cold steel laredo bowie

[kletus]

Hi, I just bought one of these knives and am paying a gunsmith to chemically antique it.
Is cold steel a quality brand, the knife is made in china but I'm having the smith remove all the markings?

 

[John_B]

While your at it, you can put fancy rims on a Datsun.

 

[kletus]

While your at it, you can put fancy rims on a Datsun.

So its not a really respected knife then?
what about the company cold steel, are they overrated?

 

[godot]

So its not a really respected knife then?
what about the company cold steel, are they overrated?

Some people like them. The knives are OK, but nothing special. Cold Steel as a company is usually seen as being at the low end of the spectrum.
Anyway the Laredo looks like it will be a good user-so have fun.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

I happen to like CS alot. If they didnt advertise like they do w/ the DVD and all they would garner more respect I believe. Every CS knife I have purchased has been a wonderful user.

Very good steel imo.
Sharp as hell out of the box.
Bronze washers (no teflon).
Ergos perfect.
F/F has been great, no play, blade lays centered in handles when closed... ect...
Inexpensive, good 'bang for the buck' knives.

What more could you ask for?

Congrats on your knife, sounds like its gonna be even nicer when you get done with it.
Can you find out what chemical he is useing? Im curious about this kinda stuff since I started blueing my own carbon knives and making micarta and handles and whatnot.

Also post pics when you get done.

 

[VanDro]

That is one great knife. I wish that I had some free money to get one. Does it have the clip point sharpened? There was some contention a while back when the knives were made out of Carbon V and the quality was lacking (i.e. no sharpened clip point) but I hope they fixed that.

Cold Steel is an excellent company. They make far more useful and beater worthy knives than that crap Benchmade or SOG punches out. Where you can get a meaty folder out of the gold old CS you get some tiny nick nack from Spyderco. Probably my favorite knife company besides HI.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Oh and btw John Datsons are some of my favorite cars! My 77 2+2 280Z was an EXCELLENT car.

 

[Joshua J.]

Welcome to the Forum Kletus.

Cold Steel makes many products in varying ranges of quality.
The Bowie you bought is probably very good, I would consider buying one if it were not made in China.

So yes, the knife should work very well and be of fairly good quality, SK-5 is actually pretty good for this type of knife and should serve the application well.

 

[kletus]

That is one great knife. I wish that I had some free money to get one. Does it have the clip point sharpened? There was some contention a while back when the knives were made out of Carbon V and the quality was lacking (i.e. no sharpened clip point) but I hope they fixed that.

Cold Steel is an excellent company. They make far more useful and beater worthy knives than that crap Benchmade or SOG punches out. Where you can get a meaty folder out of the gold old CS you get some tiny nick nack from Spyderco. Probably my favorite knife company besides HI.

Yeah the clip point is razor sharp, interestlingly enough I was not aware of the cold steel videos until one of you guys brought it up.
I found these videos on you tube and found them oddly disturbing, I mean stuffing clothes full of beef and then having some actor with a demented look on his face hack and stab away at it.
Anyhow I'll post some pics , it looks much better with an aged appearence, I'll find out the names of the chemicals used but I remember him saying he was going to use oxblood to give the leather sheath a more distressed and dated appeaence

 

[ceiw]

Cold Steel is middle of the road at best IMO. The last Cold Steel I had was an AK-47 folder and I sent it back. Very poor design and function of the blade release.