Cold Steel's all out venture into 3V steel... Your thoughts?

rhino said:
When I looked at the new for 2022 offerings yesterday, I was shocked by the absurdly high MSRPs for the Bowies in 3V. WTF?!

I'm sure street prices will be much lower, but still . . . ridiculous sticker prices. You could get a really nice custom or semi-custom from a variety of skilled makers in the steel of your choice for the same or less.
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100%- I've got a Nepalese made-Bowie for £115 in 52100 which is a beautiful knife and a great steel-besides I don't think the performance edge on 3V steel is much more than 10% better, and it sounds like it's harder to sharpen.
 
It would be nice to see a video of 2 Recon Tantos. One would be in SK-5, the other in 3V. We'd see what it takes to destroy both. Toughness, the ability to reprofile with granite, and corrosion are more important than edge retention. San mai makes sense.
 
Unfortunately the 3V Pendleton hunter was discontinued. That was an application that could benefit from the premium steel,
 
I have seen various 3V blades come and go through my preferred vendor. Right now there is a 3V Recon Scout at $400.00 I really can't justify or afford that. I'm not a collector and metal detecting season is coming. I just bought an accessory coil for one of my detectors for 200 plus. Yes, the dough could have been moved toward more steel, but really, I have two tubs full of those things. I just don't want to buy another redundant chopper when I already have a pile to play with. I can grab one of my Condor Undertakers, or a Marauder, a big Becker, ESEE, or whatever, if I want to wear a leg slapper. Yes there where a few that slipped by me, but I'm saturated, and have only a fleeting wish or regret about/for some models. I usually just buy cheapies now to satiate my sweet tooth. I have a Utilitac 2 that I am picking up this afternoon at the post office. I literally have knives/machetes that I have never taken outdoors. I really like the two Mini Hunters that I got in AUS-10 and both the SR1 Lites. I think that my last grab at the Old Steel goodness was my large Espada after I heard of the sale. If something fun shows up I might grab.... But Really, no regrets.
 
I will say, I picked up the 3V Kukri for about 499 shipped, and it's hard to find this big of a piece of 3V in a heavy chopper for the same price.
 
PocketKnifeJimmy said:
So, while looking through Cold Steel's 2021 catalog, I realized that certain well known CS models are/or will be in the marketplace in 3V form. But, many are no longer available in more traditional/more affordable steel grades.
I believe in the past, CS's method of offering popular models in both higher end AND basic traditional grade steels, was a great way to hit a wide range of customers.
I personally still feel it's the best way to go with their best known and popular sellers.
Well, now I see that such models as the Laredo, Natchez, and Trail Master Bowie knives, are only offered in premium or somewhat more exotic steels.
The Laredo & Natchez now only seem to be offered in the 3V, while the Trail Master is only offered in 3V or in VG-1 San Mai.
Also, while the 3V versions have MSRP's that don't seem way out of line with their usual MSRP's, the actual street pricing of these products are way higher than usual, they being listed for almost full MSRP... Ouch!
As an example of this, Knifecenter, which I feel to be a competitively priced and overall outstanding online knife vendor, has the Cold Steel 3V Italian made Trail Master priced at just under $460... That is not MSRP, but the actual selling price! Again... OUCH!
Now, this is not a knife that requires an exotic or expensive material handle, one that may have also required a good amount of human skill to install and fit & finish. Nope, it's CS's Kray-ex, which is injected molded and doesn't require any level of hand craftsmanship to make or install. I would likely not be far off to say that these handles likely cost less than three or four dollars to make and install on these knives, (and even that is likely a high estimated guess).
Yes, the blade steel is known to be a tough steel, and is an expensive steel to make because of it's state of the art manufacturing process that it involves, (over traditional knife steel methods), but in the end, these steel blades are mostly done by the CNC method. While they likely have some hands on work done to them, it's not like the Japan made San Mai Trail Master that requires true hands on craftsmanship after the bulk of the CNC machining is done in order to achieve that convexed blade shape and sharpening on it. This, btw, is the most likely reason that when CS moved their San Mai knife production to Taiwan, that the San Mai Trail Master was the only San Mai model to remain in Japan, since the Taiwan source was also great with their CNC product making abilities, but did not have their forte in the hand convexing required for the Trail Master's San Mai steel blade.
So, again... The Italian made 3V Trail Master has a very usable, but very inexpensive handle. An expensive steel, but mostly CNC made blade, (which I believe has a CNC done full flat grind done on them), and a price tag that almost approaches $500... OUCH!
When one realizes that 3V, which is a Crucible company, (of Syracuse NY), made tough specialty grade steel, is likely expensive... Then one also wonders why CS then chose to have these knives made in Italy, instead of Taiwan, which would have likely kept the prices down a bit, while still being done in a quality manner?
Anyhow, I can't wrap my head around their move to only using 3V with some of these model knives. Using 3V is perfectly fine, I applaud their use of higher end offerings, but to not include more traditional steel models as affordable options of those models... well, I just don't get that part of it at all.

Well, there's my long winded opinion on Cold Steel' latest venture into using 3V steel, and their choosing Italy as their source to have these knives made.

Now it's your turn...
What say you folks?
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I would love a Trail Master. But, I'm not paying the money for CPM-3V, and I want something more durable than the San Mai III stainless version. IMO, if they offered it in SK-5, it would sell like hotcakes. The older version in Carbon V and tool steels are very expensive used. Cold Steel seems to be driving customers toward higher cost blades. I bought the SRK in CPM-3V, because it had a flat grind. They switched the SK-5 version to a hollow grind. Few people want that version, due to the weak tip, and just not wanting a hollow grind.
 
DDDYLN said:
I would love a Trail Master. But, I'm not paying the money for CPM-3V, and I want something more durable than the San Mai III stainless version. IMO, if they offered it in SK-5, it would sell like hotcakes. The older version in Carbon V and tool steels are very expensive used. Cold Steel seems to be driving customers toward higher cost blades. I bought the SRK in CPM-3V, because it had a flat grind. They switched the SK-5 version to a hollow grind. Few people want that version, due to the weak tip, and just not wanting a hollow grind.
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They did offer the TM in SK-5, right after Carbon V went away. Along with the Recon Scout, Laredo, and Kukri, they were called Combat Classics (Natchez was also added at some point). Ran from 2007 to 2012, and then they switched to O1 steel.
 
jlauffer said:
They did offer the TM in SK-5, right after Carbon V went away. Along with the Recon Scout, Laredo, and Kukri, they were called Combat Classics (Natchez was also added at some point). Ran from 2007 to 2012, and then they switched to O1 steel.
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I know. But, trying to buy an older used model, is just as expensive as the CPM-3V version, which can now be gad for $260.
 
The Recon Scout, over here (UK) is £447, Trailmaster £336 reduced (both in 3v)- so you can't really afford either. Now I don't know the exact price of CPM-3v, but similarly high-end crucible steel like 10V is about 5X the price of 52100 at my local supplier, so I can rationalise the price increase. That said though, as these prices are still too high for the average Joe, I would like to see these models in a higher-end non powder metallurgy steel like Niolox, Sleipner, or N690 for example. I'm thinking mid-price range rather than the high end prices we mentioned. Thoughts?..
 
jc862 said:
The Recon Scout, over here (UK) is £447, Trailmaster £336 reduced (both in 3v)- so you can't really afford either. Now I don't know the exact price of CPM-3v, but similarly high-end crucible steel like 10V is about 5X the price of 52100 at my local supplier, so I can rationalise the price increase. That said though, as these prices are still too high for the average Joe, I would like to see these models in a higher-end non powder metallurgy steel like Niolox, Sleipner, or N690 for example. I'm thinking mid-price range rather than the high end prices we mentioned. Thoughts?..
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A-2 was supposed to replace the O-1 which replaced the SK-5 version of these knives. Prices were affordable and the steel was serviceable. Now we have either CPM-3V or 4034 Stainless Steel to choose from. The reason for dropping the A-2 knives was Cold Steel wasn't able to find a reliable source for the steel. There are plenty of alternatives such as the 52100 used in their Drop Forged series of knives.
 
Man with no name said:
A-2 was supposed to replace the O-1 which replaced the SK-5 version of these knives. Prices were affordable and the steel was serviceable. Now we have either CPM-3V or 4034 Stainless Steel to choose from. The reason for dropping the A-2 knives was Cold Steel wasn't able to find a reliable source for the steel. There are plenty of alternatives such as the 52100 used in their Drop Forged series of knives.
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52100 would do it. Better than your 10XX series.
 
PocketKnifeJimmy said:
I am hoping to still get my backordered CS Chaos Bowie Knife at some point, (it's on one of those offshore ships, I feel it in my bones! 😆 ).
I'm not currently waiting for anything else from the CS line-up, and although I do hope I get my Chaos Bowie to complete the entire Chaos series for my collection, it won't be a major disappointment if I don't get it.
Still, I will keep my fingers crossed that it's on one of those ships with all of that 3V Cold Steel heading our way! 🤞😆🤞
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Did you get it? I have one. I bought it off Chicago Knife Works for roughly $69. They're currently selling the for $55+change. I'm considering buying another, because I like it so much. The knife s a lot tougher than it looks. I batoned a lot of wood with it. It went through the wood like butter, with zero edge damage afterwards.
 
This may be an unpopular opinion, especially since I'm a Cold Steel fan. However, I would sooner buy a Work Tuff Bowie than a 3V Trail Master. They seem to be be better built, full tang with handle scales.
 
Consider the CS Wild West Bowie. It's a great knife for an excellent knife. However, few people want the giant, leather dangler sheath. A custom Kydex sheath would cost $80+. Work Tuff Bowies come with Kydex sheaths.
 
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