Opinions on CS knives

What are you opinions on CS as a company? On CS knives such as the Trail Master Bowie Carbon V.

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RayField Clement Jr.
rayfclement@yahoo.com
 
As a company? I guess they make great knives for the money.
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Dan
 
my opinion of CS knives is that they're great for the price. The voyagers are knives with real good fit. I've had a Voyager for 3-4 years and there still is no blade wiggle.

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Australian: That's not a knife, this is a knife
Bart: No, that's a spoon
Aussie: I see you've played knifey-spooney before
 
G

Gwinnydapooh

Joined
Jan 20, 1999
Messages
641
Great knives, stupid advertising, very high opinion of themselves. I love the knives for the money (some of us don't care if a Chris Reeve is worth $300 because we don't have $300 whether it's worth it or not.) I just wish they'd back off on their claims about how their steel is the greatest thing ever (it's obviously not) and Mr. Thompson's mastery of all the fighting arts of the world, plus his world-class scholarship. I've been meaning to ask somebody, does the Emerson Commander predate the Vaquero Grande and the Desperado? I have my doubts about Mr. Thompson being the first to revive the so-called "Nogales point" or whatever it's called. Don't get me wrong, I like his versions of it, but the Commander looks like a milder form of the same thing.
 
Decent knives for the money. They certainly fill their niche in the knife market. I own several and am very happy with them.

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Lead,follow, or get the hell out of the way!
 
Without re-hashing the negative aspects of the advertising policies of Cold Steel, I have to admit that I own about 30 CS products. That should tell you something.
They make a decent product.
I think CS's strong suit is in their fixed blade line, IMHO.
I own many Voyagers, but alas, overall I'm not impressed with the edge holding of their AUS-8A. For me, they now have "throwaway knife" status. That is, I'll take and abuse them in situations where it won't break my heart if they're lost, broken, need to be ditched
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or are stolen. Come to think of it, this may be the Voyager's strong suit, as they are fairly inexpensive after all.
Their FB's, OTOH, are serious using knives. They appear to have a workable blade pattern for almost every job one would need a knife for. From Master Hunters all the way up to Imperial Tantos(in Damascus), and a great all purpose Bowie, the Trailmaster, they've got it covered. Great products.
The CarbonV blade steel they use holds an edge for a good while and seems to be pretty tough. While rust prone, a little care goes a long way in protecting the blade from corrosion.
While I don't think CS is the best, as they claim, they are a good value for the money spent.

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My new bumper sticker:

Let me tell you about my SIFU!
 
Best bang for your buck, I'd be happy to test a plain Scimitar and post results if Lynn will provide one.....ya hear that Lynn?

Jake

[This message has been edited by Jake Evans (edited 02-22-2000).]
 
My CS Desperado never fails to please.

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AKTI Member #A000832

"That which does not kill me just postpones the inevitable."
 
Gwinnydapoo wrote.."I love the knives for the money (some of us don't care if a Chris Reeve is worth $300 because we don't have $300 whether it's worth it or not.)" RIGHT ON Gwinnydapoo!!I have tried to make this point about knife pricing in other forums and felt like I came off like a bufoon. You know the conversation, where the full time makers say, 'but don't you FEEL that the crafts man is worth $200 an hour .."or what ever the figure is that pays the bills, like I am being a Miserly philistine
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'cause I can't afford a $300 dollar knife! The fact is that ANY knife that cost over $100.00 is in my opinion a LUXURY purchase for the vast majority of people. Statistics on how wonderful the economy is aside. (Plus I LOVE your handle)
 
Here I am with my Vaquero Grande in hand (Flick). The VG is a great big handful of cuting fun.(Flick) At $40 (from a Forumite) I feel I got a great deal (FLICK) in flicking entertainment alone. Oh yeah, CS products tend to cut things really well too...something I look for in a knife. As for LT's advertising, don't hate the player , hate the game.
 
Thanks, Fox Creek. I got hammered last time I brought it up too but some things are worth saying 'cause folks forget. Right now on TFL there's a thread going about how Jennings are actually not bad guns for their cheap prices.

Don't get me wrong, I DO think the time of a craftsman like Ralph or Fisk is worth a ton of money; other people simply can't do what they do, and certainly not some factory. BUT if you don't have the money it doesn't make a bit of difference if it's worth it or not. Believe me, if I could purchase say, an Extreme Apogee from Mr. Ralph by telling him "I don't have the money you're asking, but I do support your right to ask that amount. May I have the knife now please?" I'd do it! Good luck.
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I just don't want people who spend more on a knife or a gun than I spent on my car to think I'm insulting their choice of tool. I know some of them think everyone has their money, or should, so if you say that you'd prefer a Glock to a $1500 Les Baer they think you're saying the Baer isn't worth the money. Not so.
 
Exellent Tantos (yes I know that's not a traditional tanto, go away) CS really pioneered the american tanto genre here, and their tantos give good testimony through their use. By the way, if you haven't seen the video, get a copy, it entertaining!

Joe

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"I can go over to your mama's house, and start a small fire in her panties." -G. Busey
 
Exellent Tantos (yes I know that's not a traditional tanto, go away) CS really pioneered the american tanto genre here, and their tantos give good testimony through their use. By the way, if you haven't seen the video, get a copy, it entertaining!

Joe

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"I can go over to your mama's house, and start a small fire in her panties." -G. Busey
 
Great bang for the buck. Their folders are overloaded with serrations. Their fixed bladed knives ar their best product. and despite Lynn Thompson, aus-anything is not anything over ordinary steel.

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The thorn stands to defend the Rose, yet it is peaceful and does not seek conflict
 
Their folders just don't do it for me. The tanto's are a different story. Very robust and I just like the feel of them. Solid. A friend of mine just picked up a San Mai Master tanto on these Forum's for under $100! Great deal and not one he is afraid to beat.

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It's only a mistake if you fail to learn from it!
 
I think their knives are way overpriced if you're paying retail. However, you can often find huge discounts that may turn the purchase into a good deal.

Cold Steel's products are always a step behind the industry leader's in both materials and design. They refuse to upgrade, claiming in ridiculously exaggerated terms that their products are vastly superior, until it becomes totally obvious that change is necessary. For example; they consistently claim that AUS-8 is, bar none, the best steel around, yet they've begun to quietly upgrade to AUS-10.

It's fun to read their absurd advertising. I remember reading a blurb where they were deriding 420-J and saying what a cheap blade steel it was and how it doesn't compare with AUS-8. Meanwhile, guess what their San Mai tantos are made from... 420-J!
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Geez Louise.

Their knives aren't bad. They're solidly built, can stand up to abuse, rarely have QC problems, etc. A change in advertising strategy would go a long way toward building a better reputation.
 
I don't think much of their designs. I use my knives for utility, not fighting, and even my delica gets alot of stares form sheeple. their designs are just a little to wild for me to wnat one for a daily carry. It seems like they were designed for scaring sheeple, not to be user friendly.

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Fix it right the first time, use Baling Wire !
 
CS takes quite a beating for the way they advertise, as well they should! But they make some real good products! Their Carbon V Trailmaster and Master Hunter are my favorites, except for an old discontinued Mini-California Drop Point! A good friend helped skin 3 moose with a Master Hunter. He said he steeled it up a few times and it was still cutting great when they were done. I just got a Trailmaster off Blade Forum for $65! It's impressive! I have several Voyagers and I like them alot! AUS8 may not be the best, but I know how to sharpen knives!!! I really don't care for the tanto blades though, they just don't seem useful for utility stuff.
 
I own a Trailmaster Carbon steel and stag.Scary sharp and stays that way.Good product and won't break you either.
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have a"knife"day
 
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