Your Opinion of Sanrenmu Knives

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I have a few on order, because I am quite curious. Owners in UK and the Netherlands tend to be quite charmed by the quality/price.
One of the knives I ordered is this 905. I think it looks really nice, and I can't immediately recall a similar western design:

SRM_Pocket_Knife_4bb31ab7ce5f9.jpg
WR5-905.jpg


The clean lines are perhaps somewhat Fallkniven-ish but still pretty original to my knowledge.
 
Dagon said:
I have a few on order, because I am quite curious. Owners in UK and the Netherlands tend to be quite charmed by the quality/price.
One of the knives I ordered is this 905. I think it looks really nice, and I can't immediately recall a similar western design:

SRM_Pocket_Knife_4bb31ab7ce5f9.jpg
WR5-905.jpg


The clean lines are perhaps somewhat Fallkniven-ish but still pretty original to my knowledge.
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Now, that's a nice looking knife. I'll be checking that one out myself.
 
dawsonbob said:
Now, that's a nice looking knife. I'll be checking that one out myself.
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Its probably a fine knife eve if it went for twice the money you paid and if you are lucky it may be one made better than one five times the cost to get it to your door.

I've bought several over the last month to give them a look see and having just gotten them back out to go over them again for these photos I can't say there is a lot to complain about here. The two bottom left in that frame lock and the other Navy knife with the hole in the blade are the worst ones. Of center blade on the one, stiff action and crappy lock up on the both of them and overall just bad knives. If I had to pick the top three in this photo I'd have to go with the two 710 SRM models as the best of the bunch followed closely by the L01 which is flawless by Bee and the L05-01 models which are both pretty nice also.

Top right are the two wood handled L05-01 models. Below that is the L01 which to me seems highly influenced by some Terzuola designs down to the tip shape of the tanto like blade grind. Next is the L03 which is a nice knife albeit one without a pocket clip. Next in blue and black G10 handles is the 962 which I finally got sharp after grinding away on it for some time. As for edge keeping well, we'll have to see. There is something to be said for having a knife you don't give a rats a$$ about though so that will be an easy beater upper to zero in on for me. Its the kind of knife you won't hesitate to loan. Top left still in the package is that little Sanrenmu one hand opening slip joint. I don't like it. Next is the two 710 models, both with custom clips I did on them to flip them to tip up carry and then the two junk knives at the bottom. I forgot to post a pic of the L04 or the 939 in this bunch. The two 939 models I have are nice. The L04 has potential but its a flipper model similar to the L05-1 with wood handles grooved for some fancy look and grip. Seriously SRM should stick with what they do best which is just make an inexpensive regular liner lock. Flipper? Not quite that nice. The blade has to have blade play to flip open, and its off center when loose. I can't say I really like the model. personally.

STR
 

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i edc several sanrenmu and i love them... nicely build for daily cutting task... i got one for $8 and the other $12... still use my victorinox saks mostly...but i slip an SRM in my pocket incase i need a knive with one hand opening..
 
STR said:
Its probably a fine knife eve if it went for twice the money you paid and if you are lucky it may be one made better than one five times the cost to get it to your door.

I've bought several over the last month to give them a look see and having just gotten them back out to go over them again for these photos I can't say there is a lot to complain about here. The two bottom left in that frame lock and the other Navy knife with the hole in the blade are the worst ones. Of center blade on the one, stiff action and crappy lock up on the both of them and overall just bad knives. If I had to pick the top three in this photo I'd have to go with the two 710 SRM models as the best of the bunch followed closely by the L01 which is flawless by Bee and the L05-01 models which are both pretty nice also.

Top right are the two wood handled L05-01 models. Below that is the L01 which to me seems highly influenced by some Terzuola designs down to the tip shape of the tanto like blade grind. Next is the L03 which is a nice knife albeit one without a pocket clip. Next in blue and black G10 handles is the 962 which I finally got sharp after grinding away on it for some time. As for edge keeping well, we'll have to see. There is something to be said for having a knife you don't give a rats a$$ about though so that will be an easy beater upper to zero in on for me. Its the kind of knife you won't hesitate to loan. Top left still in the package is that little Sanrenmu one hand opening slip joint. I don't like it. Next is the two 710 models, both with custom clips I did on them to flip them to tip up carry and then the two junk knives at the bottom. I forgot to post a pic of the L04 or the 939 in this bunch. The two 939 models I have are nice. The L04 has potential but its a flipper model similar to the L05-1 with wood handles grooved for some fancy look and grip. Seriously SRM should stick with what they do best which is just make an inexpensive regular liner lock. Flipper? Not quite that nice. The blade has to have blade play to flip open, and its off center when loose. I can't say I really like the model. personally.

STR
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Thanks, STR. I might mention that I ordered my 710 based pretty much on your assessments of these knives.

I've always been more of a fixed blade person, but — at these prices — I think I could start getting into these folders. It's going to be fun, I think.

I don't think I'll stop carrying my Vic Farmer for EDC, but I'll be adding to it.
 
dawsonbob said:
Thanks, STR. I might mention that I ordered my 710 based pretty much on your assessments of these knives.

I've always been more of a fixed blade person, but — at these prices — I think I could start getting into these folders. It's going to be fun, I think.

I don't think I'll stop carrying my Vic Farmer for EDC, but I'll be adding to it.
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Personally I don't see why you can't have some fun buying inexpensive quality knives and do so guilt free. I'm not buying all the nonsense comments from some of these guys and feel some of them are here just trying to get a rise out of folks with nothing of worth to even really add to the conversation. You can't argue with a cheap knife if its built like a more expensive one and offers more than you expected for what you paid. Looking at that photo of the knives I bought its not even all of them with like 8 missing from that picture and I got all of them for less than I usually spend on one knife! How can you argue with that when most of them are not even bad knives? I mean really. First it was Japan, then Taiwan, and everyone had a fit and now its China causing all the ruckus. Later it will be Korea and after that? The Moon or Mars maybe and then made on Earth will be all that matters?!:confused:

STR
 
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STR said:
Personally I don't see why you can't have some fun buying inexpensive quality knives and do so guilt free. I'm not buying all the nonsense comments from some of these guys and feel some of them are here just trying to get a rise out of folks with nothing of worth to even really add to the conversation. You can't argue with a cheap knife if its built like a more expensive one and offers more than you expected for what you paid. Looking at that photo of the knives I bought its not even all of them with like 8 missing from that picture and I got all of them for less than I usually spend on one knife! How can you argue with that when most of them are not even bad knives? I mean really. First it was Japan, then Taiwan, and everyone had a fit and now its China causing all the ruckus. Later it will be Korea and after that? The Moon or Mars maybe and then made on Earth will be all that matters?!:confused:

STR
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I agree completely, and I fully intend to have some fun with these.

Some of the comments haven't had a great deal of thought given to them, if any. In fact, there have been some that I thought were completely thoughtless, IMHO. There's been some of what I consider trollish behavior in this thread, which certainly doesn't help anyone learn anything . . . except that childish behavior is annoying. That's just my personal opinion, of course.

Yeah, I find it really interesting how various countries have emerged as production leaders, usually based on low labor costs on cheap goods, then later as quality leaders in their own right. At that point they usually start farming production out to other emerging countries, and the cycle repeats itself. It doesn't really matter where something is produced: quality is quality, and something that can't be argued with. There are those who may not like where something is made, or by whom, but they can't argue with the quality.

I do have to say that I'm a dyed in the wool Earth-Firster. Knives from other planets just don't figure in my game plan . . . yet.
 
Here is something interesting. Fox, the very good quality Italian producer also offers a number of entry-level knives made in far away. It is quite obvious that they rebranded a Sanrenmu 730 to be sold as their BlackFox BF-74. The specs on their websites are very similar except for the steel description (Fox says 440A, SanRenmu says 8CR13MoV).
No, I don't think that SRM has copied an entry level Fox knife, the above scenario is much more realistic!

Pictures:
1. Black Fox BF-74
bNkV1LYJwzCo0npd1WmnurxkcbDXHQ.jpg


2. Sanrenmu 730
LGB-730.jpg
 
I will admit its awfully tempting to buy 5-6 of them just because I own so little knives I just want to increase my collection it would take years to increase it by buying $70 knives each time. I feel stupid being into knives so much and only having 3 undamaged knives and only 1 nice folder.
 
2brothers said:
From their website it reads as if they have permission. Do they? Seems kinda odd.
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I don't know for sure but I'm starting to get the idea the more I look at this company called Sanrenmu and the apparent abilities they have that maybe they are more 'involved' in the industry working with manufacturers more than any one knows about both in the making of whole knives and perhaps even manufacturing some parts for these USA companies to increase the bottom line of the US based companies profits. Its already been suggested by a few here and elsewhere that they may be making knives for Buck or at least one model. Now we have been shown an Italian company knife apparently being made for them by Sanrenmu and its apparently of no concern to Buck that SRM is making a similar knife to one they sell that parts swap out on as if they are the same knife so I'm left wondering. SRM seems to have some connections in the industry but thats about the best we can say at this time.

This knife called the 962 that I have is not just an axis lock but from all practical angles its apparently an exacting copy down to the last detail! I did not expect this at all. To be honest what I expected was to see something like the SOG Arc lock or the old Cold Steel clone that was close obviously but not exact you know? But this is more than that. This is an axis lock and I can't help but wonder if parts would not interchange on some models. Anyway, I don't know. Thats the best I can say on it. I don't know.

I think Dagon captured my thoughts pretty well here with this one short statement though. "No, I don't think that SRM has copied an entry level Fox knife, (I'll add Buck knife) the above scenario is much more realistic!"

At best it warrants a very loud "Hmmmmmm?"

STR
 
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2brothers said:
From their website it reads as if they have permission. Do they? Seems kinda odd.
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A good question. If SRM made some of the Benchmade 'Red' class in the past, perhaps they came to an arrangement. I just don't know. :confused:
 
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