Coldsteel question

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Nternal

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I'm looking to splurge a little bit on a cold steel product preferably a fixed blade but I'm not ruling out a folder. I don't want to go over 300$ but I do want one of the higher end blades. Right now I'm liking the black bear classic,military classic,tai pan and the bowies.Does anybody have more than one of these items and can say which is the better knife?
 
Oh man, it depends on what use you're looking for. If i was OK with up to $300, i'd be buying a "San Mai III" Trailmaster. From all reports, they're great knives.

Although, for $275, Paul Moore who posts here will make his "G-Zilla" bowie and it's an amazing looking blade (and performance to back it up from the reports i've read here). Thats what *i* would buy.

Why buy a "factory" blade when you can have a quality, custom made just for you for the same amount?
 
Just so happens I have a Back Bear Classic (( leave sales talk out of Gen Knife Dis )). Just traded off my Laredo Bowie this week.
 
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"Better" for what?

Describe what you plan on doing with the knife.
 
CWL said:
"Better" for what?

Describe what you plan on doing with the knife.
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i agree. each of them would be "better" at something.

i have several CS's. 3 of them are not mine, but instead belong to a client for whom i'm making some special purpose sheaths. one of his is the Military Classic, another is the Trailmaster in the old Carbon V. both are awesome pieces, but would excel at different things. out of those two, my personal pick would be the Military Classic.

i've always been drawn to the Tai Pan, but keep in mind - it's really a single purpose knife (compared to others on the list).
 
I can recommend all of these knives, owning them myself:
EDC Fixed Blade:
Pendleton Lite Hunter
Roach Belly
Finn Wolf
Recon Tanto
EDC Folding Blade:
Rajah III
4" Zytel Ti-Lite
Kudu (cheap but great!)
Camping, Hunting, Chopping Fixed Blade:
Recon Tanto
True Flight Thrower
Pendleton Lite Hunter (no chopping, good for food prep, skinning)
Roach Belly (same as Pendleton Lite Hunter)
Finn Wolf (same as above two)
SK-5 Gurkha Kukri (long, EXCELLENT chopper)
Camping, Hunting, Chopping Folding Blade:
Rajah III (surprisingly good chopper, blade not too long though)
Self Defense/Military Fixed Blade:
Recon Tanto (razor sharp two points, rips like a tiger through pretty much anything)
True Flight Thrower (great edge, point, the cord wrap is comfortable and easy to manipulate, I've heard it's Canadian army issue now, can anyone comfirm? It's definitely not just for throwing)
SK-5 Gurkha Kukri (scary. Just scary. Long, sharp, forward balanced blade, swings easily, I could use it for hours without getting tired, it's so light. Goes right through your target, watch the backswing!)
The Spike (nice boot/neck knife, razor edge, sturdy point)
Self Defense/Military Folding Blade:
Rajah III (this could legitimately do a lot of damage)
4" Zytel Ti-Lite (great point, opens quickly. I clocked myself at 0.975 seconds for draw and open, no joke.)
Non-Knife Utility
SF Shovel (machete edge, good digger, strong handle)
Trail Hawk, Frontier Hawk, Spike Hawk (great tomahawks for fighting, wood processing, or chores)
Non-Knife Self Defense
Pocket Shark (not the best kubotan, good in a pinch, an actual pen)
Sjambok (it's light and bendable, not the greatest whip, but hurts like hell, pommel hard as a rock)
SF Shovel (like a machete in a rough triangle at the end of a hickory handle)
Spike Hawk (I've cut and punched the spike through a half inch of steel, VERY impressive)

Hope this helps. I threw in the Non-Knives just in case you were interested.
 
Thanks for all the replies. For those that asked what I wanted the knife for...as you might be able to tell by those I mentioned I want more of a combat knife. The only coldsteel fixed blade I own is the OSS and it's a nice knife but I wanted to get something a bit more higher end but with the same idea.
 
I can get a natchez bowie for 304$ is that a deal for that knife in your opinion? I can't seem to find it any lower.
 
Very good deal for a very good knife! I carry a True Flight Thrower as a backup knife, and at that low price for a Natchez you might want to consider one. Mine was $30.
 
If you're looking for something along the size of the Natchez for "combat" purposes, I'd recommend the San-Mai III Gurkha Kukri. It is a little bit more expensive then the Natchez (which BTW, $304 is a good deal) but its more of a "no-nonsense" kind of blade. There are no shiny guards or high polish. But, if thats what you're looking for, get the Natchez. I have only handled one and the whole time I couldn't believe it was a Cold Steel knife.
 
Also, if you decide to go with a folder, Cold Steel makes a couple "Mega folders" that would be very well suited for combat/tactical purposes. The Rajah I (discontinued but you may still be able to find one) and XL Espada fall just under your $300 cap.
 
You want cold steel and got $300, buy all the tomahawks and have some left over to buy another CS knife.
 
Cold Steel is a decent company with decent knives, but aside from their folders, the fixed-blade knives using San Mai steel are more of a gimmick, so beware.

San Mai steel is nothing more than sandwiched VG-1 steel. CS has many knives with VG-1 blades with nothing else overlapping them.

Sandwiched steels are an advantage only if the center is a very hard steel that otherwise might break or shatter; then the panals protect it. Thus, the center steel offers extreme edge holding qualities, while the sustaining steel panals protect them.

VG-1 hardly needs these panals unless it's overhardened, which I doubt. Still, if you're planning on getting a San Mai knife, you might call CS and ask them if the properties of the VG-1 is any different than their standard VG-1.
 
Confederate said:
Cold Steel is a decent company with decent knives, but aside from their folders, the fixed-blade knives using San Mai steel are more of a gimmick, so beware.

San Mai steel is nothing more than sandwiched VG-1 steel. CS has many knives with VG-1 blades with nothing else overlapping them.

Sandwiched steels are an advantage only if the center is a very hard steel that otherwise might break or shatter; then the panals protect it. Thus, the center steel offers extreme edge holding qualities, while the sustaining steel panals protect them.

VG-1 hardly needs these panals unless it's overhardened, which I doubt. Still, if you're planning on getting a San Mai knife, you might call CS and ask them if the properties of the VG-1 is any different than their standard VG-1.
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So in your opinion for under 300$ what would be the best "combat" knife?
 
As for the kukri suggestions I have one reservation. I think sharpening them would be a pain because Right now I only have a sharpmaker and sharpening the recurve on the cold steel spartan is really difficult.I can never get it sharp through the whole blade.
 
Nternal said:
As for the kukri suggestions I have one reservation. I think sharpening them would be a pain because Right now I only have a sharpmaker and sharpening the recurve on the cold steel spartan is really difficult.I can never get it sharp through the whole blade.
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It just takes practice. It took me a while to get good at it. I sharpen free-hand mostly so recurves aren't usually an issue. If you just hold the rods, it is much easier than trying to manipulate the blade around them IMO.
 
So in your opinion for under 300$ what would be the best "combat" knife?
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It depends on what you want it to do. One combat knife produced by CS is their Peacekeeper; however, it's strictly a combat knife...double-bladed, Kraton-handled, light, maneuverable, concealable. But it's not a military knife. It's not a knife for prying, digging and smashing through crates.

The knife in my bugout bag is a Böker (not sure what the model is), but it does everything a good combat knife can be called un to do.

So what will you be using the knife for, specifically?
 
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