First of all, i need to explain something. My so called " reviews " is just my opinion about knives brought only on my personal experience. Every knife is sharpen by hand ( Lansky diamond and regular sharpeners on 30 degrees until knife is capable to shave ). I use all this knives in regular conditions, for normal tasks ( usual outdoor activities , preparing food, cutting paper, rope, textile, synthetic materials ...).
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COLD STEEL Master Hunter review
- Thread starter cabala
- Start date
Here is one of most useful and practical knives in serial production. Name " Master Hunter " doesn't mean that this hunting knife couldn't be used for various tasks. After all, even Ka Bar was in a first place, hunting knife.
I am aware that all of you know technical data of this knife or how to get it. For rest of all i would be recommended company's site.
This knife is example how shape of handle should be made. If they call them " Combat Master " ill wouldn't mind at all!
Weight is good and when I hold knife in hand, feel of weightnes is closer to some everyday folder than fixed hunting knife.
Balance of weight is about 50/50, which isn't bad but I, personally, would like that is handle little bit heavier than a blade.
Thickness is more than enough, actually, the knife is maybe little bit to tick. 1mm down would be decreased weight of blade.
This is something interesting! First day when i got a knife, my wife and i are unpacking some new furniture. On the bottom of package was very tough cardboard and i cut them in half. I was really suprsed when i saw this stripes on blade. I tried cutting with few other knives but i didn't notice anything. First i think that's because of polished surface of blade, and probably it is, and then i saw that the layer in middle of the blade doesn't have this stripes.
This means that the san mai III has softer steel on his lateral layers and harder in the middle. Well, I don't know how hard midlle layer is, so it's difficult to say is it right or wrong but can cause some mayor problems, for example, resharpening in a field.
On the other side this means that with this knife you probably can penetrate through a car door.
I know that this would be hard to believe but who has any knife from any manufacturer with kraton handle can try this himself.
I'm literally erase my A4 paper sketch with a tip of a handle and here it is! Tip is missing (very expensive eraser )! That doesn't necessarily mean that a kraton isn't good material but if you are an professional ( hunter, soldier, policeman... ) maybe would be better to exchange kraton handle with some tougher material.
I didn't mention sheath and they are good but little improvement will be nice. It would be better that are ambidextrous how the knife can be put in them without flip over ( more important to extreme situations, not necesserely for hunting ) and hole on top can be flat, thumb notch is slippy, particularly when you have wett hands.
I am aware that all of you know technical data of this knife or how to get it. For rest of all i would be recommended company's site.
This knife is example how shape of handle should be made. If they call them " Combat Master " ill wouldn't mind at all!
Weight is good and when I hold knife in hand, feel of weightnes is closer to some everyday folder than fixed hunting knife.
Balance of weight is about 50/50, which isn't bad but I, personally, would like that is handle little bit heavier than a blade.
Thickness is more than enough, actually, the knife is maybe little bit to tick. 1mm down would be decreased weight of blade.
This is something interesting! First day when i got a knife, my wife and i are unpacking some new furniture. On the bottom of package was very tough cardboard and i cut them in half. I was really suprsed when i saw this stripes on blade. I tried cutting with few other knives but i didn't notice anything. First i think that's because of polished surface of blade, and probably it is, and then i saw that the layer in middle of the blade doesn't have this stripes.
This means that the san mai III has softer steel on his lateral layers and harder in the middle. Well, I don't know how hard midlle layer is, so it's difficult to say is it right or wrong but can cause some mayor problems, for example, resharpening in a field.
On the other side this means that with this knife you probably can penetrate through a car door.
I know that this would be hard to believe but who has any knife from any manufacturer with kraton handle can try this himself.
I'm literally erase my A4 paper sketch with a tip of a handle and here it is! Tip is missing (very expensive eraser )! That doesn't necessarily mean that a kraton isn't good material but if you are an professional ( hunter, soldier, policeman... ) maybe would be better to exchange kraton handle with some tougher material.
I didn't mention sheath and they are good but little improvement will be nice. It would be better that are ambidextrous how the knife can be put in them without flip over ( more important to extreme situations, not necesserely for hunting ) and hole on top can be flat, thumb notch is slippy, particularly when you have wett hands.
Last edited:
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It's a fine knife, but this post is not a review. It's a couple of photos with a couple of comments.
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- 7,636
You might have better results if you wait until your posts are actually completely written out before posting them.
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Im sure it would help tremendously if there was a sticky on how to make a review. But newcomers wouldn't read them so maybe it would serve nothing.
Cabala. I feel you may make a decent review at some point if you have the patience and want.
Cabala. I feel you may make a decent review at some point if you have the patience and want.
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- Jun 5, 2006
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I can't speak for Cabala (I could write a review of this knife, but that's his thunder). However, I have owned two CS Master Hunters. The first one went missing after several years. But I liked it so much that I bought a second. I like it, it works for me, a stout flat grind blade with a terrific non slip handle. I guess it looks like a Fallkniven, it also looks like a Benchmade I've seen. There's nothing particularly outstanding about any of those designs. The CS Master Hunter would be my first choice...out of many dozens of knives I own...if I could have "one and only one" for whatever adventure. For what it's worth, my second choice would be the Mora Clipper.
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I would question that. While Cold Steel is known for imitating successful designs, I am not sure that such is the case with this one. Cold Steel has been selling the Master Hunter for quite a long time, possibly longer than Fallkniven has been selling the F1 or A1.
The Master Hunter used to be made for Cold Steel by Camillus.
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Cabala--how did the scuffing occur on the butt of the handle? Was it a factory defect?
I'm a big fan of the design, I just wish they had it available in a non-laminated version. Their laminated steel doesn't make sense to me...why laminate vg-1? Great sheath though. I love the one for my SRK.
I'm a big fan of the design, I just wish they had it available in a non-laminated version. Their laminated steel doesn't make sense to me...why laminate vg-1? Great sheath though. I love the one for my SRK.
Esav Benyamin
MidniteSuperMod
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There was a question at one time if Fallkniven copied the CS SRK as their S1.
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You could have saved yourself a lot of trouble taking pics if you had just said that we could see them on the Coldsteel website too.
I have one of the old Carbon V's and like it alot. It's a bit thick at 3/16's, but also very stout. The Kraton handle is very soft and grippy, but also prone to abrasion. Especially in a Kydex sheath.
I have one of the old Carbon V's and like it alot. It's a bit thick at 3/16's, but also very stout. The Kraton handle is very soft and grippy, but also prone to abrasion. Especially in a Kydex sheath.
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I don't know when Fallkniven came out with the A1. I have had my Master Hunter for years. Maybe 8 or 9 I think. I don't remember exactly when.
I love it but it is a safe queen. I have never used it. She is cherry.
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LOL! I use mine indiscriminately, cleaning game, sharpening spear points, slashing through the hood of a Dodge Dart to get at the distributor rotor
I don't think the guy is pimping for CS, I think he just wants to show us some original pictures of what is now his favorite knife. We all do that, sticking them into trees and stumps to show off their prowess in the wilderness.
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LOL! I use mine indiscriminately, cleaning game, sharpening spear points, slashing through the hood of a Dodge Dart to get at the distributor rotor
I don't think the guy is pimping for CS, I think he just wants to show us some original pictures of what is now his favorite knife. We all do that, sticking them into trees and stumps to show off their prowess in the wilderness.
I plan on using my knives more this year. Gonna try and get out in the woods some.
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- Apr 27, 1999
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The inner core is hard so that it resists wear (stays sharp longer). The outer layers are softer so that they resist breaking. This is the optimal way to make a blade and has been used in swords and heavy use knives for centuries. The only problem can be if you hammer the blade with a rock to get it through something hard like knots in hardwood. Sometimes the layers can split or peel.
PS. I think that the Master Hunter has been in production longer than anything from Fallkniven.
PS. I think that the Master Hunter has been in production longer than anything from Fallkniven.
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Mmmm, I might choose to debate with you on the optimal part, but it certainly is one effective way to accomplish the goal.
After every deer season a co worker brings in a master hunter for me to sharpen; one with a plain carbon steel blade. Doesn't seem like too bad of a knife at all.
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If you assume that you are going to use a knife and resharpen it until it is reduced to half of its blade width a full laminate blade is pretty optimal. That assumes that you need the toughness. With that use model a laminate is better than a differentially hardened blade for example. On the other hand, for a knife this size I prefer a simple uniform hardness blade up around 60 RC. I guess that part of my point is that you don't want a soft core and hard outer layers. That would make a knife that dulled quick and broke easily.