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Schrade schf 37

7.2K views 56 replies 12 participants last post by  panoz77  
#1 ·
So the price on these dropped over $10 on Amazon to $23.38. Comes included with a ferro rod and diamond hone. I also had a $5 promo credit so I'm getting it for $18 delivered. I couldn't resist the price. This is my first schrade fixed blade.

Schrade SCHF37 Frontier Full Tang Drop Point Fixed Blade Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PGZ04MS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Lb4DBb01Z6823
 
#2 ·
#6 ·
#13 ·
That would explain it. Taiwan makes very decent quality stuff.
PR of China, not so much.

My reading of the reviews showed a crazy high failure rate and a bunch that broke in half after light short time usage. Often the first day in the first few minutes.

This is 1/4 inch steel! It is supposed to handle batoning or else nobody would carry such a heavy knife.

My take on the ones that haven't broken or got decent reviews is that most people don't actually use these knives. They toss them in a kit (in case of an emergency).

The one photo I saw actually looked like 2 steels that had been melted together, and one layer looked rusty! Inside the knife it looked rusty! I've never even seen anything like that before. it looked like someone just melted some spare steel and shoved it into a mold or something.

I tried to copy the pic to here, but there was no way to do it. If you click on the 1 ratings, it is on the second page. The guy took some good pics of the break. Rusting from the inside. Never even imagined such a thing.

Another guy said he had been using an old hickory kitchen knife for 20 yrs. Bought this much heavier knife for camping and it broke in minutes of use.

4 whole pages of broken in half stories. and several simply stuck the knife into a stump as one does to store it upright and handy, and the tip broke off. And a bunch said the knife arrived bent when new in the box.
 
#16 ·
I have a handful of older schrades,nothing after the point of Taylor brands buying them out. Took me almost a year to get the Taylor made Gullette SKASA knife, "fixed" that including making parts, re-tempering and straightening out shoddy Mass produced work. Taylor has a habit of buying smaller brands, cutting manufacturing cost at the price of killing quality. they even "borrow" designs from smaller companies that cant fight it in court. I dont buy anything from Taylor, simply on quality and ethics concerns.......
 
#17 ·
BTI tools bought the Schrade brand from Taylor a while ago. They now have some nice looking D2 steel offerings.

I haven’t bought any since then so I have no idea on quality under BTI. I bought a friend one of the BTI Schrade Bowie knives with the 10.5” blade. It holds up to hard use, he never complains or compliments it. Just another tool for him.
 
#23 ·
It is meant as a 1 tool survival option. That is why it is 1/4 inch thick and weighs almost as much as an axe.

Nobody would otherwise buy a 1/4 inch thick steel slab knife. I agree an axe or a kukuri is better for wood processing.

there are times when you need to split wood to make a fire in cold wet conditions. Your survival may depend on it. Inside the wood it is dry enough to burn.
Clearly an ax is the better tool, but if you are stuck with just the survival knife, you may need to baton.
 
#24 ·
The ax is not the better tool for de-limbing. I cannot clear a path or slice meat, and, congruent to the "survivalist" theme of this board, it cannot readily be concealed.

That being said, a one pound 10" blade knife will chop about 2/3rds or 3/4 what any hatchet will do, so it is way better than any 7" or even 8" blade.

True batoning is nefarious, when thin branches are held in the air to dry faster. That being said, it does seem these Schrades are very poorly made, and should not fail the way they do.

Gaston
 
#25 ·
a 'Hawk can be broken down for packing, handle is a round tapered stick, more or less, slide the head down, tap the top to tighten. keep the head in a belt sheath. ones I used to use for competition, ya slid the head on, and soaked it in a bucket of water the day before, swell the handle. Break a handle, let it dry and tap it out.
If you have chert in the area, a knapped piece will skin all the game you get, hell, a beer bottle out of a ditch can be broken to skin out game with, I have before to prove a point. any hatchet can be used to process a animal, larger game it makes it easier far as processing wood, lay the longer limbs across the fire once established and let the fire burn em in to two for ya. saves energy and effort.

what it boils down to is what the individual prefers. I prefer a large knife, but that dont make a hatchet,hawk,saw or froe the wrong tool that wont do the job,

I keep a small bundle of pencil sized pieces of Fat lighter and half a dozen wet tabs, along with some of bunker busters special brew, in a pouch on the side if my ruck. theres a piece of flint, and a chunk of steel, as well as a good ferro rod same pouch carry my own tinder with me, but i have made a spanish moss and pinestraw "nest" to spark a fire. thousand different ways.
like tools, aint no wrong or right. only personal preference.

long as it accomplishes its objective its all good.
 

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#30 ·
Well, to settle some of the debate and warnings. My SCHF37 arrived today. The grind is even, fit and finish are just fine. It's not hair splitting sharp but sharp enough for a large chopper. I did some medium chopping and tip tests in a pine 2x4 and no issues. I also sanded down the rough blade coating with some 900 grit sandpaper and added a ranger grip as the handle is slightly thinner for my hands. This $18 knife is so far both acceptable and impressive. Unless it breaks "like glass" in the coming weeks, it is on par with my $80+ Becker's.
 
#33 ·
Ive had the 9, no problems with it except it was heaver than I liked, but thats just personal preference. I don't have much experience with newer Schrade knives, but I like some of their machetes.

Either way, carry & use whatever you like and works for you. Nice looking knife, I hope you got a good one, man.
 
#37 ·
Going to do some heavy chopping tomorrow in hard wood. So far, even without my extra $5 off, these are running $23 on Amazon, it's an amazing value IMO. I would rate this up with my Becker's which were 4x the price. The included ferro rod also comes with a thick carbide striker, not a cheesy striker like you see most times. The included diamond sharpener is aslo very nice. You would almost pay $20 just for the ferro rod and sharpener if you bought them separately.