Cold steels new Spike, a zero ground Puuko

[Last Visible Canary]

Cold Steel recently revamped their "Spike" line recently. The old series included very slim blades, cord wrapped handles and 420 steel - the 420 being why I never bought any of them. The new series includes plastic handle scales (I hate the phrase 'faux g10'), slightly taller blades and 4116 steel. I think of 4116 as being somewhere around aus6 - a low end stainless that is just at the level of 'worth 30$ or less'. I always end up feeling that it's good enough for the money, but not for more.

For those who are conscientious buyers Krupp (the steel maker) was a major producer for germany during the holocaust and used slave labor+brutality to make numbers. That hasn't really been addressed directly by the company. All but one of the defendants in the war crimes trial of the company heads after the war served 2.5 years in prison for their involvement. As a buyer it's your call whether you think supporting the company is worth it or not. I didn't know about this until just now and don't know how I feel about it, it's honestly not a good enough steel to spend much money on in the first place so that might make the decision a bit easier.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krupp_Trial


Aside from the sordid history: the Spike.
http://www.coldsteel.com/Product/SPIKESERIES/Spike_Series.aspx
Specifications:
Blade Length: 4"
Overall Length: 8"
Steel: German 4116 Stainless
Weight: 2.3 oz
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Handle: 4" Long Faux G-10 (read plastic)
Sheath:Secure-Ex® Neck Sheath With Bead Chain Lanyard

This is it next to the CS Finn Wolf because it's in the same price range and the same compact design theory, and a Mora 612. I say that the spike is a Puuko because it is. It's the same overall shape and it has a true zero ground geometry - something I never would have expected out of cold steel. The grind is identical to that of the Mora except on a 3mm thick blade. The grind heigth is only 5/16". Since the blade thickness is 3mm that makes the grind angle 21 degrees.

You can see the thickness of the grinds from this tip shot, the thicker Spike being a much wider triangle than the 612, and the hollow ground finn wolf looks like a kitchen knife by comparison.

It is a true zero in the sense that it's brought to an apex in the initial grind without any secondary bevels. However, there is technically a micro bevel in the form an edge refining polish convexing. It's not enough to feel with your finger, it's just enough to bring the edge up to a fine grit vs. the rougher grit finish of the main grind. It's more pronounced on the belly and almost not visible at the straight edge.

The grinds are crisp everywhere on the knife.

This is an example of the 18 degree relief and 21 degree primary secondary bevels on the Finn Wolf.

The handle is much slimmer than the Mora, but it's still quite managable. The heavy scalloping on the handle manages to be grippy

 

[whetrock]

Excellent review. I'm going to have to pick up some of the more inexpensive offerings from Cold Steel in the often vexed 4116 Krupp and try it for myself.

 

[Last Visible Canary]

It works like any other puuko/chisel, good control of minute detail for wood carving and shaving.

You can produce thick shavings:

Or translucent paper thin shavings:

The steel is not ideal for a zero grind. It's a soft stainless, so it mashes dents and rolls quickly even under moderate use. The slight benefit is that it takes well to burnishing and steeling. The bright line in this next photo shows the edge malformation reflecting light after moderate use - all of it goes away with a few hard passes from a Hock brand (higher hardness than others) burnishing rod. So if you carry a 5" burnishing rod with you into the woods it comes back to sharp easily.

Final thoughts: would I carry this? no. I would carry it over a mora because it's more compact and mora's steel isn't the best either, but I wouldn't carry it over a full flat anything. My big fixed blade carry takes care of heavy work like splitting, and my BM710 takes care of any carving I need with better steel, an equivalently fine edge (21 degrees+relief) and a thinner slicing profile. I know that the whole point of a zero ground puuko is that it's a chisel - it lets you carve with precision.... That isn't more important to me in an edc than slicing ability.

This is an example of the difference in grinds between slightly modified bm710 and the spike:

Even though I'd choose other knives over it for edc - I respect it greatly for what it is. It's an excellently compact design with absolutely no waisted space anywhere, no choil, no extended pommell, no extra long ricasso. The true zero edge is a surprise coming from cold steel (since it's not a strong edge type at all) and it works every bit as well as you'd expect. I bought this 99% knowing that I wouldn't actually edc it, but wanting it as a fine cheap example of a blade done right.

Now if they'd just make it in a better steel...

 

[AngryDaddyBird]

Awesome review. Was wondering about this spike but now I want one..

 

[raybateson]

For those who are conscientious buyers Krupp (the steel maker) was a major producer for germany during the holocaust and used slave labor+brutality to make numbers. That hasn't really been addressed directly by the company. All but one of the defendants in the war crimes trial of the company heads after the war served 2.5 years in prison for their involvement. As a buyer it's your call whether you think supporting the company is worth it or not. I didn't know about this until just now and don't know how I feel about it, it's honestly not a good enough steel to spend much money on in the first place so that might make the decision a bit easier.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krupp_Trial

Why let old blood stop someone from enjoying a knife? Not everyone can afford premium steels, especially low-income persons, or struggling students, like me. I'd literally be dead if it weren't for a 4116 krupp knife.

 

[Last Visible Canary]

Why let old blood stop someone from enjoying a knife? Not everyone can afford premium steels, especially low-income persons, or struggling students, like me. I'd literally be dead if it weren't for a 4116 krupp knife.

There are many questions that are brought to mind that can be asked in the framework of that view that are problematic. To give money to a company that no longer exists that performed evils is one thing, to actively pay for their existence is another. Krupps position was that they wanted the best economic position and felt that hitler would provide it, and they were happy with the results - as per statements from the trials. They were happy because they got to beat people to death on assembly lines who were prisoners of war and use starvation tactics to try to get higher numbers out of them. But they aren't like that anymore right? No, but by all evidence they are only so because their country isn't like that anymore. That makes them a dangerous company. The second economic and humanitarian restrictions are lifted there is no evidence from the company that that wouldn't go right back to using slave labor.

The view point that being cheap is more important than morality leads to slave labor, destruction of resources, the economic desolation of large groups of people, and a variety of other extremely problematic situations as a direct result of paying for the conditions that produce the absolute cheapest goods (the conditions listed).

The short answer is that I posted that for conscientious buyers, those who attach moral judgements on a companies practices that influences their decision to purchase. You are not one of those, so it's not intended for you. But since reading over it now I realize that it has an element of politics to it that should probably be kept in the political forum I'm going to close this thread as I can't delete your quote, only my initial post. I probably should have reviewed the knife and completely ignored the companies that produced it. One more reason to edit my posts thoroughly before posting here.