- Joined
- Jun 23, 2008
- Messages
- 1,428
Hello everyone, I'm Drew and I've been hanging around this forum for a while now commenting mostly on outdoor/military fixed blade knives which is what I rely on everyday at work and play.
Wow, I must have been tired this morning when I posted these pictures because I left out the most important part of the intro to a test or review, the description of the knife being used.
This blade is a Cold Steel Trail Master. It has a 9 1/2" convex ground stainless steel blade and a total length of 14 3/4". The blade is approx 1 1/2" wide and 5/16" thick with a clip point and a false edge measuring approx 3 1/4". This particular knife weighs 18.3 Oz. The double guard is also made of stainless steel and the handle is made of a rubber called kraton with a wide lanyard hole near the end. This knife does have a full tang which is covered/encapsulated by the kraton handle and I really enjoy this configuration because it creates a very secure grip even in wet conditions or without the wrist tie. The sheath, (partially visible in one of pictures) is a belt sheath made of nylon/cordura. It has a belt loop and is ambidextrous with the retainer strap able to secure either side of the guard. There is a leg tie also at the end of the sheath. Although this sheath is made of quality material, I much prefer the Secure-ex sheaths that many of their other knives are available in. This is the one minor complaint I have about the setup because it really limits the carrying options of this blade to upright belt attachment only.
There are a couple of things as well which are not so visible in my pictures because of clarity issues with my camera. This blade is made of a laminated 3 layers of steel that CS calls San Mai III, just like a laminated plywood you can see the separate layers when looking closely at either the spine of the knife or near the edge. The outer layers are 420J with a satin finish and the inner layer which comprises the cutting edge is made of a harder stainless called VG-1. I do not know the process by which these layers are combined but I can tell you they won't be separated as this is a very stout blade and there is no conceivable way I could see bending or breaking it with my own two hands or feet prying (within reason).
Another thing which is not so clear in the pictures is the final honing of the convex edge. There is no bevel like most other factory knives which to me means less friction and a stronger edge and an extra hand process which requires skilled attention.
Also it deserves mention that after the chores pictured and quite a bit more sandy, dirty brush clearing there was virtually no distortion and no chipping on the edge and it was still shaving paper the full length of the blade.
My personal opinion of the San Mai blades is very high and I would highly recommend this or any CS fixed-blade knife to any one who needs a sturdy, reliable tool in the outdoors. There aren't many recent reviews on this knife and hopefully mine can answer some questions and help some of you come to a decision on your own knife needs. Feel free to post any questions or comments. Thanks.
Wow, I must have been tired this morning when I posted these pictures because I left out the most important part of the intro to a test or review, the description of the knife being used.
This blade is a Cold Steel Trail Master. It has a 9 1/2" convex ground stainless steel blade and a total length of 14 3/4". The blade is approx 1 1/2" wide and 5/16" thick with a clip point and a false edge measuring approx 3 1/4". This particular knife weighs 18.3 Oz. The double guard is also made of stainless steel and the handle is made of a rubber called kraton with a wide lanyard hole near the end. This knife does have a full tang which is covered/encapsulated by the kraton handle and I really enjoy this configuration because it creates a very secure grip even in wet conditions or without the wrist tie. The sheath, (partially visible in one of pictures) is a belt sheath made of nylon/cordura. It has a belt loop and is ambidextrous with the retainer strap able to secure either side of the guard. There is a leg tie also at the end of the sheath. Although this sheath is made of quality material, I much prefer the Secure-ex sheaths that many of their other knives are available in. This is the one minor complaint I have about the setup because it really limits the carrying options of this blade to upright belt attachment only.
There are a couple of things as well which are not so visible in my pictures because of clarity issues with my camera. This blade is made of a laminated 3 layers of steel that CS calls San Mai III, just like a laminated plywood you can see the separate layers when looking closely at either the spine of the knife or near the edge. The outer layers are 420J with a satin finish and the inner layer which comprises the cutting edge is made of a harder stainless called VG-1. I do not know the process by which these layers are combined but I can tell you they won't be separated as this is a very stout blade and there is no conceivable way I could see bending or breaking it with my own two hands or feet prying (within reason).
Another thing which is not so clear in the pictures is the final honing of the convex edge. There is no bevel like most other factory knives which to me means less friction and a stronger edge and an extra hand process which requires skilled attention.
Also it deserves mention that after the chores pictured and quite a bit more sandy, dirty brush clearing there was virtually no distortion and no chipping on the edge and it was still shaving paper the full length of the blade.
My personal opinion of the San Mai blades is very high and I would highly recommend this or any CS fixed-blade knife to any one who needs a sturdy, reliable tool in the outdoors. There aren't many recent reviews on this knife and hopefully mine can answer some questions and help some of you come to a decision on your own knife needs. Feel free to post any questions or comments. Thanks.
Attachments
Last edited:
