Cold Steel's triple action, how cheap does it feel ?

C

chipdouglas

Joined
Nov 26, 2009
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I'm looking into getting one of these, but I'd like to know how sturdy it is or how cheap it feels in hand ? Is this a POS or something way decent ?

Anything else I should know about it ?
 
The blade is substantial. The handles are fairly soft aluminum, so less so. It feels very solid when deployed.

On the original one I had (tanto with serrations) the blade could hit the end of the handle when flipping open and eventually made a shallow cut into it.

I found that one had to keep it very well cleaned and lubed to be able to reliably flip it open.
 
Mr. Bad Example said:
The blade is substantial. The handles are fairly soft aluminum, so less so. It feels very solid when deployed.

On the original one I had (tanto with serrations) the blade could hit the end of the handle when flipping open and eventually made a shallow cut into it.

I found that one had to keep it very well cleaned and lubed to be able to reliably flip it open.
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Um, that doesn't sound that bad but that doesn't sound that good to me....too bad cause I really dig the concept.
 
Going from the number of answers I've gotten, I'm thinking the triple action by CS isn't very popular.
 
chipdouglas said:
Going from the number of answers I've gotten, I'm thinking the triple action by CS isn't very popular.
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Well, my question to you is why WOULD it be popular? It's a complex system that doesn't seem to offer any real advantages (the lock on it was demonstrated at 125#, IIRC, whereas other lock designs have supported FAR more. Balis have a mystique: banned many places, martial arts created using them, etc. I'd play with a baliyo in a restrictive place before I went for one of those.

Second, though they have another version, I can't understand a double edged blade without a fluting of the handle to keep you from sliding up. Those handles don't have any inlay either- just aluminum. Sounds way sketchy to me. Even flipping it sounds sketchy- Benchmade has offered holes in the handle that would serve to increase grip, or g-10. Lightly engraved surface? Uhh... not with my hand!

Never had one, but have no desire to. I was just answering why it doesn't seem popular. If you want it for a lark, why not? But I'd recommend some grip tape on the handle, some mods so you have a blade guard, etc.

Zero
 
Case had a small Tri-Fold with Zytel handles and a cheap blade that I liked a lot. At $11 a pop I am still kicking myself for not picking up a few more. The action was crisp and it made a fine splinter-picker.

I have a Perrin I got from EDC Knives. Nothing elegant but it flips open and shut very easily, which is the point of a small, strong, last ditch undercover knife.
 
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Zero_Time said:
Well, my question to you is why WOULD it be popular? It's a complex system that doesn't seem to offer any real advantages (the lock on it was demonstrated at 125#, IIRC, whereas other lock designs have supported FAR more. Balis have a mystique: banned many places, martial arts created using them, etc. I'd play with a baliyo in a restrictive place before I went for one of those.

Second, though they have another version, I can't understand a double edged blade without a fluting of the handle to keep you from sliding up. Those handles don't have any inlay either- just aluminum. Sounds way sketchy to me. Even flipping it sounds sketchy- Benchmade has offered holes in the handle that would serve to increase grip, or g-10. Lightly engraved surface? Uhh... not with my hand!

Never had one, but have no desire to. I was just answering why it doesn't seem popular. If you want it for a lark, why not? But I'd recommend some grip tape on the handle, some mods so you have a blade guard, etc.

Zero
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I get your point and I agree. I just happen to like the system and thought maybe it also appealed to others on this forum.
 
chipdouglas said:
I get your point and I agree. I just happen to like the system and thought maybe it also appealed to others on this forum.
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Well, now that you mention it, when I first saw it, I was intrigued- before I had played with balis of any sort (cut my finger off once as a babe- through the bone, hanging by some skin and sinew- the surgeon painstakingly reattached the tendons) and considered getting one. Too much for something I consider gimmicky (I have a baliyo, but need a replacement) and, like I mentioned, I never, EVER want to to cut a finger off again (though I just took down my spyderco police, cleaned and lubed it, and as I was picking up the blade I slipped and nicked within 1/4" of the site). Tactically, I don't think I could manage the motor control under duress, functionally I think there are cooler bali tricks, and construction wise, it needs work for me. That said, if you want one why not? I'd have one if I wanted it, and so should you (unless it's a triple action or baby food, in which case you shouldn't be posting here and should trying to find a job, lol).

Zero
 
We had some at the shop. Never again. The aluminum scratched the second you looked at it wrong and the handle pivot starts egging out in no time since the steel screw keeps moving back and forth over the buttery-soft aluminum. It's not often I call a knife from a major production company a piece of crap, but this thing IS. My manager picked one up just to toy around with, and the only thing he ever uses it for is cutting quesadillas. :p
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
We had some at the shop. Never again. The aluminum scratched the second you looked at it wrong and the handle pivot starts egging out in no time since the steel screw keeps moving back and forth over the buttery-soft aluminum. It's not often I call a knife from a major production company a piece of crap, but this thing IS. My manager picked one up just to toy around with, and the only thing he ever uses it for is cutting quesadillas. :p
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I'll abort my project of getting one then LOL

Now, generally speaking what do you think of CS products ?
 
Generally they're excellent--specially their cheap stuff and mid-range products. Their high end stuff is nice but priced a fair deal above what I consider reasonable for what they are, though. I have products of theirs ranging from sjamboks to swords and I've been terribly pleased with all of them. They get kudos from me for attempting stuff no other company would, even though you sometimes end up with solutions looking for problems and their ads are a bit silly.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Case had a small Tri-Fold with Zytel handles and a cheap blade that I liked a lot. At $11 a pop I am still kicking myself for not picking up a few more. The action was crisp and it made a fine splinter-picker.

I have a Perrin I got from EDC Knives. Nothing elegant but it flips open and shut very easily, which is the point of a small, strong, last ditch undercover knife.
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Those are great little folders, too bad Case never made them in a larger size.

The Cold Steel is ok, but the frame cutting is a major sore point. The handles are super soft, like recycled pop can soft. if you can trade into, or buy one cheap, it makes a nice desk drawer knife.
 
Looks like you're getting some good advice. Here is a pic I took of my TA before moving it along to a new home:

TA-.jpg


You can see how easily the blade can catch the handle if you don't get the flip just right. Now IF you don't care about flipping, it is a pretty sturdy design--about the only way it could fail is for the pivot pin to break or for the aluminum to tear out--it really cannot close accidentally.

My biggest beef was having to clean and lube it so often, otherwise it would gum up and not flip open.

If you're looking for a fast opener that is fun and strong, it's pretty tough to beat a nice balisong. I only gave up carrying my Benchmade Balisong because they outlawed them here.
 
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