Fake/Clone Cold Steel 4-Max

[ursamajor]

Sent mine back to cold steel today. Lets see how long the wait and what they fix. Customer Service was very quick on responding to my emails.Top notch for speedy emails to there customers.

Let me know. Being as stock is scarce, I think it may be a while. I had an issue with a Natchez Bowie. Cold Steel made it right, but it took almost 5 months.


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[dogrunner]

On these I think they are having new lockbar rockers made, so who knows how long that will take. I'd still rather have one made to spec, and stock is scarce, so I'm willing to wait and hope it is not too long.

 

[ursamajor]

I just got mine. Same way.

On a side note, everything else about this knife is perfect. And the Triad feels as nice and smooth as my Uncle's AD10.


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[Jimislash]

I just got mine. Same way.

On a side note, everything else about this knife is perfect. And the Triad feels as nice and smooth as my Uncle's AD10.


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I feel the same way. I love the knife. It's just hard to understand why they would send the lock bars out that way, especially on a higher dollar knife. I have gripped mine in every way possible, trying to get the lock to disengage. Unless, I make a purposeful effort to close the knife, it doesn't close. It's just a bit messed up that I spent $400 for a new knife and have to send it in to have it tweaked cosmetically.

 

[ursamajor]

Can Monster give us an idea of what in regards to warranty, happens here? Are these replaced or repaired? I hope repaired, because if they are replaced, we will be waiting until the 2nd of Never to get our knives back.

I was told by the Cold Steel Customer Service rep that Cold Steel does not have even have an expectation date on when they will get their next shipment.


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[ursamajor]

I feel the same way. I love the knife. It's just hard to understand why they would send the lock bars out that way, especially on a higher dollar knife. I have gripped mine in every way possible, trying to get the lock to disengage. Unless, I make a purposeful effort to close the knife, it doesn't close. It's just a bit messed up that I spent $400 for a new knife and have to send it in to have it tweaked cosmetically.

I feel you. I still pulled the trigger on buying it however, because I don't think these knives are going to be carried much longer. And between now, and the day Cold Steel discontinues them, they are going to basically be out of stock everywhere.

With that, it's basically now or never to jump on one when they do miraculously show up in stock.


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[dogrunner]

I feel the same way. I love the knife. It's just hard to understand why they would send the lock bars out that way, especially on a higher dollar knife. I have gripped mine in every way possible, trying to get the lock to disengage. Unless, I make a purposeful effort to close the knife, it doesn't close. It's just a bit messed up that I spent $400 for a new knife and have to send it in to have it tweaked cosmetically.

Same with mine - it seems great in every other way. My impression was CS is going to repair them by replacing the rocker with the new ones they are having made. So you will get your knife back otherwise as purchased. Works for me. I really want this knife, been waiting a long time, and do not want to wait on another round of manufacturing or risk not getting one at all if they can replace a part.

 

[100eyes]

Hey CS Rep, thanks for the response. Quick question, so is it safe to assume that cosmetic flaw like this is covered under the warranty, hence we will get repair/replacement services?

Also, based on some of the pictures posted here, i would argue that this may not just be a cosmetic, but a functional/mechanical flaw. With the raised lockbar, there is a good chance that when you grab the handle hard, for example during hard downward cutting or even chopping, the lockbar would get *slightly* depressed and come lose. Obviously this won't generate enough force to completely disengage the lockbar, far from it i would imagine, but this will cause some vertical blade play during use and thus accelerating wear to the lock bar.
I dont own a 4MAX(too big for me, but would appreciate an AD-10 sized one), but i have personally experienced the issue i described above on my Medium G-10 Espada and American Lawman. I can say that for my examples, the lockbar aren't even raised as high as the example shown here.

I agree that it's a mechanical flaw - it's especially noticeable on older designs like the Espada series where the lockbar cutout is closer to the pivot. I've also noticed under strong hammer grip the lockbar gets depressed slightly and caused slight up and down blade play. Since the updated Voyager series the cutout was pushed further back with the indented lockbar, which solved the issue at the cost of being a bit harder to close one-handed.

 

[duro]

welp. just got my 4-max and it has a proud lockbar. Also, it didn't come very sharp and has a high polish a few mm's outside of the edge. It seems the sharpener doesn't know what they're doing. Also, there are a few nicks in the spine of the blade.

I may just send it back to the dealer and forget about it. I'm no longer in the business of buying high dollar items, only to turn around and send it back to the manufacturer.

What happened to made in america? It seems americans simply don't give a shit.

 

[duro]

Apologies for the delay in response.
It seems that yes, a small number of production 4-MAX folding knives were sent out with a raised lock bar that is not seated flush with the scales.
This is not a safety concern, and it would be considered a cosmetic flaw under our warranty.
We ask that anyone who receives a 4-MAX with this raised lock bar and is unsatisfied with their purchase to please contact our Customer Services team via the email below using the subject header 4-MAX LOCK BAR
​We will endeavor to remedy this quickly
Thank you

Cold Steel
Customer Service
customerservice@coldsteel.com

So my 4-max turned out to be a real bad example of a knife. Lock bar problem, knicks on the spine of the blade. Bad sharpening job, etc..Customer service said they do not have any 4-max's in stock to remedy my problem. They provided no timeline of when a replacement might become available. They did offer to let me know when one becomes available, but meanwhile I'm sitting here with a 400 dollar knife that I can't really use because it has issues....I'm feeling let down in what could of been a great offering from your company.

 

[dogrunner]

Agree that this is a disappointment, but mine seemed perfectly fine other than the lockbar. I opted for a repair because I still really want the knife, waited a long time for this batch to materialize, and I did not want to wait for another batch. CS is having replacement rockers made, according to Mr. Demko, where mine currently is waiting for that repair. If you think yours is reparable (sounds like other issues than just the lockbar), contact CS and request both the lockbar repair and fix the other stuff. Good luck.

 

[Jimislash]

I'm feeling let down in what could of been a great offering from your company.

This is exactly the issue. On top of that, they have acted put out each time I have contacted them.

 

[ursamajor]

This is exactly the issue. On top of that, they have acted put out each time I have contacted them.

I understand exactly how you're feeling. I sent mine in a few weeks ago. When I first contacted customer service, I was asked for my email address so that they could send a prepaid label. After 3 days, the label never came, so I sent it myself, with $400 of insurance on it. The day after it was delivered in Ventura, the shipping label arrived in my email.


I never got any sort of contact about the knife from Cold Steel regarding receipt of my knife. I did include my name address and contact info on a card, along with the lockbar description. I contacted them to inquire about the knife. I was told that all the 4Max's were being sent back to Demko, who was going to replace the lockbars then ship them directly back to their owners.

I was also told that we would not be contacted when they're shipped.

So no shipping number, nor expectation when it's to arrive. AFAIK, my knife could have already been shipped back to me, and is currently residing in the pocket of a thief who intercepted it along the way, and I would never have any idea. Very comforting.

I'm giving it a 50/50 on whether or not I ever see my knife again.


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[Jimislash]

I understand exactly how you're feeling. I sent mine in a few weeks ago. When I first contacted customer service, I was asked for my email address so that they could send a prepaid label. After 3 days, the label never came, so I sent it myself, with $400 of insurance on it. The day after it was delivered in Ventura, the shipping label arrived in my email.


I never got any sort of contact about the knife from Cold Steel. I did include my name address and contact info on a card, along with the lockbar description. I contacted them to inquire about the knife. I was told that all the 4Max's were being sent back to Demko, who was going to replace the lockbars then ship them directly back to their owners.

I was also told that we would not be contacted when they're shipped.

So no shipping number, nor expectation when it's to arrive. AFAIK, my knife could have already been shipped, and is currently residing in the pocket of a thief who intercepted it along the way, and I would never have any idea. Very comforting.

I'm giving it a 50/50 on whether or not I ever see my knife again.


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This is how I was treated. First, I wasn't even offered a label. No type of time line was given. Also, they tried to pass the problem off to the dealers, as if they were the ones responsible for the lockbar problem. Instead of just dealing with this issue head on, they are piecemealing it.

I love Cold Steel knives, but their customer service needs some work.

 

[The Whip]

I'm sorry to hear that guys are having a tough time with the repair process, but in case there are some of you out there still wavering, duro's, ursamajor's, and Jimislash's experiences do not match my own. Cold Steel replied to my e-mail within two business days and I had a pre-paid FedEx label within a week. The knife made it to Demko within two days.

Naturally I haven't received the repaired knife, so my tale doesn't have an ending yet. But so far I have no complaints with the way that Cold Steel has handled the situation.

With the sole exception of the proud lockbar, everything about my 4-MAX was perfect. I can't wait to get that knife back in hand (despite the fact that I can't have it officially until Christmas)!

-Steve

 

[Jimislash]

With the sole exception of the proud lockbar, everything about my 4-MAX was perfect.

-Steve

This is very true. I love the knife and almost wish I hadn't seen the old lockbar. It is a great knife.

 

[The Whip]

I love the knife and almost wish I hadn't seen the old lockbar.

Nah, you were right to bring up the issue. I almost didn't send in my knife for repair, but I could tell it was going to abrade my hand in certain grips. I'd also handled one of the original production-run models; they definitely did not have the same issue.

As long as Cold Steel corrects the problem, it's not a big deal in my book. I realize that it's a $600 mid-tech, made-in-U.S.A. knife, but errors happen. I think people are forgetting that: 1) This is the second folder that Cold Steel has had made in America in a decade or so, and the American manufacturers the company relied on in the past are long gone. It's new ground. 2) This is Mr. Demko's first foray into the mid-tech arena. It's new ground.

Plenty of companies have had issues with consistent quality control. I've read about (but not witnessed myself) issues with American-made Striders, Emersons, Benchmades, Kershaws, Gerbers, and Bucks. And plenty of the guys raising their concerns about these knives reported that customer service was lacking when they contacted the companies about them. After all, who wants to admit that he's made a mistake? I've also purchased custom knives that were so shoddily constructed that I sent them back. Errors happen; things get overlooked. Life goes on.

Hopefully those of us with raised lockbars will get our repaired knives back soon, future knives won't have the issue, and 2017 will bring still more awesome American-made Custom Classics!

-Steve

 

[PeteyTwoPointOne]

Hopefully those of us with raised lockbars will get our repaired knives back soon, future knives won't have the issue, and 2017 will bring still more awesome American-made Custom Classics!
-Steve

+1

It would be a shame if this hiccup threw a wet blanket on Cold Steel's venture back into the USA knife manufacturing arena.

It would be especially disheartening if this reflected badly on Andrew-- a real stand up guy in the blade world.

I jumped at the opportunity to support CS & Demko in their efforts and was rewarded with my perfect, long awaited 4Max...but it really disheartens me that some of the other brothers had a "less than" perfect experience with their 4Maxes.

I am subscribed and hope to hear that all of you guys are made whole and can enjoy a knife UNLIKE any other production model on the market.

 

[ursamajor]

I understand exactly how you're feeling. I sent mine in a few weeks ago. When I first contacted customer service, I was asked for my email address so that they could send a prepaid label. After 3 days, the label never came, so I sent it myself, with $400 of insurance on it. The day after it was delivered in Ventura, the shipping label arrived in my email.


I never got any sort of contact about the knife from Cold Steel regarding receipt of my knife. I did include my name address and contact info on a card, along with the lockbar description. I contacted them to inquire about the knife. I was told that all the 4Max's were being sent back to Demko, who was going to replace the lockbars then ship them directly back to their owners.

I was also told that we would not be contacted when they're shipped.

So no shipping number, nor expectation when it's to arrive. AFAIK, my knife could have already been shipped back to me, and is currently residing in the pocket of a thief who intercepted it along the way, and I would never have any idea. Very comforting.

I'm giving it a 50/50 on whether or not I ever see my knife again.


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I read AD's post in the other 4Max thread. Looks like I was speaking to an inexperienced Customer Service Rep. I'm grateful for his weighing in o the situation, and found relief in his post.


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[DemkoKnives]

Guys, as I mentioned before I am only replacing the rocker on the knives received. I'm acting as a middle man,in this case, for our 4max vendor and cold steel. I hope to ship out this week. I will contact whoever was good enough to supply contact info when shipped. Thank you for your support