Best cold Steel

Wolf Trait said:
I was just looking at the Trailmaster earlier. Have you used one yet? And also, it seems that everyone really likes the Recon 1. I'll have to check that out.
Click to expand...

I had a Trailmaster in the San Mai III. I used it for about 8 years before I sold it for exactly what I paid for it (I got a really really good deal, and passed it on).

The only reason I sold it was that I had bigger more expensive knives, and the Trailmaster was not getting the use it deserved.

It is a good knife.


Cons?
The sheath is pretty poorly constructed for the price of the knife. The handle material (krayton) is not my favorite. I like Resiprine C for knife handles because it is more stable, less agressive on my hands, and more heat/chemical/cut/chip resistant than Krayton.

The trailmaster has a good weight to size ratio. Chops good for it's weight. The best thing about the sanmaiIII version is the geometry. Full convex grind to zero edge. The grind is really a work of art to me. Super easy to maintain laser sharp (get a strop, and watch a few tutorials).

I think they should offer a stacked leather handle version. (like the Fallkniven Northern lights bowie).


For the price that the San Mai III version goes for, I would direct you to other knives. (after having owned and used mine for years).

In that price range, I would direct you to Swamprat, and Scrapyard, and Busse. You can get a Basic 11, or Basic 10 in that price range.

Scrapyard Dogfather. (any of the versions) are indestructible, and have a much much better warranty than CS. Any version will be cheaper than the San Mai III version, and will take more abuse (due to the design of the tang, radiused vs. squared angle transition). (Sr77 steel. Which is modified jackhammer bit steel)

Scrapyard will also have stellar offerings for that price range, with micarta/g10 handles, offered in Sr101 steel (fantastic, modified ball bearing steel ). They also have the battle rat (you will have to find one on the secondary market, but still a much better price than the trailmaster sanmaiIII with a much much much better warranty).

Basic 11, or Basic 10 will both be attainable at that price, with Infi steel (best hard use steel, in my opinion). Very stain resistant, and super tough. Better than average edge retention, especially with impact use.




Also, honestly, in that price range, you can get a custom bowie from a number of makers on this forum, and have something unique and absolutely lovely!

Just my thoughts.






I also have a Recon 1 (both the old axis lock version, and the new Triad lock). Solid folder for the money, if it is the style you are looking for.
 
I don't care what anyone says, I love Cold Steel. But I have to admit that the Chinese made knives aren't as good as the ones made elsewhere. The new Voyagers went from VG-1 back to the old AUS8 standby, and the Chinese (Taiwan) AUS8A just isn't as good as the Japanese steel. In short, I prefer the older polished hollow grind knives to the current flat grind stone washed steel.

Right now, I'd have to say the new 2011 Voyager tanto is better than the flat grind clip point and Vaquero models. The extra-large model tanto is heavier, and it chops and pries magnificently. I just bought the 4-inch blade "large" model, and I think it's superb. You can get the upscale Recon 1 models, which are teflon coated and have G10 scales. But I think the Tanto XLG model is one of the best survival knives around. It might be a tad bit heavy for EDC, and if you're looking for an EDC, I'd recommend one of the new Spyderco Enduras. But I also like the older Voyager "medium" clip points. They just feel great in the hand. A medium 2011 Voyager also would be nice.

CS makes so many great knives that it's hard to pin one as the best. But if I had to pick, I'd say the Trailmaster has to be one of the all time favorites. It's one of the classics. I hope CS doesn't go the way of Gerber and CRKT, where they not only stay stuck on AUS8, but degrade models to 4116 Krupp. They've already done that with their Leatherneck series knives. It's a cheap steel and blades made from 4116 ought to be very inexpensive. There's some disturbing tendencies towards moving from AUS8 to 4116, and if that happens, I'm through with CS. Gerber and CRKT have both gone to cheaper steels, and Gerber doesn't even post their steels anymore and I don't blame them.

On the plus side, CS is very good on heat treat...exceptionally good. I'm still using some of their older knives made with 440A steel and they're great! Generally 440A is pathetic. I've bought knives from other companies with 440A and they just don't sharpen, period! I don't want to name names, but one company's initials are Boker. Ooops. Anyway, their Magnum series is horrible. I just bought a very el cheapo MTech knife for $15 and its 440A also is awful (but I bought it for my car trunk). So...the bottom line is that 440A has proven to be a horrible steel when it's not heat treated. CS's 440A knives from back in 2005 were bleeding sharp out of the box and they stayed sharp. And when they needed sharpening finally, just a few swipes on my Sharpmaker and they'd be back to deadly sharp! My point is that CS has some of the best heat treat on the market. Buy any knife and even the cheap 4116 Tanto Lite ($23 from eBay, including shipping) come sharp enough to cut the living daylights out of you if you're not careful. In fact, everyone ought to have a few Tanto Lites kicking around. For the money, they're outstanding. They're not great for edge retention, but you can get them back to bleeding sharp very easily, and like I said, most cheap knives don't come sharp and you can't make them sharp.

'Nuff said.


AAA1.jpg


The Voyager Tanto is fantastic, and I love the hollow grind blade!
The thick spine also makes it exceptionally strong. You can baton
with this knife all day and I don't think it would break.


TantoLite_1.jpg


The Tanto Lite is one of the best bargains on the knife market.
Okay, it's 4116 Krupp stainless, but it's sharper than most knives
out of the box from any knife company. And it resharpens!


Hold-Out_Vyg.jpg


The new Hold Out (bottom) is one of the finest knife offerings by
Cold Steel. The knife on top is the older Voyager model, with VG-1
steel. I'd take it over any of the new models any day. But the
Hold Out is just an exceptional knife. It's the kind of knife many
people want buried with you!


AAA4.jpg


Two of the new model Voyagers. The tanto is heavier, but it has
chopping capability and can split wood. The Vaquero model is a
flat grind and offers exceptional self defense abilities. I prefer it
over the clip point (Bowie) model, which I also have. It's also great
in the 4-inch model.


ColdSteelVoyagerVaquero.jpg


Serrations? They're clearly better in self defense knives; and
the CS serrations are great in some cutting situations. The
Vaquero I only use for self defense carrying. I've opened a few
packages with it and I really like it. On the down side, it scares
the hell out of people. But that's the point. We really don't want
to use our knives as weapons, because a knife like this would
be extremely messy, but it has a great deterrent value. Being
cut with a serrated blade is not something that most people
would want to risk, and bad guys would most likely want to
go mug someone else. (In Washington, D.C., serrations aren't
allowed on any knife blade, even on 3-inch blades, which are
legal. The city leaders think serrations have only one purpose,
and that is to rip people open. Apparently some of the District's
hospitals took photos of people cut with serrated blades and
the city council decided to just outlaw them.)


ColdSteelNightForce_2.jpg


The 440A Night Force is an astounding knife. Some reviewers
reported cutting themselves while examining them right out of
the box. I have a very well used one that cuts like many of my
AUS8 blades. How did CS do it? The only thing I can think of
is exceptional heat treat. Very few knife companies can produce
knives with 440A blades that are worth anything. But CS did.
Even the first Recon 1s used this steel, and they reviewed
very well.

.
 
Last edited:
CS makes great low-mid level "user " knives. AUS8A has it's haters but it's not that bad of a steel for the price. Like the others have said, the Recon 1 is a great knife. American Lawman has a good EDC shape as well. Trail Master and OSS in SM3 are wicked too.
 
I like the large Vaquero Voyager for EDC. Back in my day, it was called the El Hombre and its handle didn't have a Triad lock or tapping for left-hand carry. I like the new version better despite the stonewashing.
 
And what about the CS tomahawks. I was having this conversation earlier on a different part of the forum. From what people have told me, the Pipe Hawk is a phenomenal Hawk. What do you think?
 
They're great for the price. So are the spears. Also love the throwing stars.

My favorite budget knife is probably the Kobun. I also love my Peace Keeper 1, but I'm coveting a Tai Pan. Cold Steel has something for everyone. It's tough to say what the "best" is, because they have good products in such a wide range of categories. What exactly are you looking for? You never answered that question, and it's the most important one that's been asked in this thread.
 
crimsonfalcon07 said:
It's tough to say what the "best" is, because they have good products in such a wide range of categories. What exactly are you looking for? You never answered that question, and it's the most important one that's been asked in this thread.
Click to expand...

I like the outdoors and hiking. So for out doors. Hunting. Chopping. Cutting. Slicing.
 
I like the Pipe the best for general utility, but I'd grab the Spike if I had to get in a fight with one. I like having the pipe as a hammer if I need it. They do come pretty dull though, FWIW. You'll need to sharpen it up.

If you're into the outdoors, they've got a lot of fine options, although I personally would always pick a Becker over CS for outdoors and camp use any day.
 
Alberta Ed said:
Master Hunter in Carbon V, followed by the original tanto with brass fittings.
Click to expand...

I have one of these in great condition, have not used it very much because you can't get them anymore. Out of any of my knives, I have not been able to get one as sharp as I can get this puppy. I was wondering what they are worth now a days..
 
.Keens said:
I have one of these in great condition, have not used it very much because you can't get them anymore. Out of any of my knives, I have not been able to get one as sharp as I can get this puppy. I was wondering what they are worth now a days..
Click to expand...

I did a bit of research. And from what I found. You can get one like it for maybe 170$. But I'm not sure if it has the original brass fittings.
 
I don't think there Is a best.
As said depends on what you want it for and what ergo suits you.

The only one I would never buy is the espada due to the very high price
 
My pick is the Master Hunter in Carbon V, the SRK in Carbon V and the Bush Ranger in Carbon V.
 
Wolf Trait said:
And what about the CS tomahawks. I was having this conversation earlier on a different part of the forum. From what people have told me, the Pipe Hawk is a phenomenal Hawk. What do you think?
Click to expand...

I don't think the hawks can be beat for the price. I have a rifleman that I have been throwing for about a decade.

I also have a norse and spike hawk, and the CS special forces shovel and bad axe (both super fun).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top