$200++ flippers from China

[sliceofaloha]

I cruise eBay quite often and just want to say I’m amazed at the prices ppl want to charge. Granted, I’m looking at m390 blades. But get out of town with that noise!

I picked up a Kubey 3507 for $150 because of the wicked tanto blade shape (well done) but the handle and clip are meh. The thin (un)usable space the clip gives would accommodate me if I was wearing only my Calvin Kleins undies, waistband mount. Anything like slacks and: bent clip. I see CH has the same knife, same model number btw, CH branding.

I lived in China for a while, who knows the chances that the steel is what they say it is. But still, even if - I’m not interested after my first toe dip with the Kubey.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

I don't know anything about Kubey, but these days there are a number of very high end Chinese manufacturers that are charging $200+ for their knives and are, by all accounts, very worth it.

 

[jason41987]

I stopped myself from spending $45 on something made in China, it is pretty safe to say I won't be spending $200 on something made in China either.

 

[Minirehak212]

Complaining about a no name knife company and then making broad judgments about a whole portion of the knife market?

You've clearly never handled a WE or even Kizer before. People really need to stop caring about where things are made, especially today

 

[sliceofaloha]

To each their own, good sir! I’d rather spend that $$$ at home in the 50 states, territories and protectorates. Not a big flipper guy to begin with, more of a one off novelty and I wanted this blade to practice sharpening on.

I’m looking at them, $250 - 400 and I’m like: who’s buying this stuff!?

 

[jill jackson]

To each their own, good sir! I’d rather spend that $$$ at home in the 50 states, territories and protectorates. Not a big flipper guy to begin with, more of a one off novelty and I wanted this blade to practice sharpening on.

I’m looking at them, $250 - 400 and I’m like: who’s buying this stuff!?

Who indeed, there's several high end Chinese companies right here on Bladeforums and many members buy them.
https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/reate-knives.922/

 

[b00n]

I stopped myself from spending $45 on something made in China, it is pretty safe to say I won't be spending $200 on something made in China either.

But you use a chinese made phone, chinese made tv, drive a car with chinese electronics and probably have a dozen other things that have the "Made In China" stamp on it. But hey, you gotta draw a line somewhere.

Just teasing though, nothing wrong with supporting "Made in [Your Country]" whenever possible and sensible.

 

[JigHead361]

Calvin Klein undies? Slacks are gonna bend the clip? Are you sure this is the space for you?

 

[sliceofaloha]

Y’all enjoy those knives in good health. It’s rare that something sticks out to me as a hard no which I can see is popular to a lot of folks. It’s just like, my opinion, man.

 

[sliceofaloha]

Calvin Klein undies? Slacks are gonna bend the clip? Are you sure this is the space for you?

I left the raw meat dangling and we found a taker! Seriously, unusable clip. Bikini briefs if you must know - not the thongs. Down in front! LOL!

 

[madcap_magician]

So you overpaid for a no-name knife from a country well known for shoddy manufacturing practices and intellectual property theft?

Chinese knifemakers do start at a disadvantage, because their country has a well earned reputation for corner cutting, fraud, and theft in industry. If you had done some homework, you might have learned which ones have earned a good reputation. There are in fact Chinese custom makers and manufacturers who enjoy quality knives and want to put out quality work. But it can be hard to sort the good from the bad unless you do some homework.

 

[JigHead361]

This is true. I've been the ignorant one saying USA or nothing but I have a laconico that reate produced and I have to admit, it's almost perfect. Like they were saying on knife nuts podcast, they're knife enthusiasts in China as well but they can also build some nice knives.

 

[sliceofaloha]

I’m fine with the money I spent. It was an experiment. I feel like the blade actually is m390 and I don’t mind that it is a no namer. I also feel that there’s a good chance they came up with the design themselves. I’m excited to receive a no namer from Finland soon.

It’s just that if you search m390 on eBay it’s almost exclusively pricey Chinese flippers.

 

[Alsharif]

Have you handled a Reate or WE knife? Supporting products made in your country is dandy, however broadly categorizing products as “bad” based purely on the geographical location in which they are produced is dim witted at best.

 

[sliceofaloha]

I plan on putting skateboard tape on the handles and using that point and leading edge for the initial bung incision in a boar soon. That blade is wicked. Easily carves wave patterns in paper. $150 is an average spend for me.. until my wife sees the next wave of purchases arrive in the mail.

 

[sliceofaloha]

Have you handled a Reate or WE knife? Supporting products made in your country is dandy, however broadly categorizing products as “bad” based purely on the geographical location in which they are produced is dim witted at best.

I’m not sure I’m characterizing them as bad, just not what I would spend that kind of money on. It seems like at those levels they have overcome any perceived disadvantage and then some.

* Have not handled those and won’t. I’m not a flipper guy. I was sorely disappointed with the BM vector too for a couple reasons: ponderously slow assisted action and junk axis action on my particular one. It was real purty though.

 

[vanadium]

their country has a well earned reputation for corner cutting, fraud, and theft in industry

So does my country, the USA, but honestly this belongs in Whine & Cheese.

 

[madcap_magician]

I’m fine with the money I spent. It was an experiment. I feel like the blade actually is m390 and I don’t mind that it is a no namer. I also feel that there’s a good chance they came up with the design themselves. I’m excited to receive a no namer from Finland soon.

It’s just that if you search m390 on eBay it’s almost exclusively pricey Chinese flippers.

I think that's actually a bit of a trend spotting thing combined with Chinese industrial culture... they were way more agile in responding to an unfilled market niche, then they turned it up to 11. Titanium framelock flippers with M390/CTS-204P/Duratech 20CV are big? OK, WE Knives says we will see your two ZT framelocks and raise you 3,497 variations of framelock flippers.

 

[sliceofaloha]

I think that's actually a bit of a trend spotting thing combined with Chinese industrial culture... they were way more agile in responding to an unfilled market niche, then they turned it up to 11. Titanium framelock flippers with M390/CTS-204P/Duratech 20CV are big? OK, WE Knives says we will see your two ZT framelocks and raise you 3,497 variations of framelock flippers.

I think you’re dead on and we may be near the top of that part of the market.

 

[RBid]

Scene:

A man sits with a WE knife in his pocket.

Another man bursts in dramatically and yells, “LISTEN UP! I REFUSE TO BUY EXPENSIVE CHINESE KNIVES!”

The knife continues to be excellent.

End scene.