Cold Steel?!?

D

DrRMJ

Joined
May 7, 1999
Messages
209
Why is it that it seems that whenever the name Cold Steel comes up, some people gringe, gripe, and basically express distain for their products?

I have a Voyager XL and a Vaquero Grande and I've been using them for some daily chores. Sure, I have to take them to the Sharpmaker everytime I slice a tomato (actually 2 or three) and the zytel feels cheap, and yes, I got these knives for free from a good friend so I didn't actually have to buy them, but I think they are pretty good nonetheless. Also, the locks seem pretty strong. Maybe I should get the video. Anyways, I like these folders.

[This message has been edited by DrRMJ (edited 03-09-2001).]
 
The founder of Cold Steel, Lynn Thompson, is a very aggressive as well as a very ingenious marketer. Some people object to the hype and his pugnacious approach. On the other hand, my experience with CS knives (about a dozen in all) has been very positive. Carbon V is excellent high carbon steel with the heat treatment CS uses, and I have no complaints about AUS8,either. AUS8 is easy to sharpen for a stainless steel and holds an edge acceptably well. The thin grinds on the Voyagers make them excellent cutters. CS also has come up with some very ingenious designs, such as the Master Huinter, SRK, the tanto (which really started that trend), introduced kraton grips and continues with a host of other new products from spears to shovels. The firm is a bit combative, but what the heck... you don't have to believe everything you read. The video CS offers is worth watching, IMHO.
 
I recieved a CS mini-kukuri in carbonV last week.I took it out yesterday and cleared out all of the briar bushes and saplings from behind my garage(a fair amount of cutting) and the knife would still shave hair.This is my first experience actually using a Cold Steel product and I am impressed.They must have the heat treat down pretty good on their carbon blades anyway.I dont really like the looks of their folders though...
troy
 
Man, I wish I could remember where I read it here, I think it MIGHT have been Cougar Allen who was saying something about "Carbon V" just being a generic name for whatever steel they happen to be purchasing at the moment. Ring a bell anyone?

I bet a search of the forums would turn up the thread...

Firebat

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Name's Ash......Housewares.
 
Yup- here it is:

http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum64/HTML/001633.html

Now I'm not saying it's completely true, but it's interesting nonetheless.

As for myself, I just don't care for their stuff. I'm sure it works ok, but none of it "does" anything for me. Seems a step up from the Smith and Wesson knives. Basically uninspiring, IMHO.

Firebat

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Name's Ash......Housewares.
 
IMHO CS is a good medium range priced knife - call it entry level, no disrespect - the first 2 'combat?' style knives i had were CS - a shinobu folder (lost it at the lake) and a gunsite tanto combo blade large model - i'm not sure i wouldnt pick it up above all my knives for serious use - its long, and a wicked looking thing razor sharp - yeah they might be aggresive marketers but they do put out a good product - i wouldnt spend ,more than 70-80 bucks on them though - for more than that kinda $$ other better stuff around IMHO-


have a good wkend

vet
 
I was never really into cold steel products. But after seeing the new stuff they are coming out with that may change.

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Brian
The first knife was probably used to cut stuff.
 
I have several CS knives, and they all serve me well. The Carbon V on both the SRK and the Master Hunter is easy to sharpen, and seems to hold an edge well. They are fairly reasonably priced.

If you buy from the ltspecpro web site (more than $25), the "proof" video is free. When they use the disclaimer about "don't do this with your knife, is constitutes abuse", believe them! They severely damage several knives in this video, SHOW it to you, then move on to the next knife to abuse. They never address the damage they just did! Amazing.

They are more than a little juvenile for my tastes in their advertising, but the knives are good value for the money. Right about now, "entry level" fits my budget and ability, but I hope to expand to other knife makers soon!
 
I have Several cold steel products. The first was a Magnum Tanto. After a reprofile of the blade, nicely sharp. Working on a culloden in CV. The factory grind is too wide for my liking. The Bushman is the best value I can think of for a good, cheap,fixed blade knife. When I first got it there was a gaurantee for the first three years. I immediately tried breaking the tip on a big steel drum in my back yard. Got tired of trying. Still in good shape. Just got a El Hombre serrated. Very effective blade design though I am going to have the small teeth re-done to a Spyderco pattern. A local cutlery shop will do the grind for $6.00. I have to say that for the most part I'm happy with their product.
 
My experience with CS has been less than stellar. I purchased a blade (one of the Hudson Bay knives) and put a sheepshorn handle on it. It was the first CS blade that I ever saw that actually had a decent edge bevel on it, and cuts very well. I must say, however, that its edgeholding ability leaves something to be desired. I then ordered two more Hudson Bay finished knives through a friend, and it looked like they forgot to put the final edge bevel on it. They were literally like a butter knife, rounded, almost flat on the edge. I was not impressed. The only higher end CS products that I have handled, Master Hunter and SRK, may have been sharp but had such a thick edge bevel that their only use would have been as a chopping tool, they looked more like a sharpened prybar. I prefer knives that have edge bevels that can actually be used to slice.

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Die Entropie der Welt strebt einem Maximum zu - R.J.E. Clausius
 
I think that the cheaper Cold Steel stuff is great! For sure the cheap knives don't get very good grinding and you have to put on decent bevels yourself. Once you do that though, the edges hold. I have quite a few of the Hudson Bay models and they're all tempered just fine.
I think that we have to remember that these are knives in the $15 range. If you do get a sharp knife in that price range it will have been sharpened at high speed and won't hold an edge anyway.
I don't own any of the expensive stuff because I don't like the sharpened prybar concept. Lots of people do and I'm sure they enjoy the hype that goes with them too.
 
I agree with Jimbo about the Cheaper knives. I'm not a really big fan of cold steel, and find the hype annoying as well as amusing but I have more of their products (no necessarily knives) than any other maker. I have a Desperado only because it's one of the most unique out there, SRK because it truly is a great knife and a bunch of others (True Flight, Shovel, Warlord, Bushman, Warlord, and some second hand folders.) Why do I have these all these? I love knives, I'm not rich and I love messing them up. I wouldn't use my Emersons to cut cans and lightly pry or throw (yes, on rare occasion I throw folders). I'm sure they'll stand up to it but I just worked too many ours to get them
smile.gif
. CS is cheap enough and good enough to seriously mess up with quality (unlike cheaper "eagle" knives and the such).
 
I always liked Cold Steel knives. Always sharp and interesting. I do think Lynn Thompson's aggressive approach has made some people shy away from them, but I would like to see Cold Steel involved in custom collaborations, especially when it comes to their folders. The Voyagers are good basic knives, but the zytel look is old and tired.

[This message has been edited by el cid (edited 03-12-2001).]
 
I own a pile of CS knives, from the Trailmaster and Recon Scout to the littlest 1 inch push dagger(forgot the name). I have used and abused these for years and I have never had a problem with edge holding or poor edge geometry. I would say they hold up as well or better than most others in similar price ranges.
The one area I'm concerned with is Customer Service. The ads all say "...with top quality sheath..." but they often don't fit the knife! Imagine buying a 5/16 inch thick camp knife with a 1/4 wide sheath!! This has been the case on every one of the big knives I've seen from CS. When I called Customer Service, I was told the sheath is a "gratuity" and "real knife users" (yes this is the term she used) purchase custom sheaths to fit the knife. If this is the case, why falsely advertise top quality sheaths? Luckily, I have been able to make do with Gerber or other brand sheath that were actually "top quality". Well, at least they fit the knife! Iknow, I know, I do need to purchase good kydex sheaths for these knives, but I think I'll save those dollars for custom knives that truly deserve good sheaths.
Anyway, I'm very disappointed with this poor customer service, and will NEVER purchase another of this company's products unless this changes.


 
The hardest use I have put my knives through are cutting rolled up newspapers, whittling 2x4s and chopping 4x4s. But most of my knives are Cold Steel, including the Magnum XII Tanto and Stag Trailmaster. The cheapest I have is the Bushman.

They do not hold an edge as well as I like, and $200 is probably too much to spend on their big knives. There are other production knives which look much better, such as a Rekat Sifu. And I don't like Zytel or Kraton handles.

However, the knives I got for a street price of maybe $60 or less are really great deals. And I was impressed at how well all of them could shave, despite my fine hair.

Now I prefer lower cost handmade or custom knives, such as Himalayan Imports khukuris.

Eric Takabayashi
Fukuyama, Japan
 
I have several Cold Steel knives. My all time favorite is the XL Voyager Clip Point. I have carried it daily for about 4 years. It has never failed to perform a task and it sharpens with total ease. Yes, I have better more expensive folders, but I also have some that I have paid more $$$ for that are not as good as the trusty voyager. In its price range I can't think of a better big folder...nothing wrong with C/S.
 
Some people frown on them because of Lynn Thompson's marketing approach. I know there are alot of people who don't like Zytel handles or Kraton, but you have to admit that Cold Steel's knives are not of cheap design and have earned a reputation for being solid sharp knives. There are a few thing I would like to see at Cold Steel.
1) I'd like to see other handle materials other than Kraton, Zytel and Aluminum. Perhaps G-10 in various colours.
2) I'd like to see more custom collaborations.
3) A limited lifetime warranty on their knives. Even S&W (Taylor Cutlery) has a lifetime warranty on their stuff.

[This message has been edited by el cid (edited 03-28-2001).]
 
I have to second the good reports of the Carbon V blades. I have a couple, and used the Recon Scout to do some heavy duty prying in wood. A lot of people don't like the "sharpened prybar" approach, but there are times when you need something to get into tight places that your screwdriver won't quite reach... I really abused this thing, and no problems, no bending, no tip breakage. I do appreciate the strength and thickness at times, I tend to be rough with knives.
 
Does anyone have any experience with their Ti-Lite Stiletto? I keep looking at those and might want one?

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Jason aka medusaoblongata
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"Is not giving a need? Is not receiving mercy?" - Thus Spoke Zarathustra
"Cutting his throat is only a momentary pleasure and is bound to get you talked about." - Lazarus Long
"Knowledge is not made for understanding; it is made for cutting." - Michel Foucault
 
Every once in a while a sharpened pry bar is the tool of choice. While not my first (or second) choice for fine slicing, dicing and skinning, the Cold Streel SRK is a heck of an outdoor knife, for the sharpened pry bar that it is.
 
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