Cold Steel?

tabeeb762 said:
I recently got a Bushman and I'm very impressed with the performance of the steel and the knife itself, especially for the price. So impressed infact that I was seriously considering buying a Trailmaster until I saw CHINA on the blade. I wouldn't mind it in a sub $20 knife, but its definitely out of the question in a $90 blade
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Actually the new large SK-5 fixed blades are one of the few things they have that interest me. I used to have a carbon V US made trailmaster and was a bit unimpressed with it for the price. Assuming that the bushman and trailmaster are coming out of the same factory theyr'e doing an excellent job making that steel perform as far as toughness, I'd wager that the SK5 blades are tougher than the old Carbon V ones, with little loss in edge holding.
 
I'm verry fond of the lower end CS (sub $30), and have several Kudus, Super Edges, Mini Pals, and plan on getting the RoachBelly and Canadian Belt Knife, but I can't get in to their more expensive stuff. Thier price increases are the reason why. I was going to get a SRK but in 06 in the special projects it was $70, in 07 it was $90, and in08 it is $94. I can find a better knife for that price. They also gave up carbon 5. I don't think I would spend more than $60.00 on any one blade from them. (unless it is really good)
 
I think it's worth noting here that they didn't give up on Carbon V, but rather their producer closed down.

+1 on all thoughts here. Their cheap stuff is generally a pretty good deal, but it seems to be a sliding scale with CS--the higher the quality the lesser the value.
 
I have used Cold Steel knives for years. I've had their Trailmasters in Carbon V and AUS-6 (yes they had one). I have carried thier Voyagers for years and got good performance out of them. I have one of the older Gurkha Kukris in satin finished Carbon V. One thing I like about them is the edge. Cold Steels cut. That is what knives are for. I'd bet their SK-5 knives are pretty good, too. That said, I prefer to buy American. Most of my knives are American made. Some of their new top of the line folders are really expensive, but I like the look of the new Black Rhino a lot. I may get one, even if it is made oversees.
 
It's funny...after bad experiences with the un-anodized aluminum they used with the Triple Actions, I got curious and asked several of the staff at their booth at SHOT if they could tell me if they had hardened the aluminum bolsters on the Black Rhino and their Espada series...not a single one had any idea. That worries me. Anyone have any of these knives yet?
 
My own experience with Cold Steel has had its positives and negatives.

The products are generally of decently high quality. My Scimitar has developed some blade play without any extremely torturous use, but some flaws can be expected in the production line as a whole. My 6-inch Ti Lite and X2 Voyager can be found in my pocket sometimes and are excellent knives and designs, able to be had for not-a-lot of cash and perform very well. I respect them for trying big designs like these...I wish the knife industry had more! (Picture a 5.5-inch bladed Axis lock or Spyderco...:D)

I also have a San Mai III Trailmaster and Master Tanto, both the old-school style with the brass guards. These especially are excellent, high quality knives.

The customer service sucks. I bought mine from dealers, not CS itself. Big markups. The gentleman with the "Business Model" post got it right. Don't deal with the place itself; they are impolite and unknowledgeable about their own products. They connect you to the "shop." As far as I know, they do not make any knives in the United States of America anymore and thus do not have a "shop" where knowledgeable technicians control the production or can answer questions to their methods, etc. Just a rant...CS's CS is not good.

I like the knives, but I'd buy a Spyderco before a CS any day of the week.

God bless you, America, and our men and women overseas.

KATN,

Wade
619G6
 
I practice bushcraft and survival sports in general, and always I carry a knife that I can depend on.
SRK, Recon Scout, Trail Master and Recon 1 never let me down.
I own many other knives, some of them better and others not, but they give me an excellent balance between cost and results.

Have a great day.

L.
 
AUS-6 (yes they had one).
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I have one of those, and it is an excellent knife. Always wondered why some folks did not like AUS-6 as my AUS-6 Trailmaster takes an edge and holds it.

But what got me pondering is this. Hattori makes a Big Bowie with the exact same length, width and blade profile, guard, different grind and it is in AUS-6. It has a leather washer handle.

Then the Fallkniven Thor is just a little longer, same width, blade profile and grind, guard, laminated steel, same as the San Mai Trailmaster, and is made by Hattori. (same leather washer handle, that is the give away)

So, did Hattori make Trailmasters for Cold Steel? Are they making them now?

A=B B=C, C=A?
 
I personally do not like Spyderco. I detest cutting holes in perfectly good blades. BUT, this is just my own opinion. I would never tell someone not to buy one because I don't like the looks of it.
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Yes! Finally, someone who share my views. Not only are thumb holes ugly, they are also harder to open quickly, without a wrist flick, than non-hole knives
 
I like CS over all. I have owned many over the years. I carried a Recon Scout or the LTC Kurki on my rucksack in the army. They took all the punishment that we could give them no matter what the conditions or environment. I carry a recon 1 every day and its has done everything I have needed it to do with out fail. I buy at dealer cost which is about 50% of retail so the price is ok for me. I have had plenty of fun with there hawks and shovel throwing them. I have broke M-7 and M-9 bayonets in the past but I have never broke a cold steel.
RLTH
Rich
 
jim preston said:
Yes! Finally, someone who share my views. Not only are thumb holes ugly, they are also harder to open quickly, without a wrist flick, than non-hole knives
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I hate to jump on the subject changing bandwagon, but I also do not like the looks of spyderco knives. The spyder holes just look kind of sinister, and usually their blade-to-handle ratio seems like you pay for 5 inches of handle for every 2 inches of blade.

Except, I bet their knives are high quality, and I would probably be pleased with any one of them.
 
I wouldn't pay over 100$ for any CS knife (imo). I have a Recon Tanto, Ti-lite (kydex), khurki, and their shovel. I am pleased with all of them (considering their price).

I really like the Ti-lite, alot of fun, and for $40 it's a bargin.
 
jim preston said:
they are also harder to open quickly, without a wrist flick, than non-hole knives
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That doesn't even make sense.:thumbdn:
Try comparing thumb hole opening to thumb stud opening with full adrenal dump and get back to me on it.
 
That doesn't even make sense.
Try comparing thumb hole opening to thumb stud opening with full adrenal dump and get back to me on it.
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Umm, it makes perfect sense. I can take, say, my CRKT M16, Buck Mayo Hilo, Kershaw Sapphire, or Benchmade Vex, hold it in my hand, still, flick the thumb stud. The blade goes forward very quickly and lock with a very satisfying snap.
I try the same thing with my Byrd, and it goes between 1/2 and 3/4 of the way open. To open it fully, one handed, I have to move my wrist.
The same can be said with the Spydercos and Benchmades I've handled with a hole, except for a very well (5yr) broken in Mini-Grip, only after having practiced on a Byrd all day.
I won't deny Spydercos are very good knives, cutting wise. I just can't flick them open very well.
Back on track: I am indifferent towards Cold Steel. Why? I only own one of their products: a Pole Axe. Strictly a collectors item. (Well, it can probably be used for something, but there are better tools for the job out there)
 
I have a Carbon V Recon Tanto that I really like. Unfortunately I believe it suffers from the same issue as the much talked about Trailmaster failure from batoning. As such I don't consider it that great a knife for wilderness use. Other than that one issue, it seems to be a very sturdy knife, though. It's certainly quite happy to be used as a prybar or digging tool, and the edge actually holds up pretty well. It *LOOKS* absolutely badass though, IMO. People never fail to comment on it.

Cold Steel has a number of cool non-knife products also that I'd like to check out, like their warhammer. Their marketing is embarassing though. So much hype. I think that and the fact that Lynn Thompson has a reputation (whether true or not I couldn't tell you) for being a bit of a dick are why the company catches so much flak around here.
 
jim preston said:
Umm, it makes perfect sense.
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Actually, it does not. Hard flicking being bad aside, attributing flickability to the opening stud strikes me as a lack of reasoning. I'm also guessing that you have never handled a Military/Paramilitary.

jim preston said:
I can take, say, my CRKT M16, Buck Mayo Hilo, Kershaw Sapphire, or Benchmade Vex, hold it in my hand, still, flick the thumb stud.

I try the same thing with my Byrd, and it goes between 1/2 and 3/4 of the way open. To open it fully, one handed, I have to move my wrist.
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Think for a moment. Can you flick the blade just as hard with a thumbstud as with a hole? Yes. So where's the problem then? Not with the hole, obviously!

Open one of the folders you listed, slowly. Notice how after you overcome the tiny detent ball on the liner/frame, it opens the rest of the way? Open that Byrd. Notice that instead of a ball detent, there is a large backspring constantly forcing the blade back into place, until about the 30-degree point?

That's right, the opening hole has nothing to do with it. The difference is that all the "flickable" blades are linerlocks/framelocks. It's the lockback that makes a knife hard to flick, not the hole.
 
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That's right, the opening hole has nothing to do with it. The difference is that all the "flickable" blades are linerlocks/framelocks. It's the lockback that makes a knife hard to flick, not the hole.
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True, to some extent. I've been able to flick open Kabar Doziers, and haven't been able to flick open a Benchmade Vex with a thumb hole. That was why I got stuck with the tanto.
Can you flick the blade just as hard with a thumbstud as with a hole? Yes
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NB- A thumb hole is only as deep as the blade. A thumb stud, however can be wider than the blade, giving your thumb more something more to grab on to. The thumb studs on all the knives listed above (Except the Sapphire, which is and extremely smooth opening knife) have thumb studs thicker than the blade, allowing for greater purchase than a thumb hole.
Like I said, Spydercos are great knives. Just not as easily flicked open as thumbstud knives.
I think I'm gonna start a new thread on this.
(However, Spydercos owner seems to be a great guy, willing to talk to his customers)
This thread was about Cold Steel.
Their Proof DVDs make great little gifts. They are free, fun to hand out.
 
I like CS, Their knives are good stuff for the $ :thumbup:
One of my EDC's is the ProLite, this thing is a beast!
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It's bigger than a RAT3
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