El Cheapo knives

[american lockpicker]

We should be clearer about cheap and inexpensive. For example a Buck 110 clone form pakistan is cheap while a green alox Vic SAK from amazon is inexpensive.

[ringzero]

Erm can I just point out that no one did in fact "slag off" cheapy knives, were were just commenting on that, quite frankly, ridiculous statement (IMO) that FF made.  I also fail to see how a thread of 2 pages where in fact no slagging off at all was made would give you concerns Ringzero that this place is going the way of Bladeforums.

It's not just BladeForums.  Seems to me that most enthusiast forums eventually develop similar disparaging attitudes towards certain brands and products, mainly brands offering products at lower prices.

Those brands and products will commonly be trashed by certain forum members and written off as not even worthy of consideration.

Conversely, certain expensive products and brands become nearly sacrosanct.  Posters even slightly critical of those products or brands will often be accused of trolling.

Examples:

"Get a Sebenza - you get what you pay for."

"My first REAL knife was XXXX."

"You can't find a decent knife for less than 100 bucks."

"SAKs use crap steel - they aren't REAL knives."

"Don't waste your money on that - AUS8 is crap steel."

"Mags are junk, buy a REAL flashlight like a Surefire."

.

[american lockpicker]

"Mags are junk, buy a REAL flashlight like a Surefire."
Thats definately from CPF.

[John]

"Mags are junk, buy a REAL flashlight like a Surefire."
Thats definately from CPF.

Likely yes but on the other hand there are many on CPF who like ultrafire amongst many other Chinese made lights  too 

[Nikos]

RZ what you're describing can also be found in our world as well. Just look at the way non-MP Gerbers, newer Schrade, etc multitools are discredited around here. Nothing wrong with that, if you ask me. Even with "high-end" tools, what works for some of us may be crap for others. We can't agree on everything.

Back to FF's comment, I have to say that I tend to agree with that post (in the way I perceive it). A prime example that comes to my mind is khukuri blades from here. These are all made from spring steel and mighty cheap (sub-$50); for the intended use I bet they're as good as Cold Steel's san-mai Gurkha Kukri which costs an order of magnitude more.

[american lockpicker]

The newer schrades are truely crap.

[Sazabi]

The newer schrades are truely crap.

+1  Except for a few lucky ones that may or may not make it through QC with excellent quality, I have to agree, blade steel aside (seeing as I don't have one), they feel so cheap, with poor F&F, and overall subpar quality compared to the original Schrade knives. :/

"Mags are junk, buy a REAL flashlight like a Surefire."
Thats definately from CPF.

Not true, they're excellent for modding and upgrades.  Not entirely certain for what else, besides using it as a club, though. 

[american lockpicker]

I know I like my Maglites now that I've upgraded to Xenon bulbs(made in Mexico and Germany .)

[Freudian Frog]

Erm can I just point out that no one did in fact "slag off" cheapy knives, were were just commenting on that, quite frankly, ridiculous statement (IMO) that FF made.

How is it ridiculous? If I'm going to take a cheap knife or a "REAL" knife batoning, prying, hammering, throwing, or anything else that's considered abuse, I equally expect all knives to fail.

This is of course not including knives with exceptionally thick construction, but then they're expected to take more abuse and I really doubt the maker of the knife magically makes it better... just the design.

There's only a few cheap knives on knife tests but they do just as well. Building on what Nikos brought up, the economy CS kukri ($20 almost anywhere) has a great rating compared to other $200+ knives.

[Shane769]

I don't think I own any knife over $50. My Schrade was a gift, and I don't know the price, my first knife was a gas station knife for $10, a free one from my summer job, my $20 Gerber Paraframe (pretty much my favourite by far), and my newest, a $45 Kershaw Antelope Hunter II that I bought for wilderness survival and backcountry usage. I'm all about the inexpensive knives.

[jzmtl]

Conversely, certain expensive products and brands become nearly sacrosanct.  Posters even slightly critical of those products or brands will often be accused of trolling.

Examples:

"Get a Sebenza - you get what you pay for."

The custom people are even worse, newbie comes and ask for a $50 knife, they all go "screw that, get this $500 custom".

A prime example that comes to my mind is khukuri blades from here. These are all made from spring steel and mighty cheap (sub-$50);

Eh not really, they make up the price on shipping. Just checked and a $32 knife cost $30 to ship.

[John]

I'll say it again cheap nasty knives NO! affordable knives YES!  there's a difference guys 


Oh and if we're on to kukri's well most through out the ages were made from what ever they could get their hands on,just so happens in Nepal today it's truck springs,at least they're thinking of recycling  I have one myself from Tora blades cost £30 but the dealer only excepts quality which BTW has taken some years travelling to Nepal to reproduce the quality of yesteryear, that said most are well over £30 check that out yourselves they're not cheap

[Pacu]

Most expensive knife i own (besides on a multi) is my Ken Onion Blur Tanto from Kershaw..I prob would never have bought one. I got it in a trade from nelly1974( ) a while back. Although i would enthusiatically take a high end knife i can't see myself paying for a high end knife when there are so many great sub-100 dollar knives to be had.

Kershaw, Buck, Older Shrade, Older Camilius, Leatherman, Vic, Wenger, CRKT, and Cold Steel in my opinion do everything i would ever need to do with a blade.

Did i mention i'm cheap?

Should i find a Sebenza at a garage sale for 5 bucks i'd use the hell out of it.

[Freudian Frog]

Did i mention i'm cheap?

Should i find a Sebenza at a garage sale for 5 bucks i'd use the hell out of it.

I'd probably resell it to some knife snob.

[John]

Did i mention i'm cheap?

Should i find a Sebenza at a garage sale for 5 bucks i'd use the hell out of it.

I'd probably resell it to some knife snob.

I'm no snob but I'd give you 10 bucks for it    

[edit] cheap knife V's affordable  

No name cheap knife V's SAK rally affordable   BTW the no name knife was a lot bigger!  
http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u122/titan1833/?action=view&current=010-14.flv

[Benner]

Erm can I just point out that no one did in fact "slag off" cheapy knives, were were just commenting on that, quite frankly, ridiculous statement (IMO) that FF made.

How is it ridiculous? If I'm going to take a cheap knife or a "REAL" knife batoning, prying, hammering, throwing, or anything else that's considered abuse, I equally expect all knives to fail.

This is of course not including knives with exceptionally thick construction, but then they're expected to take more abuse and I really doubt the maker of the knife magically makes it better... just the design.

There's only a few cheap knives on knife tests but they do just as well. Building on what Nikos brought up, the economy CS kukri ($20 almost anywhere) has a great rating compared to other $200+ knives.

Because it was too broard a statement which implied a crappy dodgy locking $2 knife was as durable as a more expensive Spyderco for example.  I would have equally said it was ridiculous to say "all expensive knives are durable".  Like I said, each knife should be judged on it's own merit.

[Benner]

Erm can I just point out that no one did in fact "slag off" cheapy knives, were were just commenting on that, quite frankly, ridiculous statement (IMO) that FF made.  I also fail to see how a thread of 2 pages where in fact no slagging off at all was made would give you concerns Ringzero that this place is going the way of Bladeforums.

It's not just BladeForums.  Seems to me that most enthusiast forums eventually develop similar disparaging attitudes towards certain brands and products, mainly brands offering products at lower prices.

Those brands and products will commonly be trashed by certain forum members and written off as not even worthy of consideration.

Conversely, certain expensive products and brands become nearly sacrosanct.  Posters even slightly critical of those products or brands will often be accused of trolling.

Examples:

"Get a Sebenza - you get what you pay for."

"My first REAL knife was XXXX."

"You can't find a decent knife for less than 100 bucks."

"SAKs use crap steel - they aren't REAL knives."

"Don't waste your money on that - AUS8 is crap steel."

"Mags are junk, buy a REAL flashlight like a Surefire."

.

Although some jest about Vic's slippy drivers and Leatherman's that rust, I don't feel that happens here which is what makes us different from the norm.

[Freudian Frog]

Because it was too broard a statement which implied a crappy dodgy locking $2 knife was as durable as a more expensive Spyderco for example.  I would have equally said it was ridiculous to say "all expensive knives are durable".  Like I said, each knife should be judged on it's own merit.

Such is not the case at all, that was only your own interpretation. Words and phrases such as "about" and "it's not like" usually indicate a generalized view, I would think.
Even a crappy dodgy $2 knife can have solid lockup and dependability comparable to a $50 Spyderco, is what it means.

And who said cheap has to mean $2? There can be a huge difference between a $2 knife you find at a gas station and a $8 knife you find online or in a retail shop. Is not $8 still cheap? Isn't $20 comparatively cheap? If it's a broad statement then why aren't you taking it broadly? You're being ridiculous.

[Benner]

But that is exactly my point.    When talking about "cheaper" knives you said "they're about as durable as the most expensive knife you can buy" which is waaaay too broard a statement.  Mate look back, a few people even thought you were joking by saying something like that, as yes, that is a ridiculous statement to make IMO and if you can't see that then there is no point going on and on about it as you clearly arent getting what I am saying.

[Freudian Frog]

But that is exactly my point.    When talking about "cheaper" knives you said "they're about as durable as the most expensive knife you can buy" which is waaaay too broard a statement.  Mate look back, a few people even thought you were joking by saying something like that, as yes, that is a ridiculous statement to make IMO and if you can't see that then there is no point going on and on about it as you clearly arent getting what I am saying.

I'm pretty sure I did admit to it being generalized. So now everytime I forget to add a single operative word like "can" you're gonna to crucify me?

Funny, I thought I rectified that misunderstanding with another post and tried to explain the reasoning. Mate, look back.

[Benner]

Move on FF, I have.   

Oh, and if that's a crucification, clearly you have never upset me. 

[jim guy]

I own and have used cheap knives mostly smith&wessons and they worked fine. My every day knife is a benchmade afo, cost me nothing, it would cost me about 200 bucks to replace it though. I dont use it for anything its one of those just in case knives. My wife carried it in iraq and now i carry it on the streets.

[Freudian Frog]

Move on FF, I have.   

Oh, and if that's a crucification, clearly you have never upset me. 

Well, you know what they say, it takes atleast two posts, a person to nail, and a ban hammer to start a crucifixtion...

Okay, so I might have made that up...
I know I know, I'm a terrible person.

Back on topic, does anyone know of a simple titanium slab/shiv for general cutting duty and poking things? I remember seeing a website with titanium neck knives of very simplistic design that were around $15 but I never found them again...

[Benner]

Move on FF, I have.   

Oh, and if that's a crucification, clearly you have never upset me. 

Well, you know what they say, it takes atleast two posts, a person to nail, and a ban hammer to start a crucifixtion...

Okay, so I might have made that up...
I know I know, I'm a terrible person.

Back on topic, does anyone know of a simple titanium slab/shiv for general cutting duty and poking things? I remember seeing a website with titanium neck knives of very simplistic design that were around $15 but I never found them again...

That well known forum quote. 

[Precise]

...man things feel a little tense...

Anyway, today I was feeling bleh and stopped in the hardware store to cheer myself up by buying a new Frost Steel Warrior Peanut in manly dark purple. (They were sold out of brown mini trappers...) I've heard alot about these new Frost's and decided to finally bite the bullet and give Frost another chance. (That is really saying something! I've hated Frost with a passion for years ever since I bought a Frost knife when I was 15 and it was a piece of crap and the store wouldn't refund my money).

Quite frankly, I'm shocked at how nice a knife this is. If it wasn't for the ugly little steel warrior crest, I would think it was Case. That's really saying something in my book. Fit and finish is great. Has a nice snappiness to it without being a nailbreaker. No gaps, nicks, cracks or blemishes. It is a great little knife. Especially since it was only 10 bucks. Being so inexpensive I won't feel bad when I do something stupid and break it; I'll just buy another!

This little knife has proved to me that Frost has reformed their ways. I think I'm gonna go out and buy one of their wharncliffe or lockback whittlers next!

That reminds me, anyone have any good places they like to shop for Frost and RR? I keep looking for places online but the shipping tends to really kill it since I only want to buy one knife.

[Freudian Frog]

That reminds me, anyone have any good places they like to shop for Frost and RR? I keep looking for places online but the shipping tends to really kill it since I only want to buy one knife.

I believe most of us resort to eBay. Unforunately there's no real good place to get these.

[ringzero]

For me, the beautiful thing about cheap knives for EDC is that I can abuse the hell out of them without much regret.

If I get into a situation where something really needs prying, a hole needs to be dug through drywall, something tight up against concrete needs cutting - then I won't hesitate to do it with an el cheapo.

Helping a woman with a broke down car I had to crawl underneath and cut several heavy rubber hanger straps with steel threads inside.  Then I had to pry free a stubborn piece of exhaust pipe.  My EDC KaBar Dozier handled this with no problems, just needed sharpening afterward.

For me, this is the beauty of having multiple identical EDC:  if a tip snaps or an edge chips out, it's no big deal.

1. That knife only cost me 16 bucks.

2. It can be replaced in my pocket with an identical model as soon as I get home.

.

[Benner]

...man things feel a little tense...

Tense?  I don't do tense. 

[jim guy]

i agree with that thats why i have back up LMs.

[Sazabi]

For me, the beautiful thing about cheap knives for EDC is that I can abuse the hell out of them without much regret.

If I get into a situation where something really needs prying, a hole needs to be dug through drywall, something tight up against concrete needs cutting - then I won't hesitate to do it with an el cheapo.

Helping a woman with a broke down car I had to crawl underneath and cut several heavy rubber hanger straps with steel threads inside.  Then I had to pry free a stubborn piece of exhaust pipe.  My EDC KaBar Dozier handled this with no problems, just needed sharpening afterward.

For me, this is the beauty of having multiple identical EDC:  if a tip snaps or an edge chips out, it's no big deal.

1. That knife only cost me 16 bucks.

2. It can be replaced in my pocket with an identical model as soon as I get home.

.

Ringzero, it sounds to me like you need a SwissTool Spirit so you can have a true awl and crate opener/pry bar.  If you want to go the cheap route, pick up a County Comm Pry Widgy or a Victorinox Small Tinker for your reamer and prying needs.