Knife you disliked but ended up liking

scdub said:
Cold Steel in general.

I’d long considered them a cheap brand and even subconsciously turned my nose up to the tri-ad lock when it first came out, assuming it was just another lock gimmick.

Fast forward a few years to 2015 and I’d read more positive reviews, saw some of the spine-whack/weight tests on the triad, and was able to handle a few, and finally decided to try one out.

I got a Tuff Lite and it changed my opinion of Cold Steel quite a bit. I began thinking of them more as an affordable brand than a cheap brand, and even started to see Lynn as less obnoxious and more genuine and charming.

Since then I’ve bought multiple CS knives for myself, family and friends.

Not recently though as I’m still waiting to see where the new owners take the company. Not super hopeful. 😔
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Same, I used to watch their videos and laugh. I thought they were crappy knives. Then I got a demko triad lock...then another... and another... ended up with a bunch and they are some of my favorite knives and IMO some of the best values in the knife world. I also love my tuff lite like you. They just make good, solid knives.
 
The first time I bought a Mora Garberg I didn't like the ergos and ended up selling it. Something made me decide to give it another try, so I bought another and it's become one of my favorites. It's a great knife.
 
It's funny, I didn't think I had any. But then it hit me like a brick.

As I've often mentioned, the folding stiletto has been by absolute favorite style of knife since I was a child. But all I had ever known were the old "traditional" type with guard-bolsters and a back-lock. And that was the only type I was interested in. I had no interest in any of the "modern" type, including the Cold Steel Ti-Lite series which came out in 2005, in fact I outright rejected it for not being "traditional".

Then around 2015 someone posted a Cold Steel "Proof" video here on Bladeforums that showed how strong the Ti-lite was. And watching it I thought about how no "traditional" folding stiletto could take that kind of stress. The structural weakness of "traditional" stilettos was always a complaint I had about them (good luck finding a "robust" one), and so I was very intrigued by the Ti-Lite.

So I decided to buy a Ti-Lite 4 (4" blade, zytel handle) just to check it out. I liked it alright, but nothing special. Then, I bought a Ti-Lite 6 (6" blade, zytel handle), and that thing just blew me away. Within five minutes of taking it out of the box it had become not only my all-time favorite folding stiletto, but also my all-time favorite production knife.

Today my Ti-Lite 6's, in their various states of customization, are my most favorite knives of all, and some of my most highly prized possessions. But even in their stock, original condition the Ti-Lite 6 is still my favorite production knife.

For 10 years I refused to even consider buying a Ti-Lite, and thanks to whomever it was that posted that video, I now have not only my favorite knives, but some of my greatest treasures. Funny how life works.


Just for the hell of it, some pics. First, some of my more "traditional" stilettos.

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Here's one that I bought in 1986 when I was 16. I carried it for the next 15 years. Used it for a wide range of cutting tasks.

6YTCxGi.jpg



And here are a few of my customized Ti-Lite 6's. The top is now an automatic, the bottom is still a manual.

h7HKFY0.jpg
 
Umnumzaan. Initially disliked it. Picked up a WC variant few years later and now it’s one of my favorite knives.
 
The small Inkosi
It is one of my favorite knife but it took me 3 weeks to get used to it
At the beginning it was really disappointed and thought to return it
But as soon as I got used to it it haven’t left me and it is my default edc
 
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