Don't buy Cold Steel anymore!

[Ken C.]

You americans disappoint me much. I thought Founding Fathers left you more than a taste for money and legal fusspoting.

You opened up this can of worms. Don't be upset at us for not wanting to rehash the Cold Steel issues. Time to move on and get over it.

 

[RNST]

it motivated me to buy more Striders!

LT or bubba#1, whatever your name is; thanks I now own some awesome SMF's, PT and a SNG. Pure beauty! I wouldn't have looked so deeply into Striders if I hadn't seen all your negative advertising on your website.

Mick and company thank you for all of your support.

 

[Sidehill Gouger]

Anyone notice that the Pocket Bushman has a blade lock? No lock on the Douk Douk and a much different blade shape. So how can the CS knife be a copy of the French design? Oh my gosh, it has a blade and a handle, Cold Steel copied somebody some where!!

And as to what the average French cutlery company considers "craftsmanship", no comment.

 

[vwb563]

Originally Posted by Madnumforce
Quote: "You americans disappoint me much. I thought Founding Fathers left you more than a taste for money and legal fusspoting." Un-quote.


So I guess people all over the world should only be allowed to drive Oldsmobile brand of cars since Oldsmobile's were the first cars to ever be produced? Oh,,,wait a minute,,I guess that isn't possible since they are not produced anymore. Come on man! All designs are copied to some extent and improved making for newer, better, and more advanced products. So you might as well get over it dude! This kind of thing happens all over the world! Thats my two cents worth.,,,VWB.

 

[GronK]

didnt the owner of bradley once work for chris reeve?

it would follow that his design brings inspiration from the sebenza.

I think you're confusing two different companies. Don't remember the name off hand of the one that worked for CRK but Bradley was just a dealer of CRKs and had the Aliases made by Benchmade as a mass-produced "almost" Sebenza.

 

[Morrow]

You americans disappoint me much. I thought Founding Fathers left you more than a taste for money and legal fusspoting.

Should we care that we disappoint you? Wait...don't answer that...it was rhetorical. You're starting to walk and talk like troll more and more.

 

[wolfmann601]

:jerkit::jerkit::jerkit:

Madnumforce:

One of the more idiotic posts today. Really moronic.no just flat out stupid!!!

 

[Hammer27]

Madnumforce...from France...enough said.

 

[me2]

So where and who are acceptable places/companies to produce the DD. Is it only produced in this area in France? I find it hard to believe that such a seemingly functional design is only produced in one area of the world, and a relatively small one at that. The fact remains that the folding bushman is not a DD, since it has a lock, a pocket clip, sells for 1/3 to 1/2 more, has a stainless blade instead of the much vaunted, albeit soft (RC hardness listed at around 53 on some sites selling it) 1084, and last but not least, a different blade shape. Does CS site the DD as a source of inspiration? Even so, I dont think you can claim sole ownership of folding a piece of metal to make a channel as a technique for making a knife handle. Balisongs are traditionally made that way, it just takes 2 times instead of one. I'm sure Chuck will correct me if I'm wrong on that.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Gentlemen, this is not Whine & Cheese. Please refrain from insulting each other -- and above all refrain from comments derogatory of a country or people, which will be considered bigotry.

 

[Sidehill Gouger]

The Germans have been making knives with folded metal handles as long or longer than the French. My guess is the Douk Douk used the German knives as an inspiration.

 

[Boats]

There is another way to look at this.

Cold Steal's blatant "borrowing," whether of cultural designs, or more corporate takings, usually serves to bring attention to the originals.

And usually, the originals put the Cold Steal copies to shame.

 

[topher]

First, his so-called "pocket bushman" is nothing more than the french Douk Douk slightly modified. The difference is: it's almost certainly made in asia, but sold for... 40$!!! Don't get fooled anymore, the genuine Douk made by Cognet in Thiers, France (which is a country in social charges are HUGE), cost 12E (say 18$) for the carbon version (decades reliability and effectiveness proven), and 17E (25$) for the stainless one. They steal the design, product in a low-cost country, and sell for a high price!

The big problem I have is that they're being so sneaky about it, and not even acknowledging their influences. I mean, for example, in the official Cold Steel product brochure description for the Pocket Bushman, they say:

"For the handle, we used the mono block construction method famously used in the French Douk Douk line of knives. There are several advantages to using the mono block. It's simple to mass-produce, and, since there are no liners, handles cales, or back spacers, the end result is quite affordable."

Why couldn't they just admit where they got the handle idea?!?

Oh. Wait. Look at that. I guess they did mention the Douk Douk. And that they based the handle design on that. Hrm. That sounds, well, responsible. And like the decent thing to do. Who'd of thunk it?

I'm not going to bother going into detail with the others you listed, the finn bear is obviously based on the puukko design, the same design that's made by dozens, if not hundreds, of other companies. It's a very old knife pattern that's been around for hundreds of years.

I'm not a huge fan of Cold Steel, never have been. And they have borrowed a little liberally with other makes' designs in the past, no doubt. But basing modern knives on traditional and well established knife patterns is not stealing, and there's nothing wrong with it. I have a Douk Douk, and it's a great little knife. I will quite likely buy a Pocket Bushman, too. It'll be only my second CS knife , but it's the only one on their new 2008 list that I'm really interested in (after factoring price into the consideration).

 

[3Guardsmen]

I think you're confusing two different companies. Don't remember the name off hand of the one that worked for CRK but Bradley was just a dealer of CRKs and had the Aliases made by Benchmade as a mass-produced "almost" Sebenza.

It was Scott Cook (as in the Lochsa folder):http://www.scottcookknives.com/lochsa.htm who worked for CRK and drew inspiration from the Sebenza, not the dude from Bradley Cutlery. As I understand it, dude from Bradley, let's just call him Bradley, a knife dealer, drew inspiration from not having enough Sebenzas in stock to sell his customers, so he wanted to create a similar knife to sell in order to remedy the situation.

Regards,
3G

 

[jaislandboy]

(I hope Morimotom doesn't mind me stealing some of his popcorn)

 

[3Guardsmen]

Not one to shy away from a good, heated, CS thread, I had to throw in my $0.02.

I know the title may be choking some, but i have good reasons: THEY STEAL DESIGNS!!!

"Choking some" like with a Cold Steel Sarong (he says as he pictures pissed off polynesians running around)? That's just sarong (so wrong).

For me, honour mean much more than money. But maybe, it's not with guys like me that America became #1 in the world.

You americans disappoint me much. I thought Founding Fathers left you more than a taste for money and legal fusspoting.

You seem to be making this an issue of nationality. I feel that is a big mistake on your part! There are plenty of Americans who dislike copycats. I happen to be one of them. You really should do some research here before you go swinging that broad brush around!

3G,
American

 

[MORIMOTOM]

(I hope Morimotom doesn't mind me stealing some of his popcorn)

i think ill join you.

 

[Bubbanumber1]

If anyone was going to bring up complaints about Cold Steel you would think it would concern Bob Loveless, Mike Lovett and the Big Bear or as Lynn sells it, the Black Bear Classic. Far that matter it appears some interested parties who make knives go as far as suggesting that someone get a copy rather than pay the going price for real deal Big Bear but I should not digress into hypocrisies within the industry and amongst who is and who ain't custom knifemakers and what is and what ain't a custom knife, I will leave that to readers to decide for themselves.


http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-202292.html

BLACK BEAR CLASSIC

http://www.coldsteel.com/14bbcj.html

This classic sub-hilt design fighter was first developed by Bob Loveless, one of the founding members of the knifemaker’s guild. It’s perhaps the quintessential combat knife.

Its 8” blade offers excellent reach and incredible penetration with very little physical effort. The sub hilt practically eliminates the possibility of the hand being dislodged or coming into contact with the blade. Plus, the sub hilt facilitates rapid and effortless withdrawal after insertion. Versions of this design are offered by hundreds of custom knife makers at premium prices. Therefore we thought it was about time to offer premium sub-hilt performance at a more reasonable price, so we designed the Black Bear Classic. We use the same VG-1 San Mai III® stainless that is found in our famous Tanto series. The blades are perfectly heat treated and a double grind is expertly applied. Then the surface of the blade is polished to a beautiful satin finish, and the edges are honed and buffed to hair shaving sharpness! The black linen Micarta scales are fastened to the blade tang by 6 stainless pins and expertly hand shaped and contoured. Then the handle, including the 300 series stainless guard and sub hilt is buffed to a lustrous shine that will rival the finest custom knives! The Black Bear comes complete with a Secure-Ex® sheath.

Anyone thats been around a few years know this forum has not given Cold Steel an easy path to stride down, OUT.


How much does the manufacturer matter to you?

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-346393.html


Why does everyone hate coldsteel?

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-357045.html

 

[Jos]

And now someone will notice Cold Steel also ripped off a Randall design (R1 Military Classic)...

 

[Eric N.]

Hmmmmm,what is fusspoting? It better be good.