Is this Trailmaster fake or real?

D

Demitrios

Joined
Feb 9, 2010
Messages
16
The title says it all. Is this particular Trailmaster fake or real? You see what has me thrown is right between the pommel and the blade itself. The steel juts out at an uneven angle and I've never seen that in these blades before. I've contacted Cold Steel as well but I'm still waiting on a response.

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The way that juts out looks a bit odd.

Good luck waiting for Cold Steel's customer service to contact you....I have dealt with them several times in the past, and the speed with which they took care of my problems left a lot to be desired, in my opinion.

Despite the odd appearance, it looks like the genuine article. The sheath is the appropriate sheath, and the bronze guard looks like the genuine article as featured on older Carbon V Trailmasters. I used to own one, but cannot remember how the blade looked. I wish I still had it, it was a great piece and it would sure offer some more help to you.

I can't be certain, but it looks kosher to me.
 
I'm going to say it's real. It looks like one of the older ones closer to the first ones they ever made. I could be wrong but I believe it's real.
 
Looks like the Older Cabon V Trailmaster. They are generally valued higher due to the popularity of Carbon V if i am remembering correctly.
 
Very nice and speaking of quick responses I appreciate all of yours. I had half a mind to return this puppy, but I got it at a flat $125 (technically $50 with a gift card supplied to me from Christmas). I went into this store (which I incidentally can't stand) went took a glance at the knife case and happened to see this little beauty sitting there all the way on the bottom shelf. I asked the clerk to see it, inspected it a bit and was told it was being sold by a clerk, not by the store. He was asking for $150, I had the store call him and told him I'd buy it for $125 right then and there, he said and now I have a bowie I've wanted for a while. I just need to figure out a way to make the strap on the sheath hold the blade in more securely, because as it stands now, it's pretty loose.
 
Demitrios said:
Very nice and speaking of quick responses I appreciate all of yours. I had half a mind to return this puppy, but I got it at a flat $125 (technically $50 with a gift card supplied to me from Christmas). I went into this store (which I incidentally can't stand) went took a glance at the knife case and happened to see this little beauty sitting there all the way on the bottom shelf. I asked the clerk to see it, inspected it a bit and was told it was being sold by a clerk, not by the store. He was asking for $150, I had the store call him and told him I'd buy it for $125 right then and there, he said and now I have a bowie I've wanted for a while. I just need to figure out a way to make the strap on the sheath hold the blade in more securely, because as it stands now, it's pretty loose.
Click to expand...

You got a pretty fantastic deal there. Congrats!
 
As I read this post - I went to look at my recently purchased Trailmaster, and from what I see - yours doesn't look anything like mine in terms of the shape of the bottom of the blade where it meets the hilt, plus the Cold Steel writing. Mine has the Cold Steel Logo on one side - with Taiwan below that, and Trail Master on the other side of the blade. I have a Carbon Steel version not the San Mai Stainless. And I acquired this blade about 3-4 months ago.

I cannot attest to the earlier versions of this knife though.

I had a similar situation with a Recon Tanto that I had purchased on Ebay. After it snapped in two while batoning some wood. I thought that the knife was a counterfeit , so I contacted Cold Steel to which they asked me to send the knife to them, and they determined that it was a factory second not a fake and they sent me a new knife. I was very pleased with the service and outcome. Unfortunately the knife was subsequently stolen out of my truck a couple of months later. So then I went for the Trailmaster.
 
It's real. The Ventura models are the rarest and best of this particular knife. I've got one.
 
Its very real! This is a first edition Trailmaster. I had one many years ago. Wish I still had it!
 
Nice score! I really like the old Carbon V blades. I have an SRK and a Recon Scout made of the stuff. The RS needs a new handle but the steel is good to go.
 
Ventura model? I'm familiar with the Carbon V steel and why CS transitioned to SK-5 but what exactly is a Ventura model? . . . while I'm at it why are the Carbon V versions so much more preffered than the SK-5 models?
 
Had an early one and let a friend talk me out of it before I left Alaska. It was a very impressive knife. I really wish I had that one back. I don't think I would be happy with one of the new ones.

I guess I can be happy I still have my old SRK Carbon V and the fact I recently picked up a NIB Carbon V Bush Ranger and a mint mini-Culloden for good prices. Would still love to have an early Trailmaster though.
 
I no longer own any Cold Steel knives, but looking at my old sale photos shows all my Carbon-V Trailmasters had markings on only 1 side of the tang.

On the other side, the markings were along the spine, not the tang.

See:
stm.jpg


2nd knife from top is another Carbon-V Trailmaster with writing along spine--faint in this photo, but still visible.

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EDIT--I'm not all that experienced with Trailmasters (have only owned 4) but none of mine had this:

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When someone says a Ventura model they are just talking about where it was made in Ventura, California.

The first Trailmasters had that odd double choil at the base of the blade and markings on both side of the tang. Most guys prefer the Carbon V steel over the SK-5 simply because it's a better steel, but also because the old Carbon V models were given an awesome convex edge over the newer SK-5 with a V-grind edge. Or was it the San Mai and AUS-8 models that had the convex grind? Now I can't remember. Damnit.
 
Early carbon models with the double choil are convex ground. Later USA models and all carbon knives thereafter are flat ground.

Every Japanese knife has a convex grind, including the first model which also had the double choil.

Looks real to me. Shiny too, well kept.
 
i know its real,ive had the early ones,if you think its fake & dont want it ,ill take it !:D
 
You guys have all been fantastic. This is my first time ever posting on this board and I can't say enough good things, I really appreciate the help you guys have given me.
 
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