Bargain price San mai?

mongomondo said:
It looks like some of the new San Mais are still made in Japan
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Maybe and maybe not. The new 2018 VG10 core Sanmai SRK and Recon Tanto are listed as made in Japan on Knifecenter but this is questionable. Knifecenter's country of origin is not reliable.
 
I did some research and it looks like only the Trailmaster San Mai with VG10 is still made in Japan. All the others are Taiwan.
 
San Mai Knives
Seven Cold Steel fixed blades will now be available in their San Mai laminated steel configuration. These knives feature a hard cutting core of VG-10 clad in a protective outer sleeve of softer steel. Five are tanto blades – the Master, Recon, and Magnums II, IX, and XII. They appear alongside the Tai Pan and clip point SRK in the new for 2018 San Mai fleet. According to Thompson Cold Steel is moving all San Mai production except for the Trail Master Bowie from Japan to Taiwan due to industry changes. “The rest of our San Mai products will feature the same quality Japanese steel but will be made in Taiwan now, creating savings that I am pleased to pass on to my customers,” he says
 
mongomondo said:
I did some research and it looks like only the Trailmaster San Mai with VG10 is still made in Japan. All the others are Taiwan.
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Yes that seems right. Except the SM Trail Master which will continue to be made by Hattori Seki will retain the VG1 core as before.
 
Wondering why the TM will still be made in Japan, with the older steel. Seems kinda weird they would not at least switch the TM over to the newer VG 10. So they are making VG-1 still as well as VG-!0? Must have a lot of that left over but still doesn't make sense to me anyway, I am sure they know what they are doing though.
"According to Thompson Cold Steel is moving all San Mai production except for the Trail Master Bowie from Japan to Taiwan due to industry changes. “The rest of our San Mai products will feature the same quality Japanese steel."
 
Since I can't read L.T.'s mind I can only guess but both VG1 and VG10 are made by Takefu Specialty Steels. Until very recently, Takefu did not export VG10 so just about any knife (of any brand) you saw that was VG10, either solid or laminate, was made in Japan. Now Takefu has started exporting to Taiwan and both Cold Steel and SOG have picked up on this very quickly. This allowed CS to re-introduce the formerly Seki made models but made in Taiwan using Sanmai laminate. I guess the demand was there that the blacked out versions didn't fill.
As to why the Trail Master continues to be made in Seki, and with the earlier VG1 laminate, who knows. Could be contract timing, supply of VG1 laminate on hand, or even just LT wanting to keep CS's relationship with Hattori going. Hattori has been making most of the VG1 Sanmais for CS since 2007. One thing is for sure, going to VG10 core Sanmai with Hattori manufacture would probably have put the price of the Trail Master way up. Just look at the Fallkniven VG10 core models like the A1 and A2 which are made in the same factory.
 
Thanks great information, you must have a mole inside CS.:D
"I guess the demand was there that the blacked out versions didn't fill."
Somebody at CS probably had a heart attack when they saw what San Mai was selling for on eBay and decided to get in on the action, say what you will about CS but the they now how to run a business. I got tired of the black ones quickly, so this is good news for me.
 
KenHash said:
Yes that seems right. Except the SM Trail Master which will continue to be made by Hattori Seki will retain the VG1 core as before.
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So if all but the Trail Master will be made in Taiwan, where does this leave the San Mai Laredo Bowie? Also is there the possibility that other San Mai models might be reintroduced like the Natchez and Recon Scout, etc?
 
Man with no name said:
So if all but the Trail Master will be made in Taiwan, where does this leave the San Mai Laredo Bowie? Also is there the possibility that other San Mai models might be reintroduced like the Natchez and Recon Scout, etc?
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Good question and hard to predict. While Hattori Seki made most of the VG1 SM models, the SM Laredo (and I think Natchez) was made by Kinryu Seki. Kinryu is the factory that has been making the Aus8/solid VG1 SRK/Recon Tantos for CS. In late 2015 year the owner of Kinryu had said that he was going to close his factory due to health reasons and CS quickly started the manufacture of the SRK/Recon Tanto in Taiwan with 3v/SK5. There now appears to be no CS models in 2018 being made by Kinryu anymore, EXCEPT for the VG1 core SM Laredo, so it looks like CS managed to keep the SM Laredo in Seki production. The SM Recon Scout was made by Hattori alongside the SM TM until 2012 and I doubt he will pick that up again. In any case, with the aging owners of he Seki factories and the continuing extremely strong Yen to the US Dollar I suspect that the those models, if reintroduced "may" be with VG10 core SM models made in Taiwan.
 
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That was my thought about any additional models being reintroduced. That they would be made in Taiwan with the new VG 10 San Mai steel.
 
The SM Laredo is not available for 2018. They were in last year's catalog, but not this year's.
 
Mike Sastre said:
The SM Laredo is not available for 2018. They were in last year's catalog, but not this year's.
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Strange. I find this page still up on the Cold Steel website.
http://www.coldsteel.com/laredo-bowie-in-san-mai-iii.html

Not only that, but the standard description text reads;
"Produced in super-limited numbers by our master blade smiths in Japan, this knife is highly collectible and much prized by blade enthusiasts who admire not only its beauty as a piece of art, but also its functionality as a classic fighting knife."

But down below it says:
Manufacturer Taiwan

I would have thought that IF this model has been switched to Taiwan, it would not be 16CCB and it would have a VG10 core like the others.

Rather puzzling.....
 
Weird and I thought the price was going to be lower as well as it seems(to me anyway) the price is the same as the Japan model.
 
mastiffhound said:
San Mai Recon Scout I missed out because I got into CS too late. The lower price would drive me right to a very quick sale!
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I had one of these a few years back in SM never used it and then took it to a show and sold it I think for 150.00. Boy have they gone up! :eek:
 
KenHash said:
Strange. I find this page still up on the Cold Steel website.
http://www.coldsteel.com/laredo-bowie-in-san-mai-iii.html

Not only that, but the standard description text reads;
"Produced in super-limited numbers by our master blade smiths in Japan, this knife is highly collectible and much prized by blade enthusiasts who admire not only its beauty as a piece of art, but also its functionality as a classic fighting knife."

But down below it says:
Manufacturer Taiwan

I would have thought that IF this model has been switched to Taiwan, it would not be 16CCB and it would have a VG10 core like the others.

Rather puzzling.....
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It is not listed in the pricing lists for dealers and distributors, though I imagine they may still have a very limited number "in house" for direct sales. The only Laredo listed for this year is the O1 Laredo. Who knows, maybe they have future plans.
 
Wow all this is giving me a headache.:oops: The SM Laredo still seems to be available on a lot of websites.
 
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