Cold Steel Blades

C

Confederate

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Sep 5, 2005
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Gerber and CRKT were some of the first to begin using trash steel for its blades and now Cold Steel seems to be headed in some of the same directions and for many of the same reasons (primarily $$$).

I couldn't help recalling the adage, "If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bulls***!" And they've certainly gone in that direction, I'm sorry to say.

The jump from AUS8A to VG-1 was a welcome change, not that most people could tell a difference. But now AUS8A seems to be pretty much their premium steel for some of their high end production pieces. I mean, I see $239.99 for one of their knives and I'm flabbergasted to see that the blade is an AUS8A. (I don't care if the accompanying photo shows the knife piercing a steel drum, it's still only AUS8A.)

The real disaster is 4116 Krupp stainless, one of the junkiest stainless steels of all time. This is the stuff used to make one-time use surgical blades (read disposable). It's okay for making Kudzu Miracle Knives and dog whistles, but it's along the same line of stuff now being used by Gerber (read junk).

It's bad enough that Carbon V is no longer available, but it says something when the Peacekeeper series (made with 420) are now 4116 Krupp. What's next, 300 stainless?

I hate to say it, but much of this is market driven. Only the top name brand knives will continue to put out quality stuff, but at what price?
 
They haven't changed everything to 4116 Krupp, and other companies have already started heading in cheaper directions as well (Benchmade Red Class and Byrd come to mind). Cold Steel knives are already pretty affordable, so their cheaper lines are obviously going to be pretty low end.
 
I went to a gerage sale about a block from me 2 weeks ago, a widowed women was selling some of her stuff along with all of her grown children and some grandchildren. The guy was obviously a knife collector and she had a bunch of his stuff out there on sale (I can only imagine what else was in his collection). I got to talking to her and all of his really nice stuff went to his sons, but all the stuff he beat up, used, and carried was out there.

I picked up a Cold Steel Carbon V Culloden, the Skean Du wit a 4" blade (or something spelled like that). It was in a decent but well worn sheath and had a decent edge on it.

Every once in awhile you will find someone selling an old cold steel Carbon V knife. When you do buy it! I just wish that I had more cash on me. She had some unmarked custom knives that were well loved but still perfectly functional.
 
Confederate said:
Gerber and CRKT were some of the first to begin using trash steel for its blades and now Cold Steel seems to be headed in some of the same directions and for many of the same reasons (primarily $$$).
I hate to say it, but much of this is market driven. Only the top name brand knives will continue to put out quality stuff, but at what price?
Click to expand...

The fact is that not all people who buy a knife to use are knife enthusiasts. Thus, they find it difficult to understand the logic in buying a knife costing over $100 dollars. There's a reason why the majority of knives sold at national sporting goods shops and discount chains sell for under $50 bucks. Do you think they care about S30V, titanium liners or the latest knife trends? They want a knife that looks nice, can cut and be affordable. That's why Bucks and Gerbers sell so well. Now, if they become "knife savvy" they will want and seek higher-end knives and will pay the higher price accordingly.

Like you said, it's all market driven. Manufacturers can charge high prices for a knife knowing that there is a segment of the knife buying public who will pay a premium for high-end steels and exotic or high-tech materials. The cost of machining and producing a high end product for those who demand them is higher than mass producing fine blanked blades, so you can expect the higher price. At the same time, manufacturers realize that in order to stay in business they must also cater to the vast majority of people who will not pay over $50 bucks on a knife. That's where CRKTs, Benchmade's Red Class and Spyderco's Byrd line come in.

Frankly, one can buy a $30 knife with an AUS6 or 420HC blade that will last a lifetime. If it starts loosing it's edge, simply sharpen it. That's how it's been done for years. I've known people who've carried nothing but a basic Swiss Army knife for 10-15 years and they can get by just fine. When the blades dull, they sharpen them and won't consider replacing the knife unless it breaks or gets lost. That a $20 Swiss Army knife can last 10 or 15 years of constant use shows that quality doesn't have to come at a high price. What you call trash steel: 440A, 420HC, AUS-6, and even 420J2 can be quite acceptable depending on the need of the knife's owner. If you buy a knife and use it casually now and then, what do you need a knife with S30V for?
 
On the other hand ... we get caught up in stainless steels and look for high-end performance. But you can still buy a Case stockman in CV -- chrome vanadium steel -- that's basically Carbon V. That's the kind of knife and steel that's been used for years and will sharpen up like a razor, fit in the bottom of a jeans pocket, and cost about the same as these new budget lines.
 
Cosmic Superchunk has made some very good points.

Camillus made the Cold Steel Carbon V blades. Now that Camillus has folded, Cold Steel has had to come up with alternatives to keep some of their staple products alive and maintain their presence in the market.
 
But really Esav...you can't put a Case CV stockman through your car's hood, cut a side of beef in half with it in three hits, or trepan a watermelon with it in one fell swoop!

It's a worthless knife I tell ya...worthless!
 
marcinek said:
But really Esav...you can't put a Case CV stockman through your car's hood, cut a side of beef in half with it in three hits, or trepan a watermelon with it in one fell swoop!
Click to expand...

Actually, it's a CASE stockman, so I can, and easily. :p
This is tradition, brother!

I can put it through a car window, and cut a jammed seatbelt.
I can turn a bull into a steer, which will get you that side of beef.
It may take a little longer, but I will cut open that melon, too.

OK, I've got a leuku I use on watermelon -- but that's carbon steel, too. :D
 
Well, we may have to start reevaluating Smith & Wesson knives. With all the other knives going to inferior steel, Smith & Wesson may actually turn out to be pretty nice. I have an Extreme Ops that does pretty well for me. As better branded knives go down in quality, at some point S&W knives are bound to start being competitive.
 
I just took a chance on the g.i. tanto....I know I know...the problem is I own a strider ( smf tanto) and it had several QC isssues. Yes they fixed them but I do not want to play that game again. The g.i.tanto is 26.00$ shipped to my house. My wife spends more than that at the local quickshop if she stops by on the way home from work. I am curious about it. I think its 1055 or some other really tuff steel which suits a knife that is supposed to be abused. And at 26.00$ I am going to have at it. We will see.
 
Byrds being compared to CRKT and Benchmade Red???! I

I personally am more impressed with the steel's performance on my Meadowlark than any other folder I've owned - Which includes most high end production knives. For steel that tests at RC 61, it blows my mind how well it responds to stropping. I've had mine for three months now, and have kept it razor sharp by burnishing or stropping with the exception of 6 or so swipes on a fine diamond hone a month ago, to put some teeth on the edge. With knives with this kind of performance in this price range, it is a wonder Byrd hasn't monopolized the market of affordable knives, especially when no budget priced knife can come close to matching the performance of a Byrd.
 
tthough i havnt yet tested any of the new steels 9exept for the vg-1 which was a great improvment) im disturbed to see carbon-v gone. i loved that steel especialy in fixed blades. even there folding knives that had aus-8 were high quality. but combat classics in krupp?? WTF!!!
 
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