A few observations about Cold Steel, Lynn C. Thompson, and Internet inquiries

crom said:
The triangular, "Americanized" tanto has been around way longer than Lum or Thompson. Nothing new under the sun applies to knives too.
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You are 100% correct! Take something old, maybe repackage & repurpose it, give it a new name and suddenly you are the inventor!
 
ursamajor said:
Yes, the chisel-esque tip like what I previously posted is known as the "Americanized Tanto". As in Lynn Thompson, an American, invented it.

The Hisshou is an example of what the original Tanto looked like.
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MOST. There actually were Samurai era tantos and swords WITH that chisel-esque tip. No, they weren't as common as the Hisshou style, but yes, that tip style predates Lynn's birth by several hundred years, he did not invent it. He popularized it, but did not invent it.
 
Czechmate said:
Some people's posts in this thread make about as much sense as this:

25034-i-choose-the-shark-knife_w.jpg


mine might fall into that catergory too... :rolleyes::foot::D
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Shark Knife is good, but it still gets beat by pen missile.

saddam7bf.gif
 
Long time lurker, first time poster. Looking forward to getting my Hold Out 2! That said, as for the videos.... I'd really like to know what the shiny cylindrical thing is that comes flying out of the Code 4 at 1:35 in their video. I mentioned it in an email to CS, and the reply indicated that chunks of wood often go flying on these tests. That doesn't look like wood to me, but whatever. Still looking forward to getting this knife!
Cheers
 
wildroamer said:
I'd really like to know what the shiny cylindrical thing is that comes flying out of the Code 4 at 1:35 in their video.
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6AzDGce.png


Seems like it could only be the left pivot screw, the left thumb stud, or it's not from the knife... there's not much else of that size and shape that could have fallen out of it.
 
DShiflet said:
MOST. There actually were Samurai era tantos and swords WITH that chisel-esque tip. No, they weren't as common as the Hisshou style, but yes, that tip style predates Lynn's birth by several hundred years, he did not invent it. He popularized it, but did not invent it.
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From everything I have read and studied and from talking with a friend that has a family Mon / coat of arms & studied under sword making Masters in Japan that triangle tip was on sword length blades and some pole arms only. the Hisshou type tip was on the knife sized Tanto.
 
VictorLouis said:
I've met L.T. several times, casually, as he attends our HUGE December gun show here in Phoenix. Brings out almost all of the wares, of course, and has probably a dozen tables packed full. This last December, he asked if I had any questions, and I was struck to ask him, "When are you going to move to a FREE state?", meaning our's. His response struck me as something that ought to be mentioned, just for the sake of those who mave have issue with the gent.

He said he would love to, were it not for the health concerns of his Mrs. It seems the climate around Ventura is extremely beneficial to her, and their physician advised that moving to desert here in PHoenix or Tucson would harm her. Thus, he's planted where's he is at, to stay.
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Thank you for posting this insightful anecdote, VictorLouis. This is representative of the kinds of responses that I was hoping for when I started this thread. Based on some of the animosity that I've witnessed when the topics of Cold Steel and/or Lynn Thompson have arisen, I wondered whether there would be scads of stories from folks who had had personal interactions with the man and came away with poor impressions. The dearth of such relatable encounters speaks volumes to me about the disparity between genuine experience and second-hand (or even third- or fourth-hand) impressions.

I've had only two in-person dealings with Lynn Thompson. The first was at Blade Show 1997, when I approached him to ask about whether Cold Steel would ever re-introduce some of its initial offerings. (I was always sorry that I never purchased an Urban Shiv.) His response was, "No, we don't want to look backward. We're always looking forward for new and innovative ideas." Then he hurried off. He was polite and courteous, but I remember thinking at the time that he was a little brusque. (In all fairness, as well as in retrospect, it was Saturday afternoon of Blade Show and I approached him away from the Cold Steel booth at the conclusion of an outdoor knife demonstration that we were both watching. He more than likely had other things on his mind, other calls on his attention, and every reason to be a bit distracted at the largest knife trade show on Earth!)

[Edited to add: A while ago, I discovered that 1997 was the first year that Cold Steel returned to displaying at Blade Show after many years of non-participation. The Friday night of that show, someone stole several thousand dollars' worth of merchandise from the Cold Steel booth. Lynn Thompson's agitation was perfectly understandable in light of the way the show was proceeding for him.]

My second interaction with Lynn was around 2000 and in a more formal setting. Though our conversation was telephonic, we spoke for fifteen to twenty minutes and he could not have been more professional, generous, personable, or affable. He did not exhibit a hint of the curtness that I believed I had witnessed at Blade '97. He did not need to take the time to speak to me, but he chose to do so because he wanted to participate in the conversation that I was having with one of his employees. I came away from that call quite impressed with Lynn Thompson as both a company president and a man. I have not seen or read anything since that has caused me to question that assessment.

-Steve
 
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Goosey said:
6AzDGce.png


Seems like it could only be the left pivot screw, the left thumb stud, or it's not from the knife... there's not much else of that size and shape that could have fallen out of it.
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I was on set for the PROOF shoot and was actually behind the camera for these tests. I don't recall anything falling from the Code 4 or any damage sustained during testing.
The knife held up well, and according to my test notes it locked up solid after all the shock tests.
I'm not sure what that could be...
All of the knives that we test in PROOF are kept for further testing (to see if they sustained any unseen damage) so I'll investigate a little further
Very intriguing...
 
The hate towards Mr. Thompson is very cruel. He is a good man who has a good company and is proud of his good products that he uses himself. You can beat on anybody just as badly if you really want to.
 
Whatever anybody says, Cold Steel is a successful knife company. I'm guessing there's not a lot of us here who can go out and found a successful knife company.

The price of success is to bear the criticism of envy.
-Denis Waitley -
 
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