Cold steel knives

[Penetration]

I agree the only videos I find ridiculous are the ones where they test their knives like a little kid would. For example the test they did to test how solid the lock up was by sticking them into wooden boards and having a US marine use the knives as monkey bars that's kinda overboard

 

[benchwarmer380]

A couple of years ago I really wanted to pick up either a Recon 1 (spear or clip point) or an AK-47. Handled them both at a gun show and didn't really care for either. Picked up the American Lawman (never really looked at it before because it looked plain in comparison) and it felt perfect. Not as big as the regular Recon or AK and bigger than the minis. Perfect fit.

Yes, the coating is quite lame but sand it off and you've got a nice looking knife. I've seen couple that when sanded they had a nice stonewash underneath. Mine didn't. Production year may have affected this.

Definitely solid knives for the money.

 

[MassMatt]

the marketing is too over the top for many but most complaints about it center around how unrealistic it is (why would anyone hang from a knife like monkey bars?) not that they are faked. The marketing is hardly desperation IMO, they do it because it works, they are selling to a mass market, and it has become a sort of trademark for the company.

I have a few of their products and they are good values. I don't care for the AK47 but those that have it give it high marks.

My blades are not coated but many people grind off the coatings, some then do a polish, that's too much work for me but a fun project if you are handy.

 

[jjoanty01]

A couple of years ago I really wanted to pick up either a Recon 1 (spear or clip point) or an AK-47. Handled them both at a gun show and didn't really care for either. Picked up the American Lawman (never really looked at it before because it looked plain in comparison) and it felt perfect. Not as big as the regular Recon or AK and bigger than the minis. Perfect fit.

Yes, the coating is quite lame but sand it off and you've got a nice looking knife. I've seen couple that when sanded they had a nice stonewash underneath. Mine didn't. Production year may have affected this.

Definitely solid knives for the money.

I think it depends on what you use to remove the coating. I used 0000 steel wool and it left a nice finish with the stone wash underneath. I don't know if it is possible to sand off the stone wash finish, but I think that is what may have happened. I too had the Lawman, but ended up trading it away for a Tenacious and a Skyline.

 

[benchwarmer380]

I think it depends on what you use to remove the coating. I used 0000 steel wool and it left a nice finish with the stone wash underneath. I don't know if it is possible to sand off the stone wash finish, but I think that is what may have happened. I too had the Lawman, but ended up trading it away for a Tenacious and a Skyline.

That could be. I started 60 grit sand paper for a short time then used 120 to get most of it off. Went up to about 400 or 600 I think. Now the question is which is more abrasive the steel wool or sand paper. I've never used steel wool so hopefully someone else could chime in.

I actually just traded the Lawman away as well. Solid knife but Tri-ad/lock backs aren't really my thing.

 

[jjoanty01]

That could be. I started 60 grit sand paper for a short time then used 120 to get most of it off. Went up to about 400 or 600 I think. Now the question is which is more abrasive the steel wool or sand paper. I've never used steel wool so hopefully someone else could chime in.

I actually just traded the Lawman for a ZT 200. Plus some cash of course.

The steel wool left a nice almost polished finish on the stone washed blade.

 

[Franciscomv]

Their marketing is silly, but their products are genuinely high quality. I've owned many CS folders and also a Kobun fixed blade - all of which were of astoundingly high quality for the price. I'd recommend the Lawman, Code 4, and Tuff Lite - with a little searching, you can pick those up for a song and have a knife that is cheap enough that you can abuse it without hesitation and sturdy enough to stand the abuse without issue.

I highly recommend their products, despite my steel snobbery. Their AUS8 is exceptionally well done, and seems to hold an edge (in my personal experience) as well as most 440Cs I've used. You can pick up a good and sturdy CS for roughly the price of a Tenacious and have a much more robust folder.

Absolutely spot on, mate.

Their Tri-Ad lock folders are very robust, and you've got several nice models to choose from. While I'm not crazy about AUS8, it does perform quite well and the blade geometry on most CS knives is well thought out.

About the teflon coating, it's not very tough and it does wear easily. That's why I prefer uncoated CS knives like the Voyagers. The good thing is that it's easy to strip the coating off of the blades and they look rather nice without it (I did it on my American Lawman, took me a couple of minutes).

 

[Inazone]

About the teflon coating, it's not very tough and it does wear easily. That's why I prefer uncoated CS knives like the Voyagers. The good thing is that it's easy to strip the coating off of the blades and they look rather nice without it (I did it on my American Lawman, took me a couple of minutes).

What did you use to strip the coating on that one? It looks really good!

I have a few Cold Steel knives, but the only folder is a Recon 1 tanto. It's an absolutely solid knife, probably more so than I would ever need from a folder. For me, it was more to satisfy my interest in their take on a tanto folder than because I really wanted a Cold Steel, but no regrets.

 

[crom]

Inazone, if you don't want to use chemicals. Grab a swiss army knife with a can opener or awl and literally scrape it off. It took me about an hour.

 

[jjoanty01]

Seriously, try the steel wool. It took me about half an hour of actual work and maybe another fifteen taking her apart and putting her back together. The coating comes off really easy. and you won't scratch the blade. I found some old pics of my Lawman blade:

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Not hard to do at all.

 

[Franciscomv]

What did you use to strip the coating on that one? It looks really good!

I have a few Cold Steel knives, but the only folder is a Recon 1 tanto. It's an absolutely solid knife, probably more so than I would ever need from a folder. For me, it was more to satisfy my interest in their take on a tanto folder than because I really wanted a Cold Steel, but no regrets.

First I took the blade out, covered it in paint remover (not the liquid type, it was more like a gel) and let it sit for a while. The coating came right off with the help of a plastic spatula. I didn't really plan it, I was doing some work on my house and had paint remover handy.

 

[link2derek]

I have owned several CS models - mostly Voyagers, which are functional and worth the money for sure. Currently, I have a Large Voyager clipped to my LBE vest because of its size and sturdiness. Once open, it's extremely durable and reliable - the Tri-Ad lock is SOLID. The only downside (btw, I ignore their marketing) is that the lock can be a bit hard to disengage (I have to press all the way at the back of the lock bar to make it disengage more easily). But, for the price, I can put up with that. I say get one and decide for yourself. If you don't like it for whatever reason, you can always sell it someone here!

 

[jjoanty01]

Link, I tried what others have suggested on the Triad and seemed to ease the fatigue it would cause my thumb. I left it in the half open position for a few days. It did not seems to harm the lock, but it made it a little more friendly. I did this on my son's Recon 1. The Lawman that I had, while I had it apart, I put a drop of CLP where the lock bar meets the spring and that eased it up a whole lot. Made it a lot smoother. Don't know how that would work in a dusty environment though. Might just gum it up over the long run.

 

[link2derek]

Thanks for the suggestions, jj - I'll give that a try a see how it works.

Link, I tried what others have suggested on the Triad and seemed to ease the fatigue it would cause my thumb. I left it in the half open position for a few days. It did not seems to harm the lock, but it made it a little more friendly. I did this on my son's Recon 1. The Lawman that I had, while I had it apart, I put a drop of CLP where the lock bar meets the spring and that eased it up a whole lot. Made it a lot smoother. Don't know how that would work in a dusty environment though. Might just gum it up over the long run.

 

[Comeuppance]

For disengaging lockbacks, I've found one method that works for basically every mid-back lockback and makes it completely painless and one-handed:

Turn the knife so that the blade is facing backwards
Use your middle finger to depress the lock while simultaneously using your thumb to close the blade slightly
While holding the knife with four fingers, move the fingers at the knuckle joint so that the path of the blade is clear from your hand and use your thumb to close the blade.

I did a quick search and found a video of someone doing the exact same thing I taught myself to do:
[video=youtube;9Kd2MfkyqT4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kd2MfkyqT4[/video]

 

[Screwdriver]

The Tuff-Lite is in my top five knives I have ever owned. As for the steel....I can EASILY get it to scalpel sharp....and it will hold up to most daily tasks...well, unless all you do all day is cut cardboard....

As for the blade coating....it sucks.

 

[canuckchuck]

Love the cold steel AK I use the one on the bottom at work daily and it is a good knife that can take abuse and hold an edge and sharpen easily.

 

[Penetration]

Love the cold steel AK I use the one on the bottom at work daily and it is a good knife that can take abuse and hold an edge and sharpen easily.

Those are some nice looking knives I love the colors you have their if I could have one like that without the crappy Teflon coating, I would definitely buy one but unfortunately cold steel seems to have an obsession with black and won't provide more color varieties like those you have there