WalMart $10 Ozark Trail Knife

Jdottinger said:
While I agree the test is silly. Nate the machinist has used the same test on knives. Buck still uses the test in advertising and on apparel they sell. So I don’t think it’s completely asinine, just silly.
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I actually don't have a problem with a "hard use " type knife being put to such tests .

I even like to watch Joe X , with a big grain of salt .

But testing a $10 disposable beater , should be done against other $10 beaters , to be fair . Just IMO . 🤷‍♂️

The knives I personally trust for hard use / survival etc, are a lot more pricey by far .
 
Walmart $10 D2 Ozark Trail knife -- with factory burnt edge removed -- is quite good

26 minutes video - testing 15 dps edge


BCMW re-hardened 65rc Walmart $10 Ozark Trail D2 60rc Knife - sharpened at 15DPS
Cut 1/2" sisal rope until edge no longer slice phonebook paper
Result: 3500 cuts
 
I can’t be too excited about the OP’s results, because these are more like an impression rather than quantification.

At $10 I’d also guess there’s not a lot of QC going on, so I’d also guess experiences will vary wildly.
 
Jdottinger said:
Heat treated poorly. I’d rather spend $30-40 on a R2D2. If this was branded Ganzo, most here would never consider it. Maybe I’m just an old curmudgeon now but I take pride in the tools I use.
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Yeah, and who knows who actually makes this one? An issue that I've raised previously is that unless you know, good luck guessing who does the OEM work for a given brand and Ganzo definitely does OEM work. 😜

On the Ozark Trail in general, lots of testing has been done. Once past the burnt edge steel, edge retention here is near the low end for Chinese D2. Chinese D2 in general has offered a fairly wide spectrum, only approaching American or European knives in D2 at the top. There are suspected reasons for that, from issues in big-batch heat treatment to variation in the vanadium content. I'm glad to see so many Chinese companies moving on to other steels but where it remains, I think it is best as an alternative to 8Cr13Mov at like the $30 level.

Here, where most of the other Ozark Trails have traditionally been like 3Cr13 (wherein you could get steel frame locks where the body and blade are the same material), the D2 is a massive jump up. The question remains though: why?!? Especially in the knife community, are we so hurt for cash that we couldn't spend an extra $20 to get something so much better? The Ozark Trail knives are made as cheaply as possible and that includes everything around that D2 blade. Enough testing has been done to see everything from soft hardware failing to the coating not being great.
 
Ok I am not much of a contributor to this forum, but have been a hunting guide , boat captain and rancher since I was In college and have had a lot of experience with edc knives,
These last 35+ years I have a spyderco in one pocket and a “ tester “ in the other ,
When I got wind of this $10 miracle knife I ordered 3 , 1 is absolute junk and I just can’t keep it alive.
#2 had a burnt blade and finally became “ decent “ / acceptable and could last a few days without needing TLC
#3 has some promising steel and holds a edge after a average day of cutting everything from feed bags, hay netting, cement bags, stripping wire ,cutting my lunch and diner , definitely not in the spyderco or Benchmade league though, but ok for a Chinese beater, don’t laugh but Ganzo has really dialed in their D2 & 440c and they make a heavy but decent knife for a work knife.
During hunting season no way I would leave my serrated vg10 or 20cv endela at home, but these Ganzo and Ozark trails will make a home in my pack and truck as beater and gift knives
Out at sea it’s the LC200 pacific salt 2 spyderco, I just can’t find a steel that doesn’t get some sort of corrosion except spyderco
Moraknifv & spyderco are definitely my two I would say are can’t do without , but it’s fun playing around with something new ;)
 
eveled said:
So in the end you spent $30 on one $10 knife and when it breaks there will be no way to fix it.

You could get a Buck knife for that money and when it broke get it fixed. It would last for years.
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I have a few Xmas gift bucks, all are 420HC steel and run about $50-$80
I just can’t get my head around that 420hc as it just doesn’t carry much lasting edge for me . But I still keep them in use on a limited basis as a straight edge with my serrated spyderco as a primary
However buck is a USA made and is better than Kershaw , schrade , and other Chinese Walmart off the shelf brands
 
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Many years ago I had an oppertunity to go alligator "hunting" in the deep swamps of South Louisan. It was much like some of what is shown on the TV show "Swamp People".

I am pretty much a city guy. I needed spme gear. Rubber boots for one thing.I didn't want to look like I Had walked in to a high end sporting goods store and maxed out my gold card though. Didn't want to lose or damage something really nice I already had eityher. So I went in to a local Kroger and bought a four inch boning/paring knife. "Old Hickory" brand; carbon steel and riveted wooden handle. It worked pretty well and nobody mocked me for my knife.

Back in the 1990s it cost me way less than 10 too.
 
VorpelSword said:
Many years ago I had an oppertunity to go alligator "hunting" in the deep swamps of South Louisan. It was much like some of what is shown on the TV show "Swamp People".

I am pretty much a city guy. I needed spme gear. Rubber boots for one thing.I didn't want to look like I Had walked in to a high end sporting goods store and maxed out my gold card though. Didn't want to lose or damage something really nice I already had eityher. So I went in to a local Kroger and bought a four inch boning/paring knife. "Old Hickory" brand; carbon steel and riveted wooden handle. It worked pretty well and nobody mocked me for my knife.

Back in the 1990s it cost me way less than 10 too.
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ya bought an American made fixed blade knife with a good heat treat and steel at a grocer in 1990.....how ya tying this tale into the questionable steel and heat treat chinese made 10 dollar knife? I'm not following?

10 dollars in 1990 would be around 25 dollars in today's money, via inflation calculator. 4 dollars back then would be close to 10 today.

they kept the old hickory prices pretty consistent priced over the years inflation wise.
 
jbmonkey said:
ya bought an American made fixed blade knife with a good heat treat and steel at a grocer in 1990.....how ya tying this tale into the questionable steel and heat treat chinese made 10 dollar knife? I'm not following?

10 dollars in 1990 would be around 25 dollars in today's money, via inflation calculator. 4 dollars back then would be close to 10 today.

they kept the old hickory prices pretty consistent priced over the years inflation wise.
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Ummmm . . . . .Well, I thought it applied. Kroger and Walmart . . .neither one is a sporting goods store. The knife was cheap for the day and replicable If dropped, broken or just lost (left) in the swamp. I see no substantive difference between that kitchen knife and the $10 knife in the OP.
 
VorpelSword said:
Ummmm . . . . .Well, I thought it applied. Kroger and Walmart . . .neither one is a sporting goods store. The knife was cheap for the day and replicable If dropped, broken or just lost (left) in the swamp. I see no substantive difference between that kitchen knife and the $10 knife in the OP.
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guess ya never been to a walmart, as they actually have a sporting section in their stores.

the knives aren't the same. one made in usa, good steel and heat treat and fixed blade sold in more than just a kroger. the other made in china, mystery steel and questionable heat treat, a folder, and sold only at Walmart.

so not even close in any way.....
 
I think he meant two inexpensive knives that serve a purpose, but you won't cry if they get lost or damaged.
 
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