CS Ti-Lite?

Too long and narrow for my tastes and the blade is not much good for anything except stabbing things or slashing in self defense in my opinion. Not exactly the best choice for the scared sheeple of the world to see you pulling out since it looks like a switchblade.(and to some extent acts like one in the way it can be whipped out and opened like a Waved folder. Something used without permission from the patent holder I might add)

The lock is strong though and the way its made is kind of unique that just adds strength to it. I'm not sure I'd want to fork over the bucks for a ti one. The zytel one was a great knife for $40 but the ti one is just too much money for very little diff in quality.

STR
 
I own the zytel version which is pretty much the same. The placemant of the thumbstud does not allow good enough thumb contact for me to open it. My friend can but he's 300 lbs. Try handling one first if possible before you buy it, and don't pay anywhere near retail or even Special Projects price for it. It does open fairly well with the stolen wave feature but the saw-like quillions will eat right through your pocket edges. Not a bad knife but not my favorite.
 
I got to see one of these in a passaround a while back. Pretty decent knife overall. The lock was really really strong, no real danger of it slipping off and chopping you. A little difficult to close however.

The thumbstud was a little small, but easy to wave (rough on pants). With a little breaking in it should be possible to flick it open like a CRKT M16.

Not worth the price for the Ti version, I just wish the zytel version had better steel. I would have my own if it did.
 
all of four of them and they are all well made and handle well. I do not carry them, so I can't say much for them as a EDC....you can get them for around $100 for the silver Titatium and $115 for the blue, The plastics are $32 for the small and $44 for the large. They will always look and act more like a weapon, and will be viewed as such by the public and LEO's . They are very sharp and well made for many uses, but people will think they are weapon only mode.... so be careful if you are buying for a EDC.
 
I don't know why you guys are having so much trouble opening it with the thumb stud, unless you're pushing away from the handle sideways. You have to push forward, and then it snaps open really fast.

You don't have to tear your pants up with the grooved quillion. Just thumb it once you've got it out.
 
I'm not sure either, though I suspect they're trying to use the top of their fingernail to open it rather than the pad of their thumb. Using the latter, my Ti-Lite opens just fine.
 
Yeah, if you press straight up on the thumbstud, the blade will kind of "snap" open. Also helps if you take it apart, and squirt some teflon lube on the plastic spacers.
 
I also seem to remember the Ti. version blade being made of AUS-10. rather then the 420 on the Zytel? Fun blade to play with, but EDC?
 
I used mine for work/EDC. No gripes. Took to sharpening it with coarse stone for fibrous/plastic cutting.

In general, I used the ricosso (spelling) to open the knife. Not to "wave" it open, but with my thumb.

The grind is thick, but takes a good edge. I found the pointy blade useful. But, ignorant people did often confuse it with a "stilleto" auto.
 
I have one, and paid more than I wished. I like the looks of the knife, it is a traditional design. The thumbstud IS a little poorly placed, and is almost flush to the handle scales on mine, so opening it like that is difficult. I don't wave it, since just looking at the grooved 'guards' scream worn pockets :)
I can get it open wicked fast by pushing on the back guard (when closed) like a 'flipper' and flicking my wrist, or using the front guard and thumbing it open, in the same fashion as the stud was intended for. mine is quite slick and opens very very fast, but the knife is not the most public friendly design and the blade is as mentioned, designed for one thing, the thrust, although mine is sharp enough to shave hair and slice paper, the grind is too wide to slice a styrofoam peanut effectively. I've never (thankfully) used this knife, although I do carry it quite often and find it is a fine modern and more legal version of the stilletto switchblade. I am a fan of the stiletto, and at some point hope to be able to purchase a modern auto stiletto, but for now the ti lite does the trick. I only own the zytel version, the smaller of the two sizes, and the grip is positive (I have small hands). The titanium version seemed like it would be slicker to the touch, and the price was way out of my range at the time. The subzero quench 420 is more than suitable for what the design of the knife was intended for, but I've never needed it to have edge retention. In my opinion this is strictly a self-defensive knife.

Peter

By the way, I think the titanium version is AUS-8 or 8A but they may have upgraded to 10.

I am thinking of getting the 6 inch zytel version to carry for a while, any input on that?
 
Pete 1977....The large one is too large for an EDC ! It does not sit well in any pocket ( including a jacket-coat). It is a great "play" piece, but not sure where your could fit it where it would be comfortable to carry, unless you wore it exposed, which the public would not like. It is far thicker than the traditional 13" Italian lock back stiletto, and they are hard to carry also.....Tom
 
Thanks Tom ! :)

I planned to put it in a pea coat pocket, where I currently carry a 12" Fairbairn Sykes. The pocket has a hole in the lining and the lower portion sits between the jacket shell and liner.

I thought of replacing the FS with the CS and sewing the hole. (yeah I can sew :rolleyes: )

Pete
 
Titanium version seems overpriced to me but the Zytel 4" version can be had for less than fifty bucks which is a great deal. I don't think the design quality that allows for quick opening is a Wave ripoff but thats another story, suffice to say it works. I removed the thumbstud because I just push on the the exposed "horn" to open the knife.

The blade is less delicate than one would think, but obviously its not a prybar.

I also have the large version. Its too large and the blade is too thick to be useful for all the light utility work that the 4" is suck a great knife for.
 
Pete1977 said:
The subzero quench 420 is more than suitable for what the design of the knife was intended for, but I've never needed it to have edge retention. In my opinion this is strictly a self-defensive knife.

--- --- ---

By the way, I think the titanium version is AUS-8 or 8A but they may have upgraded to 10.
Click to expand...
According to the SpecPro website, the Zytel Ti-Lite uses 440A, not 420. The titanium version still uses AUS-8A.

(The Triple Action folders use AUS-10A.)
 
The Ti-Lite is a fun knife to own where actual stilettos are not legal to purchase or carry. It's something of an homage with a modern flare.
 
I don't think the design quality that allows for quick opening is a Wave ripoff
Click to expand...

Not to get off topic terribly: The design of the knife isn't the problem. Its the fact that Cold Steel advertises it as such in their videos that is the issue. In fact the CS video is just like watching a Wave demo off of Ernie Emerson's site in the video vault. Turn off the volume and watch it and it is identical all the way to the stance and the blue jeans.

There are other 'underground waves' out there and it happens which is no big deal really, especially in the older knives that aren't that way until they are converted to tip up carry. This isn't crossing the line into the rip off of intellectual property. That doesn't happen until they start selling it that way and advertising it as such which Lynn obviously has no problem doing even though he never even spoke with Ernie about it to so much as just get a verbal ok from him, let alone going the proper route like Spyderco did and working out a license agreement. I have no respect for the guy at all anymore.

As for the knife. I forgot to add earlier. In some respects it could be argued that the 440A blade is superior to the AUS8 one. Just look at the steel charts and they at least seem pretty much equal to each other. I don't think the AUS8 adds that much to the Ti version to make it worth the difference really. They are both middle of the road steels that perform pretty much at the same level. Six of one half dozen of another as they say.

STR
 
No offense, STR, but I got the Zytel ti-lite almost as soon as it came out, and I've been opening it that way since before I heard of Emerson. I see it as a logical and obvious use of a knife of that design, just as the Wave technique is a logical and obvious use of a knife with a completely different design.

Anyway, its a great and useful knife. The steel is good enough for the level of work that the ti-lite is a reasonable tool for.

Oh, and one legal note: some places may consider the ti-lite a "dirk, dagger, or stiletto", as opposed to a common folding knife, simply because it has a thin, pointy (but not double edged) blade, so don't assume its a legal alternative to a traditional automatic stiletto! I believe this is the case where I am living now, making me a bit wary of using this knife in public. Of course, its killed far fewer people than Ted Kennedy's car ever did...
 
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