Cs San Mai Iii Trailmaster

S. Brown · Sep 2, 2006

I've been thinking about getting one. What do you guys think about the San Mai trailmaster?

mete · Sep 2, 2006

The standard Trailmaster is excellent but I don't think the san mai version is worth the money.

razorsdescent · Sep 2, 2006

mete said:
The standard Trailmaster is excellent but I don't think the san mai version is worth the money.

+1 i think the carbon V trail master is actually a half decent knife ( as much as i hate to admit it).

Keith Montgomery · Sep 2, 2006

So, with Camillus' problems, where is CS getting their Carbon V?

razorsdescent · Sep 2, 2006

Keith Montgomery said:
So, with Camillus' problems, where is CS getting their Carbon V?

China same as always

But that is actually quite a good question.

S. Brown · Sep 2, 2006

All money issues aside, do you think it is better than the carbon V trailmaster?

Danbo · Sep 2, 2006

No, it is not better than the carbon version. You're paying for the gimick of it being laminated stainless. Performance wise, it's not nearly as good.

Gryffin · Sep 2, 2006

Danbo said:
No, it is not better than the carbon version. You're paying for the gimick of it being laminated stainless. Performance wise, it's not nearly as good.

What Danbo said. I always thought CS had the prices backwards, the Carbon V one's the better of the two!

orthogonal1 · Sep 3, 2006

Cost of manufacture may play a role.

Are not the San Mai made in Japan vs the Carrbon V made in USA?

Gryffin · Sep 4, 2006

orthogonal1 said:
Cost of manufacture may play a role.

Oh, true; but as a buyer, you'd hope that the extra cost of manufacture made for a better blade. Sadly, in this case, it doesn't.

orthogonal1 said:
Are not the San Mai made in Japan vs the Carrbon V made in USA?

These days, yeah, I think you're right. But the older Carbon V Trailmasters were made in Japan, too. At least, my satin one is marked JAPAN on the ricasso.

Going forward, who knows? I've heard that Cold Steel's Carbon V knives were mostly made by Camillus, but they're sadly gone; who knows where they'll be made from now on.