Which American knives are the most popular outside of the US?

I remember the time (the 70's) the Buck 110 was known in France and so expensive i bought an (excellent) german imitation. Today Spyderco and Leatherman are the most known and purchased. Things are changing with the web. I've bought last year a Strider , american price, 25 USD for the shipping. It has been a blind purchase, i had not handled it before, but i don't regreet.

dantzk.
 
I don't know about the biggest in terms of sales but I am in the habit of asking every person I see with a clip in their pocket what they are carrying and the answer is either CRKT or Kershaw. I know that more brands are sold around here but that (and lockback buck type folders) are what I see the most (not counting martial arts seminars where everybody seems to bring their favourite folders).
 
Pietje010 said:
The only knifes from the US in the Netherlands and Europe are probably folders. I think its the good old Buck hunting folder or a Leatherman multitool. Europe is more for the SAK, ...
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My wife and I recently entertained an acquaintence, and three of his buddies, from the Netherlands, here in the Metro-Detroit area for the auto show. One of them wanted a Leatherman Wave. After he got his, one of his buddies had to have one, too. Admittedly, these guys weren't knifeknuts, so I don't know how applicable this is to the OP's original question.
 
At the risk of being Mr Picky, most of the knives listed are not made in the USA. So are they American knives? I did work in the shop selling knives, and the best sellers were always Buck, Gerber and Kershaw. Now I would suggest CRKT was the most available in the UK.
 
Haha, plumber that came yesterday had a letherman... And that bastid tried to grab my nice Zolingen kitchen knife and use it as a screwdriver! Of course I didnt let him.
Spydercos are quite popular (I even saw a commercial with SS Delica in it)
There are a lot of brands on market (exept maybe Striders), but prices are twice as high (taxes and greediness)
If you mention an american knife, for average person (not knifeknut) it would be a bowie knife or Kabar.
 
While living in Frankfurt, Germany in 2002 and 2003, I saw a lot of Benchmade folders and Cold Steel fixed blade knives in the knife shops there. Prices were nearly double US prices, though.
 
Hi All,

Here in NZ, you will see a reasonable range of US mid-range knives: eg; Case (paricularly pocket-knives); Buck; Schrade; Leatherman; and Spyderco would be the most common.

Most sports/outdoors shops have a good selection of the last two. Case, Buck, and Schrade would be found at "specialist" knife shops, and at the best outdoors stores.

The prices might give you a fright - you could pay $US70 to $US90 for the Buck 110.

Overall, I'd say the most popular knife in NZ would be the SAK.


Siggy
 
Hi Billman,

When I first began promoting Spyderco in European shows in the late 80's, Spyderco was a fledgling company with 8 employees. I could see the world shrinking and felt the need to promote globally.

At the IWA show in Germany, I worked the stand (booth) demonstrating (pitching) the performance virtues or our "203 Triangle Sharpmaker" and our "one hand open" pocket knives. At the time, knives in Europe were very tradional and local to each country, "stag" in Germany, Opinel in France, etc.

Clipits were known as "new fashion knives", their funny blades with holes and clips hanging where the "tradition" should be. And those serrated edges! :eek:

People came by to watch the demonstration, even though they didn't understand what I was saying.

I spoke little in European languages (a little Spanish got me by with the Spaniards & Italians), so "hand language" was used al lot.

I sharpened a lot of knives, cut a lot of paper and free hanging rope, and tried to be a "Good American". a "crazy" American, none the less.

We were able to find some good distributors that could see the value of the performance aspect of these new designs. (still a smaller market) They also ended up cutting a lot of paper and rope.;)

Most of those early distributors are still working with us. (UK, Italy, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Israel, South Africa, finland). Good people.

Keeping the price low to the consumer was a task then that we still deal with. We've had many a conversation with distributors on "reasonable" margins.

"If the public price is too high, fewer people can purchase the product and we sell fewer knives".

It's funny, in America we have the opposite problem. "If the public price is too low, fewer dealers will carry the product and we sell fewer knives".

:confused:

We began making knives in Golden in the early 90's so our USA made "new fashion" knives were an oddity.

I would guess the early promotion helped our "International" presence. Also, back then, we were the only knives with holes, clips, serrations, exotic man made materials, etc.

The rest of the industry came later, so the clips, holes, studs,etc. were not as new.

Interesting question, thanx, brought back many memories.

sal
 
I wish the Hungarian distributor felt the need of reasonable prices, and the Deilcas and Enduras wouldnt cost around 120 USD here...

That's why I order my knives from US online dealers.
 
Hi Balazs,

Kelly (Spyderco's Sales Manager) informed me that we have added another distributor in Hungary. I guess we watch what happens.

Finding the proper "balance" for a distributor is always a challenge.

sal
 
Im Western Australia it's definetly Spyderco. Some of the larger shops have a few benchmades and CKRT, but I've seen Spyderco's in shops that don't specialise in knives, like high-end outdoors shops and workwear retailers and they are often the only knives they carry.....and Leatherman of course.
 
In Norway most sports shops (usually part of large chains) carry cheap Helle and Brusletto fixed-blades, and SAKs. One chain carries a few Spydercos, Kershaws, and Cold Steels.

You have to look to specialist cutlery shops (of which there are few) to see which US brands are most popular. The best knife shop in Oslo (make that the only really good one) carries nearly every conceivable US production brand, plus the odd Randall.
However their main focus seems to be on Spyderco, Masters of Defense, Cold Steel, Fallkniven (Swedish but arguably an American-type knife), Busse, Chris Reeve, and Strider.
All horribly, horribly overpriced, of course. Stone-and-mortar shop, small turnover, socialist tax-rates.
 
Archer26 said:
At the risk of being Mr Picky, most of the knives listed are not made in the USA. So are they American knives? I did work in the shop selling knives, and the best sellers were always Buck, Gerber and Kershaw. Now I would suggest CRKT was the most available in the UK.
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I agree. Spyderco, as far as I know, are made in Japan. I am going overseas this month, and I was looking at this link to purchase some gifts for some relatives. I wound up purchasing a couple of Kershaw Leeks, made in the US. Benchmade is also made in the US but also has knives made in Taiwan, which I passed on. So, in summary, an American knife is one that is made in the US. If not, it would be like purchasing a puuko that was made outside of Scandanavia. Thats not going cut it. . . (pun intended). :)

Michael
 
I'm down in New Zealand and i'd have to concur with the Aussies who've already posted. The problems we face is that there are not many knife shops down here and the ones that do exist sell a lot of BS and the good stuff that they do carry is priced exorbitantly. There's a lot of SAC's around as people still subscribe to the McGuyver myth. Also quite a few Leatherman's as thye've got the quality and utility rep. The better stuff that we can get is mostly Spyderco with a CRKT (a step down IMO) and a spattering of Buck.
You guys in the US really don't know how lucky you've got it, you're spoilt for choice.
 
I thing Spyderco is very popular in the UK (knife knuts only), I think the UKPK helps :D (Sal you rock! ;) )

There are no shops that sell them here (that I know of) or anyother knife brand.
Apart from SAKs, Leatherman and one shop that sell two Bucks. :grumpy:
 
Benchmade and especially Microtech seem to be more popular in Germany. Spyderco and Strider have a rather large following over here, just like in the US. There's relatively little talk about SOG, Emerson and Buck.

This is just my personal, highly subjective evaluation of the production knife market in Germany.
 
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