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Cold Steel NightShade Series FGX Boot Blade Review
Early on in the development of my interest in knives, I purchased a Cold Steel NightShade FGX Boot Blade knife. It was inexpensive ($14.99 MSRP for the larger version), made entirely from fiberglass reinforced plastic (no metal), and seemed to offer some unique advantages:
Sadly, my knife didn't perform like those in the video. I couldn’t use it as a letter opener (too dull) and it didn’t seem particularly effective as a thrusting weapon for self defense. On its first use, the knife tip bent over and stayed bent over. After that, it wouldn’t penetrating anything. With the plastic, I couldn’t figure out a way to sharpen the edges or re-profile the tip (except clipping it entirely off.)
The all-plastic nature of the knife also seemed negated by the metal ring inserted through a hole in the pommel. The knife came in a clear plastic bag with a cardboard top stapling the bag shut. It seemed like a toy hung on the peg board at a dollar store. One thing I did like, though, was the knife handle. The contours were ergonomic and the Kraton was comfortable and grippy.
Cold Steel makes many fine products (like the American Lawman, Recon, Voyager, etc.) but unfortunately, the NightShade series ain’t one of ‘em. Every once-in-a-while someone posts asking about the NightShade. I’ve responded a few times to these threads, but thought it might be helpful to post a review here. In short, the "NightShade" is total junk:
Early on in the development of my interest in knives, I purchased a Cold Steel NightShade FGX Boot Blade knife. It was inexpensive ($14.99 MSRP for the larger version), made entirely from fiberglass reinforced plastic (no metal), and seemed to offer some unique advantages:
- extreme lightweight; and
- imperviousness to the elements (i.e., no rust).
Sadly, my knife didn't perform like those in the video. I couldn’t use it as a letter opener (too dull) and it didn’t seem particularly effective as a thrusting weapon for self defense. On its first use, the knife tip bent over and stayed bent over. After that, it wouldn’t penetrating anything. With the plastic, I couldn’t figure out a way to sharpen the edges or re-profile the tip (except clipping it entirely off.)
The all-plastic nature of the knife also seemed negated by the metal ring inserted through a hole in the pommel. The knife came in a clear plastic bag with a cardboard top stapling the bag shut. It seemed like a toy hung on the peg board at a dollar store. One thing I did like, though, was the knife handle. The contours were ergonomic and the Kraton was comfortable and grippy.
Cold Steel makes many fine products (like the American Lawman, Recon, Voyager, etc.) but unfortunately, the NightShade series ain’t one of ‘em. Every once-in-a-while someone posts asking about the NightShade. I’ve responded a few times to these threads, but thought it might be helpful to post a review here. In short, the "NightShade" is total junk:
- As a defense tool, it totally sucked. As a last resort, you could maybe jab it into something relatively soft, but a metal pen would be more effective. A plastic pen might be more effective, for that matter.
- As a knife, it couldn't cut anything - a plastic KFC knife cuts better.
- As a "stealth" knife, it is about the worst idea I can think of and reinforces some of the worst misconceptions of the non-knife people out there.
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