Opinions on Cold Steel

J

John_Wayne777

Joined
Jul 21, 2003
Messages
5
New to the forum and to knives in general. To be frank I prefer carrying firearms whenever possible as any logical person would.

But I understand the need for a good knife. Thusly I am looking for info on Cold Steel's products.

I own 2 Cold Steel knives. A Voyager Tanto-Point folder with SS blade, a Recon 1 tanto folder with Carbon V blade and 1/2 serrated edge, and I am thinking of buying one of the Carbon V Trailmaster bowies.

I have been happy with the performance of the 2 CS knives I already have. I got the Voyager for 30 bucks and it kept a good edge for a long time, sharpened up nicely and took my using it as a box-cutter/shovel/prybar/general utility knife with little cosmetic or edge damage. (I did chip the very tip of the blade when trying to kill a snake, missed, stabbed concrete instead.)

My Recon 1 is reserved as more of a tactical folder (meaning I would like to use it only against bad guys) but it has opened boxes, cut open bags of mulch and dirt, etc. I even had to use it to dig something up in a hurry once. The black finish is scratched, but the only bare metal showing is on the edge of the knife. It is still very sharp. When closing it one handed one day I got the end of my middle finger caught in the serrated part of the blade. It almost chopped that piece of finger off, and I was not using much pressure to close the blade. Thing bled for 2 hours before it finally stopped.

So my question is this:

What is your opinion of the CS products in general?

What is your opinion on how the CS products compare with others in their price range?

What is your opinion on how the CS products compare against other factory knives?

What is your opinion on how the CS products compare against custom knives?

What is your opinion on how the very best of the CS products (name them please...Thanks!) stand up against the very best of the custom maker's knives?

Your help is appreciated...
 
I own a pretty good stack of Cold Steel knives, and they are a good value. The AUS-8A and Carbon V steels that they use is pretty good, but I don't know about that 420 steel they've been using lately. Many of their producta are unique, and won't be found anywhere else, such as the monster Vaquero Grande and the X2 Voyager series...Both with 6 inch blades, and over 13 inches opened length. I would like to see Cold steel use stainless and G-10 for their scales, tho...
 
Welcome to Bladeforums John Wayne. You picked quite a topic to start out with, some people here have rather strong opinions about Cold Steel. Here's my opinion based on my experience with a used Vaquero.

- In general, I'm not a big fan of Cold Steel. I don't like their marketing style or the overall design theme of their products. Also, their warranty sucks, frankly. Others at that price point and even some quite a bit lower offer full lifetime warranties. If they don't have full faith in their products why should I?

- At that price range there are a lot of good choices. Spyderco, Benchmade, and Camillus to name a few. Each of those companies offer higher performance steels and lifetime warranties for similar prices. AUS8A isn't a bad steel, but it's on the low end of what I will buy. Now that CS is moving to 420 sub-zero I'm not interested. 420 is total crap and anyone familiar with knives knows it. I also don't like their insistence on using so much Zytel. I don't like plastic as a handle material; just a personal preference based on aesthetics and how the knife feels in my hand, but there it is. I've also had problems with Zytel handles deforming (not on CS knives) after a year or so of use. My current EDC is a Camillus EDC; it's held up quite well except for a problem with the pivot screw that was caused by my own incompetence.

I don't own any customs that can be appropriately compared to CS products so I can't really comment here. I'm sure others can help you in this regard; I have to say that I think you'll be much happier in the long run with a good custom than with any CS product. I really like handmade knives based on my experience with Himalayan Imports khukuris. A handmade knife is unique and special while factory knives, though often tough and useful, just don't have the same appeal on an emotional level.
 
cold steel is my one of my favorite knife manufacturers, i have an x2 voyager and a mini tac, and i got my dad a spike neck knife for fathers day and he couldnt be happier they make an exellent product
 
They have several nice designs. I pick individual knives, not companies. Their bowie might be pretty good in Carbon V. I would prefer a bowie to be made out of something that is a little tougher like 5160, 1095, or L6. Their move to 420 alloy blades is not a good sign.
 
Originally posted by Jeff Clark
They have several nice designs. I pick individual knives, not companies. Their bowie might be pretty good in Carbon V. I would prefer a bowie to be made out of something that is a little tougher like 5160, 1095, or L6. Their move to 420 alloy blades is not a good sign.
Click to expand...

In what way are these steels "tougher", Jeff?
 
Based on the CS products I own, Here's my two cents;

The Oyabun is a disapointing knife, VERY POOR edge retention. Bad finish, even when you bear it's low price point in mind.



The Magnum IX is a nice knife, sharp, flawless finish. sheath is good quality,but it wont take much abuse.

Unforuntately Extrema Ratio makes a much tougher knife.


Basically,in any price point, for the same money you can probably get a better knife from annother manufacturer.


CS are diluting their brand in favour of concentraiting their profit.

sad :-(
 
Carbon V is a good knife alloy. It has vanadium in it and is fine grained and wear resistant. It is an excellent choice for their Master Hunter model. The alloy is not optimised for use in a big chopper where impact stresses can get extremely high. It would make a reasonable fighting knife blade, but might chip or lose its point if put to heavy field use. Basic carbon steel is intended to be tough and resist breaking and chipping. For example 1095 is one of the "improved plow blade steels". You can imagine the type of impacts that a plow blade takes in a rocky field. 5160 is in a similar class for toughness. It is used for things like making automobile leaf springs. It would be my top choice for a blade over seven inches long. L6 alloy is used to make sawmill blades. You really don't want those to break.

So that's what I mean that these other steels are tougher. They are appreciably less likely to suffer chipping or breaking in heavy use than carbon V (or just about any stainless).
 
I would say Cold Steel is a mixed bag. Some of their designs are unique and cannot be found elsewhere, while as others have already pointed out, there are many that compete poorly with the competition.

I think the Cold Steel Trailmaster Bowies and the Recon Scout are among their better offerings. These have a combination of qualities that are hard to find among the competition, unless one spends a whole lot more.
 
I have a Cold Steel Laredo Bowie, i'm happy with the quality. Their swords are good too. Tough stuff. I've never owned one of their folders though.
Their Carbon V and 1095 steel items seem strong enough. I have an AUS-8 Black Bear Classic; it is excellent quality. Cold Steel knives at least come sharp out of the box.
 
I like Cold Steel Knives; the Carbon V models are my favorite blades. I also have good results from the Voyager series blades that are marked "Made in Japan"

I use knives every day during work for utility service including cutting cardboard, adhesive tape, plastic fabric, even shaving hammer lead.

I also use knives on the place for utility service weekends, 14 acres in grapes and hay.

Cold Steel Knives have served my needs very well; in fact I plan to obtain more of the above mentioned steels this summer. The 5" Voyager has proven to be on serious cutting tool. I'll get at least one back-up in this tool.
 
Originally posted by Matteo Escobar
For the money, you can get a lot better. I would not be caught dead with one. 85% BS.
Click to expand...

I couldn't disagree more. Trailmaster, Recon Scout, original Recon Tanto (Carbon V), SRK, Land and Sea Rescue. Even the cheapie Bushman. I own several of each. All have given fantastic performance for years. In fact, dollar for dollar the Bushman is probably the best 20 dollar bill I ever spent on a knife.

I continue to be astonished at the fanatical CS haters on this list. I seldom hear any "real" explanations except that their warranty sucks (not for me as I've put my knives through a lot and never had to *use* their warranty), or their marketing style is really vulgar, or some such. Or the big one, Lynn Thompson is an arrogant prick (which is probably true). I don't buy knives based on marketing practices or the personality of the company owner. Sal Glesser is a wonderful guy, but I bet people wouldn't buy another Spyderco if the knives weren't just as wonderful.

My only disclaimer, is that I bought most of my knives, 5-10 years ago. I also wouldn't give you 20 cents for many of the newer CS models, many of which are old models with the cheaper and, IMHO, highly inferior 420. The Oyabun, Peacekeepers in 420 are junk, but I own both these models, one is AUS8a and one in Carbon V and they are highly effective and have performed admirably. CS still makes some very good knives for the money, you just, as with anything, have to know what you're doing and be discriminating in your choice of purchases.

And speaking of purchases. The "price points" for many CS knives is not valid in the real world. I have bought many CS models for less than half retail, from various internet sources. In the world of the internet, if you buy something for full retail, you are probably just too lazy to look around. My 2 cents.:D
 
It depends on what you're looking for. About the only folders of their I really like is the Vaquero Grande and the El Vaquero. The Vaquero Grande is pretty impressive as it has a 6" blade, yet rides in the pocket remarkably well. The "Nogales" blade or "reverse S" whichever you choose to call it is impressive. The Trailmaster is just plain great. A tank, yet razor sharp. Mine was shaving sharp the whole length of the blade right out of the box. In other areas, Cold Steel is in a league of their own. I own a Boar Spear and that thing is freakin' razor shap if you can feature that. No one else is making spears and maybe you don't have a use for one, but they're sure great to pack in non-firearms hiking areas. Especially the Samburu which can take-down or with a cover over the head, it appears to be a walking staff. I got a mini-Bushman free with an order I placed from Special Projects and it, too, razor sharp right out of the box. Got some other things---razor sharp right out of the box. I've been very happy and pleased with all the Cold Steel knives and spears I've purchased. That doesn't mean I like everything they make, but the things I have gotten are great in my opinion.
 
What is your opinion of the CS products in general?
Overpriced and over-hyped.

What is your opinion on how the CS products compare with others in their price range?
They have some adequate fixed blades. In my opinion their folders are significantly inferior to Spyderco or Benchmade products in the same price range.

What is your opinion on how the CS products compare against other factory knives?
Their fixed blades can hold their own, although I really don't like them from a personal standpoint. Their folders get blown away. Even their vaunted Special Forces shovel is inadequare compared to surplus Swiss E-tools that cost about half as much.

What is your opinion on how the CS products compare against custom knives?
I have 3 handmade knives, 2 fixed and one folder. I much prefer these to any comparable Cold Steel offerings that I am familiar with. The difference in quality and function is enormous.

While they do not make "bad" knives per se, it seems to me that Cold Steel's product line is sold more by advertising than by their genuine technical merits. Many of their claims are laughable, and their warranty coverage is poor. They seem to have little interest in advancing the technology or design levels of the knife industry, and are content to push generally inferior products with a "hard sell" approach. I would recommend you get a Spyderco, Benchmade, Camillus, or even CRKT product and never look back.
 
I have lots of CS knives and a few spears. They are all carbon steels of various sorts and have performed very well. I wouldn't buy anything made of 420 anything. They are priced way too high for what they are, and their quality is below par. They do have some excellent designs and most can be had for very much less than MSRP.
 
I just sold my SRK and Recon Tanto in order to purchase another spyderco or two.....

what got me especially with the SRK which is the only knife of the two that I seriously used was that the tip was the width as the top of the blade to all but the last mm of the top....

you could not sharpen the thing with one angle, you always had to feather the tip at a different angle.... the sharpmaker was usless on it unless I wanted to reprofile the front of the blade to match the rest of it.

I dislike cold steel now and probably will not buy one of thier lower end/medium end knives again. I do like the carbon "V" when it is kept greased or oiled but use it in the field and put it in the sheath and you will have rust in no time.

The thickness of the blade also makes me laugh, I have always been told that people make thick knives because they use cheap metal or make it cheaply... why does the blade of the SRK have to be 1/4" thick from the tang to the tip ? My SOG seal knife is a much better knife for the money.....
 
Found out I own 27. I started 15 years ago - having purchased from them alone. At the time I bought them, I think that they were above average - in some cases better than that. I was, and am very proud of the knives that I chose and own.

But lately, I see way too much 440a - I think they are going around the corner and down hill. They make many great products, but they have added too much junk to the catelog - loosing my long-standing respect for their vision.
I am loving the heck out of Spyderco now. I left CS last year; tried out some CRKT and Kershaw. Great knives there for the money too.

But I really really like Spyderco and am going to spend more time there - 7 knifes in the last 5 months. They focus on the steel.
 
So basically what I am hearing is that specific knives made out of known quality materials (Carbon steel) like the Trailmaster and the Recon 1 are still decent knives, but that they are starting to incorporate lower quality metals in many of their knives. So one should take care what they buy.

I have been wanting to get another folder for a while too, one that will serve as more of a general utility knife. One that will hold an edge really well and that will stand up to some mild abuse.

Anyone have a suggestion for that?
 
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