Whoops, sorry, that 50 dollar SRK second, is on the Cold Steel Special Projects site.
http://www.ltspecpro.com/srk.html
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Cold Steel SK-5 Trail Master has been DISCONTINUED
- Thread starter tabeeb762
- Start date
Whoops, sorry, that 50 dollar SRK second, is on the Cold Steel Special Projects site.
http://www.ltspecpro.com/srk.html
I am glad I have some of the old Carbon V models. I like to put new handles on them. If the new ones are US and Carbon V or better I might go back to making more of them.
Very nice. I really like the top pic. Is that wood or micarta, or what? I notice that you also shaped the guard to transition smoothly into the handle. How much to do that for me?? <g>
Very nice. I really like the top pic. Is that wood or micarta, or what? I notice that you also shaped the guard to transition smoothly into the handle. How much to do that for me?? <g>
Here is the leather washer/wood handle that I referred to earlier. I'm pretty sure he doesn't do this professionally, so I think this looks pretty cool.
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/
It's already on their website. Question is, since the "new" Recon Scout looks just like the "old" one (And old Made in China Trail Master, which some of us just bought for 66 bucks, including shipping, Recon Scout 10 bucks less), does making it in Taiwan out of the same steel, with the same finish....justify $189.95????? Or did they make some secret improvement.
(In fairness, It does look like they went back to stamping the name, instead of the cheesy painted one on the Chinese model)http://www.coldsteel.com/combatclassicsk5.html
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2006
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- 562
It's already on their website. Question is, since the "new" Recon Scout looks just like the "old" one (And old Made in China Trail Master, which some of us just bought for 66 bucks, including shipping, Recon Scout 10 bucks less), does making it in Taiwan out of the same steel, with the same finish....justify $189.95????? Or did they make some secret improvement.
http://www.coldsteel.com/combatclassicsk5.html
MSRP does not equal street price, which will be much lower than $189.95.
Seems that folks don't want to pay hefty prices for Chinese knives.
Taiwan quality is seen as significantly better.
Really?? Thanks for letting me in on that pearl of info.
The MSRP on the Chinese Recon Scout was a little under a hundred bucks, so the new MSRP is somewhere around double the old MSRP price. :yawn:
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Mike Sastre
Custom Crafted Concealex Sheaths
- Joined
- Mar 23, 1999
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- 1,919
While those of us who have actually used the Chinese SK-5 blades from Cold Steel all report that they perform just fine, Chinese manufacturing in general has rightly earned itself a stigma, so it'd just make sense from an overall sales perspective, to switch manufacturing to Taiwan (or any other place), which has a better manufacturing reputation. Along with the better reputation comes increased production costs, which naturally get passed on. If you want a great value, get the older SK-5s while you still can.
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- Jan 14, 2000
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Or buy a made in the USA Becker BK9 for about the same price.
I believe if my memory serves, that SK-5 is a Japanese steel. Since Taiwan does not have their own steel industry, it was probably a move to improve manufacturing consistency. That means labor costs go up, hence the increase in price. Basically, my understanding is this, that Taiwan allows a knife manufacturer to outsource manufacturing while controlling the use of a particular type of steel (see Benchmade's use of 440c, N690, etc in their Taiwan offerings, Spyderco's use of S30V, Cold Steel with 1055, others.) Now, if you chose to source your steel and your manufacturing in China, you get a certain price point ala the Byrd Line, Tenacious, Benchmade Pika II, VEX. You could source your manufacturing in China, with steel from elsewhere, ala Cold Steel, Boker with SK-5, 1055. Or you could source steel and manufacturing to Japan, and you get the pricepoint of the majority of Seki made blades of Spyderco, AG Russell, KAI, etc. My impression from research and buying is this, Japan and the United States and Germany to some extent, you are going to pay top dollar for steel and manufacturing. People are willing to pay. If you want to save money it's either Taiwan or China, with benefits to doing it several ways. I think Taiwan has an excellent reputation for Manufacturing and since the steel can be sourced from Japan or the US relatively easily, its a good way to control manufacturing.
Daniel L
Gold Member
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- Nov 2, 1998
- Messages
- 1,978
I bet sales of the Trailmaster fell through the floor when the moved production to China and went with the black coating. It just doesn't speak "quality" in the same way the previous Carbon V USA-made Trailmaster with a polished finish.
i.e. they went "cheap" and tried to maintain high prices and profits and the market said "no thanks." Taiwanese production in a polished finish is probably a step in the right direction but maybe pricing is off....
i.e. they went "cheap" and tried to maintain high prices and profits and the market said "no thanks." Taiwanese production in a polished finish is probably a step in the right direction but maybe pricing is off....
I couldn't be more in agreement, but I can't help but wonder about the decision to produce in China in the first place. I don't hold Lynn Thompson's buffoonery in any higher esteem than many others on our forum but, even if it was an experiment, why would he use one his most popular models as the guinea pig of this marketing goofoo? Folks may not think much of him, but his marketing savvy has proven incredibly effective so....why?? It's not like the shoddy reputation of mainland China's products is a deep, dark secret.(nobody's perfect, I guess)
I have a USA made Carbon V Recon Scout which has never disappointed (Trail Master too, until some weasel stole it). But, I may have mentioned, my SK-5 Bushman has proven to be the best $20 knife I've even seen, so I'm relatively certain that a Trail master in SK-5 will be up to the task, not withstanding the infamous, and widely circulated pic of one which broke at the tang during a session of batoning (this could happen to ANY knife, no matter it's reputation and I use something thinner and cheaper for this task...if I forgot my hatchet ;-)). Only time will tell, but 66 bucks for a Chinese Trail Master ain't too bad for a beater/chopper and I have no regrets regarding that purchase. And I, in no way would be willing to pay double for one, simply because it is made in Taiwan. Just my 2 cents, YMMV.
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TheFlash
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2000
- Messages
- 524
Just a quick comment for anyone who wants to pick up an SK-5 Trail Master.
A buddy of mine wanted one and I found out that Smoky Mountain Knife Works is selling them for $49.99.
Just do a quick search on their website and you'll find it...
Regards,
Mike
A buddy of mine wanted one and I found out that Smoky Mountain Knife Works is selling them for $49.99.
Just do a quick search on their website and you'll find it...
Regards,
Mike
I thought another quick comment is in order. When I first opened my bargain, SK-5, Chinese Trail Master, tho' I thought it was still a good deal, I was somewhat disappointed in the "epoxy" (or whatever) finish, in that it appeared rough/uneven, and not quite as nice as older CS, coated products that I've owned. This was, apparently, the excess coating that "beaded" up, or something, on the surface. After putting the knife into the sheath a number of times (you know that when you get a new knife, you continually take it out and look at it again, at least I do), the leather sheath acted like a light "sanding" and now the finish is smooth and fairly nice to look at, and pretty much matches the finish on an older USA made SRK, and others.
This is a great thread with pics, thanks for that! It pretty much confirms what I've always suspected about hidden tang knives. I've got some from CS, Swamp Rat, Bark River, Buck, and others, and they make me nervous with regard to hidden rust. I prefer the coated blades for this very reason, although they might not look as nice to some.
Keep in mind, a few years back, CS announced that the RS was going to be discontinued. They later re-continued it, but it was still kind of annoying. Who knows what's coming next?
The Trailmaster and Recon Scout have always been some of the most aesthetically pleasing bowies to me.