Cold Steel Recon Scout

I used one of these a few years back. It has a decent blade heavy balance which gives it solid power for chopping, a slip clip point which offers high penetration, and a fairly secure grip due to the checkering of the Kraton grip.

However the edge angle is a little too obtuse, the grip is abrasive to most and not very durable, and the point can be fragile because of the large clip.

The CU/7 from Becker would be better in all respects except for chopping, and the Camp Tramp from Swamp Rat Knife Works, an improvement in all aspects. Ref :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/knives/trailmaster_recon_scout.html

-Cliff
 
Hello Cliff, but would the Swamp Rat be better as a combat knife? I think CS advertises the Recon Scout as the ultimate combat knife, and while that might not be true, it looks to me to be a better design for that purpose. In particular, it has a heavy double guard - something not present on the Becker or Swamp Rat knives.

On the other hand, I don't doubt your judgement of the comparative cutting abilities of these knives.
 
One other thing, Cliff. Don't forget that there are a bunch of us out here that absolutely despise Becker scales. The CS handles might not be ideal, but anything beats the Becker handles in my opinion, and I think I could find many others who would agree.
 
The large guard does offer significantly greater protection from over ramping on heavy stabs, which can be a problem with both the Becker Bowie and Camp Tramp, more so with the slicker scales on the Becker. The guard also however severely reduces the versatility of the knife in many ways by limiting grips, and making certain types of cutting difficult as the guard is in the way.

Handle ergonomics are of course very personal, some do not like the Becker grips much at all. I am one of them. I find them too slick and the holes abrasive. However some tape solves most problems. The handles on the Cold Steel line however have much more of a problem because of a lack of contour and a much lower durability which makes them prone to breakdown in extended use.

-Cliff
 
Hello again, Cliff,

You are certainly the expert in "extended use", so we should all heed your comments about the durability of the Recon Scout handles.
 
Cliff,
Is bead Blasting a good idea for the BK. I'm tempted to try my hand at some micarta scales for the BK7. What do you think?
Thanks
Dave
 
A rough bead blasting could improve the security, as could a very coarse sanding, or a decent checkering. Several people have made custom handle slabs for the Beckers and were quite pleased with the results, so if you have the means, give it a shot.

-Cliff
 
I've carried the rs on and off since 92. Mine is one of the sterile jobs with the stepped choil (not sure how the new ones compare). For the types of things i use it for its overbuilt. You're not going to break it short of cutting your way out of a M113. It chops and slices just about anything well and it holds its edge. The only reason I don't carry it all the time is weight. Oh - and fickleness.
I think its a good all around blade - if your not trying to replace a machete or axe with it. If your looking to carry it as military kit get a sheath from eagle and wear it as 1st line gear. Cold Steel has great blades made by other companies but the sheaths they put them in are :barf:
 
Hello Spatha,

The chief concern with the RS is regarding the durability of the handle. You have used one for over ten years - how has the handle held up? Do you think you have given your RS enough use to give us a definitive statement on the durability of the handle?

Thanks in advance.

Bill
 
I use mine for basic chores. Light brush clearing, carving sector stakes, cutting down small trees (3-4in.)for overhead cover, cutting cardboard/rope/light plastics and on the rare occasion chopping commo wire . I also train with it slashing denim and foam . Again I've been using it since '92.
As far as the Kraton - its rubber. The checkering is a little worn and it has small slice in it ( note its just a bad idea to chuck your A1 into a drawer naked). (I would really love to get an rs blade with a Mission MPK or leather washer grip), but I have seen no signs of the rubber seperating from the tang.
I do swap it out now and again depending on what I'm doing.
My other goto's are A peltonen m95, Raven (midtech), fallkniven a1, and cs peacekeeper (in carbon).
 
Thanks, Spatha. It sounds like the RS handle durability on your specimen is not all that bad.

I think of the Recon Scout as a budget alternative to the Randall Model 14, which is the ultimate combat/utility in a traditional style and materials. I have not come across another knife that can challenge the Recon Scout in this role.
 
W.T. Beck,

you might have overlooked my post in this thread.

Sorry for the OT in this thread, but your eMail is turned off, so I couldn't contact you privately.
 
One of my favorite fixed blades. I had the larger Trailmaster, I have the BIG CS Kukuri and a very large TOPS Steel Eagle. But I like the Recon Scout best for a basic camping knife. It's big enough to chop, and small enough to cary easily. The carbon V steel holds a great edge and is able to reharpen fairly easy.

As for the handle, its comfortable in my hand. Rubber wouldn't be my first choice, but then again I live in a world where I don't use the knife everyday.
 
One thing to remember, once the handle comes off of a Cold Steel, there is no putting it back on. The rubber is cast right over the tang. To make a new handle would require mortising the tang between 2 pieces of Micarta or drilling out a tang hole in a lrge piece of wood or Micarta. Either way, it is very, vert difficult. The Becker handles may not be too good, but they are easily replaceable.
 
A Becker with improved scales would no doubt be the better utility knife. However, I still think the Recon Scout is the better combat design. I think of Becker knives as a budget alternative to Busse knives (or perhaps more correctly, Swamp Rat knives). They are good utility knives but not really designed for a combat role.

The Recon Scouts aren't terribly expensive, so if I wore the handle out on one, I would just buy a new Recon Scout. Or if it were cost effective, I would ask a knifemaker to replace the handle.

On the other hand, it might not be a bad idea to write to Cold Steel and suggest that a more durable handle is in order. After all, it should be their responsibility to solve this durability problem, shouldn't it?
 
Good point, or as that most irreverant of american american poets might say "well spoken well said..."[chevy chase] while I do place a lot of stock /" faith" in my rs, failure of equipment is always in the back of my mind. Thats why when I put a blade on my pants belt I always have something of equal or simular value in my A bag. It also helps when OPONCONed out. Their "smaj" may have a problem with our gear but once the wire is cleared he ain't gonna be there. and if he is, he won't!

I am a fan of the rs, but for all this typin' I should state some caveats, If your looking for a basic camp knife its a good bet. If you want a Johnny Recon fighting knife... Do what Al Mar said, take what your issued, sharpen it well and train with it . Then use it only as a weapon. I am a big fan of the M7 for that. The blade shape has been a crowd pleaser since the stone age; I'm also much a bigger fan of the M95, A1, and Raven midtech.

Now that the rants over - - - Pack two. Carry one and keep the other where you can get it - Murphy never sleeps, but you have to.
 
Good points, Spatha. However the Raven Midtech is in a higher price category than the RS, so maybe it should not be included in a comparison to the RS. Certainly there are much better knives than the RS for those able to pay alot more.

Your comparisons to less expense issue designs are of course much more relevant. These certainly warrant serious examination as competitors to the RS. Thanks for bringing this to light. I for one think overall design is a very important factor, sometimes overlooked nowadays in the quest to find the best materials.
 
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