Cold Steel Web Site

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Wunderbar

Joined
May 2, 2003
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Cold Steel has updated their site for '04. The 420 stainless steel fixed blades are now made of Carbon V. There is a new folder based on the Pendlton Hunting knife, and a few more swords to choose from. See more here www.coldsteel.com . ;)
 
I must be looking at a different website than you. I still see lots of 400 series and 420 sub zero quenched blades listed for their cheaper fixed blade knives.
 
Darn, for a second I got my hopes up for a Carbon V Tai Pan with the black teflon finish from the Recon 1 folders. Again life lets me down.:grumpy:
 
But even if you get Carbon V, how do you know what it is? I have one big-blade Carbon V, which has been a good blade but it rusts fast.

Extreme Ratio web sits has specs for Carbon V at .95 Carbon, .54 chrome, .4 manganese, .015 tungsten and .15 vanadium. This doesn't match up to any standard steel specs I've seen. And these specs may change over time. If a maker doesn't say what its steel is, I'm skeptical.
 
Originally posted by Josey
But even if you get Carbon V, how do you know what it is? I have one big-blade Carbon V, which has been a good blade but it rusts fast.

Extreme Ratio web sits has specs for Carbon V at .95 Carbon, .54 chrome, .4 manganese, .015 tungsten and .15 vanadium. This doesn't match up to any standard steel specs I've seen. And these specs may change over time. If a maker doesn't say what its steel is, I'm skeptical.
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Number one: All carbon steel rusts. Number two: Run a search on this site. The Carbon V steel has been discussed many times. It's no secret.
 
Originally posted by Keith Montgomery
I must be looking at a different website than you. I still see lots of 400 series and 420 sub zero quenched blades listed for their cheaper fixed blade knives.
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Aha! The new ODA, OSS and UWK, in Carbon V, are at the top left under NEW ITEMS
 
Originally posted by Josey
Extreme Ratio web sits has specs for Carbon V at .95 Carbon, .54 chrome, .4 manganese, .015 tungsten and .15 vanadium. This doesn't match up to any standard steel specs I've seen. And these specs may change over time. If a maker doesn't say what its steel is, I'm skeptical.
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Hi Josey, do you have a link to that site?

Thanks.



- Frank
 
Originally posted by ichor
Aha! The new ODA, OSS and UWK, in Carbon V, are at the top left under NEW ITEMS
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Those are new knives. Cold Steel has lots of knives that are available in Carbon V. I am just wondering which ones used to be available in 420 that are now Carbon V?
 
The OSS, ODA and UWK are NOT new - they have been in the catalog for at least a year, except in 430 Sub Z. steel.
 
Originally posted by Keith Montgomery
Those are new knives. Cold Steel has lots of knives that are available in Carbon V. I am just wondering which ones used to be available in 420 that are now Carbon V?
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Those ARE the knives, Keith. they are not new. The ODA, OSS and UWK, WERE available only in 420 and NOW are also available (in Feb.) in Carbon V. I don't know how else to articulate it.
 
Originally posted by satin
The OSS, ODA and UWK are NOT new - they have been in the catalog for at least a year, except in 430 Sub Z. steel.
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Originally posted by ichor
Those ARE the knives, Keith. they are not new. The ODA, OSS and UWK, WERE available only in 420 and NOW are also available (in Feb.) in Carbon V. I don't know how else to articulate it.
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Ah, I understand. I am not a big follower of Cold steel, so I didn't realize that these were current models. I don't have any use for Cold Steel and their marketing BS and hypocrisy, so I tend not to check out their website very often.
 
Originally posted by Keith Montgomery
Ah, I understand. I am not a big follower of Cold steel, so I didn't realize that these were current models. I don't have any use for Cold Steel and their marketing BS and hypocrisy, so I tend not to check out their website very often.
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Cold Steel offers some crap, some dumb stuff, some unusally neat stuff that no one else has, and some stuff that is, I think, extreme value.

I have knives made from Carbon V and AUS8 that have performed admirably for very little money. The SRK and Recon Tanto, which can be had for around 40-50 bucks on ebay will go head to head with practically anything under a hundred bucks, and many that cost considerably more. Oh, and I happen to like the Kraton handles.

I have a Recon Scout ($65 on ebay) that I have put through knife hell that I would put up against anything in its class. I might even let Cliff have a shot at it. I bought an AUS8 Land&Sea/Rescue folder, around 3 years ago, and it has been one of the best knives I've ever owned (never leaves my side.....20 bucks new on ebay).

I will definitely buy one of these new Carbon V models as soon as they have been around long enough to start cropping up on ebay at a discount. There's no knife that I need so much that I can't wait for the price to go down or do without.

Marketing BS and hypocrisy affect me not at all. If Lynn Thompson wants to act like a buffoon at times, I couldn't care less. And I pay no attention to retail prices (which are much lower in the Special Projects catalog and even lower on ebay).

BS doesn't affect me because I don't believe anything *ANYONE* says about their own knives. Real world performance, that is, my own empirical knowledge of a knife's capabilities, is all that counts and, of course, the testimony and experience of folks who know what they're talking about (many of whom are found right here on this forum).

Being retired, I don't have a lot of discretionary income, so I just want the best bang for my buck and, like most everything else in the world, worth buying, if you pay attention and are selective, Cold Steel offers some incredible bargains (This does not include the 420 crap. With the unveiling of the new Carbon V models, it looks to me like they have gotten the message and are trying to reverse their own trend).

So, I'm not making a blanket endorsement of Cold Steel. All you have to do is look at their ridiculously priced sword line and know that everything they sell is not necessarily a good buy. ;-) I'm simply pointing out that to ignore the line altogether, because of personal dislike of the company's owner and his antics, or the fact that some of their stuff is Chinese junk, is the proverbial cutting off one's own nose to spite one's face.

Becker, a great bargain, fits this best buy niche very well too. Especially since so many brands, that have became the darlings of the industry, have raised their prices to ludicrous levels. People are entitled to spend their money as they please, but many of these prices, I could never personally justify.

I remember when Cold Steel was considered a pretty expensive knife. Now they are well below average for a quality production knife. Say what you want about Lynn Thompson, but IMHO, he was one of the primary trailblazers that made it possible for production knives to command the prices of many of today's so-called "tactical" knives selling for $300-500. My 3 cents. YMMV
 
Saw some great stuff on the new page. The previous 420SZ fixed blades now in Carbon V (someone must be listening to us grip), two more lockbacks in Carbon V (new Trailguide and the Ozark Hunter). New version of The Spike in a Wharncliffe. Sure, that's 420SZ, but I think it's supposed to be a light-use knife with the potential of one hard use (with a price point that lets the money you save go to lawyers, doctors, and therapy. Finally, a true self-defense knife!).

I'm impressed.
 
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