Cold Steel Vaquero 21XVS Now Out

The AUS-8 Vaquero Grande cuts really well.

I don't know much about metallurgy, but that fully-serrated, recurved 6" blade cuts better than damn near any other knife I've handled . . . and I've handled a LOT of knives.

I wouldn't put it in the same class as a "gas station knife". :jerkit:
 
Right now the looming question is whether VG-1 is any better than AUS 8A, is it about the same or a notch below? I've also been waiting for some reviews to appear on the new Vaquero (or other CS offerings), but none so far. Cold Steel also is silent other that touting VG-1 like it was adamantium or something. (I could see the exclamation mark if there was a zero after the one, but nope, all it says is "Now VG-1 Stainless Steel!" as if it were a huge step up!
 
flatgrinder said:
Okay, you got me.

Gas station crap ... AUS8A ... 440C ..VG10 ...154CM .. ATS34 ... S30V / D2

:)
Click to expand...

I don't consider Buck's 420HC to be "Gas station crap" and it isn't as good as AUS8A. AUS8A and 440C are about the same. They're good steel. Maybe not the latest, but I've got enough of both to tell you they're a long way from "gas station crap".
 
Just got one of the new Vaqueros and I'm disappointed. Polish job on the blade was spotty and though the feel is good, money would be better spent on other 5-inch knives such as the Gunsite II, which has a better balance and better feel for about the same $$$.

The blade is a bit wider than the old 5-inch Vaquero, but the handle is smaller making is seem like a smaller knife. In other words, the grip isn't nearly as good as the older grip.

The serrations are about the same as found on other Cold Steel knives, but this one seems like a slightly larger 4-inch, and if you've handled one of those you know how smallish the grips can seem in relation to the rest of the knife. Had Cold Steel used its older grip, it would have been a perfect balance.

Still undetermined is whether there's any metallurgical value in a VG-1 knife over an AUS 8 knife. Based on Cold Steel's silence and the fact that there's nothing on its website makes me think the two steels are roughly the same.

The knife seems to be a good cutter, but if I were going to get a Vaquero, it'd be a 6-inch. The grips and blade of those monsters are indeed impressive. I think CS purposely wanted to hold down the size on this model and folks might find the grips to be a bit too small.
 
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