My vintage Cold Steel pictures, discussions, and general shenanigans

While I already have a SRK, that one is both the early, parkerized finish version compared to the later epoxy coated one, as well as my first one was taken over by me for Desert Storm fun and games, and while it never had to be used for anti-sentry purposes, it did open up many an MRE and packing box. Plus another 3 years of use in the Army, so I wanted a brand new one to go with it. This one still has the original red wrapping on the handle:


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Last up is another rare one, a Pig Sticker, sold by Cold Steel under their Special Projects line. I don't know much about the year or model number, so if anyone does please post about it.

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I remember that dagger in the very first "Special Projects" catalog I was sent.

I think it was from the very early 1990s.

At this time "Special Projects" was actually special projects from CS rather than just a CS catalog.
 
Here's a really vintage Cold Steel knife, their Survival Rescue knife. It was similar to the more common Emergency Rescue knife, with a manual slide to open button. They came out in 93 or so, and were only offered for a few years. I have the set now of this one, the one with the tanto blade, and the common ER sheep's foot style blade.
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Also bought a Kobun with a 5" blade that should be here this week.

I was bidding on a nice Flight of the Intruder Trailmaster last week. I had a max bid of 750 or so for it, and thought I was going to win it, but alas someone jumped in with about 10 seconds left and threw money at it till he won it at 850 or so. It didn't have the box or COA so I wasn't going to bid past 800 on it this time, though I probably will next time I see one. CS only made 500 of them, so you only seem them for sale once a year or so.
 
As I posted in the Rare Gems topic, I bought a neat Trailmaster on eBay last week.

It's a Carbon V, but was made in Japan. Almost all their Japaneese made Trailmasters were stainless, with a stainless guard. I'd read on the Trailmaster topic that apparently in the early 90's, CS was having issues getting them made in the US, so they had their Japanese contractors make them.

Mine, like the other, has the early notch (there's a real name for it that I forget - ricarro?), on the underside, and so is the 1st Generation model.

Got a pretty good deal on it, for what it is - 375. Was high bidder at 175 till about 3 seconds left in the auction, someone tried to buy it. They didn't win, but cost me 200 bucks, those bastards!!!

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Here's a new one from me, the El Lobo, serrated:


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There were 4 sizes of these curved blades, 6, 5, 4, and the 3 inch El Lobo. You don't see many of them for sale - this is about the first serrated one I've seen. I have the smooth blade, so my Nogales clip point folder collection is complete with all 6 of them - serrated for all 4 sizes, and smooth in 4 and 3 inch versions.
 
All very nice to see. You guys really know how to keep your knives in top looking condition.
 
I have a couple... a Peacekeeper I in Carbon V and a Ghurka Light Kukri in same. Will snap some pics.
 
Bought another Mini Tanto last week. I already had one of the 1st Generation style ones with the brass guard and pommel. This one is the 2nd Gen, with the stainless hardware, and the sword guard on the front, cuz you really need that on a 4-3/4" knife! Not sure why Cold Steel fitted their smallest tanto with that feature, but they did.

Also bought a Trailmaster 1st Generation, with the stag handle blade. One I get it polished up I'll post pictures of that.

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1stID said:
Bought another Mini Tanto last week. I already had one of the 1st Generation style ones with the brass guard and pommel. This one is the 2nd Gen, with the stainless hardware, and the sword guard on the front, cuz you really need that on a 4-3/4" knife! Not sure why Cold Steel fitted their smallest tanto with that feature, but they did.

Also bought a Trailmaster 1st Generation, with the stag handle blade. One I get it polished up I'll post pictures of that.

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They are both amazing but if I had to choose I would take the brass model for sure. Thanks for sharing.
 
1stID said:
Nice ones. The Tanto looks like one of the very first models, as the markings are only on one side.
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A couple other guys on here as well as I have tossed around the markings on one side were made by Buck Knives. Buck thought the advertising was a little too extreme for them being as it was marketed heavily as a "man killer"
 
Here's the Trailmaster, with a stag handle. I've been hunting for one for awhile, and things finally lined up. I wanted a 1st Generation model for the look of the little notch, whose name always escapes me. I also like the look of the stag handles on the earlier ones, they seemed to have an older look to them than the later ones. I heard that Cold Steel had troubles sourcing the stag, and so maybe had to go to another source that didn't have the same look. This one has a beautiful handle and is a looker.

This one is in great shape, and with a bit of polishing and saddle soaping of the leather sheath, makes it look like we're back in 1988 and Reagan is still president.

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Matched set of 1st Gen Trailmasters. I also have the Carbon V 1st Generation one that was made in Japan, so it's a near complete set. I just need the Flight of the Intruder Trailmaster and it's complete.

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The latest addition to the Cold Steel collection, the Laredo Bowie!

This model wasn't one I'd thought much about, as it came out later (2002) than my early years of 80's and 90's looking at Cold Steel knives. But I put a place holder bid of $285 for it on eBay, forgot about it, and then saw I'd won it. Seems a good deal, as they often go for more like 400 bucks.

This one is NIB, doesn't even look like it was ever put into the leather sheath. A bit of polish on the metal and it looks brand new.

Gotta say, it's an impressive blade - at 10-1/2" an inch longer than the Trailmaster, and has a super pointy tip. A nice knife for the collection.

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I've been on an acquiring tear of late. First up was a very vintage Outdoorsman from the 80's. It's the same pattern as was in their 1988 catalog, so it's at least that old. Brand new, with box, that just lists it as 18, not the 18D that came out later. The later ones had some "bone breaker!" partially edged top, but this one is smooth save for the notches for thumb griping or such along the back of the spine.

It has an interesting sheath too. Standard Velcro flap, but it runs down, not up, so no thumb sweep of it, but it makes the sheath look sleeker.

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I had the other two late 80's Outdoorsman, the Mini and the Californian Drop Point, which I bought by accident, thought it was another Mini, and was about ready to sell it before I realized that no, it's a different model. I always wondered why Cold Steel would bother with the same knife except for a slightly different front point, but apparently they thought there was a market for it.

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Next up is an early Recon Scout. The first ones were supposedly handed out to military units heading over for Desert Storm, and didn't have any markings so that if lost no Iraqi could possible know who'd been in country or some silly super secret squirrel idea.

After that, Cold Steel sold a slight different version via their Special Projects line, and these too didn't have any markings or logos, as was the case for Specials Projects stuff. I have a LTC kukri from then that's also unmarked.

Eventually they started to sell them via Cold Steel, but by then the blade pattern had changed, and no longer had the little notch behind the blade.

This is Special Projects version, with the notch, epoxy coating, and no markings. It was listed on eBay as possibly being a CS Recon Scout, but the seller wasn't sure. He said the lanyard hole was different than other ones he'd seen, but I don't notice a difference myself. He also mentioned the grind angle looked different. Maybe it's a 2nd - I don't think Special Projects marked their 2nd's that way - correct me if wrong.

Based on the looks, way it feels, I'm about certain it's a real Cold Steel.

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