All About Pocket Knives

Best made Chinese knife?

Well, I can't make a general statement but the CRKT model 6063 Classic Stockman I just bought is superb. I'll even go out on a limb and state that it is better fitted and finished than any of the Buck pocket folders I own. The CRKT knife is very close to a Case in the level of fit and finish.

Like a lot of folks here, I'm a bit uncomfortable buying a Chinese-made product and I'm happy to pay a bit extra for a US produced piece. But when US manufacturers can't deliver the same level of quality, even at a higher price, what's a guy to do?



Brian

Those bucks seem to be a good knife Trio and other wood scale ones.

While I understand this is a two year old thread, even though I'm not a fan of knives made in the Far East, I would have to say Colt and Marbles.

BUT

If you are looking for a really fine knife made in the land which shall not be named, you need to look for an A.G. Russell Curved Regular Jack. I won one of these on another forum a couple of years ago and OMG. I really hate to praise the knives from the Far East but the fit and finish on this knife is superb. I couldn't cope with the country of origin so I traded it off but I gotta tell ya, there are times I regret that.

Just got a new Schrade to check out the quality. Found it impressive considering the price-$15. F&F are decent and walk and talk are ferocious. Personally I don't care so much for blades that snap shut like a bear trap. I always seem to have part of a finger in the way.

philco wrote:A Chinese made brand I've not seen mentioned much, but one that has impressed me for its quality is the Boker Plus line of knives. I sent one to a knifer friend of mine a few months back to take for a test drive. He had never owned a Chinese made knife. I wanted him to put it in his pocket and use it for a while and let me know his thoughts on it. He has told me that he's very impressed with the knife and that it took and held an edge very well. After a month or so I asked him what he found lacking in the knife and he told me "I can't find anything wrong with it." I can tell you the fit and finish on them is excellent and I like many of the patterns they have out. I suspect they are using a bit better quality of steel than what's found in the Rough Rider line but I'm no expert on knife steels.
The best Chinese made knife that I own is a Spyderco Tenacious. The overall quality of that knife is outstanding and I really enjoy having it as part of my EDC rotation.

Phil


PS For the sake of full disclosure I will say I have some of the Boker Plus knives for sale in my store, but I also have other Chinese made brands as well.

Phil,all the Boker plus knives are made from 440c SS and it is very good steel.
I'm on board with you Phil. I have a 2 blade double lock trapper in bone handle with ringed brass bolsters and a nice shield. It is made from 440c SS and is well made. I think I gave $14.00 for this knife 3 or 4 years ago and I have used it every day. It is a Boker plus mad in China but it was made right.
I have a few other China knives that are made well some are Boker, Rough Rider's and one I have is a Krieger. The Krieger has a Damascus blade with SS bolsters and frame with jigged buffalo horn handles. It is made very well and is a great looking knife.
One other company I would like to mention is the Steel Warrior made by Frost,they are probly the best knives he has made from China. I have found the 440SS is a bit softer than the other's I have mentioned but is fair and they make lots of old patterns that most of the other company's don't and are very well made.

I've got a Boker Plus Congress with stainless liners real nice knife for the $$--think I paid $13.00 for it a couple years ago

boker p[us in a sniper bladeworks pattern is increadible. the 440c holds up fantastic, if you want to see how great the steel is try cutting up shad , drum & small carp for catfish bait--fish bones & fins can dull the best quickly. HiPower

When I buy a CCC knife it's for hard use then I toss it. I'm sure AG Russell has the very best Chineese knives on the planet but there is no way I'm dropping that much money on a CCC knife. At least the other Chineese knives like Rough Rider and some of the others mentioned are priced as they should be. It's not hard to find a usable CCC knife anymore. It's almost harder to find total crap knives than good ones these days. The fact remains though that they will never be collectables and if you buy one to be a safe queen your wasting your dough IMHO. Don't get me wrong though I own and use CCC knives all the time. It lets me carry and kill a pattern that otherwise I couldn't afford to do with an American made knife. I have a Marbles Ax-Knif combo that cost 30 bucks. It's built like the old Case models but I can actually use it at my camp site. I also have a Rough Rider scout that was under 10 bucks and a RR 17 pattern that was 12 bucks. So for a total od 60 bucks I have 3 patterns that I love to use and it wouldn't kill me to break it up or drop it in the fire. Can you imagine taking the same 3 Case products out camping. I'd have to carry a glass display for them and they would never leave my truck
Every morning when I wake up and open my hands then try to stand up and walk I remember that I made my money the hard way so I think I'm a little more carefull with the way I use the tools I buy with it. Collecting is a different story though, if you know what I mean

That's to funny Waz cause I remember treating Schrade products that same way back in the 70's & 80's they weren't nothing special always on sale at Kmart

PigSticker wrote:That's to funny Waz cause I remember treating Schrade products that same way back in the 70's & 80's they weren't nothing special always on sale at Kmart

I remember Schrade knives the same way. For us it was Buck 110's and then everything else. I never even thought much of Case back then I had to have my Buck 110 and 119 for my fixed blade. Of course collecting was the furthest thing on my mind. I used my knives. I'm not saying that nothing else was good I'm just saying what I was brought up with

It was Case knives for me then around 77 everybody was wearing a 110-I liked them but they got in the way of tool bags so never had much use for them I never wore a belt for that same reason--can't remember the last Case knife I carried been awhile I had a Buck Lightning for the longest time had three of them all forest green now last decade has been mostly a Kershaw

Just my 2 cents, but for five bucks Steel Warrior. For ten bucks Schrade Imperial. For fifteen bucks Kissing Crane. Like I said, just my opinion. The first knife I bought my son was a 5 dollar steel warrior at a gun store. Good quality for the money. Shrade Imperial takes one heck of an edge for 10 dollars and up. I just like kissing crane no matter country of origin or the price.

PigSticker wrote:That's to funny Waz cause I remember treating Schrade products that same way back in the 70's & 80's they weren't nothing special always on sale at Kmart

You know I thought that very same thing as I read this and then read your post next pigsticker.
I think that a cheap knife will never be worth a lot but a well made knife no matter where it comes from will appeal to some collector down the road. They will never be a Case or Fight'en Rooster's so I have to agree with wazu, but I say collect what you want and enjoy your knives,that is the whole point. I have never bought a knife thinking I was going to make a dime from it.

When I was a little kid, I bought a fairly inexpensive Chinese made Imperial Barlow. Well, most certainly not vintage US made Imperial quality, but it's still good.

I'm surprised to see so many Chinese fans here
Take a look at the Knife Trading Forum...I'll trade 9 new in the box Chinese knives for 1 good AMERICAN knife.

I'm sure AG Russell has the very best Chineese knives on the planet but there is no way I'm dropping that much money on a CCC knife.

Wazoo: Agreed. I understand AG has returned entire shipments to China that were slightly out of spec.

If memory serves, I think CRKT was the first to turn to China in a big way for knife production. With a lot of success evidently. Mostly for reasons of style I was never drawn to buy from them. Anyone have experience with their products as to quality?

knifetime wrote:

philco wrote:A Chinese made brand I've not seen mentioned much, but one that has impressed me for its quality is the Boker Plus line of knives. I sent one to a knifer friend of mine a few months back to take for a test drive. He had never owned a Chinese made knife. I wanted him to put it in his pocket and use it for a while and let me know his thoughts on it. He has told me that he's very impressed with the knife and that it took and held an edge very well. After a month or so I asked him what he found lacking in the knife and he told me "I can't find anything wrong with it." I can tell you the fit and finish on them is excellent and I like many of the patterns they have out. I suspect they are using a bit better quality of steel than what's found in the Rough Rider line but I'm no expert on knife steels.
The best Chinese made knife that I own is a Spyderco Tenacious. The overall quality of that knife is outstanding and I really enjoy having it as part of my EDC rotation.

Phil


PS For the sake of full disclosure I will say I have some of the Boker Plus knives for sale in my store, but I also have other Chinese made brands as well.

Phil,all the Boker plus knives are made from 440c SS and it is very good steel.
I'm on board with you Phil. I have a 2 blade double lock trapper in bone handle with ringed brass bolsters and a nice shield. It is made from 440c SS and is well made. I think I gave $14.00 for this knife 3 or 4 years ago and I have used it every day. It is a Boker plus mad in China but it was made right.
I have a few other China knives that are made well some are Boker, Rough Rider's and one I have is a Krieger. The Krieger has a Damascus blade with SS bolsters and frame with jigged buffalo horn handles. It is made very well and is a great looking knife.
One other company I would like to mention is the Steel Warrior made by Frost,they are probly the best knives he has made from China. I have found the 440SS is a bit softer than the other's I have mentioned but is fair and they make lots of old patterns that most of the other company's don't and are very well made.

Since I just ordered a Boker Plus Barlow from Blade Play, I think I'll be satisfied with their 440C Stainless Steel. I can rotate it with my Case Yellow Delrin CV Peanut for EDC. Hey, $29.94 isn't a bad price for the Barlow and from what I've read on the Forum, this should be a good one!

Life is good!