Cold Steel Twistmaster.

W

whetrock

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Nov 13, 2010
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I was just wanting to see some pics, info, and feedback of this particular, discontinued model. I like Opinels, and would love to add one of these to my collection if I ever came across one for a reasonable price. I'm just curious as to what was/is the general consensus is on them as well.
 
Three years ago they were selling them for $5 or $10 a crack at the PLS. I took about 5 of them and gave most away. They are Good Carbon Steel (Carbon V) but they were all much stiffer than Opinels to lock and unlock. They are fine for a tool box utility knife once broken in but not much more. Only a CS fanatic would consider it a collectable IMHO. They are light for their size, slow to open and close, a poor EDC and like most Carbon Steels it is prone to rust if you don't care for it properly.
 
I have a Twist Master that is probably around 20 years old.

Wonderful knife!
Simple, elegant, and if you know how to sharpen it is a straight razor.
Nothing that I have found is like what Carbon V was.
Carbon V made the Twist Master what it was.

I also have a Carbon V SRK, that I pulled the rubber handle off of put a nice single sided brass guard on and a Sandbar Stag handle that I had laying around.
It has served me many years.

I don't care if it rusts easily.
I love Carbon V.

Please bring back a well heat treated CARBON steel.
I haven't read much about your use of O1, perhaps this is the steel I have been waiting for.
It all depends on Quality Control, and attention paid to the Heat Treatment.
 
I noticed the OP asked for some pics so I brought mine along.







Its a medium drop point. I found some other pics in an old Cold Steel catalog that shows the entire model range so have included below -





I bought mine a long time ago - can't remember exactly but 15 years plus. I think I paid around 45 bucks for it - that was retail in Australia before on line purchasing etc. At the time I could get an Opinel for 8 to 10 bucks so there was quite some difference. I have never used it much - it is more of a curio.

When I first tried the knife out it was close to impossible to lock as the locking ring was so tight. I popped the ring off, polished the inside and removed a bit of the zytel that the ring rotated on and put it back together. It can now be locked/unlocked without much effort but is tight compared to the average Opinel. The blade is a lot tighter to open and close than most Opinels - it is manageable and doesnt vary with the weather like the wooden handles can on an Opinel.

It is a well built knife and a little better suited to hard use than the originals as well as being easier to wash out etc due to the synthetic grip.

An interesting piece if nothing else.
 
If that lineup were offered once again, I do believe I'd have to restrain myself from purchasing every single one. I like those blade profiles I'm seeing, I never say this, but I'm even digging the tantos. They're dabbling in O1, so maybe that could replace Carbon V, this seems to be wishful thinking. They still make the Kudu, so why not expand the "ethnic" lineup of folders ? Thanks for the pics, very interesting.
 
Some Twist Masters in O1 or VG-1 would be a great addition. I would certainly buy one of each.
 
VG1 is excellent stuff. Though I'd be more apt to get one if it were offered in something that'd take a patina, like O1 or even SK-5. Either way I doubt Cold Steel will ever try and produce these grand folders again. It's a sort of Neo-traditional knife.
 
I really liked the Twistmaster's, the only problem with them was that it took two men and a boy to open and close.
 
Just had mine out for a quick pic so I thought I'd share. Time and use has made it much easier to open and close. This is my go-to picnic/camping knife with the flat ground Carbon 5 5" blade.

 
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