My new Trailmaster

K

KenHash

Joined
Sep 11, 2014
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Ages ago I had a Carbon V Trailmaster, which I eventually sold. Bought a Sanmai TM but that became a collection piece. I wanted a "User" TM. But my experience with the Carbon V TM, as well as several other CV knives was that they are stain and rust magnets. Yes I know, proper care will keep a carbon steel knife in good shape. But I tend to be extreme, either they are babied for collection or treated as garden tools in my garage. Looked around for a used Black coated one but could only find the made in China SK5 ones. So I decided to buy a new O1 steel TM and have it professionally cera koted. Reading up on all the posts it seemed to be the most rugged and durable of my options. My knife guy must have thought I wanted the knife blackened for "tactical" purposes, because he sharpened the swage. Which admittedly was already sharp straight from the box. My real purpose for the black treatment besides rust prevention, was so when I was using it in my backyard the kids next door wouldn't be yelling that the guy has a GIANT knife. Anyway, everything came out very well, although it isn't going to get "used" till next spring now because it just freaking snowed.
 

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Yes I do. You do realize that "Made in China" and "Made in Taiwan" are entirely different? CS had TMs manufactured in China for a couple years but switched production to Taiwan apparently due to quality control issues, I have been told.
 
No problem. I wasn't aware of them either. Nor have I ever seen an AUS6 TM made in Japan either.
 

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Nice blade made even nicer. Might I ask how much that cerakoting job cost you? Was just thinking of having my O-1 TM "upgraded" as well. Wonder why CS don't just do it during production. I think a reasonable extra charge for cerakote would be welcomed by most CS customers. Wish CS would come out with a super TM in CPM3V and DLC coating....
 
Nice blade. BTW, my CS Gurkha is black coated SK-5 and made in China. It is superb in every way.
 
I USED MY 01 TM for the first time last year cutting a ton of bushes large and small. Afterwards I walked into the house, got out the bottle of OXPHOBLUE, and with one [ 1! ] cotton swab blued the blade in about twenty [ 20 ] minutes flat. IT WILL NEVER EVER RUST and I do not even bother wiping it off this year after I whacked down all the neightbor's bushes growing over the sidewalk the past ten years. It took about thirty [30!!] seconds to put the edge back on after two years of use; GREAT knife, GREAT blade, Great feel, Great looks. Sam Bowie lives....!!
 
Aus 6 is a tougher stainless than many others that have been used in large knives like 440C. After the SK5 SOG Tigershark was discoed they went to an aus 6 model ( with coating and serrations about an inch or two at the bse of blade). SOG also made several other Aus 6 knives meant for hard use. Think of steels like that as stainless "1065-1075". One can do much worse. In fact, Aus 8 is tougher than 440C as well.

Cold Steel experimented with Aus 10 in the Trailmaster. I saw them being discoed in one of the special projects catalogs many years ago.( late 90's maybe? I wanted one bad but couldn't afford that. They have to be rare. Anybody here ever seen one?

aus 10 is closer to 440C in carbon and wear resistance but it has a few things added like nickel , lower chrome, and a nub of moly. Better grain structure and a bit tougher at the cost of a little corrosion protection.

joe
 
Never seen an AUS10 TM. I presume they were made in Japan.
I have never seen any Japan made TMs other than the San Mai versions.
But I know they existed.
 
There never were any quality control issues with the SK-5 Trail Masters produced in China, affectionately nicknamed "China Dolls" by those who have actually used them. The initial batch of TMs that came from Taiwan had an issue with some of the guards that has long since been addressed.
 
That's what the internet says. But if the QC was not a problem, any insights into why
the Made in China TMs were discontinued in favor of Made in Taiwan, Mike?
 
There is much erroneous information on the internet across the board. A lot of BS gets parroted so much, that all of a sudden it becomes "fact". I get some big chuckles out of some of the internet kydex tutorials. The main reason production was changed to Taiwan was because of lost sales from the stigma of having China on the blade. Many people refused to even try them. If you check on posts from people who actually used them, you'll find that the performance was excellent. I did some significant real world testing myself, and was very impressed on all accounts. All the non using idiots complained so much that production was moved to Taiwan, with a resulting increase in price. I'm still laughing about that one too. Nothing wrong with any of the "China Dolls". Check post #12.
 
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Mike Sastre said:
There is much erroneous information on the internet across the board. A lot of BS gets parroted so much, that all of a sudden it becomes "fact". I get some big chuckles out of some of the internet kydex tutorials. The main reason production was changed to Taiwan was because of lost sales from the stigma of having China on the blade. Many people refused to even try them. If you check on posts from people who actually used them, you'll find that the performance was excellent. I did some significant real world testing myself, and was very impressed on all accounts. All the non using idiots complained so much that production was moved to Taiwan, with a resulting increase in price. I'm still laughing about that one too. Nothing wrong with any of the "China Dolls". Check post #12.
Click to expand...
:thumbup:

I will gladly assist in the safe disposal of any inferior Made in China Gurkha Kukri laying around:D
 
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