Someone will disagree I'm sure but I think that would be a good choice. My wife throws them very successfully. Easy to keep sharpened and virtually unbreakable. I do hate the odd high pitched rattle noise when they don't stick. If you take the grips off and but a layer of rubber cement or (my favorite) shoe goo on the metal, then screw the grips back on they don't make that sound anymore and you won't be replacing the scales anytime soon. (There needs to be a thin rubber washer to take up some of the vibration.)
I don't think the group is dead but you put in a couple of links that I think may violate the deal spotting rule. Anyway, you can offend folks very easily in this group so when links to products are posted, folks tend to shy away from responding.
How does a direct link to the manufacturer violate the deal spotting rule? I made a point not to link a third party site, and no one in their right mind would pay what they want on Cold Steel's own site when everywhere else has most stuff half price. I had to give an example of my options for an evaluation somehow.
Edit: I looked over the rules a second time and I most definitely did not break the deal spotter rule. Cold Steel is on the list of approved manufacturers and the links are to their own website.
We're here, but your requirements cut out many of the best knives you could pick. For $40 for a set of 3, all you're going to find is stuff made in china. Anything better is going to cost $40 each per knife minimum... the best are even more.
Enjoy the choices you make, they define your life.
- Hal Zucati
Yeah, I know the good stuff costs money, but there is no way I can afford such prices until I am out of college. I'm just scraping by and 40$ is actually a bit of a splurge right now.
My options were either to buy some cheaper cold steel knives or 1 single decent enough knife, but from what I understand it is easier to learn when you can throw multiple knives in a row instead of stopping to go get the knife after each throw.
I know that I get what I pay for. I prefer to pay more for something that is better and lasts longer when it comes to most things in life, but some times you have to settle for the time being. Eventually I'll get my girlfriend a nice knife set, but for now she is happy with what she has, though she is having a bit of difficulty getting used to knives 2 inches longer than what she was using. She just needs to build a bit more shoulder, hand, and arm muscle as she flops a bit in her throw with these longer knives. Also, her tendency to revert to throwing baseball style (upper arm out horizontal to her body) probably makes the issue seem worse than it really is. I'm working with her on that.
Edit: I also thought I should add that though I hear the other throwers from Cold Steel are made in China, these ones were made at their South Africa facility and it shows. Like their Machete's these knives have unevenly ground edges (one ground face is longer than the other and the point they meet is not centered) and they also cut out the knife blank at a not square angle. It has a slight slope to the side of the knife and I need to use my dremel to grind an uncomfortable edge on the grip. They throw very nicely and are evenly balanced about the middle of the knife. The slightly off cuts and grinds don't seem to throw the knife off, though they might not be as accurate as high end knives for highly skilled throwers looking to hit tiny targets and such.
Overall, they are a bit crude but functional, and with a little work on my part they will be fairly nice. They are made of fairly good steel for the price (better than low end stainless steel) , and have held up well so far. OH! I forgot to mention that these knives do not come sharp (which is a good thing I know)! I hear the other cold steel throwers come fairly sharp which is pretty stupid for throwing. I'm glad they got that right at least.
