Is the Cold Steel Trail Master still made by Hattori in Japan? Update, received my specimen...

Got my Trailmaster today and the San Mai lines were pretty even. Looking at and handling one again, damn what an awesome knife. Oh and made in Japan, not dissing Taiwan(they are awesome too), just don't see that much any more made in Japan(especially for the price).
 
The only knives CS ever offered with Convex grinds and edges were the Trail Masters, and Recon Scouts made in Japan.
I don't expect to see that coming out of Taiwan and Italian factories.
 
KenHash said:
The only knives CS ever offered with Convex grinds and edges were the Trail Masters, and Recon Scouts made in Japan.
I don't expect to see that coming out of Taiwan and Italian factories.
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KenHash said:
Ha,,you're right. And I even had a San Mai III Ghurka Kukri! lol
That model was not a Hattori, it was made by Tak Fukuta.
Eventually sold mine to a buyer in Australia.
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The convexing that's done on these knives, does make them pretty unique, that's for sure.
Yup, the convexing of the blades found on these Trail Master Bowie knives made in Seki Japan by Hattori, is what I feel has caused them to be the last of the Japanese sourced San Mai offerings from Cold Steel. The craftsmanship required to have that convexing done on them, is almost certainly why they kept this variant being made in Japan by Hattori. I also believe when, (not if), they get discontinued, and they dry up from the vendors shelves, that their secondary market values will sharply begin to increase. These will likely reach some of the highest resale values for a product that has been discontinued by the Cold Steel company. It goes beyond the TM's following for being a big outdoors use knife, the VG1 San Mai III version is about to reach new heights in the collectable Cold Steel realm. If discontinued, they will become even more collectable than before.

I truly have a gut feeling that 2021 is likely to be the last year Cold Steel brings these in from Hattori of Seki, Japan. They've been a major staple in Cold Steel's line of Trail Master Bowie knives, and it's the one that became the biggest standout variant of the TM series.
For this reason, I feel that anyone currently seeking out a piece of what may still be left out there of Lynn Thompson' Cold Steel era company, this is one of the pieces that you may want to consider purchasing.

I may even purchase another one. I would either keep it as a duplicate in my collection, or possibly sell it off in the near future to help me fund some other acquisition. It would likely serve me well in such a role, especially since they currently can be had at a very decent price.
Yeah, I'm truly into the look of these TM's convexed blades! 😁

And again, I honestly can't see getting hurt in purchasing another one. Get'em, ("Old Steel"), while you still can!

Jeez, I really have become a terrible enabler upon you folks! 👍😆👍
 
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Minutes after my posting the above, I clicked onto KnifeCenter's website and noticed that they were running a Halloween weekend special sale on all in stock Cold Steel products. So... I then clicked onto the Trail Master in San Mai, and it was indeed on sale! To be honest, the pre sale price was already really good... and savings being even more because of their special Halloween sale.... OKAY, twist my arm, why don't they! Yup, I ordered myself another one 👍😁👍
 
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I was again thinking about the possibility of Cold Steel already having ceased importation of these Japanese made San Mai Trail Master knives, and soon listing them as being discontinued.

Currently, Cold Steel's website only lists them as being "out of stock", (no mention of anything else).

The big "a" warehouse that many people buy all sorts of goods from, seems to have a dwindling list of sellers currently offering them. The few that do remain selling them, now have the San Mai Trail Master Bowie knives selling for upwards of $300. Just recently, some of the vendirs there were selling them in the mid to high $200 range. The vendor options seems to be quickly dwindling on there as inventories sell out.

If CS has already sent out their last of the Japanese made San Mai Trail Masters, then remaining inventories at the various vendors out there, are the last of the Mohicans. And, if that's the case, and with it being so close to Christmas time now, I could see these inventories dropping off to zero very shortly. As this dwindling of availability occurs, the prices will likely climb, especially if the model has indeed been discontinued. The prospects for vendors to be able to replenish them, may have become impossible.

KnifeCenter still lists them as being in stock, and their pricing is currently at just shy of $270. That ain't cheap, but a good price for the current market situation, and KC is definitely a very trusted source for acquiring such goods.

Hey... I'm just say'in! 😁
 
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I just received my duplicate VG1 San Mai III Trail Master Bowie from Knifecenter today.
It came in the same exact type of box as the first one I received, (with the Ventura California address).
The blade's markings and Kraton checkered handle is the same as my other TM too. And, it's just as beautifully made 👍😊👍

Here it is beside my new O1 Laredo that I also received this week...


 
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I was thinking about the Japanese made (Hattori) Cold Steel Trail Master and it's convexed blade and cutting edge. The thought was on how uncommon doing the blade in this manner is in today's world.

The following picture is of one of my display cases that houses my Joseph Rodgers & Sons hunting Bowie knife. It dates somewhere back to between 1895 to 1920. Although it shows some signs of it's age, it is in very nice overall condition, and I believe it's cutting edge may be the factory original.
A cutting edge like this was the norm in past times. I find it hard to describe it by modern terms, the blade grind seems kind'a flat gound(ish), but it's cutting edge seems best described as convex(ish). I mean, whatever term we would use to describe it, it represents what was the norm up until... Well, up until it wasn't the norm anymore.
Anyhow, I believe the Japanese made San Mai Trail Master blade is definitely ground and sharpened using what is now considered mostly a bygone era method 😊




I know it may be hard to tell by the photo, but just about 3/4 the way down from the blade's spine, one can see how this Joseph Rodgers blade shaping begins to start sloping down towards the final edge, (convexed?). There is no transition shoulder, it simply slopes right into it's edge.
 
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