Schrade SCH107 Folder Review

When it comes to marketing and branding, no company has done a better job the past few years than Taylor Brands LLC. With the help of Taylor Brands, Schrade has come roaring back from the grave with a slew of fantastic survival knives, including the Schrade SCHF38 Frontier, Schrade SCHF27 Extreme Survival, and Schrade SCHF9 Extreme Survival.

While much of the recent focus on Schrade has been with these badass fixed-blade knives, it’s the simpler folders that are getting the short end of the stick.

So we’ve decided to review the Schrade SCH107 Folder.

First Impressions

Before getting the knife, I had no qualms about its overall purpose. This is in no way a survival knife or even a folder designed for heavy-duty tasks. With those presumptions in place, the SCH107 undoubtedly met my expectations.

After carrying around the larger Spyderco Tenacious as my everyday carry for a while, the SCH107 felt smaller in the hand. That’s not necessarily a bad thing either.

When engaged, the knife has an overall length of only 6 inches but fits my hand surprisingly well. The design of the knife is nothing spectacular, but that’s not why this knife is so compelling. It seems well-made and perfectly adept at tackling some of the mundane tasks you’d encounter around the house.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the knife’s components.

Blade

The blade is 2.5 inches long with a bead-blasted finish, which removes the reflective properties of the steel. Many laws restrict carrying knives that are longer than 2.5 inches, so it has the added benefit of being legal in many places. You’ll still want to double-check the laws in your area.

This knife uses 9Cr14MoV high carbon stainless steel for the blade. For those who are unfamiliar with the steel, 9Cr14MoV is a Chinese alloy used mostly by Schrade (you’ll also find it a few other places). This is considered a mid-tier steel that’s comparable to other Chinese alloys. While it’s no high-end steel, it’s perfectly capable of getting the job done while retaining some edge. (Here’s a closer look at the steel from our friend over at zknives.com).

The blade features ambidextrous thumb studs that allow for one-handed opening. Since the knife is a little smaller and the blade is a bit difficult to engage, opening the blade with one hand via the thumb stud was no easy task.

Because it was a bit tough to open, I couldn’t use the fleshy part of my thumb to engage the knife. Instead, I found it easier to use the top of my thumb nail to flick the blade open. This was a minor nuisance that could be easily corrected by adjusting the blade tension.

As you might expect from a knife with a tight blade, there’s absolutely no blade play. If you were to encounter some, Schrade uses Torx screws in its construction to allow for adjustments.

Lock

The SCH107 is a liner locking blade that locks open with a satisfying click. The liner itself has some nice jimping that’s sometimes absent on budget pocket knives.

I haven’t done any strength tests on this liner lock, but I’m very confident in its ability to withstand the sort of pressure you’d put on the knife in daily situations. (It’d also take much more punishment than you’d encounter in daily situations too.)

Handle

The handle of the SCH107 is composed of two G10 scales. I found it has just the right amount of texture to give it some grippiness without being too grating. On a tactical knife or the occasional survival folder, you may want more of a deeper texture for use in wet conditions, but this is fine as a basic EDC.

Like I said earlier, the handle itself is smaller than some of the other EDCs I’ve been carrying, but it’s not too small for my hand. I would say the size of my hand is about average and my index finger fits nicely into the designated groove. There’s also an ergonomic shape to the lower part of the handle that makes holding the knife comfortable.

Five cutouts that decrease in size toward the butt of the knife also adorn the handle. These cutouts help reduce the overall weight of the knife.

Clip

The knife has a deep-carry pocket clip, but it’s not adjustable in any way. So those who like to carry their pocket knives with the tip up or optimized for the left hand are out of luck.

Final Verdict

If buy this knife with the expectation that it’s the ultimate everyday carry, you will be underwhelmed. But if you assume that it’s a solid knife to use around the house or on fishing trips, the SCH107 will more than meet your expectations.

Where the knife lacks in features like a reversible pocket clip or premium blade steel, it makes up in sheer functionality. I use the knife around the house for opening packaging, tearing down boxes, and the odd task that requires a blade. Others have used this knife on fishing trips or as a backup in an emergency kit.

For less than $15, this knife is a no-brainer for someone looking for a simple yet practical knife.

Check out the product page for the Schrade SCH107.