Unexpectedly bad budget blades?

[115Italian]

Schrade extreme survival auto. ( I think that was the name)

 

[TechandTactical]

I hesitate to post this because it's a WalMart knife so what was I expecting.

I purchased an Ozark Trail folder (the blue one) from WalMart and it is so bad, I'm keeping it to review on my YouTube channel. I think the review will be hilarious.

Within minutes of owning it, the blade drifted over so far that I now have to push it over just to shut it. Not to mention the handle scales are loose even after tightening the Torx screws repeatedly. The screws are (as you can imagine) now completely stripped. Also, the blade went dull after about 5 minutes of carving a stick.

Again, I don't know what I was expecting but this thing has shattered my expectations for how bad a brand new knife can be.

 

[John_0917]

2017 Natrix was awful, I got 2 separate examples that both had badly warped blades, after the second I gave up and got a Cutjack.

 

[numbersman]

CRKT KISS.

How about those guys who just list a knife that they didn't like, tell us something about why they didn't like it? Its more interesting than us, and might stimulate more discussion.

 

[FullMetalJackass]

How about those guys who just list a knife that they didn't like, tell us something about why they didn't like it? Its more interesting than us, and might stimulate more discussion.

Okay, so I had an older KISS for many years. Then I wanted to update with a different blade shape and ordered a newer one. Lock system broke almost instantly on this one.

 

[mec003]

I had a schrade clip hanger when I was probably 14. I originally thought it was super cool. The blade rusted in various places, the serrations actually chipped off and I ended up losing it when the clip broke. I've had schrade knives that were great, so I'm not knocking the brand.

 

[cgebhard]

I have heard of some people mistaking a Frost knife for a Frosts Mora.. That has to be disappointing. No comparison.

 

[kniferelatedname]

Kershaw Link. Every time I've cut cardboard with it, it dulled very quickly and would start tearing instead of cutting. I chalked it up to 420 steel being bad, and sold it.

I've since got a Launch and noticed the same behavior. It seemed less likely to be the steel, and I realized the edge was very obtuse. Putting a narrower edge on it really helped a lot, it's like a different knife. Now I wonder if that's all the Link needed. It was a nice knife in fit and finish, though liner locks and assisted opening aren't my faves.

 

[eugenechia1989]

Firebird by Ganzo F745. Yes, I know it's a controversial brand and I don't like them at all, but I picked one up purely out of curiosity, and it feels like an unknown-brand knife from a departmental store. Absolutely awful and cheap feel, surprisingly flexy G10 despite the stainless steel liners, and Ganzo's copy of the Axis-lock is nothing like the real deal. I have a Benchmade Griptilian and the difference is night and day. In fact, the Ganzo's lock is borderline unusable, whereas the real thing is completely effortless and smooth as heck. It was dirt-cheap and yet I feel I over-paid.

Victorinox Hiker and Solo Alox. This is a shocker. I know. But I own a Huntsman from 2002 and it's just brilliant. I really do feel that the quality has dropped. The Hiker's main blade is apparently slightly bent on purpose to provide more clearance for the pen-blade, but the result is the edge hits the backspacer and dulls itself. The Huntsman also has a main blade and a pen-blade, both are straight and no issues at all. Solo Alox is just unreasonably stiff, such that when opening and closing, I'm always worried the whole thing's gonna spring out of my hand. Unexpectedly bad because we all expect great build quality from Victorinox, but sadly, I just don't think they're what they used to be. Maybe I'm just unlucky. I doubt they're fakes as I bought them from their most prominent dealer in my country.

 

[Gaston444]

A thread like this should start with the right example. I suspect many of us were dissapointed as kids when we received the very special Rambo-like survival knife pictured above. I probably paid around $1.99 for mine. IIRC the compass cap fell right off as soon as I removed the knife fom its packaging. It had no edge, the bevel ended with a 1/8" thick flat, which match the sheath which was made from thin vinyl of the poorest kind.

Then we have just about anything made/marketed by the Franklin Mint.

These once again offer no edge of any kind, the cheapest possible materials and poorest workmanship. But, they do come at a higher price and the packaging is better than most. Many of us have had to endure receiving one of these fine gift items from family and friends while trying to control our impulse to projectile barf.

There are plenty of garbage out there for the novice collector and well intentioned non-collector.

Probably the one that bothered me the most was this Paragon Parabow.

It was a good looking package which sold for around $155. So, I bought 2 of them, only to have one of the rubber handle scale fall off as soon as I removed the knife from the box. They were held on with what looked like rubber cement on a smooth metal liner. That was when I discovered that their customer service was non-existent, although they did offer me a 10% if I chose to order a new one. A cool design, but certainly a dissapointment.

n2s

The scale falling off is hardly a major, or even relevant, problem: A bit of sandpaper and silicon goop would fix that in minutes. This an item that is mostly something other than a knife: How well did the sling-bow feature actually work?

Gaston

 

[Kreyzhorse]

Spyderco Tenacious. Thought one for a buddy and thought it was a total POS.

 

[Planterz]

The scale falling off is hardly a major, or even relevant, problem: A bit of sandpaper and silicon goop would fix that in minutes.

Right. Not major or relevant at all.

 

[basmca]

Kershaw Natrix.

Great design, badly executed.

Blade was warped, grind was just awefull, and fit and finish left much to desire.

 

[MolokaiRider]

Schrade products in general. I'm so disappointed with the direction they took. I used to really love the brand.

 

[Planterz]

Schrade products in general. I'm so disappointed with the direction they took. I used to really love the brand.

You can't really look at it like that. Schrade closed its doors in 2004. The name lives on, but only in the form of Chinese made reproductions (and modern "tactical" garbage). It's not a "direction" they took, unless you consider closing down a "direction". Ditto for Camillus in 2007. Not the same companies, not the same souls.

You can still love the old brands of Schrade and Camillus.

 

[MolokaiRider]

You can't really look at it like that. Schrade closed its doors in 2004. The name lives on, but only in the form of Chinese made reproductions (and modern "tactical" garbage). It's not a "direction" they took, unless you consider closing down a "direction". Ditto for Camillus in 2007. Not the same companies, not the same souls.

You can still love the old brands of Schrade and Camillus.

You are 100 percent correct, I digress. I just really miss the brand as it was. I stand corrected sir.

 

[Planterz]

I feel ya. I don't like what's become of the names either.

 

[eugenechia1989]

I like the name Schbolo. Other than that, honestly Schrade just doesn't attract me. I am very pleased with my SCH304M, so I thought about picking up one of the Sure-lock models. Handled two in the store they just felt cheap, despite being supposedly among the 'better' Schrades with AUS-8 steel and whatnot. The finish on the scales felt powdery and flaky, the action was awful, and the thing you press to unlock the blade was very stiff. Not Ganzo levels of terrible but I expected better. Finish on the SCH301 was also pretty bad. Left the store empty-handed that day which kinda sucks...

 

[nrajeff]

...and CRKT Crawford Kasper. Still love the design but the blade on the one I bought years ago (AUS-6?) had the edge retention of something somewhere between lead and Velveeta. And the pocket clip wiggled even when tightened fully...

Mine doesn't have those problems. I carry it 2 or 3 days a week...in fact it's in my pocket right now. I like its smooth opening and closing. I consider it a good knife for the money. Maybe you got the proverbial lemon?