Chinese Queens a Reality

[cody6268]

We all expected it the day the factory closed, and hoped that with the first new Queen being Bear and Son made, it wouldn't happen, but it did anyway. Looks like SMKW is now making a line of Chinese-made Queens using Rough Rider patterns, in addition to the USA-made models of the pilot run black Delrin Mini Trapper, and a red bone Queen City full-size Trapper.

All I can say is--BOO! Looks like Queen has now officially gone the way of Camillus and Schrade. Chinese crap at insane prices. The prices on the whole line are almost double their RR equivalents.

Link: https://www.smkw.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=queen+city

[Doc B]

[Sharpnshinyknives]

I honestly don’t see the difference in these over Rough Riders, those on this link look just like RR knives. I’m with you, I won’t be buying these. I wonder if they “fool” anyone with this, or is there just a whole world of collectors that like collecting these made in China knives and we just don’t get the appeal?

[Mumbleypeg]

I have not bought anything from SMKW in probably 10+ years. I still get their catalogs in the mail though. The most recent one I received a month or so ago, about 90% of it was made-in-China crap. That’s an unscientific estimate but it’s not an exaggeration. Not only just knives, but assorted other crap as well.

That they’ve done this to Queen is no surprise. Obviously it sells.

No thank you.

Ken.

[OLDE CUTLER]

Like other Chinese made knives with old American company names, they are relying on people not knowing what they are buying. In other words, they are relying on more customers who buy based on price alone. Shocking how many people there are that do this.

[Dinadan]

It is sad to see another venerable American name being used like this. One thing that I have noticed is that the revived names do not seem to prosper all that well. I have bought some and will buy more, but Rough Rider brand probably sells more than Marbles, Valley Forge, Schrade, and others all lumped together.

What especially irks me is this. If SMKW is having Queen City brand knives made in China: then they could at least copy some Queen patterns that were a bit different from the RR patterns. Yes, I am sure it is cheaper to just use the tooling for the RRs and a new stamp is all they need for the new line of knives. But it just seems like it would be a better long term investment to go ahead and make some new tooling for something a bit different from the myriad other China knives. Why not an English Jack or a Wharncliffe Whittler or Farmer's Jack? Something that Queen made within recent history and that not many other folks have made.

Rant over ... now I need to check Ebay.

[edge213]

This really sucks.
Thanks Kevin Pipes and Ken Daniels for ruining another great American knife company.

[brucegodlesky]

my thoughts exactly...……

[RevolverGuy]

That is so disappointing. Those knives look generic and uninspiring–and I won't be buying any of them. I don't understand why they didn't just continue to work with Bear & Son, or find another manufacturer to contract knives to. I'd gladly pay more for something made in the USA.

[doglegg]

Part of the sad part is that the Chinese ones are probably better made than the Bear ones.

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

Yup - I knew this would be the next step. They have the manufacturing line, and changing the tang stamp die takes only a few minutes. I think you should always assume that any time a brand name is sold to a large retailer, this will be the result. If it was sold to another high quality knife manufacturer, or to someone that had been an executive at a high quality knife manufacturer, then there would be hope for a true continuation of a great brand - but when sold to a large retailer or to a low-end specialist like the Frost Family? Low-end China will always be the next step.

I have no problem with Chinese (or any country) knives. I own and enjoy many. However, I do not buy the Chinese knives that use old American brand names. I don't buy the Buck knives made in China. I don't buy the Schrade knives made in China. I don't buy the Camillus knives made in China. If I want a Chinese-made knife, then I buy a Chinese brand. I do not like being manipulated by corporate Marketing departments, and paying a premium for the American marketing departments to repackage Chinese knives under their name makes no sense.

[bighomer]

Well I'm gonna try one and see, but I was afraid it wouldn't be made by Bear like the pilot run was. A fool and his money. It says in the advertisement that it's made in the USA.

[carrmillus]

We all expected it the day the factory closed, and hoped that with the first new Queen being Bear and Son made, it wouldn't happen, but it did anyway. Looks like SMKW is now making a line of Chinese-made Queens using Rough Rider patterns, in addition to the USA-made models of the pilot run black Delrin Mini Trapper, and a red bone Queen City full-size Trapper.

All I can say is--BOO! Looks like Queen has now officially gone the way of Camillus and Schrade. Chinese crap at insane prices. The prices on the whole line are almost double their RR equivalents.

Link: https://www.smkw.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=queen+city

....the U.S. should quit importing ANYTHING from china!!!!...the virus is enough!!!!....... ..........

[OLDE CUTLER]

We all expected it the day the factory closed, and hoped that with the first new Queen being Bear and Son made, it wouldn't happen, but it did anyway. Looks like SMKW is now making a line of Chinese-made Queens using Rough Rider patterns, in addition to the USA-made models of the pilot run black Delrin Mini Trapper, and a red bone Queen City full-size Trapper.

All I can say is--BOO! Looks like Queen has now officially gone the way of Camillus and Schrade. Chinese crap at insane prices. The prices on the whole line are almost double their RR equivalents.

Link: https://www.smkw.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=queen+city

....the U.S. should quit importing ANYTHING from china!!!!...the virus is enough!!!!....... ..........

While I generally agree with you, there are many products that have not been made in the US for many years. So in those cases we would have to do without. I don't know if I could do without a TV set for one. I have always been curious about posts like this. Are you bashing the Chinese government? (they certainly deserve all the bashing they get). How about the Chinese worker? (he is just like you and me, just trying to feed his family and put away a little money). Or the American businessman who sells out and takes the money and runs deserting all his obligations and employees. This last one is who I reserve my distain for.

[edge213]

Well I'm gonna try one and see, but I was afraid it wouldn't be made by Bear like the pilot run was. A fool and his money. It says in the advertisement that it's made in the USA.

Some of the new Queens are made in the U.S.
Some are made on China.

[carrmillus]

We all expected it the day the factory closed, and hoped that with the first new Queen being Bear and Son made, it wouldn't happen, but it did anyway. Looks like SMKW is now making a line of Chinese-made Queens using Rough Rider patterns, in addition to the USA-made models of the pilot run black Delrin Mini Trapper, and a red bone Queen City full-size Trapper.

All I can say is--BOO! Looks like Queen has now officially gone the way of Camillus and Schrade. Chinese crap at insane prices. The prices on the whole line are almost double their RR equivalents.

Link: https://www.smkw.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=queen+city

....the U.S. should quit importing ANYTHING from china!!!!...the virus is enough!!!!....... ..........

While I generally agree with you, there are many products that have not been made in the US for many years. So in those cases we would have to do without. I don't know if I could do without a TV set for one. I have always been curious about posts like this. Are you bashing the Chinese government? (they certainly deserve all the bashing they get). How about the Chinese worker? (he is just like you and me, just trying to feed his family and put away a little money). Or the American businessman who sells out and takes the money and runs deserting all his obligations and employees. This last one is who I reserve my distain for.

.........there's nothing made in china that couldn't be made in the U.S.!!!!!..............to h--l with the commies!!!................. .......................

[bighomer]

Well I'm gonna try one and see, but I was afraid it wouldn't be made by Bear like the pilot run was. A fool and his money. It says in the advertisement that it's made in the USA.

Some of the new Queens are made in the U.S.
Some are made on China.

That's good to know, I sent SMKW an email, don't know that I'll get a reply. I let them know I'd be highly disappointed if this knife wasn't made in the USA as advertised. I'm sure that will scare the shirt out of them.
I've noticed there's a lot of queen city knives on ebay with abalone handles at prices not all that high, I suspect those are made in China.

[bighomer]

Part of the sad part is that the Chinese ones are probably better made than the Bear ones.

You are absolutely % right

[edge213]

Well I'm gonna try one and see, but I was afraid it wouldn't be made by Bear like the pilot run was. A fool and his money. It says in the advertisement that it's made in the USA.

Some of the new Queens are made in the U.S.
Some are made on China.

That's good to know, I sent SMKW an email, don't know that I'll get a reply. I let them know I'd be highly disappointed if this knife wasn't made in the USA as advertised. I'm sure that will scare the shirt out of them.
I've noticed there's a lot of queen city knives on ebay with abalone handles at prices not all that high, I suspect those are made in China.

Yes, the abalone that I saw were made in China.

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

....the U.S. should quit importing ANYTHING from china!!!!...the virus is enough!!!!....... ..........

While I generally agree with you, there are many products that have not been made in the US for many years. So in those cases we would have to do without. I don't know if I could do without a TV set for one. I have always been curious about posts like this. Are you bashing the Chinese government? (they certainly deserve all the bashing they get). How about the Chinese worker? (he is just like you and me, just trying to feed his family and put away a little money). Or the American businessman who sells out and takes the money and runs deserting all his obligations and employees. This last one is who I reserve my distain for.

.........there's nothing made in china that couldn't be made in the U.S.!!!!!..............to h--l with the commies!!!................. .......................

The US does make one thing China doesn't: Unions.

We live in a world economy. There are NO countries that can exist without trade, and that includes the most isolated country in the world, North Korea.

[kootenay joe]

I don't see how China made Queen branded knives can be a business success. If you want an inexpensive knife that is well made with very sharp blades that edge hold well and comes in a wide variety of patterns, Rough Rider knives will make you very happy. There is no way China Queens will be any better or any less expensive.
This part of the knife market is already overflowing with brand options. If you don't want a Rough Rider, try Steel Warrior, they are not as good as the RR's but are still decent user knives.
How can the new Queen owners make a profit in this already over crowded market segment that already has many good quality brands ?
kj

[edge213]

I agree with you kj.
I don't think Chinese Queens will be successful either.
Other old American brands that SMKW has made in China don't seem popular.
Such as Valley Forge, Honk Falls, HSB etc.

[bighomer]

I agree with you kj.
I don't think Chinese Queens will be successful either.
Other old American brands that SMKW has made in China don't seem popular.
Such as Valley Forge, Honk Falls, HSB etc.

I agree with you both.

[carrmillus]

I don't see how China made Queen branded knives can be a business success. If you want an inexpensive knife that is well made with very sharp blades that edge hold well and comes in a wide variety of patterns, Rough Rider knives will make you very happy. There is no way China Queens will be any better or any less expensive.
This part of the knife market is already overflowing with brand options. If you don't want a Rough Rider, try Steel Warrior, they are not as good as the RR's but are still decent user knives.
How can the new Queen owners make a profit in this already over crowded market segment that already has many good quality brands ?
kj

....you couldn't run fast enough to GIVE me a RR, and i'm 83!!!!............. ............

[RevolverGuy]

I have been to the SMKW store in Tennessee. This was my experience with Rough Rider. I found a particular congress I liked in buffalo horn and the employee who was helping me went through 7 boxes before I could find one that didn't have something off. Some had gaps in scales, some had weak springs, some had blade rub/play, some had horrible blade grinds... On appearance they look nice, but when you look closer you start to see why they're sold for a lot less.

I bought that knife for $16. The box it came in was beautiful. Honestly I don't know much about China made knives, but I would assume that Rough Rider would be considered good quality in China made traditional folders. I did handle the other China made Marbles at that store but the quality was even worse. Something I noticed when compared to my Case and Schrade USA's are that the blades are thicker, the springs are thicker, the brass liners are also noticeably thicker, so you end up with a good looking knife that is thicker all around.