Attitude Change Toward Cold Steel

M

me2

Joined
Oct 11, 2003
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I just watched the More Proof video. I used to kinda scoff at their claims and have only owned a Safekeeper and Panga Machete. Both were impressive, but after seeing the video, I may be interested in some of the specialty items like the Desparado, and the fixed blades. Any support or discouragement?
 
I currently own three Cold Steel knives, the older version of the medium Vaquero folder, the older version of the Safe Keeper III and the discontinued version of the Kobun.

All three are made of AUS 8 steel. The oldest one, the push dagger was razor sharp out of the box. I got that one over ten years ago. The next one, the folder is also razor sharp. I got the Kobun recently, and although sharp is not as sharp as the other two when NIB.

I have no experience with the "Sub Zero Quench" 420 they are now using for many of their folders, so I can't comment.

If I were going to select from their current line up, I'd go with the AUS 8 steel products and their Carbon V high carbon steel knives.
 
IMHO, CS offers knives that WORK, they are using knives. They seem to have that quality of getting better with use. The more you use them, the more you'll appreciate it them, and the more they will grow on you. I have several fixed blades, some folders. Love them all. They get the job done.
-CB
 
Just picked up a Master Hunter for $20.00 at a gun show.Cannot beat it for an EDC.Carbon steel(my fav) Need to get a kydex sheath for it.
Randy
 
carbon V is good, AUS 8 is pretty ok, but why ever pay for 420 when there are so many knives with better steel available? 420 is for silverware.
 
Their Carbon V steel is great. I have a Recon Tanto that I use as a beater. About a week ago, I used it to cut a 2x4 in half and do some heavy chopping on another. Afterwards, the blade would still shave. (A little rough though) I spent about a minute on the white stones (corner) of a Sharpmaker to get a nicer shaving edge. From what I've read, Carbon V is basically just 1095. Whatever they are doing to it seems to result in a great blade.

Their 420 knives and SAK knock offs are junk. Cold Steel makes some crazy claims like AUS-8 is the best steel around. Overall, they have good products. I like their Voyager folders as a basic EDC knife.
 
Get the Spetsnaz (sp?) shovel. I just used mine to help dig up my garden. It sliced through roots that were about 2 inches in diameter without any problems.
 
Condition Black said it best above...If you are looking for serious edgeholding, look at another brand...If your not that concerned with sharpening knives when they go dull, you just might like some of the Cold Steel products. I really like their Voyager tactical folders. I find the handle ergonomics good and I like maximum cutting edge on a blade, too. All of which I find in the Voyagers.
 
Their Trail Guide folders are the only non-stainless folders out there less than $30 online. The ones with the 3" blades are less than $20 online. And they're fully flat-ground, too. Their folders with AUS-8A, such as the Voyager and Vaquero series, are very good. The Desperado fixed blade is a tough puppy, too. Their Country Classics look very promising and so do their recently upgraded ODA/OSS/UWK knives (they were first offered in AUS-8A, then 420 sub-zero, and now in Carbon V).

Cold Steel was the first (if not only) company to voluntarily pay Spyderco royalties for using the pocket clip and when they were informed that using Spyderco's reverse S-curved blade shape on their Black Talon violated a trademark, Cold Steel worked out a licensing arrangement with Spyderco to make it right (and then they stopped making the knife entirely).

Great products and more-than-honorable business dealings make Cold Steel a company I enjoy.

On the negative side, very few of their knives are left-friendly and it took years for them to change their "AUS-8A outperforms ATS-34" to "is tougher than ATS-55".
 
As said already, the Carbon V knives, esp the TRailmaster are superb. However the 420 sub zero qwench... Humph :barf: Rubbish...

I own a Tai Pan, Vaq Grande and soon to own a Carbon V Trailmaster. I had the chance to meet Lyn at IWA and he certainly backs his product 100% The enthusiasm is clear, even if the claims can seem a little far... Well fetched at times. :confused:
 
The General said:
However the 420 sub zero qwench... Humph :barf: Rubbish...
Click to expand...

Which 420 sub-zero quenched Cold Steel knives did use? What was it about the steel made them rubbish?
 
I've sold most of my Cold Steel stuff mainly because I've been bored with them, but many of their knives are great users. The only ones left in my collection are an SRK, Recon 1 folder, and an Extra Large Tanto Voyager. Aside from their overblown hype, they produce decent working knives, but there's just too much Kraton and Zytel in their lineup. They do have the Ti-Lite with titanium handles, but go figure: AUS-8 steel. Nothing wrong with AUS-8, but the Ti-Lite is overpriced in my opinion. I'd like to see some G-10 handles and other steels like VG-10 or S30V. Something else other than the tired old black Kraton and Zytel.

I recently checked out one of their new "Ultimate Hunter" folders. Nice, but again: AUS-8 steel, made in Japan and a Kraton-like polymer handle. What caught my eye was the nice satin finish of the blade and the solid lockup, but it's nothing to write home about.

My experience with their "sub zero quenched" stuff is with the Recon 1 folder (Cold Steels answer to Benchmade's Axis lock). It's a solid mechanism, but not as smooth as Benchmade's. I have one of the current made in Taiwan versions in 440A steel. Far from state-of-the-art, but all in all, it's an okay folder. It's a shame they discontinued the Japanese versions. My only dislike is the crappy black teflon coating on the blades. They should have produced them in a satin finish.

A local retailer in my area carries several Cold Steel models and I've checked out their Trail Guide folders. These are USA made in Carbon V steel which are basically made for Cold Steel by Camillus. These are absolute crap. I went through 6 models (4 large and 2 medium Trail Guides) and all had various degrees of blade wobble and sloppy lockups. These are the worst American made folders I've seen since the Schrade Cliphanger. There's better felgercarb coming out of China and it was truly a shame to see made in USA stamped on the blades. :barf:

Aside from the X2 Voyager, there's not much in their lineup that appeals to me anymore. Much of Cold Steel's stuff is good, but there's better.
 
thombrogan said:
Which 420 sub-zero quenched Cold Steel knives did use? What was it about the steel made them rubbish?
Click to expand...

When I was deciding about which double edged dagger I wanted to buy, I tried out a few different models. As luck would have it, as the reviews section Mod of Britishblades.com I have a great number of contacts in both the industry and fellow collectors.

I tried the Boker A/F in 440C (great knife)
A Randal Model 2 (even better!)
Cold steel Tai Pan (nice)
and a Cold Steel Peacekeeper in 420 steel (bah!)

I used the blades for various cutting tasks and the first thing I noticed was whilst the other blades were still shaving sharp after a bit of use, the Peacekeeper lost its edge very quickly. Several cardboard boxes had little effect on the Randal and Boker, but the Cold Steel Tai Pan was slightly dulled, the Peacekeeper very noticably so...

In the end I bought a Vintage Vietnam carried 8" Micarta Randal Model 2 in Carbon Steel (o-1), a Cold Steel Tai Pan (its still a very good knife) and a Desert pattern Boker A/F

One may argue that I was being overly fussy... I say I am unwilling to buy a poor steel knife. :rolleyes:
 
Having owned MANY CS pieces, and sent back only a couple (literally, 2) I like to think I can honestly speak of the products and the company.

I have dealt mostly with the Special Projects Dept almost exclusively since I was in High School (90's) and the support has been first rate. I have only bought one knife that at the time turned out not to be what I had envisioned...DESPERADO, and they took it back right away very few questions asked. I went out and bought a VERY expensive custom neck knife...a Lynn Griffith Patrolman. I carried this thing for a while wherever I went, but I was hesitant to use it. So, I picked up a BUNCH of CS Neck Knives. Not perfect (Especially the Neck Tanto one), but workers and worth the specials prices.

Now I am not too fond of the folders, but the GUNSITE is NUTS! Big and TOUGH!

I figure, if you find them on the cheap and plan to use them alot, you CANNOT go wrong with most of CS's products. I have had folders, to neck knives to shovels, to throwers, to my current fav outdoor piece, the OUTDOORSMAN, and I stand by most of them wholeheartidly.

Their sheaths are...OK...just OK...

R/DANGELO

ROCK ON US NAVY!
Run Silent, Run Deep...
 
I own about 15 Cold Steel knives, none of them newer than 10 years old. My favorites are the mini-outdoorsman and the mini-california drop point (oppps -- can't forget the mini-tanto). My SRK in a staple of my camping equipment. I find many of their knives, especially in the older versions, to be excellent knives for what they are. However, I think the quality of CS overall has declined in the past few years, and imo have hurt their reputation by adding cheap knives to their lineup.
 
You need to determine what you want the knife for. What kind of use will it see. While I haven't used Cold Steel all that much, the 420 steel they are using will be more than adequate for the vast majority of people on the forums. Very few actually use a knife to the point they are going beyond the abilities of the steel. Also, a low end steel with the proper grind and heat treat will actually perfrom very well and maintain an edge much longer than the keyboard metalurgists give it credit for.

Bottom line, take the advice you get in the forums, apply that to the knife you are thinking about. If you like the knife, buy it and use it. Like many of us here, you won't be the first one who might come across a knife that is either way below expectation or way above.
 
Dirk said:
Also, a low end steel with the proper grind and heat treat will actually perfrom very well and maintain an edge much longer than the keyboard metalurgists give it credit for.
Click to expand...

Dirk's point is a good one. Understand what YOU want to use the knife for.

My expectations for my SAK (Swiss Army Knife) are much different then my Trace Rinaldi fixed blade or any of my custom folders. I actually dulled a THR TUK in S30V cutting cardboard - yes it took a long time but I did it :D

Now that little SAK used on envelopes and bagels works very well. In a pinch it cuts carbboard good too but, it also dulls fast. And no, I WILL NOT cut hard wire with it like I do my THR TUK or Strider AR.

All that being said, I find Spyderco makes better folders at similar pricepoints and the premium is well worth it for their upgraded models. For fixed blades at a similar pricepoint, I find Newt Livesay's Wicked Knives to be better. Better edge geometry, better heat treat, better handle shape and materials, sheaths are slightly better but, pretty close to even.
 
I own several CS knives, and do not regret buying any of them. I carry a 5" CS folder daily. Oh, I own some (to me ) expensive knives. But for what it is worth, I would rather carry on a daily basis a knife that costs under $100.00 incase it is lost than a $200.00 knife. I like the steel on the Voyager. the knife has served me well. I will buy more CS knives, right now I am on the lookout for a ti-lite, under $50.00.
 
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