ALL THINGS BUDGET KNIVES

Wow, nice! Too bad it is riveted. Is that a lockback? Can’t find it on Sanrenmu’s website.

At least here :wink:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001893973214.html

That PT711-BU is beautiful!

I like that copper color.

Those Partners are nice indeed, the CRKTs and Kershaws of this generation.
Pretty knives with hefty billboarding.
On the clipside it even says on the ricasso …

Hehe, better you look for yourselves :wink:

Give me a clean one with only the SRM logo and blade steel on the blade and the product number on the inside of the handle.
And thumb studs plese, like on the 930x series.

P.S. If you like the design, look for the Otter Mercator. This one seems to be a cleverly modernized version.

It’s kind of sad that Kershaw and CRKT have fallen so far behind. They still put out cool designs but assisted actions and overpriced 8Cr13Mov are pretty lame in 2021. Sanrenmu’s 12C27 will cut circles around 8Cr13Mov.

I just used a $20ish Sanrenmu in 12C27 to cut up enough cardboard to completely fill a kitchen-sized trash bag. The edge still looks good. A quick stropping and it’ll be good to go for tomorrow’s EDC.

Nice

Apparently they are slipjoints (although they do resemble the Otter Mercator which has a lockback style lock)

Also imported under the name Atlas by Böker Plus (see it in some EU knife stores ranging from ~19€ single blade, to ~30€ for the scissors version)

In the same price range 3Cr13 is used as handle material at Sanrenmu and as blade steel at Kershaw. :smiley:

First time that I like a Boker branded SRM more than their own one even though I’d wait for the other color, brass for me.

The Boker Atlas says 12C27 and is only available in a mirror polished all steel version (even the pins).

You hit the nail right on the head here.

It’s like the irony of 14C28N. It was developed at Kershaw’s behest for exclusive use in their knives. It ended up being a fantastic budget steel and the exclusivity eventually ended. Now, Chinese companies are using 14C28N in budget knives priced to compete with Kershaw’s Chinese-made knives in 8Cr13Mov. (Coincidentally, I’m pretty sure Ruike and Real Steel are both manufactured by Sanrenmu.)

Kizer Domin [VG10]

View post on imgur.com

Tangram Santa Fe (modded) [Acuto 440]

View post on imgur.com

My review on an exclusive SRM model. The SRM 7228. Great EDC!.

REVIEW: https://chinese-knives.blogspot.com/2021/01/review-srm-7228-sanrenmu.html

@xevious
Bringing back a post from July (page 159)

You got very defensive when another member and myself were trying to warn you about this new brand offering S35VN at a cheap price.
Here’s why I was saying I would pick a cheap Kizer S35VN over this any day and why people were warning you, have a look at 2.45mins (and yes, of course now the manufacturer plays the “I didn’t know” story and AFTER being caught, makes it right)

Your main goal was to try S35VN. That didn’t happen with the Asher.

The Work Sharp Precision Adjust knife sharpener. It is really easy to use, and puts on a super sharp blade. I re-sharpened three blades in no time, and they are all razor sharp again.

I have ruined blade angles, and scratched the sides of blades in the past using other sharpening tools. Not anymore with the Work Sharp.

This has been a consistent problem with new or unknown brands on AliExpress (etc.). I remember a similar situation with the GoComma knives in “D2”. (They were actually 8Cr13Mov.) Let’s also remember the drama with Eafengrow getting caught with false steel stamps and claiming the same thing.

Beyond steel identity, there is also heat treatment to consider. If a company is in the position to be selling knives with fake steel stamps, are they in a position to have their blades properly treated? With a mediocre heat treatment, S35VN or M390 might not hold a better edge than 9Cr18Mov or 14C28N. In fact, 9Cr18Mov with an exceptional heat treatment can perform as well as mass-market renditions of super steels. Check out this cut testing on Civivi’s 9Cr18Mov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MGsyodJkI

My usual advice on new or unknown brands is to wait for testing before spending.

I agree with you on the heat treatment, blade geometry, etc…
Honestly, when I buy from a new and unknown brand on Aliexpress, clone or not, I am kind of expecting that, especially if the price seems too good.
However, this is not a company on AE, it’s a new brand, founded by an American, trying to establish themselves as a new brand for “western countries”.
I think they might have shut themselves on the foot. Personally, a new brand that tries to establish themselves and starts by lying about their steel on their first offering loses my trust (and I don’t buy for a second their “we didn’t know, the steel supplier lied to us” story).

I agree. If they are lying, then good riddance. If they are telling the truth, then this is a double tragedy. Because Eagengrow had so recently claimed the same story after getting caught with fake steel stamps, and hasn’t seemed to appreciably change their ways; I don’t know who is going to trust this new company.

An important lesson here is that if you want to start a new knife company, you need to know the market. You need to know that this sort of thing can and does happen. You need to make sure that the people you are dealing with to make your product are both trustworthy and reliable. If there is any question, you need to be performing spot checks before batches hit the market.

Breaking into this knife post for the first time. I’m a regular on other “channels” here at BLF. I also own some decent knives, including some customs built by several good friends over the last 40 years.

Also have a few Kershaws, an OLD leatherman, and a few other “meh” knives picked up over the years at auctions, garage sales, etc. I field dress about 6-8 deer a year using one incredible knife I got from my #1 hunting buddy about 12 years ago, a cheap looking thing with a SUPER blade that holds like my Swedish tool steel $500 custom bowie from 1990 (blank was cut from a saw mill blade). Cannot tell you the brand of this simple knife, but he said it was a giveaway for membership to the RMEF back then.

Anyway… looking for a better folding knife for EDC. Back about 60years ago, my dad always had Carl Schlieper “Eyen Brand” knives from Solingen Germany by the box for me and our hands on our ranches. I broke my last Eye brand knife working on a bull elk back in 1991. It was a folding 3” bone handled beauty.

So light years later, I am reading all these post and kinda lost. I’m very into getting a flip out in about a 3” blade like my Kershaw, but with good steel that holds a better edge. Not looking for status knife, but something like a Convoy light… damn good build, works like it should, simple and cheap enough.

And of course… I’m NOT in a hurry and would wait for a good deal to come along. But if anything is out there now (or if a known darling model to keep an eye on can be mentioned)… I’d appreciate any ideas.

EDIT (bump)… any ideas guys? Open to a clean knife with little use (sharpening) too if it hits the criteria above. Thanks!

Cheers Ears! :beer:

@Zappaman:

What's your budget, and do you want a manual flipper or maybe an assisted-opener?


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Wow ! I will have to buy one, Thanks for sharing your pic. :smiley:
I see it rotates the blade for accessing the point.
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I Started with a Smiths and switched to a Lansky Deluxe 5-Stone Sharpening System now.
The problem I always have is the blade clamping inconsistency, so I modded the clamp for a slightly deeper grip.
But some blades are best to take pictures of the clamp position for repeating, especially longer blades with 2 clamping positions.
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Hey Rcity…

My budget is maybe around $40ish, but I’d go a bit more to hit on a GREAT deal :smiley: I have found some old Eye Brands around on eBay but I’m looking for a single 3”(ish) blade with a pretty standard blade (not too much kick, I like a little round down out at the tip). A flip out with an assisted spring (finishing the flip) would be my preference. But the steel needs to hold a better edge so I can work a few deer off the bone in an afternoon without needing to steel it much.

Honestly, my Kershaw ($7 about 4 years ago on an online Groupon deal- 2 for $14!) has done the job a few times and I know it’s not the best steel (I lost the other one in the airport sadly). But it’s held together and I like the open frame metal handle design ok. But the blade is not my favorite for holding it’s edge well. What I want is a folding field dress knife I can pocket— like the old Eye Brand 3” I had from 1984-1991- that was a GREAT knife ($30 back then). Ebay has a few and I could cough-up about $50 or so for an old vintage. But wondering is this new Japanese steel I read about can be had for a good price- no frills just SOLID… like Conyoy lights!

I also don’t mind pulling the screws and lock-tightening them, etc. Kinda like modding lights- tweaking is part of about anything I buy anymore.

Thanks for any ideas :beer: