My small collection of Cold Steels

[ebidis]

Top to bottom:
GI Tanto
Rajah II (AUS8A)
Large Espada G10 (AUS8A)
American Lawman (AUS8A)
Recon 1 (old school, made in Japan)

I hope to add a Talwar XL, and a Trailmaster at some point.

 

[Kwon Kwang]

Nice collection! How do you like that old Ultralock Recon 1?

The Trailmaster is a wicked knife. If you want one, I suggest you take a look at River City Sheaths and get it with a custom Southern Comfort sheath. A big bowie like that needs traditional IWB carry! Still kicking myself for not doing that earlier, but it's on my list....

 

[ebidis]

Nice collection! How do you like that old Ultralock Recon 1?

The Trailmaster is a wicked knife. If you want one, I suggest you take a look at River City Sheaths and get it with a custom Southern Comfort sheath. A big bowie like that needs traditional IWB carry! Still kicking myself for not doing that earlier, but it's on my list....

The old Recon 1 is cool because it's discontinued, and has a certain collectors appeal, and I love the blade shape, and the knife over all, in an EDC roll. However, it does not feel anywhere near as solid as the Triad lock version. There is some flex in the handle and pivot, and a very small amount of vertical blade play in the lock. Also, the handle ergo's are (IMH0) not as good. It's comfortable, but doesn't lock your hand in as well, and is not anywhere near as grippy as the new ones.

It's a really nice knife for EDC, the blade is fairly thin, and its actually a good slicer, and the action is smooth. It just doesn't inspire as much confidence in a tactical roll (for me) as the Triad Lock/G10 version, so I just look at it as a very tough, large EDC folder. Kind of like a Spyderco Endura.

And thanks for the sheath advice. I am not 100% on the Secure Ex sheaths. IME with the GI Tanto, it dulls the knifes edge, and I think a blade like the Trailmaster should have some nice leather.

 

[DShiflet]

I have a ton of Cold Steel, but amusingly enough, I only own 2 of the 5 on your list(Rajah 2 and GI Tanto). I will get a Recon 1 some day(not the tanto, though), and I'd like an Espada but I want the polished version, and I'm not willing to pay the asking price. I know it's described as a pocket sword, but for $250, I can get a very nice, high quality, ACTUAL sword from TFW, so if I got $250 to spend on a single blade, I'm more likely to pick up one of those.

Maybe I should try my luck buying a lotto ticket...

 

[G. Scott H.]

I have 4 out of those 5, with the old school Recon being the missing one. :thumbup:

 

[upnorth]

You have some goodies there bud.

 

[Bigfattyt]

I have one of the old Ultra locks, zytel handles, with the steel likers. Still solid in all directions after all these years.

The old Zytel handle shape is not anywhere near as secure in hand as the new Triad lock handles. Of course the G10 Ultra lock handles had better traction than the old Zytel handles too.