Winchester knife set

[loyd freeman]

If anyone is interested in a nice set of knives to engrave just drop in to Walmart at the sporting section and look at the 2007 limited edition Wildlife series scrimshaw set. Three folding stainless pocket knives boxed in a rosewood case with the Winchester logo all for $10.00. Such a deal. Loyd

 

[KSnyder]

Most likely inferior Chinese stuff.
not worth cutting imho.
Kent

 

[loyd freeman]

Snyder;Just to let you know.I have engraved over 25 of the" Chinese inferior stuff "and since you haven,t ,don,t jump to some false statements until you try them. LOYD

 

[sam]

Actually the Winchester knives from wal-mart are quite good for engraving. Many of my students have engraved them and the steel cuts very nicely. For what they cost (usually less than $10 ea) they are great workpieces. This set of 3 for $10 is a helluva deal.

During my first years as an engraver I cut a ton of really cheap knives made in Pakistan. At the time they were $5-$10 ea and had brass or nickel silver bolsters.
~Sam

 

[Ron Smith]

Like you Sam, ,...... In our time we couldn't pick and choose what we engraved on so much. And to you Loyd, we had to have volume and did what it took to get it. I also engraved cheap things, but that tends to be relative to the enviornment. At first you get volume from the general public who will only spend so much, until you develope that reputation in which case you move up the ladder into a new realm of clients, so there is nothing wrong with engraving whatever to get experience and enough money to keep your "habit" going. Conditions for engraving has so much improved over our life spans it is easy to forget how it was sometimes......So Loyd, whatever it takes to stay alive buddy, just don't get so elaborate that you can't recover your time. If people will pay you for your labor, more power to you.......Ron S.

 

[KSnyder]

Freeman, just to let you know, I engrave for a hobby & I pick and choose what I do. In my neck of the woods the guys I hunt with & the folks I sell to aren' t looking for Chinese knives. I live 30 miles from a Cabelas store & 2 Wal-marts, plus Maumee valley gun & knife collectors in my backyard practically,believe me folks in this area know what knives & such go for without the engraving. I doubt I could sell any for the amount of time I put into them. Just not worth it for me to engrave a $10 knife & try to sell it for ??????
I've collected pocket & stick knives for over 30 yrs. & I can tell you Chinese stuff don't pass muster in the steel department. I myself carry and use knives on a daily basis. I need somethin' that lasts.They(Chinese) may cut alright for engraving but take it out in the field and it wont last or hold an edge.
Didn't mean no disrespect, its just a personal standard for myself.
chippin' away,
Kent

 

[Swede]

I think the gist here especially for beginners is that "Hey it's a REAL <OBJECT> not some stupid practice plate. Better focus a bit and stop goofing around." You can always give them to friends if you don't want to sell them.

 

[sam]

I think the gist here especially for beginners is that "Hey it's a REAL <OBJECT> not some stupid practice plate. Better focus a bit and stop goofing around." You can always give them to friends if you don't want to sell them.

Good point, Swede. When I was a fledgling engraver I found that my concentration level went up dramatically when I engraved something 'real' as opposed to a practice plate. Even if it was a $5 knife, I took extra care.

As far a inexpensive knives go, as long as they engrave ok they make excellent workpieces. In my years as an engraver I've seen many $1,000 custom knives turned into $100 knives by mediocre engraving. Same can be said for guns! Honing one's skills on the $10 Winchester knives is good as far as I'm concerned. As an engraver gets better, his or her workpieces will also get better.

Cheers / ~Sam

 

[loyd freeman]

Thanks Guys for the positive inputs on the Winchester knives. I don,t engrave for money just trying to improve myself as an engraver and give out positive information when ever possible. As a retired fighter pilot and airline pilot I always push to be the best that I can and help others whenever possible. Check your six.Cheers/Loyd

 

[Jim-Iowa]

Thanks Guys for the positive inputs on the Winchester knives. I don,t engrave for money just trying to improve myself as an engraver and give out positive information when ever possible. As a retired fighter pilot and airline pilot I always push to be the best that I can and help others whenever possible. Check your six.Cheers/Loyd

On my second job I'm the smiling face behind the sporting Goods counter at our local Walmart.
I talk to 100's of field users every weekend. And have sold a lot of Gerber's, Kershaws, Bucks every weekend. I find it Funny that many of the better names stay in a drawer and the lesser valued knives get taken to the field.
Never have used a Winchester myself, but have never gotten anything but rave reviews from field users on the quality for dollar invested. Yep they are Chinese, but just like the Japanese stuff from the 50's & 60's the quality is improving. Besides if you take the time to prepare a practice plate properly you probably have $10 in time invested?

 

[ihsfab]

Amen, about having $10 worth of time in a plate.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

There has been some good points made about using inexpensive knives as practice plates. As a beginner it can be boring after a while to keep practicing on square plates. It dosn't really challenge or stimulate you.

Having a "real" project in front of you forces the mind to think about the shape of the area to be engraved and also the flow of the whole piece so that the engraving fits in. Other challenges come up like different steels, work holding and so on. All of this helps to improve your skills bit by bit and gets you away from the comfort zone of square plates.

It's also important that you finish the job. Even if you make a few mistakes don't throw it in the rubbish tin and start again. View the mistakes as more challenges that have to be fixed. Everyone make mistakes. It's how you fix them that's important

At the end of it you have something to be proud of to show family and friends and with each project you get a bit better at it and develope a deeper understanding of the whole engraving process.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[KSnyder]

guess I'm the odd man out but stick to my guns anyway, I avoid anything Chinese & buy domestic if I can.
The point of practice on a cheap (inexpensive) knife does have merit I admit.
Kent

 

[Ron Smith]

Well Kent, I see your point too............ an ameteur engraver needs to work on actual spaces, different spaces to get experience, but like you if I go to the field, I want a knife that will perform. I'll have to post a picture of my hunting knife sometime. I could build a log cabin with it. I get chatised for its size, but I don't mind the weight. I could survive with this knife alone. A knife is one of yur most important tools in the outdoors. A good knife saved my life once, but that is a long story.......Ron S

 

[Abigail]

Ron,
I want to hear the story!
Abigail

 

[Ron Smith]

Abigail, it is too long to tell on this forum, as it started many years ago, but I have a profound fondness for good steel as a result. It is one of my prized posessions and it is just a knife, but I don't go to the woods without it. I'll tell the story sometime, somewhere, I often do, but I designed it myself and Bill Luckett of good knife fame built it for me. There are several stories revolving around that knife....Maybe I'll get a picture and try to post it if you guys would like.......................Ron S

It IS engraved, but did it many years ago and not too good. It is pretty field worn too by now.

 

[Marcus Hunt]

I bought one of the Spyderco Byrd series knives a while back from Ebay. I didn't read the ad properly and paid way over the odds for a Chinese knife. But the thing is it really is a decently made knife and for an everyday carry it does the job really well and it holds an edge. Try putting a decent edge back on a Victor Inox Swiss army knife when it's finally blunted; it's really hard to get it as sharp as the factory did and that's "decent" steel.

 

[Ron Smith]

I have one of those too Marcus. Drated thing won't hold an edge. I have had this knife for abour thirty years and have about sharpened the blade away. It is one third of its original size. The wood saw is a killer though and it is only about three inches long. I've built deer stands with it. The hacksaw blade got me out of a jam once too. I carry it every where I go, however........except when I fly

 

[Sandy]

Marcus my friend,
I am a little confused. Is blunted like burgled?

 

[KSnyder]

Marcus & Ron, I friend of mine is never without a Swiss knife, the steel is a bit hard for its own good but diamond plates or whetstones and patience will get it to razor with a 20 deg. angle. Must be shallow for the flat ground blade.
Ron, my woods knife is a 9" Soligen steel that I put a coffin handle on many years ago, big & beautiful!
Kent