Is it just me or Cold Steel knives are general either low quality or overpriced ?

[Dorito Monk]

Anyway, all I was doing was wondering why CS produces some of the toughest knives, yet they have the shortest warranty. My only answer to explain that is that because of the test videos they produce, they're afraid mall ninjas are going to try to replicate the tests and end up destroying the knives eventually within a year.

Wait, are you saying that their customers might use the knives for the same things Cold Steel uses the knives for in their marketing videos?!

What an outrageous concept!

 

[THG]

Wait, are you saying that their customers might use the knives for the same things Cold Steel uses the knives for in their marketing videos?!

What an outrageous concept!

"Customers" is broad and may include mall ninjas, sure. Do you have a better explanation for a 1-year warranty on "the world's toughest knives?" I can't explain it.

 

[cziv]

I heard recently from a local blade shop owner (who I believe to be reputable) that CS had decided to reduce the warrany on its blades from lifetime to only a couple years... He also said that it was retroactive, not just for new sales... If this is true, everyone that purchased a knife from CS over the years on the premise that it came with a lifetime warranty has been robbed. Like I said, this is somthing that I heard... I have not checked it for accuracy. Does anyone know if this is true? FYI... I have several CS knives and I love them all-- had no problems with them what-so-ever. I hope that this is only a rumor.

Well in my case it was a rumor. The integrated plastic/frn pocket clip on my large Voyager had become unusable after about 20 years. I called their CS phone and told them about it and that the box had "Lifetime Guarantee" written right on it.

They told me to ship it back to CS and about 10 days later a brand new Large Voyager with a metal pocket clip was sitting in my mail box - no charge. :thumbup:

 

[Folderguy]

I just said that...

What reputable knife company doesn't have a warranty at all? If I am correct, all of the "big contenders" have lifetime warranties:

Spyderco
Benchmade
Kershaw
RAT/ESEE
Chris Reeve Knives
Bark River Knife & Tool
Buck
The list goes on and on...

And although Leatherman doesn't have a lifetime warranty, they have a 25-year warranty.

So I don't think I have to worry about those companies that "don't offer any warranty at all."

Anyway, all I was doing was wondering why CS produces some of the toughest knives, yet they have the shortest warranty. My only answer to explain that is that because of the test videos they produce, they're afraid mall ninjas are going to try to replicate the tests and end up destroying the knives eventually within a year.

What companies have no warranty? Not the big ones, that's for sure. However, go to any "Dollar" store and you'll find them with ease. Those knives that go for under $10 probably have either no warranty, or next to no warranty, although some might.

Why is Cold Steel's warranty so short? Probably because everybody who is planning on really using (abusing?) a knife goes for their stuff. I know I sure have. I don't hesitate to beat the crap out of some of my CS knives, because I know they can most likely take it, and their prices are pretty good if I break something. I'm not going to do the same kind of stuff to my Benchmades, or Kershaws, or Emersons...

Also, some of the CS knives I have get no abuse whatsoever...

All that said, if I abuse a knife long enough or hard enough, it's going to fail. No wonder CS has shorter warranties. Wouldn't surprise me if they have already taken a hit...

 

[Folderguy]

Well in my case it was a rumor. The integrated plastic/frn pocket clip on my large Voyager had become unusable after about 20 years. I called their CS phone and told them about it and that the box had "Lifetime Guarantee" written right on it.

They told me to ship it back to CS and about 10 days later a brand new Large Voyager with a metal pocket clip was sitting in my mail box - no charge. :thumbup:

They honored the warranty on the knife that you had when you bought it. :thumbup: Revising their warranty for subsequent knives is their prerogative. If someone thinks they aren't getting their money's worth, let them buy another company's product. What's the problem?

 

[THG]

What companies have no warranty? Not the big ones, that's for sure. However, go to any "Dollar" store and you'll find them with ease. Those knives that go for under $10 probably have either no warranty, or next to no warranty, although some might.

So what you're trying to tell me is that CS has a better warranty than a $3 pakistan knife? Well God damn, I would hope that that's obvious

Why is Cold Steel's warranty so short? Probably because everybody who is planning on really using (abusing?) a knife goes for their stuff. I know I sure have. I don't hesitate to beat the crap out of some of my CS knives, because I know they can most likely take it, and their prices are pretty good if I break something. I'm not going to do the same kind of stuff to my Benchmades, or Kershaws, or Emersons...

Well there you go. There's a reasonable explanation.

 

[festerfromnzed]

I own half a dozen CS knives...good value for money in my opinion

 

[Dorito Monk]

Do you have a better explanation for a 1-year warranty on "the world's toughest knives?" I can't explain it.

I didn't say you were off in your assessment. What I'm saying is that you're probably right, and that makes Cold Steel's warranty an absolute joke - it shows they aren't standing behind their products, in spite of what they boast.

 

[BFH44]

Nah, I was just asking that's all.

I wanted to get a Triple action but found out the handle feels cheap, at least that's what I heard on You Tube from guys making a review of it.

my friends and i sometimes watch you tube reviewers just to laugh - most i have seen sound like idiots - or just completely full of themselves and they always have to have something bad to say about whatever knife it is no matter how good it is or what company it is.

I bought a Spartan just cause i liked the blade shape. It is still as sharp as when i bought after a fair amount of use - no problem and when i called on the phone they gave me 10% off for being Honorably discharged vet which i thought was really cool.

 

[Folderguy]

I didn't say you were off in your assessment. What I'm saying is that you're probably right, and that makes Cold Steel's warranty an absolute joke - it shows they aren't standing behind their products, in spite of what they boast.

Au contraire.... it shows they know what kind of abuse their knives will likely suffer, and have taken steps to minimize their exposure.

If you watch their videos, you can see what kind of abuse they heap on the knives. Hint: if they put a knife in a vise and use a three foot long pipe to bend the blade and the blade goes to 45 degrees or whatever they show, you can probably expect that the blade failed at 50 degrees.... how many people will try that stunt??

While you're at it, check out the abuse they heap on their Master Tanto... and watch that pipe go down... to what? 90 degrees?? Awesome...

Just knowing the blade can likely take that without snapping gives me a sense of confidence that whatever I can do to it with my bare hands in a similar situation will probably not break the knife. That's good in my estimation, regardless of what their warranty is...

 

[hardheart]

That's a rather insulting outlook to take of your customers, expecting enough of them to put a three foot cheater bar on a knife that it causes you profitability problems from warranty claims.

The lack of warranty suggests a lack of faith in one of two things - your customers or your products. Neither is a good thing, imo.

 

[THG]

I didn't say you were off in your assessment. What I'm saying is that you're probably right, and that makes Cold Steel's warranty an absolute joke - it shows they aren't standing behind their products, in spite of what they boast.

Ah, touché, then. Whether or not they're trying to cover their asses because they "know that their customers are going to abuse their knives because they are the toughest," 1 year is a pretty skimpy warranty. Even if they're going to honor a warranty over 1 year, why carry a 1-year warranty policy?

 

[Folderguy]

That's a rather insulting outlook to take of your customers, expecting enough of them to put a three foot cheater bar on a knife that it causes you profitability problems from warranty claims.

The lack of warranty suggests a lack of faith in one of two things - your customers or your products. Neither is a good thing, imo.

I'm no shill for CS products. I know if I break one of their knives (haven't yet) that I'm to blame, at least if I abused the knife. If I grossly abuse a knife, do you think they should repair or replace it as if it was defective? For them to do that would most likely require that they charge a lot more for their knives...

I think most of their knives are a good value...

 

[Folderguy]

Ah, touché, then. Whether or not they're trying to cover their asses because they "know that their customers are going to abuse their knives because they are the toughest," 1 year is a pretty skimpy warranty. Even if they're going to honor a warranty over 1 year, why carry a 1-year warranty policy?

That's a year on folders, 5 years on fixed blades. Can a folder be broken, any folder? Of course... a sledge hammer will do it, with nary a problem.

 

[cziv]

I suppose the question to be asked at this point is:

How many of us have had their Cold Steel knives fall apart or break "without abusing them" outside of the one year warranty time frame?

Damn few I'd venture to say.

 

[Noctis3880]

I find most of Cold Steel's more expensive offerings to be grossly overpriced. However, after handling the American Lawman I'm left with the impression that I got a HELL of a lot of bang for my buck.

So it seems the trick is mostly spend no more than $100 on any one knife from them:thumbup:.

 

[DemkoKnives]

I just said that...

What reputable knife company doesn't have a warranty at all? If I am correct, all of the "big contenders" have lifetime warranties:

Spyderco
Benchmade
Kershaw
RAT/ESEE
Chris Reeve Knives
Bark River Knife & Tool
Buck
The list goes on and on...

And although Leatherman doesn't have a lifetime warranty, they have a 25-year warranty.

So I don't think I have to worry about those companies that "don't offer any warranty at all."

Anyway, all I was doing was wondering why CS produces some of the toughest knives, yet they have the shortest warranty. My only answer to explain that is that because of the test videos they produce, they're afraid mall ninjas are going to try to replicate the tests and end up destroying the knives eventually within a year.

I think the warranty will be improved in 2011

 

[GrinderMcgee]

Andrew, I await anxiously the new Voyagers. Any word yet? *fingers crossed*

 

[jackknifeh]

Andrew, I await anxiously the new Voyagers. Any word yet? *fingers crossed*

I'k like to echo that. I had the two smaller ones on order when they got cancelled. I like the look of the knife and it looks comfortable to use. I also eagerly wanted to try the VG-1 san-mai blade. Of course I don't know what the problems were but I did respect not shipping a product if it wasn't up to standards. I don't have any CS folders yet. I have wondered if the pummel on the AK-47 could be used to break car windows.

 

[chintofong]

I suppose the question to be asked at this point is:

How many of us have had their Cold Steel knives fall apart or break "without abusing them" outside of the one year warranty time frame?

Damn few I'd venture to say.

I have a folding Recon Tanto I purchased online a couple of years back. I bought it for the main purpose of EDCing it because I liked the size and geometry. It was used to cut boxes and paper (never abused) and one day when I took it out from the pocket I noticed that the thumbstud disc was missing (might have fell off). I contacted them by email and later on called their customer service department, and in both instances they said they would send me a replacement part, which they never did.

It has passed more than 3 years and still no replacement part. From that moment, I stopped buying their products even if they came up with the best knife in the whole world. I still keep the folder as a reminder that their service suck. There are a lot of manufacturers that offer knives and stand by their products.