Which Company Makes The Best Chinese Knives?

[Razor]

I have owned a couple. One was a Kizer and the one I have now is the Real Steel. I was really impressed with both. What companies do you like and why?

 

[DrRollinstein]

Reate and We are probably the top of the line. Kizer and the rest tend to be more mid range, but still fantastic knives. You just never hear about problems with the first 2, and they're the ones that like to push the envelope with their higher end stuff.

 

[Grandmaster]

WE higher end, collab with great makers
Civivi great value for what you`re getting

 

[sharp_edge]

I tried only two: Reate Horizon D (still have it) and a big Kizer ti flipper ki5401. That Reate is definitely one level above ZT flippers that I have owned (0561 0562 0452 0801 0909 0920) Granted it is more expensive too.

 

[l1ranger]

i've only had a couple Kizers - both were nice for the money - the velox2 was a little chunky for my tastes.
the mini begleiter in 154 is starting to grow on me

 

[Dadpool]

I own knives from Reate, WE, and Kizer, and all of them are excellent.

My Reate (Pena X-Series Rhino) is the nicest of the bunch, but the price is correspondingly higher as well. My WE-made Keen is about on par with my Kizer Feist, both in terms of price and fit/finish/materials.

Kizer feels like the best value overall, with fit/finish/materials that are right up there with ZT but (generally) for less money. Their early designs all seem kind of bland to me, but they've really stepped up their game in the past couple of years. I'd put my Feist (latest generation with fixes) up against almost any ZT I've ever owned.

I haven't had a chance to try WE's budget line yet (I don't do uncoated D2, which seems to be the Civivi steel of choice), but I have tried Kizer's Vanguard line. Their Vanguard 154CM/G10 knives (I own the Sheepdog XL and used to own the too-small-for-me Mini Sheepdog) compare favorably to other comparable knives I own from Spyderco and Emerson, and equal or beat them on price.

This thread needs more photos.

 

[bigsurbob]

Deleted

 

[K33ncutter]

I don’t think I have read anything bad about WE/Civivi.

 

[Welshie12]

I rate my spyderco tenacious. Don't have much else to compare it to though.

 

[rycen]

Keep politics out please

 

[JDRanger]

I’d say Reate is a small step ahead of WE and Kizer.

 

[jp9mm]

I’d say Reate is a small step ahead of WE and Kizer.

Same but everything is really close so its mostly a design decision rather than company. I do think WE/Civivi is a bit above Kizer/Vanguard lines.
Also up there: Bestech, Tuya, maybe even Twosun which seems the cheapest and offering TI/CF inlays in many nice designs.

 

[Hackenslash]

I have a bunch of them.
Reate is probably the best of the bunch, although they seem to be unable to make anything but a Frame Lock Flipper with thick-as-a-stump blade stock. I keep waiting for the high quality of Reate in a slender, sub-3" lightweight EDC (that isn't a goofy looking Bharucha design). I have a bunch of Reates going all the way back to District 9 Knives, and have never seen a fit/finish issue with any of them.

Next would be WE knives. I never had a lot of heartburn with their proprietary "star" hardware, but since they've dropped it for Torx, they seem to have really taken off. WE is amazing at the sheer number of knives they can bring to market. It speaks volumes of the manufacturing capacity that might dwarf the largest American manufacturers.

The next bunch are all a big notch below the first two: Kizer, Bestech, Artisan Cutlery, Stedemon, Maxace, Real Steel all fall into the middling range. None of these brands are perfect, although you may find individual specimens that are exemplary.

Among the "value" brands, CIVIVI (WE) stand above the rest. Kizer Vanguard, Steel Will and the OEM makers for Spyderco, Kershaw, CRKT are all behind CIVIVI to one degree or another. CIVIVI might be the hottest brand in production knives right now.

You can find some great knives that originate from China, many designed and marketed by European and Western Designers/Brands.

 

[unwisefool]

I have a midtech sigma that I believe was made by WE knives and finished by the knife maker here in the US and it's fantastic. So I would be willing to give them a try. I think the thing to remember about WE, Reate and a few others is that they seem to have a passion for knives and aren't just only putting out a bunch of generic stuff.

 

[tyyreaun]

+1 on Reate being the best, followed by WE.

Note that in both cases, I don't think their own designs are that great. Where I think they really shine is when they're contracted to build knives for another designer, like Brian Nadeau (with Reate) or Ferrum Forge and Ray Laconico (WE). That might come down to personal tastes as much as anything else, though.

One other brand that recently surprised me was Tuya Knives. I'm under the impression that they have their own factory, but I might be wrong. I only have the Envy 2, but I'd put it on par with any WE I've handled, for less money.

 

[DrRollinstein]

I own knives from Reate, WE, and Kizer, and all of them are excellent.

My Reate (Pena X-Series Rhino) is the nicest of the bunch, but the price is correspondingly higher as well. My WE-made Keen is about on par with my Kizer Feist, both in terms of price and fit/finish/materials.

Kizer feels like the best value overall, with fit/finish/materials that are right up there with ZT but (generally) for less money. Their early designs all seem kind of bland to me, but they've really stepped up their game in the past couple of years. I'd put my Feist (latest generation with fixes) up against almost any ZT I've ever owned.

I haven't had a chance to try WE's budget line yet (I don't do uncoated D2, which seems to be the Civivi steel of choice), but I have tried Kizer's Vanguard line. Their Vanguard 154CM/G10 knives (I own the Sheepdog XL and used to own the too-small-for-me Mini Sheepdog) compare favorably to other comparable knives I own from Spyderco and Emerson, and equal or beat them on price.

This thread needs more photos.

Civivi seems pretty split on D2 and the 9cr steel. Definitely recommend trying them out. A better knife for 40 dollars almost doesnt exist.

 

[Dadpool]

Civivi seems pretty split on D2 and the 9cr steel. Definitely recommend trying them out. A better knife for 40 dollars almost doesnt exist.

Oh neat, I hadn't seen any non-D2 models -- thank you. A quick filter by blade steel on BHQ shows that they even make some ~$70 knives in VG-10.

 

[DrRollinstein]

Oh neat, I hadn't seen any non-D2 models -- thank you. A quick filter by blade steel on BHQ shows that they even make some ~$70 knives in VG-10.

Yes, and you can find the Damascus ones around 70 bucks too if you look. Ebay will usually have some if the main sites are sold out.

 

[Hackenslash]

Yes, and you can find the Damascus ones around 70 bucks too if you look. Ebay will usually have some if the main sites are sold out.

Yeah, I’m fairly impressed with the CIVIVI damascus. I have a McKenna and Little Fiend in Chinese Damascus and not only is the pattern vibrant and attractive, both knives have held factory edge with light to moderate use.

 

[DrRollinstein]

Yeah, I’m fairly impressed with the CIVIVI damascus. I have a McKenna and Little Fiend in Chinese Damascus and not only is the pattern vibrant and attractive, both knives have held factory edge with light to moderate use.

I feel the same. I have the Civivi incite with damascus, shredded CF and copper flakes and it's absolutely amazing for the hundred bucks it cost.