Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

timf600 · Post by **timf600** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:19 am

I know Case is made in USA. I am trying to find out who else are true patriot Knife makers. If you don't mind sharing with me who is your top 5 made in USA makers and rank them 1-5.

I thought was buying real german quality knife and opened it to find a made in China sticker

. So if you could save me some money and trial by error it would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks again for sharing your wisdom

johnny twoshoes · Post by **johnny twoshoes** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:41 am

1. Great Eastern Cutlery.
I share the same statehood of this great company and I'm proud of their product, even though I have nothing to do with their production. It's a home town feel from the people, and a country pride in the knives.

2. W.R. Case & Sons.
How do you not love a Case? We have seen the quality dip, but we have not seen it disappear. I have hope that their product will continue to strengthen, as I feel it has in the last couple years. History is all to interesting to let go.

3. Buck Knives.
Back to the history, but this time it's my family's history. A Buck has been chosen by almost every member of my family, why? Because they work, they hunt and they contribute as much as any knife will. They don't give up. Buck has dealt in the imported field and thats my only complaint.

4. Canal Street Cutlery.
There is just something classy about this company. I like them, I don't own enough of them yet, but I like 'em.

5. Queen Cutlery.
Love/Hate. They can make a quality product, I know. I'm just not impressed with the quality of the knives I have, for me I find them lacking. I do have 1 very beautiful knife, one of the nicest I own in fact. I got it from a great forum member,

so I knew the quality would be there and it is.

timf600 · Post by **timf600** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:56 am

Wow! Thanks Johnny for the info. Thanks for the great details.

MyDogsHunt · Post by **MyDogsHunt** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:23 am

(1) Schrade, hands down. Not as fancy as some, but have always been an excelent value IMO.
Probably unfair to the other great manufacturers, but I grew up on em so I'm more than a little predijuce.
(2) GEC, because they are one of the last manufacturers that still feel the same way I do about carbon steel.
(3) Canal Street because they're basically a throw back of my favorite (Schrade) but with better quality.
Only reason they're not number two is because they went away from my beloved carbon steel.
(4) Any manufactur that still offers carbon steel, and is US made.

philco · Post by **philco** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:55 am

For me this is the order.........

1. Canal Street.......excellent quality at a fair price. Great company to do business with.
2. Great Eastern Cutlery...........also excellent quality and good folks. A bit more expensive than Canal Street IMO.
3. Queen (Shatt and Morgan line) Beautiful knives with great fit and finish
4. Buck.......You can't beat the toughness and durability of a good ole Buck knife. They offer a wide range of styles too.
5. Case.....Good but not great knives coming from them now, but they sure had their glory days.

I have not addressed any brands not currently being manufactured.

Phil

big monk · Post by **big monk** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 6:57 am

I am asking,but didn't the USA Schrade plant close down ????? And Taylor Brands,has the brand name rights, now ??? and the knives are made in China ?????_____________

http://www.taylorbrandsllc.com/

MY ranking******

1.Great Eastern Cutlery )GEC)
2.Canal Street
3.Case
4.Queen
5.Buck

Also a list of makers,in an older AAPK, post
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... =4&t=12109

TripleF · Post by **TripleF** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 9:27 am

I've only been messing around lightly with knives for the past 5 or 6 years so take that for what it's worth.

1). Kershaw - The Leek put me over the edge.
2). BUCK
3). Schrade (not made in the US but you can still find plenty of them on eBay just as if they were)
4). GEC (Great Eastern Cutlery)
5). ????

wishful · Post by **wishful** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 10:05 am

No custom makers listed. Hmmmm.......

MyDogsHunt · Post by **MyDogsHunt** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 10:57 am

big monk wrote:I am asking,but didn't the USA Schrade plant close down ????? And Taylor Brands,has the brand name rights, now ??? and the knives are made in China ?????

Yes,,, I should have said "Old Schrades".
Sorry

Jacknifeben · Post by **Jacknifeben** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:34 pm

You should have specified new knives or knives from the past MADE IN U.S.A. Then it would be Napanoch, Cattaraugus, New York Knife, Case, and Winchester.

jerryd6818 · Post by **jerryd6818** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:48 pm

Maybe this should be a sticky in it's own thread someplace (Knife Lore?). This has been posted in other threads and discussed extensively. For your reading pleasure. If anyone has any correctons, please let me know. Yes, I know there are some missing. If you know for positive, give me the facts on a manufacturer and I'll add it.

Edited to add information from Philco and Orvet.
Edited to add Spyderco

Al Mar Knives – Al Mar worked for Gerber Legendary Blades. He quit Gerber to start his own company c, 1979. Al Mar was a friend of mine. He designed his knives and had them produced by Huhey of Sakai City Japan. There was one excerption I know of, some switchblades produced by Benchmade in the USA. Al told me personally that Les de Asis was the only person he trusted in the US to make a knife for the Al Mar brand. At that time Al Mar Knives were arguably the finest production knives on the retail market, rivaling for quality most of the custom knives on the market. Al died in 1992 and the company changed hands. I know very little about the new company except they have changed manufacturers, (I can’t imagine that bodes well for their quality). I believe they are all still imported. (Source - Orvet)

Amherst Cutlery - All current Models Hand Made in Amherst, OH (If I'm not mistaken, Amherst is now out of business.)

Bear & Son - All Models made "in house" in Jacksonville, AL

Benchmade - Located in Oregon City, Oregon. I know a bit about them, as I was their first retail account when they opened in the late 1980s when they were still located in Clackamas Oregon. I know the president Les de Asis and spend a fair amount of time at their plant in the 1980s. I know Les did not ever want to import knives, as he had owned Pacific Cutlery that went under in the Dollar vs. Yen exchange of the early 1980s. I know he would not have been happy about importing knives again.
Benchmade makes excellent quality knives and it is my understanding that they are moving away from the imports and back to knives made only in their Oregon City plant, or that is at least the intention according to my source. (Source - Orvet)

Boker - Most Models made in Baumwerk Factory - Solingen, German / Models marked "Arbolito" made in Buenos Aires, Argentina / Models marked MAGNUM made in China
Browning- All Models made in China / Licensed & Imported jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives

Buck - Some Models made in China (Model #'s with X7XX or XX8X are made in China) / Some Models made "in house" in Idaho

Buck Creek - All Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Owned & Imported by FROST Cutlery

Bulldog - New Models made by Queen & GEC /Owned by Buzz Parker
*Several known Outsourced Models - some from 2007, 2008 & 2009

Canal Street Cutlery - All Models made "in house" in Ellenville, NY

Case - All Models Made "in house" in Bradford, PA

Chippaway Cutlery - All Models made in China / Owned & Imported by FROST Cutlery

Cinch - Most models Made by Boker - Baumwerk Factory - Solingen, Germany / Owned by Miller Corp. - COLO.

Colonel Coon - All Models made by Queen, Titusville, PA / Owned jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives

Colt - All Models Made In China (same plant as Rough Rider) / Owned by United Cutlery / Licensed & Imported jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives

Columbia River Knife & Tool – Located in Wilsonville, Oregon was started by employees from Kershaw and Gerber. Their knives are all imported, mainly from Taiwan and China I think. (Source - Orvet)

Cripple Creek - Made by GEC and Queen / Owned & Licensed by Blue Ridge Knives

Fighting Rooster - All Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Licensed & Imported by S. Buster

Fox N Hound - All models Made in China (2 possible Models made in Italy by AKC or Fox) / Same plant as Rough Rider / Licensed & Imported jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives

Eye Brand - German Eye (Carl Schlieper)- All Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Licensed & Distributed by C. Risner

Gerber - All Models made in China "Gerber Legendary Blades – Located in Portland, Oregon. Was purchased from the Gerber family in the 1980s by Fiskers of Finland. They have many imported knives but I had occasion to be at the factory recently and the said they still made some products at the Oregon plant." (Source - Orvet)

German Bull - All Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Owned & Imported by FROST Cutlery

Great Eastern Cutlery - Tidioute Cutlery, Northfield Un-X-LD and Great Eastern Cutlery - Made in House - Titusville, PA USA

Hen & Rooster - Most Models made by Boker - Baumwerk Factory, Germany / Owned & Imported by FROST Cutlery

Indian Head - Some Models made in China / Some Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Licensed & Distributed by C. Risner

Jim Bowie - All Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Licensed & Imported by C. Risner

John Primble - All Models made in China / Licensed & Distributed by Blue Grass Cutlery

Keen Kutter - All Models made by Bear & Son - Jacksonville, AL

Kershaw - Now located in Tualatin, Oregon -Kai Cutlery of Japan made most of the early Kershaw knives. Sometime in the 1980s Kai purchased Kershaw. They have expanded the manufacturing base and have a state of the art factory in Tualatin Oregon where their US knives are made. The plant manager told me a few years ago that all the assisted opening Kershaws are made at the Tualatin plant. Their company literature of a couple years ago spoke of the new plant they were developing in China. In their current line they have knives made in the USA, Japan and China. There nay also be some from Taiwan but I am not positive.
The founder Pete Kershaw had worked for Gerber Legendary Blades in Portland Oregon. (Source: Orvet)

Kutmaster (Utica) - Made "in house" U.S.

Kissing Crane - Most current Models made in China / One Model (Sodbuster) made in Italy / Owned by United Cutlery / Licensed & Imported jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives

Marbles - All Current Models made in China / Licensed & Imported jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives

MooreMaker - Most Models made by Queen in Titusville, PA / Some models by Bear & Son - B&S Models have a "B" in the Model #

Northwoods - All Models made by Queen in Titusville, PA

Queen - All Models made "in house" in Titusville, PA

Remington - Most Models made in China / Some Models made by Queen, Titusville, PA - incl. Annual Bullet Knife / Some Models (incl one future line, Official Boy Scout Traditional) made by Bear & Sons

Rigid - Most Models Made In China / Short Runs made by Canal Street Cutlery / Owned by United Cutlery / Licensed & Imported jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives

Robeson (Shuredge / Mastercraft) - Made by Queen, Titusville, PA / Licensed & Distributed through Smoky Mountain Knife Works

Rough Rider - All Models Made In China / Owned & Imported jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives

Schatt & Morgan - All Models made by Queen in Titusville, PA
Schrade- All Models Made in China / Owned & Imported by Taylor Cutlery Kingsport, TN

Shapliegh's - All Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Imported & Distributed exclusively through Parkers

SOG - Has knives manufactured in the USA, Japan, Tiawan,and China. (Per Philco)

Spyderco - China, Hong Kong, Italy Japan, Taiwan, United States. Knives are listed by country of origin on their web site Spyderco.com, as a drop down menu under the button Country of Origin.

Steel Warrior - China

Utica (Kutmaster) - Made "in house" in USA

Weidmannsheill - All Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Imported & Distributed exclusively through Parkers

Winchester - Most Current Models made in China - some Models produced by Queen in Titusville, PA / Licensed to Blue Grass Cutlery / Owned by Olin Corp.

trutemper · Post by **trutemper** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:30 pm

Thanks for that list Jerry! I was`nt even aware that knives with the Shapleigh brand were still being made.

Bob

jerryd6818 · Post by **jerryd6818** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:35 pm

I don't know that they are, Bob. I copied that list from, I think, a post by BigDon some time ago and stuck it in a Word doc on my computer for future reference.

timf600 · Post by **timf600** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:15 pm

Thanks Jerry for that great list! Thanks everyone else also! This place is so great, I really appreciate everyone's willingness to help.This is really is a more

enjoyable

hobby

when you now what your doing.

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:35 pm

I think there are a number of brands Parker owned that have been picked up (bought) by the Smoky Mt/Blue Ridge consortium such as Weidmannsheil. I know Smoky/Blue Ridge own and import Rough Riders*, but I think they also have Marbles, Kissing Crane, and probably most of the companies that have recently moved to China from Germany. I think they bought the old United Cutlery or at least the name after they closed (c. 2005).

It seems to me in looking at that list, many (maybe most?) of the names connected to Chinese knives today have a connection to Smoky Mt., Blue Ridge, Parker, Frost & Taylor. I believe these all have a connection common denominator of some sort of association with James F. Parker. Frost and Taylor were business partners of Jim Parker in the Parker/Frost and Parker/Taylor brands. I am not sure of Jim’s connection with Smoky & Blue Ridge, but I believe his son Buzz Parker was or is involved in one or both of them. I had not noticed this before today looking at the reposting of that list by Jerry.

Very interesting.

* See “Knife Collector’s Guide” by Jim Parker; ©2004.

rangerbluedog · Post by **rangerbluedog** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:11 pm

The link between the Parker and SMKW was James' brother, John.
John Parker and Kevin Pipes (of SMKW) were partners in United Cutlery (1984).

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:16 pm

I can offer some information on some of the companies here in Oregon

Kershaw- Now located in Tualatin, Oregon -Kai Cutlery of Japan made most of the early Kershaw knives. Sometime in the 1980s Kai purchased Kershaw. They have expanded the manufacturing base and have a state of the art factory in Tualatin Oregon where their US knives are made. The plant manager told me a few years ago that all the assisted opening Kershaws are made at the Tualatin plant. Their company literature of a couple years ago spoke of the new plant they were developing in China. In their current line they have knives made in the USA, Japan and China. There nay also be some from Taiwan but I am not positive.
The founder Pete Kershaw had worked for Gerber Legendary Blades in Portland Oregon.

Benchmade- Located in Oregon City, Oregon. I know a bit about them, as I was their first retail account when they opened in the late 1980s when they were still located in Clackamas Oregon. I know the president Les de Asis and spend a fair amount of time at their plant in the 1980s. I know Les did not ever want to import knives, as he had owned Pacific Cutlery that went under in the Dollar vs. Yen exchange of the early 1980s. I know he would not have been happy about importing knives again.
Benchmade makes excellent quality knives and it is my understanding that they are moving away from the imports and back to knives made only in their Oregon City plant, or that is at least the intention according to my source.

Columbia River Knife & Tool – Located in Wilsonville, Oregon was started by employees from Kershaw and Gerber. Their knives are all imported, mainly from Taiwan and China I think.

Gerber Legendary Blades – Located in Portland, Oregon. Was purchased from the Gerber family in the 1980s by Fiskers of Finland. They have many imported knives but I had occasion to be at the factory recently and the said they still made some products at the Oregon plant.

Al Mar Knives – Al Mar worked for Gerber Legendary Blades. He quit Gerber to start his own company c, 1979. Al Mar was a friend of mine. He designed his knives and had them produced by Huhey of Sakai City Japan. There was one excerption I know of, some switchblades produced by Benchmade in the USA. Al told me personally that Les de Asis was the only person he trusted in the US to make a knife for the Al Mar brand. At that time Al Mar Knives were arguably the finest production knives on the retail market, rivaling for quality most of the custom knives on the market. Al died in 1992 and the company changed hands. I know very little about the new company except they have changed manufacturers, (I can’t imagine that bodes well for their quality). I believe they are all still imported.

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:35 pm

rangerbluedog wrote:The link between the Parker and SMKW was James' brother, John.
John Parker and Kevin Pipes (of SMKW) were partners in United Cutlery (1984).

Thanks Blue.

I figured there was some sort of 'Parker' connection.

1967redrider · Post by **1967redrider** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 2:43 am

My top five newly made knives would be;

1. Case
2. Buck with the American flag on the box/packaging
3. Remington Bullet knives
4. Blue Grass Cutlery made Winchesters
5. Boker but not Plus or Magnum

Vintage I'll throw in;

Puma
Marbles
Cattaraugus
Bulldog
Fight'n Rooster

I'm starting to get turned on to GEC.

Dave O · Post by **Dave O** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 3:48 am

Vintage Robeson seems to be my favorite. I really like old Remingtons also.

A few Custom Warenskies and S R Johnson also have a place in my safe.

Knife Nut · Post by **Knife Nut** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 2:21 pm

Interesting thread.......I'm going to give mine first in vintage American made, then in current production.

1) Case (Pre 1972)
2) Marbles
3) New York Knife Co.
4) Walden Knife Co.
5) Remington

1) William Henry (yes, I know small production/high end)
2) GEC
3) Canal Street
4) Buck (those still made in USA)
5) Case

Paul

paulsvintage · Post by **paulsvintage** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 9:48 pm

great choices guys

vintage
1.) cattaraugus
2.) Waterville
3.New York knife Co.
4.) Miller Brothers
5.) Case

Modern
1.) Great Eastern co.
2.) Scagel / Northwoods
3.) Chris Reeves
4.) Case
5 Canal Street

Simple Man · Post by **Simple Man** » Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:56 pm

Don't forget Spyderco. Although they do have production in Japan, Tiawan, and some in China, they are firmly based in Golden CO, and have production there also. Also they fully support the Military, and many others, in ways we never hear of.

That said, I like;

1 - Spyderco
2 - Queen
3 - Busse/Kin
4 - Buck
5 - Case

Looking at it, it has as much to go with character and class of the maker/owner as the product itself. I have a hard time carrying the product of someone I have a hard time respecting, regardless how good it may be.

jerryd6818 · Post by **jerryd6818** » Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:33 pm

List edited to add Spyderco.

trail · Post by **trail** » Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:16 pm

Simple Man, I hear you on the character and class of the maker. That's one reason I like Bear & Son. Ken Griffey is one of the finest men in commercial knife making today. I also like Bear because to my mind, with Utica, they are the last of the working man's knife makers still standing. I know lots of people EDC their Great Easterns and Canal Streets, but the average working man is not going to carry a hundred dollar knife in his pocket, not unless he is a knife collector. Bear and Utica - and to some extent Case - still make affordable knives for using in addition to the beauties that are more for collecting.

All About Pocket Knives

Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?

Re: Who is your top 5 made in USA makers?