Does anything beat the Cold Steel Trail Master ?

[Cobalt]

The TM design is a great design. It has becom a classic being around for so many years. I've owned many and still own a bunch

 

[Boru13]

I had a bk 9 didn’t care for the handle. I have the hand size of a fifth grade girl.

 

[goldie]

Ive been using trailmasters for 30 years in many different steels. I think the latest one in 3v is one of their best versions yet.The carbon v one has been good as well. I went through about 25 feet of rhodedendrums with one to clear a trail and it didnt take alot of effort....

 

[Huntsman Knife Co. LLC.]

Yes.

 

[scdub]

The 3V TM is retailing for ~$350.

I got this custom from Bill Siegle for about the same price a few years ago and I think it will out-perform the TM in several areas.

It’s in boring old 5160 which is partly why it was so reasonably priced.



The TM is a cool design, and if they had made the handle a bit more durable and less prone to detachment then I might have gotten one…

 

[GrumpySoreOldBastard]

The Trail Master in 52100 is a hell of a value IMO.
Shop around for the best price tho.

 

[ILFreemason]

I'm a little confused. You said it's the best, yet you are selling it??

I have 2

The TM design is a great design. It has becom a classic being around for so many years. I've owned many and still own a bunch

that’s a nice collection

There are tons of knives that will best a Trailmaster. That doesnt mean its not a good knife. Pretty much any scrapyard or swamprat product will beat it. Not to mention anything Busse. Work tough, Falkniven, Hattori also best a trailmaster. Then there is Esee who just because of the handles is better. I would trust esee heat treat over cold steel non japan made knives any day. And I know I am forgetting many more knives.

having small hands I like the trail masters handle. I really the the flat grind as well. It just really works for me.

 

[ILFreemason]

What is a common issue with the trail master? What is the weak point mentioned with the handle?

 

[ILFreemason]

These really are not intended for such use , more a fighter .

I’ve gathered that. I do really like the aesthetics, I do think that for the price though the suckure-ex sheath is a let down

 

[AntDog]

What is a common issue with the trail master? What is the weak point mentioned with the handle?

Kraton. It degrades over time, gets tacky or gooey, gets loose, comes off with age and use, then you wind up with a bare tang needing replacement.

You asked does anything beat the TM. Yes, lots of knives do IMO. But, lots of knives don’t. I’d say this one spanks it by leaps and bounds.

 

[ILFreemason]

Yes.

What would you call this grind, Sabre ?

 

[ILFreemason]

Kraton. It degrades over time, gets tacky or gooey, gets loose, comes off with age and use, then you wind up with a bare tang needing replacement.

You asked does anything beat the TM. Yes, lots of knives do IMO. But, lots of knives don’t.

I’ve experience this with old motorcycle grips

 

[AntDog]

I’ve experience this with old motorcycle grips

Me too. It’s exactly like that.

 

[ILFreemason]

Kraton. It degrades over time, gets tacky or gooey, gets loose, comes off with age and use, then you wind up with a bare tang needing replacement.

You asked does anything beat the TM. Yes, lots of knives do IMO. But, lots of knives don’t. I’d say this one spanks it by leaps and bounds.

Do you feel a lot of vibration through that exposed tang?

 

[AntDog]

Do you feel a lot of vibration through that exposed tang?

Vibration?

It isn’t like hitting a steel pole with an aluminum baseball bat. Ever chopped wood with a knife before? It’s kinda like that, only with a really good knife.

 

[ILFreemason]

Vibration?

It isn’t like hitting a steel pole with an aluminum baseball bat. Ever chopped wood with a knife before? It’s kinda like that, only with a really good knife.

For the record. My favorite kind of tang is poon

 

[Huntsman Knife Co. LLC.]

What would you call this grind, Sabre ?

I'd call it a high flat grind although a Sabre grind is correct terminology.

 

[jbmonkey]

smatchet beats it......

 

[oldmanwilly]

smatchet beats it......

Yeah, but who is making a reasonably accessible, high quality smatchet for $350.00 or less?

Edit: Oh, wait, Mike Wallace has a smatchet with a 10" blade that is available for ~$150.00. Very cool, but with that full dagger grind I'd say it's more focused as an offensive weapon than a do-it all type knife.

 

[Cobalt]

Do you feel a lot of vibration through that exposed tang?

An exposed tang may or may not transfer vibration just like an enclosed tang may or may not. Remember, there isn't much rubber between the TM tang and the hand. Holding technique, chopping technique, Blade design, thickness etc, all go into absorbing shock or not. One thing that is for sure, is that an eposed full tang is much stronger and if the handle material breaks, it can be wrapped with anything and still function. Enclosed tangs are almost always to small to makeshift a wrap on them. Another issue with enclosed tangs is if they radius the transition or not.


Here is a properly radiused transition

Then in this picture you have the TM on the right that did not have a transition compared to the Basic 9 on the left, which did. Eventually, the TM will fail at that transition if you baton with it a lot.

Here is my old TM