So with school now out and me needing to add a post to my blog I decided to do a knife review/cpmparison...
In my quest to find a new affordable, quality pocketknife, I decided to pick up a US made Schrade old timer 34OT middle stockman off eBay for $35 plus $3 shipping. NIB ones go for over $100! Insane when you consider every feed store in the country sold them for about $20-$25. This is the knife with the three blades: a main clip point, a sheepsfoot, and a small spey blade. The seller, just to be nice I guess, included a Chinese made 34OT for free. I opened the package and immediately started comparing them.
The Old Timer 34OT is the first pocketknife I remember as it was what my dad always carried. I had one too as my fist knife, but it was lost years ago. I had since always carried the newest thumb studded, serrated, Teflon bearing tactical knives that emerged in the 90's. I had heard that Schrade closed it's doors in 2004 and sold the brand to Taylor industries which made copies in China. I hadn't held a Chinese one and wondered how well they copied the design.
On first glance they are almost identical, but a closer look reveals the obvious differences. What struck me first was the scales (handle). The saw cuts in the original's derlin handle are much finer and cleaner than the copy and the silver nameplate in the side is also much more defined with the lettering of "old timer" is sharper and smoother than the copy. The next most obvious are the brass pins that hold the knives together. Again the original's are polished and more flush with the handle while the copy's are more bulbous and rough. While not as easy to see at first, but what may be the most important is the blade thickness. The main blades are relatively similar in width, with the copy's possibly being wider than the original. The two extra blades are another matter. Both the spey and sheepsfoot blades on the copy are drastically thinner than the originals. So thin in fact, I'm pretty sure I could snap them with my thumb. Also the original's blades come from the factory with a better edge, although not razor. Another difference is the brass liners sandwiched between the blades: again the original's are thicker.
The one negative point about my original, is that the main blade has a tiny amount of lateral play if wiggled. The copy has none. Overall, it was pretty much as I expected: the Chinese version is made with obvious shortcuts taken to cut costs. I don't know about the material quality, but I don't see why they wouldn't cut there as well. The Chinese knife is probably a good tackle box knife and I'm grateful to the seller for giving it to me, but the overall quality combined with my abhorrence to things made China will never allow the copy to get front pocket duty.
good view of saw cuts, pin size/finish, and nameplate finish. The original is on the bottom.
Another thing I forgot to mention: look how far the sheepsfoot on the original rises compared to the copy.
Sheepsfoot blades. Original is on the left. Look at that chunk they took out of the Chinese one! WTF? Also, notice the bolsters are straight on the original, tapered on the copy.
Main blade spines. Copy is on the left. Appears to be slightly longer than the original.
The original is on the bottom. Notice the copy has "34OT" stamped on the tang, whereas the original is blank. The copy actually seems to have a sharper point.
In my quest to find a new affordable, quality pocketknife, I decided to pick up a US made Schrade old timer 34OT middle stockman off eBay for $35 plus $3 shipping. NIB ones go for over $100! Insane when you consider every feed store in the country sold them for about $20-$25. This is the knife with the three blades: a main clip point, a sheepsfoot, and a small spey blade. The seller, just to be nice I guess, included a Chinese made 34OT for free. I opened the package and immediately started comparing them.
The Old Timer 34OT is the first pocketknife I remember as it was what my dad always carried. I had one too as my fist knife, but it was lost years ago. I had since always carried the newest thumb studded, serrated, Teflon bearing tactical knives that emerged in the 90's. I had heard that Schrade closed it's doors in 2004 and sold the brand to Taylor industries which made copies in China. I hadn't held a Chinese one and wondered how well they copied the design.
On first glance they are almost identical, but a closer look reveals the obvious differences. What struck me first was the scales (handle). The saw cuts in the original's derlin handle are much finer and cleaner than the copy and the silver nameplate in the side is also much more defined with the lettering of "old timer" is sharper and smoother than the copy. The next most obvious are the brass pins that hold the knives together. Again the original's are polished and more flush with the handle while the copy's are more bulbous and rough. While not as easy to see at first, but what may be the most important is the blade thickness. The main blades are relatively similar in width, with the copy's possibly being wider than the original. The two extra blades are another matter. Both the spey and sheepsfoot blades on the copy are drastically thinner than the originals. So thin in fact, I'm pretty sure I could snap them with my thumb. Also the original's blades come from the factory with a better edge, although not razor. Another difference is the brass liners sandwiched between the blades: again the original's are thicker.
The one negative point about my original, is that the main blade has a tiny amount of lateral play if wiggled. The copy has none. Overall, it was pretty much as I expected: the Chinese version is made with obvious shortcuts taken to cut costs. I don't know about the material quality, but I don't see why they wouldn't cut there as well. The Chinese knife is probably a good tackle box knife and I'm grateful to the seller for giving it to me, but the overall quality combined with my abhorrence to things made China will never allow the copy to get front pocket duty.
good view of saw cuts, pin size/finish, and nameplate finish. The original is on the bottom.
Another thing I forgot to mention: look how far the sheepsfoot on the original rises compared to the copy.
Sheepsfoot blades. Original is on the left. Look at that chunk they took out of the Chinese one! WTF? Also, notice the bolsters are straight on the original, tapered on the copy.
Main blade spines. Copy is on the left. Appears to be slightly longer than the original.
The original is on the bottom. Notice the copy has "34OT" stamped on the tang, whereas the original is blank. The copy actually seems to have a sharper point.