So I ordered my a Benchmade and it should be here in a week.  In the meantime I saw the G739 Ganzo on Amazon and decided to take a shot.

I was unfamiliar with this knife, and only stumbled upon it while looking at youtube videos for the 551.   I'm impressed with the knife.  The action is smooth, the lock seems strong, it is incredibly sharp and centering is good.

What is the general consensus with these knives?  Obviously they won't hold up like a Benchmade 551, but at 1/5 the price you're getting a lot of knife.

Thoughts?

I have Benchmades and a Ganzo automatic. I don't think the Ganzo is that much less a knife at all. Compared to other "American" brands it's a great value and should sell for $85. Saw a nice orange liner lock with bolsters for $26.99 which is talking to me. When Ganzo does bolsters, they do solid stainless integral, at least on my switchblade. Not the cheapest way to do things.

Plus they ship direct no international costs. There is quite a following on knife forums - they pop up now and again when the subject comes up. You can count on Ganzo being the one Chinese maker who has original designs, labels their product as their own, and continues to provide a quality knife for dirt cheap pricing.

Over two years on this automatic and it's still solid, good snappy action, tight lockup, and sharpens easily with good edge retention cutting down double corrugated boxes. "American" makers should pay attention - some have, Spyderco imports from China and brands it with their name.

In before "its all junk you don't know what you are talking about." Ganzo is good to go. "Chinese" is no longer a reason to avoid them, there are collector grade knives coming from there and they are getting a lot of interest at Blade and Shot Show.

What model number is your automatic?  Thank you for your input!

I would like to know this as well.

I picked up the Ganzo a couple years ago when they became legal here. Heavy but well made and work great
here

Same as the pic above, got it in OD stonewash,  G7212. An internet search will bring up a web page with part numbers, vendors, and pics of the knife disassembled.

One caveat, if the State Department lifts the 140 year old policy of allowing the Chinese to ship with no international surcharge, then it will force them to accept rates that will double the knife's front door cost. And - it will still be a bargain.