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Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
A message from Lynn
- Thread starter Cold Steel Knives
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2015
- Messages
- 49
The knife is called "hold out" for a reason, guys. [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
Just out of curiosity, have you ever watched any of the Proof videos? In every one of them (produced over the course of three decades), many Cold Steel knives are subjected to lateral flex tests in which the points are locked in a vice and the knives bent sideways. This test frequently includes folders, which is pretty amazing when you think about it. Additionally, Cold Steel knives are hammered into wooden boards and pried out sideways. This test is also performed with some folders. In the videos, lock strength tests comprise perhaps twenty percent of Cold Steel's folder testing.
If you want to claim that a knife that you puposely custom-built for splitting, chopping, and prying can out-split, out-chop, and out-pry a Cold Steel knife, that's fine. Conduct your own tests and prove it. But please, before you make blanket statements about the performance of Cold Steel's knives, do at least a modicum of research to see if your assertions have any merit. You can call Cold Steel and they'll send you a free copy of the latest video. It really is fun to watch, and the performance they wring out of their knives is pretty spectacular!
It's not. Cold Steel doesn't do any chopping with the Espada models in the videos. As Kwon Kwang pointed out already, the Espadas were designed to stab and slash.
Again I'll echo Kwon Kwang. You're the only person I've heard criticize the ergonomics of the Recons. Personally, I've held few knives that feel better in the hand than the modern Recon 1. And if the narrowness of the handle is bothersome for extended use, I highly recommend the Voyagers. They're wider and more rounded, and the Grivory is easier on the palm than G-10.
Great. Thanks for the advice. You came into the Cold Steel subforum to tell us all that Cold Steel knives are mediocre? Why? (That's a rhetorical question for your own pondering, by the way. I don't care why.)
I will ask a question that I would like an answer to, however. What knives do you feel are the best? It's easy to enter a conversation playing devil's advocate and lambaste everything that others say about a product. How about making some productive statements for a change?
Now I'll take some of my own advice and return to the original topic of this thread. To the folks at Cold Steel, you guys really have done some great work this year! Case-in-point: The new, limited-edition Ti-Lite that I received for Christmas. I don't know how the G-10 handles compare to titanium or aluminum in strength, but the decreased weight makes this knife a joy to carry! And the DLC-coated CTS-XHP blade is amazing and beautiful! Please keep up your momentum with the use of American materials and manufacturing.
Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year! I look forward to seeing what 2016 will bring from Cold Steel!
-Steve
- Joined
- Jun 29, 1999
- Messages
- 9,798
Damn good knives. My American Lawman is in my pocket at the moment. But I plan to use my Sebbie for the turkey...
Thank you for explaining to these people
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2011
- Messages
- 27,444
stabman
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2007
- Messages
- 21,326
First I'll give a rhetorical answer: I answered an opinion with an opinion, which you and others have answered with opinions.
Proving that...we all have opinions! Yay!
As for best knives, that depends on the intended use, and the particular model of knife. I have yet to see a manufacturer that makes the "best knives" for all uses.
For knives in the medium size range that work great with gloves, I like the Spyderco Miltary, the Zero Tolerance 0561, and the Strider SmF.
The Spyderco Tuff, the aforementioned SmF and CRK Umnumzaan have proven to be good folders for woods usage, although I had to fiddle with the Umnumzaan's clip to make it so it did not produce a hot-spot. Of those knives, I'd give the nod to the Military and 0561 due to having better ergonomics; I used the Military for an 8 hour continuous stretch of carving, and my hand was still feeling happy. :thumbup:
For a folding machete/trail knife thing, the Cold Steel Rajah 2 works great.
For the idea of a folding Bushcraft knife, the Battle Horse Tree Frog is looking promising, but I cannot say for sure, as it hasn't had enough use yet. The handle is very comfortable though, and the lock-up with 2 pins that go through the scales and blade is really friggin solid.
For fixed blades, the ESEE Junglas and the blue handled one I made have had the most use from me, because they've worked out the best in the category of big fixed-blade knives.
The Cold Steel Master Tanto got a lot of woods use before I got those larger knives, and the Kraton handle turned to goo. It's a pretty good knife overall though, and sees some use again now that I replaced the handle.
For a mid-size belt knife, I like the Grohmann Knives #4 Survival knife; classic design, not too heavy, and just plain works.
This year will likely see some new ones vie for the category of "best" as I get out there to use them more. I made a written agreement that If I buy any knives this year, I have to spray myself in the face with pepper spray, and then my wife is to kick me in the balls 5 times.
I bought way too many knives this year.
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stabman
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2007
- Messages
- 21,326
Oh yeah, and Merry Christmas, no matter what sort of knife you got or carried for it. :thumbup:
I could go for one of those.Pssh, gotta watch those typos. You're obviously looking for the BIKING axe.
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Wowbagger
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2015
- Messages
- 7,936
Oh I can't copy any more . . .
Oh now you've fixed it for me . . . The Chef happened to be walking by and read that written agreement. She is now alternately grumping and laughing and writing furiously on a piece of paper.
Thanks !
Thanks a lot for putting that little idea in her head.
Happy Ho ho to you too
:grumpy:
stabman
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2007
- Messages
- 21,326
Oh I can't copy any more . . .
Oh now you've fixed it for me . . . The Chef happened to be walking by and read that written agreement. She is now alternately grumping and laughing and writing furiously on a piece of paper.
Thanks !
Thanks a lot for putting that little idea in her head.
Happy Ho ho to you too
There may be a loophole..swords and axes might not count as knives.
You guys do know that the Cold Steel moderator isn't Lynn himself right?
First I'll give a rhetorical answer: I answered an opinion with an opinion, which you and others have answered with opinions.
Proving that...we all have opinions! Yay!
As for best knives, that depends on the intended use, and the particular model of knife. I have yet to see a manufacturer that makes the "best knives" for all uses.
For knives in the medium size range that work great with gloves, I like the Spyderco Miltary, the Zero Tolerance 0561, and the Strider SmF.
The Spyderco Tuff, the aforementioned SmF and CRK Umnumzaan have proven to be good folders for woods usage, although I had to fiddle with the Umnumzaan's clip to make it so it did not produce a hot-spot. Of those knives, I'd give the nod to the Military and 0561 due to having better ergonomics; I used the Military for an 8 hour continuous stretch of carving, and my hand was still feeling happy. [emoji106]
For a folding machete/trail knife thing, the Cold Steel Rajah 2 works great.
For the idea of a folding Bushcraft knife, the Battle Horse Tree Frog is looking promising, but I cannot say for sure, as it hasn't had enough use yet. The handle is very comfortable though, and the lock-up with 2 pins that go through the scales and blade is really friggin solid.
For fixed blades, the ESEE Junglas and the blue handled one I made have had the most use from me, because they've worked out the best in the category of big fixed-blade knives.
The Cold Steel Master Tanto got a lot of woods use before I got those larger knives, and the Kraton handle turned to goo. It's a pretty good knife overall though, and sees some use again now that I replaced the handle.
For a mid-size belt knife, I like the Grohmann Knives #4 Survival knife; classic design, not too heavy, and just plain works.
This year will likely see some new ones vie for the category of "best" as I get out there to use them more. I made a written agreement that If I buy any knives this year, I have to spray myself in the face with pepper spray, and then my wife is to kick me in the balls 5 times.
I bought way too many knives this year.
Good point. Based on the first couple posts in thread I had assumed he was posting in this specific thread.
First I'll give a rhetorical answer: I answered an opinion with an opinion, which you and others have answered with opinions.
Proving that...we all have opinions! Yay!
Nobody around here criticizes anyone for having opinions. But for the record, this
is not an opinion. It's an assertion of fact. And it's fallacious.
So no company/maker should claim that it/he makes the best knives? I've pointed this out before, but why would I want to purchase a product from someone who doesn't believe that his knives are superior to everyone else's? If he doesn't have enough faith in them to make that claim (based on empirical evidence, of course), then why should I buy them?
At least Lynn Thompson tries to demonstrate why you should pay your hard-earned money for his company's knives, and why you can trust your fingers and perhaps even your life to his products. Far too few other manufacturers/makers exhibit any testing or offer any rationale for buying their knives. (Even those running test videos now are latecomers riding Cold Steel's coattails. And they do it because YouTube makes it free. Back when it cost money to produce VHS tapes and later DVDs, only Cold Steel was willing to pony up.)
It's obvious that you and I will never see eye-to-eye on ergonomics. I use Strider, in particular, as a shining example of terrible ergonomics when I discuss knives. And the Military, Sebenza, and Umnumzaan have never felt very comfortable in my hand. But as others already pointed out, ergonomics are entirely subjective. They're hardly a reason to paint a company's knives black, especially in that company's subforum.
Regarding use of folders while wearing gloves, I agree with your praise of Spyderco. If I know I'll have to open a folder with gloves on, I usually carry Spyderco. The Round Hole is superior for that use.
It's clear that your assessment of knives is based on their function in woodcraft. That's fine. But it also explains many of your views and reveals a distinct bias. I contend that if you think the be-all and end-all of knife use lies in an ability to whittle and split kindling, Cold Steel is not your brand. Cold Steel has never marketed itself that way. It's first and foremost a manufacturer of combat knives, and that mindset pervades most of the company's designs.
That mindset also pervades many (not most) of the company's fans. If you try to convince me that I should carry something other than Cold Steel camping, I may give you some credence. If you try to convince me that there are better combative folders than Cold Steel's, I'm going to ignore you because you don't know what you're talking about.
I bought way too many knives this year.
I'm with you, as I bought too many knives this year myself! (Although, you can never really have too many, can you?) Still, I don't think I'll draw up a contract like you did with your wife. 2016 may bring a new batch of "must-haves," and pepper spray is no fun!
-Steve
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2003
- Messages
- 1,390
I enjoy and am happy with all my Cold Steel knives, and I'm glad that CS performs these extreme tests. Most of my CS's are just too pretty to purposely put them through their paces. They're all built to last and if used for their intended purpose will last a very long time...