Opinions on Cold Steel

I didn't realize CS had a bad warrantee, but I think it is going too far to say that is necessarily because there is something wrong with the product. Frankly I would prefer to buy from a company where warrantee service is irrelevant. Lifetime warrantees are just marketing, and trying to slam the door on small companies. They can also cause companies to subtly change products for the worse to reduce claims costs. I've seen this with flyrods as an example. Also, you end up paying in the sticker price for the person who uses them up and returns them for more. I know some people who buy Sears power tools because even though they aren't great, they can be infinetly returned. Burn 'em and return 'em.

CS is in a weird position relative to warrantees: For better or worse they are apparently sincerely in the combat extreme end of the market, they make big tire irons of knives and stuff, and test them in ways they believe will best identify weaknesses in that use. But wake up and smell the coffee, there isn't any edged tool for which that combat use doesn't also represent abuse. Are they supposed to market these knives, and replace them every time someone attacks a car or BIRCH LOG with one? Give me a break.


On the Carbon V thing, Stainless is nice, but it isn't much of a match for tool steel (haven't tried any post 154CM steels). Unless the enviro is salt water marine, I don't have a problem with carbon maintenance. I maintain hundreds of hand tools in a medium ok enviro in my woodworking shop, and none are stainless. In the Kitchen, many of our favorite knives are carbon. I either blue them, or just let them tarnish, not rust. The surfaces are reasonably low maintenance.

My main criticism of CS is that a lot of their knives are really ugly, and while for the dollars they might be the killingest things out there, Krayton, epoxy that rubs off the blade etc... Not pretty. But hey, if your really a user, and not just a looker, maybe this doesn't mater. Disappointment sets in when they are bought on a hot flush, but then you're stuck with this butt ugly tire iron, and no tires to change.

My other concern is their whole knife fighting orthodoxy, which seems well enough thought out, nonetheless is based on two people facing each other and going at it like the final act of West Side Story. If that isn't what happens, then a lot of what informs their designs is pure fantasy. Like trying to figure out the best practical loads for Klingons.

As it happens, I just ordered some stuff today, and to say the least they are a little brusk. Still if it all comes as promised... Anyway, it seems a bit choice to call up the killing knife folks and expect the same exquisite service you get choosing one of the 24 pillow options at a Four Season.
 
I have a Carbon V Trailmaster and it never dispointed me. The edge retention is fantastic.

I am willing to try the San Mai III Trailmaster...

Anyway, never liked any of CS folders.

Regards,

Andre Tiba
 
John_Wayne777,

Cold Steel is a "mixed-bag." They offer something for everyone, but for the discerning eye, their best offerings are either Carbon V, or San Mai III. Their Katanas are their best swords, especially the Imperial version of the Double-Edged Katana... I also like their Grosse (Langen) Messer sword...Sub-zero quenched 420 knives are pure garbage. Sorry, but there is no other way to put it... Their 1050 high carbon steel products are good to great for the price... Yeah, I know that this is all subjective... I also like their axes/tomahawks, their X2 Voyager folder, Gurkha Kukri, and their Laredo Bowie... No, not everything they make is perfect... Pick and choose, as you would in a supermarket... My favorite knife companies? Ontario, Benchmade, CRKT, and, yes, Cold Steel... Just remember, "Let the buyer beware..." Caveat Emptor... (I THINK the spelling is more, or less, correct...) Hope this helps...

Regards and Respects,
Carter, oldpaladin, out...
 
Don't have much complaints about CS.
But I do think that the entire line is interesting in that some appear to be sort of experimental and ground breaking in nature.
Which is why I figure there is just about something for everybody.
Personally, I dislike the handle design of most in the line.
Especially so in the Voyager series.
And, I am still in deep shock as to what the Desperado is all about!
But I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, in which case I really need glasses.

I once read somewhere's that the carbon steel range is manufactured by Camillus.
Can't say if that's totally true.
However, if it is, then I guess we now know why there are a couple of similar items marketed byCamillus themselves.
If that being the case, it would be a whole lot cheaper to look up their line.

As for the CS swords, I did manage to have a closer look at one of the PRC made tantos (with black fixtures)
I was disapointed with the finish.
Could have been better for the kind of money one was expected to pay.
But I guess old Lynn would probably say that the proof is in the CUTTING :-)

In closing, I will continue to look forward to all future additions to the CS range.
As I am sure something really fantastic would turn up to fit my pocket and requirements.

Lynn, if you're reading this keep 'em coming!
You're one reason why America keeps coming out with some of the best blades in the world.
Like the Trailmaster, Recon bowie, Recon Tanto...
Let's keep those blades American.



Krizzard, out

"...Whoever kills with the sword must be killed by the sword... "
- The New Testament, Revelation 13:10
 
To clearify my problems with the kraton grip, and lack of customer service from Cold Steel details :

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=266171

Particularly poor considering they asked for my opinion in the first place. As well I would comment that I also find it very negative to promote aspects of your product and disallow consumers to verify them. This is hype.

Of course this is limited to work which doesn't functionally damage the product, which is why of course it is used in the promotion - ie. see how good are knives are they can do this without harm but don't you try it as you will void the warrenty.

Of course if the knife breaks as they said it should then it isn't a warrenty issue. However if it is promoted as having one break point and in reality exhibits another that is a different matter.

-Cliff
 
My hand slid over the TOO SMALL guard and onto the blade.
Click to expand...

Shane's story is scarry, but I don't think Cold Steel is the worst offender in making knives with inadequate guards. This is a problem that is all too common across many brands, both factory and custom.

In fact, when I wanted a self-defense fixed blade knife, I picked the Cold Steel Recon Scout over several others. Despite Cliff Stamp's and others complaints about the poor durability of the handle, I chose the Recon Scout primarily due to its sizeable double guard. Also, if you look at several of their kraton handled like the Master Hunter, SRK, etc., the single guards are longer than on some competing brands. Certainly they are longer than the guards on Fallkniven knives. The guard on the Fallkniven F1, for example, is just a tiny bump.

If you insist on knives with adequate guards, these days your choices are unfortunately very limited. Cold Steel offers more knives with long guards than most of its competitors.
 
Originally posted by oldpaladin
John_Wayne777,
Sub-zero quenched 420 knives are pure garbage. Sorry, but there is no other way to put it...
Click to expand...


My sentiments exactly. I have an Oyabun, and it's pure garbage. Lousy edge retention, and after a month in the sheath it should small traces of rust.


The IX Tanto I have is a much happier story though :-P
 
I have three Cold Steel knives, a voyager, a trail guide (I believe), and a keychain tanto. The voyager and key chain knives are excellent. Great lock up, take an excellent edge, very nice and light. The trail guide folder was made of the Carbon V steel and it just wasn't a great knife in the end. The lock had alot of play and could be forced closed. I almost sent it back but my cousin wanted it just as a light duty blade. It rusted to death in his pocket in less than 3 weeks. Ended up being pitched.
Matt
 
I just purchased my first and last Cold Steel knife. They may have made good knives in the past but this one is crap. I bought a Recon 1 tactical folder and it broke the first day I had it. The write up on the website had this knife described as practically bulletproof. I called Cold Steel to complain but no relief. They said I would have to pay another shipping charge to send it back. I just paid the shipping to get it. I opened this knife maybe a dozen times trying to get the feel of it and the tiny hollow screw that stops the blade broke. Now the blade has an enormous amount of play in it. I could see if I had the knife for 6-8 months having to pay to ship it back, but the first day????:mad: I also notice the Made in Taiwan on the blade and that just made it worse. I have put them on notice that I will not only never buy another Cold Steel but that I will persuade as many people as I can to buy elsewhere.
 
He's some first hand experience for you with Cold Steel.....

About 4-5 years ago I went through a Voyager kick because it was a big bad folder that was in my price range as I was not into buying customs and semi-customs yet. My first one snapped it's plastic pocket clip within 3 months and ever since has been in my trucks console as a back up utility knife in case I forget my EDC or I cannot reach it when I'm sitting in the truck with my seatbelt on and I cannot reach it. It was long since forgotten about, but will get back to this one in a minute.

I bought a replacement for it with another tanto style Voyager and this one snapped it's pocket clip within 1 month this time. I still carried the knife not wanting to spend the money for another one and unaware of the warranty Cold Steel has. The blade could not hold an edge worth a damn ever, I would sharpen it and within a week it would become farely dull and unusable. The final straw came when I was working construction and I went to gently stab the knife in a plank of wood next to me while I was sawing another plank and that damn lockback pushed in enough when I grabbed the knife enough to fold in on my hand! Luckily the blade was pretty dull as stated above and I was wearing gloves so I got away unscathed. However the knife was not so lucky as I through the POS into a nearby rock quarry.

Now I'm not sure if back then they were using AUS-8 on the Voyager line, I do not think so since these blades were crap. The original Voyager I have is unmarked totally so I cannot tell. I have only had positive experiences with AUS-8 on other knives but if my 2 Voyagers were AUS-8 then their heat treatment sucks!

Now back to my first one that was banished to the depths of my truck console. Last month my girlfriend and I were washing my truck and she went through the center console and uncovered the Voyager, I had forgotten about all about it nor had I used it in years, it just sat there at the bottom of the console. I opened it up to look at it and damn it was nasty, rust all over the blade and every metal part, like it had been sitting in salt water all that time. Stainless my ass!

Now obviously I'm not a big fan of Cold Steel and these knives were produced many years ago so I am unsure what upgrades have been put into place for newer ones but my experiences are enough to never buy CS again.
 
Howdy,
Seems to be a lot of COLD STEEL marketing bashing on this one so I thought I would chime in.
I love their marketing. It is like a cheap novel. Very entertaining, lots of big pictures - perfect toilet side reading.
I am a big enough man to tell you all I read it cover to cover.

The PROOF video is great. I would love to see the bloopers.
I would never buy a knife based on the video though. Think about it - if you were a line backer for the Dallas Cowboys and I gave you a very very sharp knife - could you hack through a giant rope - probably so.

What would be real PROOF would be to put the knife in the hands of a 98 pound weakling and let him have a go.

I think they do a good job of getting their name out there and poviding the public with generally quality products for a reasonable price. If I am going to spend more than $40 on a knife - I know were to come to do my research.

I have a Trail Hawk, a few spears, and a Trail Master. They perform as I expected. They are not perfect but for the money and what I use them for - I am a satisfied (and well entertained) customer.
 
I had two Hai Hocho's back when they made them, they where pretty nice, though I lost and gave them away before I could arrive at a long term opinion.

I also bought a used Master Hunter which seemed OK, though too thick to be a good slicer and too small/thin to be a chopper.

I do have to agree that their catalog is marvelous reading, I even wish I would get more of them, but since I never buy any of their knives, I guess I can understand this.
 
Personally, I like Cold Steel, and think they're a decent value for the money.
I've had a Recon Tanto, Mini Tanto, and Master Hunter. All served or are serving me well. No complaints. The Recon Tanto is one hell of a knife for the money (or any money, for that matter).

I really like the Carbon V steel; it can be sharpened extremely sharp, and performs very well.

In the future, I'd like to pick up the Gunsite II folder in serrated edge.
 
I want to play too! ;)

Cold Steel, I'd also vote much as the other posters have, that the Carbon V series knives have an edge up on the rest of Cold Steel's offerings, easily besting them. I had the Magnum Tanto and couldn't cut a 1" hanging rope no matter how hard I swung, that came down to the edge geometry I feel. My TrailMaster has served me well these past years, long years with out having to resharpen it at all, keeping a very sharp edge, even after chopping against all sorts of trees. Only recently a touch up lightly on a Spyderco Profile fine stone to make it hair popping sharp, amazingly so! I was Bashing the blade against an Ironwood tree that fell onto my shed, the blade merely bounced off without making much of a dent into the tree, that wood is HARD stuff. Other trees that had come down in my yard from the recent hurricane winds, hard maples and such, I was taking limbs off that were almost 1 1/2" thick with a single swipe of the blade, outstanding chopper in a trim size knife.

My one complaint would be the handle, the rubber is loose against the tang, and what I really really want to do is to cut that free and replace the handle with one of nice Walnut and shape it much like how Rob Hudson does his Octagonal knives, with a slight downward arch near the butt of the handle, that would be very cool!

So say what you will against the company, but they do what they do to get attention out there and it may appear to be a bit gaudy, but it is an eye catcher...stick with the Carbon V models, just keep them clean and dry...:)

G2
 
I have more Cold Steel knives than any other manufacturer for several reasons.
1. They make a lot of different designs available to everyday Joes.
2. I can afford to buy, use, and (hopefully not) loose them.
3. They're very good quality. Same as Spyderco. Maybe not on the same level as a beautiful $500 folder or a sharp tactical prybar, but I don't use/abuse my tools that way.
4. Most subjectively, I like them, and they fit my hands.

To each his own.
 
I wouldn't waste my money on them. The rate up there with Frost Cutlery.

There are better production knife companys out there.

Brian
 
From all these posts it is clear that Cold Steel knives are and remain controversial, as does Cold Steel. This has been true for many years.
 
Originally posted by Randal16-1
I wouldn't waste my money on them. The rate up there with Frost Cutlery.
Brian
Click to expand...


So wait, your telling me the 50 knives from Frost I got on the Home Shopping Netwrok for $ 49.95 are crap?

:confused: j/k...lol, ROFLMAO!!!!!!!:) Frost SUCKS


For the same price point as CS i'd much rather have Kershaw, Spyderco, RTAK, Benchmade...
 
My limited experience with CS:

-Don't care for their folders altough their Voyager series seems alright.

-I've broken them but I was doing something STUPID both times so I'm not gonna go crying about their warranty.

-Don't get a serrated edge on any CS knife costing more than $20. Why do I say that? Because I'm one of those people who will carry around 4 different knives each for different cutting jobs, sacrificing the cheaper knives for the sake of the more expensive ones. So if it's a more expensive knife I will keep it for years and have to keep it resharpened. If it's a cheapie I'll probably lose it somewhere before I have to sharpen it a second time :p

-I've had good experiences with their short, inexpensive fixed blades.

-I don't like how they advocate what to me is a cheap utility knife like the Urban Pal as a SD implement. That being said I like the Safekeeper very much and I still have a Pal on my keychain, which bizarrely enough I find to be the best way to open certain things.

-Some unique designs that you either love or hate.

-Bad thing: The big ass Made in Taiwan stamps on some of their pricier models is not a welcome sight.

My take: Take 'em or leave 'em. Better than many and they have had a lot more impact on making knives the way they are today than anyone seems willing to admit, but a good number of their products are done better by other manufacturers. Still I find my Safekeeper Pal and Paraedge to be excellent values for the $35, $15, and $20 I paid for them, so they seem to have their niche.
 
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