Continuing our series on firearms-branded every day carry knives for concealed carry weapons license holders, I stopped by the Smith & Wesson booth at the 2013 Blade Show. [Ongoing coverage at The Truth About Knives.] The last time we posted on S&W’s M&P edged products, more than a few TTAG commentators balked at their Chinese provenance and not-entirely-stellar quality. Same as it ever was—with one exception. Smith makes the the M&P 1600BTS automatic knife in the Volunteer State. (Happily enough, Tennessee is trying to repeal its switchblade ban.) Truth be told the 1600BTS feels a bit . . . insubstantial. And it has a safety. But it is made in America, just like Smith’s guns! How great is that?
I have one of their Chinese made Extreme Op switchblades, carry it every day for about 4 years. $45 at a flea market. Love it. Opens, closes, cuts. Blade still tight. I don’t see a reason to complain.
The powers that be in Tennessee recently voted against carrying switch blades. We have decent gun laws including open carry but God forbid someone should be able to push a button to deploy their knife. Its not like having a switch blade would ever make my job easier.
It’s the same in Oklahoma as well. No spring assisted knives allowed.
Ditto for MI, carry anything but a 3 inch folder your dishes. Unless hunting then u can carry your machete strapped to your hip. No switchblade but I would rather have open carry/ concealed carry.
In MA you can’t carry a nail file. Okay, it’s not that bad, but it’s close.
If I was a gun company, I wouldn’t make crappy knives, and I don’t see why S&W does so. I have no personal experience with this knife, but gave away a half dozen Smith knives for Christmas 7-8 years ago. Not a single one is in service because they all fell apart, most within the first two years. They were made in China. I haven’t seen or held a Smith knife that was anything better than mediocre in quality.
I was embarassed, and now I will only give knives that are Browning, Benchmade, CRKT, Leatherman MUT, or kitchen knives made in Germany, Japan, or the good ‘ol USA. Not a single one of those has failed, nor have any of mine from J.A. Henckles.
Henckles also makes knives in China.
That’s a shame, Henckels cheaper knives used to be made in Spain. Lamson is good value for money in kitchen knives, forged blades and made in Western Massachusetts.
You’re right regarding their low end stuff. Mine were made in Germany, except for the folded steel version San Mai versionI gave to my father as a gift. That one was made in Japan. Perhaps there is good steel coming from China, but I haven’t seen any, and certainly not from S&W.
Kershaw makes some great knives in China. Check out the 1555 Cryo, it’s a Hinderer design, made in China, to great quality. I bought one when they first released it, and carry it every day. I can attest that it is 100% reliable.
For the record, my S&W automatic knife is not made in China but Taiwan. A small difference to many I suppose but a difference. It’s still a piece of crap. Not so much for the quality but the design. Because of the design I never use it.
Nice to see a knife made in the good ‘ol USA, but many states/cities ban switchblades (press button to open) unless you’re active military / LE / EMT / Fire department.
However, assisted opening knives are usually legal… unfortunately some folks don’t know the difference. Learn your local laws!
There really isn’t much of a difference, and a legal knife in CA can be made illegal if it is opened by the flick of the wrist. It doesn’t require much training or coordination to open most folding knives once a drop of oil or two is added. Many switchblades actually have small, light blades necessitated by their design. I’d rather have a folder with a more substantial blade.
There are plenty of gun laws and knife laws that don’t make sense.
No no no.
PC653k does say that knives are illegal if they can be opened with a flip of the wrist. This is where I’m sure that you are getting your information, and causes some confusion. However, when this was brought to Senator Karnette’s attention (the senator who wrote the bill), she drafted a new statement of legislative intent. It was written after the DA association letter, and, because it was written by the bill’s author, it overrides all other memos. Here is a quote from that statement:
“In order to ensure that only legitimate one-handed opening knives are covered, SB 274 narrows the language to only allow knives to fall under the exemption from the switchblade law if that one-handed opening knife contains a detent or similar mechanism. Such mechanisms ensure there is a measure of resistance (no matter how slight) that prevents the knife from being easily opened with a flick of the wrist.”
So even if you can open a knife by flipping your wrist, as long as it has a detent of any sort (which basically all knives have), it is legal.
Source, and a very good read:
http://www.ninehundred.net/~equalccw/knifelaw.html
Murky laws, man, as the assisted opening knives and gravity knives are not terribly different from switchblades. So an assisted opening knife without a thumb stud could be worrisome to someone who cares about such things, and butterfly knives were (still are?) illegal.
I’m not terribly worried about knives and how they are carried as long as that is accomplished in a responsible manner.
I’m a fan of everything M&P except for the crappy knives from China, I like my old Kershaw.
I find it hit or miss with S&W knives. An acquaintance has a S&W SWAT fixed blade that seems to be of the utmost quality while I’ve had a ‘Cuttin’ Horse’ from S&W that I wouldn’t even bother to use as a throwaway. You would think S&W would be more protective of their brand and reputation that to put their name on anything that didn’t live up to the standard of their guns . . .but then again, their was the Sigma.
My EDC is either a Kershaw ken onion wharcliff in all stainless (dress clothes) or a CRKT M16 tanto point (jeans). I have switchblades that I don’t carry for legal and practical reasons, but I am a huge fan of the assisted opening knives. As far as I’m concerned it isn’t really a ‘tactical folder’ if I can’t open it with one wet, cold, sore, slightly injured hand.
My last gift knife was a CRKT M16 with “Prov 27:17” etched onto the blade. It was well received.
There are places where you need a permit to carry a knife? Holy cow I must live under a rock. Or in a free state.
I wrote Buck Knives a while back inquiring if these China made knives were really theirs. They are and I won’t. Used to love Buck, but no more.
I would always be happy to receive really anything from CRKT. How does one get onto your gift list Accur81?
I’ve got family and friends that I love dearly, who’ve been there for me in times of need. How do you put a price on that? Life is too short to give cheap gifts and crappy scotch.
As for wedding presents, I like to send scotch, ammo, or knives as well. Not only is some poor bastard stuck with the same woman for the rest of his life, but he’s also just become the proud co-owner of napkins, gravy boats, dishes, and a host of other boring a$$ sh!t. It’s pretty hard to be excited about that. My best man sent me scotch, champagne, and Zombie Max. I was very excited. (Maybe I should have married him? Nah.)
Agreed S&W automatic knives are crap. The design is all wrong not just the quality. I use a Microtech as do most people I know that use an automatic for work. Yeah, they’re expensive but worth the cost. My S&W piece of crap just sits in the drawer. Now S&W hanguns are an entirely different matter. I don’t know why they decided to use their name on such a piece of junk knife.
quit promoting crappy, low-quality knives. 99% of the stuff in the EDC for CCW posts is basically on par with hi-point.
The switchblade knife was first made for workers, on ships, and docks etc. who had to both hold and cut rope, and open boxes as part of their work, as a workman’s knife was very handy and needed. also some also had a pointed type round shaft used in making rope knots etc. as with any tool even like a bowie all had use as tools first, as anything can be made a weapon like a bottle , wonder if that is why we now only see plastic bottles that cost more, and have health risk too..
I believe you’re referring to a marline spike.
Another review of a S&W (but not) knife….
There are plenty of high quality USA made knives, even autos, why so much focus on this imported crap?
I bought 2 S&W automatics knives made by Taylor Cutlery in 1996 ! Old news
There large and small Army issue
Large I think was Model # 1000 ? I sold it ASAP and the small Tanto Model 1251 is close to Benchamade quality.
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