Whats with all this Chinese (or Taiwanese) crap?

[baliflipper02]

I love when I see a nice frame lock that I might be interested in, then I go to look into the specs and guess what? Either 8CR13MOV or 8CR14MOV steel, stainless handles, and made in China, or Taiwan. Im just looking for a Ti frame lock that is under 200. ( I understand that people have budgets or whatever, but there is just so damn many of them.

 

[evilgreg]

I love when I see a nice frame lock that I might be interested in, then I go to look into the specs and guess what? Either 8CR13MOV or 8CR14MOV steel, stainless handles, and made in China, or Taiwan. Im just looking for a Ti frame lock that is under 200. ( I understand that people have budgets or whatever, but there is just so damn many of them.

?

Kizer makes a bunch of quality titanium framelocks with quality American steel (e.g. S35VN) selling for <$200.

For starters, I'm quite fond of the Kizer Laconico Gemini and the Kizer Degnan Guru, both of which are titanium framelocks with S35VN blades that retail for under $200. They are made in China, but they're most definitely not crap.

 

[Hickory n steel]

If you're on a budget you don't need to look to China, just forget about the features that don't actually make the knife cut better and there are plenty of options.

 

[noseoil]

Taiwan builds some outstanding knives (Spyderco, as an example) with good value, but you have to look for them & understand the market. Take a look at the Bradley 2 folder, amazing knife & value. Beautiful fit & finish.

 

[baliflipper02]

?

Kizer makes a bunch of quality titanium framelocks with quality American steel (e.g. S35VN) selling for <$200.

For starters, I'm quite fond of the Kizer Laconico Gemini and the Kizer Degnan Guru, both of which are titanium framelocks with S35VN blades that retail for under $200. They are made in China, but they're most definitely not crap.

Kizer makes great knives, but there is not many other quality knives that are made in china.

 

[Grandmaster]

We
stedemon
kizer
reate
Plenty of quality folders from China, thats just chinese brands, and lots of usa brands that moved operations to china

 

[Hackenslash]

Kizer makes great knives, but there is not many other quality knives that are made in china.

Incorrect. RealSteel, Stedemon, WE, Maxace, Reate, Rike and many others are excellent knives made in China. The Reate Hills is one of the best <$200 knives made.

 

[Danke42]

ZT
Borus

 

[joeldworkin307]

You don't want Chinese knives, don't buy one. Plenty of great knives from the people's Republic. Plenty of crap from the US. Just a matter of looking for companies that invest in quality.

 

[Hickory n steel]

We
stedemon
kizer
reate
Plenty of quality folders from China, thats just chinese brands, and lots of usa brands that moved operations to china

Moving operations or outsourcing products to a foreign country in order to save money is a practice I don't support.
I'll but the knives they didn't outsource, but not the ones they do.

 

[craytab]

The country of manufacture is not the issue. The company making the knives determines the quality.

 

[wiredbeans]

I love when I see a nice frame lock that I might be interested in, then I go to look into the specs and guess what? Either 8CR13MOV or 8CR14MOV steel, stainless handles, and made in China, or Taiwan. Im just looking for a Ti frame lock that is under 200. ( I understand that people have budgets or whatever, but there is just so damn many of them.

Throw your iPhone and your wife's coach bags in the garbage they are no good to you because they are made in China and might as well your whole wardrobe


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Apec]

There are US made Ti framelocks for under 200 (granted, your options are somewhat limited unless you consider used knives). You aren't looking hard enough.

Otherwise, just up your budget and be done with it.

 

[PURPLEDC]

I wouldn't necessarily say a knife is crap because its made in china. In fact from what I am seeing some of the best quality and the most options are coming out of that country and the machining is really something I wish American companies would bring back. I like intricate knives that go beyond basic utility. And right now china is the only place that is going to get you that unless you are willing to drop serious cash on customs or really over the top production pieces that are hard to attain. But I do agree that there is a HUGE amount of garbage being made these days and it is mostly coming from china. But that is more of the fault of the companies commissioning the pieces rather than the ability of china to produce a good product.


QUOTE=baliflipper02;16885101]Kizer makes great knives, but there is not many other quality knives that are made in china.[/QUOTE]

There are tons. And IMHO kizer is on the lower end of what is made in china in regards to quality. A few brands besides kizer making killer knives that are not clones in china,

Reate (steelcraft by todd begg, liong mah mid techs,
WE (originals and vdk as well as other mid tech manufacturing)
Stedemon
carson tech labs
real steel
Maxace
Rike
flytanium (American owned but made in china mostly)
custom knife factory (actually made by Kevin john who also makes some killer orginals)
Vespa (not all originals but quality is quite good on everything they make)

 

[JR88FAN]

Profit Margin.

 

[Arathol]

Kizer makes great knives, but there is not many other quality knives that are made in china.

There are tons. And IMHO kizer is on the lower end of what is made in china in regards to quality. A few brands besides kizer making killer knives that are not clones in china,

Reate (steelcraft by todd begg, liong mah mid techs,
WE (originals and vdk as well as other mid tech manufacturing)
Stedemon
carson tech labs
real steel
Maxace
Rike
flytanium (American owned but made in china mostly)
custom knife factory (actually made by Kevin john who also makes some killer orginals)
Vespa (not all originals but quality is quite good on everything they make)

Just ask A G Russell about this. He sells some top notch stuff that he sources from China.

 

[evilgreg]

There are tons. And IMHO kizer is on the lower end of what is made in china in regards to quality. A few brands besides kizer making killer knives that are not clones in china,

I think I own knives from all the brands you listed but Carson and Flytanium, and I don't know that I'd bin Kizer as being the low-end of the group. Their knives vary in quality pretty significantly from their low end stuff to their nicer stuff, and their nicer stuff is really pretty great these days.

 

[Seneca18]

I love when I see a nice frame lock that I might be interested in, then I go to look into the specs and guess what? Either 8CR13MOV or 8CR14MOV steel, stainless handles, and made in China, or Taiwan. Im just looking for a Ti frame lock that is under 200. ( I understand that people have budgets or whatever, but there is just so damn many of them.

Do you have any experience with some of the knives that are coming out of Tawain? If a person only wants USA made knives that's great, but to call China and Tawain made knives crap is ignorant, as someone mentioned already Spyderco is an example. Some of their best quality comes out of Taichung.

 

[unklfranco]

It's a feature of globalization. The more participants in the market place the greater amount of diversity in design and price points. For some, this will be great. Not so much for others. I personally am over ti frame lock knives. I think custom knives are the way to go. One can have the exact design, steel, HRC, scale materials, etc. It costs more but I'd rather pay once and be done with it. YMMV.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Moving operations or outsourcing products to a foreign country in order to save money is a practice I don't support.
I'll but the knives they didn't outsource, but not the ones they do.

I hope you're willing to stand fast on that mentality in every manufactured item you own or use from duct tape to batteries and everything in between. When you draw that line you need to stand on one side or another. There's no "...well the only TVs are made in china." or "I can't find an american car that doesn't outsource offshore for something." When take a partial stand your integrity will always be in question.

The country of manufacture is not the issue. The company making the knives determines the quality.

Exactly :thumbup: boycott the practice of IP theft and blatant knock offs and unlicenced clones but don't condemn an entire emerging nations production capabilities because of a few thieves.

Do you have any experience with some of the knives that are coming out of Tawain? If a person only wants USA made knives that's great, but to call China and Tawain made knives crap is ignorant, as someone mentioned already Spyderco is an example. Some of their best quality comes out of Taichung.

Finally buy what you want it's your money but your logic and rationalisation for not buying from china is seriously flawed in my opinion. Again, your money, buy what you want but if you want to discourage someone else from doing it at least have a valid reason other than you just won't do it.