Cold Steel Magnum Tanto XII is STUCK in sheath?

S

SanLuisObispo

Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Messages
369
With all the drama surrounding CS, I finally dropped the hammer on a CS Magnum Tanto XII. It arrived quickly, the unboxing went fine and everything looked great.

I gave the blade a quick wipe down with a hint of Ballistol and secured the knife in its Secure-Ex sheath. The fit seemed tighter than other Secure-Exs I've experienced, but nothing crazy. I didn't have to force anything. About a half hour later I went to remove the blade from the sheath and it was STUCK.

It was so solidly stuck that I began looking for a release button that obviously does not exist. I walked it over to my power-lifting neighbor and neither he, nor his friend could remove the knife from the sheath. I then climbed on the web and I soon learned that I'm not the first person to experience this. Most suggest a need for blade lube.

So I sat the knife upright and give it a few good squirts of WD40 right next to the ricasso. I let it penetrate overnight. Still solidly stuck the next morning. Next I try a block of wood and soft taps with a rawhide mallet. Nothing!

So I sent it back. Anyone else ever experience something like this with a Cold Steel Magnum Tanto and a Secure-Ex sheath?
 
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Just talk to your corporate office at Irving and see what they suggest to do, im sure many in this forums would be interested in your new warranty process.

Seriously though, probably best to send it back.
 
The retention nubs in the sheath can have a hard corner that catches on the hard corner of the Tsuba style guard. It happened when I first got mine, I just spread the mouth of the sheath a bit to get the knife out then broke the corners of the nubs with a nail file...easy peasy:thumbsup::)
 
SanLuisObispo said:
With all the drama surrounding CS, I finally dropped the hammer on a CS Magnum Tanto XII. It arrived quickly, the unboxing went fine and everything looked great.

I gave the blade a wipe down with a hint of Ballistol and secured the knife in its Secure-Ex sheath. The fit seemed tighter than other Secure-Exs I've experienced, but nothing crazy. I didn't have to force anything. About a half hour later I went to remove the blade from the sheath and it was STUCK.

It was so solidly stuck that I began looking for an release button that obviously does not exist. I walk it over to my power-lifting neighbor and neither he, nor his friend can remove the knife from the sheath. I climb on the web and I soon learn that I'm not the first person to experience this. Most suggest a need for lube.

I set the knife upright and give it a few good squirts of WD40 next to the ricasso. I let it penetrate overnight. Still solidly stuck the next morning. Next I try a block of wood and soft taps with a rawhide mallet. Nope!

So I sent it back. Anyone else ever experience something like this with a Cold Steel Magnum Tanto and a Secure-Ex sheath?
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I don't like you; for a lot of reasons. Not the least of which being that your posts read like Nigerian email scams. Your new account, hostility towards anybody not bowing down to gsm, general disrespect and seemingly strong knowledge of corporate culture in the hunting industry make me think that you are a mid level gsm employee. You say that you have been a CS fan long enough to have "finally dropped the hammer on a Magnum Tanto XII," but you don't know that this very niche, very expensive knife doesn't have a release button on the sheath, a feature CS doesn't even use? Your presence here is pretty obvious. If this is part of gsm's plan, I'm quickly losing hope. Please just throw us a bone. Commit to steel, same manufacturers, something. You are bad enough at this that I would be worried about your next job review. Please just tell whoever you can that the loyal fans who gave CS it's valuation want good materials, build quality, and designs that are true to the spirit of CS and Lynn, or we're jumping ship, and your acquisition will be a worthless mistake.
 
To be fair, yes, he comes off as an over-zealous CS fanboy overly optimistic about the buyout for sure. But if he was a plant from GSM I can't see him also coming out with a thread where it points out the shitty-ness of their sheaths. Which I have recently become a victim of myself with the last two CS fixed blades I received. I never heard of them actually trapping the blade inside. But mine absolutely WRECK the sharpness of the blade in them immediately. I guess they found another way to fuck you with Secure-ex.
 
SanLuisObispo said:
dropped the hammer on a CS Magnum Tanto XII.
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Pro tip: Don't hammer knife into sheath:p


Don't have many CS with SecureEx, but haven't had that problem. One thing is to make sure your not holding it by the throat, as the two halves need to be able to flex apart as the nubs clear the guard. Would be like trying to open an AD15 while holding it in a death grip.
 
JAM said:
To be fair, yes, he comes off as an over-zealous CS fanboy overly optimistic about the buyout for sure. But if he was a plant from GSM I can't see him also coming out with a thread where it points out the shitty-ness of their sheaths. Which I have recently become a victim of myself with the last two CS fixed blades I received. I never heard of them actually trapping the blade inside. But mine absolutely WRECK the sharpness of the blade in them immediately. I guess they found another way to fuck you with Secure-ex.
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If I adjust my tinfoil hat, then I can type that GSM receives no monies for any aged stock retailers are selling today. They can also introduce new and improved sheath technology to CS fixed blades that cure all draw and retention issues for an improved user experience.

iow, pricey niche model can get dinged for sheath issues which can be addressed later by the new owners with new models.
 
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SanLuisObispo said:
With all the drama surrounding CS, I finally dropped the hammer on a CS Magnum Tanto XII. It arrived quickly, the unboxing went fine and everything looked great.

I gave the blade a quick wipe down with a hint of Ballistol and secured the knife in its Secure-Ex sheath. The fit seemed tighter than other Secure-Exs I've experienced, but nothing crazy. I didn't have to force anything. About a half hour later I went to remove the blade from the sheath and it was STUCK.

It was so solidly stuck that I began looking for a release button that obviously does not exist. I walked it over to my power-lifting neighbor and neither he, nor his friend could remove the knife from the sheath. I then climbed on the web and I soon learned that I'm not the first person to experience this. Most suggest a need for blade lube.

So I sat the knife upright and give it a few good squirts of WD40 right next to the ricasso. I let it penetrate overnight. Still solidly stuck the next morning. Next I try a block of wood and soft taps with a rawhide mallet. Nothing!

So I sent it back. Anyone else ever experience something like this with a Cold Steel Magnum Tanto and a Secure-Ex sheath?
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You know what karma is, right?
 
spread the top part of sheath open to remove. seen this with an osi. knife fits but too tight. ive only seen this in one cold steel I own. tolerance was off in either sheath or knife. could not be removed without unlocking, for a lack of a better term, the sheath top part. I fixed it by loosening up that part, by using very mild heat. don't try if you aren't comfortable in bending kydex or other plastics with heat, as a example. it won't turn out well.
 
jlauffer said:
Pro tip: Don't hammer knife into sheath:p


Don't have many CS with SecureEx, but haven't had that problem. One thing is to make sure your not holding it by the throat, as the two halves need to be able to flex apart as the nubs clear the guard. Would be like trying to open an AD15 while holding it in a death grip.
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Yep, exactly. When I walked it over to my neighbor's house and both he and his friend tried to open the knife, I finally stopped them fearing they'd cut themselves.
 
jlauffer said:
Pro tip: Don't hammer knife into sheath:p


Don't have many CS with SecureEx, but haven't had that problem. One thing is to make sure your not holding it by the throat, as the two halves need to be able to flex apart as the nubs clear the guard. Would be like trying to open an AD15 while holding it in a death grip.
Click to expand...
Hell, it felt like I had slathered the blade in JB Weld before hammering it home. It was really stuck!
 
SanLuisObispo said:
Just a quick update. I received a replacement knife today. The difference in sheath fit is night and day. I'm now happy I sent back the first one.
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You sent your knife back to GSM (Cold Steel) on Thursday the 10th ( ? ) and have a replacement knife already ?

Just trying to gauge GSM (Cold Steel) turnaround time for issues like this - when did you send the knife back ? Sent Priority mail or ground ? Total turnaround time ? Thank you
 
I bought the knife from CS via Amazon (best price.) I ordered the replacement on 12/09 and shipped the defective one back via UPS on 2/10. I received the replacement and the credit today, 12/16.
 
SanLuisObispo said:
I bought the knife from CS via Amazon (best price.) I ordered the replacement on 12/09 and shipped the defective one back via UPS on 2/10. I received the replacement and the credit today, 12/16.
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Thank you for the reply. I confuse easily - I thought you had been dealing with GSM (Cold Steel).

You purchased the knife from Amazon.

Initiated a return (Amazon shipped out a replacement) to Amazon on 12/09.

Sent the knife back to Amazon on 12/10.

Received a new knife (and Credit) from Amazon on 12/16.

Amazon - I have never had a problem with any return. Usually, I get my money back as soon as it is scanned at UPS. GSM (Cold Steel) - Amazon does customer service right.
 
My view:
"Secure-Ex Sheath" equals "No sale!".

My Experience:
My "G.I. Tanto" and not a Clip Point "Bushman" both came with a "Secure-Ex" sheath.

I haven't experienced the knife getting stuck so it couldn't be removed from the sheath. However, the G.I. Tanto is close. It is "difficult" at best, to remove from its sheath.

Both sheaths dull the blade, in and out. (My Mora Number 1 also has a plastic sheath. It does not dull the blade.)

Neither sheath is all that secure.
The ballistic nylon sheaths my three Cold Steel machetes (two "Heavy Machete", one large Kukri Machete) and FINN BEAR came with, secure the knife and machete much better than the "Secure-ex" sheaths secure the knives they came with.

The "Secure-Ex" sheaths make more noise when walking, and when removing or putting the blade in the sheath, than a nylon or leather sheath does.

The Nylon and leather sheaths generally have enough space or clearance for the sheath to pivot on the belt when you sit. Unlike the two "Secure-Ex" sheaths I have. (using the same belt.)

My Conclusion:
Based on my experiences, if Cold Steel provides a "Secure-Ex" sheath with it, I won't purchase that model.
I see zero reason to spend whatever for the knife, than have to spend even more of my few/rare funds for a useable, nothing fancy, aftermarket nylon or leather sheath, that may cost more than the knife, and that the knife may not even fit, no matter what the company that made the sheath says.
At this point/stage in/of my "life", I have zero desire to make a sheath using an empty cereal box and duct tape.
I do not have, nor can I afford, the tools (or materials) to make a leather or ballistic nylon sheath.
 
Same problem for me.

I just got in a Cold Steel Magnum Tanto IV in 3V steel. I'm using a lot of force to try and get it out of the sheath and it won't budge at all. I didn't think anything would come up on a google search but here we are.
 
thelastbestplace said:
Same problem for me.

I just got in a Cold Steel Magnum Tanto IV in 3V steel. I'm using a lot of force to try and get it out of the sheath and it won't budge at all. I didn't think anything would come up on a google search but here we are.
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Are you squeezing the sides of the sheath while you try? The mouth of the sheath needs to be able to separate a bit at the seam for the knife to come out. Then see my previous post once you have it out.
 
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