Schrade - good or bad?

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  • patience0830

    .22 magician
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 96.6%
    28   1   0
    Nov 3, 2008
    17,585
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    Not far from the tree
    They are not the finest steel you can buy, but an old Sharp Finger is a very serviceable and user sharpenable tool that the average guy would never wear out. Last two Schrades i bought were VERY sharp out of the package.
     

    shootersix

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 10, 2009
    4,280
    113
    like others have said, I will add the new stuff is cheep enough, but the blade steel is very soft! it will sharpen very easily and a few strokes over a stone with make it razor sharp!, but after you save the hair on your arm proving how sharp it is, it's dull again and need to be resharpened

    and fyi schrade, old times, uncle henry, imperial, and smith and Wesson knives, are all owned by battenfield technologies, and a lot of the schrade/smith knives are the same with different branding (but the same blade steel)
     

    johny5

    not a shill account
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Apr 3, 2014
    946
    28
    Indianapolis
    They are great from a utility/value standpoint. If you are looking for an heirloom or status symbol, probably not what you want.
     

    Steve

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    84   0   0
    Nov 10, 2008
    1,608
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    Take a look at Ebay and see if you can find one that is at least 25 years old. Back then, they were made to last a lifetime and are more than worth the search. I have an LB8 and a couple of fixed blade ones that are older than that and still going strong. You can't go wrong with any of them that were made during that time. So far as buying a new one today, they are fair at best. You can get a much better quality blade for about the same price with a Gerber, KaBar, or Kershaw. JMHO.
     

    johny5

    not a shill account
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Apr 3, 2014
    946
    28
    Indianapolis
    Take a look at Ebay and see if you can find one that is at least 25 years old. Back then, they were made to last a lifetime and are more than worth the search. I have an LB8 and a couple of fixed blade ones that are older than that and still going strong. You can't go wrong with any of them that were made during that time. So far as buying a new one today, they are fair at best. You can get a much better quality blade for about the same price with a Gerber, KaBar, or Kershaw. JMHO.

    Completely agree with this. My EDC is a Kershaw 3850. Exceptional value for a good all-around knife.
     

    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    43   0   0
    May 30, 2009
    17,875
    113
    Lafayette
    I have a Schrade Sharp Finger that I bought new back in the 1970's.
    I could not begin to count the number of small game animals it has skinned.
    It will also go through the breastbone of a deer, with a lot of muscle behind it.

    I think I gave $12 for it new back then.
    If I needed to replace the one I have, I'd easily give $50 for the same knife today.
     

    Caleb

    Making whiskey, one batch at a time!
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Aug 11, 2008
    10,155
    63
    Columbus, IN
    I have a Schrade leatherman that I had gotten for Christmas at least 20 years ago, back when it was USA made...I wouldn't buy one nowadays unless its for cheap.
     

    JeepHammer

    SHOOTER
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 2, 2018
    1,904
    83
    SW Indiana
    Wal-Mart killed the brand.
    They negotiated a buy price that cut the company to the bone,
    Then they made orders in the millions so the company *Thought* they would make money.

    The problem was, they expected Schrade/Old Timer to store the product until it was needed, so the company would up having to build/buy space, further cutting any profit margin.

    When the company failed, Wal-Mart cancelled the order then used a third party to buy up stock for pennies on the dollar.
    The company name was eventually sold to a China manufacturer...

    This isn't the first American company Wal-Mart sunk the same way.

    I'm a big fan of my old Old Timers, Schrade, etc.
    The new ones are just like every other China made knife on the market, China still can't make or heat treat steel.
     

    455 Beretta

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Sep 20, 2013
    118
    18
    WLaf
    Wal-Mart killed the brand.
    They negotiated a buy price that cut the company to the bone,
    Then they made orders in the millions so the company *Thought* they would make money.

    The problem was, they expected Schrade/Old Timer to store the product until it was needed, so the company would up having to build/buy space, further cutting any profit margin.

    When the company failed, Wal-Mart cancelled the order then used a third party to buy up stock for pennies on the dollar.
    The company name was eventually sold to a China manufacturer...

    This isn't the first American company Wal-Mart sunk the same way.

    I'm a big fan of my old Old Timers, Schrade, etc.
    The new ones are just like every other China made knife on the market, China still can't make or heat treat steel.


    It takes 2 to tango. Company management chose to do business with Walmart or negotiate to the bone. I’m not saying it’s not Walmart’s practices, but no one held a knife to their vendors (pun intended).
     

    Caleb

    Making whiskey, one batch at a time!
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Aug 11, 2008
    10,155
    63
    Columbus, IN
    Wal-Mart killed the brand.
    They negotiated a buy price that cut the company to the bone,
    Then they made orders in the millions so the company *Thought* they would make money.

    The problem was, they expected Schrade/Old Timer to store the product until it was needed, so the company would up having to build/buy space, further cutting any profit margin.

    When the company failed, Wal-Mart cancelled the order then used a third party to buy up stock for pennies on the dollar.
    The company name was eventually sold to a China manufacturer...

    This isn't the first American company Wal-Mart sunk the same way.

    I'm a big fan of my old Old Timers, Schrade, etc.
    The new ones are just like every other China made knife on the market, China still can't make or heat treat steel.

    Interesting fact...I did not know that this happened. Would explain why you never see ESEE or any other high quality brand at Walmart.
     

    Tactically Fat

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Oct 8, 2014
    8,270
    113
    Indiana
    Interesting fact...I did not know that this happened. Would explain why you never see ESEE or any other high quality brand at Walmart.

    I've seen both Kershaw, Spyderco, and Leatherman at Walmart.

    Not higher end Kershaws or Spydercos - but they're being sold. And I'd take a Walmart Kershaw or Spyderco over just about anything else from Walmart any day of the week.
     

    Caleb

    Making whiskey, one batch at a time!
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Aug 11, 2008
    10,155
    63
    Columbus, IN
    I've seen both Kershaw, Spyderco, and Leatherman at Walmart.

    Not higher end Kershaws or Spydercos - but they're being sold. And I'd take a Walmart Kershaw or Spyderco over just about anything else from Walmart any day of the week.

    I wager a bet that those are Chinese made lower quality versions of their higher end knives and are made specifically just for Walmart
     

    Tactically Fat

    Grandmaster
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    22   0   0
    Oct 8, 2014
    8,270
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    Indiana
    I wager a bet that those are Chinese made lower quality versions of their higher end knives and are made specifically just for Walmart

    I can guarantee that they're chinese-made.

    But they're the same chinese-made knives that you can guy online from any number of vendors.

    I'd still trust a Chinese-made Kershaw or Spyderco than I would anything from Schrade.
     

    Caleb

    Making whiskey, one batch at a time!
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Aug 11, 2008
    10,155
    63
    Columbus, IN
    I can guarantee that they're chinese-made.

    But they're the same chinese-made knives that you can guy online from any number of vendors.

    I'd still trust a Chinese-made Kershaw or Spyderco than I would anything from Schrade.

    Isn't the Chinese equivalent of Spyderco the Byrd Knife?
     
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