Cold Steel Master Tanto 6 inch problems?

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Kutz

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Jun 5, 2010
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Just received a nib Master Tanto. There are a few possible problems with the knife that I hope you guys can address as normal or problems. The first is there is a a line that runs the length of the blade on both sides of it about about 1/4 of an inch above the edge. Second it the steel. It looks like water spots on several parts of the blade. They do not go away when I wipe it with a rag with oil on it. I looks sort of cloudy in spots. Last is the lanyard hole on the butt of the knife it was machined very poorly and there is metal caking out of the sides of either side of the hole. Not happy with this at all. I am not sure if I can send this back to where I bought it from. Should I try to sent it to cold steel?
 
just guessing a bit, pics would help.

but the line running the length of the blade is supposed to be the temper line, or hamon.

on differentially treated blades, the edge would be harder than the spine. the harder edge would hold a better and finer edge, while the softer spine would absorb shock to the blade. this treatment is visible as a line running the length of the edge.

on the cold steel, it may be cosmetic only and simply for the visual effect.

it could also be where the layered san mai meets the next layer of metal, like a seam.
 
The Master Tanto is made of laminated San Mai steel, the line you see is the inner core steel of VG1(harder). This core is laminated between two sides of softer stainless steel for strength.
 
The line is supposed to be there and the nicest thing about the knife: it's san mai. Mine had a brittleness/chipping problem, but that's probably due to the heat treat of that particular batch. That's more serious than a cosmetic problem. You could email or call Cold Steel, but i doubt they'd be very receptive. If they aren't, time to move on up to Busse or a custom maker who actually has pride in their work and cares.
 
Kutz said:
Just received a nib Master Tanto. There are a few possible problems with the knife that I hope you guys can address as normal or problems. The first is there is a a line that runs the length of the blade on both sides of it about about 1/4 of an inch above the edge. Second it the steel. It looks like water spots on several parts of the blade. They do not go away when I wipe it with a rag with oil on it. I looks sort of cloudy in spots. Last is the lanyard hole on the butt of the knife it was machined very poorly and there is metal caking out of the sides of either side of the hole. Not happy with this at all. I am not sure if I can send this back to where I bought it from. Should I try to sent it to cold steel?
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First off, please post some pictures. As to the line, it is indeed the San Mai III line, where the VG-1 transitions into the 420J steel. It's supposed to be there.
The spots and poor machining should NOT be there, and sound uncharacteristic. There are MANY fakes of this model in circulation, another reason I'd like to see pics.
I'm sure if you'd send these to Cold Steel support, they'd be able to tell you even quicker.
 
I know if it was mine, I would probably just chamfer the hole with a 3/8" drill bit, and call it good.
 
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i dont think it looks used, but it may have been sitting on a shelf for quite a while.

have you tried polishing out the spots? might just be stains from the packaging?


re the hilt, looks like the chrome (or whatever) plating peeled a bit after the hole was drilled.
 
Looks to be used or either fake.

I'm not crazy about Cold Steel, but their "Master Tantos" generally exhibit far better fit and finish.

The tip grind should be geometric; not rounded.

Not sure what those spots are, but they shouldn't be there.
 
Mitchell Knives said:
The tip grind should be geometric; not rounded.

Not sure what those spots are, but they shouldn't be there.
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Agreed. Also, that pommel looks awful, like someone tried to widen the hole with a wood drill.
I'd send these pictures and more to Cold Steel and ask them what they think. The knife definitely isn't new, or if it is it is certainly fake. Sorry for the bad news but this is not a new authentic Cold Steel Master Tanto.
 
To me it looks like a used knife. And Philwar is right someone messed around with that lanyard hole and created all that damage. A lanyard hole made by a drill press will leave sharpend edges, not a ragged one like that.
 
I'd send the pics and info of where you bought it from to Cold Steel. Maybe they can tell you if they are an authorized dealer or not. If you paid anywhere near retail price for this knife I'd definitely not be happy given it's condition.
 
Those don't sound like problems at all. I have an original CS Tanto, probably a second since I got it direct from Lynn for half the factory price, with a blemish on one side. Doesn't affect the cutting performance at all. Heck of a good knife; I've used mine to butcher game, and the curved edge slices beautifully while the tanto tip is great for cutting through joints and cartilage. Just slam that sucker through a car trunk or an oil drum a few times and see if the spots come off:D.
 
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