpg7827986981346758582.jpg-1449033516-2048635657.jpg
 
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TwoSun for sure. Its amazing what you can get for under well $100......
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I'm at work and not carrying it today so no pic. Not necessarily the brand overall, but a few days ago I picked up one of the CJRB Pyrite's in all stainless. I must say that is quickly becoming one of my favorite knives to daily.

It has stolen quite a bit of pocket time from my TRM Neutron 2 and my BM Mini Freek, both of which cost 4 to 5 times as much. It's a hell of a knife for $50 bucks..
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Corton93 said:
I'm at work and not carrying it today so no pic. Not necessarily the brand overall, but a few days ago I picked up one of the CJRB Pyrite's in all stainless. I must say that is quickly becoming one of my favorite knives to daily.

It has stolen quite a bit of pocket time from my TRM Neutron 2 and my BM Mini Freek, both of which cost 4 to 5 times as much. It's a hell of a knife for $50 bucks..
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Looks Civivi-like to me.

My problem with this brand is that they use a lot of that terrible excuse for steel, I call it Armpit steel, but I think it's something like APMR9 or ARPM9 or something like that. With D2 so readily available and a much better performer I just cannot be okay with it. It's as bad a using 8cr or 12c Sandvik as far as I'm concerned.
 
JayDeep said:
Looks Civivi-like to me.

My problem with this brand is that they use a lot of that terrible excuse for steel, I call it Armpit steel, but I think it's something like APMR9 or ARPM9 or something like that. With D2 so readily available and a much better performer I just cannot be okay with it. It's as bad a using 8cr or 12c Sandvik as far as I'm concerned.
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To each his own..

Yes, it is a little underwhelming for a powdered steel, but in my use it performs on par with my Civivi D2 and Spyderco 9cr, and that's plenty good for me, especially at $50 bucks..

After all, I'm just opening Amazon packages and cutting apples with it, not demolishing houses..
 
Corton93 said:
To each his own..

Yes, it is a little underwhelming for a powdered steel, but in my use it performs on par with my Civivi D2 and Spyderco 9cr, and that's plenty good for me, especially at $50 bucks..

After all, I'm just opening Amazon packages and cutting apples with it, not demolishing houses..
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Same here. It’s seems to holds an edge like D2, but it’s tougher and stainless. D2 Chios easily in my experience and this does not. It’s much easier to sharpen too.
 
Corton93 said:
To each his own..

Yes, it is a little underwhelming for a powdered steel, but in my use it performs on par with my Civivi D2 and Spyderco 9cr, and that's plenty good for me, especially at $50 bucks..

After all, I'm just opening Amazon packages and cutting apples with it, not demolishing houses..
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Love your profile pic! Lol
 
MolokaiRider said:
Doesn't Kevin John knives make straight up fakes and direct copies?

And under-rated knife is the Buck Spitfire.
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All Chinese knives are produced in the same factories as the counterfeits. I think I heard that Kevin John used to make clones, but all I see now are his Venom knives which as far as I can tell are original designs.
 
Corton93 said:
I'm at work and not carrying it today so no pic. Not necessarily the brand overall, but a few days ago I picked up one of the CJRB Pyrite's in all stainless. I must say that is quickly becoming one of my favorite knives to daily.

It has stolen quite a bit of pocket time from my TRM Neutron 2 and my BM Mini Freek, both of which cost 4 to 5 times as much. It's a hell of a knife for $50 bucks..
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The CJRB Pyrite is one of my favorite EDC knives. Great knife for the money.
 
Just ordered this Kizer. I've been considering Twosun for months but this Kizer pushed all my buttons, Thanks for the suggesting Kizer.
LimpCroissant said:
Twosun does make some really good knives for sure. I kind of real recently reunited with checking them out again and I own a few. Their fit and finish is astounding for the price. Another company in that same category, not too expensive but with a fit and finish level of much higher knives is Kizer. Check them out if you haven't already.
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JayDeep said:
All Chinese knives are produced in the same factories as the counterfeits. I think I heard that Kevin John used to make clones, but all I see now are his Venom knives which as far as I can tell are original designs.
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It took me all of five minutes to find this. Look, I don't take major issue with aping designs but this looks like counterfeiting to me. Am I wrong? Notice the prominent logo...

Another consideration is if a company is going to do shady stuff like this, can you trust the steel stamp on the blade or the heat treatment? Lots of counterfeits are only running 3Cr13 or 5Cr15. (BTW, Eafengrow has that problem too. Lots of their D2 is actually 5Cr15 or 8Cr13.)

I'm also calling foul on your clam about "all Chinese knives". A lot of OEM happens in the dark and we don't always know who is making what. However, we've seen some new developments in recent years. Companies like WE and Kizer have gone direct, work with respected designers, and seem to be above board. Their OEM work isn't exactly shrouded in secrecy either. For instance, Ferrum Forge uses WE and Olight uses Kizer.

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Chronovore said:
It took me all of five minutes to find this. Look, I don't take major issue with aping designs but this looks like counterfeiting to me. Am I wrong? Notice the prominent logo...

Another consideration is if a company is going to do shady stuff like this, can you trust the steel stamp on the blade or the heat treatment? Lots of counterfeits are only running 3Cr13 or 5Cr15. (BTW, Eafengrow has that problem too. Lots of their D2 is actually 5Cr15 or 8Cr13.)

I'm also calling foul on your clam about "all Chinese knives". A lot of OEM happens in the dark and we don't always know who is making what. However, we've seen some new developments in recent years. Companies like WE and Kizer have gone direct, work with respected designers, and seem to be above board. Their OEM work isn't exactly shrouded in secrecy either. For instance, Ferrum Forge uses WE and Olight uses Kizer.

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That looks like a very blatant counterfeit and it's sad to see, but as I said the Venom branded stuff doesn't appear to me to be a copy, let alone counterfeit, of anything and that's what I very specifically pointing to (if you read my first post carefully). Oddly enough that wasn't by design, I guess I just got lucky, unless you find those copies as well in which I can only toss my hands in the air and claim ignorance. Still disappointed to see this, though not surprised, given china's utter and general disregard for intellectual property rights.

You're right, I of course overstated my position with a broad generalization. That's how people talk, but one should never say all of anything in any situation. It was just that though, so neither here nor there for me. Was WE always on the up and up? I don't know and frankly I don't care. I only care about what I've purchased and own and as far as I know, it's all legit, and that's good enough for me. Of course I can only know that which I've experienced and I've definitely not experienced what I'm sure many in here have, because I'm just not that into it. Talk watches and I'll put most to shame. Guns and I'm on par with the average bloke. Knives and flashlights, I find them cool to collect and so I do, but they get very little investment of time from me as I just don't care enough. Collecting is cyclical for me. I'll spend a few grand collecting a bunch of knives I'm not likely to ever use, or keep. Then I'll move on to lights and back to watches again for about a year or so, and come back to guns, then knives, then lights and back again after a couple months.

As for trust, no I cannot trust a company such as this, but I do trust certain sources such as bloggers and/or YouTubers that I've watched. One in specific makes claims of sending in these knives I've decided to purchase for alloy testing. LuvThemKnives is someone I trust and his opinion on these Venom knives is that they are the tops in every way. So my purchases and recommendations, while limited by my very limited experience, are backed by someone whom I find to be very knowledgeable and experienced. If I'm wrong then again, hands in the air "mea culpa" it is what it is and consider me updated. That's all I got folks. No shame to be had or pointed at here.
 
JayDeep said:
Looks Civivi-like to me.

My problem with this brand is that they use a lot of that terrible excuse for steel, I call it Armpit steel, but I think it's something like APMR9 or ARPM9 or something like that. With D2 so readily available and a much better performer I just cannot be okay with it. It's as bad a using 8cr or 12c Sandvik as far as I'm concerned.
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In theory, this was supposed to be revolutionary in being a powder-metallurgy budget steel based on 9Cr18Mov. That could have been a good thing and for all we know, the steel has potential. The problem is that the only company using it gives it the heat treatment that they do.

Compared to the average for regular 9Cr18Mov, edge retention isn't much different. It's supposedly tougher and responds well to stropping but to what extent I don't know. I've heard that it is a little more stainless but it's not like 9Cr18Mov was lacking on corrosion resistance.

Where we really see the rub is in WE's 9Cr18Mov on the Sencut, Civivi, and Ferrum Forge knives. They've figured out an optimal mass-production heat treatment for it. Not only does it stand out from the pack for 9Cr18Mov, it totally smokes AR-RPM9 on edge retention. It makes AR-RPM9 seem like a totally wasted endeavor.
 
Every time i try to get away from knives made in China i get pulled back in. They are making some real nice stuff for the money, and theres no denying it. I got the top knife on the exchange new in box for 15.00 Petrified fish (yes they do have some weird names thats for sure ) the bottom is a petrified fish too got it for 25.00 Top knife has k110 steel machined pocket clip big solid well made knife
 
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