Cold Steel?

[Cotherion]

I own a lot of Cold Steel stuff, an Endura, 2 Cara Cara, Manix and a Native. I would say they (comparing CS and Spyderco) are different types of knives for different functions. I wouldn't say one is better than another since there are aspects with both that I dislike and like.

To the topic, I think Cold Steel products are enjoyable and durable but some of the prices (Black Sable and similar) are custom knives prices and while they may perform as well as a custom, they are still production knives and should be priced as such.

But I am unsure how to factor in the founder's attitude/behavior in this. I don't think I can dismiss Cold Steel because of Lynn but it ain't right not to take it into account at all. Spydie's founder is a nice guy and I admit I do feel nice supporting a nice guy.

PSL I may be hard to understand since english is not quite my main language and my babies kept me awake for almost a week now. Mind going to mush.

 

[SOGJasonSOG]

It's sad to me to go into some pretty big stores and have trouble finding any damn thing that is not made in china.

Lol! that is true But I wouldn't mind made in China if they have the same quality... but quality seems hard to come by these day.

 

[SOGJasonSOG]

A lot of this debate is for one personal reason or another.

It seems that most of the negativity has to do with the owner, This is a personal reason, not that the knife is good, bad, cheap or expensive.

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.

The same thing goes here. Some people dislike the owner so much, they won't even look at a Cold Steel product, let alone buy one.

I though the hole is use to reduce the weight and also thumb/one hand opening ? but then of course it could make the blade alot weaker, I have my Spyderco's hold cracked toward the side, but I lost it or someone stolen is when I went on an expedition like almost 7 years ago :jerkit:

Just recieved my order from Smoky Mountain Knife Works. I got some CS knives: Kitchen Classics: (2) steak (1) Chef (1) Slicer. These knives are excellent, very sharp out of the box, I'm impressed. The other piece I got is the Trail Hawk, nice little tomahawk, but not sharp, well at least not what I expected. I'm I wrong here? Should it be razor sharp or what? Please enlighted me. SMKW also sent a free 4" pocket sheath for a folder, very nice, thanks SMKW.

I though they are not supposed to be razor sharp? it will get dull real quick if it's razor sharp? I don't know but axe won't be razor sharp cause it's just too thick, but a tomahawk... hhm..hhm.....

 

[SOGJasonSOG]

I have a bunch of CS products. Fixed blades, Folders, Hawks, shovel, Poll Axe, etc. All have been great users. The most expensive is a Tralimaster Bowie in Sanmai. I think they are overpriced at normal prices. (only because I have found other brands in that price point that I prefer more......Busse, Scrapyard etc....even Fallkniven large fixed blades are priced about the same). I got my Trialmaster sanmai a while ago at a large sporting goods store for $150, and it has been worth that. I would like a different handle material (after 6 years of use). The Kraton is a bit too soft, and grippy when dry. Many of their products are great value/utility/price point. I have yet to have any of their products leave me feeling as if I had wasted my money, and that cannot be said of many other companies with comparable products in the same price point. I have not had any CS folder lock give away and bite me, ever. I cannot say this about other folder's in the same, or even higher price range. All their hawks, shovels, etc have been extremely useful, and darn right fun. Their GI tanto has been a tough thrower (about all I use it for). Their push knives are great.

I have more expensive blades, but when a beginner asks for a reasonable priced entry blade, I usually include CS in my list of recommendations.

I agree that much of their marketing statements are funny (like the best type of this knife in the world etc. Strongest, sharpest, etc are hard to quantify. Cutco states they are the sharpest knife in the world.....that is crap, but they are decent kitchen knives.).

I love a lot of CS's designs. The willingness to do new things, or make old designs available (hawks, bowie styles, etc).

I wish more manufacturers would put out video's like CS's. Many of the knives I have owned would not do a lot of the things on those video's. Sure some of the stuff is cheesy, but being able to hang from a locking knife's lock, or putting it in a vice and seeing how much weight the lock will take is very helpful. No folder I have ever owned besides the Recon 1 will take 200 pounds on the lock. (I doubt many high end tatical folders would), and the recon 1 is much cheaper. Just an example. (for instance I had a knife dealer tell me the Gerber applegate folder would hold 1000 pounds on the lock, I called bs on him and showed him I could flex it with my fingers, I also had comparably priced Buck folders that would not take 20lbs on the lock without folding even when new....I know, I have had them fail in normal non abusive use, my brother had surgery on his hand once as a result of a buck folder lock giving way with light pressure in normal use).

just my 2 cents.

Oh, sorry to post so many times, but I was reading and replying, this post is just so long

I hope your brother's fingers are ok? I always afraid I might lost 3-4 fingers when using a folder... but I think he should be alright since you said it's under " light pressure in normal use" but anyway, it's just scary especially when one is using a large folder :yawn:

 

[SOGJasonSOG]

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

But think about people with gloves though... with glove it's not easy to open, unless you have a hook at the blade, and I think Spyderco was the first who have this one hand open thing, is it?

 

[T.K.C.]

I wouldn't buy a Cold Steel (Cold Steal is more accurate.), if they were the last knife company on earth!

They do not make knives, they just market them. Their advertising is over the top and they blatantly steal other makers designs. I hate thieves.

 

[darthsoaker]

Nonsense. I think this thread shows that the feelings toward Cold Steel here are mixed. Some like them. Some hate them. Some like the knives but detest the owner and/or the advertising.

You are entirely correct, some like there knives, some hate them. But that does not mean the Cold Steel does NOT mainly market to the Mall Ninja crowd.

 

[crossada]

i like the cs training products. Thompson knows how to fight with weapons and his designs show it.

 

[thombrogan]

I have no interest in the covert fgx and throwing stuff, but I like the large folders. The only thing that is keeing me away from an X2 Voyager is the fact that they charge premium steel prices for mid range steel

VG-1 is no mid-range steel. It's the steel that made the Nenox S-series famous among chefs and cooks for its edge retention and durability. Mind you, Cold Steel won't give it the same heat-treatment that Ichiro Hattori does, but then the X2 Voyager doesn't cost $200-$3000 like the other knives he makes.

 

[Tomahawk23]

About the Salt, you know it's H1, right? That's why it scratches. If you didn't know that you didn't do your homework. If it had "odd blade play", my first reaction is to ask "what did you do to it". I shouldn't say that but I'll ask if you knew if you could send it in to get it fixed? Did you trade it in to a dealer so somebody else will get an unsafe product? Any moral pangs of regret from doing that?

As far as tightening the police model "pin" 4 times, how are you doing that, and why? Once again I say what did you do to it to damage it? How are you fixing these pins?

I've got a police over 15 years old and the pins are as they came. It's been sharpened down to a nub, looks like hell,and now has some play but never had any problem with pins. Sometimes I have trouble believeing what you write here.

If you didn't like the grip or feel of the knife, why the heck did you buy it? There are spyderco's with better grips, and certainly ones meant for harder use than the Police. Comparing that, or the salt model to a 5 inch bladed voyager is kind of silly too.

I have plenty of cold steel products so don't think I'm putting them down. I just question your train of logic,honesty, and your maturity. Have fun with your battle mace and "Brooklyn smasher", I'll keep my ZDP 189 Endura while wondering what the heck a brooklyn smashers purpose is?.

BTW, VG1 is an excellent steel in my experience. Different from VG10, but not worse, or of lower quality at all. I have several VG1 cold steel products and have started to like them better than the same products in AUS8A. That's a compliment as IMO Cold steel did/does AUS8 extremely well. The only problems I ever had were the extremely sharp out of the box, but very fragile serrations on my voyagers ( including the 5,6, and 7 inch bladed knives). The cold steel lock back knives are excellent typically. The lock designer is the same engineer Spyderco used, and referred to Lynn Thompson by Sal Glessar. Joe

Some answers...
Yea... I know its made of H-1, I'm not an idiot.
The Odd Blade play was because the handle is made of that FRN crap and its soft.
I traded it to a friend who had the POLICE.
No, I don't have any Moral problems... My buddy just threw it in his Bike-Pack for a "Just in case".
I fixed the looseness on the police by Clamping it with a towel in a Pair of Vice-Grip Pliers. (it gets loose when I use It... and I use my knives hard, not just for opening Letters and then resharpening them on the Sharpmaker.)
I'm not comparing the Salt model to the 5in Voyager... There is no comparison.
I do not like the serrations on the Cold Steel knives.
You can keep your ZDP-189 Endura for $200.
If your Police is so great a knife then Why the ZDP-189 Endura?
The Brooklyn Smasher is for Smashing things!
And, as far as my Logic, Honesty and Maturity goes... I'm not a Fan-Boy for Sal's Jock, so I doubt that you would ever believe anything said about anything that doesn't Glorify Spyderco... So why are you even Interacting on a Thread about Cold Steel unless you are just trying to stir up some issues.
Spyderco is a good company, so is Cold Steel... there are also a lot of other good companies out there.
I honestly believe that most CS users actually USE their Knives while Spyderco Fan-boys are pretty much Collectors...

P.S. Sal did not "Invent the Hole" as some would believe.

 

[A.P.F.]

I wouldn't buy a Cold Steel (Cold Steal is more accurate.), if they were the last knife company on earth!

They do not make knives, they just market them. Their advertising is over the top and they blatantly steal other makers designs. I hate thieves.

Yup, that pretty much sums it up for me.

 

[Tomahawk23]

All knife companies are in the Business of Making Money.
I don't think Cold Steel is over the top with their advertising... What they do, is show you first hand what kind of abuse their knives with take and still preform.
I DARE Sal Glessner to make a Proof Video involving his knives... He wont.
If he did, it would be a video of him slicing Paper or cutting soft fruit. If you go on the Spyderco website Forum, thats all they talk about cutting.
"Oh... I Opened a Manila Envelope today with my ZDP-189 Endura, thanks SAL for making an Awesome Letter opener for only $200."

That over the top.

 

[darthsoaker]

The Odd Blade play was because the handle is made of that FRN crap and its soft.

You can keep your ZDP-189 Endura for $200.

Uh, dude, where are you paying $200 for a ZDP Endura? They go for $80. But hey! If you need to make your point.....

Oh, and I assume that since you hate Spyderco's FRN, do you like Cold Steel's plastic?

 

[Tomahawk23]

Uh, dude, where are you paying $200 for a ZDP Endura? They go for $80. But hey! If you need to make your point.....

Oh, and I assume that since you hate Spyderco's FRN, do you like Cold Steel's plastic?

My bad... $130 on the Spydy Web site.

and yes... the handle on my Voyager is Super-Tough. It has a nice thick grip to it, wont slip, even when wet or sweaty and it wont bend or twist even under some really hard use.
I have used my Voyager as a prybar... No problem.
FRN bends with just finger pressure, thats why they had to start putting Steel liners in their new knives, as well as screw construction, so you can constantly tighten them.

 

[Tomahawk23]

I wonder... Who out there has only ONE Spyderco and Uses it every day?
I used my Voyager every day for years, never needed to buy more.
But it seems to me that most Spydy Buyers have a huge collection.
If the knives are so good, then why do you need so many of them?

 

[darthsoaker]

My bad... $130 on the Spydy Web site.

and yes... the handle on my Voyager is Super-Tough. It has a nice thick grip to it, wont slip, even when wet or sweaty and it wont bend or twist even under some really hard use.
I have used my Voyager as a prybar... No problem.
FRN bends with just finger pressure, thats why they had to start putting Steel liners in their new knives, as well as screw construction, so you can constantly tighten them.

How thick is the plastic on you Voyager? I have a Native 3 which, while considerably thicker then many knives, is also incredibly strong, adding steel liners to it would be quite redundant. Which FRN Spydies have you bent with finger?

I wonder... Who out there has only ONE Spyderco and Uses it every day?
I used my Voyager every day for years, never needed to buy more.
But it seems to me that most Spydy Buyers have a huge collection.
If the knives are so good, then why do you need so many of them?

I've got a buddy who's owned a Endura (one with plastic clip) one of his only knives, but he's used and used it.

Well, if you visit Spyderco's forum. then OF COURSE you will see people with very large collections. If you have one Spyderco, and that is all you need for your uses, why would you hang around the Spyderco forum to much?

On the flip side, have you visited any Cold Steel forums? I haven't, as I don't know of any. But I bet if there was one, people would be just as likely to show off there collections.

 

[John T Wylie Jr]

All knife companies are in the Business of Making Money.
I don't think Cold Steel is over the top with their advertising... What they do, is show you first hand what kind of abuse their knives with take and still preform.
I DARE Sal Glessner to make a Proof Video involving his knives... He wont.
If he did, it would be a video of him slicing Paper or cutting soft fruit. If you go on the Spyderco website Forum, thats all they talk about cutting.
"Oh... I Opened a Manila Envelope today with my ZDP-189 Endura, thanks SAL for making an Awesome Letter opener for only $200."

That over the top.

Sal doesn't have to resort to ridiculous give away DVD's to sell knives , they sell themselves. Solid product , solid marketing.

Someone has to bring up the rear , that is where CS fits in

 

[Tomahawk23]

Sal doesn't have to resort to ridiculous give away DVD's to sell knives , they sell themselves. Solid product , solid marketing.

Someone has to bring up the rear , that is where CS fits in

Lynn Thompson Doesn't NEED to make videos to sell his knives either, Is just an extra added perk. Cold Steel Sells themselves as well. I'm sure that Cold Steel makes just as much or more money as Spyderco per year... Its just that its a collection of 30 or so Hard core Collectors thats keeping Spyderco afloat by buying 2 copies of 10 different knife handle colors for each knife they make.

Cold Steel buyers only need that one Good Knife.

 

[jim preston]

While I am no fan of Spyderco knives (personal preferance) and I have little experience with Cold Steel knives, many people on this forum seem to think they both make good knives. I'd agree. The more knife manufacturers, the better.
I don't think Sal would issue a proof DVD, even if it did show how strong/week the knives were. Even if Cold Steel did not have a DVD, their products would still sell. They are marketing, and they are marketing towards different people. They both make money, and sell knives. Also, as we have seen in this thread, they compete with each other. Competition is good, it insures that new products and better ones are produced.
A lot of people here seem to have very snobbish opinions of Cold Steel, and seem to condemn anybody who likes them as Mall Ninjas
(although, I agree, CS makes some really wacko products, but they must sell. If someone is making money, I'm fine with that.)
SOGJasonSOG, I agree that people who wear gloves might have problems with thumb studs. That's why it is good for us to have multiple knife companies, so multiple things get developed, and solutions come along. If I lived in Alaska and wore gloves every day, I might very well be carrying a Spyderco.

I wouldn't buy a Cold Steel (Cold Steal is more accurate.), if they were the last knife company on earth!

They do not make knives, they just market them. Their advertising is over the top and they blatantly steal other makers designs. I hate thieves.

Earlier in this thread I asked for examples. They copied Emeresons Wave and a design by Grohmann. Otherwise, I couldn't find examples- do you care to enlighten me?

 

[John T Wylie Jr]

Cold Steel buyers only need that one Good Knife.

well , sounds like they are buying a Spyderco then.