Anyone heard of or got an idea of Condor Knives?

MyLegsAreOk

MyLegsAreOk

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Aug 31, 2017
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So I was watching this video on youtube and I decided to look them up:
Apparently they're some German knife company that moved its operation to El Salvador. That's the weirdest thing I've heard when it comes to knives, so I just don't know what to think. I mean their knives don't seam innovative so they might not even come from China. Anyone got an opinion about Condor?

I kinda want to get one because the sales guy here is a hoot.
 
They are pretty good. When they started out their pricing was very low for what you got. 1075 carbon steel, natural materials for handles and decent leather sheaths.

Maybe a tad rough around the edges but definitely worth the low cost.

They have since raised prices so their value is a bit lower, but still decent tools.

Plus they have fun designs.
 
They're manufactured by Imicasa.
Imicasa makes great machetes, and Condor is well known for making good blades.
The problem is Condor used to be well known for being really affordable but now their stuff is getting more expensive and they're not as budget friendly as they used to be.
 
Condor used to make tools, i.e : solid, non-fancy knives with good steel (1075) and south american walnut handle. Also machetes, axes but definitely hard use oriented, no bells and whistles. The prices were very affordable for a robust, quality tool. And this earned them quite the success. So they started to make some more fancy models with micarta handles and coated blades.... and the prices understandably went up. Their offer also has become way more diverse. It's still an excellent source for premium tools. They have kept their working man range. Well worth a look !
 
I like them. I've got a couple of their knives. Heavy duty users that would certainly be at home in the woods.

I just picked up a Greenland pattern/boy's axe made by them that my LGS had on clearance. Solid little axe.

They have gone up in price, but their value to cost is still above average. Worth a look if you are in the market for a knife/tool you want to actually use hard without wincing about every scratch.
 
I really wanted a double bit belt axe. The only one I could drum up I had to buy in the UK and it was a Condor. It is a very fine axe with a splendid belt sheath. The finish is amazing for what is basically a tool.
 
MyLegsAreOk said:
So I was watching this video on youtube and I decided to look them up:
Apparently they're some German knife company that moved its operation to El Salvador. That's the weirdest thing I've heard when it comes to knives, so I just don't know what to think. I mean their knives don't seam innovative so they might not even come from China. Anyone got an opinion about Condor?

I kinda want to get one because the sales guy here is a hoot.
Click to expand...

@FortyTwoBlades

I have yet to purchase anything from Condor, but I will always give Baryonyx Knife and tool a "bro bump".
 
Condor has been very popular for a budget/value option of knives, or a premium machete option. They make decent stuff, have good designs, and decent prices. They have a high reputation in the bushcraft community for being a good starter option that is above mora but still well under the high end stuff.
 
yeah, they used to be a really great value option for larger knives and machetes, but ever since they got some buzz, their pricing has creeped up so much that I'm not much of a fan

the skrama is a much better value imho
 
I'll agree with the others. Condor is a good company and makes a good knife. But ... the prices have been going up as others have posted. I'd go Becker or something else now.
 
Condor is owned by the German Company Imacasa. Imacasa primarily made machetes in South America. Condor was their venture into a wider knife market based in El Salvador. Condor machetes are a bit more upscale that the standard Imacasa line which are still made and sold. Condor really struggled when they first started and their fortunes changed completely when Joe Flowers came on board to design outdoors oriented blades. I give him tremendous credit for their success. You will see Joe at big knife shows where Condor has a booth. They have other knife designers now.

I want to handle their butcher knife, especially the Roman knife, and the knife with the red handle designed by Tony Leonard. I will see a lot of this stuff at Blade in June.

They are a good company. Pricing was very affordable and then they moved to MAP pricing. Not sure if that was a good thing or not. But most of the knife companies seem to use the MAP approach. Prior to MAP pricing I often just bought one of their blades just to mess with and try out. MAP changed that to where I mostly only buy something I am a little more certain I will like. They have moved to using 1095 in the last year or so but still use their core 1075 steel. Their stainless was 420HC.

Folders are new offerings by Condor.
 
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bikerector said:
a good starter option that is above mora but still well under the high end stuff.
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High end stuff for use in the woods ? I know it's a thing (200 $ + bushcrafting knives....) but I would rather buy some tool from the hardware store if I have a job to do in the woods than buying that "high end" stuff. Just my two cents, of course. I buy 300 $ + knives for the kitchen that I absolutely don't need... But I enjoy them a lot ! It's the whole "enjoying Vs getting a job done " thing...
 
herisson said:
High end stuff for use in the woods ? I know it's a thing (200 $ + bushcrafting knives....) but I would rather buy some tool from the hardware store if I have a job to do in the woods than buying that "high end" stuff. Just my two cents, of course. I buy 300 $ + knives for the kitchen that I absolutely don't need... But I enjoy them a lot ! It's the whole "enjoying Vs getting a job done " thing...
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There are a ton of high end knives for use in the woods, and entire companies and knife makers up to their eye balls for custom orders. LT Wright, Fiddleback Forge, Gossman, Adventure Sworn, Turley Knives, just to name a few outdoor knife brands or makers with a lot of stuff in the genre. The best knife I've seen in a hardware store for woods use is from buck knives or gerber, and both are the hunting knife models, not the woodcraft/bushcraft models.

I'm not saying you have to go high end, of course, but there are so many options for high end woods knives that it is really easy to drown in the options if you don't have something specific in mind.

More to your statement, that is why mora and condor are so popular, because not everyone wants to spend over $100 for something nicer, or well into the several hundred range for high-end, custom, etc. If you really get into it, it's pretty common to spend $50-$100 just on the sheath.
 
Back to condor quick, I think besides the knife, they offer one of the nicest stock sheaths available. I usually go other routes when knife shopping, but their leather sheaths are probably the best I've seen that wasn't custom. Once you factor that into the price, I think it still puts them at a great value.
 
Totally agree ! No brand (as far as I know) offers such a high quality sheath with their knives, machetes, axes... It's a strong selling point, for sure (once you got that hard, cold, sharp steel you definitely want a safe, practical and durable way to carry it along, no ?)
 
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