Shadow Tech Knives

[ISP 5353]

I talked to these guys at the 1500 today and ended up ordering one of their knives. Anyone here have any insight or experience with them?

 

[TopDog]

I bought one today at the 1500. I like the heft and feel of them, but it is the first one I have owned. I know of no one else that has one. So I'm looking forward to putting this knife through its paces. I will post what I find in testing.

 

[cubby]

they LOOK solid and handmade. price is right and the steel is 1095, so it should be tough if HT'd correctly. looks like most of the models are made to be tough, not screaming sharp....

i would buy one.

 

[paddling_man]

Shadow Tech Home Page

1095 is a decent hard-use steel if HT is correct. I like some of the blade designs - they seem practical. I appreciate the price point and recognize that some other sacrifices have to be made to get there. The grip fasteners, I'm just not sure I could get past. They should be tube fasteners, pins or at least Corbins - many of them are just phillips heads with the bolts ground down. Still... for the price point, if it works...

They remind me a lot of Justin Gingrich's (Ranger Knives) early stuff when he started out. There is a good market niche for this stuff and someone picking it up would be in MUCH better shape than picking up a big piece of stainless from China with a rat tail tang.

So... a little primitive but a good price point. Decent carbon steel but a good heat treat is necessary. Made by hand in U.S.!!!

Support them if you can!

 

[ISP 5353]

I admit, they are not a real pretty knife, but I need sturdy over looks. I will use it for a while and let you know. Thanks for the opinions guys!

 

[cubby]

i will bet my paycheck the fasteners are ones they get at a local hardware. and the handles are probly removable. going the easiest route. with time i wager they wil drop the money and get corby bolts and epoxy the handles. its an evolution. and its how most tactical knife makers start. they honestly look identical to the first knives i made!

and to anyone reading who checks paddling man and i as biased.... thats fine. but i would take one of these over any chinese made "440 stainless" stamped blade anyday. or anything from cheaper than dirt, sportsman guide, or any of the other "milsurp" junk resellers..........

 

[paddling_man]

These ST blades won't come in that same slick box of some of the mass-produced, poorly manufactured crap but - for the same price - there is no doubt they will run circles around some of the cheap, stainless, no-tang imports.

 

[cubby]

name needs work though!

the shadow knows!

 

[cholmstr]

Shadowtech D/A OTF Automatic Knife
The Shadowtech is a double action OTF knife- it fires in & out automatically by way of the side mounted sliding trigger. The stainless steel blade is double edged and dagger styled. The body is black coated metal. The action on the knife is surprisingly smooth and it works reliably. I like it

 

[TopDog]

Shadowtech D/A OTF Automatic Knife
The Shadowtech is a double action OTF knife- it fires in & out automatically by way of the side mounted sliding trigger. The stainless steel blade is double edged and dagger styled. The body is black coated metal. The action on the knife is surprisingly smooth and it works reliably. I like it

Right Shadowtech is a cheap knife made in China I think. But Shadow Tech are the two guys from Ohio that have a booth at the 1500 this weekend.

 

[paddling_man]

TD is correct. Wrong Shadow Tech. The "Shadowtech" OTF you refer to is part of the "lighting" series of Chinese imports selling for 12-20. 440c and zinc alloy.

FWIW, these are some of the better cheap, Chinese knockoff OTFs. In many folks estimation being worth the $20 they sell for online. No more than $20, but still better than the other cheap OTF paperweight knockoffs selling for 20-30.

"Shadow Tech"'s link is in my post above.

Very, very different.