What's wrong with the knives made in China?

[cody6268]

Let's not forget that the blades on samurai swords, which are made in Japan (so still technically Far Eastern), are the best there are.


I've had good and bad experiences with Chinese-made knives. I had a little Coast, and couple Schrades as a kid, and those were good knives, despite being made in China. However, I've had several that screws and thumb studs completely fell out of, liner locks that loosened up (could easily open to the point the knife was dangerous to use), and some so cheaply made they were useless. I also had a Lansky that had the pocket clip and blade held on by the same screw. That knife got caught on the ATV seatbelt somehow, and it bent the screw. I've carried a Colonial Quick Flick which I bought barely a year ago, which unlike all of my other Colonials (USA made) this thing's made in China. The blade is sharp, and it seems well made, but time will tell like the others that broke, which I carried heavily.

Every year, a family friend has given me various inexpensive Chinese-made knives for my collection, but I don't use them, and put them up for safe keeping for sentimental value.

[cody6268]

Recently found my Made in China Imperial Barlow. Since I lost it, I found a rather well-used USA made Stockman for $4, which I redid. The difference in quality is night and day. The Chinese one is no better quality than ones found in dollar stores, while the US made one is a durable workhorse.

[pocketsword]

Those who don't like China knives because of the politics of China, just look at us here in USA. We pay taxes to a government who trades 5 Taliban leaders for a US deserter. We pay taxes to a government who made legal the murder of 60,000 unborn babies. WE pay taxes to a government who let's a man marry a man. If we are going to delegate our finances according to politics, we will have to buy a desert island somewhere and start our own country. The china knife industry is supported by big time USA companies like Frost, Blue Ridge Knives, Taylor Brands, Schrade, Colt, Hen and Rooster, and about every other brand you can mention. Not everyone has $75 plus to lay out for a shiny new whittler, so the China market has made it possible for anyone to collect a few pretty knives. They may not be a Cadillac, but a lot of us don't drive Cadillac's. I say everyone to his own, and when you put someone down who bought a Rough Rider just because you can afford a Case XX, I say you are full of pride and feel like you are better than your fellow man.

[wazu013]

Rough Rider

[garddogg56]

china Kershaw

[Just Plain Dave]

Rough Rider

I been hankering for one of those. But no online buying and I ain't likely to get to SMKW in the rest of my life.
Besides. I've been bitten by the desire for a Benchmade 15016-1 hunter with S30V steel....

[jerryd6818]

1445 Half-Ton. dogg, I bought it because the wrench clip is cool. There's also the 1440 Chubby that's made in Japan.

They also make a 3/4 Ton which is a little bigger and a 1 Ton which is bigger yet.

[fergusontd]

Remember the Jap knives made in the 50's. Maybe the Chinese quality will improve in years to come. ftd

[Just Plain Dave]

My Chinese Schrade jack ain't TOO bad. And the Rough Riders I have kept are ok.
But OF COURSE the don't have SOUL.

[Lansky1]

I have had some Chinese made knives over the years. The select few I have kept have surprisingly nice fit and finish. The truly junk knives that I've seen at shows are the ones from Pakistan - horrible fit and finish and overall no attention to detail (I'm sure there are exceptions, but I haven't seen any yet).

[Captain O]

From what I've been able to gather, I'm going to LOVE the Boker Plus Barlow when it arrives from Blade Play. Let's see... 440C, HRc 58-59, Barlow pattern, great fit/finish, marvelous walk/talk...

This should work well!

[Bigman]

The one thing I really don't like is how many pure ripoffs that are coming out of China. A 12 dollar shipped to your door free Chris Reeves Sebenza,really?? Those type are knives I will never knowingly buy ever. I keep seeing more and more different brands they are copying too. I say don't feed the fake beast ever,least that my 2 cents worth. That's is the lone exception I have really against Chinese made products.
I own 20 Chinese made blades for major US factory made companies. All are very well made knives and will stand up very well in the EDC role. I've put them to the test carrying them daily in my EDC rotation. So far I haven't seen anything that justifies some peoples idea as to how supposedly badly made they all are. If you want to see truly bad blades look a one from Pakistan,never saw one yet I'd consider buying.
I remember reading the a lot of the very same sort of arguments against Japanese made knives when Spyderco and other companies started selling them here.

[Captain O]

Bill DeShivs has purchased a Ganzo 719 just like mine. (A Chinese made auto with a nice Clip point blade labeled 440C). The heat treatment seems good and it's as solid as a rock. I use it for EDC and I'm happy with the quality as is Bill DeShivs.

Tomorrow morning (after 10:00 am) I'll be picking up my new Boker Plus Barlow, manufactured from 440C steel. If the fit/finish is as good as I keep hearing on Internet reviews, I think that for about $30.00, I'll be a darned happy camper.

Works for me!

[jerryd6818]

As I reported in another thread, I broke down and ordered one of those GANZO G719-G automatics. Coming out of Hong Kong and supposed to be here within a week or two.

Crossed Fingers Small.jpg (1.92 KiB) Viewed 6262 times

Does anyone have one of these. I find them intriguing.

[Captain O]

As I reported in another thread, I broke down and ordered one of those GANZO G719-G automatics. Coming out of Hong Kong and supposed to be here within a week or two. Crossed Fingers Small.jpg
GANZO G719-G.jpg

Does anyone have one of these. I find them intriguing.

Jerry: You'll be glad that you broke down and ordered on of the Ganzo 719 pieces. If you ordered the green it will be the only thing different than the knife I have. You're going to be pleasantly surprised when your knife arrives. It should take about eight days after the tracking number says that the knife has been shipped to you.

Make certain that you take it to a nice stone and gently hone the blade. If done properly, (and I'm certain that you're able) you'll have a razor-sharp clip-point blade that you can use to hack through a 1" x 1" square pine board with ease. (I saw it done with another G719 on You Tube). These knives are among the "best kept secrets" of the automatic world. I'm quite certain that you will be satisfied.

Waiting's the difficult part.

[sam eib]

I would prefer to buy American but sometimes it's just not in the cards for me. I can't afford $100 plus knives anymore and I don't mind using or abusing a $20 knife. Love those Ganzo knives.

[Quick Steel]

It depends on the brands you select. I have found Rough Rider knives to have consistently decent quality. One of our members, Delta Boy, has a lot of experience with RR and is very satisfied with them. I only have a few China Schrades which have certainly been satisfactory as using knives. There are probably others. I have found Kissing Cranes uneven in their quality control. Sometimes good, sometimes not; but certainly useable.

Some members object to buying any knife from China, often due to the nature of the China (mainland) government. I won't go into that here. We have forums for political discussions and controversial subjects. I still buy American when possible, but the reduced funds that come with retirement sometimes leads me consider a China made knife. I suggest you buy whatever works for you. Good hunting.

[Mumbleypeg]

What's wrong with the knives made in China? The answer is, they're made in China!

Why send American dollars to communist China? You can buy a perfectly good used Camillus, Imperial, Ulster, and other American made knives on eBay for about the same or less. From an American entrepreneur. Saying you can't afford an American-made knife is no excuse IMHO. I just won't do it. Period.

Ken

[Baykeeper]

It is far more complicated than just us sending money to China. Most of those brand names are owned by US investors who employ US citizens to then sell the knives. Some of the money pays for manufacturing in China yes, but a good portion of the end money comes back to the US brand owners. Never forget that the move to offshore manufacturing was precipitated in the first place by US industrialists looking to increase their bottom line. China didn't steal those manufacturing jobs from us, we, (US industrialists), simply handed it to them on a silver platter, job security for fellow US citizens be damned. Leave it to the big wigs to screw the US worker to increase their profit margin.
I occasionally buy a Chinese knife when I need a sacrificial lamb that I can use and abuse, or to give as a gift to someone who could care less whether it's a good knife, but ALL my personal EDC's are US-made.

[Mumbleypeg]

Never forget that the move to offshore manufacturing was precipitated in the first place by US industrialists looking to increase their bottom line. China didn't steal those manufacturing jobs from us, we, (US industrialists), simply handed it to them on a silver platter, job security for fellow US citizens be damned. Leave it to the big wigs to screw the US worker to increase their profit margin.

Maybe. But it's also a lot more complicated than just "US industrialists looking to increase their bottom line." Most of those "US industrialists" were just trying to keep a bottom line in the black, faced with unreasonable unions, greedy statist taxes, oppressive government overreach, a litigious society overrun with lawyers, and so on. Let's get what we want and blame it on "the man", "job security for US citizens be damned." There's plenty of blame to go around.

I won't go on as there's a separate forum for such debate. It's your money, spend it however you want.

Ken

[Lansky1]

Personally, I just can't stand looking at the tang which is usually laser engraved "China". Its getting tougher and tougher these days, but I really just like to buy American whenever I can. I have owned them, but now, I don't think I own a single Chinese made knife ...

[carrmillus]

Personally, I just can't stand looking at the tang which is usually laser engraved "China". Its getting tougher and tougher these days, but I really just like to buy American whenever I can. I have owned them, but now, I don't think I own a single Chinese made knife ...

....my sentiments, exactly!!!......... ...................

[garddogg56]

I have to agree also I firmly believe we shouldn't even be trading with china at all

[Toejammer]

As I have stated before (somewhere on aapk, I can't remember lol) China has filled the void that the American knife makers abandoned !They didn't push the US makers out of the market, or under cut them, they simply stepped into an already established market. Granted there are chinese companies making knock offs which have no place in our market, or my argument. There are decent chinese companies making high quality knives, some under their own brand, and some under US company brands.

I look at guitars as a reference. There are asian companies making Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, etc.... models farmed out by those companies. They used to be a joke. But now a lot of those asian built guitars aren't too far from they're US counterparts.Some are complete crap too, BUT there are certain manufacturing plants that consistently build very nice guitars. And in a blind, side by side test, it's hard to tell if your playing an American Strat, or the Indonesian Squire version. (granted both guitars have been setup properly, and frets leveled and dressed)

I lay this all at the US manufacturers feet. They need to make those knives they farm out HERE, and sell them at a price point competitive to the market, and we would gladly buy them. As it is now, they are making $$$ flooding the collector market with homegrown knives, and farming out the budget market. I find it hard to believe they cannot build the same knife here, and be competitive.

Maybe, they don't want to. Why sell a $45 budget knife made in USA, when you can sell a collectors quality, numbered, low production run knife for $150 ++ ?

[Lansky1]

As I have stated before (somewhere on aapk, I can't remember lol) China has filled the void that the American knife makers abandoned !They didn't push the US makers out of the market, or under cut them, they simply stepped into an already established market. Granted there are chinese companies making knock offs which have no place in our market, or my argument. There are decent chinese companies making high quality knives, some under their own brand, and some under US company brands.

I look at guitars as a reference. There are asian companies making Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, etc.... models farmed out by those companies. They used to be a joke. But now a lot of those asian built guitars aren't too far from they're US counterparts.Some are complete crap too, BUT there are certain manufacturing plants that consistently build very nice guitars. And in a blind, side by side test, it's hard to tell if your playing an American Strat, or the Indonesian Squire version. (granted both guitars have been setup properly, and frets leveled and dressed)

I lay this all at the US manufacturers feet. They need to make those knives they farm out HERE, and sell them at a price point competitive to the market, and we would gladly buy them. As it is now, they are making $$$ flooding the collector market with homegrown knives, and farming out the budget market. I find it hard to believe they cannot build the same knife here, and be competitive.

Maybe, they don't want to. Why sell a $45 budget knife made in USA, when you can sell a collectors quality, numbered, low production run knife for $150 ++ ?

Agree on the guitar analogy - I have a Chinese made Ibanez AS73 that I'd like to buy the guy who built it a beer ... it plays better than the Gibson ES-335 I cut my teeth on (prefer the Gibson beefier neck though) - build quality is stellar.