All About Pocket Knives

Gentlemen,(Ladies)...After a really nice Saturday afternoon spent at local
garage and house sales, scouring around for interesting pocketknives, (I
did find a couple)...I've finally worked up the courage to incur your
collective wrath and ask my question!
So...I'm up late/up early a few days ago, and came upon the "Shop at
Home" edition of a knife show. I'm sure some of you know where this is going...cable TV knife sales. Anyway... I was fascinated by the groups of
knives offered for sale...sometimes as many as 50 knives for something like $99.99. Pocket folders, lockbacks, linerlocks...all manner of cutlery,
and most of it made by "Frost Cutlery". Huge collections purportedly on
sale to "dealers" for as little as $2.00 per knife. Are ANY of these knives worth ANYTHING...or is this just a worthless waste of time and money for
new knife buyers gullible enough to be taken in? I've got to assume that
they're selling some "made in China" garbage at these prices...Any comments? I hope I'm not the only one who's seen (and been kind of
fascinated) by these flim-flam cable salepeople. And, NO...I didn't buy
anything...just curious about people's thoughts. Thanks!

can't help with the cable stuff, but lets see what you found at the sales.

Jabber;
IMO you would do well to remember the old adage. There aint no such thing as a FREE LUNCH. You have answered your own question very well.
Just read what you wrote and then have the courage to believe yourself.

I agree with the previous lets see your latest finds.
W.B.

Check your local knife store. If yours is like my local store they have a junk basket of real cheap knives.......chances are you can pick up a Frost there for a buck or two. Then you can decide what they are worth.

I don't like to buy knives from China, (dodged too much Chinese steel in Vietnam).

I think they work on the same theory as P.T. Barnum did....."There is a sucker born every minute."

Dale

Jabber,

An interesting thread! I'd like to hear more opinions on this myself. Personally, I wouldn't classify all Frost knives as junk. I don't think I'd classify 'em as collectible either. I've bought a few from SMKW catalogue and was'nt disapointed. They also have a tv show with some better knives and deals.

As for the other guys show, I think they might offer you a knife or two you might really want, and a pile of others that don't move in the market and their tryin to get rid of 'em. Recently they had a good looking set of Hen and Rooster kitchen knives (German) and the rest was Frost tactical folders (China) that you see in every flea market in the US. I recognized some of them to be ones I bought in a tool store from a grab table for 99 cents ea. (5 in. long). They make good giveaway's for nephews and such.
They also desperately need to get better sales people to go on tv. I thought for a long time, one of the guys was an alcoholic or druggie. Maybe he has a legitimate condition and needs to take some medicine. Maybe he's already taking medicine.

Anyway, as a general rule, (I think) if a knife does not have at least somebody's name on it, it probably is real junk.

Well,
Ok, when you hear the guys on SMKW talking about the "Bucket-o-Knives shows...this is who they're speaking of. I agree totally with Mossdancer, you did answer your own question. Again, if something looks too good to be true.....it usually is as such. I have seen this show and am entertained by the selling prowess of those on camera... Seems to me they are ready to pounce on "A Fool Born every minute" theory. Just my opinion here...take it or leave it. later, wt3l

Good opinions, all! Damned if I didn't see another one of these shows
over the weekend...you guys are right...more humorous than anything!!
On Saturday night/Sunday morning (@ 2:00am), they actually had some sort of collection offerred...@ 200 knives for @ $200.00 dollars!!!!
Again, mainly Frost stuff...but they were throwing in a few "collectible"
swords...a few "collectible 'Bowies'...this is late night entertainment at its
finest!!! Japanese Swords..."tacticals"..."rare" simulated, almost white,
but not quite, imitation ivory scales...!!!"
On an alternative note...at @ $1.00 per knife, speaking from a Devil's
Advocate POV...I mean, how can you go wrong??!! Use the damned thing
for a week or two..throw it out, and you're still ahead!
Not from a collector's POV, but from a utilitarian user's POV...I mean are these things "bad"?...they're cheap, flimsy, and make no pretense as to either collectibility or long-term quality...They seem to offer a blade made of decent steel...usually 440 series...
On the other hand, maybe I need to get more sleep, and stop being
awake at these ungodly hours to witness the shenanigans of these
charlatans!!
Oh well...back to my Cases for some comfort.

I believe the real question is: Do you value your digits (fingers)? IMO, in knives especially, you get what you pay for with new, retail knives. 50 knives for 99Bucks, you tell me? Well, I guess it depends what they are used for, they may well have a purpose. As for value?? I doubt it. As for a knife to use to score bricks or some such "throw away" type mission, they can't be beat. BUT,,,be careful, I wouldn't trust the locks too awful much. We call these type of knives "knuckle-busters" for good reason. Sho would hate to see a fellow knifer bleed.

Yeah, you're right...excellent point...I guess I just have this misplaced
fascination that needs to be brought into perspective!!!
I know these knives are junk... anyone with an IQ over 50 realizes the same...I have my answer...verified by you guys...I won't inflict myself upon you any further...! Quality is quality...junk (however inexpensive),
is junk..

I too believe they sell some low quality stuff. But some of their stuff is very good.. Their folding pockets and hunting style fixed blades are very good for the price. They use German stainless 440 carbon steel. Just because they are put together in Pakistan and China to cut labor cost don't make them bad.
Also most of the smaller tactical are made with the same steel , but their handles need help, But again, if not abused and used as a knife and not a screwdriver or hammer they do their job.... As for collector value ,,, No value at all..

Before you can knock it , you have to try it......
And before anybody say, Buy American, Just look at the car industry and most or the products you buy today....

Actually, Game Getter, you're right in some respects...I've just been
really curious over the past few weeks whether anyone had any sort of
experience with these types of knives...at that ridiculously low price-per!
I'd imagine they'd have had to scrimp somewhere...if not in the blade steel, then in the handles or locking mechanisms?

As far as Asian craftsmanship...(especially Japanese)...I have to admit that one of my favorite little knives for general use/everyday carry is the
Kershaw DWO...but that's @ 30.00 (I own several of them, as well as a
couple of smaller Kershaw Liner Locks)...So I think they're really well made, sturdy, and sharp as hell.

I've been curious about Frost quality for some time...

Hey GameGetter;

Really nice patch, We all agree.
W.B.

Here are a few Frost pocket knives,,,, Their all boned handles,,
Try one and then say their junk......

Country Whittler: 3 1/2" closed,

Little Peanut: 2 3/4" closed,


Little Warrior: 3" closed,

Lit Blue Ridge Couger: 3" closed,


Warrior: 3 1/2" closed,

Big Game Trapper: 4 1/4" closed,


Cuttin Horse Stockman: 3 1/4" closed,

Executive Whittle: 4" closed,



Wrangler : 4" closed,

Doctors Knife: 3 5/8" closed,

well, i am sticking my neck out here, but i have actually bought one of the big lots of knives that you see on tv. i was browsing the channels one night and saw a knife show on the home shopping network so i switched over there and they were selling some of those big lots of frost knives. i watched for a while and finally decided i would give it a try. i bought one of the lots with 100 knives in it for about 150.00. it had swords, bowie knives, and about 10 different styles of liner locks and pocket knives. i didnt buy them to keep....at the time, i was setting up at the local flea market and thought they would be good to sell. i mean if you dont have but a dollar and some change in a knife, i figured it wouldnt be hard to make a profit. anyway, i did sell them all at the flea market and i did make money on them. i think i sold the sword for about 40.00 and the bowie knives brought about 20-25 each and there were 3 of them, so that along with the sword was half of my money back and i still had about 95 knives. now other than the bowies and the sword, the rest of the stuff wasnt high dollar or high end stuff, but i got between 2 and 5.00 for most of the pocket knives and i believe there was a neck knife that i sold for 20.00.
anyway, i dont know if you are planning on keeping them, selling them or what, but they are good carrying knives and people do buy them. ive found that some times people buy them quicker than a higher end knife like case just because they dont want to put any big money in a knife if they are planning on carrying it. also, i found that the quality of the bowie knives were really nice. i dont have any frost knives in my collection and i forget exactly how much profit i made, but i know i did double my money on the investment and if i were still setting up at the flea markets, i wouldnt mind buying some more to sell, however, im a case collector and now i mostly buy at the flea markets...lol.

anyway, sorry for the long story, just thought i would share my experience.

steve

Steve , your right on the money,,, I tried the lot buying 2 years ago and made money and not because they were cheap. You will be surprised at the people buying them after seeing and handling them. I sell the smaller ones for $3.00 to $4.00 each and the better ones for $7.00 to $10.00 each. The pockets start at $10.00 and the fixed start at $15.00. Since my retirement I sell them on my site and at local flea markets in my area.. These days I buy their better ones , pockets and fixed blades and a few of the swords on request. They are good for every day use and if you lose one , you don't care due to the price.. As I said earlier, Don't judge them till you tried them.. If you going to not try them because they are made in another country, then with all that is sold now, you don't own much. Just look at what you buy and you will see what I mean..

I have to admit I have bought my share of these lots from Frost, and used them to fill holes in my displays and counters on short notice. The bone and celluloid folders are as good as any $15.00-25.00 knife out there. The tacticals are a completely different matter. These are not German steel. They are made in the same Chinese plant as Elk Ridge, Meyerco, RiteEdge,et.al. I have seen some of these things nearly take fingers and/or leave nasty scars on unsupecting users. I personally have a stockman, one-arm pill buster, and canoe from Frost in my EDC rotation, and they have served me well. As with all knives, misuse can result in injury or death, so let's be careful out there.


P.S. Hen&Rooster kitchen sets only have German blades. They are built in China