Cold Steel ODA

M

melt

Joined
Nov 20, 2006
Messages
467
The other day I get a 2008 Fall catalog for Cold Steel's Special Projects division in the mail, and on page 77 in the "close outs" I see an ODA, such as this:
CS39LDAC.jpg


and the catalog states the blade steel is AUS 8. The thing is, everywhere else I can find this particular knife on-line says the blade steel is that Krupp Stainless steel that Cold Steel is using now. So does anyone know if there ever were any Cold Steel ODA knives made out of AUS 8 steel, or is this a catalog misprint? Also, is Cold Steel's Krupp Stainless steel as good as Cold Steel says it is?
 
melt said:
The other day I get a 2008 Fall catalog for Cold Steel's Special Projects division in the mail, and on page 77 in the "close outs" I see an ODA, such as this:
CS39LDAC.jpg


and the catalog states the blade steel is AUS 8. The thing is, everywhere else I can find this particular knife on-line says the blade steel is that Krupp Stainless steel that Cold Steel is using now. So does anyone know if there ever were any Cold Steel ODA knives made out of AUS 8 steel, or is this a catalog misprint? Also, is Cold Steel's Krupp Stainless steel as good as Cold Steel says it is?
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Yes, they were made previously in both Carbon V and AUS8A.
 
screwthe49ers said:
Nothing that Cold Steel says is good is as good as they say.
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Yeah, so far that's been my experience with them. I own four of their knives already, but none of their larger fixed blades. I have one of their first generation Recon Folders, and looking back, I could have gotten a much better knife for the money from Benchmade or Spyderco. The Cold Steel Bird and Trout knife I have won't stay in its neck sheath. One of their early Voyager folders (with the integrated plastic pocket clip) just does not open as easily as my old Spyderco Endura, in spite of numerous cleanings and oilings. My Cold Steel Tanto Spike neck knife is the only one I have been very satisfied with. If the price on this ODA weren't so tempting, I'd pass.

SO......if this knife is AUS 8, then is it made in Taiwan, or China?

That's another problem I have with Cold Steel: for some of the items listed in their catalogs, they tell you the country of manufacture. For others, they don't. I'd kind of like to know where a knife was made before I buy it.
 
Cold Steel manufactures (or, for you sticklers out there, contracts the manufacture of) plenty of perfectly functional knives and self-defense tools. They're not all perfect and the company's marketing practices are sometimes aggressive, sometimes silly, and sometimes confusing, but Lynn Thompson is not the frigging antichrist. The rabid hatred of Cold Steel on this forum has gotten really annoying.
 
Well said Phil, I too find Lynn Thompson's demo and such rather silly at times but that does affect the quality of the knives.

If the price is right I would certainly give the ODA a try.
 
I own more CS knives than any other brand and I have to say I have been very happy with them. Just bought another RECON1 off ebay for cheap nib and it is a very fine heavy duty knife. My son uses 2 other RECON's in his line of work and beats them. They have never failed to lock, to cut, etc etc. I have had a Masterhunter since the first year issue and have bought several more for gifts over the years. Best hunter I have ever used, even including customs I have had or have to this day. Advertising is over the top some times but my 2 original voyagers are still tight to this day and they don't open as easily as some other folders I have but I count that as a plus for close tolerance's and just an added measure of assurance when opening them that it does take a conscious effort on my part to do so, which is a good thing in my book. keepem sharp
 
I've got one of the old 420 steel ones. It's excellent and has taken many years of extreme abuse. Can't say what the Krupp steel ones are like, but the one I've got sharpens well and easily, holds an edge well, got a good sheath and is as tough as old boots.
And it looks like a Randell......
 
I don't know what to do now, because a friend of mine just told me today that he'll sale me a brand new Ka-Bar 7 inch blade, stacked leather handle combat knife with the brown leather sheath for $45.00, or the same Ka-Bar knife in the five inch blade version with the black rubber (Kraton, or whatever it is) handle and a black leather sheath for $40.00. By the time I pay shipping on the close-out ODA in the catalog, I'll be spending $40.00, which is the amount I had in mind to pay. I know the Ka-Bar's are made of 1095 carbon steel, and the ODA is made of AUS 8 stainless, so this is not a fair comparison, but opinions aren't always about all things being equal. Another friend of mine recently showed me his Ka-Bar 7 inch Marine Combat knife which he bought new a few months ago to carry while he is in the Army Reserve. (funny side story: I asked him why he did not buy the Army version that Ka-Bar makes, and he said "The dealer had the Marine one in stock, and would have needed to order the Army one, so I took the Marine one because I needed a good knife that day.) He's put a good edge on his Ka-Bar, and claims it holds an edge well. So, which is better $40.00 for the ODA (which is probably made in Taiwan or China), or $40.00 for the five inch Ka-Bar, which is US made and won't have to be shipped to me? What do you folks think? I'm asking for advice. I'm not trying to speak ill of any knife company. I believe there are no bad knives, just knives you or I like, and knives you or I do not like. Thanks for all the feedback so far.
 
Sharp Phil said:
Cold Steel manufactures (or, for you sticklers out there, contracts the manufacture of) plenty of perfectly functional knives and self-defense tools. They're not all perfect and the company's marketing practices are sometimes aggressive, sometimes silly, and sometimes confusing, but Lynn Thompson is not the frigging antichrist. The rabid hatred of Cold Steel on this forum has gotten really annoying.
Click to expand...

I've always considered Cold Steel products to be great values. Some are excellent, some are not, but they are all good values for the prices they carry.

It makes more sense to me to judge a product for what it is rather than judging it based on the personality of the company's owner.
 
Sharp Phil said:
Cold Steel manufactures (or, for you sticklers out there, contracts the manufacture of) plenty of perfectly functional knives and self-defense tools. They're not all perfect and the company's marketing practices are sometimes aggressive, sometimes silly, and sometimes confusing, but Lynn Thompson is not the frigging antichrist. The rabid hatred of Cold Steel on this forum has gotten really annoying.
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Phil is right. What's the problem? Get over yourselves. Lynn Thompson is living the American Dream, and you're posting to a knife forum. Same thing is true for the Dark Ops people.

Besides, the very small impact you all here have on knife sales really just backfires. CS and DO do more business, because of your criticism. They don't even have to use aliases (like some prominent knife makers here do) to promote their products.

Phil - you were absolutely right about that CS Sisu. I grabbed up a custom Tanto I liked better for less than half the price. What was LT thinking on that one???
 
Man, I heard from my brother's, best friend's stepmom that her CS Voyager jumped out of her drawer one day and went on the street and tripped a blind lady crossing the street with a bag of groceries...
 
Cold Steel is (was) reali respectable company and i have some of theirs models since '90. When i saw model ODA in store for a half price i imedietly buy one. Unfortunately, price marks quality. Knife looks good but steel is realy, realy bad.
Knife wasn't sharp enough. When i try to resharpen it (with Lansky) there no use. Blade after few cuts stays dull.
I thing that is something going bad in production of steel. Krupp's steel shouldn't be that low quality. When i saw stamp "Made in China", all becomes clear as summer sky. This is sad what such company doing his products. Also VG-1 isnt such bad steel but has no compersion with aus-8. Looses sharpnes much faster and gets stamps when knife touches some liquid. This is 50% worse than production before. So it is the price.
 
Sharp Phil said:
Cold Steel manufactures (or, for you sticklers out there, contracts the manufacture of) plenty of perfectly functional knives and self-defense tools. They're not all perfect and the company's marketing practices are sometimes aggressive, sometimes silly, and sometimes confusing, but Lynn Thompson is not the frigging antichrist. The rabid hatred of Cold Steel on this forum has gotten really annoying.
Click to expand...

I agree, just blind criticism without evidence to date the last guys post is the only legitimate and unbiased examples ive heard on these forums man its like console fans - Man the 360 PWNS the Crapstation 3!! ... grow up people.
 
What exactly went wrong with the ODA? It was made in Carbon V, then AUS-8 and now Krupps 4116. However, it never was as popular as the SRK or Recon Scout or even the OSS which has a similar blade geometry?
 
Originally posted by melt
I don't know what to do now, because a friend of mine just told me today that he'll sale me a brand new Ka-Bar 7 inch blade, stacked leather handle combat knife with the brown leather sheath for $45.00, or the same Ka-Bar knife in the five inch blade version with the black rubber (Kraton, or whatever it is) handle and a black leather sheath for $40.00. By the time I pay shipping on the close-out ODA in the catalog, I'll be spending $40.00, which is the amount I had in mind to pay. I know the Ka-Bar's are made of 1095 carbon steel, and the ODA is made of AUS 8 stainless, so this is not a fair comparison, but opinions aren't always about all things being equal. Another friend of mine recently showed me his Ka-Bar 7 inch Marine Combat knife which he bought new a few months ago to carry while he is in the Army Reserve. (funny side story: I asked him why he did not buy the Army version that Ka-Bar makes, and he said "The dealer had the Marine one in stock, and would have needed to order the Army one, so I took the Marine one because I needed a good knife that day.) He's put a good edge on his Ka-Bar, and claims it holds an edge well. So, which is better $40.00 for the ODA (which is probably made in Taiwan or China), or $40.00 for the five inch Ka-Bar, which is US made and won't have to be shipped to me? What do you folks think? I'm asking for advice. I'm not trying to speak ill of any knife company. I believe there are no bad knives, just knives you or I like, and knives you or I do not like. Thanks for all the feedback so far.
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I would say go with the K-bar. Most seem to prefer carbon steel over stainless for fixed blades, and I have never heard anyone say anything bad about 1095. However I own neither of the two you mentioned. Hopefully someone a bit more knowledgeable will weigh in.
 
melt said:
I don't know what to do now, because a friend of mine just told me today that he'll sale me a brand new Ka-Bar 7 inch blade, stacked leather handle combat knife with the brown leather sheath for $45.00, or the same Ka-Bar knife in the five inch blade version with the black rubber (Kraton, or whatever it is) handle and a black leather sheath for $40.00. By the time I pay shipping on the close-out ODA in the catalog, I'll be spending $40.00, which is the amount I had in mind to pay. I know the Ka-Bar's are made of 1095 carbon steel, and the ODA is made of AUS 8 stainless, so this is not a fair comparison, but opinions aren't always about all things being equal. Another friend of mine recently showed me his Ka-Bar 7 inch Marine Combat knife which he bought new a few months ago to carry while he is in the Army Reserve. (funny side story: I asked him why he did not buy the Army version that Ka-Bar makes, and he said "The dealer had the Marine one in stock, and would have needed to order the Army one, so I took the Marine one because I needed a good knife that day.) He's put a good edge on his Ka-Bar, and claims it holds an edge well. So, which is better $40.00 for the ODA (which is probably made in Taiwan or China), or $40.00 for the five inch Ka-Bar, which is US made and won't have to be shipped to me? What do you folks think? I'm asking for advice. I'm not trying to speak ill of any knife company. I believe there are no bad knives, just knives you or I like, and knives you or I do not like. Thanks for all the feedback so far.
Click to expand...

Get the 7 inch Kabar, not the 5in. You can find it for $50 or so if you look hard enough.
 
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