Cold Steel SRK or Fallkniven A1?

MW740

MW740

Joined
Aug 21, 2002
Messages
732
I really like the similar designs of these knives, but I can't decide which one I like better. I need input and opinions from you guys. Please don't suggest other knives, I would like to compare these two knives.
 
I have SRKs' as part of each cars(3) emergency kit, my hiking packs(2) and my hunting pack. I like them a lot. I also sent one to my Marine nephew in Iraq.
 
The Fallkniven is a little bigger and is ground from an awesome stainless steel(VG10), which might make it more versatile. I do love the SRK though, and keeping that Carbon V blade oiled down has never been a problem. Flip a coin. You can't go wrong either way.
 
One of the very first posts I made on BF was to ask for input on the choice between the same two knives. Based on forumites' input, I chose the A1. I have not regretted it.

The only point you may wish to consider is that the A1 has a convex edge; the SRK a normal one. This makes the A1 easy to sharpen using the mouse mat/sandpaper method, though you may find this a disadvantage. I don't.

Here are reviews (plus links) of the 2 knives:

http://www.zvis.com/knives/fixed/falknvna1.shtml

http://www.zvis.com/knives/fixed/cssrk.shtml

Have fun choosing!

maximus otter
 
Originally posted by Danbo
The Fallkniven is a little bigger and is ground from an awesome stainless steel(VG10), which might make it more versatile. I do love the SRK though, and keeping that Carbon V blade oiled down has never been a problem. Flip a coin. You can't go wrong either way.
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I have heard good things about Fallkniven, but I too only own the SRK. It's one of my favorite knives and the Carbon V blade takes a dynamite edge. I don't think the extra 3/8" in length is significant but I do think the the difference in price is. While the A1 is 100 bucks, or more, the SRK runs closer to $60-70 and can typically be picked up on ebay for less than 50 bucks. The A1 is shiney and has a, to my eye, prettier blade shape, but the SRK is all utilitarian and I would trust it to do most anything needed. As Danbo said, you really can't go wrong with this selection.
 
I got a SRK direct from CS for $50. It was supposed to be a 2nd, but it doesn't have the "2" on the butt like a 2nd is supposed to. Oh well, if they had a forum, I'd bring it up and deal with it, but since they don't think we're important enough...

Anyway, its a sharp and well made knife. I highly recommend it for the $.

BTW: Why, with all the great American knives out there, would you even consider a knife made somewhere else?

Just curious.

Albin
 
I only have the SRK, but I found that the grind is a bit thicker than I like it to be.
If you do more cutting than, say, chopping, you might apprciate the Fallkniven more. They tend to have a thinner grind, at least from the pictures it seems to be so.
 
I own both and use both. I like them both, but the nod goes to the A-1
 
I've tested Carbon V (CS Master Hunter) and VG-10 (Fallkniven F1) side by side, skinning a black bear, and they demonstrated equal edge holding qualities. The VG-10 takes a little longer to sharpen than Carbon V, but is of course way more corrosion resistant -- not that I found that to be a problem with Carbon V, as long as you dry it off after use.
I thinned the edge on my SRK, ending up with a convex edge, and it cuts like a screaming witch, to quote Ethan Becker.
You wouldn't go wrong with either.:D
 
Go with the Fallkniven, higher quality. I put the tip of my SRK in a vise and with very little force was able to break 3/4" off the tip. No kidding, a child could have broke it off. I was stunned. Granted you'll probably never have to pry anything with your knife, and everyone knows, you should never do such a thing. But it was only $50.00 or something like that, so based on price you can get 2 SRK's for 1 Fallkniven. Something to think about if you're putting together a Bug out Bag for your car etc.

Jared

Just updated!

www.geocities.com/placeknives/index.html
 
Originally posted by PlaceKnives
Go with the Fallkniven, higher quality. I put the tip of my SRK in a vise and with very little force was able to break 3/4" off the tip. No kidding, a child could have broke it off. I was stunned. Granted you'll probably never have to pry anything with your knife, and everyone knows, you should never do such a thing. But it was only $50.00 or something like that, so based on price you can get 2 SRK's for 1 Fallkniven. Something to think about if you're putting together a Bug out Bag for your car etc.

Jared

Just updated!

www.geocities.com/placeknives/index.html
Click to expand...


So, how does this demonstrate that the Fallkniven is higher quality? Did you try your "tip in the vise" trick with an A1? A better question might be, why would you do this to any knife? :rolleyes: :confused:
 
I had no Idea that ther SRK is made in the USA. Cold Steel should advertise that. Between that fact and the cost difference, my decision is made. PlaceKnives, I don't ever plan on putting any knives in a vise and trying to brake it. I doubt that many knives at all would pass that test.
 
I'll toss my $.02 in here since I have owned a couple of both knives in-question...I would go for the A1. Why?...Because it is stainless, and the "feel" is better than the SRK...At least to ME. The A1 just feels more solid than the SRK, and it seems to be "finished" just a little bit better than the SRK.

Although, you really can't go wrong with either one.:).
 
I've both and cannot fault the blades in either. I do prefer the A1 due to the firmer material used in its handle.
 
"So, how does this demonstrate that the Fallkniven is higher quality? Did you try your "tip in the vise" trick with an A1? A better question might be, why would you do this to any knife?"

To answer this, let me just say that I believe laminated steel is stronger than the steel used by Cold Steel, and you cannot argue that the fit and finish of a Fallkniven is better than the Cold Steel SRK. The sheaths are nice heavy leather too, these add up to the Fallknivens being better quality than the SRK.

As for the tip in the vise, it should not be done, I said that in my post. I only did it because I had a knife I was never going to use and did it just to see how hard it was to break. The American Bladesmiths Society has all of it's Journeyman Smiths put one of their knives through this test. Why do they do it? To test the strength of a knife.

Sorry I gave my opinion at all, seems every time I do I get slammed. From now on I'll keep all of my opinions to myself. I was just trying to help.
 
Originally posted by PlaceKnives
"So, how does this demonstrate that the Fallkniven is higher quality? Did you try your "tip in the vise" trick with an A1? A better question might be, why would you do this to any knife?"

To answer this, let me just say that I believe laminated steel is stronger than the steel used by Cold Steel, and you cannot argue that the fit and finish of a Fallkniven is better than the Cold Steel SRK. The sheaths are nice heavy leather too, these add up to the Fallknivens being better quality than the SRK.

To which I respond: You did not state this in your original post. Some laminated steels are are stronger, but I don't think that's universally true. Have you ever seen the videos of Carbon V being bent to incredible angles without breaking. My SRK's have taken incredible abuse (I didn't put them in a vise and *try* to break them, admittedly). Maybe you had a dud. I didn't think Fit and finish were part of the equation here. I thought we were talking about utility and value. I did, however, mention that the A1 is the prettier knife. When we talk about quality and value I guess we could take the sheath into consideration. My SRK came with a very servicable, but nothing to write home about, sheath. As far as the Fallkniven "nice heavy sheath" I'm unaware as I have never seen one, but the picture on their webpage looks very similar to the one that came with my SRK (maybe someone with both knives could comment on the sheaths?).


As for the tip in the vise, it should not be done, I said that in my post. I only did it because I had a knife I was never going to use and did it just to see how hard it was to break. The American Bladesmiths Society has all of it's Journeyman Smiths put one of their knives through this test. Why do they do it? To test the strength of a knife.

And my reply is" Yes, you did say that it should not be done, but I had to wonder if you commonly spend 50 bucks on a knife to see if you can break it. When you say it was a knife you would never use I can only assume that you bought it to see if you could break it. The American Bladesmiths Society had nothing to do with this. If you're not going to be doing it the A1, in exactly the same manner, I don't think it's a relavant comparison.

Sorry I gave my opinion at all, seems every time I do I get slammed. From now on I'll keep all of my opinions to myself. I was just trying to help.

C'mon, don't take your ball and bat and go home. You are a knifemaker, which is something I'll never be, and I respect that. There are strong personallities on this forum and you have to be ready to be questioned if you post your opinions. If you're gonna take them personally, then, you're right, you shouldn't post your opinion. You think I don't get slammed? Bwaahahahaha~ Take care.
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Fair enough. See, I bought a SRK because I had always wanted one. After a month or 2 I decided to cut the rubber handle off and make a new Micarta handle with a stainless guard. This turned out to be alot harder than it seems. Not only was the steel too hard to file but the shoulders of the tang were not in line with each other and the tang itself was tapered, so I gave up on it, put it in a drawer and forgot about it for a while. When I dug it back out I thought, "I'll never use this" and I knew I'd never put hours and hours into making a new handle for a $50.00 knife, so I stuck it in the vise to see what king of bend it would take. I honestly thought it would bend a little, but it broke in 2 like it was made of stone.
I would like to see the Fallkniven put in a vise just for a comparison. You could be right, the Fallkniven could break just as easily, I don't think it would, but we'll probably never know. At any rate for value alone, the SRK wins. Like I said before you can buy 2 for the price of a single Fallkniven and that fact alone is enough to warrant it's purchase for most applications.
Take care,
Jared
www.geocities.com/placeknives/index.html
 
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