Today's Chinese knives

[KeithB1982]

I like to carry a variety of knives, carrying one for a few weeks, then switching to another model to carry. Over the last five years I have abandoned carrying US and German made knives and instead carry knives made in China.

The quality of the knives made in China over the last five years or so has really increased exponentially. I can purchase a decent knife, many times with bone handles, to carry and have less than $10 invested. If I break a blade or lose it I can get another without it driving me nuts over the loss of potential value down the road.

Sure, I buy US and German made knives, but no longer carry them. Normally I keep them in their boxes and see them as money in the bank, only the values will increase faster than the current interest rates.

I have purchased Elk Ridge, Boker Magnum Bonsai, Rough Rider and others. I have found them easy to sharpen, of good quality and definitely a good value. I've even put some back to keep just in case their values should increase in the future.

[glenn]

Boker Plus seems to be a good user knife.

[jerryd6818]

I've even put some back to keep just in case their values should increase in the future.

No offense intended but good luck on that one. But of course what do I know? I'm the one who, in 1990, told my son that Crap 'er uh, Rap music was a passing fancy and would go out of style within five years.

Just one more opinionated, crotchety old man.

[KeithB1982]

I've even put some back to keep just in case their values should increase in the future.

No offense intended but good luck on that one. But of course what do I know? I'm the one who, in 1990, told my son that Crap 'er uh, Rap music was a passing fancy and would go out of style within five years.

Just one more opinionated, crotchety old man.

When I see mint condition Kamp Kings bring 20X what they did new 30-40 years ago I would not discount any knife of decent quality having the potential to have collector value. I had a Kamp King when I was a kid, made in the USA junk knife. Hard to sharpen, didn't hold an edge, cheesy handles.

I remember people talking about the junky cars rolling off the ships from Japan in the 70's, now people consider Japanese cars to be high quality. Same thing for Korean cars when they first arrived, now they are high quality.

The first Chinese knives were junk, and some still are. A lot of these knives being imported by traditionally American companies have a lot better quality.

[jerryd6818]

You make a good point. I've put forth the same Japanese analogy more than once and recently in another thread.

I admit my point of view is colored by my prejudice against the Chinese knives and I don't apologize for it. I won an A.G. Russell Curved Regular Jack over on the CollecterKnives forum. It was probably better made than anything in my little accumulation but I traded it because I just couldn't get past "Made In China".

Shuttin' up now boss.

[Old Hunter]

Jerry, I feel the same way about "Made in Japan" on a Winchester! I can handle it on a Browning - they have always been made overseas, but not on a Winchester.

[xstuntman]

I've played with buying some chi-com stuff and still might get some Rough Rider peanuts but I've been slowly getting into buying older U.S.A. made carbon steel knives.
Every time I look at chi-com stuff i think how I'm buying them a new aircraft carrier

[ironmage]

Boker Plus seems to be a good user knife.

There a grate knife I carry one every day in a belt case.