Has the CS Chaos line been a failed series?... IMO, yes, I believe so...

PocketKnifeJimmy said:
I had discussed on these forums before concerning the 'Nut-n-fancy' video where he breaks a Cold Steel Chaos Double Edged Trench knife blade while smacking at some shale rocks. The test was done again using a replacement knife in a later video, and that blade survived the abuse, but he did manage to break yet another Chaos blade, (this time a Tanto version), in another video.
Now, to re-visit that discussion, I remember him saying that where he thought the issue was, was not that the steel or it's heat treatment was bad, but rather that the blade being installed into the metal handle, causes major vibrations that have no place to go. He may have something with that guess. I remember those videos, and him whacking some other model knives, (Cold Steel and other brands), and none sounded like the Chaos getting whacked.
The sound the Chaos gave with every whack was a distinct "TINK, TINK, TINK" with each and every hit.
I think the quality and the knife's materials, especially for their price range, are more than acceptable.
But, the steel blade's tang being inserted and tightly joined as one with the metal handle, may be that "Achilles Heel" in the Chaos series design. Again, that "TINK" sound it made during those hard whacks against stone, was a much different sound than the other knives made when they got put through that hard test.

One of his videos shows the replacement Chaos he received, after breaking the first Chaos Double Edged one, being run through the same unrealistic testing again, (this one's blade managing to survive it).
If you watch it, listen for that "Tink" sound, it sorta makes you cringe hearing it with each whack... Eeek!
They also put the handle through a crazy hard test, and although it does end up cracking the handle, it does a decent job when one considers the unrealistic testing.

If you click onto the "watch on youtube" below, it will take you to the video...

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Good points Jimmy. I will add that like NutnFancy, I do not like or trust Cold Steel's SK5 steel. I owned my first Cold Steel folder in high school in the mid-1980s and have been a huge fan ever since. My dad was also a knife dealer who sold Cold Steel in the 80s and 90s. I have a lot of experience using the various steels that Cold Steel has put out since then. I don't trust SK-5 because it has always seemed brittle. And when I look around on the internet, the only Cold Steel models that seem to have problems with breaking are the SK-5 models- current SRK, Chaos series, Bushman in SK-5, the older Recon Scout in SK-5 etc.

If you note in that NutnFancy video he mentions his Recon Scout in SK-5 breaking whereas his older Carbon V version was a tank. He also can't break the 4116 Outdoorsman Lite on the shale despite being harder on it than the Chaos.

It is one steel I avoid from Cold Steel. It should not be a brittle steel, but maybe Cold Steel is over-hardening because they are trying to make the steel hold an edge longer since they no longer use Carbon V. I don't know. But I would much rather have Cold Steel's AUS8, 4116 or even AUS10A over their SK-5 for a hard use fixed blade.
 
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Interesting stuff peaking out at LT's Never Unarmed. Interesting he's bringing back the M-7 conversion handles, etc.... It really might be the second coming of Special Projects, and hope for some vestige of Cold Steel to still be alive.
 
Because of the Nut'n-fancy video I stopped EDC-ing my Chaos knives and switched to a sledge hammer, which gives me more confidence at breaking rocks.
 
Lynn Thompson says in his video that the Chaos series was not designed to be brass knuckles. He explains that the handle includes just one reinforcing pillar which also improves the gripping. Being speculative, perhaps his thoughts were that the knuckle guard makes it even more difficult to use the knife for general purposes. I love the Chaos series, but for me it would have been great to see a full knuckle handguard from Cold Steel.
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Juan Lopez said:
Sorry I wasn´t pretending a thumbnail
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If I were a betting man, I would put my guess on Lynn Thompson having based the Chaos handle on the British made 'Robbins of Dudley' models of WW1 era.

Here is a pic of a reproduction of one of those Robbins of Dudley knife designs...



I would guess that the above Robbins of Dudley handle design was in fact to double as a knuckle duster. And, therefore, the Chaos handle would likely be seen as being in that same category... Just my observation/opinion 👍😊👍
 
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PocketKnifeJimmy said:
If I were a betting man, I would put my guess on Lynn Thompson having based the Chaos handle on the British made 'Robbins of Dudley' models of WW1 era.

Here is a pic of a reproduction of one of those Robbins of Dudley knife designs...



I would guess that the above Robbins of Dudley handle design was in fact to double as a knuckle duster. And, therefore, the Chaos handle would likely be seen as being in that same category... Just my observation/opinion 👍😊👍
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Good point! They certainly look a lot similar to each other ! This ability and dareness to bring historical pieces to live is one of the things I admire in CS.
 
I was doing a little wiping down of some items in my collection, then I got to my two CS Chaos Push Knives. I looked at them over real good, and thought to myself.... "What garbage!". I mean, the handle is sooo big and blocky. The plastic material of both the handle and striking knobs really make it look so mickey mousey.

I have some other Cold Steel items, (like some other models of the Chaos series), that may indeed seem very over the top to most folks. But, although they may have that over the top look about them, they are pretty well thought out and made with decent materials.

But, these Chaos Push Knives?... Not so much!

I was so convinced today that I really dislike them, that I pulled them out of the display that they were in.
I then went to my closet and found their two original boxes, and now have them stacked alongside the two Chaos Push Knives on my kitchen counter. Why?... Because I have a few friends in mind that may appreciate having them, and my plan is to gift them to a couple of those guys.
Yup, I don't even want them at all.

The only reason I bought them in the first place, was to try and get at least one specimen of each of the models in the Chaos series.
I later decided to not pick up the Chaos Bowie, so the whole idea of getting the entire series had already gone out the window.
I will keep the Chaos Kukri, Stiletto, Dagger, and Tanto, but I have no desire to keep owning my two specimens of the Chaos Push Knives 😅
 
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DayofReckoning said:
I noticed that after being gone for a long time out of stock, the Choas Bowie is back in stock. So maybe the Chaos series isn't dead yet?
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The only Chaos model that I believe CS screwed the pooch on, is the Push Knife model.
The others may eventually be dropped, (three models already have been), but it will most likely because there is a limited market for them. But, the Push Knife version was, from the get go, not made to the standards of the other Chaos models in the line, and that just adds to the reason it will not be around for long.

I'm thinking the only reason they made it into the CS 2022 catalog, is because their inventory of them from their initial order from the manufacturer, has likely not budged much. They are likely VERY slow sellers, and I can see them lingering around for awhile until they can sell them off.
 
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The Chaos knives can be a little cringey, but I still like them. I was gifted a Chaos Double edge for Christmas by my brother. It's a pretty fun knife, but a no joke serious one too if the SHTF.

The Choas double edge's blade look extremely similar to the Tai Pan's, only upon close inspection was I surprised to see that the Chaos blade is slightly longer and wider than the Tai Pan's, the Tai Pan's are a little short of their claimed 7 1/2 in.

For the price these are going for now, I don't how anyone could complain. Except for the Push knifes, feedback doesn't seem to be good on those.
 
DayofReckoning said:
The Chaos knives can be a little cringey, but I still like them. I was gifted a Chaos Double edge for Christmas by my brother. It's a pretty fun knife, but a no joke serious one too if the SHTF.

The Choas double edge's blade look extremely similar to the Tai Pan's, only upon close inspection was I surprised to see that the Chaos blade is slightly longer and wider than the Tai Pan's, the Tai Pan's are a little short of their claimed 7 1/2 in.

For the price these are going for now, I don't how anyone could complain. Except for the Push knifes, feedback doesn't seem to be good on those.
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Yup, it's only the Chaos Push Knife that they went mickey mouse on.
 
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