Cold Steel, why are the pocket clips so tight?

S

Sky Pilot

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May 17, 2015
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I recently bought a Black Talon II and love it, but the pocket clip is so tight it is unusable.

I usually remove the clip and bend it, but the Torx bits were also too tight to loosen.

I had to resort to inserting two credit cards under the clip and bending it back to achieve a 1/16th inch gap which works perfectly.

Can CS address this issue in the future as I've had to adjust the clip on every CS knife I have bought.

Also, would it be cost prohibitive to powder coat the clips black instead of painting them which results in chipping or leaving them unpainted which makes them stand out?

Thanks.
 
Many Cold Steel pocket clips are indeed too tight. I've had to remove several in order to bend them in a vice. I'm afraid to try bending the clips while on the folder in case I bend the screws. [ I've joked that everyone in southern California runs around in super thin Linen shorts so they can use very tight pocket clips.] I've posted about this problem in the past but if the new folders are still coming out with unusable clips, Cold Steel has obviously done nothing about the problem.
In my opinion CS should have stayed with their original steels, which were absolutely fine, and instead fixed their pocket clips which weren't ,and are obviously still, far from fine.
 
It doesn't only end at the clips -- EVERYTHING on Cold Steels are tight. From the resistance when you open them, to the lock up, to the freaking jaws of life -- jaws of DEATH -- closure. Tight. The prison-file G10 working diabolically with the pocket CLAMP to wage terminal war on your pants! They are crude products and I now understand why people prefer other brands over them. However, there very very to the point of unnecessarily strong. They toss looks, and ease of use out the window in favor of pure function. Ease of use should be included in functionality, but that's not their concern. The products don't care about the user. They'll protect your fingers to the end but only to spare themselves the sting of failure. They'll rip up your hands and create a permanent ravine in your thumb as you attempt to banish the demon known as, Tri-Ad, to return the blade to its cage. Cold Steel has a middle name, and that name is "Unforgiving". Cold Unforgiving Steel.

Well I clearly need bed-rest.
 
My recently acquired Voyager required an attitude adjustment to the clip. Instead of removing the screws, I strategically placed the knife in a thinly padded vise and then used a large screwdriver to apply the tweaking - it's perfect now.

As for the TriAd action, it does require some breaking in and lube but it too seems perfect now.

In fact, it's so smooth now that I have learned, through a love bite and some blood, to be very judicious in depressing the lock release for a one-handed unlocking.

Great bang for the buck.
 
And the end of the clips is a bit low for some thick seams. Something they need to work on. After taking apart and bending for tension in a vise and bending the end up a bit, they are great.
 
Yeah, CS is making some very high quality, practical products, but they're also the only company that I buy from knowing I'll probably have to mess with clip and possibly sand down the handle to even make it useable.
 
For years I've seen and heard from leo's, service people and civilians complain about the slickness of a knife when liquids,fluids etc got on it and it makes holding it in the hand almost impossible and unsafe....Cold Steel made theirs with more or a gritty g10 to appease those that had issues with it...Most of the people I know don't mind sanding down the handle and under the clip to make it easier to draw and put back...
Clips for years on knives were weak and slipped out of the pocket sometimes never to be seen again.... CS also defeated that problem by making their clips out of a spring type steel......I have yet to have to bend one after I've sanded underneath the clip...If you do bend it? ....Do it slowly,gently or it will be one of those ones that slip out of your pocket and never seen again....
If your press down on the clip screws and use a flat screwdriver in between the clip and handle, that should work without stripping the screws or over bending...
The triad lock from new is very stiff to use.... A little lube and the proper way to operate it and it gets better.....
Why are most of the cs folders black? ... Because that was what the major of people asked for to use at night and not have a glare on their jobs ...
Personally I mod the things that don't work for me until it does..... Things made for the mass of people don't always suit everyone , nor should they be expected to on a single persons like or dislikes...
The Op found a way to make it work and it sounded pretty simple to do ...with a couple of credit cards? Now that is a pretty good simple fix to a minor issue ...lol
 
jazzz said:
And the end of the clips is a bit low for some thick seams. Something they need to work on. After taking apart and bending for tension in a vise and bending the end up a bit, they are great.
Click to expand...
The tight clips are a common complaint and I'm so glad someone else mentioned the small gap. The newer clips are awful. My American Lawman wouldn't even go in a pair of jeans without having to pry the clip. This would be such an easy fix for Cold Steel. The clips need to be slightly redesigned.
 
When I saw CS introducing new pocket clip design on some new folders, I was expecting them to address this over-tight issue/complaints the community raises over the years, but it seem not to be the case. However, I got the new XHP Lawman and found that even though it features the old style clip, with the smoother G-10 on the re-design handle, the tightness issue is much improved, even with relatively thick fabrics.
 
The tip not being able to go over a seam bothered me way more than the tightness. Here's my fixed clip, though I hope they address this soon. I loosened it and also bent the tip up some. Did it on 3 knives, and have 2 more in the mail to do. :(

 
I have no problem with the Tri-Ad or the Pivot - the Pivot can be adjusted, then add some Blue Loc-Tite and tighten to the "sweet spot" and oil it.

The Tri-Ad will loosen up with some oil used for fishing reels and some break in.
Friction Zero is the brand but some argue that Mobile-1 works just as well and costs less.

YMMV
 
In the past I have taken the clip off and given the clip contact point a few light brushes with a ball shaped grinding wheel, on a hand drill. It smoothed the scales down and reduced the clip contact pressure to my satisfaction.
 
upnorth said:
In the past I have taken the clip off and given the clip contact point a few light brushes with a ball shaped grinding wheel, on a hand drill. It smoothed the scales down and reduced the clip contact pressure to my satisfaction.
Click to expand...

I've always used sandpaper, but I bet that's quicker.
 
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Yes, this can be annoying at times. But anyone who has the tools to fix it will figure it out with a little experimentation.

I like the fact that they consistently use small pocket clips on most of their knife lines.

I have a few knives (from other brands) with large pocket clips that abrade the hand when being used. They don't get used or carried very much.
 
The new style pocket clip on the lawman is terrible! It won't go over the seam in a pair of jeans. Fixing the clip issue seems like it would be easy for Cold Steel to fix. Just a slight redesign.
 
I trace the pocket clip edges with a pencil, remove it, and sand VERY lightly within the marks. Then I rub the area with a wet washcloth, replace the clip, and you can't see any signs of alteration.
 
My biggest problem with the clips is the opening isn't wide enough to fit over the seams of jeans. It really shouldn't be necessary to take a clip off and bend it in a vice to be functional.
 
shootist16 said:
My biggest problem with the clips is the opening isn't wide enough to fit over the seams of jeans. It really shouldn't be necessary to take a clip off and bend it in a vice to be functional.
Click to expand...

More than once I've ran around at the last minute trying to find something to pry the clip out enough to slip it on. It can be a hassle.
 
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