Cold Steel American Lawman CTS XHP

SALTY

SALTY

Gold Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2000
Messages
5,803
Oh my - this hasn't happened in a while!

I am not a particular Fan Boy of any particular brand; although I do own far more Beckers and Emersons than I could ever use.

That being said, it's not often that an EDC folder comes along that ejects, evicts and throws out heretofore beloved knives from my pocket like my latest acquisition: the CS American Lawman had. OMG - I found the holy grail.

This darned knife dethroned my Sebenza 25, handful of different iteration CQC-8s and some Spydercos! I thought it would never happen - but it did! Mind you, there is still a significant place in my universe for H1 and the CS Lawman won't be taken to those places where only H1 dares the tread, as in tread water! H1 and I connected and that connection exists in the Northern Caribbean, Florida Keys and other Atlantic brine. Because I like Mack DM800s as well as Dodge Power Wagons, I of course have a special place in my heart for the Benchmade Adamas.

The fit, finish and relationship with CRK that I feel while carrying the Sebenza 25 will not be altered - likewise for my beloved Buck 110s that I have some very fond (and some not so fond ((although not because of the knife)) field memories with) as well as the wonderful RAT-1s that are, IMHO, the modern day Buck 110s, will remain part of my knife-life and my ZT 620 and 630 are two cherished knives but ... not for nothing, this CS American Lawman checks all of my boxes: reasonably priced, durable, reliable, strong as I will ever need and then some (OK, then much more so), ergonomic, sharp, great steel, great shape, great weight, perfectly sized EDC pocket knife! Did I mention the Triad lock?

I am not one for so-called Pocket Jewelry but prefer user tools that I'm not ashamed to carry and can count on. No gas station cheapos and nothing that I would not count on to perform when the task is out of the ordinary - but necessary. None of my knives qualify as high-end but the knives I own perform to the standards of my needs or they either never exist in my quiver or are gone. I appreciate value - and that does not always equate to lowest price. I like knives that punch above their weight ($) and deliver value/pleasure to my ownership experience.

Sorry for rambling but honest to goodness, this knife tripped my trigger like very, very few ever have.
 
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I loved the ergos on the knife. But that pocket clip..... geez it was a total deal breaker for me. I hate when I good knife gets ruined by a bad pocket clip.
 
DocJD said:
Opps ! I don't know anything about their legal actions , I thought you meant the videos . :p
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I won't derail too hard, but they got really litigious a couple years back and it left a bad taste in my mouth. Their other flavors of buffoonery I really kind of like. A proof video and some microwave popcorn is not a bad way to relax and get some laughs for an evening. :D
 
I'm going to have to go pull mine out of the drawer and see what I missed... It is a good knife and it was in my carry rotation briefly on a trial basis soon after I purchased it, but as you can see from my signature it isn't in my current EDC rotation.

Okay, I'm back! :)

It is a really nice knife. The pocket clip is a bit tight/stiff. No big deal there, it would wear in, or I could manually adjust it. Not quite as easy to close with one hand as the other knives in my EDC rotation. I haven't used it much, freaking thing is SHARP from the factory! Coated blades are not really my preference, but that's just cosmetic.

Okay, I'm going to have to give it another go in the carry rotation sometime.
 
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I don't pay that much to the shenanigans of most folks. If I did, I wouldn't watch a movie, TV, go to a sporting event, or vote.

That being said, there was a really good review and a following video review on YouTube by a knife maker/service provider here. He was surprised at how well the knife performed and had a couple of tips to make it just a bit better. He was hammered pretty good here by those that always dog pile on the those that don't go with the herd. Thompson had done something else controversial about that time, so the keyboard killers were circling. I emailed the reviewer and he gave me a couple more tips on mods for the knife, and pointed me to some other videos, the videos that convinced him to try the knife.

So I bought one. Love it. It is thin, but even with XL hands, it is plenty of knife to grip. Grips well with work gloves on. Slices like crazy. I fixed the pocket clip problem in about 5 minutes; I removed the clip, sanded the points off the diamond pattern on the grip under the clip, and bent the clip a tiny bit to loosen its grip and reinstalled. It's light weight, locks up like tank, and after a few years on the job site it still locks up as tight as when it was new. Had some questions about the steel since it was AUS8 and 154cm was the king of all when I bought the knife... unfounded. It plays well out its league leaving me to believe there must be something to all that business of the blades being cryo treated they claim for the AUS8A on the knife I have. Holds an edge pretty damn well and sharpens easily.

Thought about getting another with the newer steel but even with all the dirty jobs this one has done over the years it is no where close to being in need of replacing. It has a permanent place in the rotation.

Hope you enjoy yours SALTY as much as I have mine!

Robert
 
I think the American Lawman is probably the best all-around knife in their inventory. IMO, the Blackhawk Crucible II (AUS8) is very similar to the Lawman, and an excellent value to boot.
 
Salty,
I agree with your assessment of the Lawman. It has become one of my two favorite edc folders, the other being the PM2. Until I got a Lawman, I avoided black coated blades except for a couple of collectibles. But this is such a great all around knife, I ve gotten used to black blades and don t mind them now.
The other Cold Steel model that has moved to the top of my large folder carry list , that are currently available, along with the Military, is the Recon1. Balanced and strong with great ergonomics.
For an outdoor/work knife, the Ultimate Hunter is also a gem.
Have to mention the great Cold Steel prices, which now make them the best value brand on the market, with recent changes in some companies’ pricing policies.
 
whp said:
Salty,
I agree with your assessment of the Lawman. It has become one of my two favorite edc folders, the other being the PM2. Until I got a Lawman, I avoided black coated blades except for a couple of collectibles. But this is such a great all around knife, I ve gotten used to black blades and don t mind them now.
The other Cold Steel model that has moved to the top of my large folder carry list , that are currently available, along with the Military, is the Recon1. Balanced and strong with great ergonomics.
For an outdoor/work knife, the Ultimate Hunter is also a gem.
Have to mention the great Cold Steel prices, which now make them the best value brand on the market, with recent changes in some companies’ pricing policies.
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LOL... The Lawman was the first knife I ever purchased with a coated blade. I was going to take the coating off, but started using it at work and forgot all about it. Still... the only coated blade I own!

I don't know about changes to the warranty personally, but I read on another venue that they had expanded it a lot by someone that actually used it. I went the Cold Steel page a few minutes ago and it mirrors pretty much all the better knives. No abuse, or unintended use, etc. and Cold Steel covers the rest. They even cover the knife if disassembled. I was surprised that they also have lifetime sharpening for the cost of postage. That could be pretty handy if you are a fan of serrations!

Robert
 
SALTY, I have to agree with you. The Lawman is a great all-around knife, and the thinness in the pocket is a huge plus for me. I carry mine a lot in slacks with no problem. It's this thin, light knife that I never even feel, but if I have to whip it out to use it, it is sturdy and tough! A crazy paradox! Also, I really like Cold Steel's DLC coating.
 
After further review, I've added my American Lawman to my EDC rotation - at least on a trial basis. I've been carrying it the past three days.

After three days, I remember why I carried it for a couple of days when I bought it, but didn't add it to the rotation:

1. The clip was tight and stiff. I manually adjusted it, and it's better now. Something I should have done sooner.
2. The G10 is a little aggressive. I'm waiting to see if it's going to be a pocket shredder. If it is, I guess I can remove the clip and smooth the G10 a bit with some sandpaper. Love the grip, though, and that it doesn't have slippery metal (aluminum/titanium/steel/etc.) scales.
3. The blade somehow seems shorter than it really is....? I'm used to EDCing a blade that's just slightly longer. The specs all seem to reference a 3.5 inch blade, but my ruler says just less than 3.3? What gives? Are they measuring all the way to the pivot? But... that would be longer than 3.5 inches...?

All that being said, this thing is a pleasure to use. It still has the factory edge and it is sharp! It's light to be as durable as it seems to be, and carries well and deploys easily. I can even close it with one hand - a little harder than with most of my other knives, but doable. At 3.3 inches, the blade is only about 4% shorter than my Benchmade Grip 550HG - but somehow it SEEMS considerably shorter...? Maybe my perception is off. Just had this thought: I don't have many coated blades, definitely not used to them. Does the color make it seem shorter?

Anyway, for the time being, I'm carrying it and it's in the EDC rotation.

UPDATE on 2/25/2018: I've carried the American Lawman a good bit over the past five or six weeks, and I like it a lot. But I've got so many nice knives, including a Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter that I recently picked up on the Exchange, so once again this one is dropping from the rotation.
 
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rje58 said:
2. The G10 is a little aggressive. I'm waiting to see if it's going to be a pocket shredder. If it is, I guess I can remove the clip and smooth the G10 a bit with some sandpaper. Love the grip, though, and that it doesn't have slippery metal (aluminum/titanium/steel/etc.) scales.
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CS claims this knife was specifically designed for military, law enforcement, first responsers, etc., that will actually use the knife and be the best knife it can be for its utility value. The BF member that put me on to this knife addressed a lot of the concerns that surround this knife as well as some of the other CS knives. He told me that CS had indicated they put the heavy texture on the knife as it would be easier to hold when wet or slippery (for whatever reason!). Also, the heavy texture makes it much more grippy when wearing gloves which most first responders, military and law enforcement do these days.

The clip has it extreme tightness as many professionals carry their knife upside down or sideways (I never considered that) and clip it to their emergency (EMS) pack, the military pack, etc. to make it easier to access. I didn't actually consider that there would be those that didn't carry this in their pocket. Although it wasn't a CS product, one of my buddies that did three turns over in the "sandbox" (his words, not mine) told me he clipped his knife to the left side of his pack shoulder strap, upside down. He tells me that many carry their knives on their pack strap, where it is easy to get to. The point being, that without a very positive grip for the clip, they could lose the tool. For them, this is a tool, not a toy. (He also told me that a great deal of his fellow troopers carry small fixed blades this way.)

The more I looked at this knife when I got it a few years ago, I really appreciated that it is purpose built as an affordable, useful tool. Still do. Although I have none of the mentioned noble jobs, I found that this knife serves very well in my construction job.

rje58 said:
3. The blade somehow seems shorter than it really is....? I'm used to EDCing a blade that's just slightly longer. The specs all seem to reference a 3.5 inch blade, but my ruler says just less than 3.3? What gives? Are they measuring all the way to the pivot? But... that would be longer than 3.5 inches...?
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I know what you are saying. The only thing I can think of is that the blade to handle ratio is much more slanted to the handle than we are used to looking at. Most of the time the handles on folders just cover the blades, but so as to not sacrifice the good grip for more strenuous use the handle is quite generous. I have XL hands and usually carry pretty big work knives, and this one has plenty of handle. I think there is a bit of optical illusion caused by that, but also due to the fact that the blade is so wide and comes to a point so quickly. Nothing graceful about the design, but it gets a lot of blade metal all the way out to the tip.

Robert
 
I have found the Recon, the Lawman, the talwar all too be really good user's they are designed to cut and they do it very well as well as being durable. I was not fond on cold steel for years, then they changed steel and I bought one to try, yeah i'm very fond of them now. I carry a 4max every day. They are just all very well designed for ergonomics and use.
 
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