Cold Steel Carbon V Video Destruction Test Completed

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noss4

Joined
Jul 7, 2006
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The Cold Steel SRK Carbon V. This knife was donated by an individual. He came across a good supply of the carbon V models and donated one for a test. The new ones are made out of aus 8a stainless steel. I'm grateful I was able to test the carbon V model. Thanks


Cutting: The SRK had some trouble peeling the apple but it did it with some careful effort. The SRK had a lot of trouble on the 10,000 lb webbing.
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Batoning: I had some trouble splitting 2 4x4s But I did get through them I had to hit the knife hard to complete this task. No damage occurred to the handle or blade.
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Tip work: I was able to dig a hold through a 2x4. No tip breakage occurred.
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Chopping: It took some energy and effort to do this and did better then most of the knives of this size tested but far worse then the A1.
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Sheet Metal penetration: The SRK penetrated heavy gauge sheet metal with no problem The very end of the tip broke off. I was still able to punch holes in the sheet metal and no further tip damage occurred.
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Concrete: Only denting occurred and the blade did not break. This task was no problem for the SRK. I hammered the tip into concrete black breaking the concrete into many pieces. The SRK does not have an exposed tang as the A1 so the hammer impacts were absorbed some and made it more difficult to complete the task but the knife tackled this with no blade damage of failure. Only a small hole was made on the end of the kraton handle where the hammer hit it.
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Hammer impacts: The SRK was hit on the spine many times during the tests with a 3 lb steel mallet. This was no problem for the SRK.
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225 lb body weight test: Like I did with the A1 I placed the knife in the holder about 7/8ths of an inch from the end of the handle. I stood on handle. The SRK was able to support my weight. I bounced on it slightly and no problems occurred. The blade returned to zero when I stepped off. I then moved the blade out about 1.5"from the handle stood on it for a few seconds and the blade broke about midway to the center.
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Overall: The Carbon V steel performed like most of the other Carbon steels. 1055 1085 1095 no better no worse. I did not see anything special about it during the tests. It did not cut very well. Chopping performance is not to bad for the size and weight but I would not want to rely on it for this purpose compared the A1. The SRK is tough and didn't disappoint me on it's durability.

The videos are in 7 parts posted at www.knifetests.com

Enjoy the videos. They were made for you. :thumbup:
 
I can back up what noss4 said about the cutting ability of the SRK.I have one that i re-profiled to a thinner edge and it improved the performance a lot.I keep it a a back sheath in my pack for emergencies.
great review noss4.
 
savagesicslayer: it took a lot of effort and pressure and aggressive sawing action to get it to cut the webbing.


My site is down at the moment for some reason. There are some photos I posted of the test above but my site is off line so they are not Visible at the moment.
 
I am dying to see a Fallniven Thor test as I really want one but know it would be quite an expensive test for you to perform.
 
you compare everything this knife does to the A1, but does anyone really expect the SRK to be up to par with a knife that costs twice as much...

how about comparing it to another knife in its price range???
 
bammann45: I would love to test the Thor and have been looking at it.
maybe a little later I can test one. When I get enough cash together.

btuner: Cost has nothing to do with it. I always make comparisons between all the knives I test. In the video. I compare the SRK to other knives as
well. Not just the A1. I state in the video The SKR is a better copper then the Buck nighthawk and the Strider BT. The strider cost me 325 dollars and the SRK only costs about 50 bucks.
 
Question, on the cutting test, do you sharpen them first or is it the factory edge?

I would think sharpening all the knives yourself with the same method, would be a better comparison in my opinion then comparing the factory edge.

BTW, love the hockey mask. :)
 
Dubb: I usually don't sharpen them if I get them new in the box. I agree that this is not totally fair for a cutting test. The reason I don't sharpen them is I don't want to touch them or alter them or damage them in anyway because I am going to torture test them. This issue came up on the A1. Cliff Stamp stated the edge could have chipped easier on the A1 because damage may have occurred during sharpening. If it was an all out cutting test then yes I would sharpen them. The SRK seemed to have a decent factory edge on it and did not seem dull.
 
Great test! It makes me glad that I don't bother with, in what i find, to be a mediocre fixed blade. Thanks for the heads up! You tests are always the best!
 
noss4 said:
Overall: The Carbon V steel performed like most of the other
Carbon steels. 1055 1085 1095 no better no worse. I did not see anything special about it
during the tests.
Click to expand...
But...but...[cough]...[sputter]...this isn't what I was led to believe by Lynn Thompson's
video! Why, I came away with the distinct impression that Carbon V was the carbon
steel to have, and that it was as far above regular carbon steel as, well, Carbon V would
be to Carbon I!

He said if I used an SRK that I would think I was using a...a...chainsaw! That it was a
real cutting dynamo!

Did he...lie? Are you sure you didn't miss something? Are you sure it wasn't a cheap
Chinese copy you tested?

Oh, well, I'm sure I'll get over it. Somehow.
 
I'm just curious, though. How would those same tests have come
out if he'd used the same knife is AUS8? And will Cold Steel go back
to using a carbon steel on the SRK, Recon Tanto, etc., once they
get a new source for it?
 
Another cool review, I am a fan of your site Noss, lol, but I waiting to see soem folders on there...Of course I realize the same tests can't be done with folders, but I would love to see some other tests done on some production folders, I know you would have alot of happy people seeign what their EDC can take before they collapse...Or maybe those people might not be so happy with the results? LOL...Anyway just wanted to let you know I find your destrcutiosn tests enetertaining and informative, Thanks!
 
Thanks everyone for your support.

Confederate: I haven't tested aus8 yet so I don't know how it would compare to the carbon V. Maybe I can get the new model in the near future and
test it for a comparison.

cutlerylover: yes I plan to test some folders. I have been looking at a lot of them lately in the stores and on the net. I will definitely have to scale the testing method back. Most folders I think would last about 30 seconds under the fixed blade battery of tests. I'm sure when I do test them I will hear a lot of
complaining but I'm use to it so it won't be anything new. I have had a lot of requests for folders so there seems to be many out there including yourself who want to see what they can endure. I'll see about buying a folder or two and test them next month.
 
Thanks for all your efforts to bring us this information. :thumbup:

I for one would not subject my knives to this type of action, unless it was a matter of life or death, so its good to know how they would perform, should I find myself in just such a situation.

Personally, I feel the manufacturers should submit free samples of their knives so you could test everyone's products in the same manner.

I suspect, though, that not many would have the guts to do so... ;)
 
noss4 said:
cutlerylover: yes I plan to test some folders. I have been looking at a lot of them lately in the stores and on the net. I will definitely have to scale the testing method back. Most folders I think would last about 30 seconds under the fixed blade battery of tests. I'm sure when I do test them I will hear a lot of
complaining but I'm use to it so it won't be anything new. I have had a lot of requests for folders so there seems to be many out there including yourself who want to see what they can endure. I'll see about buying a folder or two and test them next month.
Click to expand...

Awesome, Thanks!, I can't wait...:D
 
I know this is probably totally irrelevant, but I can't help asking. What's with the hockey mask?
 
G.Estes said:
I know this is probably totally irrelevant, but I can't help asking. What's with the hockey mask?
Click to expand...
Helps to conceal his identity somewhat...so it's a little more difficult for some jerk company to take civil litigation against him, for one thing. "Prove that it was me" type thing. I think it's a great idea, with all the jerks out there.
 
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