How Would You Improve the Tai Pan?

Drdan

Drdan

Joined
Dec 24, 2003
Messages
1,390
If you were able to order options directly from the factory, what would you choose for upgrades?

Design: Leave it alone - it's as close to perfect as anyone's ever gotten!

Blade: Profile, thickness and grind. Leave it alone, it's exceptional

Steel: Monosteel stainless option such as S30V for excellent
edge retention, while maintaining good oxidation resistance.

Guard: A bit thicker, about 4 mm. Keep it in stainless.
Have it ever so slightly bent at the tips outward.

Bolster: None

Handle: Checkered black G-10. Kraton is "cheesy" even if it's functional.

Fixation of scales: Epoxy, hidden pins, and a central 9 mm. mosaic pin.

Pommel: Leave it alone, although the lanyard hole might
be left out. An invisible pin would assure secure retention.

Dimensions: Leave them "as is"!

Sheath: Quickdraw, as made by River City!
 
I wouldn't change a damn thing about the Tai Pan except its price. To that end, I think it would be great if there were a blackened 1055 version with everything else staying the same.
 
The black 3V taipan still hasn't shipped yet. And the Sanmai Taipan is discontinued. If you're lucky enough to find one it's existing
inventory so grab it. Don't see anything to "improve" the Taipan, it's a dagger, been made for ages without any design faults that required
a change. Not really sure if why there is a demand for a dagger this big but it has been an undeniably popular model.
 
I'd like to see a Tai Pan Lite of sorts: 4116 or AUS-8 blade with one piece molded polypropylene guard/handle/pommel unit with the grip portion overmolded with Kraton, but with the exact same shape and dimensions as the regular one (including blade thickness, not thinner like the other Lite knives), and in the same price range as the Boar Hunter . I love daggers, and the Tai Pan is one of if not THE most beautiful ones I've ever seen, but the dagger's very limited utility has always kept me from forking over the cash for one.
 
The Tai Pan is a Classic Dagger, not much to improve when they come out with the 3V version.
 
I'd like a version in checkered ebony!

I wish I had grabbed one of the imperial versions back in the day.
 
Kwon Kwang said:
I wouldn't change a damn thing about the Tai Pan except its price. To that end, I think it would be great if there were a blackened 1055 version with everything else staying the same.
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I think that the Tai Pan is more beautiful the way the original model is finished with a satin blade and mirror polished guard and pommel. For corrosion resistance, a quality black coating would be good for 1055 and 3V.
 
G. Scott H. said:
I'd like to see a Tai Pan Lite of sorts: 4116 or AUS-8 blade with one piece molded polypropylene guard/handle/pommel unit with the grip portion overmolded with Kraton, but with the exact same shape and dimensions as the regular one (including blade thickness, not thinner like the other Lite knives), and in the same price range as the Boar Hunter . I love daggers, and the Tai Pan is one of if not THE most beautiful ones I've ever seen, but the dagger's very limited utility has always kept me from forking over the cash for one.
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I'd like a "Lite version" with everything kept exactly to scale as the original, but everything reduced only 10% or 15% for smaller hands. If made, CS would probably reduce the Lite's price by 10% or 15% too. :D
 
kamagong said:
+2. I'd even take micarta. The kraton handle is the only thing that's kept me from ordering one.
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I agree. The tang of the Tai Pan is exceptionally healthy, and there are lots of guys here on these forums who'd be able to rehandle the knife in G-10, Arizona Desert Ironwood, or whatever. It would be a super nice upgrade for what I consider to be a standout Cold Steel product. NOBODY makes a better dagger period.

Tai_Pan_Disassembled_1.jpg
 
This thread made me look up current prices for the Taipan. I guess I should have just bit the bullet when the Taipan sold for ~ $175. I see they're selling for well over $300 now. When did that happen? That makes it almost as expensive as a Randall #2.
 
The Taipans have been selling for $300 +/- most of this year after Cold Steel announced that the large Sanmai models would only be made in limited numbers.
However that appears to have been optimistic as the SM Recon Scout and then the SM Natchez became officially discontinued, and the SM Master/Magnum Tantos
seem to have vanished as well. If you can still even find a Taipan for anywhere near $300 I would grab it. The stores have only been carrying existing inventory this whole year.
 
Makes sense. Last time I checked the Taipan was made with AUS8. It's obviously been a few years.
 
There's a company advertising them on e-Bay U.S.A. for $359.00. They have about 10 left... Here in Europe, Boker in Germany has them for 659.00 Euro, which is about $723.00. Unless Cold Steel suddenly releases a hoard of them, I would guess that the price will continue to rise.
 
G. Scott H. said:
I'd like to see a Tai Pan Lite of sorts: 4116 or AUS-8 blade with one piece molded polypropylene guard/handle/pommel unit with the grip portion overmolded with Kraton, but with the exact same shape and dimensions as the regular one (including blade thickness, not thinner like the other Lite knives), and in the same price range as the Boar Hunter . I love daggers, and the Tai Pan is one of if not THE most beautiful ones I've ever seen, but the dagger's very limited utility has always kept me from forking over the cash for one.
Click to expand...

This is a much better idea than mine. Tai Pan Lite! Imagine how fast in hand it would be! If they make it out of 4116 they could even put it in the same price range as the Tanto Lite!
 
I have San MAIII Tai Pan. The blade is beautiful but I have some concerns about the handle. It notably narrows to the pommel so the knife seems to prone to pop out forward from your hand. I have a friend who has a TAI PAN and he also shares this my concern. If your hands are dry the Kraton handle have good traction but if hands are sweaty it is become like a soap bar. The TAI PAN handle has very unusual handle shape for the daggers. Almost all especially historical daggers have a widened pommel or at least swollen handle in the middle. But TAI PAN has a tapered handle.
 
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