CS- love 'em, hate 'em- time to address some issues

[mr.trooper]

I agree with Bors. They DO market some prety good products, but I dont realy think of them as a go-to company.

 

[DngrRuss1]

The claims made on the DVD are hype. Nothing done on the DVD is covered under the warranty. In fact doing anything from the video will void the warranty, that makes the DVD little more then a staged stunt show.

Another innacurate statement.

You say that nothing done in the DVD is covered by the warranty. That is not true. LT states that "some" of the tests constitute abuse and is not covered by the warranty. If you are using a knife for its intended putposes- even heavy duty- and it fails due to manufacturer's defect, it is covered. If you are doing pull-ups off the handle of a folder after bending it in a vice and hacking through concrete and it fails, then, uh, no...

The video shows the knives getting not only used heavily, but getting horribly abused and surviving. I have addresses this point many times in the past. Ever watch a car commercial and see, "professional driver. Closed course. Do not attempt." Does that mean you shouldn't drive the car?

 

[Halfneck]

I own 3 CS products:

1) My original Recon Tanto - not the black-bladed, kraton grip one. It is a good knife for the money I paid.

2) One of the first CS Kuhkri. I have carried this Kuhkri on several camping trips, used it as a yard tool, and generally beat the hell out of it. It needs a better sharpening than I can manage at the moment, but it is still going strong.

3) Special Forces Shovel. Great truck tool. Kind of fun for throwing too.

With that out of the way I really don't consider CS products anymore. Years ago Cold Steel was a great buy at the under $100 price point. I had a SRK that I used the hell out of then gave to a friend where it served him well for a while. When I thought about replacing it the newer SRK no longer seemed as good so I passed. I've since been told this was due to CS changing their "Carbon V" steel. Add in the questionable buisness ethics and I just made a choice to look elsewhere. I still think in the lower price ranges Cold Steel has some decent knives.

As for the upper end knives I can't see paying the prices they are asking. At the $250 and up range I can find far better knives made of better materials with a better fit & finish.

What I find sad is that Cold Steel does not seem to come up with original designs anymore. I always liked the look of the CS Desperado, and Outdoorsman. I liked their take of the Sgian Dubh. Now we seem to be seeing them try and come out with copies of custom knives, that or dividing themselves into 2 offerings of knives - upper & lower end.

In my opinion, I think Cold Steel would be better served by dropping several of their expensive designs and focusing on improving the basic designs. Improve the quality of their Carbon V steel or change it back to the older Carbon V. Then update and improve the materials on their bread & butter knives - SRK, Voyager folders, Master Hunter, etc.

Makes little difference to me if they do or don't. I have plenty of other knives to choose from.

 

[JLane]

Gee....what knifemakers warrenty does cover that kind of abuse? I know for a fact that Emerson's does not...I checked.

 

[Keith Montgomery]

The fact that the company that makes the knives for CS got the most out of 420 doesn't mean beans to me. What I find reprehensible is that someone would crap all over his competitors for using the steel and then use it himself. If it is such a bad steel then he shouldn't have been looking to use it on knives that would have the CS name on the blade. I firmly believe that Buck gets every bit as much out of the 420 and 425M (the other steel that Lynn Thompson called junk) they use as CS gets from the 420 they use. I am darn sure that BOS can get as good a heat treat as the company making the 420 knives for CS does.

His thinly vailed attack on Strider was another thing that turned me off.

As far as I am concerned CS should continue to be the marketing company that they are and should shut the hell up about their competitors. All it does is make Lynn Thompson look petty, and it turns me off of a company that I think has some good products.

If anyone wants to read the comments of Lynn Thompson on the above subjects, go to the CS website and click on the Letters & Articles box, then click on Published Articles. Go down to American Handgunner How Other Manufacturers Rip You Off. The attack on Strider is in the Riposte with the Article - The Kerambit. It is in the article on the ABS cutting competition and is titled - Low Points...High Speed Operators.

 

[Planterz]

I get the feeling that someday LT will include a kerambit and demonstrate how great it is in a new DVD.:foot:

Anybody who doubts the effectiveness of the kerambit needs to download that video of Ernst Emerson playing around with it. That's some scary sh!t.

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

The claims made on the DVD are hype. Nothing done on the DVD is covered under the warranty. In fact doing anything from the video will void the warranty, that makes the DVD little more then a staged stunt show.

Not to mention the ludicrous claims that attempt to say no other blades can match what is being done, when in fact there are blades that will exceed everything done (not that the things done are very extreme in the first place) And will also be fully backed up by the warranty.

There is no point trying to peddle snake oil to knife knuts, because we all know that:

1. AUS 8 isn't the best knife steel, no matter how many layers of 420 you wrap around it. Ditto for VG1. Some fluff words like "Subzero Quench" do not make 420 a good steel (see also point #4)
2. Cold Steel makes only videos, not Knives.
3. LT is a salesman who talks up his stuff to seem like it is the best, to people who don't know any better. (Like miracle blade 2000, or whatever TV infomercials)
4. LT has said negative things about stuff (to hype his own products) and later sells the same stuff and spins new hype about how awesome it is.

 

[DngrRuss1]

Not to mention the ludicrous claims that attempt to say no other blades can match what is being done, when in fact there are blades that will exceed everything done (not that the things done are very extreme in the first place)

I'll throw down the gauntlet here:
Prove it.
Show me your video, I've seen Cold Steel's. Put your money where your mouth is. LT and CS is willing to do it, how bout you?

Notice most of my rants have been in response to the statements and claims made here by members, not the knife makers themselves. You guys talk big, now let's see you man-up and show us your proof.

 

[Cougar Allen]

You guys talk big, now let's see you man-up and show us your proof.

You might have a look at Knife Reviews & Testing.

 

[BenchMyke]

Cold Steel knives are excellent knives for the price. An Ebay $30 SRK is hard to beat.

 

[JLane]

If I may make a request...the video where the BM with an axis lock is put into a ?vise? and pressure is added to the handle until the blade, not the lock, shears in two. I have heard that this test was done, and that the blade gave before the lock. Please understand I am not saying this with sarcasm, but if a video of this is out, I would like to see it.

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

I'll throw down the gauntlet here:
Prove it.
Show me your video, I've seen Cold Steel's. Put your money where your mouth is. LT and CS is willing to do it, how bout you?

Notice most of my rants have been in response to the statements and claims made here by members, not the knife makers themselves. You guys talk big, now let's see you man-up and show us your proof.

I don't need to make a video, I am not out to advertise anything.

My knives are in every way superior to Cold Steel's offerings. I won't even mention the company, but I can do anything in cold steel's video- (and then actually do some abusive things) it would be completely covered by the warranty.

I have done more abusive things with my 3/16" thick Ice pick than Cold Steel does to their toughest knife in that video. Guess what- it was covered by the warranty.

 

[Walking Man]

WalkingMan- am I supposed to open every one of my posts with a disclaimer stating that I have a relationship with CS? That sounds a little redundant and not needed.

Nope.... but especially when you start a thread about it... YES.
and when discussing CS.... YES.....
Kwai Chang Kaine once said: (claiming he was quoting Buddha, I believe)
Where interest lies, honor dies.

 

[DngrRuss1]

I don't need to make a video, I am not out to advertise anything.

My knives are in every way superior to Cold Steel's offerings. I won't even mention the company, but I can do anything in cold steel's video- (and then actually do some abusive things) it would be completely covered by the warranty.

I have done more abusive things with my 3/16" thick Ice pick than Cold Steel does to their toughest knife in that video. Guess what- it was covered by the warranty.

Your mouth keeps moving, but all I hear is blah, blah, blah.....

Talk is cheap pal...

 

[DngrRuss1]

Kwai Chang Kaine once said: (claiming he was quoting Buddha, I believe)
Where interest lies, honor dies.

Confucius said, "Many man can cook food, but Fu Man Chew..."

 

[Planterz]

Talk is cheap pal...

So is Lynn's supply of knives. We do not get our knives directly from the factory, nor do we have an allotment of knives we can potentially ruin for the sake of marketing. Your "challenge" is hollow and pointless. Quit trolling. :jerkit:

 

[Walking Man]

Quit trolling. :jerkit:

:thumbup:
Congrats..... Planterz.... You win the prize of the evening. Good Job!

 

[DngrRuss1]

So is Lynn's supply of knives. We do not get our knives directly from the factory, nor do we have an allotment of knives we can potentially ruin for the sake of marketing.

So that makes it okay for the haters to attack LT and CS without even a shred of proof on their side?

I know full well that I am not going to convert any of the haters. I am not trying to. But putting an alternative (and more accurate by directness of my information) viewpoint is neither wrong nor trolling. You and the other haters don't like what I am saying, then ignore me. Take your ball and go home. Hold each other's hand and have a good cry over the big mean man that wouldn't agree with and join in with your attacks on someone over the internet. Boo-hoo.

Grow up. You haters don't like the fact that someone is standing up to you instead of either agreeing with you or simply saying, "I like CS and don't see what all the fuss is about". Tough. I guess you can dish it out, etc.

Stay tuned... I got more...

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

Your mouth keeps moving, but all I hear is blah, blah, blah.....

Talk is cheap pal...

Talk is cheap- that must be why you and LT talk so much $#@&.

I will post my pics.

now show me where you used several sledgehammers to pound any cold steel offering into 1/4 inch thick steel, then through a piece of 1/8" thick steel, and have it survive, and have cold steel offer you a replacement.
I am not saying it isn't stupid and abusive, but it was fun.

Now put on your hat and stand in the corner. . .

 

[beefangusbeef]

Stay tuned... I got more...

It almost sounds like a threat of some sort? After reading this thread if this guy is anyway affiliated with the aforementioned company I will not purchase any more of their products and encourage others to do the same. What a shame....