Benchmade, Cold Steel or ZT ?!

+ 1 for the Recon 1, but i would go with the Spear Point. It looks like you options are all different sized, so if are looking for a smaller version and yet still as beefy and perhaps even more comfortable to use, consider the Ultimate Hunter. It has a neutral grip and IMO one of the most comfortable handle.
Another one to consider is the American Lawman, which is about the same size as the ZT0095 and only slightly bigger than the ZT0566.
You can get Recon 1 XHP for about $83, American Lawman XHP for $76 and Ultimate hunter for $92 right now if you do some shopping, all great value.
 
cowboys.spurs.12 said:
Only go Cold Steel if you want to support a CEO who goes around suing every knife company he can. On top of that Cold Steel has horrible fit and finish.
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Spoken like a true hater. Cold Steel's latest offerings have F&F that exceeds knives that cost much, much more. Their new folders in XHP have grinding so fine, it's almost a mirror finish. I have 5 of their folders and they're smooth, centered and lock up with Cold Steel's signature "CLACK".
The new 3V fixed blades, while made in Taiwan, have blade and edge grinds that exceed their Japanese predecessors. In fact, some of the older Japan made fixed blades had some rough blade grinds and asymmetrical edge grinds. While I'm playing devil's advocate, their securex sheaths tend to dull edges and their customer service can be on the glacial side.
 
hermit dave said:
Spoken like a true hater. Cold Steel's latest offerings have F&F that exceeds knives that cost much, much more. Their new folders in XHP have grinding so fine, it's almost a mirror finish. I have 5 of their folders and they're smooth, centered and lock up with Cold Steel's signature "CLACK".
The new 3V fixed blades, while made in Taiwan, have blade and edge grinds that exceed their Japanese predecessors. In fact, some of the older Japan made fixed blades had some rough blade grinds and asymmetrical edge grinds. While I'm playing devil's advocate, their securex sheaths tend to dull edges and their customer service can be on the glacial side.
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We just went through this and settled it, and you come around with the same argument. Good job at playing yourself.
 
Sounds like cold steel has changed a lot since I last checked them out 5 years or so ago.

I wrote them off as semi-functional mall ninja stuff made in china with steels of yesteryear. Sounds like they've stepped it up.
 
i have all 3. tough call. i have a zt 0301 and a 0900 that i alternate daily. i have an older cold steel voyager that i have tried to break,used it as a throwing knife and a pry bar (cant be broke with normal abuse). i have a benchmade skirmish,bedlam and mini grip. they are nice but not quite as tough as the others as ive broken a couple of tips. im inclined to think that the voyager has the slight edge in toughness over zt, while zt has a better build quality.
 
Recon 1. As far as fit and finish goes I've never handled a CS that wasn't sharp as hell, centered and rock solid lockup . Zt and benchmade plenty of QC problems. Made in Taiwan but one day people will get over that if they know what's up same thing with Thompson.
 
hkyew said:
+ 1 for the Recon 1, but i would go with the Spear Point. It looks like you options are all different sized, so if are looking for a smaller version and yet still as beefy and perhaps even more comfortable to use, consider the Ultimate Hunter. It has a neutral grip and IMO one of the most comfortable handle.
Another one to consider is the American Lawman, which is about the same size as the ZT0095 and only slightly bigger than the ZT0566.
You can get Recon 1 XHP for about $83, American Lawman XHP for $76 and Ultimate hunter for $92 right now if you do some shopping, all great value.
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Maybe the best post of the thread. Plenty of good and accurate information. For those of us on a budget who appreciate quality knives,
take heed.
Good work, hky!
 
I literally just spent the past two months going through this dilemma. I looked at the full-sized Recon 1 and the adamas and a few of the zero tolerance. Cold Steel is an act they might have made good blades at one point in time, but now they are all foreign produced the Recon 1 is from Taiwan they're fixed blades are Taiwanese or Chinese and are really in my opinion for people who are just now stepping in to knives. I'm going to buy the Benchmade this month and after an analysis between them and Gerber and zero tolerance it's definitely very clear-cut the Adamas. One reason I say that is they actually will back their product zero tolerance will too but the axis lock is among the best out there. Their d2 is also super awesome, and cant possibly be beaten by cold steel cts xhp some say its like stainless d2 but i dont agree. One of the biggest reason i say that is its impossible to get a hrc on any cold steel knife and that is important because the biggest complaint about cs is there uneven tempering. Benchmade will cover anything and there overall aproach and attention to detail is better that cs...zero tolerance is good too both are better for true hard use than cs and there mediocre triad lock. Some cs is okay but not at premium prices.
 
falar said:
Sounds like cold steel has changed a lot since I last checked them out 5 years or so ago.

I wrote them off as semi-functional mall ninja stuff made in china with steels of yesteryear. Sounds like they've stepped it up.
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I've got an old Recon1 with the ultra lock still going strong and locking up tight after 15 or so years. Not a hint of wiggle.

They make quality knives. Occasionally they let a design out that does not have all the kinks ironed out.
 
hermit dave said:
Now that's funny! What color is the sky in your world?
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Oh man look at the bias. I have owened so much cold steel it isnt funny and i was sold on the hype too for a while but cmon man i know you dont believe cold steel beats zero tolerance. Do they pay your or something hrc isnt important? Triad with its little stop pin beats an axis lock? I could go on to list real world failures that have happened to me outside of your probably limited edc use scope. At least in your approach to cold steel.
 
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Sonofamerica1776 said:
Oh man look at the bias. I have owened so much cold steel it isnt funny and i was sold on the hype too for a while but cmon man i know you dont believe cold steel beats zero tolerance. Do they pay your or something hrc isnt important? Triad with its little stop pin beats an axis lock?
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How much dos BM pay you? I have found that Axis locks are not the be all end all in folders. HT is important so I agree with you on that point but I absolutely hate the axis lock.
 
What happened to your axis lock and did you send it in if it was an all out failure? And besides i didnt say it was the end all be all i said its better than triad. What is better than the axis lock to you?
 
coinbuysell said:
How much dos BM pay you? I have found that Axis locks are not the be all end all in folders. HT is important so I agree with you on that point but I absolutely hate the axis lock.
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What happened to your axis lock and did you send it in if it was an all out failure? And besides i didnt say it was the end all be all i said its better than triad. What is better than the axis lock to you?
 
No, I did not send any of the 6 or 7 of them in to BM since it was not as all an out failure (blade play, etc. that I do not find acceptable). It seemed to be due to F&F issues and I don't think that I should have to send in a $150 knife in to the maker to fix problems that should have never made it past QC. That being said, I have never had a problem with their mono lock or autos. YMMV
 
coinbuysell said:
No, I did not send any of the 6 or 7 of them in to BM since it was not as all an out failure (blade play, etc. that I do not find acceptable). It seemed to be due to F&F issues and I don't think that I should have to send in a $150 knife in to the maker to fix problems that should have never made it past QC. That being said, I have never had a problem with their mono lock or autos. YMMV
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Hmm extra play is always uncomfortable to have specially at $100+ dollars. Im assuming a torx screwdriver didnt fix it?
 
Sonofamerica1776 said:
I literally just spent the past two months going through this dilemma. I looked at the full-sized Recon 1 and the adamas and a few of the zero tolerance. Cold Steel is an act they might have made good blades at one point in time, but now they are all foreign produced the Recon 1 is from Taiwan they're fixed blades are Taiwanese or Chinese and are really in my opinion for people who are just now stepping in to knives. I'm going to buy the Benchmade this month and after an analysis between them and Gerber and zero tolerance it's definitely very clear-cut the Adamas. One reason I say that is they actually will back their product zero tolerance will too but the axis lock is among the best out there. Their d2 is also super awesome, and cant possibly be beaten by cold steel cts xhp some say its like stainless d2 but i dont agree. One of the biggest reason i say that is its impossible to get a hrc on any cold steel knife and that is important because the biggest complaint about cs is there uneven tempering. Benchmade will cover anything and there overall aproach and attention to detail is better that cs...zero tolerance is good too both are better for true hard use than cs and there mediocre triad lock. Some cs is okay but not at premium prices.
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Easily the most inaccurate, ridiculous post on this thread and possibly the whole forum. You sound about 17 yrs old, 21 at max. Mediocre tri ad lock? If the tri-ad is mediocre what does it make all the frame locks in the world since it would completely stomp them in the dust in ANY lock torture test? Seriously man, how can you post such fluff on a forum full of experience knife users. The 4" Talwar, Recon 1, Ultimate Hunter, American Lawman all in XHP will out live and out-cut anything from ZT. Regardless of which company has the shiniest handle or prettiest trimmings. It's posts like yours that make me lose faith in the knife community. Typical guy who looks up internet spec sheets and trys to make informed posts. Your post is in fact so ridiculously false i am almost certain you're trolling.

Friendly challenge for you
Name me one ZT knife that will out slice and win a torture test against a cheapo sub $100 Cold Steel Code 4 spear point in XHP. We all define "better" in different ways, i'm talking strictly practicality, utility and strength. I like ZT and BM, own plenty, but mate seriously you're trolling. I await your reply.
 
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Wow, Cold Steel is using 3V now?

The base metal is just part of the equation though. I wonder how well they are heat treating it over in Taiwan. Still a big step up from AUS8.

I like the Americanized Tanto (unlike many) but they insist on hollow grinding them which I'm not really a fan of on that type of knife.
 
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DON'T FEED TROLLS!!!!!
To the OP you might also consider the CS Broken Skull. It is an excellent cutter and is right tuff. You can also pick one up for around $60.
 
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