I want a better CS Pocket Bushman

Grease

Grease

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May 10, 2012
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The Cold Steel Pocket Bushman has always intrigued me. As a survival tool, it looks darn near unbeatable (bulletproof lock, solid design, great blade) except for the fact that they used 4116 Stainless to make it. Of all the steels I could possibly take into the wilderness, that would be one of my last choices.

What I'm interested in finding is a "pocket tank" knife similar to the pocket bushman, but with a better steel.
 
If you have not, give the Pocket Bushman a try.

Sure the steel is not "super" steel, but I have used mine without complaints.
 
It is one of the toughest knives that I own. Once it's locked open, it's as close to a fixed blade as you're likely to find.
 
Hardly a fixed blade equivalent. I've beat mine, it's loose, but the lock didn't give out.

For hard use, i'd trust it all day long, including batoning. Just do not expect it to stay undamaged.

The steel is good, but the handle sucks for hard use unless you are wearing gloves. The handle is very thin, which is why I recommend gloves.... It's a giant hotspot.
 
It's definitely a beater. A two handed knife. Once I figured the only way to open it with one hand was to basically loosen the pivot to the point the blade is falling off.....I just decided to tighten it as tight as it would go and then back it off a hair. Now it is rock solid and absolutely no blade play whatsoever. I didn't pay attention when I bought it, I didn't realize the type of lock, it was the second knife I ever bought and i didn't know much about knives but I'm glad I have it now.
 
It's stiff at first but it'll get easy to one-hand after a bit of use as the parts wear smooth. The handle works fine for extended use but you need to get used to how to hold it in such a way as to prevent hot spots from developing. I EDC mine and it's a great knife.
 
I have grown weary of Cold Steel's Pocket: "swords, tanks, chainsaws, fixedblade, Kukris" and all of their "concealable" Mini this and and micro thats. Give me an outstanding pocked "knife" instead. One that will be easy to use on everyday tasks and not be so big that people wonder if I have "Monster Truck" syndrome and not so small that I can only get two fingers on it to open a box. Cold steel has several knives that fit that "true EDC" description as opposed to "everyday shock and awe" reality. The Cold Steel Pocket Bushman is very close to that (in spite of the name).

The Pocket Bushman has it's uses as beater. When I go to demolish a room for renovation or help someone move that is a bladed tool I would take and if that is what you do for a living it makes a good EDC and a smart choice.

In Truth, In the end, as a moderately priced "tank knife" I can't think of a better choice. No one will look at you sideways for pounding the hell out of the Pocket Bushman. And the Pocket Bushman is one of the few Tank Knives out there. It just happens to be more along the lines of a Sherman Primary "Medium Tank" (cheap to make, easy to drive, fast to produce and easy to replace but perhaps not the greatest durability or finish) not an Abrams Main "Battle Tank".

If you need or want the shock and awe of an Abrams Tank you will need to get a Custom. Short of that the Pocket Bushman should fill the ticket, regardless of the steel used or the misleading name (I just can't consider this a great "bush" knife).
 
I have been more than impressed with the 4116 Krupp on my pocket bushman. Blade came shaving sharp, took it outside and whittled on woods of varying hardness, came back and it shaved like it was fresh out da box!
 
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Cold steel has the patents for this lock, so nobody else makes this. If this really is the lock for you; you could send one to a custom folder maker to have it reproduced in any steel you'd like.
 
Extremely tough knife, at any pricepoint. Always wished they'd make a thicker version. 5mm or so would be awesome.
 
Thicker? Ew. No thanks. If anything I'd want it a touch thinner. :p
 
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philwar said:
Wow, that is such sound, novel advice. How come no one ever thought of this before? :rolleyes:
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That's how it seems with people looking for the strongest folder everyday. Their are plenty of super steel blades with strong enough locks.
 
brandonc said:
Just use a fixed blade.
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I often do. But my purpose in wanting the pocket bushman is the compact size. A 4.5-inch fixed blade requires around 9 inches of storage space in a bag. A 4.5-inch folder only requires 5 inches of storage space.

Building a small kit works best with smaller tools :)?

brandonc said:
Their are plenty of super steel blades with strong enough locks.
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But not nearly as many with that style of compact handle and long blade length. Off the top of my head, the only similar knives I can think of are sebenzas, but I don't have that kind of money for a knife I might need to abuse.
 
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Just saw your reply, must have missed it. I've had mine for a while - three and a half to four years. I can't picture it getting any easier. I know of two other guys that have the PBman and neither one of those guys can open up theirs with one hand. Even in the CS vid, right when Andrew starts to one hand open it they cut a frame then show the knife opened. So I KNOW for a FACT ole' Demko couldn't open the one he had in the video - good try Cold Steel- Ha!

The only way my knife can be opened with one hand is if I unloosen the pivot to the point that the blade is basically moving everywhere, same thing with the two other guys. {shrug} I don't doubt you, but I've seen two of the three of them and I couldn't open either of them with one hand. I plan on getting another one because I had my blade engraved and I want one without that....so I'll see then. But I bought mine directly from CS, I don't know where the other guys got theirs from.

FortyTwoBlades said:
It's stiff at first but it'll get easy to one-hand after a bit of use as the parts wear smooth. The handle works fine for extended use but you need to get used to how to hold it in such a way as to prevent hot spots from developing. I EDC mine and it's a great knife.
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No doubt. That would be cool to see done. I'm picking up one of those Douk Douk knives, maybe three or four, pretty interesting stories about that particular piece and of course the PBman is a knock off of the Douk but I want the real thing. From what I have read...the Douk's (at least what I've read) blade actually moves a bit brand new - says "it's because the design of the knife - it can't be helped." I don't know how true that is or if the CS piece is built a tad different but mine doesn't move around, but I do basically have it tightened as much as it'll go and then just barely backed off. Granted, it does move a bit if while it's closed and I really but alot of pressure on the tip of the blade...it'll *lean* IMO more than actually move.

Gobbo_the_civet said:
Cold steel has the patents for this lock, so nobody else makes this. If this really is the lock for you; you could send one to a custom folder maker to have it reproduced in any steel you'd like.
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I'm able to one-hand open them brand new out of the box--especially with the new taller thumbstuds. I'm wondering if you've got a wonky one? :confused: Maybe I'm just special. :D
 
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