I Just Got a CS Rajah II

C

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Sep 5, 2005
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All I can say is, wow. This is the strongest folder I've ever seen. I never thought I'd say that a folding knife could be as strong as a fixed blade knife, but this knife is as close as you can come. For all intents and purposes, you can indeed use this knife as though it were a fixed knife, and a very strong one at that.

This is definitely not a folder you'd want to carry on the subway system in New York, or use as an EDC (unless you live in the Amazon Rain Forrest), but I recommend this knife heartily for inclusion in your bug-out bag! The reach of the knife is incredible. You can't appreciate it unless you actually hold it. It feels "bank vault" strong, though you'd have to be the Hulk to use the thumb plates. Forget whipping this open like a conventional folder, but once you have it open, it ain't gonna close until you push the release.

62kg.jpg
 
I also just got a Rajah II.Man what a bad ass folder that's sure to scare,NO intimidate the non knife crowd.I really appreciate how cold steel uses bronze phosporus washers on this folder;openings are super smooth and there's no blade play at all.

Because of a recent snow storm,there were several fallen tree branches about 2 1/2" in diameter in my yard and I had a chance to see how it chopped.From what I remember it took about half a dozen chops to through those branches.
 
Agree the Rajah II is one hell of a folder! I got to handle the one they were beating up in their YouTube video at a show I did that Andrew Demko (designer) was at. Rock solid, so I decided then and there to get one for myself and stock them for my customers at Gun & Knife Shows. Been a good seller with an outstanding lock!
 
Just today I stumbled upon the knife test video of the Rajah and I was awestruck!
Absolutely unbelievable, definitely gonna add one to my wishlist.
I wonder how many posts it'll take for the FB-nuts and CS-bashers to arrive...
 
Proof is in the handling and using, NOT in the talking and bashing. They sing the same old song with no experience.
 
Thanks for the review Confederate. I have been wondering how strong those are. The idea of a folding bush blade appeals to me. Looks like a handy tool for light trimming in the yard or to carry on walks in the boonies.
 
The Cold Steel Rajah II is a very formidable folder---it makes my Vaquero Grande and X2 Voyager feel almost toylike, and that is a thing I never thought I'd say.

:D
 
Well, the Vaquero is a wonderful knife. Brilliant design and it can be used in everything from serious self defense to maintaining a yard. It's very strong, too, but having said that, I was unprepared for the raw power and strength of the Rajah. I'm going to polish the blade and make it as beautiful as I can, but the greatest benefit of this knife is that it's a folder that is as strong as a strong fixed blade knife. The handle is such that you can grab it from a number of spots and gain incredible reach. The locking mechanism also is incredible.

Cold Steel stands alone among knife manufacturers as being not the least intimidated by size. In fact, if I had to choose all my knives from a single line, it would be Cold Steel. I mean, when Spyderco talks about their "extra large" model knives, they're talking maybe a 4-inch blade or, if they're really throwing caution to the wind, a 4 1/8-inch blade. When CS talks about extra large, they're talking 6-inch bladed folders. Four inches is where I start getting interested in knives and 5-inch folders are just about right. If you have to do small jobs, okay, 3-inch blades with a fine premium steel are fine, but CS seems to provide something for everyone—and I'm not put off by their AUS8 and VG-1 steels, either. The only question in their future is, will they be able to hold their great price range? I got my Rajah II for $90 shipped. I'm dumping it in my emergency preparedness kit and probably won't actually use the knife for awhile, but it's a knife I think everyone should have in their homes and bug-out bags. It is the quintessential survival knife and is the perfect gift if you have a friend or family member serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.
 
Actually,I've found the Rajah II to be a pleasant departure from the Voyager line beause it has an adjustable pivot screw,bronze phosphorus washers,screw together construction,fully nested liners which are not skeletonized,a flat ground blade,and the best part it's reasonably priced.
 
I just looked at some of the you tubes - that is a huge knife! But looks very intersting - I may have to look at one . . .
 
I looked at one a long time before I bit, now I'm glad I did. The most fun thing I've done with it is to just show it to people. Every person I've let see it wants one, even those who aren't into knives. And their initial reactions are worth the price of the thing alone!
 
Looks like a great EDC.

Why not get a fixed blade khukuri, though, if this knife is for your "just in case" kit?
 
As in any kit, I have no idea how I would carry a full length one in a bad situation. Like anything else, discretion is a virtue, and I like a knife that I can fold and fit into a pocket. This knife can be used as a weapon, to cut brush, create shelter and debark wood. I will say that if the locking system wasn't as good as it is, I would have the fixed blade version. I don't know what the future holds, but there may come a time when I'd carry something like this, but not want anyone else to know I was carrying it.

Cold Steel might want to add a built-in LED flashlight on this baby. It would be a nice touch! :D
 
By far the best knife for the money.. period! I have one in my BOB as a folding field knife.
 
Maybe when they make a pocket EDC version. 6" blade is too much for me for a folder. I love the design though.
 
They have a Falcata version due out this year. It'll have a tinier blade. 6" is fine for an EDC. Maybe not the best splinter picker, but it gives a mechanical advantage to the edge.
 
Thanxalot for the review / pep talk / lead us not into temptation
I just ordered one.
 
:o My bad. That's the one, Esav. Got the name Falcata stuck in my head from stairing at falcatas at the Himalayan Imports forum.
 
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