Spyderco Forums

ugaarguy wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 3:09 am

RobDigi wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 28, 2018 7:18 pm

The USA made CRK Mnandi is 1.5oz of titanium wood and steel...1.5oz.
$400-$650 price range
No hard limit lol
materials and design lol
Whoever voted on that you must be crazy!!
or sharp as a spoon.

I'd never really paid attention to the weight of the Mnandi before. The Spyderco Dragonfly 2 is a liner less, plastic handled, back lock with a wire clip. The DF2 has a 2.25" blade and weighs 1.2 oz. The Mnandi has a half inch longer blade sitting between a pair of Ti handle scales, each with a wood inlay, plus a pocket clip machined from another solid piece of Ti, and it weighs less than half an ounce more than the DF2? That's darn impressive, and quite a design feat. For many people, minimizing weight is a priority.

ho ho ho Mnandi what a user..the knife works hard!
Exceptionally well.
My point is that I don't think China can compete with high end USA makers Euro designers ..

USA made still has intagible more status,
expectation of world class.
and with all the Euro designers collaborating put the USA made market a level up.
I would purchase a China made knife, We knives & Kizer...but price is more a factor
and there is a lower ceiling limit I would pay.
just my 2 cents.

RobDigi wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 11:16 am

My point is that I don't think China can compete with high end USA makers Euro designers ..

It took me a long time to get over the made in Taiwan factor on a couple Taichung made Spyderco RILs that I liked the designs of. I now have four Spyderco RILs from the Taichung plant. Many here argue that Taichung is making the highest quality knives in Spyderco's lineup. I think many people in the knife community wouldn't have believed that was possible 10 or 15 years ago. There's no reason mainland China can't match or exceed that level of quality if one is willing to pat for it. In fact, if the Reate made Todd Begg Steelcraft series folders are any indication, China is already there in terms of capability.

$0.00

Nothing to do with politics, quality or country of origin. For ethical reasons I don’t buy any. I have tried to research who is making what and for whom over there and it is as clear as mud. For that reason I just stay away. There is not enough info available to make an informed decision. There are many good knife companies around the world with more transparency so I spend my money there.

I know that Spyderco uses at least one Chinese maker who I actively avoid and I cannot even figure out which models that maker is making.

ugaarguy wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 12:34 pm

RobDigi wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 11:16 am

My point is that I don't think China can compete with high end USA makers Euro designers ..

China is already there in terms of capability.

...no doubt that China makers can get materials and build something,
to the same exact tolerances as anybody they want to.
but its $ value is to a degree,
dimished by CHINA printed on it ( in the lets get real world )...Yes or No ?
surprised so many think No hard limit with China knives.

I chose the last option. I buy from a company, not a country. I have a few China made knives that are quality and have lifetime warranties backed by very reputable US based companies.
So it’s not necessarily the design/materials(although that is a major deciding factor), it’s the company I am buying from that ends up being the deciding factor.

xchef wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 28, 2018 9:25 pm

Just to clarify a bit Taichung is not in China it is in Taiwan .Strictly a Spyderco made in Taichung has not been made in China .

If we’re going to clarify it’s best to be accurate. They’re actually both China - the Republic of China (commonly referred to as Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China.

The USA officially does not recognize Taiwan as an independent state and considers it to be part of China. Per the US State Department website:

“The United States recognized the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, acknowledging the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China.”

So for those who are unwilling to buy a knife made in China - do you follow this practice with other goods or just knives?

ABX2011 wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 8:19 pm

So for those who are unwilling to buy a knife made in China - do you follow this practice with other goods or just knives?

I do my level best not to buy anything at all that’s made in China. :)

Bloke wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 9:15 pm

ABX2011 wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 8:19 pm

So for those who are unwilling to buy a knife made in China - do you follow this practice with other goods or just knives?

I do my level best not to buy anything at all that’s made in China. :)

+1, as hard as that is.

Bloke wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 9:15 pm

ABX2011 wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 8:19 pm

So for those who are unwilling to buy a knife made in China - do you follow this practice with other goods or just knives?

I do my level best not to buy anything at all that’s made in China. :)

Yet you use an iPhone :p

Just giving you a hard time Alex. :) I don't necessarily like using Chinese goods either but it's hard these days. After working for a German company for several years (now owned by an American company) I now find myself working for a Chinese guy who imports our product from China. Interesting thing is the quality of what we sell is higher than most of our competitors.

More on topic, I took a chance on a knife that was designed by a US knife maker (not Spyderco) and produced in China and it's become one of my favorite models. Go figure

Calicoast wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 10:14 pm

Bloke wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 9:15 pm

ABX2011 wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 8:19 pm

So for those who are unwilling to buy a knife made in China - do you follow this practice with other goods or just knives?

I do my level best not to buy anything at all that’s made in China. :)

+1, as hard as that is.

Almost impossible nowadays.

I also selected no hard price limit in the poll, but I haven’t been tempted yet by any high dollar Chinese-made knives. The iPhone is the perfect example of why I try to remain open. Besides, I remember the era of “cheap Japanese junk.” Things change over time, and they’re not done changing.

Sharp Guy wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 11:46 pm

Bloke wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 9:15 pm

ABX2011 wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 8:19 pm

So for those who are unwilling to buy a knife made in China - do you follow this practice with other goods or just knives?

I do my level best not to buy anything at all that’s made in China. :)

Yet you use an iPhone :p

Just giving you a hard time Alex. :) I don't necessarily like using Chinese goods either but it's hard these days. After working for a German company for several years (now owned by an American company) I now find myself working for a Chinese guy who imports our product from China. Interesting thing is the quality of what we sell is higher than most of our competitors.

More on topic, I took a chance on a knife that was designed by a US knife maker (not Spyderco) and produced in China and it's become one of my favorite models. Go figure

Yeah, I’m hearing you Pat and Nitro and Bill and I certainly agree often times you don’t get much of a choice at all making it difficult if not impossible to not buy Chinese. Thankfully with knives at least we get a choice.

Times do change. I can still remember as a 15yrs old apprentice, in 1976, all micrometers, verniers, rules etc. where English - Moore & Wright, Starrett - USA, Tesa - Switzerland and an odd Mitutoyo - Japan, for us apprentices to play with. By the time I finished my apprenticeship four years later we were using calibrated Mitutoyo’s in the Tool Room.

Anyhow, you can’t have all the knives and for now I s’pose I can likely live without any Chinese ones. :)

I buy China made knives and other things...I got no problem with that.
Chinese computers are ubiquitous and set a high standard in the assembly industry.

But a product like a USA made knife has a higher value than a China made knife..
there is a hard limit for me on what I would spend on a Chinese knife less than $200
I have a USA made knife I paid $650 for...
I would definitely not shell that out on Chinese made!
Just me.

China can as does make some very high end products, very high tech products.

Just because something is made in China doesn't mean that it's bad.

The Chinese factories aren't the ones who determine the level of quality, it's the Company who has the products made that determines that.

Something MOST people don't understand.

RobDigi wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 12:59 pm

...no doubt that China makers can get materials and build something,
to the same exact tolerances as anybody they want to.
but its $ value is to a degree,
dimished by CHINA printed on it ( in the lets get real world )...Yes or No ?
surprised so many think No hard limit with China knives.

To answer your question, yes and no. Let's go back to the Todd Begg Steelcraft series. If I was totally in love with a Begg design, I'd buy a Steelctaft because I can't afford his USA made mid-techs (semi-customs, whatever you want to call them), but I know the quality and materials there on the former. I wish my Sage 2, Spydiechef, Dice, and Domino all had "Golden, Colorado, USA, Earth" printed on the blades, instead of "Taichung Taiwan". So, yes, I can (and do) simultaneously place a higher value on USA made products over Chinese made products while still not having a hard limit on what I'd spend on a Chinese made knife.

I have to be straight forward with you. I love Spyderco knives and I have great admiration, respect, and sincere care for the people behind Spyderco knives. I love Spyderco Byrd Knives. Is that a good enough answer?

BigGrove wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 29, 2018 7:02 pm

xchef wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 28, 2018 9:25 pm

Just to clarify a bit Taichung is not in China it is in Taiwan .Strictly a Spyderco made in Taichung has not been made in China .

If we’re going to clarify it’s best to be accurate. They’re actually both China - the Republic of China (commonly referred to as Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China.

The USA officially does not recognize Taiwan as an independent state and considers it to be part of China. Per the US State Department website:

“The United States recognized the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, acknowledging the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China.”

What would happen if a nation such as the USA officially said "Taiwan is an eternal independent state and the PRC has no right to it whatsoever. They have no claim to it, and any and all attempts to go against this statement will be considered an act of aggressive warfare, and we will respond accordingly." and in return America wanted to have Taiwan give them extra-great deals on knives and other goods?

I voted "none".
I have two Taichung models that I looked at and put down several times before I bought them. It was hard for me to get past the made in Taiwan thing. Only after realizing the quality of craftsmanship, was I able to pull the trigger, it still bothers me a little ! I recently purchased my first Japan model. I think I will draw the line at made in China.
Just my thoughts.

I purchase what I like, country of origin really does not have any influence