Should I? Smith & Wesson Homeland Security Knife

[derekmac]

Canadian Tire has the Smith & Wesson Homeland Security Knife knife on sale for $29.99, and I was wondering if anyone here has one?  The reviews on Amazon seen really good for it, but I wanted to check here before I buy it.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/5/SportsRec/1/Hunting/KnivesSharpeners/PRD~0757110P/Smith+%26+Wesson+Homeland+Security+Knife.jsp?locale=en

[enki_ck]

I'd avoid anything S&W made. The ones I handled weren't worth the money. 

[comis]

I haven't handled one in the past, but did a quick search for you on bladeforum for this particular knife, seems like the general reviews for this and the tanto version are not good.  Many had claimed the steel was so-so for S&W stuff.

Personally, I don't like the serration at the back spine of the knife, and the handle has sharp edges look, and I wonder will it be comfortable if it is hard-used for a longer time.

[Grathr]

The square handle will probably start to gnaw at your hands pretty fast.
I have only got one S&W knife, a tanto folder, and it is not very well made compared to a SRM.
I would pass on it.

[derekmac]

I have handled a couple of their folders, and wasn't impressed with them.

I'm wife and kid less tonight, so I'm going to go to Canadian Tire and see what goodies I can find, and I'll have a look at this to see how it feels.

I've been looking for a cheap fixed blade for camping / offroading, so this might do for that.

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[Grathr]

I would get a Condor Basic 5" instead. But that is just my opinion.

[comis]

Personally, I have a Mora Bushcraft survival(with black coating) and can report back with confident that it could take pretty good beating and a comfortable to hold.  I baton it non-stop for 1/2-1 hour and just a few swipe on ceremic could bring it back to paper cutting sharp.

Condor do have a few products that look exciting to me, I particularly curious about the bushlore to see whether it could work with a ferro rod.

[Grant Lamontagne]

$30 for a S&W knife is $40 too much.

Def

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[derekmac]

$30 for a S&W knife is $40 too much.

Def

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So I take it you're not a fan eh? 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

$30 for a S&W knife is $40 too much.

Def

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Still a fan then : D



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[Grant Lamontagne]

I have, in the past, been known to compare S&W knives unfavorably to simian excrement.

Def

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[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I have, in the past, been known to compare S&W knives unfavorably to simian excrement.

Def

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I miss your tailor craplory rants : D

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[Grathr]

Personally, I have a Mora Bushcraft survival(with black coating) and can report back with confident that it could take pretty good beating and a comfortable to hold.  I baton it non-stop for 1/2-1 hour and just a few swipe on ceremic could bring it back to paper cutting sharp.

Condor do have a few products that look exciting to me, I particularly curious about the bushlore to see whether it could work with a ferro rod.

I have a bushlore, and ferro rod. I can give it a go later today.

[comis]

I have, in the past, been known to compare S&W knives unfavorably to simian excrement.

Def

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[comis]

Personally, I have a Mora Bushcraft survival(with black coating) and can report back with confident that it could take pretty good beating and a comfortable to hold.  I baton it non-stop for 1/2-1 hour and just a few swipe on ceremic could bring it back to paper cutting sharp.

Condor do have a few products that look exciting to me, I particularly curious about the bushlore to see whether it could work with a ferro rod.

I have a bushlore, and ferro rod. I can give it a go later today.

Grathr, many thanks in advance!   

[styx]

When it comes to folding knives some S&W can be surprisingly good. But don't know much about their fixed blades

[Grathr]

Personally, I have a Mora Bushcraft survival(with black coating) and can report back with confident that it could take pretty good beating and a comfortable to hold.  I baton it non-stop for 1/2-1 hour and just a few swipe on ceremic could bring it back to paper cutting sharp.

Condor do have a few products that look exciting to me, I particularly curious about the bushlore to see whether it could work with a ferro rod.

I have a bushlore, and ferro rod. I can give it a go later today.

Grathr, many thanks in advance!   

Here is a video of it. sorry about the bad quality. I used the wrong camera. 
I used it on one of the tiny light my fire firesteels.  it gives a decent spark.

[comis]

Grathr,

Thank you for the video!   That's very helpful, and I will be ordering a Condor Bushlore for my next order of knives. 

I am quite curious about this knife because I did buy something in 1075, but it rarely was able to strike a spark with any ferro rod.  And I don't know what it was(heat treat?) but will be glad to have a 1075 blade that could do it.

[derekmac]

Well I looked at it, but didn't buy it. It is one hell of a solid feeling knife though, and I think it would be worth the price.

I did buy a Gerber Warrant for $5 though! The store was selling All their display knives for $5-$10. The guy that helped me said he bought 4, and most of the other guys that work there bought a  bunch.

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[derekmac]

Pic.

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[comis]

I can't say much about the quality of some of the Gerber stuff, but 5.00?  It sure is a steal no matter what. 

[Grathr]

Thats a great deal!

[Grant Lamontagne]

I actually linked to a discussion on KF a while back that illustrated what happens when friends let friends by Smith & Wesson.  Basically one member had ordered one of these cutlery abortions then posted on the forum along for opinions of the knife. He was upset when I, and others informed him that it was crap. He started posting the specs and on paper I suppose it seemed good enough despite the horror stories we'd told him about them.  I mentioned about the SWAT knife where the liner lock slid all the way across the tang, wedging itself between the opposite side of the blade and handle and allowing the blade to fold about 90 degrees.  Still he claimed the specs were good and this was one of their higher end knives, and for his sake I desperately hoped I was wrong and that somehow the dozen or so S&W knives I'd seen before were the exceptions, and that somehow this guy had gotten a good one.  I claimed at the time that they were monkey poo and he responded with whatever fancy steel it was and how he'd like a monkey that excreted super steel.

Finally the knife arrived and he reported that he was thrilled with it- the fit and finish was perfect, the action smooth and everything just as it should be.  I was so happy to hear that he hadn't wasted his money.  I was very happy to be proven wrong.

Except that I wasn't. Within a month he was back, admitting the knife was good for about a week before starting to have issues. First things came loose but he was able to tighten it back up and keep going. Gradually the problems got worse and worse until a few weeks later it experienced a catastrophic failure.  There have been very few times in life I've felt bad for being right and this was about the worst.

Let's remember that Smith & Wesson stuff is manufactured by the ultra low end companies that Taylor Cutlery contracts, the same company that also manufacturers crap with the Schrade name.  That means the same company that made the Tough Tool that Bob crushed in his bare hand also make S&W knives.

I really don't know how to make it more clear than that.

I'd also like to point out that all of their literature, catalogs etc all have American flags, eagles and other US symbols all over it, insinuating that the smurf is made in the US, which of course it isn't. So not only do they make some of the worst products on the market, they are also completely full of smurf, taking advantage of people's loyalties to brands that used to be good or to US manufacturing.

They are truly a horrible company- the lowest slime there is, and I have challenged them to prove me wrong in the past.  They never have, although I imagine that has more to do with them not knowing about it.... Although they couldn't even if they did because they know full well what kind of smurf they are producing.

Def

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[derekmac]

Well I am definitely glad I didn't buy it after reading that, thanks Grant!

I am super happy about getting the Gerber for $5 though!  The guy said they started selling the display stuff on Thursday, and the whole bottom of the display was basically filled with knives and MT's, and today there was the Gerber I bought, another that looked similar, but slightly larger, and a few small folders.

Oh, I also bought a Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife    It was on sale, and I was so happy about the Warrant, that I felt I had to buy it. 

It is a really nice feeling knife to hold onto.  I won't be doing anything crazy with it, so I think it will do me just fine.  I remember reading that the fire starter seemed like it could fall out easily, but I have to tug pretty hard to get it out.  One thing I don't really care for is how the sheath rides.  I find the top edge digs into me some.

See what happens when you wife and kids are gone for the night, you come home with two new knives, GTA Vice City, and not enough money left over to get supper.  I'm a happy man!

[CanadianLMfan]

Which store were you at? Is there anything cheap left?

[derekmac]

I was at the Bedford NS store.  I'm not sure if any other stores are changing their displays or not.  There was another that looked similar, but slightly larger, and a few small folders.

[CanadianLMfan]

I think all the stores had changed their displays from the one that shows knives lying all over with packaging to the new, more professional looking displays.

[derekmac]

I wish I had of know this, I would've been in there Thursday and bought a bunch of them up!  Oh well.

[comis]

I actually linked to a discussion on KF a while back that illustrated what happens when friends let friends by Smith & Wesson.  Basically one member had ordered one of these cutlery abortions then posted on the forum along for opinions of the knife. He was upset when I, and others informed him that it was crap. He started posting the specs and on paper I suppose it seemed good enough despite the horror stories we'd told him about them. .....

They are truly a horrible company- the lowest slime there is, and I have challenged them to prove me wrong in the past.  They never have, although I imagine that has more to do with them not knowing about it.... Although they couldn't even if they did because they know full well what kind of smurf they are producing.

Def

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Thanks for the read, it's interesting to know they have such history. 

Nowadays, before I venture into purchasing something more expensive, I usually try to learn and read up on the history of the company.  It is probably human nature, but I am still surprised, from time to time that, what seemingly a company with decent products might have many skeletons buried in the past.

[jzmtl]

Ha, I was in CT Friday looking at the Bear knives, did you notice the plain edge version was selling for 2x the price and looks otherwise the same?  Still too expensive for what they are though, so I picked up two freud saw blades that was on clearance and some JB weld instead.