Cold Steel Old vs. new?

[timdennis]

There is a post on the sale forum for older Cold Steel Tantos(no,I'm not the seller). They look great in the photos. My question, is there a difference in quality between the older tantos vs. the new. I have a Kobun in the closet that is older and it is better then the newer kobuns,made in Japan,better steel etc. I was wondering if this is true of the tanto series?

 

[timdennis]

BTTT

 

[Ilovetoolsteel]

Originally posted by timdennis
There is a post on the sale forum for older Cold Steel Tantos(no,I'm not the seller). They look great in the photos. My question, is there a difference in quality between the older tantos vs. the new. I have a Kobun in the closet that is older and it is better then the newer kobuns,made in Japan,better steel etc. I was wondering if this is true of the tanto series?

Cold steel has been going to 420 steel on a lot of their blades. Most of the new models to come out in the last 2 years have been 420.

It just isn't as good a steel as even aus6 / 440a or aus8 / 440b.

There are fewer fixed blade knives with brass or stainless handguards mostly just molded rubber. Their folders are all plastic handled now. I don't think they make a folder with full metal liners anymore.

They have conciderably cheapened their product line over the last 2 or 3 years.

I think the older product was much better.

Drew

 

[Benjamin Liu]

Cold Steel's higher end tanto line is still AUS 8 or San Mai. I assume you are asking about the original Tanto line from before CS has a large product line. This is the line that has the Tanto, Master Tanto, and various Magnum Tantos and used to have the Mini Tanto. I have an original Tanto I bought in 1989 and it was the store's display model so it was probably older than that. The guard and pommel are brass rather than stainless which they use today. The shape of the guard is also different. I like the newer shape better but the old one is OK. I also like the look of the brass better, especially when it is older and is non-reflective. I don't know what the steel is but it works. I'm thinking maybe 440C but I could be wrong. My cousin purchased a CS Tanto in 1997 which has a stainless guard and AUS-8 blade. The blade is a little longer than mine and the point is more acute.

 

[averageguy]

The CS Tantos have always been high quality knives and made in Japan.
Earlier examples are designated to be "400 series" stainless.
These knives saw widespread use and were well regarded during much of the 90's.
The laminated steel models fetch a substantial premium.
CS recently introduced a traditional looking, high carbon, Tanto made
in China.

 

[Greg Walker]

The original thought process was to have Buck Knives make the CS Tanto. Years ago I was given one of these by Chuck Buck as a gift. Interesting effort but not to Lynn Thompson's liking and Japan became the now consistent source for CS Tantos, at least the high end models (I believe).

The "newer" classic Tanto with stainless steel guard and pommel are very nice but do not, IMHO, possess the character of the original brass guard/pommel model. I have no use for the blue collar rubber handled CS Tantos but this is simply my taste in the design / application of the original knife.

I have the Emperor Collection in CS Tantos which are carry knives. I also found, by sheer accident, a CS Master Tanto that has been reworked (and very nicely) to reflect the traditional Japanese upswept sword point as opposed to the western Cold Steel Tanto chisel point (Inspired by but not imitative of Bob Lum's masterful Lum tanto design originated now many years ago. Although Lum's work was reviewed and evaluated by CS the core of the CS Tanto design was engineered by Ernie Franco working in conjunction with CS, to include the specific arc of the CS Tanto's cutting edge AND guard/pommel/grip thought processes).

I suspect many more production knife makers are using 420, specifically those having their products (many of which are of very good to near excellent quality) made in either Taiwan or Communist China. This is an economic decision in a very competive marketplace and one which the buying public is both not particularly interested in (just give us a great knife for as little $$ as possible thinking) and is not even covered in the knife rags on the stands today (which are essentially editorially gutless on this subject, IMHO).

CS, and other production cutlery firms, will offer high end materials and design / manufacturing but - as with any other high end product - one is expected to pay for it. If we want a spiffy tactical folder or fixed blade for under $150, and many of us now expect the same for under $100, it should be no surprise that 420 and other less expensive cutlery steels will be used to provide the lower end models.

One gets what one pays for whether it is firearms, knives, cars, or even boots

I very much like and enjoy the older CS line to include the push daggers and smaller fixed blades. Truly the Golden Age of Cold Steel