Cold Steel Lone Star Hunter

[Nemo]

Okay. this is a copy of my last little post on my blog:
http://nemoknivesreview.wordpress.com/

"We European got some kind of American dreams: Cowboys and Indians….
From Die Hard (Cow boy) to First Blood (Indian), the dream doesn’t want to die.
Spyderco is a very international company, building knives like Ferrari is building cars.
Cold Steel is also very internation, looking and also giving tribute for designs from Africa, Spain…
But both those companies are pulling my sensitive string when they give tribute to the American Spirit.

Spyderco gave us the Chinook when Cold Steel bring us the Trailmasters. Testa rossa vs Gran Torino ?
OK, Cold Steel also is bringing very cleverly engineered short blades and especially the greatest improvement on lock back: Andrew Demko‘s Triadlock.
Oh how this lock is sweet: fully ambidextrious and solid as a rock and … easy on manufacturing tolerances. Pure genius. A milestone in knifemaking.
In one inspired move Mr Demko transformed the solid Cold Steel Voyagers into Über Hulk Solid Cold Steel Voyagers.

Now Cold Steel is releasing a lot of new designs with the Triadlock and many black tactical beauty. (This Recon Drop Point !!!)
My eyes caught two releases those last monthes: the Mackinac Hunter and the Lone Star Hunter.
They look like Old Timers with those kind of Delrin faux stag horn scales. I love Schrade Old Timers and Uncle Henry’s…
Also they could go well with Samcro’s riders, those modern cowboys…

OK to how this Lone Star Hunter looks ?:
BIG !!! I was very surprised on how long and sleek and sexy this blade would be.
SMOOTH !!! Open with a flick of the wrist and close in a breeze…..
OUCH !!! yes it close so smoothly and without any choil… I get a nasty cut. I need to learn how to rest my index near the axis when I close that baby.

The blade is 3,5mm thick, it looks like 4mm. The bowie clip and flat ground blade is gorgeous like a modern interpretation of the Navaja.
Solid feel. No play.
A little on the heavy side. But I love heavy metal on traditional hommages.
Well balanced, perfectly executed: Taiwan plants are the best in the outsourcing knives manufacturing.
My Lone Star Hunter is an eyecandy and über solid workhorse.

AUS 8A Stainless is not as sexy as M390, CPM M4 or ELMAX but as far as I am concern my XL Voyager keep a decent edge and is easy to keep razor.
Again, heat treatment is as important (and even more) than the steel composition. This AUS 8A is perfect for a workhorse at a budget price.
Yes, that knife is really easy on your wallet. This is something to consider. I love “blue collar” tools. My grandfather was a farmer and was using is Canif (“K-nife” come from that word BTW!) from cattle surgery to whittling. It was an everyday workhorse, solid, reliable and easy to maintain in good condition.

The shortcomings so far:
the clip is short and to tight to be really useable. Once clipped to a pocket the knife is really impossible to retrieve. So I bend it and now it’s OK. Easy peazzy lemon squizzy…
The spin of the blade is square enough to spark a fire on a nail but I like my spines rounded for thumb pushing. So I have grinned it with a diamond rod in 5 minutes.
The fact it is all steel framed and not skeletonized can be a shortcoming for those who loves their folder light in the pocket. This is heavy metal, no aluminium or titanium scales.

So the Lone Star Hunter is going to be a great pocket knife for EDC, even if it is a little on the non political correctness side. But as is Cold Steel CEO Lynn Thomson.
In those “Tactical, Black G10, Black Blades” times, this is a knife which got a lot of personnality and especially gives a lot for the money spent.

PROs:
Triadlock.
Thin flat ground clip blade
Confortable handle (no hot spot)
Great GC.

CONs:
Can be to heavy for some
to slippy for some
The clip is to tight.
The absence of lanyard hole."

Cheers !!!

 

[crom]

That knife is screaming for some custom scales, thanks for the write up.

 

[Franciscomv]

+1 on the custom scales. Those plastic fake stag scales really turn me off, but I like the rest of the design.

 

[Maddogg774]

I'm getting one and a Macinac and putting real stag on one and Bois D' Arc on the lone star

 

[Nemo]

It won't be hard to mount new scales.... It's all screw construction.

Here a little size comparaisons:

 

[Buffalohump]

I must admit I am intrigued. If someone had given me that knife when I was kid I would have lost my mind... even now it kind of appeals to me. Pity about the plastic scales and AUS-8 though. If it had black polished G-10 or white linen micarta instead I would be a lot happier.

 

[Bigfattyt]

I am fine with the Aus-8. I have never had any problems with mine in years I have had them.

I like the look of these in the version without the thumb stud and pocket clip, just from a traditional standpoint.

These would be great with real bone scales!

 

[Nemo]

I must admit I am intrigued. If someone had given me that knife when I was kid I would have lost my mind... even now it kind of appeals to me. Pity about the plastic scales and AUS-8 though. If it had black polished G-10 or white linen micarta instead I would be a lot happier.

I really think this is a very simple project to replace the scales. They are two screws on each side. The hunt for better materials is on !
I always enjoyed Delrin scales on Schrade knives... I like those.
AUS 8A as far as I am concern, when well heat treated and well ground is an excellent steel.
My Voyagers XL, Recon Tanto has been used for batoning, throwing, chopping... The AUS A8 was the least of my concern. I was checking the lock and the construction.
Cold steel's AUS 8A never let me down: no chipping, no tricky resharpening, no stain...
Very reliable.