May have to eat some serious crow...

D

Dorito Monk

Joined
Nov 17, 2008
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3,654
I've been pretty vocal in the past about how I've found cold steel products to be overrated or of poor quality for the price, and as such, I've really ticked a few people off.

Most of these folks were big fans of Cold Steel's newer stuff, and advised me to look into some of it, especially their Triad lock folders and Andrew Demko collaborations, before condemning the company entirely.

So I did. :D

I just got a Cold Steel American Lawman in the mail. I've always liked the looks of this knife, but I've been really skeptical about buying another cold steel product. What really sealed the deal for me was watching bast2a's video of Fred Perrin abusing the hell out of this thing and it not showing any signs of slowing down. So far, I'm glad I bought this one. It has really tight lockup, bronze bushings, and I can't find any really sloppy grinds or pieces out of place whatsoever. It's even quite light for its size (it's about the same length as my Manix 2 and weighs about the same, although it seems quite a bit beefier). This is the older model, with steel liners. The seller told me it was the new, all-G10 version, but I'm not sure it makes a big difference. The edge is pretty decent (not up to Kershaw and Spyderco standards, but on par with most other production knives), the thumbstud seems well placed, and the fit and finish are really very good (blade is perfectly centered to boot). Its steel is decent, a little low-grade for the price (around 70$), but definitely useable. Blade shape and grind angles are great, really practical design in that respect. Probably going to take that coating off at some point, if I can...

The only bad things I can say about this knife are that it seems to take two men and a boy to open (after using the manix-2 as my heavy duty knife for so long, this thing is downright impossible to open by comparison :eek:), which should be solved by a good application of lube, and that the edges of the G10 handle are quite sharp, making it a bit uncomfortable to hold.

So far, this is a much better knife than I expected. I hope it lives up to its reputation as a great user.

I have two questions, though:

1) Is the new G10 version really that much of an improvement over the steel-lined version? Should I send it back and look for the new one?
2) How do you take this thing apart? I see one pivot screw and one screw going through the spacer, but there seem to be two pins holding the rest of it together. Can you completely disassemble this knife?
 
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I have never had a "BAD" Cold Steel product.

They aren't always practical for what I need.

... but they are made to do the job at a good price.

That said .... I want that pointy Lawman! ;)
 
my old style recon 1, is my all time favorite knife, and it has withstood abuses that have outright broken some of my fixed blades...
 
With regard to the newer version, G10 only should save on the weight significantly.
 
You lucked out! I prefer liners. It's all in my head but liners give me more peace of mind.
 
Dorito Monk said:
I have two questions, though:

1) Is the new G10 version really that much of an improvement over the steel-lined version? Should I send it back and look for the new one?
2) How do you take this thing apart? I see one pivot screw and one screw going through the spacer, but there seem to be two pins holding the rest of it together. Can you completely disassemble this knife?
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Personally, I wouldn't call the newer ones an 'improvement' per se, but then I really like heavy metal, so I own the one with steel liners.

I have never had mine apart, but I think you will find those machined pins function like spacers, in addition to their function as stop pin and rocker pin, ie. friction fit to the liners and G-10.
 
Ah, okay...so the main difference between the steel lined one is the difference in weight between the solid G10 and the steel-lined G10? I don't mind the weight of this one as it is...like I said it weighs about the same as my Manix 2 and it weighs quite a bit less than my Cyclone. Thanks for the info!

Were there any improvements to the mechanism or any stuff like that in the newer version, or are they fundamentally the same, except for the change in handle materials?
 
if there's one thing about cold steel is that they create functional martial material.
and they probably understand more than the average knife maker that an endangered poor soul might actually have to resort to fully abusing the life preserving materials that they produce.
 
Dorito Monk said:
Ah, okay...so the main difference between the steel lined one is the difference in weight between the solid G10 and the steel-lined G10? I don't mind the weight of this one as it is...like I said it weighs about the same as my Manix 2 and it weighs quite a bit less than my Cyclone. Thanks for the info!

Were there any improvements to the mechanism or any stuff like that in the newer version, or are they fundamentally the same, except for the change in handle materials?
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My understanding is that there were some minor 'tweaks' to the Tri-Ad lock and the G-10 handle is more rounded (radiused?) on the corners. If STR chimes in he could give more details, but there is nothing that made me want to go out and get the latest version.
 
Dorito Monk said:
Were there any improvements to the mechanism or any stuff like that in the newer version, or are they fundamentally the same, except for the change in handle materials?
Click to expand...

There's a thread out there in which Mr. Demko says that the new American Lawman is a little more user friendly I think in terms of the force required to open the knife and maybe unlock it?
I have the steel lined version and I can tell you that it will smooth out with use. I wouldn't trade it for the unlined version but I am curious so I bought a new Recon 1 that's on the way to me now.
 
I like steel liners too. That's really the only reason I sold my Kabar Dozier Large Folding Hunter. It seemed to want to flex a bit too much if there was any lateral pressure on the blade. If it had metal liners of any kind, it'd be perfect.
 
CS puts out solid, reliable, and tough knives. This is nothing new. I am waiting on the Voyagers for next year. I had initially been opposed to the addition of aluminum liners in them but the more I think about it the better they sound. The addition of a FFG blade and the ability to disassemble them is the deal sealer for me. That said, the old zytel models are the best zytel knives (by any company) that have ever passed though my hands.
 
Nakk77 said:
Love the recon 1, and my big boy Rajah 2!!
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Two that I'm thinking about, particularly because of the lock. I'm a bit of a big blade junkie at times also. Would a Rajah 2 have much practical application for me? No. Do I still like them ? Yup.:D I have a couple of CS hawks that do everything that I ask of them. The only thing that puts me off are their slaughter house promo vids. Thanks for your views on the Lawman Dorito.:thumbup:
 
I've got the all G-10 version of the Lawman, and it seems fine...very light in the pocket. I don't have the older version, so I can't compare absolute strength. I will say that its lateral stability seems just fine without the liners.

I always find it interesting that CS steel is considered sub-standard when also it's used by other companies whose products are not heavily criticized (Al Mar's "Falcon" series comes to mind). As a comparison, Buck seems to have done very nicely with its 420HC. Again, not a "great" steel, but it does the job due to proper heat treatment and grind.

I have v.1.0 of the AK-47, which has the same AUS-8 as the Lawman. The AK is my dedicated hard-use knife; de-limbing maple branches to make canes, cutting mooring rope to rig timber bracing for home repair, cutting heavy plastic panelling, etc. I've yet to chip the edge or get it too dull to finish a job. Whereas, I have chipped edges on harder--more "advanced"--steels asked to do the same jobs.
 
GRIM 62 said:
I'm also waiting on the new Voyagers,San Mai VG1 blades,yum!
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Talk now is the Voyagers are going back to AUS8. Every other tri-ad folder CS sells is the same steel, I don't know why they don't offer up some variety there.
 
i have a cs g10 lawman that i got at a gun show. i got nib for $35 (it had a tiny tiny scratch on the blade) it's the knife i carry when i hunt. i have cleaned 3 hogs in a row and it never dulled. now i will say, its def not my favortie knife. its like a glock, you know it will get the job done
 
I have both a steel liner and all g-10 Lawman and like them equally as well...to me there's a slight difference weight wise and that's it. Maybe a lil bit easier to open the all g-10 Lawman but it's a minimal difference.

I've had both Lawman's and my 2010 version Recon 1 apart. Easy to disassemble and reassemble in my opinion. I stripped the blades on all 3 and the lockbar also on the Recon 1 to a satin finish:thumbup:
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I REALLY like all three and don't regret at all owning Cold Steel:thumbup:

I was messing around one day in my shop and decided to put a couple of small o-rings on the thumbstud of the all g-10 Lawman and like how it feels:thumbup:

Paul
 
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