Are Cold Steel's newer steels any good ?

hiwa

hiwa

Joined
Jun 7, 2009
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Hi. I know the old Carbon 5 stuff is pretty good ( owned a few ) , but have been wondering about the others. Specifically , SK-5 , VG-1 , and San-mai 111. ??

Does anyone own one or more of these steels, and know their reputation, as to toughness , sharpenability , edgeholding , and the like ?? Thanks.
 
hiwa said:
Hi. I know the old Carbon 5 stuff is pretty good ( owned a few ) , but have been wondering about the others. Specifically , SK-5 , VG-1 , and San-mai 111. ??

Does anyone own one or more of these steels, and know their reputation, as to toughness , sharpenability , edgeholding , and the like ?? Thanks.
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I own them all personally. :)

SK-5 is very tough and holds an edge extremely well.

VG-1 is a very good steel, holds an edge for a very long time and is fairly easy to sharpen.

I own both the old and new San Mai III.

The old is AUS8 in the middle with 420 on the outsides, takes an edge very easy and is very tough and holds an edge well.

The New VG-1 San Mai III has VG-1 in the middle with 420 on the outsides is just as tough, but holds an edge longer and is slightly harder to sharpen.
 
Thanks for the informative info :thumbup: I've been considering another CS product for a while , and this helps. ( Pendleton hunter ,maybe for a EDC )
 
hiwa said:
Thanks for the informative info :thumbup: I've been considering another CS product for a while , and this helps. ( Pendleton hunter ,maybe for a EDC )
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They are nice. :)
 
you will like the pendelton

I have all flavors of CS steel and the sk-5 should get more respect, it may not be carbon v but it seems damn close to me when I use and sharpen them.

the sanmai is very good and my lawman in aus8 has really good edge retention.

even their cheapies in krupp steel are not bad, I have given 6 or 7 family/friends roach bellies for cheap tacklebox knives and they all love them for fishing.
 
The Finn bear caught my eye , as a Mora alternative , but they want too much for them here. I have to handle them , but the Pendleton looks like a good one to slip in the Carharrt pocket.
 
I had heard that Camillus Knife company who is now out of business were the ones who made Cold Steel's Carbon V steel. I still can't understand why Cold Steel couldn't get someone else to provide that steel for them. I have 3 of their Gurkha Kukris with the Carbon V and I really like them for roughhouse cutting chores for machete type stuff that you can use Gurkha Kukris for. I'm not nearly as impressed with SK-5 :(

Other than Carbon V I can't say that I think any of Cold Steel's blade steels that they are currently using are anything to get excited about. Oh don't get me wrong they will get you by and they do an average job. But when there are super steels like VG-10, S90V, ZDP-189 & S60V out there in some of the newer/better knives it's hard for me to understand why they don't use some of these better steels for their knives.

But I do wish that they would somehow find a way to bring back Carbon V. It truly is a great hard use steel.
 
It seems to be about the money, with Cold Steel. They probably could use higher grade steels and get the carbon V elsewhere. But at what price? If they think it's going to affect their sales to charge more, then it's a business decision they won't make.
 
jill jackson said:
It seems to be about the money, with Cold Steel. They probably could use higher grade steels and get the carbon V elsewhere. But at what price? If they think it's going to affect their sales to charge more, then it's a business decision they won't make.
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In principle I agree with what you just said Jill. But at what point are the majority of the knife buying, knife using, knife collecting public going to realize that "QUALITY" is not their primary goal??:(

And if they don't change that strategy sometime soon I truly think at some point they will go by way of the "Veg-O-Matic" in the big picture.

I just can't see why any company would want to take a step backward when you have several good companies going the other direction. I know that sales are what keeps the light bill paid but at what point are the knife buying public going to catch on and realize that "Quality", regardless of price is ultimately cheaper and much better in the long run. Maybe I'm wrong>> maybe there are enough mall ninjas and rip-mart refugees to keep them going. But I do believe at some point the public will see beyond the curtain :(
 
How is their plain AUS8?
I think cold steel really knows what they are doing. Letting Carbon V was I think, a smart marketing move. It's become somewhat legendary on blade forums; in large part because there not made anymore. This move to retire it (though it may have been forced with the demise of Camilus), has made bladeforum types to make legends out of their products. Not bad for a company that hasn't been around that long. Just calling it carbon V (even if it was just plain carbon 1080) was a cool marketing move in itself.
From the description I read SK5 sounds remarkably similar to Carbon V (also carbon 1080). But calling it SK5 sounds cool. Just like San Mai sounds really cool. Falkniven, Kershaw, even Frost Mora, and many others use laminated steel in some of their knives. But calling it San Mai is a good hook for some.
 
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JD Speedo said:
In principle I agree with what you just said Jill. But at what point are the majority of the knife buying, knife using, knife collecting public going to realize that "QUALITY" is not their primary goal??:(

And if they don't change that strategy sometime soon I truly think at some point they will go by way of the "Veg-O-Matic" in the big picture.

I just can't see why any company would want to take a step backward when you have several good companies going the other direction. I know that sales are what keeps the light bill paid but at what point are the knife buying public going to catch on and realize that "Quality", regardless of price is ultimately cheaper and much better in the long run. Maybe I'm wrong>> maybe there are enough mall ninjas and rip-mart refugees to keep them going. But I do believe at some point the public will see beyond the curtain :(
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And while I agree with you, I do feel that Cold Steel believes they are doing just fine without the premium steels other companies are offering in models that don't sale for much if any higher than theirs. I have bought one Cold Steel in the past two years or so, but I suppose people like me (and most on here) don't make up the majority of their customer base.
Cold Steel enjoys a very good reputation among the flea market crowd. I always run into people there that think it doesn't get any better than CS.
 
I like their VG-1. It's held up pretty well so far, almost as well as VG-10.
AUS-8 gets plenty sharp, just don't expect the edge to last long. For the stuff they use it on, I think it's an appropriate steel.
 
jill jackson said:
And while I agree with you, I do feel that Cold Steel believes they are doing just fine without the premium steels other companies are offering in models that don't sale for much if any higher than theirs. I have bought one Cold Steel in the past two years or so, but I suppose people like me (and most on here) don't make up the majority of their customer base.
Cold Steel enjoys a very good reputation among the flea market crowd. I always run into people there that think it doesn't get any better than CS.
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CS sells a lot of knives and has been doing that since the mid 80's so they must be doing something right or they would have been out of business 20 years ago.

A lot of people outside BF think some other makers like Spyderco are flea market knives too. ;)

BF isn't the beginning and the end of the knife world you know, it's a very big world out there outside of BF. ;)

In truth CS does have some of the best production knives out there for the money. While I don't like all of their stuff, the ones I do like and use are very good knives and they hold up extremely well.
 
Ankerson said:
I own them all personally. :)

SK-5 is very tough and holds an edge extremely well.

VG-1 is a very good steel, holds an edge for a very long time and is fairly easy to sharpen.

I own both the old and new San Mai III.

The old is AUS8 in the middle with 420 on the outsides, takes an edge very easy and is very tough and holds an edge well.

The New VG-1 San Mai III has VG-1 in the middle with 420 on the outsides is just as tough, but holds an edge longer and is slightly harder to sharpen.
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+1

I have some CarbonV as well, I do not find any significant differences but the CarbonV holds that keen edge just a touch longer. The stainless models I have experienced are as good or better than any other company using similar steel and especially when considering price tags.

The really nice thing is that a company this size produces so many knives, there is no shortage of models from even 10-20 years ago if you keep your eyes open you can have another USA model.
 
vg1 is definitely a step up from the aus8. of course vg10 is among the top performers. i have'nt seen any improvement in their line of carbon since they lost carbon 5.
 
DennisStrickland said:
vg1 is definitely a step up from the aus8. of course vg10 is among the top performers. i have'nt seen any improvement in their line of carbon since they lost carbon 5.
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The new MARTEMP SK-5 is just as good or better than Carbon V from what I have seen sofar. :)
 
HEy don't misunderstand me please. I don't hate Cold STeel if that's what you're all are thinking. The stuff I have of theirs I like a lot. I'll never get rid of the 3 Carbon V Kukris I have. I also miss their White Wax Wood canes, staffs, spear handles and other stuff that they made from Chinese White Wax wood.

I dearly love the pair of 2 handed Machetes I got from them which are a South African import.

I just did a trade with a Forum brother recently for a Carbon V Kobun model of theirs so I would have a good fixed blade that I can severely abuse. I dearly adore my Samburu Spear too.

No what I'm trying to say is that if they don't change with the times and start to get on the bandwagon and use some of these newer super steels then all the other knife companies are going to leave them in the dust.

And I don't understand why they quit marketing a lot of the aforementioned products. That Chinese White Wax wood is truly something special
 
I think alot of people who aren't "knife knuts" don't think that more expensive user knives (Spyderco, Emerson, etc..) with technically better steels are worth it, or they just plain don't have the money to spend on more expensive using knives.

I would say based on Cold Steel's obvious success they must be doing something right, and I think that something is appealling to a bit more of a non afi audience, who still wants something more than $5 gas station knives.
 
Sorry I could not resist putting my 2 cents in about the newest and greatest steel. Just because something is the newest and latest steel does not mean that all old steels are now inferior, just maybe surpassed by technology with the likes of powder metal steels and laminated. 1095 has been used for well over 100 years and yet it is still used by the major companies (like Kabar, Ranger, RAT, Tops, etc), although maybe slightly altered, and it is still good steel, just rusts more if unprotected or not taken care of. So, if a company is using good steel, and their customers continue to buy it, it must be working right. These newer steels may be more expensive to use in products or they may be hard to get an adequate supply or harder to work in production methods. Now, do not get me wrong either, I like to see new products with good quality steels, but I just don't want others to think that the newest steel has meant old stuff has become inferior quality blade material. I was wondering more if Cold Steel was having quality control issues in the steel and production methods they were receiving from mainland China, and decided to move production to Taiwan to increase quality, and thus increase the prices they charge for their products? It is almost always cheaper to get CS stuff from other vendors rather from them directly, although sometimes the 2nds are good buys when CS advertises them.
 
I think Cold Steel knows that the average joe that buys and actually uses knives doesn't usually have a super edge on the thing after carrying it for a while. Since most real world users have a knife that still has somewhat of a decent edge that can cut if you lean into it and not one that pops hairs much at all after its been opened when new then whats the reasoning for selling them a harder to sharpen premium steel? All that does is make it higher priced. What they use has worked for them and is plenty tough, with moderate to good edge keeping for a working knife and certainly right in line with any competitor models in the same price point usually. Here in the last few years Cold Steel has stepped that up some because the VG1 steel is really a good steel. AUS8 is tried and true, basically made famous by Cold Steel actually, and the SK steel is at the least the equal if not a slightly better steel than the old Carbon V they used when Camillus was still in business.

Lots of folks find fault with Cold Steel and can't seem to rise above their own bias to actually look at the knives for what they are. The fact is most of them are tough as nails and something you can really wail away on getting totally abusive with and they take it usually asking for more. Their research and development team spends a great deal of time in the study of what needs to come together to make a sturdy, reliable, strong knife. Overall they do this repeatedly and for the most part you can say that now spanning years.

I've been saying for years that you can say a lot bad about this marketing company we all know as Cold Steel but one thing is for sure. They appeal to the working man in the real world, and they make a very stout, reliable, and strong folding knife lock mechanism regardless of type. Believe me I've had their knives apart as well as many others in this industry and I can tell you that inside where it counts they really have it going on. Looking at the knives by Cold Steel rating them overall forgetting the name or logo on the knives one can't help but see that they do indeed hold their own and certainly merit high praise in many instances regardless of your personal feelings about the company or the owner. This high praise is particularly deserving regarding Cold Steel's locks which in my own mind stand heads above many other companies in the industry with very few competitors consistently matching what they do at CS repeatedly time and time again. This has gone on since the first Voyager and Vaquero series of knives came out and little by little they have stepped things up every year with upgrades rising to the point they are at today where they can honestly look you in the eyes and say they make the strongest most reliable locks on the market period!

As for the steel they use in their blades, well of course this could be better but need not be to remain competitive. Part of their appeal is the price point they maintain and in their premium line they seem to be quite content with the San Mai laminate steel that has worked well for them for years. Japanese cutlery steels are quite good and the world knows it so you can't really find much to complain about here. There is nothing at all the matter with any of the steels Cold Steel is using at this time though and I feel they compare favorably with many companies they compete against. I always tell people if you just have to have a premium steel and still get a reliable strong lock then buy a Spyderco and be done with it. Spyderco is one of the few companies that can really stand neck and neck with Cold Steel for lock performance so there is no reason not to go with one of their products with a premium steel if that strikes your fancy.

STR
 
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