Schrade has had a rocky history with a lot of us, from its traditional American beginnings to the rebadged “New Schrade” owned by Taylor Brands LLC (of reformed mall ninja fame). I have always had a slightly kneejerk negative reaction to the whole thing, but after many years of seeing these inexpensive slabs of steel pop up everywhere around me, I had to crack and take a look.
Regardless of what you think of Taylor Cutlery, you should understand that the Schrade SCH304 is a serious knife that brings a serious amount of power to the table. It ain’t no gimmick, and whilst it’s definitely on the loud side with its overbuilt… everything, the reality is that the SCH304 is a shocking amount of well machined steel for the price Schrade’s asking for. This assessment isn’t based on the fact that they created a 10 ounce folding monster (more on this later), but because the knife is made of quite a ridiculous amount of steel that happens to be very well put together for less that $25.
As a side note, you may think that this is my first “New Schrade” knife judging by the lack of evidence of others on this blog, but you would be wrong. If you look at my Cold Steel Bushman review from April last year, you can see the Schrade SCHF9 make a guest appearance. The reason there is no review of that knife yet is because reviewing stuff for me is a process. I like to own knives for a good while before I pass judgement, but anyway, we are not here to talk about that monster fixed blade but rather this beastly folding… tank? The Schrade SCH304 is one of the most unique blades to be released in the past few years and I am kicking myself for ignoring it for so long.
Schrade SCH304 Drop Point EDC Knife – Amazon / BladeHQ
Right off the bat, let’s address the elephant in the room – it’s made of steel. All of it is made of steel, this means the knife is heavy, like…a truck in your pocket levels of heavy.
We talking 9.7 ounces here, people. This is the most important fact about the Schrade SCH304. Its weight is so extreme that it’s frankly shocking the moment you pick it up. Comparable knives (in terms of bulk) are either made of titanium (which reduces the weight, but would be impossible in a knife at this price point) or they simply don’t bother with steel framelocks and instead go with G-10 + a light locking system like the Axis lock in the Benchmade Adamas.
In any case, so much of this knife revolves around its heft and it’s silly to discuss anything before addressing this point: no matter how you feel about the SCH304’s toughness or performance, you may not be the sort of person who can handle EDC’ing a 9.7 ounce slab of steel. That’s just the reality and something you need to think about.
At no point can we compare the SCH304 to pretty much any other knife I own because frankly, it’s a behemoth in terms of weight and heft. If you want a clear example, the magnificent Cold Steel SRK, which is a full size “survival knife” weighs in at 8.2 ounces… that’s more than a whole ounce less than this folding pocket knife with a 3.7 inch blade.
Reality check.
The design of the Schrade SCH304 is utterly unapologetic. This is never going to be a church knife. It’s the sort of knife that punches you in the face and then asks you to say sorry – there is no subtlety. Everything screams hefty and mean, which is not at all a bad thing, actually as far as aesthetics go, I rather like it. At least it’s different from pretty much all knives in my collection, which is refreshing. The entire knife is a drab matte “titanium” coated grey. The photographs make it look quite reflective, but in hand it’s pretty sober and fits the general style of the knife.
As you can see below, the blade is effectively a glorified spear point, even though its advertised as a drop point. The spine of the blade has a deep (unsharpened) swedge and in practice, it looks damn cool. Due to the “heavy-duty” bias of the design, cutting performance will reflect this. The grind of the blade is obviously a hollow grind that begins at around 50% down the blade which in effect creates a wedge sensation when cutting certain things, like an apple for instance. Obviously no one expected anything different, but its bias is towards slicing shallow materials or doing very rough work where a folding scalpel would be less than optimal.
The 8cr13MoV blade stock is super thick: 4 mm thick in fact. That’s impressive taking into account how nicely the blade tapers into an aggressive tip. Penetration is not an issue and the machining is pretty perfect with zero grind deviation, something which is nice to see on a knife this inexpensive. Interestingly, the thumb studs are ambidextrous, but the pocket clip does not flip to the other side to accommodate wrong-handed users.
In terms of edge retention, the blade seems heat treated well enough and it arrived (surprisingly) screaming sharp. Very impressive, but then again don’t expect Opinel levels of performance; thick and overbuilt is the name of the game here.
As I already mentioned, the Schrade SCH304 features a very stout framelock with super nice engagement, as in, bank vault levels of feel. The mating is spot on and I noticed zero lock rock, blade play, or anything that would make me think it wasn’t 100% trustworthy or reliable. This is a solid design, and trust me, I have owned it for quite a long time now and have been flipping it non-stop: the lock hasn’t traveled. At all. It has settled in at 50% and stayed there.
Sadly, one of the few drawbacks/cost saving “features” is that Schrade used a nylon washer on the framelock side. Personally I despise nylon washers. I have had horrible experiences in the past with them (they got pinched and ended up binding between the pivot and frame), but that’s just my anecdotal experience. I will 100% change this to a nice bronze phosphor option and this minor annoyance will be fixed. This could just be me though, have you had any issues with nylon washers? Let me know in the comments.
Sadly, the pocket clip is cheap stamped steel and doesn’t match the knife (visually) which frankly isn’t particularly surprising. Position is right side, tip down only.
A lot of times with lower price tier knives, it feels like manufacturers will throw in a generic clip as an afterthought, and that seems to be what happened here. In this case, the clip just doesn’t match the knife’s brutish appearance, especially with the deep machined grooves in the scales. With that disclaimer out of the way, in terms of performance, the clip works just fine. Deep carry and solid, but frankly, the SCH304 is a folding boat anchor, if you are going to EDC it then you can simply attach a lanyard, throw it in your pocket, and it will stay there. 10 ounces of steel ain’t gonna disappear.
The ergonomics are solid. No real hotspots and the scales are nicely contoured. With that said, the SCH304 is handle heavy, but that’s a given. We are talking full steel construction here. Interestingly, the knife has zero jimping, but two mini swedges/divots on the spine. They don’t add any grip, but act as a very comfortable thumb rest when the SCH304 is gripped in a traditional saber grip.
Zero choil, so if the lock fails (highly unlikely in my experience with this knife) you can kiss your digits goodbye. All in all, the scales are decently ergonomic with a very neutral platform. No finger grooves or deep cuts.
The lack of “ergonomic features” like finger grooves means you can grip this knife in pretty much any grip. It’s very forgiving, even in a pinch grip. The clip doesn’t interfere with the comfort either, so good job, Schrade.
If you know me (and by now, you should) you already know I love it. I own hundreds of knives, literally hundreds, and I am always a big fan of handling “something new” – as long as it works. The only downside of this knife are consequences of its absurdly cheap entry point. When you have a sub $25 beater, you can’t be too picky with materials, which means the Schrade SCH304 is bulky, heavy, and tough. As long as you accept that – the SCH304 delivers on all fronts.
With that said, how cool would it be if they released a premium version with titanium scales? Or how about an extra 10 bucks, but skeletonize the crap out of the framelock and replace the other scale with aluminium or G-10?
It’s nice to dream.
Right, so in conclusion: is the Schrade SCH304 a good buy? Unreservedly yes: so long as you fully understand that it doubles as a boat anchor.
The weight is so extreme that the knife will change how you handle your EDC. In my case, this is what I would define a stationary knife. It stays either in the car (perfect glove box knife in my opinion) or on my desk ready to handle rough tasks like gardening or whatever. If you need a folder that you can use and abuse with no consequence, this is probably your best bet. In fact, in terms of sheer tenacity, this is the sort of folder you could dig a trench with. Whether you can handle its heft however – that’s another question.
Oh and one last thing, Schrade, please give your knife models real names. Okay? No more of this SCH## nonsense. Unique, interesting knives deserve unique interesting names. I vote we call this bad boy “The Sherman.”
coooooooooool
If they made in 1095…I’d consider it.
I thought about this too- wouldn’t it be cool to have a 1095 heavy duty folder? My only concern is corrosion, especially around the pivot.
Maybe CPM M4 would be a better choice? Thinking about this knife with ti scales and an M4 blade has been drooling now- you paying attention Schrade? Take my money!
Tom, regarding the corrosion problem with 1095, that is always a major concern with high carbon steel where I live, here in the South on the Panhandle of Florida where the humidity is higher than the temps many times. I also repair antique clocks as a sideline and I have found that a special long term lubricant, that is available here in the US and is of the newest technology, works quite well for corrosion resistance in this type of steel (and others as well). I use the lube for oiling the bushings on antique clock movements which need a special very expensive lubricant which is impervious to gumming up and causing the movement to stop operating. I am talking around $40 per fluid oz here in the States.
This lube is called “Slick 50 One Lube” it is labeled as “PTFE chemistry” and you will have to Google that one as it is a lengthy term to explain. I have used it on some of my personal clocks 4 years ago and have just recently checked one of them to see if the viscosity of the lube has increased and it still is as fluid as new. I also have a cotton rag soaked in Slick 50 and I habitually wipe down my personal weapons and knives after every use and I can attest to the fact that rust is not a factor any longer for me.
That SCHF37 to which I made reference in another post had a real problem with rust on the blade bevel and the spine where I took a stone to sharpen the edges for use with a ferro rod. I started wiping down the blade with this lubed soaked rag after every outing no matter if I used the knife or not and the rusting has been totally minimized since using this new lube. I don’t know if it is available where you live but I would highly recommend giving it a try if rust is an issue in your area.
It is packaged in a bright red 12.oz. aerosol can with a black cap and I am still on my first can after 5 years of using it on clock mechanisms and guns and anything else on which I need to control corrosion. I know this is sounding like a commercial plug but, after paying $40 for an ounce of clock oil in past years, this is a real treat to use and I can purchase 5 – 12 oz. cans for the same price as 1 oz. of clock oil!
USE IT SPARINGLY! I have friends who use the WD40 lube and they hose that stuff on until it drips off on the floor!! That’s not the method to use with this lubricant. Easy does it and you will be amazed at the results you get. It WILL wipe off if you handle the steel after treating it so whenever you handle or use the item, be certain to wipe it down before putting it up. Hope this long winded tip helps someone ………
Sounds awesome, is it a bit like nano-oil by StClaire? I don’t face issues with humidity here in the UK but I have been looking for a good synthetic lube, right now I am using a silicon grease similar to the Chris Reeve stuff and its working out “ok” but I reckon something with better viscosity would be superior as long as it lasts (and based on your testimonial, sounds like the slick 50 will!).
Thanks for sharing your experiences mate, doesn’t sound like a commercial plug- just solid experience!
Wow that’s all you do is make inexpensive knives step up to platform and start making knives that have better steels and handles you want to make this knive company a giant and a repeatable company make people that use you knives really say Wow have you seen that knive Schrade has just released a great knive you have to get one its owsome! Because as soon as steel says 8crmov you just might get a ganzo. This new knive in the picture I was excited great looking knive then I saw the make of the steel. I deflated I was ready to puchase the knive I know some people need a lower priced knive but some people would like to see a great quality knive with a better quality steel..
I review all knives from low to high end and the quality of manufacturing has increased to the point that its become hard to tell apart without digging into the materials.
With that said, modern 8Cr13MoV is perfectly acceptable and in a beater I think its a solid choice. This is definitely a rough use knife and so I prefer a cheaper option (if you are gonna abuse the blade, at least you are not abusing your wallet in the process!).
Check out my Spyderco & Benchmade reviews, plenty of shiny super steels to be found. ;)
Afternoon, Thomas. Always enjoy your reviews, even (especially?) if they fuel my impulse-purchases. I’ll have to snag this Schrade, as well.
Do you plan on reviewing any other Esee knives in future? I carry an Izula and have been incredibly impressed. I’d love to hear your thoughts on others: the Esee 6, for example.
All the best!
I have definitely thought about it, the issue is that I do one review a week and my list keeps piling up. :( I already have a Tops Lite Trekker that I am testing out and will be reviewed soon but with that said, I will do my best to review what my (awesome) readers want.
Tom, I have owned quite a few Schrade knives and still have a few (ones I didn’t manage to lose or give away) and I always considered Schrade as the quintessential throwaway EDC knife. They have always been cheap enough that,if you lost the knife, you could replace it without losing sleep trying to figure out where you may have left it or dropped it. Conventional looks, conventional grind, conventional almost everything, and I consider a few of their models as very good choices for a first knife for a young person, a good knife for occasional whittling, or a knife to keep handy for miscellaneous cutting, carving, or other tasks for which you would never consider using your best survival or camping blade.
With that said, I was looking over some of the beefier multi-use knives last year, since I am more into light weight camping and hiking, and I made a decision, based on size, length of the blade and width of the spine, and the uses I needed filled in my hiking and camping forays, to buy an SCHF37. Not the most popular Schrade in the stable but it fit my needs and I figured it would be a good starter knife in that size and design. It turned out to be one of my few woods carries that I always take with me when venturing out. I had to “sharpen” the rear of the spine to use for starting fires, and I changed the angle of the bevel grind to a bit finer angle so batoning wouldn’t be such a chore for my old beat up shoulder and wrist joints. It has become my secondary hand axe and has replaced my oft used double bitted Timber Cruiser which has been in my collection for many years.
Regarding this new folder, I never considered a folder to be a dependable EDC carry because of the very points you mentioned about the lockup and the use of a “convenient” bushing in place of a “useful” bushing as you mentioned. The pivot point and the lockup in a folding knife are the 2 most important points in terms of dependability and strength for that type of knife and I always go to a full tang fixed blade for such situations. It is like depending on a BB gun for your choice of weapon for survival hunting in case of a catastrophe.
A few questions, have you had any issues with keeping the edge on that knife? What do you think of the rather blunt angle of the bevel on a knife that thick? [Those little “mini-choils” may have a use if they are a good sharp 90° angle and will fit most ferro rods on the market].
The blade on your folder appears to be unused. Is that a result of the titanium type finish or have you not yet put it through enough “punishment” to leave marks on the blade?
One last question, do you feel that the pommel end of this knife would be “pointy” enough to break out a tempered glass car window in an event of an emergency where you need fast exit through a jammed car door?
Thanks for your reviews, Tom, they show many hours of research in finding outlets to buy and noting little things that many people overlook in their reviews. BTW, this knife is under the $15.00 mark on eBay, including shipping, from a number of retailers offering them on a “Buy Now” basis.
So, I just got back from filling up my truck’s tank and I thought, “Gosh, I just spent almost 50 bucks on a tank of gas, I ought to be able to spend another 13 bucks on a new knife and give it a whirl” so ……. I did.
I will try it out and answer some of my questions I had for Tom for myself, the other Tom.
Will post any interesting findings later.
Let me know how you find it mate, when I see the prices you guys pay for steel (and petrol) I am insanely jealous. :(
First of all, thanks for that comment- I always appreciate such well thought out feedback- i’ll answer everything (i hope) in bullet format so I can keep track of everything.
1) No issues with edge holding, obviously it can’t compete with a ZDP-189 Delica but its definitely good enough.
2) The edge angle isn’t as acute as I would like with that said, it is a beater. I have no illusions about its place in my rotation- this ain’t gonna help me prep the vegetables!
3) That lil choil can for sure but ground to a nice 90 degree angle for a ferro rod- infact it looks like the perfect size for that.
4) The finish is (so far) quite resilient, it does pick up scratches but its not a cheap “painted on” coating. It weathers abrasions pretty damn well. Another factor is all the micro scratches are not picked up by Elise’s camera (Canon 5D). It has been used- here is a picture of how the micro scratches look (just taken). https://twitter.com/feedtheravens/status/844174652360613889
5) Elise often takes photographs for the reviews in batches, then I EDC the knives for a good while and finally I do the review. This is to make it easy on her- poor woman is already married to me, lets not add more to her work load! But jokes aside, thats why the knives often look “pristine”,
6) The pommel seems pointy enough but frankly, I am not sure. Would be an interesting test though.
Thanks for the support mate, it really means a lot to us and I am glad you like my reviews.
This seems like a great farm knife. I often find myself babying a knife out in the field but this thing seems like it could take the abuse.
100% yes. No need to baby this folding tank.
Para eso mejor la marca ganzo
My issue with Ganzo is that they do too many “imitation” blades of famous western knives and I can’t (in good conscience) support that.
Look at their SR-1 knockoffs for example. :(