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Bwahahaha! And because of how I bought mine when they first came out, mine is even a first-gen one with the little notch in the spring channel. ZERO problems with it after all these years. And I've even batoned it.
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Is it time to rehabilitate Cold Steel? CONTROVERSIAL
- Thread starter joshiecole
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Bwahahaha! And because of how I bought mine when they first came out, mine is even a first-gen one with the little notch in the spring channel. ZERO problems with it after all these years. And I've even batoned it.
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So you are familiar with said video. Cool. I guess you've never yanked on the lock to open the blade then? Open it as intended using the thumb studs? That design looks like a tank to me, the way it's built. Weight is not a factor for me as many of my folders are big heavy knives. It's just a case of "gottahavitis for me. Got to have one, now that I saw that video. Negative videos have a backward effect on this cat. ;-)
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Yeah. Also don't close it either of the ways Cold Steel shows you (either in the official documentation or in LCT's video) as they're both good ways to slip if it or your hands are wet or otherwise slippery. Pinch the thumb studs between the pad of your thumb and the side of the first joint of your index finger and the studs act as a stop. You get a good grip that way even if it was slathered in oil. If the ram lock engages very hard and gets a little stuck you can safely loosen it by holding the knife in an icepick grip, edge towards you, and push against the bird's beak at the end of the lock bar with your thumb. Then close as usual once you pop it free. VERY capable knife and it carries easily. Sturdy and tank-like, but not overbuilt.
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The Pocket Bushman rocks. I have a lot of knives and the Pocket Bushman was one of the sharpest out of box. Cuts super well. It really is a joy to own. What a fantastic value!
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I honestly could care less about the factory sharpness so long as the primary grind is good. Out-of-the-box sharpness only lasts a little while and then you'll have to sharpen it yourself anyhow. But yes, it's a heck of a knife.
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I agree with you on this. The edge sharpness out of the box is not a big concern to me, as long as the edge geometry is good. Hate having to re-profile a blade's edge. Don't mind at all having to put it on a hone and make it keener than it came new. As you say, it's going to happen anyways, might as well get used to it. Not many knives I've bought came NIB as sharp as I can make them. Sharp enough, yes. Not as sharp as I like though. Saying that though, I just got a Cold Steel Espada XL, the 7.5" version. It bit me out of the box. Fortunately not bad, just a bad paper cut type cut.;-)
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True, I remember my old cold steels having great grinds as well, spyderco as well.
Which I could say the same for my ZT's except for my 0301
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Don't forget to tell us how you like it. I'm interested in that one.
Awesome! I just received my Medium Espada today. It's in my pocket right now. This knife is certainly something else. Cold Steel knows what the hell they're doing, that's for sure. :thumbup:
It's so beautiful that I feel a little afraid to put it through any use, but I'm going to anyway. None of my folders are safe queens.
BlackKnight86
Say my name, cheesers!
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Simon Cowell, Stevie Wonder, and now special ed 2nd graders?
Why don't you "p-meticulously" look up the word "hyperbole", and study the definition; then ruminate on why I assigned you this task?
One does not adjudicate a patent infringement case by merely looking at pictures. One must look at the essential aspect(s) of the design that received a patent, then see if that essential aspect is present in the alleged infringement. If it is not present, there is no infringement. One cannot speak of getting around a design/function patent with a "technicality" since technical details are usually the heart of the patent; and one cannot speak of a patent "loophole" when the purpose of the patent is to benefit society, not the individual.
Or....if this is simply a matter of you not understanding the material in this matter, perhaps you should stick to watching American Idol?
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Oh good, I was starting to lose interest in this thread....
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At this point, I'd rather watch American Idol than keep talking about CS 
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At this point, I'd rather watch American Idol than keep talking about CS
Then why are you still here...?
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Yes, I have the G10 version and a half hearted shaking it open resulted in it closing on my finger. I felt it close and was like, "oh well, I guess these things happen." The lesson learned is, don't use a Espada XL for letter opening.
Carry it just for the joy you get in holding it, either open or closed.
The plus for 4116 Krupp and AUS8A is that if you want to reprofile it you can. I dread to think what people with ZDP-189 knives do if they don't like their edge.
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Confucius say, "When one playing with 7.5 inch folding knife, one never do anything half hearted. Or one get used to having fewer fingers". ;-0
Oh, mine is solid as a rock right now. And I will not let it sit with the blade half open overnight so the spring wears in. I want the f--ker hard to use. I do not consider it to be a one-hand closing knife. Opening, absolutely, CLICK! Closing should be a two handed affair.
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Sorry, but the Black Talon is NOT a traditional hawkbill design. As far as I can find, only Spyderco's Civilian/Matriarch line and the Talon have that "historical" design(MTech makes something with a blade along the same lines but the curvature is reversed). These are the "historical" hawkbill designs:
Clearly different than the Talon/Civilian/Matriarch. Don't get me wrong, plenty of knives use the same blade patterns as other knives without anyone saying "copy"(like I said above, nobody is gonna accuse Buck of ripping off Ka-bar despite the same basic blade pattern between the 120 and the USMC), but when as far as I can find that design was only used by Spyderco until Cold Steel made one with the very same design, I find the claims of "historical design" a little questionable. But hey, if you can find a historical "hawkbill" that looks like the Talon, I would love to see it, and would be willing to accept that maybe it wasn't borrowed from Spyderco. But as it stands, that IS what it looks like. And hell, even if it was borrowed from Spyderco, I don't CARE personally, it's not gonna make me hate Cold Steel, it's not gonna make me want a Black Talon any less, but still, I'd prefer to see something like "We thought the Civilian/Matriarch design had some merit so we decided to put our own take on it". Dozens of companies make clip points, dozens make tantos, dozens make spearpoints...I don't think the knife industry is hurt by more than one company using that reverse s curve design either.
As for the Strider/GI Tanto, they do have a BIT more in common than just being tantos, but I don't really care enough about it to start a debate over it. And I will mention I'm not "hater", I own a GI Tanto, and have no intention of owning a Strider(ever), so this isn't a case of me being biased towards one brand over you guys. Frankly, I love me some Cold Steel. With my most recent paycheck I got that GI Tanto and have a Boar Hunter and my second Barong Machete on order...the paycheck prior I dropped $100+ on an XL Talwar, the paycheck before that, my first barong, the all terrain chopper, and the cruciform dagger. Next paycheck, I'm likely to pick up another Cold Steel blade or two, maybe the Marauder and a Bowie Bushman, or possible that shovel of yours. I own a lot of Cold Steel, and I'll own a lot more, I recommend you guys frequently, and when I wanna "show off" a cool folder to someone who's not a knife person, I tend to go for something like the Spartan or Rajah 2, cause those ALWAYS get "oohs" and "ahhs" that I won't get from something like a Blur or Endura or Griptilian, no matter how great and well made they are. So please, don't take this post as an attack from someone who dislikes your company, cause it isn't.
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I agree with the above but did want to comment that while it looks almost nothing like either the Black Talon OR the Civilian, hawkbills with bellies exist and have existed for a very long time--they're just comparatively obscure.
Here's a Finnish "vesuri" billhook, for instance, that uses a belly.
That being said, I also found the response a bit dodgy.
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Sorry, but the Black Talon is NOT a traditional hawkbill design. As far as I can find, only Spyderco's Civilian/Matriarch line and the Talon have that "historical" design(MTech makes something with a blade along the same lines but the curvature is reversed). These are the "historical" hawkbill designs:
Clearly different than the Talon/Civilian/Matriarch. Don't get me wrong, plenty of knives use the same blade patterns as other knives without anyone saying "copy"(like I said above, nobody is gonna accuse Buck of ripping off Ka-bar despite the same basic blade pattern between the 120 and the USMC), but when as far as I can find that design was only used by Spyderco until Cold Steel made one with the very same design, I find the claims of "historical design" a little questionable. But hey, if you can find a historical "hawkbill" that looks like the Talon, I would love to see it, and would be willing to accept that maybe it wasn't borrowed from Spyderco. But as it stands, that IS what it looks like. And hell, even if it was borrowed from Spyderco, I don't CARE personally, it's not gonna make me hate Cold Steel, it's not gonna make me want a Black Talon any less, but still, I'd prefer to see something like "We thought the Civilian/Matriarch design had some merit so we decided to put our own take on it". Dozens of companies make clip points, dozens make tantos, dozens make spearpoints...I don't think the knife industry is hurt by more than one company using that reverse s curve design either.
As for the Strider/GI Tanto, they do have a BIT more in common than just being tantos, but I don't really care enough about it to start a debate over it. And I will mention I'm not "hater", I own a GI Tanto, and have no intention of owning a Strider(ever), so this isn't a case of me being biased towards one brand over you guys. Frankly, I love me some Cold Steel. With my most recent paycheck I got that GI Tanto and have a Boar Hunter and my second Barong Machete on order...the paycheck prior I dropped $100+ on an XL Talwar, the paycheck before that, my first barong, the all terrain chopper, and the cruciform dagger. Next paycheck, I'm likely to pick up another Cold Steel blade or two, maybe the Marauder and a Bowie Bushman, or possible that shovel of yours. I own a lot of Cold Steel, and I'll own a lot more, I recommend you guys frequently, and when I wanna "show off" a cool folder to someone who's not a knife person, I tend to go for something like the Spartan or Rajah 2, cause those ALWAYS get "oohs" and "ahhs" that I won't get from something like a Blur or Endura or Griptilian, no matter how great and well made they are. So please, don't take this post as an attack from someone who dislikes your company, cause it isn't.
What a great response that would have been!