Hold Out III

A

arty

Joined
Oct 18, 2003
Messages
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Does anyone know if the knife has a liner, or if it is liner-less? How is the fit and finish on this model?
 
I have two AUS8 Hold Out IIIs. No liner. There were no fit & finish issues on mine. Perfect satin finish on the blade, no blade play in either direction, super-solid lock.
I haven't handled the ones with the new steel yet, though.
 
The previous AUS-8A version have thicker handles and blades than the newer CTS-XHP versions.

Plus the newer ones have a different, smoother G10.

I picked up the newer version (Hold Out II with 4-inch blade) with the Olive Drab G10 and DLC-coated blade.

It is also a little easier to open than the previous versions too.
 
+1 on it being easier to open. The Aus8A model has a sharp transition at the blade tang that you have to overcome to open the knife, the new one is being rounded off. Upside is that it's easier/smoother to overcome the spring detent, downside is that the transition feel less crisp.
 
While handles are thinner on the new Hold Out III, the blades are identical. I've swapped XHP blades into the old handles and they work perfectly.
 
I ordered an AUS8 model that had an uneven edge grind that didn't go all the way to the ricasso, and the lock became crunchy after a day of owning it. Easily fixed with WD-40 but I do believe I got a lemon.
 
nolanzc said:
I ordered an AUS8 model that had an uneven edge grind that didn't go all the way to the ricasso, and the lock became crunchy after a day of owning it. Easily fixed with WD-40 but I do believe I got a lemon.
Click to expand...

Had the same thing with mine (both of them), with the edge grind not going all the way to that sharpening notch for some reason. Same thing on the Secret Edge. Pendleton Mini was done right. Otherwise, grinds were even.
The Hold Outs and Secret Edge were made in Taiwan and my Pendleton Mini was made in Japan. Wonder if it's something to do with whoever makes Cold Steel's knives in Taiwan.
 
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It has something to do with the distal tapering of the blade (how it thins out as it goes towards the tip).

Part of it may have to do with the grinding/machining process too:

Hollow grinds allow both sides to be ground at once, whereas full flat grinds have to be done one side at a time.

It appears that several of the Cold Steel G10 handled knife lines have the unsharpened base of the blade: Recon 1s (with the exception of the 5.5-inch Clip-Point. The 5.5-inch Tanto-Point has both an unsharpened base and "sharpening notch"), Hold Outs, Talwar, American Lawman and AK-47.

While others have a "sharpening notch" instead: All of the Voyagers, Tuff-Lite and Spartan.
 
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GCG199 said:
It has something to do with the distal tapering of the blade (how it thins out as it goes towards the tip).

Part of it may have to do with the grinding/machining process too:

Hollow grinds allow both sides to be ground at once, whereas full flat grinds have to be done one side at a time.

It appears that several of the Cold Steel G10 handled knife lines have the unsharpened base of the blade: Recon 1s (with the exception of the 5.5-inch Clip-Point. The 5.5-inch Tanto-Point has both an unsharpened base and "sharpening notch"), Hold Outs, Talwar, American Lawman and AK-47

While others have a "sharpening notch" instead: All of the Voyagers, Tuff-Lite and Spartan.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's what I meant to say. The edge didn't go all the way to the sharpening notch. My Medium Voyager didn't have this problem, and it's a shame because I ordered the AUS8 model because I saw many had the problem with the XHP models.
 
I don't consider it a defect or problem, it is what it is by design.

All of the Cold Steel knives I have with this cut quite well, as they are supposed to do.
 
Like my HO III.
Like the thin handle, like the medium texture G10, love the CTS-XHP blade. Great light weight knife.
 
GCG199 said:
It has something to do with the distal tapering of the blade (how it thins out as it goes towards the tip).

Part of it may have to do with the grinding/machining process too:

Hollow grinds allow both sides to be ground at once, whereas full flat grinds have to be done one side at a time.

It appears that several of the Cold Steel G10 handled knife lines have the unsharpened base of the blade: Recon 1s (with the exception of the 5.5-inch Clip-Point. The 5.5-inch Tanto-Point has both an unsharpened base and "sharpening notch"), Hold Outs, Talwar, American Lawman and AK-47.

While others have a "sharpening notch" instead: All of the Voyagers, Tuff-Lite and Spartan.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that drives me crazy too. Whoever does/did the hollow grind on the knives you mentioned, as well as the Code 4, and Mackinac Hunter-should be grinding the other hollow ground blades. Look at the bottom.of the grind of the ones mentioned, compared to the ones that are not sharpened to the choil, and you will see the grind terminates more abruptly, leaving the same amount of steel behind the edge, whereas the others are more gradual, and get a bit thick behind the edge, before the choil.
 
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