What knife can you not bring yourself to like?

Anything made in China or Taiwan and priced as made in USA; so pretty much the majority of new Spyderco designs. Reminds me of Apple practices and I won't go for that where I can avoid it. But, hey, more for you guys who dig them. All good.
 
Generally many new Spyderco and Benchmade knives aren't such interesting like those who are discontinued. They made special editions for special price (+ new MSRP politics) [BM TSEK, Ares] or new version with cheaper materials [ Spyderco Starmate VG-10, Lil Temperance 2].

jazub said:
Anything made in China or Taiwan and priced as made in USA; so pretty much the majority of new Spyderco designs. Reminds me of Apple practices and I won't go for that where I can avoid it. But, hey, more for you guys who dig them. All good.
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What is interesting that Spyderco made in Taiwan are better fit and finish than made in Golden, IMO. The worse fit and finish is in those made in Japan, mostly of VG-10. Here is no other and better steel?
 
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Oh and I can't believe I forgot...

Anything from this shady company!

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Any folder like the mantis above that has sharp ugly angles and/or a ridiculously heavy short blade. If you're going to lug around a door stop it ought to at least be a fixed blade so it won't break so easily.
 
I really don't like the Skyline, I think they are pretty terrible flippers and the handle is too small and uncomfortable. I lost my first and bought another hoping it I would like it more, but nope.
 
jazub said:
Anything made in China or Taiwan and priced as made in USA; so pretty much the majority of new Spyderco designs. Reminds me of Apple practices and I won't go for that where I can avoid it. But, hey, more for you guys who dig them. All good.
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You know China and Taiwan are two completely different countries with different political systems? As for manufacturing there is a night and day difference between the two. Sal even stated if a Taiwan made knife like the Southard was made in the US, it would be significantly more expensive. Taiwan allows Spyderco to have products with fantastic quality and a great price.
 
Benchmade: I've owned four, all purchased before their pricing revision.Grip with satin 154cm, Mini-grip d2, mini-Barrage D2/orange, and a 162 Bushcrafter. Sold them all. Doubtful I will ever own another one of their products.

Spyderco:
Southard--owned it all of three days. Didn't feel right in the hand, hated the shape of the flipper and flipping operation.
Nilakka--Combination of scandi grind and S30V made it teh suck. Plus, the handle was way too thick and heavy for such a skinny blade.
Waved Endura--Ugly as sin, and am just not a wave type of person.

LionSteel SR-1--Beautiful knife, scales too smooth for a secure grip, and weird blade shape.

CRK--I've never handled one, but I everytime I consider buying one, something else finds its way into my heart (or wallet). No matter how great the reviews, they just do nothing for me.

Emerson--Not a wave fan, and the stories of QC issues have turned me away.

Hinderer--Though I like my ZT 0561, I don't like it enough to consider spending more than double for one on washers.

Hogue--Too blade heavy

Somethings I just do not like, and rarely can I make exceptions:
Assisted opening
Thumb studs
Smooth metal handles
 
Screwdriver said:
You know China and Taiwan are two completely different countries with different political systems? As for manufacturing there is a night and day difference between the two. Sal even stated if a Taiwan made knife like the Southard was made in the US, it would be significantly more expensive. Taiwan allows Spyderco to have products with fantastic quality and a great price.
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Anyone who has handled or owned the new reate and kizer offerings would likely disagree that the quality between china a taiwan is night and day. China can make just as good of a knife as anyone. Its simply that until recently no one was commissioning them to do such work. The whole china makes a crap knife thing is more the fault of bigger companies who put priority on keeping price points low rather than keeping quality up. I also tend to disagree that taichung spydercos would be significantly more expensive if made in the usa. If zt can make the 0452 cf in the usa and keep the price down to $220 you cant tell me they cant do the same with the southard or the even the rubicon. Both amazing knives and well constructed no doubt. They may be more expenive but i think it has more to do with not forfeiting any extra profits by manufacturing in asia and not because its just not doable.
 
PURPLEDC said:
Anyone who has handled or owned the new reate and kizer offerings would likely disagree that the quality between china a taiwan is night and day. China can make just as good of a knife as anyone. Its simply that until recently no one was commissioning them to do such work. The whole china makes a crap knife thing is more the fault of bigger companies who put priority on keeping price points low rather than keeping quality up. I also tend to disagree that taichung spydercos would be significantly more expensive if made in the usa. If zt can make the 0452 cf in the usa and keep the price down to $220 you cant tell me they cant do the same with the southard or the even the rubicon. Both amazing knives and well constructed no doubt. They may be more expenive but i think it has more to do with not forfeiting any extra profits by manufacturing in asia and not because its just not doable.
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Well I was replying to the Spyderco comparison, and their line up. And Sal did make that statement about their Taiwan line.
 
K.O.D. said:
Benchmade: I've owned four, all purchased before their pricing revision.Grip with satin 154cm, Mini-grip d2, mini-Barrage D2/orange, and a 162 Bushcrafter. Sold them all. Doubtful I will ever own another one of their products.

Spyderco:
Southard--owned it all of three days. Didn't feel right in the hand, hated the shape of the flipper and flipping operation.
Nilakka--Combination of scandi grind and S30V made it teh suck. Plus, the handle was way too thick and heavy for such a skinny blade.
Waved Endura--Ugly as sin, and am just not a wave type of person.

LionSteel SR-1--Beautiful knife, scales too smooth for a secure grip, and weird blade shape.

CRK--I've never handled one, but I everytime I consider buying one, something else finds its way into my heart (or wallet). No matter how great the reviews, they just do nothing for me.

Emerson--Not a wave fan, and the stories of QC issues have turned me away.

Hinderer--Though I like my ZT 0561, I don't like it enough to consider spending more than double for one on washers.

Hogue--Too blade heavy

Somethings I just do not like, and rarely can I make exceptions:
Assisted opening
Thumb studs
Smooth metal handles
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Agree with everything you said. :thumbup:
 
Screwdriver said:
Well I was replying to the Spyderco comparison, and their line up. And Sal did make that statement about their Taiwan line.
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The statements you replied to seemed to speak in general about chinas manufacturing but using spyderco as an example of justification. So when i read your comments i thought you were also generalizing yet simply using spyderco as a reference. As for what Sal says on a public forum in regards to profit margins, manufacturing costs and bottom lines? I think it would be rather naive to expect that he would be completely transparent about such things. I am not saying he is lying but that remark is open to interpretation. It could very well mean that it would be more expensive to make in the usa IF profit margins are to be kept. And we have no idea what that margin is. A zt0452cf might cost even more to make than a rubicon to make but zt is making less money on each unit sold.

Either way what you are saying seems to contradict another statement made by Sal which was that taichung was not chosen as a point of manufacture to lower production costs but as a way to keep quality high and because they are manufacturing in the usa at capacity. He has suggested that there actually isnt a big difference in the cost of manifacturing in taiwan vs the usa because taiwans wages and benefits for employees is comparable to our own when certain aspects are considered. Sorta makes me wonder which story is true. I dont see how manufacturing a southard in golden could increase the price if they are claiming they are not saving money by using the taiching factory.
 
Screwdriver said:
You know China and Taiwan are two completely different countries with different political systems? As for manufacturing there is a night and day difference between the two. Sal even stated if a Taiwan made knife like the Southard was made in the US, it would be significantly more expensive. Taiwan allows Spyderco to have products with fantastic quality and a great price.
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Of course I know that they are two different countries. That is why I wrote the names of two different countries. When given a choice (knives), I do not purchase Chinese goods. I am happy to purchase Cold Steel products, produced in Taiwan and priced accordingly. The thing both countries have in common in terms of manufacturing is a significantly diminished cost of labor.

I disagree that manufacturing capabilites between China and Taiwan are "night and day" and I disagree with the pricing of the Southard (among many other Taiwanese Spyderco-branded knives).

Just an opionion, stated alongside many others.
 
All Spyderco knives with choils. I know, I know... but there are plenty of Spydercos that don't have this massive ergonomic flaw, so hey, we can all be happy.
 
sabre cat said:
Another knife that I just can't bring myself to like is the Benchmade Griptillian...
To me, the Grip is the Prius of the knife world. Well engineered and butt ugly
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+1 I just never even desired to pick one up. Never liked the look of it, for some reason. The Ritter Grips sort of appealed to me a little more. I couldn't justify that much $$$ for a plastic-handled knife, and forget about spending money on one with custom scales. Just can't even bring myself to consider the design.

I'm not even really sure why I don't like the looks. As I've never actually handled one, I may be turning down my perfect knife, but I doubt it.
 
Any folder that is so big that you might as well be carrying a fixed blade (ahem Satu, Medford, Direware). Worse are the big gaudy Kit Rae looking knives, give me a break (large Espada, holy shit that thing is a monster) And any folder that is made to be one hand open/close but is hard as hell to open/close with one hand! (Gayle Bradley) Boker Plus is just straight diarrhea. I'm done :D
 
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