Cold Steel Parking Lot Sale, what's worth buying?

sygyzy

sygyzy

Joined
Apr 29, 2003
Messages
339
I am about 45 miles away from Cold Steel's Parking Lot sale, this weekend.

Link for information

Anyway, I don't own any Cold Steel knives. What are some of the more popular ones? What are some must have Cold Steel's? What are the Sebenza's of Cold Steel? Meaning ... what model(s) stand out the most and have the best reputation.

Has anyone been to one of these? Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.
 
You beat me to it on the announcement. I just posted it on CPF. Maybe I'll see you there... I'm gonna be at the lot when they open. Now I gotta brush up on my Cold Steel products.

I have all of their push knives (I used to date one of the manager's daughter a long time ago) plus a San Mai Tanto w/ Kydex sheath from the early '80s that I carried as a boot knife for three deployments to Antarctica
FlashGordon
 
ave.guy, you chose the more obscure Bush Ranger over the SRK. I like the BR's ergos better, but I think the SRK is kind of the quintissential CS FB.
 
After checking out their website and doing brief reading, it doesn't seem like Cold Steel is very respected or makes quality products.

Their whole line is roughly $30 or less. Not that price necesarily equals quality, but geez. They are like a jack of all trades. Am I wrong in my interpretation?
 
Cold Steel made its name on their Tanto - they popularized the (non-traditional, non-authentic, non-Japanese ) "American" Tanto blade.

The regular 6" Tanto was their claim to fame -
with possibly the San-Mai (sandwiched/laminated) steel variant - the Master Tanto.

13AN.jpg


Cold Steel Tanto series

The next big thing was their Trail Master Bowie in Carbon V steel (there was some controversy over what exactly is Carbon V) - which popularized the modern big bowie knife - there were lots of imitators, look-a-likes of that knife.

16CB.jpg


Cold Steel Trail Master series

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net/
 
sygyzy said:
After checking out their website and doing brief reading, it doesn't seem like Cold Steel is very respected or makes quality products.

Their whole line is roughly $30 or less. Not that price necesarily equals quality, but geez. They are like a jack of all trades. Am I wrong in my interpretation?
Click to expand...

CS fixed blades are liked by many, at least the non-420 ones. Not a lot of their stuff is $30. They offer a variety of products from a variety of sources, which is why the quality isn't always up to snuff.
 
Sygyzy, over the years - on these forums particularly - some have taken issue with the CS Kraton handles and their recent use of 420hc stainless on a number of the newer offerings.
Many, if not most of us here own some CS product.
Know that the CS products mentioned above offer a lot of value.

Take the Master Hunter for example. Flat ground, available in 8A or CV.
Handle is nice sized, comfortable and secure. Widely availble for under $75.00.

Let's say it would be preferable to have nicely shaped Micarta slabs and S30V. Of course it goes without saying the blade should be precisely ground and heat treated and nicely finished.
Yes, that sounds like a nicer knife but at what cost.

Remember Cold Steel doesn't make knives - it markets and distributes knives.
A number of their "Made in the USA" knives are manufactured for them by Camillus.
Camillus also makes the Becker line of knives. The BK10 represents an alternative to the CS MH - but with plastic instead of rubber handles.

Ontario offers the TAK with Micarta slabs but without the satin finish of the MH.

Swamp Rat also offers a similar model but it too makes use of rubber for the handle - the steel is a little better and you pay a small premium for this.
 
I'll be there in the morning tomorrow as well. The only thing I really have in mind to pick up is a Kukri Machete and maybe a SRK or Recon Scout if the price is right. What I'm really going to be on the lookout for is the odds and ends that they are going to be getting rid of. Hopefully there will be some interesting stuff.
 
I think I'll take a ride up there just because it's less than an hour from home and there will be lots of knives and maybe get a chance to say hi to a few of you guys. I'll probably be there at opening and won't be able to stay long as I have a 10:30 appointment to pick up some stuff for my shop back down in the San Fernando valley. I'll be the big guy in a Blade Forums T shirt. The name's John, say hello.

I've had a couple of Cold Steel Voyagers. They were good affordable reliable knives. I've graduated to Benchmades, Microtechs and Sebenzas so I don't carry the Voyager much, but have used it as the traveling knife when I have to fly and leave my suitcase unlocked.

Hope to see some of you there.

John
 
Their Vaquero series and the Black Bear Classic are great knives, especially if you can get 'em at unusually low prices.
 
Well, I did pretty well. Now that I'm at home, I'm kicking myself for not buying more.

I got there at around 8:15 and it was packed, there were people everywhere. There were some really great deals, everything Cold steel makes was heavily discounted. I ended up with the knives below:

Coldsteel.jpg


LTC Kurki
Recon 1
SRK
Carbon V Bird and Trout
Deta Dart

I kinda wish I had put down the Recon 1 and got something in AUS8, I'm not too confident in their 440a Sub Quenched steel. Does anyone have any experience with this steel? How has it held up? What did everyone else end up with?
 
440A Sub Zero Quenched steel is a step up from 420 and a little softer than AUS-8, nothing more, nothing less.

You really should've gotten one of the Vaquero models instead of the Recon 1. ;)
 
IIRC, I think they were asking $75.00 for the SRKs. I couldn't believe how many people were there. It was like women at a shoe sale at Macy's! I didn't buy much myself. I got a AUS8a Brush Baster for a buddy for $40.00 and am kicking myself for not buying me one too. I was sorely tempted to buy a Military model with the 400 series stainless, stainless guard and black micarta handles. I think it's probably the best knife they make but it was $112.00 which is a great price, but I figured that it's basically a Randal knock off and I'd rather put the cash towards a real Randal for the collection. Besides, I had to leave there and go pick up a new compressor, drill press and grinder for my shop so I was already getting some new (used but new to me) toys anyway. I did score one knife for myself though. I got an AUS8a medium clip point Voyager for only $5.00! It's the cheapest knife I've ever bought! I already have a Tanto version that was my EDC long ago before my knife addiction really kicked in so now I have a matching pair. It was in the $25.00, opened box section but when I told th ecashier that I was paying cash, no credit card, she said, "OK, how about $5.00 for that one?" There were other CS employees there as witnesses, so who was I to argue?

Over all, it was a pretty cool sale, although I didn't meet any other forumites. There's always next time.


John
 
The SRKs might have been $40.00, I think I was confusing it with one of their other models. I know there were som ein the $24.00 or $30.00 in the beater, obviously used pile.

John
 
I paid $40 for the SRK, NIB. I really am kicking myself for not picking up a vaquero instead of the recon. Oh well, I can always sell it on ebay if I decide I hate it.
 
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