PM2 Compresssion Lock vs the Cold Steel Holdout 2 Triad Lock

I'm just gonna add to some positive thoughts to this thread since I assume for most of us knives are a hobby we enjoy and love after all. I freaking love both Spyderco and Cold Steel. I have more Cold Steel knives than I can count, and the Spydie Yo2 is my all time favorite knife; in fact I own six...

In any case, I love the Cold Steel videos, I love how classy Sal seems to be, I love knives, and FWIW I usually have BOTH a Spyderco and a Cold Steel on my at any given time.
 
brand loyalty is stupid, I vote with my wallet and the best value gets my money...

and Cold Steel has been getting more and more of my knife dollar,

Let's take Spyderco's Taiwan made knives for example and compare them to Cold Steel's Taiwan made knives. CS will give you XHP steel all day long for under $100 while Spyderco's Taiwan examples run consistently a little below $200.

Despite CS's silly videos and some mall ninja lineup, their Taiwan XHP blades are the new value leader. Spyderco have long lost that mantle and have moved up market to maximize profit quite some years ago. Although I like Sal and he has repeatedly stated they don't charge as much as the market will allow, but the truth is Spyderco is the co-essential embodiment of the "bling knife jewelry" these days.
 
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We'll see if it's in the same category. On paper I can get ZT Hinderers that look similar (204p, Ti and CF) for less. Or (ZT Sinkevich, Rexford, Benchamde, Spyderco (Gayle Bradley especially)) knives similarly. A Custom maker and big company collab isnt a new thing. With respect to to CRK it'll be interesting to see the fit and finish CS puts out.
ZT Hinderer go between $200 and $250ish. They went for a few bucks more early on when they were newer, and demand was higher than the supply. I'd bet the CS 4Max will end up settling in the same price range in a similar timeline as the 0561 did.
 
The thing that bothers me about this thread isn't the negativity directed at either company, though I've happily defended both. No, it's the sheer dishonesty on both sides.

Loving Cold Steel a whole bunch doesn't justify outrageous statements about the capabilities of the knives in question, nor comments about Mr. Glesser.

Hating Cold Steel a whole bunch doesn't justify blatantly false accusations and pathetic attempts to rip on products you've barely handled, much less owned.

Diogenes would most certainly weep at the painful lack of intellectual honesty.
I hope you don't think I was bashing Sal. My point is that I consider Demko to be as capable a knife designer.

I own exactly zero pre Demko CS folders. They never appealed to me. The new stuff, that he has been designing, does. Demko has been hitting homerun after homerun in the knives he has been putting out.

The strongest lock is not the end all be all, but CS has set a new Benchmark, in that the lock should not be the weakest link. They got there first with Demko's Ram Safe Lock, but it was a bit cumbersome for EDC. Then they nailed it with the Triad. Sal got Spyderco to the same "blade will break before the lock fails" threshold with the Power Lock. I wish Spyderco would release a Police model with the Powerlock-hell, IMHO it is the best lock they have, by a wide margin, and it should be on more models.
 
OK, another example. Emerson Super Roadhouse with 4.2" blade. 154CM + G-10 + ti liner lock + USA made = almost $300.

I don't think that CS folders are superior but they're mostly reasonably priced or sometimes overpriced just like other brands. But someone can always create his own theory what I've had in mind. Danke has already shown that he just throwing accusations without verifying the facts.


I will never understand Emerson pricing. It makes no sense.
 
I hope you don't think I was bashing Sal. My point is that I consider Demko to be as capable a knife designer.

I own exactly zero pre Demko CS folders. They never appealed to me. The new stuff, that he has been designing, does. Demko has been hitting homerun after homerun in the knives he has been putting out.

The strongest lock is not the end all be all, but CS has set a new Benchmark, in that the lock should not be the weakest link. They got there first with Demko's Ram Safe Lock, but it was a bit cumbersome for EDC. Then they nailed it with the Triad. Sal got Spyderco to the same "blade will break before the lock fails" threshold with the Power Lock. I wish Spyderco would release a Police model with the Powerlock-hell, IMHO it is the best lock they have, by a wide margin, and it should be on more models.

We all hear that folders are broken knives but when somebody tries to fix that, those same people scream "lock strength isn't important". :D
 
ZT Hinderer go between $200 and $250ish. They went for a few bucks more early on when they were newer, and demand was higher than the supply. I'd bet the CS 4Max will end up settling in the same price range in a similar timeline as the 0561 did.


I looked at the KC price. Usually they're pretty solid at avoiding the hype. Like I said we'll see how it hashes out and how it turns out as a production knife
 
Everyone is now dumber for watching this. I award you no points cold steel and my God have mercy on your soul. :barf:
 
I'm kinda late to the show but I just watched a few of the CS comparison tests and think they are good info.
They should use a new knife for each test and do each test with the blade reversed also imo though.
I love Spyderco, have over 40 of them atm, but I don't especially care for the compression lock.
It isn't lefty friendly and it pinches my hand sometimes when opening, as for strength though it is perfectly adequate for me and the test results were not surprising.

The Triad lock is impressive and Cold Steel has certainly upped their game this past year with XHP and new designs.
I would love to see Spyderco do a knife with a Triad lock, they have licensed many other locks in the past with the Sage series so it is in the realm of possibility.
The Manix 2 and Manix 2 XL would be perfect candidates as it was originally a back lock knife.
 
I'm kinda late to the show but I just watched a few of the CS comparison tests and think they are good info.
They should use a new knife for each test and do each test with the blade reversed also imo though.
I love Spyderco, have over 40 of them atm, but I don't especially care for the compression lock.
It isn't lefty friendly and it pinches my hand sometimes when opening, as for strength though it is perfectly adequate for me and the test results were not surprising.

The Triad lock is impressive and Cold Steel has certainly upped their game this past year with XHP and new designs.
I would love to see Spyderco do a knife with a Triad lock, they have licensed many other locks in the past with the Sage series so it is in the realm of possibility.
The Manix 2 and Manix 2 XL would be perfect candidates as it was originally a back lock knife.

Agree and disagree. I'd love to see a Manix throwback with thicker stock and a bulletproof lock, but I think the Spyderco Powerlock would be more than enough. It may sacrifice some raw strength to the Triad, but it's still very, very strong and much easier to disengage. I'm absolutely ecstatic that Sal has announced a Chinook 4 with Powerlock. That could knock everything else out of my pocket for the foreseeable future once it hits.
 
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