Cold Steels new stuff put up on the website

did some research and the natchez bowie will cost me $276, trailmaster $74, laredo bowie $92 wholesale.
 
For me the Natchez Bowie looks super, but again as most of you say, I'd rather not spend what for em would be £300 on a knife that mighten be worth it. I really love the style like a cross between a Musso Bowie's blade and Paul chen's Bell Bowie's handle.

Anybody know anything more bout SK-5 Carbon steel, will it match up to Carbon 5?

Also is Cold Steel's "SAN MAI" really that good?
 
DirkDiggler said:
STR,, Herter's sold a knock off of the D. H. Russell / Grohmann #1 years ago. George Herter even claimed he designed the knife. (Sounds alot like Lynn Thompson, no? :rolleyes: ) The rest of the civilised world knows it was actually Deane H. Russell and Rudolph Grohmann.

I can not recall what Herter called his version and I can not find any pix on the web. I do believe they were made for Herter by R. Murphy Knives which is located north west of Boston.
Click to expand...

I had one of those Herter's knives!

One of the first knives I ever bought; probably the
first I ever bought mail-order.

Wow; thanks for the post.
 
ashtxsniper said:
did some research and the natchez bowie will cost me $276, trailmaster $74, laredo bowie $92 wholesale.
Click to expand...
You have a friend that's a dealer I'm assuming? Any idea what the street prices may look like? $74 for a Trail Master seems like a real bargain to me.
 
actually I am on with a few places as a dealer but I only buy for me or friends. I never do it for profit only to save money. I buy knives for friends and charge them cost plus like $5.00 for my time and using my credit card. I dont really qualify as a dealer because I dont make a profit it is more of a favor type service since I hate to see people pay cost which is usualy like a 200% markup. I would offer this to forum members but I would be so swamped I could never get anything done. I will on occasion help someone who needs a good deal.
 
ehhh said:
You have a friend that's a dealer I'm assuming? Any idea what the street prices may look like? $74 for a Trail Master seems like a real bargain to me.
Click to expand...
multiply these figures by 2 at least sometimes almost 3.
 
rifon2 said:
I had one of those Herter's knives!

One of the first knives I ever bought; probably the
first I ever bought mail-order.

Wow; thanks for the post.
Click to expand...

rifon2,, do you recall what Herter called that model? It is not as easy to find as some models such as the Improved Bowie or Bull Cook.

Edit to add: I just found one on EBay. The seller thinks it is called the Canadian guides model.
Herter's knife link.

-DD
 
Aside from the laughable history of Corsica (my family name goes back to southern Italy) CS misses the format by swedge grinding the blade back into the choil.

Corsican, ie Meditteranean knives were largely flat ground, with a pronounced unsharpended choil to protect the index finger, rather like an Arkansas toothpick-like Bowie, it's descendant.

NWIH I would carry this one for SD, although functionally it's a better fit than any short tactical knife. Kershaw's integral is half the price, and one piece forged to boot.

What are they thinking?
 
DirkDiggler said:
rifon2,, do you recall what Herter called that model? It is not as easy to find as some models such as the Improved Bowie or Bull Cook.

Edit to add: I just found one on EBay. The seller thinks it is called the Canadian guides model.
Herter's knife link.

-DD
Click to expand...

I have no recollection of the name, wow, I bought mine sometime in the
70's.

I do note, though, that the listing for the knife on ebay says
"The blade has been gently stoned with care."

It could of course just be a typo...;)
 
tirod3 said:
Aside from the laughable history of Corsica (my family name goes back to southern Italy) CS misses the format by swedge grinding the blade back into the choil.

Corsican, ie Meditteranean knives were largely flat ground, with a pronounced unsharpended choil to protect the index finger, rather like an Arkansas toothpick-like Bowie, it's descendant.

NWIH I would carry this one for SD, although functionally it's a better fit than any short tactical knife. Kershaw's integral is half the price, and one piece forged to boot.

What are they thinking?
Click to expand...

What do you mean by "Kershaw's integral"? I kind of like the design of the Corsican, so I would be interested if there were something similar available.

Thanks
 
Re: Corsican - a simple modified version of a seax (or however it's spelled) would probably work very well as a replacement.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seax
Single-edged with a small false edge, oval handle with swells around the "guard" and "pommel" areas to aid grip (if wood - wood can be textured as well).
Although, it'd have to be carried much like a bowie or large hunting "sword" - on the belt or carried IWB vertically.

Personally, for actual use, a CRKT Plan B or Companion, the Ka-Bar TDI, RAT3 or many FB's would serve better.
What about a simple customized Ranger? Extra pointy?
 
The Finn bear looked like a nice knife until I found out how much carbon 4116 stainless has. Aparrently 420hc poor reputation was causing CS to loose sales, time for CS to find a new junk steel.

The nachez bowie is a looker, But you could get a custom maker to make you one at that price.

I saw the Corsican and thought, I saw a couple of knives like that on Bud Nealy's table a few years ago. Looks like he sold it to CS. $180 is probably almost what Bud sells it for, But with better steel.
 
I think I saw a write-up in one of my knife mags on this steel, I cannot remember what company/s were using "4116" on their lower end knives but it seems CS isn't the only one. Thanks rifon2 for the info in this thread...

WOOK
 
john w said:
I think I saw a write-up in one of my knife mags on this steel, I cannot remember what company/s were using "4116" on their lower end knives but it seems CS isn't the only one. Thanks rifon2 for the info in this thread...

WOOK
Click to expand...
I believe I've seen some CRKT knives that use 1.4116 steel, but I'm not sure. You could easily go over to their website and see. And I thought cold steel used this steel in their kitchen knives for some time now? I don't think it's by any means new.

What did the write up say about this stuff?
 
ashtxsniper said:
did some research and the natchez bowie will cost me $276, trailmaster $74, laredo bowie $92 wholesale.
Click to expand...

ehhh said:
You have a friend that's a dealer I'm assuming? Any idea what the street prices may look like? $74 for a Trail Master seems like a real bargain to me.
Click to expand...

ashtxsniper said:
multiply these figures by 2 at least sometimes almost 3.
Click to expand...

Now, I'm just talkin off the top of my head, but the CarbonV Trailmaster used to be listed on their site for like $250, IIRC, and was available at actual retailers and online merchants for more like $125/$150. Sooo... since the Cold Steel site (notoriously, insanely over-priced to buy direct from, must be a brokerage deal, I kind of wonder why they bother selling direct) is now listing SK-5 Trailmasters at $160, I can't really see them going for more than $125-150 in real life... maybe $90 or a $100 for the Recon Scout... which puts them in league with other good solid knives at production prices. And still gives the retailer close to a 100% markup, which is par for the course as ashtxsniper said.

Does this logic/math make sense? If I'm right, does it mean that CS is trying to get back a share of the non-mall-ninja, "working" market, with good designs in good steel at fair prices? Or does it just mean that SK-5 is crap and they don't dare charge more? I notice they're no longer saying that the carbon TrailMaster is equal to a custom bowie. (They do still make this claim about the San Mai III TrailMaster.)

Like someone else said, their price points are all over the place, who knows what's going on in Lynn's squirrely little brain. I reckon only time and testing will tell. I will say out loud, if SK-5, and (maybe more importantly?) the way they've had it heat-treated, turns out to be good stuff, they do still have a couple knives I want. Quick, someone order a bunch of 'em and let us know how they hold up!

ashtxsniper said:
actually I am on with a few places as a dealer but I only buy for me or friends. I never do it for profit only to save money... I would offer this to forum members but I would be so swamped I could never get anything done. I will on occasion help someone who needs a good deal.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, you're right, you'd be freakin' overwhelmed. Does having an old satin TrailMaster and wanting to compare it to the new ones qualify me as someone who "NEEDS" your help? :D

I want to add, I think it's REALLY dumb that they're not offering the Master Hunter in a carbon steel anymore. Mine is one of my favorites. Glad I got one when I did.
 
CS has sold SK-5 tools for years, bad axe, sf shovel, bushman, I think maybe even the assegai and javelin. their prices were on a roller coaster because of the japanese economic situation, they had to change prices with the exchange rate.
 
What scares me is they are getting them produced cheaper which usually meany a cheaper quality finished product. Also the new satin Trailmaster is $125 wholesale compared to $74 for the black model. There should not be that much of a difference so I am curious to see them. I hope they are actually going to turn out as good as a product as before but cheaper. Looking at there history I really doubt this. I really love cold steel and probably own 25+ of there products but I believe they may be rapidly slideing down the slope to flea market made in Pakistan quality. I wouldnt be surprised to see them selling knives comparible to the home shopping networks Chinese/Packistan crap in 5 years. Hopefully not.
 
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