Is it time to rehabilitate Cold Steel? CONTROVERSIAL

I just got an American Lawman and am pleased. I've been wanting a brute of a beater and this fits the bill. Has a real nice grind, good ergos and good blade shape. Not the nicest looking knife I own ;), but it's going into my rotation and I look forward to seeing how it holds up in a number of tasks.
 
Oakengroves said:
Am the only person who finds Cold Steel's intentionally over-the-top, light-heart marketing preferable to what has become boilerplate "HARD USE TACTICAL OPERATOR" marketing by dozens of manufacturers? Strider, Microtech, Protech, and Hinderer lead the market with distasteful and boring marketing practices, imo.

Cold Steel's silly marketing videos are enjoyable. I'd rather watch Lynn Thompson chop through a meat-boot than read about how a knife is designed for "elite special force use." Cheesy heavy metal riffs are preferable to exaggerated, boring claims about how a knife is going to turn its user into Solid Snake.

Some may disagree, but: Cold Steel makes the best budget-conscious and cost-to-performance folders on the market today. I own CRKs, Benchmades, Spyderos, Mcustas, Kershaws, and ZTs, but when I need a cheap beater that will get a nasty job done, I reach for a Voyager or Recon-1.

Cold Steel needs no rehabilitation because they make outstanding products that have sold well for a long time
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Can't possibly be a better comment in this thread than this one. So not worth reading any further.
 
joshiecole said:
http://medalofhonor.wikia.com/wiki/File:Cowboy2.jpg

This guy trusts his.... And he has an excellent beard so he must know his stuff!!
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Funny thing about that pic, I've seen it twice now , first time he had a Sog on his belt , now he has a different knife, It's the same photo so maybe someone edited it. I agree though cold steel does deserve some respect, They make a decent product and the Tri Ad lock is excellent.
 
To me it sounds like the have an extremely good product and the videos are doing what they're supposed to do which would be to get people to watch them..
Bad reviews or good reviews....people will watch them to see why they are liked or not liked..
Well thought of on the part of Cold Steel's sales & marketing dept..
With all the controversy about them....It seems like there are a lot of companies worried about it or there wouldn't any controversy.
They have something for the mall ninjas too..... after all they have money to buy products so why not also get them as customers..
 
I find Cold Steel to be a hit or miss purchase. They use a 3mm set screw on the wooden handle tomahawks that will not handle the stress of continuous throwing. I found this out on all three of my tomahawks out at the ranch one weekend. I don't know if that was a flawed design or a manufacturing decision. The SRK has proven to be an excellent knife. I have both the Camillus made carbon V and the Japanese made AUS-8A models. The Swiss Army style knives they had a few years back were a joke. I could pick up the same models at the Dollar Store for...well...just a dollar. The Voyagers that were Japanese made were great knives for the cost. Beautiful too. The video that comes with the catalog was full of lies. I did the same cutting tests and came no where near the cutting ability of the ones on the video.:barf: Something of note: If you watch the videos from a few years ago, the CS employee named Robert Vaughn had both his eyes. If you look at the recent videos he is missing an eye and everyone is now wearing eye protection. SAFETY FIRST!
 
Wunderbar, you can and should just remove the set screw. The tapering of the hawk shaft will prevent the head from coming off.
 
Wunderbar said:
I find Cold Steel to be a hit or miss purchase. They use a 3mm set screw on the wooden handle tomahawks that will not handle the stress of continuous throwing. I found this out on all three of my tomahawks out at the ranch one weekend. I don't know if that was a flawed design or a manufacturing decision. The SRK has proven to be an excellent knife. I have both the Camillus made carbon V and the Japanese made AUS-8A models. The Swiss Army style knives they had a few years back were a joke. I could pick up the same models at the Dollar Store for...well...just a dollar. The Voyagers that were Japanese made were great knives for the cost. Beautiful too. The video that comes with the catalog was full of lies. I did the same cutting tests and came no where near the cutting ability of the ones on the video.:barf: Something of note: If you watch the videos from a few years ago, the CS employee named Robert Vaughn had both his eyes. If you look at the recent videos he is missing an eye and everyone is now wearing eye protection. SAFETY FIRST!
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I throw the tomahawks a lot. I've found that for extended use as a thrower it is better to remove the set screw and just tap the handle down if it works loose from throwing (which it will do). The tapered head is going to stop the head from flying off...
Removing the screw actually allows the handle to act almost like it's own shock absorber.
If asked, I always recommend loosening or even fully removing the set screw when throwing, however a lot of people asked for them, so we obliged.

You also seem to be very misinformed about a couple of points:
1: Nothing that we do in our proof videos is fake. Love us or hate us, we do not do fake.
We have backed up our claims by recreating these tests live at shows and events and we also run multiple cameras throughout the entire shoot.
Simply put, fake is not our style. Never has been.
I have had the pleasure of working on 3 of these videos now. I've seen these tests performed firsthand. Everything they do is legit.
Our aim with those videos is to test what our products are capable of under extreme conditions. They are abuse tests.
I would never recommend attempting to re-create those tests as they are both potentially abusive to the product and potentially dangerous to the handler.
Also, there's also no guarantee that you will be capable of replicating some of these tests. Remember, these feats are performed by highly skilled individuals who have been doing this for over 30 years. When it comes to some of these feats it is a matter of the knife rising to the challenge of the handler.

2: Robert lost his eye when he was a young boy.
There is no doubt that what we do is dangerous, but in 33 years there has never been a serious injury on our shoots.
 
Cold Steel Knives said:
I throw the tomahawks a lot. I've found that for extended use as a thrower it is better to remove the set screw and just tap the handle down if it works loose from throwing (which it will do). The tapered head is going to stop the head from flying off...
Removing the screw actually allows the handle to act almost like it's own shock absorber.
If asked, I always recommend loosening or even fully removing the set screw when throwing, however a lot of people asked for them, so we obliged.

You also seem to be very misinformed about a couple of points:
1: Nothing that we do in our proof videos is fake. Love us or hate us, we do not do fake.
We have backed up our claims by recreating these tests live at shows and events and we also run multiple cameras throughout the entire shoot.
Simply put, fake is not our style. Never has been.
I have had the pleasure of working on 3 of these videos now. I've seen these tests performed firsthand. Everything they do is legit.
Our aim with those videos is to test what our products are capable of under extreme conditions. They are abuse tests.
I would never recommend attempting to re-create those tests as they are both potentially abusive to the product and potentially dangerous to the handler.
Also, there's also no guarantee that you will be capable of replicating some of these tests. Remember, these feats are performed by highly skilled individuals who have been doing this for over 30 years. When it comes to some of these feats it is a matter of the knife rising to the challenge of the handler.

2: Robert lost his eye when he was a young boy.
There is no doubt that what we do is dangerous, but in 33 years there has never been a serious injury on our shoots.
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You know, people talk a lot about Sal's presence on the Spyderco forum (and it is awesome, he is awesome about it) but I have been really impressed by your way of handling yourself and this forum. I remember a bit ago there was a manufacturer forum where the moderator (or in another case the maker/designer) would react really poorly to posts such as the one your quote is a response to. The weird thing is, no one talks about it. I don't know what makes people ignore Cold Steel (I have some guesses cough:snobbiness:cough:ignorance:cough) but they are missing out.
 
Thanks ALLHSS. I figure we are all here for the same reason - the love of sharp things :D

Opinions may differ, but the world would be very boring if we all agreed about everything.
I, understandably, am more than a little biased towards our brand. I have seen how the products perform firsthand and I'm very proud to be a part of a company that makes such dependable tools - however, I'm not going to argue with someone just because they like another company.
Brand loyalty is great, especially for a company like ours that promotes a lifestyle as well as a product, but I understand that not only does everyone have their own personal tastes and preferences, but also that those tastes can be provided for by more than one company.
As long as everyone is polite and respectful I'm always happy to help in any way that I can. I see this entire forum as a celebration of things that we all love and enjoy. It's a pleasure to be here.
I don't spend as much time as I would like here on the forums, or respond to every post (this place is huge!) but I try to join in whenever I can.

WUNDERBAR likes our SRK, but he doesn't like all of our products, and that's fine, we have a very extensive and diverse catalog
Everything else is hopefully just a misunderstanding, despite some of the terminology he used. We are certainly not liars, and nothing we do is a joke...well, except that Meat Bike :)

I've really enjoyed reading this thread.
We've always been a controversial company and nothing is going to change in that respect, but having been a part of our videos, seen the live demos, walked the shows and been a part of the day to day adventures in Ventura for more than a few years now I can honestly say that what we do comes from a good place. A sincere desire to make an exceptional product and to back up our claims with proof. Nothing more.

We have a lot of fun making our videos (and they are filled with more laughter than many people realize). We don't take ourselves that seriously.
Although Lynn may be a very outspokenr, he's also a honest guy who genuinely cares about his product and his customers.
His devotion to his product is quite exceptional and I respect that a lot.

Thanks again for the kind words. Have a great Friday and enjoy your weekend
 
We really need a "Like" button.

Cold Steel make good knives, and sell them at reasonable prices. If AUS8 doesn't hold an edge as long as S30V, well one, it doesn't cost as much as S30V, and two, everyone on this forum knows how to sharpen a knife. Also, I think I recall someone pointing out that high end steels make the most sense in small knives where their benefits of greater strength/hardness/edge holding are maximized and their downside of material cost minimized. Something the size of a machete gets by just fine with 1075 or 1095 carbon steel. For Cold Steel's larger folders the AUS8A probably sits squarely in the middle of the material cost/mechanical attributes graphs. VG-10, for example, might offer some mechanical benefits, especially in corrosion resistance, but those benefits are far smaller than would justify the price increase.

Really the biggest problem with Cold Steel knives I have is that the XL Voyager clip I invariably have in my pocket is just a little too big to bring it out in public. On the other hand the full flat grind and very sharp factory edge (no, I haven't had to sharpen it yet) means that it's a terrific slicer and very handy to have when I'm in the kitchen, or in other people's kitchens where they don't keep their knives as sharp as I'd like (or at all). I've ended up ordering a large version so I can get the same tool in a more friendly size although I might try it and find I still prefer the 5.5 inch.

EDIT: So I guess my biggest Cold Steel problem is that I don't have enough Cold Steel knives. *shakes my head*
 
Cold Steel Knives said:
Thanks ALLHSS. I figure we are all here for the same reason - the love of sharp things :D

Opinions may differ, but the world would be very boring if we all agreed about everything.
I, understandably, am more than a little biased towards our brand. I have seen how the products perform firsthand and I'm very proud to be a part of a company that makes such dependable tools - however, I'm not going to argue with someone just because they like another company.
Brand loyalty is great, especially for a company like ours that promotes a lifestyle as well as a product, but I understand that not only does everyone have their own personal tastes and preferences, but also that those tastes can be provided for by more than one company.
As long as everyone is polite and respectful I'm always happy to help in any way that I can. I see this entire forum as a celebration of things that we all love and enjoy. It's a pleasure to be here.
I don't spend as much time as I would like here on the forums, or respond to every post (this place is huge!) but I try to join in whenever I can.

WUNDERBAR likes our SRK, but he doesn't like all of our products, and that's fine, we have a very extensive and diverse catalog
Everything else is hopefully just a misunderstanding, despite some of the terminology he used. We are certainly not liars, and nothing we do is a joke...well, except that Meat Bike :)

I've really enjoyed reading this thread.
We've always been a controversial company and nothing is going to change in that respect, but having been a part of our videos, seen the live demos, walked the shows and been a part of the day to day adventures in Ventura for more than a few years now I can honestly say that what we do comes from a good place. A sincere desire to make an exceptional product and to back up our claims with proof. Nothing more.

We have a lot of fun making our videos (and they are filled with more laughter than many people realize). We don't take ourselves that seriously.
Although Lynn may be a very outspokenr, he's also a honest guy who genuinely cares about his product and his customers.
His devotion to his product is quite exceptional and I respect that a lot.

Thanks again for the kind words. Have a great Friday and enjoy your weekend
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Exactly!

Hey, I can't find the answer anywhere, does the code 4have washers?
 
Cold Steel Knives said:
You also seem to be very misinformed about a couple of points:
1: Nothing that we do in our proof videos is fake. Love us or hate us, we do not do fake.
We have backed up our claims by recreating these tests live at shows and events and we also run multiple cameras throughout the entire shoot.
Simply put, fake is not our style. Never has been.
I have had the pleasure of working on 3 of these videos now. I've seen these tests performed firsthand. Everything they do is legit.
Our aim with those videos is to test what our products are capable of under extreme conditions. They are abuse tests.
I would never recommend attempting to re-create those tests as they are both potentially abusive to the product and potentially dangerous to the handler.
Also, there's also no guarantee that you will be capable of replicating some of these tests. Remember, these feats are performed by highly skilled individuals who have been doing this for over 30 years. When it comes to some of these feats it is a matter of the knife rising to the challenge of the handler.
Click to expand...

I apologize. I came across as too harsh. I performed the cutting tests on the manila rope several years ago when I worked in a model shop as a professional tester for a large manufacturing company. I still could not duplicate the same results without re sharpening the Voyagers. We used 2 models, the XL and the L both with plain edge clip points. These were the only tests we conducted. Just the cut tests per the "Proof" video. Both knives came razor sharp out of the box and we conducted the tests as we conducted our regular products. All information was recorded and done professionally and in accordance with our safety standards.
 
The only thing I don't like about the CS is steel choice ! Now days coming O1 is great upgrade ! But for SS I hate AUS8 if only they could upgrade at last to the 440C
 
I have a serious question for Cold Steel Knives, I said above that you guys make a decent product and the Tri Ad lock is excellent. However, I do have a question, and I hope this question may be answered by Cold Steel Knives, not someone making an assumption on their part. Anyways, I have read you guys say that the same knife is used throughout the entire demonstration in your videos, Let's go with the Recon 1 Or Ak-47 here as it's basically the knives at which my question is going to be about. Ok you guys beat the knife up pretty good in the videos, but yet the coating has no damage to it what so ever, However I own and use a recon 1 , I've owned more but have given them as gifts , and I also own an Ak-47, anyways on to the question in the videos the knives go through your testing and there is never any coating damage what so ever, However my recon 1 as well as ALL others I have seen (cold steel knives are the #1 blade at my job) all the blades have coating damage, In my personal experience I have had coating damage by simply cutting down a box that a vacuum cleaner came in, so how can that damage the coating on my blade, but you guys can beat them and they come through with no damage what so ever??? It is not only the recon 1 that has done this, The Ak-47 had some damage to the coating from very light use as well. I'm not saying Oh I cant stand the blade coating coming off, I could care less to be honest, but the fact that the knives I own or have owned have all had the black coating come off from lightweight tasks, but you guys beat them up and they receive no damage to the coating leaves me scratching my head...
 
We film all of our tests for the proof video over 7-8 days.
The tests are filmed by feat, rather than by product. For example we will do all of the meat cuts with all of the products in one day, we will then do all of the rope cutting the next day etc, etc...it's like a crazy production line of knives, props (meat, rope, car hoods) and crew members all day every day!
The same product is used throughout, but the tests aren't filmed back to back (with the exception of marathon tests like the one seen with the Warrior Katana in our last video - where every test was performed back to back in one continuous take).
As a rule the most punishing of the tests are performed towards the end of the shoot. Feats of skill required of the users are done earlier in the week when everyone is still fresh - believe me, after seven 15 hour days of testing everyone is more than a little fried!
The feats shown in the videos aren't necessarily in sequential order. You may not be seeing the order in which all of the tests were performed, but those knives go through everything you see in those clips and more - sometimes we film so much and do so many tests that we edit some out purely due to time constraints!
Do the coatings get scratched up - sure, these are torture tests, designed to abuse the product - but in my experience it's often things like the car hood stabs and the steel drum stabs that scratch up the knives the most.
We brutally torture our knives in those videos. They don't come out unscathed.
We actually just recently finished filming next years new proof videos and it once again amazed me how much abuse those things take.
They are certainly not the same after a week of continuous torture tests (any single one of which would be considered excessively abusive in its own right!), but they are still going strong
The coatings that we use are tough, but they aren't indestructible, after all, they are just coatings. With enough use they will scratch.
We're always exploring new materials and processes to improve this. We use different coatings on the machetes, the hawks, the blued swords etc. as well as DLC on the new Warcraft. We experiment a lot and we're always looking for was to make our products even better.
 
Cold Steel Knives said:
We film all of our tests for the proof video over 7-8 days.
The tests are filmed by feat, rather than by product. For example we will do all of the meat cuts with all of the products in one day, we will then do all of the rope cutting the next day etc, etc...it's like a crazy production line of knives, props (meat, rope, car hoods) and crew members all day every day!
The same product is used throughout, but the tests aren't filmed back to back (with the exception of marathon tests like the one seen with the Warrior Katana in our last video - where every test was performed back to back in one continuous take).
As a rule the most punishing of the tests are performed towards the end of the shoot. Feats of skill required of the users are done earlier in the week when everyone is still fresh - believe me, after seven 15 hour days of testing everyone is more than a little fried!
The feats shown in the videos aren't necessarily in sequential order. You may not be seeing the order in which all of the tests were performed, but those knives go through everything you see in those clips and more - sometimes we film so much and do so many tests that we edit some out purely due to time constraints!
Do the coatings get scratched up - sure, these are torture tests, designed to abuse the product - but in my experience it's often things like the car hood stabs and the steel drum stabs that scratch up the knives the most.
We brutally torture our knives in those videos. They don't come out unscathed.
We actually just recently finished filming next years new proof videos and it once again amazed me how much abuse those things take.
They are certainly not the same after a week of continuous torture tests (any single one of which would be considered excessively abusive in its own right!), but they are still going strong
The coatings that we use are tough, but they aren't indestructible, after all, they are just coatings. With enough use they will scratch.
We're always exploring new materials and processes to improve this. We use different coatings on the machetes, the hawks, the blued swords etc. as well as DLC on the new Warcraft. We experiment a lot and we're always looking for was to make our products even better.
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DLC on the Recon 1, Ak-47 , and American Lawman and you have a winner! I would pay the little extra coin for a better coating....
 
I like CS. Had an old San Mai II Master Tanto (from the 80's) I could never quite get sharp enough reground by Knifenut and it was amazing. Gave it a paracord wrap and custom leather sheath I made myself from halftanned leather and gave it proudly to my brother for his birthday. Good stuff. Called it "Ghost" for the way it would slip right through anything.

I do find myself somewhat bemused by the whole "Buck Medley" marketing campaign. Had no idea who he is, so when a CS email popped up with his picture on it, I almost spit coffee all over my monitor. A google search soon enlightened me with quips like, "when Buck wants an egg, he cracks a chicken", and "when Buck wants some vegetables, he eats a vegetarian." I always enjoy CS marketing for the sideshow atmosphere it presents so good naturedly, but I really don't get the BM thing.
 
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