Cold Steel Recon Scout alternative?

If you're in the ~$100 price range, you could check out some of Ontario's Spec-Plus GenII line. They're excellent blades, and the average cost is around $80 on the high end. You also have a choice between full flat grind or sabre ground, depending on the model. I'd recommend the SP-50 or SP-51. Quarter inch 1095 high carbon steel, full tang, no crossguard to get in your way.
 
Or if you definitely are set on something more traditional, try the SOG Agency. Beautiful lines, but I'm not sure the kind of hard use it could take, with its stick tang. Definitely more of a dedicated fighting knife than a chore knife, but hey, whatever floats your boat, right?
 
Just another thought, but I heard you like the KaBar MK1 other than the handle size. If you didn't like how big the handle was, you could buy one of the Leather handled versions, and then sand it down to a size that you like.

That way you get the blade length, grind and traditional look that you like, for pretty cheap.

Just throwing the idea out there.
 
New Becker designs.

IMG_20110717_133506.jpg
 
For some reason I went and bought another Cold Steel Master hunter. For what it is I like it a lot. It's got a different blade shape and less distal taper than another one that I have. I'll take some comparison pics and start a thread about it maybe.

I'm still trying to decide on a more traditional belt knife. I REALLY like the master hunters. I may just go ahead and have one of the them rehandled with some nice hard wood wood or stag and have a small double brass guard put on it. I think then it would be just about perfect. It would pretty much be a scaled down Recon Scout. It might also look good with a slight clip added to the blade as well.
Now I just need to decide what other knives I should sell to finance this rehandle venture.

Thanks for the input guys!
 
trailbum said:
New Becker designs.

IMG_20110717_133506.jpg
Click to expand...

Those are not anything like the knife the OP asked for....but thank you for posting that. #2 looks very interesting, it's a shame people don't like guards anymore.
 
late to the party, but i still think this is flat out sexy:
4e68f8b9b68f9_94253b.jpg


OTOH, nothing wrong with a master hunter, especially if you can find one in Carbon V
 
1066vik said:
late to the party, but i still think this is flat out sexy:
4e68f8b9b68f9_94253b.jpg


OTOH, nothing wrong with a master hunter, especially if you can find one in Carbon V
Click to expand...

Heck yeah Carbon V. I've got one master hunter that Eugene (GunKnifeNut) re-handled and made a sheath for. It's pretty awesome. And now I have this other one that I'm planning on modifying with a new handle and guard. Also a new sheath. Eventually.
 
Just an FYI note. The BRKT knives I've seen disassembled are "full tang" only in the loosest sense of the phrase. The stick tang of the CS Recon Scout probably has nearly as much metal, if not more, than the skeletonized BRKT handles.
 
I'll try and take some pics today showing the two different blade shapes and the mods that Eugene did.
 
TrailMaster's... just too large
I really like the clip point blade and oval guard
rat tail tang does bother me
I typically like a 4-5" blade
I'd like to keep it around... maybe $200 max if the knife comes with good leather
I should mention that I prefer carbon steel.
KaBar USN Mark 1... didn't feel right in hand
The big draw for me... a Flat ground carbon steel blade and a full guard.
Click to expand...

I don't think there are many full tang (exposed tang) production knives with guards. Most guards appear on stick tangs, and rarely are they the big oval guards. Maybe you should look at customs.

EDIT: :p I shoulda read all the way down before posting. I do this alarmingly often, posting after the bell has rung :foot:
Reminds me of Cake's "Going the Distance":

The sun has gone down and the moon has come up,
And long ago somebody left with the cup,
But he's driving and striving and
hugging the turns
 
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I think the closest thing to (and better than) an old American Recon Scout is the Ontario RD7:

Overall Length: 13.25"
Blade Length: 7.5"
Blade Thickness: 0.25"
Steel:5160
Full Tang
Price: about $89.00

Made in USA
 
I had a Cold Steel Recon Scout in Carbon V that was my favorite and used for years before it got stolen out of my luggage a couple years ago.

So I picked up a Bark River 7.5" Heavy Bowie with Leather handle for about $180.00 to replace it, and never regreted it.

CBK_7_Stk_Leath_Half_Grd_Al.jpg


In the hand, it has has the balance fighter, but it's heavy enough to chop, while still able to cut and slice well.

I've never had the blade chip or fold, even after chopping into hardwood.
 
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