What's wrong with the knives made in China?

A place to discuss & share pictures of knives made in China.
Locked
User avatar
Just Plain Dave
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 7724
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 3:54 am
Location: Near East Texas (Cleveland area)

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by Just Plain Dave »

That is as good a way to put it as any I've heard.
Knives from China (in most cases) have no soul.
They are fine as cutting devices.
But you never look at one and think about where it's been and what it's done.
It ain't real likely to be a worry stone either.
I'm glad I have plenty of old American cutlery to wonder over.

But the few examples of Rough Rider I haven't sold off or given away have their niches.
Looking for the magic penny!
User avatar
djknife13
Silver Tier
Silver Tier
Posts: 6735
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 6:28 pm
Location: Northern Minnesota

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by djknife13 »

I wanted to say that I've soul a few, but I won't. Sorry, it slipped out.
junebug
Posts: 5499
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 1:40 am

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by junebug »

THE ONES I HAVE....THAT I LIKE.....HAVE SOUL "TO ME". ::ds:: ::ds::


TA EACH HIS OWN ::nod:: ...........WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!
"Because tellin' people , i like having a SPYDIEHOLE sounds sooo much better than a THUMBHOLE"
- Junebug 2016
saltwaterebel
Posts: 186
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: johns island,sc~~the swamp

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by saltwaterebel »

I don't buy Chinese for political reasons. the ghost of chesty puller dictates this! someone gave me a rough rider doctors knife as a gift. its ok. but when comparing those to gec and canal street and bulldog and even modern case, american quality is better . if a case can be made that pure economics and better value comes from an import ill consider it. better price doesn't mean better value. the fact is, American knives are superior quality. I always try very hard to justify American purchases.
User avatar
jerryd6818
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 39164
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 5:23 am
Location: The middle of the top of a bastion of Liberalism.

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by jerryd6818 »

rebel -- you have a PM
Forged on the anvil of discipline.
The Few. The Proud.
Jerry D.

This country has become more about sub-groups than about it's unity as a nation.

"The #72 pattern has got to be pretty close to the perfect knife."
--T.J. Murphy 2012
User avatar
fergusontd
Posts: 1821
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:03 pm
Location: West Central Ohio

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by fergusontd »

I bought a Chinese Sharade fixed blade for $15 at a garage sale, it seems to be real solid knife. It came witha real nice leather sheath. ftd
Attachments
Photosharade.jpg
"A pocketknife is a man's best friend!"
junebug
Posts: 5499
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 1:40 am

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by junebug »

I HAVE HAD OPPOSITE EXPERIENCE........ ::shrug::

AGAIN...MY OWN EXPERIENCE!!! ::tu::

MY ROUGH RIDERS ARE BETTER MADE IMPO ,THAN ANY OF THE "NEW" CASEXX STUFF I HAVE RECEIVED........ALL POSTED HERE WITH COMPLAINTS ABOUT NO WALK AN TALK BY ME........I HATE NO SNAP!!!! ::undecided::

I WOULD BUY A ROUGH RIDER FOR A USER BEFORE I WOULD A "NEW" CASEXX...AGAIN MY PERSONAL OPINION!!!!! AS I HAVE LIVED AND LEARNED,THROUGH MY OWN EXPERIENCE. :mrgreen:

SAFE QUEEN/COLLECTION - YES, CASEXX WOULD WIN OUT.....BUT I DONT BUY THAT WAY,SO THATS OUT FOR ME......

AND BY "NEW" CASEXX I MEAN: THE ONES MADE ABOUT 2000 TO NOW...AS THOSE ARE THE ONES I BOUGHT...AND EVERY ONE HAD AN ISSUE.


ON A EDC/USER FOR ME....MADE IN AMERICA,GERMANY,JAPAN,ITALY,ECT......IS ONLY A BONUS
IF I LIKE IT'S LOOKS....IT DOES THE JOB WELL............WELL,IT KINDA BECOMES ONE OF THE KNIFE FAMILY TO ME.....AND HENCE THE SPOKE OF "SOUL" TO ME. :mrgreen: ::super_happy::


hope no one thinks i am arguing.....i am not in any way!!!!!....i find this TOPIC interesting!!!!and the typed words may make it seem that way some times ::super_happy:: ::handshake::

do you guys lump TAIWAN in with CHINA????????? ::hmm::
AS I DO NOT ::facepalm:: :mrgreen: 8)

PS- I TOO AM AMERICAN AND SUPPORT AMERICA!!!
NO NEED FOR ANY CRAZYNESS/PM's,THANKS! ::handshake::
"Because tellin' people , i like having a SPYDIEHOLE sounds sooo much better than a THUMBHOLE"
- Junebug 2016
junebug
Posts: 5499
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 1:40 am

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by junebug »

HEY FTD.......we posted at same time....and i missed yer knife ::doh::

NICE DAGGER!!!!! 8) 8)
"Because tellin' people , i like having a SPYDIEHOLE sounds sooo much better than a THUMBHOLE"
- Junebug 2016
User avatar
Dinadan
Silver Tier
Silver Tier
Posts: 2994
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 2:34 am
Location: Coastal Alabama

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by Dinadan »

djknife13 wrote:I figure the Chinese aren't sure enough of their knives to put a permanent stamp on them that you can't erase so people won't know where it came from. Of course my Japanese Canittler that I've carried for 20 years lost it's Japan stamp too so I suppose that doesn't mean much.
I have thought that if a company is ashamed to put the name of the country where their knives are made on the knives, then maybe they should not make them there. I respect A G Russell for stamping China on his knives right below his name. Right or wrong, he is not hiding anything. Also, in his catalog the country of origin is plainly stated.
A_G_Russell.jpg

At the opposite extreme, Rob Klass is unwilling to even stencil the word China on his knives, and puts a sticker on the blade. That may not be deceptive, but it sure as heck is not standing up for his product.
Attachments
Klass.jpg
Mel
junebug
Posts: 5499
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 1:40 am

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by junebug »

8) AWESOME PICS!!!
THANKS FOR ADDIN THEM!!! ::tu::
"Because tellin' people , i like having a SPYDIEHOLE sounds sooo much better than a THUMBHOLE"
- Junebug 2016
User avatar
orvet
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 19336
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 6:23 am
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by orvet »

junebug wrote: do you guys lump TAIWAN in with CHINA????????? ::hmm::
AS I DO NOT ::facepalm:: :mrgreen: 8)
I do not consider Taiwan the same as China.
One has a free government one has a communist government that subsidizes its factories.

I carry an older Columbia River Knife and Tool M16 – 14 that is made in Taiwan.
The AUS-8A steel is excellent! It takes and holds a superb edge, and I love the chisel grind.
It is far superior, than anything I have seen from China, including other CRKT knives from China.
Dale
AAPK Administrator

Please visit my AAPK store: www.allaboutpocketknives.com/orvet

Job 13:15

"Buy more ammo!" - Johnnie Fain
“Evil is Powerless If The Good are Unafraid.” – Ronald Reagan
junebug
Posts: 5499
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 1:40 am

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by junebug »

CORRECT & I AGREE ,DALE ::nod::
I REALLY LIKE ALOT OF CRKT's STUFF,HAVE SEVERAL ::tu::
"Because tellin' people , i like having a SPYDIEHOLE sounds sooo much better than a THUMBHOLE"
- Junebug 2016
User avatar
treefarmer
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 12847
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 6:53 am
Location: Florida Panhandle(LA-Lower Alabama)

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by treefarmer »

Let me chime in on the Taiwan side. I found a Buck tactical lookin' thing in my recliner several years ago, seems like it has 177 on the tang. I thought it belonged to my son-in-law, he said no and then we contacted everyone we could think of who had visited, no one claimed the knife. After closer examination, at just the right angle as you open the blade, TAIWAN is seen stamped on the blade :( .
I started clipping this "thing" in my breast pocket of my bib overalls. It is a real workhorse! Takes a good edge, broke the tip, re profiled it, it's the "key" for one of our old farm tractors (short across the solenoid poles), gives my ol' #49 Queen lots of rest in the RFP :) . It's like a Timex watch.....I don't think I would buy one if I loose this one, I'd just dig in the POS box and try another oriental prize to spare my USA made knives ::tu:: .

Before we became accumulators of knives, the pocket knife was a tool and was used as needed. Lots of folks didn't have the luxury of choosing what knife got "light duty" and which one had to do the hard jobs like we do today, just a thought........
Treefarmer

A GUN IN THE HAND IS BETTER THAN A COP ON THE PHONE.
coffeecup
Posts: 1367
Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 4:15 am

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by coffeecup »

saltwaterebel wrote: if a case can be made that pure economics and better value comes from an import ill consider it. better price doesn't mean better value. the fact is, American knives are superior quality.
/sigh/ The statement that "American knives are superior quality" is not a true statement without further qualification. Without specifying which American knives and which imported knives are being compared, and on what factors quality is being compared, that statement is meaningless at best; more often, it seems to be deliberately misleading.

Let's look at cars instead for a moment, and consider a couple statements to illustrate what I mean.

"American cars are superior in quality to German cars." True? Maybe--are we comparing an SRT Viper to a Trabant (an American sportscar to an East German made econo-box having a 2-cylinder 2-stroke engine, and body panels made of plastic), or a Ford Pinto to a Trabant? And what factors are we looking at? Comfort? Fuel economy? Acceleration? Crash safety? The answers are different.

If, when comparing knives made in different countries, we look within a class ("sodbusters" for example) and within a price range (retailing for $25-40 USD) and look at specific factors ("hardness of steel" or "diameter of pivot rivet" for example) and define how we are going to measure those factors (perhaps "hardness on Rockwell C scale" or "diameter of rivet where it passes through blade") and what we are going to define as "better", then we can actually compare "quality".

If looked at in such a manner, comparing objective quantifiable factors there is often little significant difference--and those differences often come down to matters of personal preference. Looked at this way, there is often little objective difference between knives made in different countries, and selection often comes down to matters of personal preference.

Back to the previous example but in a higher price range, there is little difference between the version of the sodbuster made by GEC and the one that A.G. Russell has made for him (in China, as I recall). Choice might come down to preference for one blade shape or handle material, or for a slightly harder or softer blade, or between blade steels.

Questions of "better price" and "better value" are best looked at in a similar fashion, considering the whole cost of ownership; US-made knives don't always come out "best" in those comparisions, either.
junebug
Posts: 5499
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 1:40 am

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by junebug »

great post,Coffecup
makes sense to me ::nod:: 8) ::tu::
"Because tellin' people , i like having a SPYDIEHOLE sounds sooo much better than a THUMBHOLE"
- Junebug 2016
User avatar
knifetime
Posts: 1986
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 12:28 am
Location: Ohio

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by knifetime »

I have came across one made in China that I forgot I had.
Rough Rider stag with blade etch, I like this knife a lot, for one it was from my wife for B-Day, 6 years ago I do believe, and it has some very thick stag with a cool etch. I have saw another one like my knife with a eagle on the blade.
Attachments
IMAG0041.JPG
IMAG0044.JPG
IMAG0043.JPG
-"...and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby If the iron be blunt,and he do not whet the edge,then must he put to more strength....Ecclesiastes 10 10 ;So the good book says
sharpen your knife !!!
afishhunter
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2015 10:53 pm
Location: Terra; 3rd rock from Sol

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by afishhunter »

testcase wrote:Lets see....

The Chinese government owns the factories that employ communist slave labor
The Chinese government controls the Chines military and profits for things like knife sales end up going to the Chinese's Military
The Chinese Military routinely war games against US Military
The Chinese helped North Korea make Nuke weapons. China in turn helped, and is helping Iran develop theirs.
The American cutlery companies, that employ America workers are trying to survive...

There is more, but Phil said play nice
Lets see ... China has the fastest growing economy in the world ... you don't get that with state owned factories or slave/child labor.

Buck, Case, and other "American" cutlers sell knives they have made off shore - in China - to consumers in the USA.

I own seven or eight Rough Riders, and a Chinese made Schrade Uncle Henry LB7, and a Marbles rendition of the all steel Camillus "Demo" knife/Army utility knife.
Guess what? All have blades that hold an edge, all came sharp enough to shave with, the LB7 not only has the blade perfectly centered, but also has ZERO blade play side to side or up and down. None of the Rough Riders I own (seven slip joints, one lock back, so far) have any blade play, the slip joints have plenty of "walk and talk" (ditto the Marbles).

In today's global economy, pretty much everything made has parts/components made in China, if not fully made there. Your iPhone, for instance, may have been designed in the USA, and assembled in Mexico, but 99% of what is inside that phone was made in China.

"Buy American" today does not mean what it did in the 50's and 60's. Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW, Subaru ... all have plants un the US. You would be hard pressed to find a "foreign" car actually made in its country of origin these days; the obvious exception being the limited production Italian sports cars.

Oh well. Haters are gonna hate.
"Youth is wasted on the young." (George Bernard Shaw)
"Mr. Murphy was an optimist." (The General's Credo)
"I took the road less traveled. I now have no idea where I am." (Anonymous over the road truck driver)
afishhunter
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2015 10:53 pm
Location: Terra; 3rd rock from Sol

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by afishhunter »

I like the Rough Riders. I became aware of them on another knife forum, checked them out, and ordered "a few".

So far, I have the large and small sunfish, (the large has become my favorite EDC slip joint) an electrician, two blade Barlow, a bone handled lock back, and a 5 blade stockman
All have zero blade play, have centered blades, and no blade strike on the liners or other blades. (I am a truck driver. The stockman was delivered after my last home time, so I've not seen it yet) fit and finish is impeccable, all were shaving sharp out of the box.

Rough Rider offers more patterns for general use than anyone else I know if, and do not make limited to 1,000 (give or take) "production" runs of over priced "safe queen" collector" knives, as Case and GEC seem to have a habit of.
"Youth is wasted on the young." (George Bernard Shaw)
"Mr. Murphy was an optimist." (The General's Credo)
"I took the road less traveled. I now have no idea where I am." (Anonymous over the road truck driver)
User avatar
jerryd6818
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 39164
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 5:23 am
Location: The middle of the top of a bastion of Liberalism.

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by jerryd6818 »

afishhunter wrote:
testcase wrote:Lets see....

The Chinese government owns the factories that employ communist slave labor
The Chinese government controls the Chines military and profits for things like knife sales end up going to the Chinese's Military
The Chinese Military routinely war games against US Military
The Chinese helped North Korea make Nuke weapons. China in turn helped, and is helping Iran develop theirs.
The American cutlery companies, that employ America workers are trying to survive...

There is more, but Phil said play nice
Lets see ... China has the fastest growing economy in the world ... you don't get that with state owned factories or slave/child labor.

Buck, Case, and other "American" cutlers sell knives they have made off shore - in China - to consumers in the USA.

I own seven or eight Rough Riders, and a Chinese made Schrade Uncle Henry LB7, and a Marbles rendition of the all steel Camillus "Demo" knife/Army utility knife.
Guess what? All have blades that hold an edge, all came sharp enough to shave with, the LB7 not only has the blade perfectly centered, but also has ZERO blade play side to side or up and down. None of the Rough Riders I own (seven slip joints, one lock back, so far) have any blade play, the slip joints have plenty of "walk and talk" (ditto the Marbles).

In today's global economy, pretty much everything made has parts/components made in China, if not fully made there. Your iPhone, for instance, may have been designed in the USA, and assembled in Mexico, but 99% of what is inside that phone was made in China.

"Buy American" today does not mean what it did in the 50's and 60's. Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW, Subaru ... all have plants un the US. You would be hard pressed to find a "foreign" car actually made in its country of origin these days; the obvious exception being the limited production Italian sports cars.

Oh well. Haters are gonna hate.
Except for that first one (and I don't know the facts on it), there's nothing you said that isn't true. BUT true or not, I don't have to like it. My opinions are the one thing the "thought police" (U.S. Government) still doesn't control.

Welcome to AAPK. Glad to have you aboard.
Forged on the anvil of discipline.
The Few. The Proud.
Jerry D.

This country has become more about sub-groups than about it's unity as a nation.

"The #72 pattern has got to be pretty close to the perfect knife."
--T.J. Murphy 2012
flangster
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2014 1:53 pm

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by flangster »

Topics like these inevitably tweak folks' sensibilities. I have enjoyed the candid exchange of views above. You all are an articulate, thoughtful bunch. More importantly, the discussions have been civil -- which is a rare thing these days. So: a tip of the hat to the AAPK group.

In my case, the American-made knives that I have have an extra undefinable "something" that comes along with them. Maybe it comes down to pride that the craftsmen in my country are doing such a good job -- you know, a kind of "go team!" reaction. And: the folks at GEC make it easy to be proud of their craftsmanship and products. For me, that extra bit of pride is worth something in the cost -- I don't think I have ever found a GEC knife I liked and even checked the price of a competing Chinese product (or French, or German or Japanese for that matter).

I do own some Chinese-made knives: a stainless and aluminum Buck Flashpoint that I keep in my life jacket and an AG Russel Wharncliff Sowbelly I recently bought as an experiment. And I also carried a French Opinel for a couple of years before I discovered GEC and Queen Cutlery. Oh, and there is a Moki lockback somewhere in my drawer, which is Japanese-made, and a couple of German Bokers, as well as a Swiss Army Knife. As tools, they do what I need them to -- never had a complaint (other than the shape of the AG Russel, which doesn't fit my hand as well as I would like -- but I think, ironically, that results from decisions by the U.S. designer). My other 50 or so knives are American made -- although I know that "collection" makes me a piker compared to some of you folks.

However, we do live in an increasingly interconnected world, where the purchase of a hamburger at McDonalds, an oil change for my car, or the decision to repaint the front of the house have economic ripple effects that go across national boarders in a routine commercial way and about which I don't stress over too much. I will also say though that until recently, I had no collection of pocket knives at all -- I just wasn't sensitized to the question. Now that I have bought a "nicer class of knives", I don't think I will be able to go back to an impulse purchase a random pocket-knife off the display box next to the cash register at my local Agway. You all have ruined me! Or educated me. And for that I thank you all.
junebug
Posts: 5499
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 1:40 am

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by junebug »

flangster.........I THINK I can help you... ::hmm:: ..... ::nod::

send that MOKI & RUSSELL to me, ya know what they say.... OUTTA SIGHT OUTTA MIND! ::super_happy:: ::tu::


always here ta help boys...hehehhehehe ::handshake::
"Because tellin' people , i like having a SPYDIEHOLE sounds sooo much better than a THUMBHOLE"
- Junebug 2016
User avatar
wazu013
Posts: 2383
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:58 pm

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by wazu013 »

flangster,
::welcome:: TO AAPK It sounds like you have a nice collection going. Please post some pictures I'd love to see them and I think others would as well ::tu::
wazu013

P.S. Forward that Moki to me. I'll see that junebug gets it :wink:
Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez
User avatar
Just Plain Dave
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 7724
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 3:54 am
Location: Near East Texas (Cleveland area)

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by Just Plain Dave »

I think the heat treat is a bit spotty on some of the China knives.
But if you get a good one they can take it for the most part.


They just lack soul. A few of mine are flawlessly executed but just don't feel like a US knife.
Looking for the magic penny!
User avatar
Ruffinigold
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2015 3:33 am

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by Ruffinigold »

MITCH RAPP wrote:
philco wrote:OK folks..........let's be nice. :)

Phil
8) 10-4 ::tu:: :mrgreen:
Jeez ... that makes me hungry . :mrgreen:

I don't have a problem with knives from China . Basically , I use them for work knives . Currently , I'm abusing the heck out of a Kershaw 1 ton for my work knife [ made in China ] . China is producing better knives than in the past , I mean I wouldn't even have considered one as a work knife because they were so poor a decade or more ago . I cant see collecting them but that's just me . I like old Keen Kutter and IXL pocket knives .. stuff like that , as far as collecting , which I don't do enough of .
PigSticker
Posts: 1296
Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2010 3:37 pm
Location: Burton,Michigan

Re: What's wrong with the knives made in China?

Post by PigSticker »

I've bought a lot of China mades in the last ten years--thing is if you compare them to knives that sold for the same $ 20-30 years ago that are U.S. made they are nicer knives--only U.S. knives you could buy that cheap were Colonial's or Imperial's or Ideal's and we all know how those were made--but I collect them all that's part of collecting knives to me--years ago I bought only U.S.--since I quit working I buy the best I can afford from week to week and have more fun doing it & a lot of times it will be made in China--I own more weak springed old never carried never sharpened U.S. knives than any they look good on Ebay but there's a reason they never got carried it's because they was crap made & whoever owned them years ago didn't like them so put them away--My favorite China's are Spydreco & CRKT hard to beat for the $$
NEVER DOUBT YOUR DAWG
Locked

Return to “Chinese-made knives”