Inexpensive Chinese knives have stepped up their game

[MillCreek]

A friend of mine gave me an inexpensive Chinese knife the other day in exchange for helping him to clean some 20 foot high windows in his living room.  It cost him $ 16 from Gearbest, whom I have never heard of before.  It is a Ganzo 727 and it is apparently a clone of the Ontario RAT 1 folder.  I have gone over it with a magnifying glass and disassembled the scales for a closer look at the frame, and I am amazed at the quality of workmanship.  G-10 scales, perfectly centered stonewashed blade with 440c stainless steel and it came shaving sharp out of the box. I am astonished that it can be sold for $ 16.

I have been doing some research, and I guess that some Chinese knife companies are getting really good at manufacturing a quality product.  Ganzo, Enlan and Sanrenmu are the names I am seeing in a positive light, and some of these companies are OEM for Kershaw, Boker and Benchmade for their made-in-China knives.   Until recently, you had to order these directly from China but now several vendors are selling them on Amazon and eBay.  I have looked on Amazon, and the majority of the knives I would be looking at are selling in the mid-$10's to the low $20's.  At those prices, these would be good for my BOB and other miscellaneous use and possibly even EDC.  I usually carry my Benchmade Triage, or various Kershaws or CRKT knives, but I will put this Ganzo in the rotation and see how it does.

[French G.]

The stash everywhere use seldom cheap knife is called a Mora, no other.

[roo_ster]

The stash everywhere use seldom cheap knife is called a Mora, no other.

This.  I have bought four since I discovered them. 

[bedlamite]

Generally, Chinese steel branded as 440c is usually 9Cr18MoV, which isn't bad, but it's more brittle than actual 440c, and they are still working on the consistency. For a cheap Chinese knife, I'd stick with 8Cr14MoV, they've got that one down pretty good and it's got similar properties to AUS8.

[K Frame]

Not quite the same, but about 10 years ago I needed an Amazon "filler" item, and I came across a block set of "Sabatier" knives for.... $10? Something ludicrous. Just looked. Bought them in December 2003.

Obviously they were stamped steel and Chinese made and had about as much to do with real Sabatiers as (insert your own metaphor here), and I figured if they were absolute crap I could use them for scraping paint, throwing at circus assistants, etc.

The honing steel was a complete and total joke. I tossed it the evening I got the set. Fortunately, I have a good, antique butcher's steel to do that work.

The scissors weren't great, either. I still use them, but I really do need a good set of kitchen scissors that will cut things.

but you know what? Those knives were a LOT better than I ever expected them to be. The handles are OK, they're decently balanced, and amazingly enough, the steel both takes, and keeps, an edge.

I sharpened all of them right out of the package, and have religiously honed them, and it's amazing just how well they've worked over the years .

They're not the best knives in the world by any stretch, but be damned if they're not pretty decent and WELL worth more than the $10 I paid.

[MillCreek]

The stash everywhere use seldom cheap knife is called a Mora, no other.

At an Amazon sale, I picked up four of these with an included firesteel.  The knives and sheath are bright hunting orange, and I have them in my 10 essentials kit and my hiking backpacks.

[Perd Hapley]

I bought a Ganzo 727 from one of the members here. It takes up a skosch more room in the pocket, and has (goofy) orange handles, but I carry it because my RATs don't have a very smooth action. The 727 was pretty stiff, too, but I was able to loosen up the spring.

I'm saving my pennies to get an AO RAT, though. I carry on the weak side, and my block-of-wood left hand needs all the help it can get.

[Mannlicher]

the fact that China feels the need to continually rip off intellectual property at every chance, disqualifies them from getting my custom.  I won't buy from thieves.

[makattak]

the fact that China feels the need to continually rip off intellectual property at every chance, disqualifies them from getting my custom.  I won't buy from thieves.

ON THE OTHER HAND, I can buy my son a newly manufactured Transformer of the exact type I had when I was a child. For less (inflation considered) than they cost when I was a child.

I'm assuming some Chinese company either still has the molds or bought the rights to the long unused molds.

[AJ Dual]

I tend to carry inexpensive knives due to the simple fact they can come out of my pocket, even with the clip, or I might have to simply toss one at some unexpected security checkpoint. So I tend to carry a lot of sub $50 knives, usually Kershaw's or CRKT's.

I got a Ganzo G7211GR out-the-side automatic in part celebration of WI changing it's laws this year, and I have to say, my experience matches MillCreek's, it's very solid, almost no blade play side to side, and zero play in the actual cutting or spine direction when open. And it too was stupid-sharp out of the box. And it's still quite sharp after 3 months of moderate use on cardboard, rope, stripping some wires etc.

Only $22 Amazon Prime, and I have to say, I'm no knife connoisseur, but someone could have etched a Benchmade logo on it, and I'd have not felt cheated at $150-200. But then I'd have been hesitant to carry it.

[MechAg94]

I will have to look for them on Amazon.  I like Kershaw knives and like to carry a folder at work.  I tend to bend the clips trying to clip them to my jeans pocket.  Having something cheap I don't care about damaging would be useful.  I really don't need a great edge. 

[tokugawa]

The fact is, making a decent knife is not rocket science, and the ubiquitous use of CNC tools has eliminated almost all hand labor. That 20 buck price is what it SHOULD cost, it is the $150 price of the US made ones that is an aberration , born on the market only by gear snobbery.

[Perd Hapley]

The fact is, making a decent knife is not rocket science, and the ubiquitous use of CNC tools has eliminated almost all hand labor. That 20 buck price is what it SHOULD cost, it is the $150 price of the US made ones that is an aberration , born on the market only by gear snobbery.

I suspect it has more to do with materials than labor. And perhaps the quality of the finish.

[T.O.M.]

I buy cheaper knives for one reason...Boy Scout sons.  Got my oldest a Buck 110, which he has manged to not lose, and not damage.  Younger, my tactical son, well, he has lost a SAK, a Gerber folder, and broke a cheap multitool.  Cheap but decent knives are just what I need for him.  I'll check out what you all have listed here.  Also, since Scouts are always asking to borrow my knife,  having a cheap one or two in my pack is a good idea.

[MillCreek]

Chris, take a look at the Sanrenmu 710 for your sons: http://bladereviews.com/sanrenmu-710-review/

[tokugawa]

I suspect it has more to do with materials than labor. And perhaps the quality of the finish.

 Unlikely- if that was the case people would be hoarding blanks of 440 and S30V and stacks of carbon fiber, instead of silver and gold coins.  What does a pocket knife weigh? A few ounces? Price of a USA good brand $150?

 Brand name and marketing IMO.  If it is anything else, the manufacturers are messing up big time.

[MillCreek]

My Googling revealed that another inexpensive Chinese knife of note is the Enlan EL-01, and the big brown truck just dropped mine off from Amazon, where I paid $ 16 for it.

This is another very well-built knife with a 3.75" 8Cr stainless steel blade with a strong liner lock.  G-10 scales with a full stainless liner.  I primarily bought it for the flipper action, since I have a fondness for this quick and one-handed way of opening a knife.  This seems to be another excellent value that has good reviews.  Cons include a weight of about five ounces and that the pocket clip has only one position for mounting.

[brimic]

I bought a spyderco 'byrd' knife for my ex several years ago. It was easily up to Spyderco standards at about 1/3 the price of a spyderco. Knife steel wasn't the latest/greatest but it was very serviceable.

[Balog]

I like the look of this one. Axis lock knockoff, G10 scales, 8cretc steel.

http://m.gearbest.com/pocket-knives-and-folding-knives/pp_251019.html

[brimic]

Just ordered a ganzo 710 and the ganzo assisted opener model just for giggles.

[Perd Hapley]

Unlikely- if that was the case people would be hoarding blanks of 440 and S30V and stacks of carbon fiber, instead of silver and gold coins.  What does a pocket knife weigh? A few ounces? Price of a USA good brand $150?

 Brand name and marketing IMO.  If it is anything else, the manufacturers are messing up big time.

Brand name and marketing, sure, but keep in mind that the materials used are being marketed. Make your knife out of C6Mv8r27-whatever steel, and you can sell it for $20. Make it out of the latest, super-cool, gotta-have-it ninja steel, and you can charge $180 for it. Also, some steels will be harder to machine, costing time, and causing wear and tear on the tooling. This adds to the price. Then, you have high-end handle scale materials, and fancy screws. And so on...

[Balog]

Is fasttech a reliable site to order from?

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1901/10001880/1724206-enlan-bee-el-04-stainless-steel-fine-folding-knife

[MillCreek]

^^^I have read good things about buying from them.  Their products are shipped via airmail from China and then ground in the States and it generally takes a little less than two weeks to arrive in the Seattle area.  When I have tracked my packages, they seem to end up sitting in San Francisco for several days; I think waiting to go through Customs.

[Perd Hapley]

^^^I have read good things about buying from them.  Their products are shipped via airmail from China and then ground in the States and it generally takes a little less than two weeks to arrive in the Seattle area.  When I have tracked my packages, they seem to end up sitting in San Francisco for several days; I think waiting to go through Customs.

Let me know when you find a knife sharp enough to cut through the red tape.

I'll be here all week, folks. Don't forget to tip your waitress.

[brimic]

Let me know when you find a knife sharp enough to cut through the red tape.

I'll be here all week, folks. Don't forget to tip your waitress.

Just the tip.