Quality of Beretta Knives?

[HKguy9]

Tamara's carbon fiber Beretta knife kinda got me wanting to get one of my own...who else has a Beretta knife, are they of good quality, or is it 'just something to go along with the handgun'?

[Sharp Phil]

The only Beretta knife I've handled was an older K92, a plastic-handle medium-sized knife with a 9mm cartrdige shield profile set within the handle. It was a nice knife -- of good quality for the $40.00+ (USD) range. I think I would buy a Beretta knife without worrying that I would be disappointed, unlike, say, some of the licensed garbage masquerading as Walther folders.

[Erich]

I never took knives licensed to bear the name of a gun manufacturer very seriously. But, I picked one of these Berettas up, and it's done all right.

What got me to actually buy one was price. I bought a 5" red plastic-handled skeleton-bladed Beretta 1/2-serrated knife at a store that was closing out about 6 years ago. I believe I paid $9, which I feel was a good deal (retail was about $35 at the time).

Initially, the knife was amazingly stiff to open with the thumb stud (painfully checkered, BTW). So much so that I didn't use if for a while. One day I was bored so I tore the knife down and Flitz'd the bearing surfaces - that helped to where it was usable. I did it again a couple of years later and Gunslick'd the surfaces as well - now I can flick it open faster than an auto.

I used the Beretta knife for EDC for a while and think it was a decent utility knife. It was a nice size for EDC and the shape of the handle lays pretty flat in a front pocket and doesn't want to move around. Very light, too. The handle has a nice cut out for your index finger (or for your thumb in an edge-up hold), and has generally good gripability. The steel is fairly soft: it takes a good edge, but don't drop it on the point or you'll nick it like I did.

Right now I have a Spyderco Ayoob for EDC, and the Beretta lives in the drawer. I'd say the only thing that disappointed me about the Beretta was the ease with which the tip nicked (when I finally dropped it on a pebble after carrying it for a couple of years). I certainly got my $9 worth out of the Beretta, and I feel it would have even been worth the full retail price - although the cleanup work I had to do on the bearing surfaces would have been a PITA had I paid the full $35 retail.

That was my Beretta knife experience. Hope it helped.

[Sharp Phil]

It really comes down to the company contracted to make the knives. I don't know who Beretta uses, or if they manufacture the blades themselves, but they do a good job in the price range.

Taylor Cutlery, by contrast, manufactures the licensed Smith and Wesson knives. These are generally crap; the quality is far below the price you pay. (Additionally, and apart from the baggage that some see coming with the Smith and Wesson name, a lot of Taylor's designs are blatant ripoffs of other name-brand designs.)

Gutmann Cutlery is behind the Junglee and licensed Walther knives. Junglee blades are of just okay quality -- I would put them about on par with United Cutlery imports -- but overpriced for what you get. The Walthers are the same. And several of the Junglee and Walther designs are obvious ripoffs. The Walther P99 fixed blade, if I remember correctly, is identical to the Applegate-Fairbairn combat knife (but with serrations).

Remington licensed knives are of good quality, in my experience, though this is limited to small pocketknives similar to Camillus or Case pocket folders. I have not handled any of the larger Remington "tactical folder" -style models.

The Glock field knife is a great fixed blade, too, though by design its blade is a bit on the narrow side for some.

United Cutlery manufactures Colt licensed blades, and these are on par with what you'd expect from UC: reasonable quality for the relatively low price you pay, on par with other Taiwanese imports (though Columbia River Knife and Tool really raised the bar for Taiwanese production blade quality).

That's all I can think of right now...

[C.R.Sam]

A good kniffe is forever.

I have a Remington model RH36 6¼" sheath knife that was bought in 1918. Whoever made it did it well. It has seen about 56 years of military service. Been dunked in blood, salt water and spam. Trenched, killed, opened cans, make shelter, turned screws, opened mail, skinned, etc etc. It still has original profile, looks good AND holds an edge better than any stainless I have seen.

Were it not for a relative who had it engraved with names and history, it would be still carried into harms way by the third generation of soldiers and hunters.

Like Sharp Phil says...." It really comes down to the company contracted to make the knives. "

Sam

[gryphon]

cdnninvestments still has some of the Beretta knives on closeout for 14.99, if anyone is interested.

[jimsbowies]

You ask about the quality and if you're talking about general "pocketknife" usage...with that typically being cleaning one's nails, opening mail, cutting string...those kinds of chores...I'd say absolutely....the Beretta brands are nice-looking, handle well in the hand and are well-made.

If on the other hand you're looking for a "ranch" or "trapper" type knife..hard usage, skinning, whittling, etc....then I'd suggest you move on up the "foodchain".....

Frankly, with the exception of some of the "pakistani" junk that's imported and primarily sold to idiots or those who wish to have large knives and swords for displays, most of the cutlery today is just superb.

AG Russell gets a ton of his stuff made in Seki City, Japan and some of the best small utilitarian knives around are made in Taiwan and other locations.....heck, I purchased one of the Fox Ospreys made in Italy and I'm really becoming attached to this little folder.

I think we're in the heyday of knives....superb customs, semi-customs, collaborations and factory made knives in all prices, shapes and forms.....

As a card-carrying, platinum-plated and self-proclaimed knife nut, I'm loving these days.....