Eat My Own Words - Cold Steel Knives

Im not a huge Cold Steel Fan. Held one of the new Recon 1's at a local gun show yesterday. Will be purchasing one soon....
 
My first "high end" knife was a recon scout, it really got me into high quality knives, still take it out into the woods for fire building and general wilderness fun. Going on 3 years and about 50 outings it's one of my favorite fixed blades. Although I have tons of high end knives Cold Steel always has a special place for me.
And not to pander to the masses but I was not really that impressed with their folders until I tried the new Mini AK-47 now I have the Lawmans and the Recon 1 and I couldn't be happier. I like them as much or more than my Emersons, which are the brand of knives that for me compares best.
Not to mention the Gurka Kukri (thanks Nutnfancy) which is amazing.

So I don't know why people feel the need to defend their products. They make and have made excellent high value products and have made them for years? Just because they have funny advertising, people feel the need to defend them to a bunch of idiots who've never used one?
 
I have some CS hawks, machete and this little fella. I like them precisely because they are inexpensive\tough and I don't feel that I have to hold back with them as I would a more expensive cutting tool. Which means that I tend to use them more often than other outdoor tools in the woods. And probably get more use\fun out of my CS products because of that. It's a funny little world sometimes.
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Handle looks different, Triad lock on the new ones, and the steel is AUS8 now

And no more 6 incher, largest is 5.5.

they never released any of the new ones.i bet they are made in china.you can still get a good seal on a old model new in the box if you look around

Last Voyagers were Japan, probably new ones are too. Or Taiwanese. Both make some pretty awesome steel.

The new ones have handle design like the new Recon 1, looks much more grippy for possibility of social work.

- OS
 
I have a couple Finn Bears that are very good, inexpensive knives.
CS makes a good quality product at a fair price.

Knives are such a presonal thing anyhow.
 
I'm glad that people are finally realizing that Cold Steel offers good inexpensive functional knives. I believe that the Triad lock has really brought cold steel into the lime light so to speak. (edited as not to sound like a jerk)

Anyway, I've always liked Cold Steel knives, they are cheap enough that I don't mind messing them up at work, on a commercial fish boat. I especially like the Triad locking knives and Carbon V :D
 
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Hey, does anyone have any pictures of a Rajah which has been used extensively for landscaping-type work?
 
I have a couple Finn Bears that are very good, inexpensive knives.
CS makes a good quality product at a fair price...

Heck, the Pendleton Lite Hunter is like $15 and was Field and Stream Knife of the the Year for 2010. I really like it myself.
I have maybe 10 or 12 various CS knives and 4 or 5 of their machetes.
I also wear a Counter Tac II necker daily.

- OS
 
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I'm not too fond of their knives....


...but I looooooooove their marketing videos :D
 
I love my CS blades. I don't think you can beat the old school VG-1 CS tantos for all around toughness. I have two, plus the Outdoorsman. I just got a Tai Pan this week. Classic dagger and verrry sharp. I also have a Recon 1 tanto and its a tough SOB. I have a Rajah 1, Gurkah Kukri and all the "Platinum Series" folding knives like the Black Sable, Talwar and Black Talon. Love them all.
 
At least their marketing is fairly up front and honest, if a bit over the top. And they're not afraid to say what the intended use of their knives is, and show them performing the kind of cutting tasks encountered in self defense situations.

That was, after all, the original focus of the company and the meaning behind the name "Cold Steel."
 
I have an old syle Recon 1. I love it. It is my EDC. I am a big fan of tanto style blades. Best b-day present from my daughter/wife yet ! LOL
 
I'm with you on this. I started with the mini AK 47 and was very impressed, so I got the full size AK 47 and Recon 1. Love the strength, love the grip traction. Very impressed.
 
I have a Recon 1 and broke the pin that stops the blade. I don't use it much but that pin is thin and cheap. I sent it back and they fixed it for free but now the locking mechanism is messed up.

I have an original San-Mai Tanto and love it. Great knife! The Big Bore Blowgun is awesome.

Their older throwing knives suck. They have some newer McEvoy rip-offs but I haven't held one yet.

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Their fixed blades are BIG fun and do the job freaking well for the dough you spend.... I bought the SK-5 Trailmaster when it was still made in China for around 100 bucks. That is some great value right there. I got a San Mai Trailmaster right here on BF for precisely twice that amount. Again excellent value. I paid four times that for a Natchez bowie and I dont regret it for a moment. Every time I hold that knife I just love it more... the Natchez is the most awesome production bowie on the market, hands down. I have a K4 necker that was probably the best $15 I ever spent (Special Projects blow-out). On another Special Projects sale I picked up a mini Kukri in Carbon V for about $55. Amazing piece of equipment and I've used it hard for years....

Bottom line with CS: excellent value for money.

But I dont own any folders. I dont dig AUS-8. I want to see more VG-1 or San Mai folders out there.
 
I have a Recon 1 and broke the pin that stops the blade. I don't use it much but that pin is thin and cheap. I sent it back and they fixed it for free but now the locking mechanism is messed up.

I have an original San-Mai Tanto and love it. Great knife! The Big Bore Blowgun is awesome.

Their older throwing knives suck. They have some newer McEvoy rip-offs but I haven't held one yet.

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Was this the older axis style recon 1 that you broke?
 
I just received my CS Recon Tanto San Mai /// today from Amazon. This is not my first CS knife, nor my first San Mai knife. However, I am completely blown away by the amazing (understatement) quality of workmanship on this knife. I also have a standard Recon Tanto (the black blade), which I am also impressed with, but this San Mai is phenomenal. I cannot see a single imperfection anywhere. The angles are all ground extremely precisely, the lamination lines are virtually perfect, and the finish is absolutely gorgeous. The edge is shaving sharp with no nicks or irregularities. In fact, I'm starting to worry this is so nice that I may never want to use it! It is easily on par with any of the Fällkniven fixed blade knives in terms of workmanship. I wonder if the two companies sub out to the same manufacturer in Japan?

Before I actually bought a CS knife, I also thought they were more or less a marketing hype company. The borderline goofy over-the-top ads they have on their website don't help (a meat bicycle? come on, seriously?). But they sell totally good knives. Like, "Holy cow, I wasn't expecting that quality" good knives. :D

Another great value is their Pendleton Lite Hunter knife. Only $15, with phenomenal workmanship, and easily as sharp as a thin-blade Mora out of the box.
 
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