Fred Sanford
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2006
- Messages
- 3,138
I first saw a couple pictures of the Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite and thought it would be an awesome knife. I had no idea that they would release a larger model and call it the Tuff Lite. I had to have one. I don't usually have to have something from Cold Steel, but this time was different. They really kicked some butt with this knife.
It's a bit smaller than a Spyderco Delica but it has a better grip. The Grivory (FRN) is textured but not super grippy and not super smooth. It's perfect. It has a very large lanyard hole that is pill shaped similar to the opening hole. I have had this knife for about a week and I cannot put it down. This is the first Tri-Ad Lock I have ever owned and holy crap is it strong. There is NO vertical blade play like I am used to with a Spyderco lock back. This thing is beefy as heck. I would say that it's the strongest lock back style knife I have ever owned. I am very impressed.
The different kind of jimping is cool. It's not very grippy and looks more like it was done for looks but it feels good on your thumb.
I'm not sure if the knife can be taken apart or not. The pivot and the rear most two screws are torx but the stop pin and the lock rocker pin are "pins". Not sure if they are one sided or not. I mean, maybe when you disassemble the knife they stay in one side of the FRN. Not sure. Not wanting to take it apart yet.
It seems that the clip screw threads in the handle are steel. It looks like it's some sort of metal or brass or aluminum that is bonded into the Grivory for the screws to thread into.
The blade is hollow ground and is mad thin at the edge and the tip. This thing cuts like it's angry at something. I love it. It's bigger than a Spyderco Dragonfly but smaller than a Delica. It's light as well. I don't even clip it to my pocket. I leave the clip on it and just toss it in the bottom of the pocket. It's more comfortable to me like that.
All in all, a very high quality knife. I have to tell ya, I never used to be a fan of anything Cold Steel. Never. I am now. The Tri-Ad lock is really really impressive. I really like it. It's harder to unlock than other lock backs but it's worth it.
This Tuff Lite feels like a freakin' tank. No idea how well Cold Steel's AUS-8A holds up but I guess I'll find out.
Here are some pics.
It's a bit smaller than a Spyderco Delica but it has a better grip. The Grivory (FRN) is textured but not super grippy and not super smooth. It's perfect. It has a very large lanyard hole that is pill shaped similar to the opening hole. I have had this knife for about a week and I cannot put it down. This is the first Tri-Ad Lock I have ever owned and holy crap is it strong. There is NO vertical blade play like I am used to with a Spyderco lock back. This thing is beefy as heck. I would say that it's the strongest lock back style knife I have ever owned. I am very impressed.
The different kind of jimping is cool. It's not very grippy and looks more like it was done for looks but it feels good on your thumb.
I'm not sure if the knife can be taken apart or not. The pivot and the rear most two screws are torx but the stop pin and the lock rocker pin are "pins". Not sure if they are one sided or not. I mean, maybe when you disassemble the knife they stay in one side of the FRN. Not sure. Not wanting to take it apart yet.
It seems that the clip screw threads in the handle are steel. It looks like it's some sort of metal or brass or aluminum that is bonded into the Grivory for the screws to thread into.
The blade is hollow ground and is mad thin at the edge and the tip. This thing cuts like it's angry at something. I love it. It's bigger than a Spyderco Dragonfly but smaller than a Delica. It's light as well. I don't even clip it to my pocket. I leave the clip on it and just toss it in the bottom of the pocket. It's more comfortable to me like that.
All in all, a very high quality knife. I have to tell ya, I never used to be a fan of anything Cold Steel. Never. I am now. The Tri-Ad lock is really really impressive. I really like it. It's harder to unlock than other lock backs but it's worth it.
This Tuff Lite feels like a freakin' tank. No idea how well Cold Steel's AUS-8A holds up but I guess I'll find out.
Here are some pics.
It's really almost nothing though. Just my luck, probably.