Any news on where CS's San Mai III Trail Master stands now... Discontinued?

PocketKnifeJimmy

PocketKnifeJimmy

Joined
Aug 4, 2013
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I have been wondering about their Hattori made Trail Master in VG-1 San Mai III. Are whatever ones left in the pipeline the last ones, or did CS continue contracting Hattori to keep making them, or are they being dropped?
 
Man with no name said:
CS-16JSM is currently listed on the Cold Steel website but is out of stock.
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Seems to have been listed that way for quite some time. I'm not sure if we can take much from that right now.
I had hoped that we'd finally have a CS Representative come in here from time to time to answer our questions and such, but GSM seems to not be interested in such a thing.
 
PocketKnifeJimmy said:
In your opinion, what does that change in listing usually mean?
That they are more likely to get more in, or less likely?
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The previous status (IIRC) was out-of-stock and resupply within 7-10 days. They re probably all finished now at Cold Steel and your best bet would be to look around for some place still having stock.
Sharpest factory edge I've ever owned. There is a lot to be said about a properly applied convex edge and Hattori seems to have perfected it.
 
I have noticed their fetching quite the penny already on the "bay" auction site, so that made me wonder if they are pretty much done at CS with them.
Yes, they are in the 2022 CS catalog, but that may have been done to cover any that would still be in the pipeline... Dunno 🤔
 
SeanODCS said:
The previous status (IIRC) was out-of-stock and resupply within 7-10 days. They re probably all finished now at Cold Steel and your best bet would be to look around for some place still having stock.
Sharpest factory edge I've ever owned. There is a lot to be said about a properly applied convex edge and Hattori seems to have perfected it.
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I actually own two of them that I have in my collection.

Both Japan made San Mai III in the VG-1 core.

The second one I purchased was for a possible future outright sale or a possible future trade 👍
Here's one of them alongside my Cold Steel Laredo Bowie in O-1 Steel...

20220328_160638_HDR_(1).jpg
 
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In my experience, with a lot of websites the "Out of Stock, resupply within XXX Days" is not really reliable. I have seen dozens of knives that are long gone discontinued, but still display as "Resupply within XXX days".

In regard to the San Mai Trail Master, I was on the side of the fence that believed they were going to be discontinued. However, if I'm not mistaken someone here not long ago posted a photo of a San Mai Trail master with the NEW Cold Steel logo on the blade. It was very surprising to see that.

Maybe they aren't being discontinued? Who knows at this point? GSM probably doesn't know either, lol.
 
DayofReckoning said:
In my experience, with a lot of websites the "Out of Stock, resupply within XXX Days" is not really reliable. I have seen dozens of knives that are long gone discontinued, but still display as "Resupply within XXX days".

In regard to the San Mai Trail Master, I was on the side of the fence that believed they were going to be discontinued. However, if I'm not mistaken someone here not long ago posted a photo of a San Mai Trail master with the NEW Cold Steel logo on the blade. It was very surprising to see that.

Maybe they aren't being discontinued? Who knows at this point? GSM probably doesn't know either, lol.
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Sure enough, I just ran across a CS TM SM3 with the new CS logo over on the bay auction site...

Screenshot_20220330-174215_(1).png

My two specimens came with the original Ventura California address boxes and the blades are marked with the last logo used when Lynn Thompson was still the owner of Cold Steel.
 
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Look who's back in stock!
Cold Steel 16JSM Trail Master Fixed 9-1/2 inch VG-1 San Mai III Blade, Kray-Ex Handles, Cor-Ex Sheath
 
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I noticed a few sold out CS models have been trickling in, thank you for the heads up on the Trail Master. Someone who buys it can maybe confirm it’s still the convex grind and still made in Japan. I assume this batch is, and then who knows from there on out.
 
Ive seen a few places where its back in stock,seems like it went up slightly in price, though...
 
I just bought a Magnum Tanto (Sa Mai) and Recon Tanto (coated blade) from them. Best deal I could find. Fee shipping, and very fast.
 
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