CHEAP & GAUDY BIG 'UN .... Just for curiosity and looks (?) CUTTING TEST on HAM

[bigmtnman]

Have any of you also succumbed to buying one of these ......"Just because".
I was cruising on THAT auction site and started seeing these things .. CHEAP !
The handle is a genuine "organic" of some kind. The blade is HEAVY and sharp. It's a big 'un at 13". I was actually surprised at it's "seemingly" solid construction and quality (I had pretty low expectations). I satisfied my curiosity and got a pretty (?) and unique looking wall hanger ..... CHEAP ($40)

 

[swagmeister]

As long as it is not marked Taiwan or China, it's a keeper. Looks to be well made. Has a neat look to it.

 

[bigmtnman]

As long as it is not marked Taiwan or China, it's a keeper. Looks to be well made. Has a neat look to it.

No markings at all. My guess is Pakistan or nearby.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

My guess is Pakistan, too.

I keep interesting knives like that out just for table decoration. This little beauty was lost in my 2018 fire:

I lost the tiger striped knife in the fire, too. The big Bowie is not decoration but the two custom knives (okay, they're not exactly cheap but they were not really expensive) lie on a counter in my kitchen for all to see.

This one is inexpensive, moderately gaudy, and always on display:

Definitely cheap and gaudy and always on display - Sicari replica:

If you can't have fun with certain weapons what good are they?

 

[pharmer]

There's a guy that holds a table at the local gun show. Sells genuine, hand crafted Damascus knives for under $100. He gets the Damascus blanks from overseas, fashions the rest into a very attractive package. I get tempted every time. Joe

 

[colt_saa]

There's a guy that holds a table at the local gun show. Sells genuine, hand crafted Damascus knives for under $100. He gets the Damascus blanks from overseas, fashions the rest into a very attractive package. I get tempted every time. Joe

If you are talking about the Lakeland show, he is a SWAT LT in the Central FL area. I just can not recall his name or the City

 

[Echo40]

As long as it is not marked Taiwan or China, it's a keeper. Looks to be well made. Has a neat look to it.

Not all knives made in China are junk, some Spyderco knives are made in China. As for Taiwan, they're generally above China in terms of quality, always have been. Taiwan is where most of Cold Steel knives are produced.

Besides, junk knives can be made anywhere, and times change.

 

[Narragansett]

As long as it is not marked Taiwan or China, it's a keeper. Looks to be well made. Has a neat look to it.

As long as it IS marked USA. My requirements

 

[Echo40]

As long as it IS marked USA. My requirements

Bad news, a lot of Gas Station Specials these days are marked "USA Design" or "Designed in USA" so there are a lot of knives that meet your requirements that aren't very good.

 

[Narragansett]

Bad news, a lot of Gas Station Specials these days are marked "USA Design" or "Designed in USA" so there are a lot of knives that meet your requirements that aren't very good.

I would not be fooled by that. I know better

 

[444 Magnum]

I picked up a couple USA made as well. IIRC, the maker is in Las Vegas. Saw them at an auction. Big and beefy.

I think the bottom skinner is Pakistan (Marbles). I'm not sure where the steel for the Pakistan knives comes from or the quality, but the fit and finish of the Pakistan knives is surprisingly good.

 

[Narragansett]

I picked up a couple USA made as well. IIRC, the maker is in Las Vegas. Saw them at an auction. Big and beefy.

I think the bottom skinner is Pakistan (Marbles). I'm not sure where the steel for the Pakistan knives comes from or the quality, but the fit and finish of the Pakistan knives is surprisingly good.

Pakistan makes some of the best stainless steel in the world. Chances are if you have an operation it will be with surgical instruments from Pakistan

 

[BAM-BAM]

There's a local guy (Laurel Highlands) that makes Damascus blades....one of these days I'll bite the bullet and buy one!

 

[Pisgah]

I know a guy in a tourist town who stocks these Paki Damascus knives and sells a boatload of 'em. He pays an average of $4 each in bulk, sells them for $40-45, laughs all the way to the bank. Nice-looking display pieces. Utterly useless as knives. IF you can get them sharp, they'll be dull by the time you've peeled an apple halfway...

 

[THE PILGRIM]

It screams Pakistan!
At a ‘Gun’ Show last weekend a guy had several tables of these and similar.

 

[bigmtnman]

I know a guy in a tourist town who stocks these Paki Damascus knives and sells a boatload of 'em. He pays an average of $4 each in bulk, sells them for $40-45, laughs all the way to the bank. Nice-looking display pieces. Utterly useless as knives. IF you can get them sharp, they'll be dull by the time you've peeled an apple halfway...

OUCH! .... That hurts my "craftsman" heart to think of some other human only getting a pittance to create these. I don't think they have machines stamping these things out !

 

[Narragansett]

There's a local guy (Laurel Highlands) that makes Damascus blades....one of these days I'll bite the bullet and buy one!

You could maybe talk Steelslayer into making you one. I got a beauty from him

 

[bigmtnman]

I know a guy in a tourist town who stocks these Paki Damascus knives and sells a boatload of 'em. He pays an average of $4 each in bulk, sells them for $40-45, laughs all the way to the bank. Nice-looking display pieces. Utterly useless as knives. IF you can get them sharp, they'll be dull by the time you've peeled an apple halfway...

"Utterly useless as knives" ...... OK then ... This made me CURIOUS. The dang thing felt pretty sharp and could shave some wet arm hair. I had just finished a ham this morning and thought why not test out this knife a bit. SHOCK ! .. It sliced the ham as well as my Cutco kitchen knife ! I am going to keep it in the kitchen and keep my Cutco in the drawer for awhile. I'll test this for some weeks and maybe post my "results" from cutting/chopping/slicing up veggies and meats.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

It sliced the ham as well as my Cutco kitchen knife

Well, there goes the fun display knife!!!!

As for Damascus, well, okay, here's a different picture:

The small, straight one survived the 2018 fire but its Kydex sheath was deformed. The odd shaped larger one survived, as did it's leather sheath, and when I think of it I hitch it to my belt when I go out for a steak dinner. It's mighty sharp and eyes grow wide when I push the restaurant knife aside and put this puppy on the table!

I can't identify the maker of that larger knife but I think that they still sell them at several local gun shows in and around Dallas.

 

[lihpster]

Got these off of Amazon for about $50 each. They came with crappy sheaths, so I got a couple better ones from Ebay. Not razor sharp but decent for the money. I bought them for display anyway.