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PayetteRucker

Joined
Aug 4, 2009
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Finals are done, I'm sitting in front of the third episode of Generation Kill on top of the carboard boxes my new toys came in, with a file in one hand and a de-tantoed Cold Steel GI Tanto in the other, trying to decide which colors to Krylon the blade. There's a bottle of Etchant on the desk and some stencils to erase the Cold Steel China stamp. Ah yes, nothing like some cheap constructive DIY in your spare time, turning a piece of mall ninja crap into a beautiful, self-tailored survival knife. Next project involves Norse-ifying a Cold Steel Sax machete with some reindeer and birch scales, a patina finish and a rune etch. Life is good.

I gotta say that based on all the marketting drivel that came with my Cold Steel order, there's no doubt in my mind that Lynn Thompson is a tool, but these inexpensive but incredibly functional blades make me think his products are alot more practical than say... Gerber, or other national leading brands. I got a Pendleton Light Hunter in the box too, fantastic little knife-super comfy and a great slicer. The GI will make for a nice cheap survival knife for a spare bugout bag, and the Sax machete is well finished and well designed. Say what you will about Lynn Thompson and all the marketting crap surrounding the product, but honestly I don't see how anyone can complain about what you get for the money.
 
Ah I wouldn't call Lynn Thompson a tool. I find it fascinated that they are willing to show the downright performance of what you are buying. Even against crazy car door stabbing tests. Rather that then just have them promise that they will work with no tests.
 
I've owned quite a few Cold Steel product, and currently count about 11 CS products in my knife cabinet. Never had an issue with any of them, honestly.

The marketing is over the top, but its hard to deny the results.

I broke a Trailhawk once, or cracked it I should say. One phone call and 3 days, I had a brand new one and a letter requesting the one that cracked to be returned for evaluation.

Made in China hurts though.

Moose
 
Post pics when you're done modding?

Made in China isn't always a bad thing, if the QC is what it should be.

The main problem with Made in China is that Sanrenmu always seems to come out with a lookalike, sooner or later.
 
Blade is reprofiled, now whittling down the guard stroke by stroke. I'll cover it in stripper toinght, refinish it tomorrow and throw up some pics. Right now I'm thinking OD green scales and park grey blade.
 
I know the feeling! Finished up my final exams today and called Knifeworks and found out my pre-ordered ZT0550 shipped. Nothing better than being done for the semester AND having new toys. :D
 
The Cold Steel SAX both 12" and 18" are dirt cheap right now at $9.99 each including the sheath! The Chicom made SAX has thicker steel 2.5mm blade than CS' South African machetes which are 2mm. I am not thrilled at the shape of the blade but at $9.99 I figure it's a decent piece of affordable steel to play with. Along with their Barong these discontinued Chicom made machetes seem to generally rate higher than their South African made machetes especially concerning quality. From what I gather the factory in China was destroyed by fire thus the discontinuation. Again I'm not thrilled with the shape but I see it as a diamond in the rough. I took a picture and cropped the tip of the blade into a drop point. To me anyways the drop point shape make this knife more versatile at least for my uses. I have one on the way, and can't wait to hit it with the Dremel, and grinder. :)

Original Shape
Machete_Cold_Steel_Sax_Machete_12_Blade_97SA12S.jpg


Drop point
Machete_Cold_Steel_Sax_3.jpg
 
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whoa awesome drop point. I actually have a seax in front of me, it's in the works. The handle has been reprofiled, the blade stripped and sharpened, and I have scales cut out. Over the next few days I'll have them mounted and ground. I love that idea-if I had easier access to a grinder I'd get another one and crank one of those out.
 
PayetteRucker said:
whoa awesome drop point. I actually have a seax in front of me, it's in the works. The handle has been reprofiled, the blade stripped and sharpened, and I have scales cut out. Over the next few days I'll have them mounted and ground. I love that idea-if I had easier access to a grinder I'd get another one and crank one of those out.
Click to expand...

Aloha PR, keep us posted on your seax progress, can't wait to see some pictures.
Back 30 year ago I lived north of you in McCall, Idaho. Used to fish for perch in Cascade Reservoir, and trout & kokanee in the North Fork of the Payette river, and did some Elk scouting up in Burgdorf, and Steelhead fishing in the Salmon River at Riggins. Good old days.
 
I'd go as far to call myself a Cold Steel fan especially after they offered the Voyager series of folders with the ridiculously strong Triad-Lock and kept the price very very reasonable. For the money the Cold Steel Voyagers are an incredible buy and a great way to demo the Triad-Lock without dropping big $$$ into an all out Andrew Demko custom. Also I have a great deal of respect for a cutlery company that produces some well umm " politically incorrect " edged tools and weapons such as high quality spears and throwing knives.
 
Ahnkochee said:
Aloha PR, keep us posted on your seax progress, can't wait to see some pictures.
Back 30 year ago I lived north of you in McCall, Idaho. Used to fish for perch in Cascade Reservoir, and trout & kokanee in the North Fork of the Payette river, and did some Elk scouting up in Burgdorf, and Steelhead fishing in the Salmon River at Riggins. Good old days.
Click to expand...

I've lived in state for almost 3 years now, and I've loved every second of it. McCall is a Garden of Eden, especially this time of year. I grew up fishing for Perch in WI and was unaware the reservoir had a population. I learned trout fishing this last year, both on a fly and spinning rig, and fish everything from high mountain lakes to the Boise and Payette River systems. Caught my first Steelhead 3 weeks ago on a purple Pistol Pete on my flyrod, man what a rush. My first winter in Idaho I lived in a half-constructed log lodge in McCall. We didn't have a roof or a furnace, but we did have a 50 inch flatscreen for watching the Winter Olympics on-if memory serves me it ran the weeks leading up to Winter Carnival. Spent my freetime snowshoeing, snowmobiling up to Bergdorf to hang out in the hot springs, watching the Olympics over the local microbrews and eating steak at The Mill. It was the time of my life. I hope to spend a considerable amount of time up there over the next few months hanging out with ski bunnies :) The Seax is shaping up. I didn't spend much time in the shop today, my joints were giving me grief, but
 
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