Cold Steel folders vs. Benchmade...

IMO Cold Steel folders are OK, but certainly nothing special, while Benchmade produces some of the best production folding knives around.
 
Originally posted by knifedaddy84
What about Cold Steel Master Hunter? Kicks @$$ in my book....
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CS Master Hunter is one of my favorite knives , of all time. But, if yours is "unserrated Cold Steel in AUS-8" I can't comment because mine is supremely sharp Carbon V. My only CS AUS-8 knife is a serrated Emergency Rescue which also kicks ass. I doubt that anyone has a better knife, for the purpose, than this one for TWENTY bucks.
 
I chose the stainless CS Master Hunter. Perhaps the Carbon V is sharper but the one I have is sharp enough for deer hunting and I'd rather not worry about rust. Folks here complain about the handle but I think it is very functional for use with bloody or otherwise wet hands. And should you lose it, the replacement cost won't kill you.
 
Quite interesting thread, I must say.
Started with not too precisely formulated question it collected a lot of equally inaccurate answers and finally turned to fixed blades despite the starting question about folders. Hmm....

Not the same league... Mostly – yes, but not exactly. The most of Cold Steel folders have typical lightweight construction – molded handles of thermoplastic material without any load-capable metal frame. They could be compared with SPYDERCO lightweights or BM Accent series knives. Throwing asides some odd designs what are intended rather for “cool look” than for real life use (don’t want to name them, probably you know what I’m talking about) I could suppose that it is nothing wrong with their sensibly designed lightweights. Being made of decent materials at the same Japanese factories where SPYDERCO’s are made – why should they be worse, especially at their price point?
BENCHMADE is known mostly as the manufacturer of high-end metal frame based so-called tactical folders what are incomparable with CS lightweights nor in price neither in capabilities.

However there is at least one model more (aside from comparison BM Accent versus CS Voyager) what could be compared – CS Ultralock series versus BM Griptilian family. Both designs are based on load-capable metal frame supporting thermoplastic material scales, both have fully ambidextrous locks what work similar way and they are comparably priced (OK, BM make their knives in USA and this makes them somewhat more expensive).

My personal choice would be BM Griptilian over CS Ultralock and among lightweights – SPYDERCO Delica or Endura over CS Voyager series knives (btw, and over BM Accent series knives).
However this choice is pretty subjective and I have no objective reasons to support it. Simply my liking and caprice...

The knives are not any black magic, they are pretty simple and easy to understand items. Just look somewhat deeper, ignore “cool look factor” and try to see how it really works. This could save you a lot of disappointments preceded with not too justified expectations.
 
Benchmade or CS ? As my 14 year old daughter would say, DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Sergiusz Mitin,

I see full-sized Griptillians retail for just under $60 and Recon-1's retail for just under $70. Griptillians can't be that much more expensive if they generally sell for $10 less online.

Also, even though the AUS-8 Cold Steel folders are made in the same plant as some of the Spyderco folders, the Delicas and Enduras (amongst others) are being equipped with VG-10 blades and the stainless Natives are getting AUS-10.

Back to the original question:

When comparing Benchmade to Cold Steel, Spyderco wins hands down.

The Benchmade hands are too busy having fun by flicking axis locks to even care.
:p
 
When comparing Benchmade to Cold Steel, Spyderco wins hands down
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Maybe, maybe, all depends on particular knives you are comparing. I’m not so strong in knife subject to compare manufacturers as themselves. This is the main reason why I would like to stay with knife, not manufacturer comparison.

Spark, maybe we lack something like “Manufacturer Review & Testing Forum”?
 
Okay,

Which Cold Steel folder would you like to compare against which Benchmade folder?

The serrated El Hombre versus the 710 or 710HS?

The Vaquero Grande versus the Benchmite?

The Land and Sea Rescue versus the Rescue Stryker?

The Recon-1 versus the 806D2?

The medium, plain-edged clip point Voyager versus the 705?

I think some of these would be fair comparisons (with maybe one glaring comparison). Which would you choose?
 
Thom,
No offence, please, but read once more my first post in this thread. Seems I have specified knives what I could consider as comparable pretty clearly...
 
Sergiusz,

No offense taken. I didn't look back at where you compare the Griptillian to the Recon-1(Ultralock) and the Ascent to the Voyager. My mistake.
 
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