Purchase Idea Suggestions

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Kestrel452

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Feb 18, 2015
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Hey guys, a knife noob here...

I've had a KaBar leather handle us army fighting knife for a while, and am looking to get a couple more knives that can be both a general around the home use and self defense blade.

The knives I'm looking at are all Cold Steel knives, namely the: Counter Point 1, Swift 1, and 4" or 6" Ti-Lite. I love the look of the Swift and Counter Point, but the Ti-Lite is one of their classics and uses the "better" XHP alloy.

Just wondering what the more knowledgeable folks' thoughts on these are. Thanks in advance for any help :)
 
Without getting into the whole "knives as weapons" debate, your choice is your choice:

If general around the house + self defense in a folder is your desire;
Cold Steel is a good choice, mainly due to overbuilt lock strength, and 4" is a good length, big enough to be an impressive folder, but not so big it becomes impractical for regular day to day stuffs...

But I would recommend the Talwar, Recon1, or even a Code4 because they have thicker grips w/ deeper choils and better defined finger grooves, all providing a better and more reliable grip on the knife if God forbid you do ever need it in a self defense scenario.

The ones you mentioned all have much less defined grips, making them more susceptible to slippage in a hard use/struggle. Just my 2¢

And the swift 1 is also available in cts-xhp fwiw, which would be my top pick of the 3 you mentioned, for the same reasons mentioned.
 
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Cold Steel AK-47 or Talwar are both very handy utility knives that could easily be pressed into duty as SD options. Ti-Lite has a narrow blade with a dagger grind, which gives it less than stellar cutting geometry and makes it excel at poking things and people, but not at utility tasks. It can also be somewhat annoying to open quickly if you don't wave it from the pocket as it has quite a strong detent and the thumbstud placement is a bit odd.
 
I would suggest the Recon-1 clip point. The blade shape is excellent for all around utility plus a nice point for penetrating cardboard and such ;)
 
netguy1999 said:
I would suggest the Recon-1 clip point. The blade shape is excellent for all around utility plus a nice point for penetrating cardboard and such ;)
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Want to quickly address this: Would you strongly recommend the clip point over a spear point? I previously read on here that spear points are stronger overall.



Also, you all made a fair point about the grips. Partly why I chose the Swift as something to consider was it's blade shape similarity to the Recon series, and the fact the grip isn't just a flat surface (the Swift's grip is swelled and looks more comfortable). Can anyone comment as to whether or not the swell actually makes a difference?
 
Kestrel452 said:
Want to quickly address this: Would you strongly recommend the clip point over a spear point? I previously read on here that spear points are stronger overall.



Also, you all made a fair point about the grips. Partly why I chose the Swift as something to consider was it's blade shape similarity to the Recon series, and the fact the grip isn't just a flat surface (the Swift's grip is swelled and looks more comfortable). Can anyone comment as to whether or not the swell actually makes a difference?
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A spear point is stronger, but with shape of the clip point (better yet a bowie) you have more focused penetration, IMHO. In either case, you can't go wrong. Grip is going to be key. You want to make sure that your hand isn't going to slide forward onto the blade itself.
 
Here's a simple, but good description of the different blade shapes.

h t t p s://www.knife-depot.com/knife-information-112.html
 
Cold Steel folders are a good choice, the ones mentioned here got sturdy overbuilt locks and good steel options. For fixed blades, check out the Becker knives from Ka-bar. Look at the BK2, BK7, the mid-size BK10 and the smaller BK16 and BK17. They all have great handles, decent steel, and are good for utility and probably would work well for self-defense.
 
I'm a reformed Cold Steel hater. Those I've purchased since the upgrade to Carpenter steel changed my mind 100%. They're good, sturdily built knives. Maybe unsurpassed in value. Wish I'd considered them way back instead of being a CS snob !

Of the Cold Steels I own, my favorites are the two Ti-Lite offerings, the 4" model (an older AUS8A steel) being my favorite thumb-flicker of all the knives I own. Really super liner locks of new design (patent supposedly pending) and quality feel in-hand. Totally solid. Oddly, I prefer the grippier Zytel handle of my 4", slightly, over the aluminum handled 6" (Carpenter steel).

I like the Recon tanto blade but, aesthetically, not as much as the Emerson tanto design. The Recon's is a bit....bulky or ungainly looking to me. it works though.

I hear the Hold Out handles are less comfortable than the others but never checked it out under load. Just rumor so far.

I never understood the "not a good EDC blade" when it comes to stiletto and tanto style blades. IMO, that's garbage--never have I wished I had something more traditional while carrying out an EDC task with either. I think a lot of that propaganda is based on seeing rather than using.​

At least try the 4" Ti-Lite in addition to whichever others you buy. They are slick knives--maybe among the best for the money.

Be aware there is no lanyard hole on a Ti-Lite. There are 3 1/2 easy ways to open it though--thumb stud, by quillion, waved by quillion and flipper-style will get the blade out halfway for continuation by thumb stud. If the quillion was slightly longer it would be a full flipper--not quite enough leverage to get the blade all the way to lock but plenty to break detent.

Also, many believe Ti-Lite quillions to be wrongly curved for tactical grip. However when held Sicilian style for tactical (edge up, index finger OVER its quillion, thumb UNDER its) everything fits into place comfortably. By design. :)
 
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Insipid Moniker said:
Cold Steel AK-47 or Talwar are both very handy utility knives that could easily be pressed into duty as SD options. Ti-Lite has a narrow blade with a dagger grind, which gives it less than stellar cutting geometry and makes it excel at poking things and people, but not at utility tasks. It can also be somewhat annoying to open quickly if you don't wave it from the pocket as it has quite a strong detent and the thumbstud placement is a bit odd.
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Funny how views on the same knife can be so opposite:

I've never run into a situation where the Ti-Lite wasn't as good a cutter as another knife. I keep mine VERY sharp--strop only, no stones/rods. I've heard people make that claim about tanto blades in EDC too, and never experienced it. Never wished I had another shape of blade while using either one.

The detents on my Ti-Lites are perfect and, especially on the 4" due to less blade mass, they thumb-flick perfectly to lock. The most fun flicker I own. I won't tell you to check your pivot tightness because I know you know that...and have. :D Guess it's a case of the famous Detent Deviation.

I know what you're saying about the thumb stud is slightly buried, but, for me, thirty minutes of practice (mainly just a slightly heavier thumb 'dig') made it second nature, no problem at all.

Sure like that knife.
 
Knife fights are super rare. Get something that handles your EDC tasks but could perform as a weapon if needed. Or carry two.
Best of luck.
 
EChoil said:
Funny how views on the same knife can be so opposite:

I've never run into a situation where the Ti-Lite wasn't as good a cutter as another knife. I keep mine VERY sharp--strop only, no stones/rods. I've heard people make that claim about tanto blades in EDC too, and never experienced it. Never wished I had another shape of blade while using either one.

The detents on my Ti-Lites are perfect and, especially on the 4" due to less blade mass, they thumb-flick perfectly to lock. The most fun flicker I own. I won't tell you to check your pivot tightness because I know you know that...and have. :D Guess it's a case of the famous Detent Deviation.

I know what you're saying about the thumb stud is slightly buried, but, for me, thirty minutes of practice (mainly just a slightly heavier thumb 'dig') made it second nature, no problem at all.

Sure like that knife.
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I actually like tantos quite a bit for most cutting chores. My issue with dagger grinds is that I find the short primary bevel can wedge when passing the entirety of the blade through various cutting media. It's not terrible on the Ti-Lite, but the high hollow on the AK-47 or the FFG on the Talwar won't have the problem at all. I definitely notice a difference when cutting lots of cardboard, and that informs my preference for broad blades with high grinds. Lots of EDC cutting, though, uses mostly the apex of the edge, so the geometry of the primary bevel doesn't matter as much. Cutting tape to open boxes, going through plastic strapping, cutting light cordage and things like that I don't feel knives like the Ti-Lite are at any particular disadvantage.
 
Leftytwogunz said:
Knife fights are super rare. Get something that handles your EDC tasks but could perform as a weapon if needed. Or carry two.
Best of luck.
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That's exactly what I am looking for :)



I ordered a Swift 1 and Recon 1 clip point. I settled on the clip point because: the Swift is a spear point already, and the XHP steel (should) negate some of the loss in tip durability.
 
Kestrel452 said:
That's exactly what I am looking for :)



I ordered a Swift 1 and Recon 1 clip point. I settled on the clip point because: the Swift is a spear point already, and the XHP steel (should) negate some of the loss in tip durability.
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Excellent choice! Be sure to post some pics when you get them!
 
Insipid Moniker said:
I actually like tantos quite a bit for most cutting chores. My issue with dagger grinds is that I find the short primary bevel can wedge when passing the entirety of the blade through various cutting media. It's not terrible on the Ti-Lite, but the high hollow on the AK-47 or the FFG on the Talwar won't have the problem at all. I definitely notice a difference when cutting lots of cardboard, and that informs my preference for broad blades with high grinds. Lots of EDC cutting, though, uses mostly the apex of the edge, so the geometry of the primary bevel doesn't matter as much. Cutting tape to open boxes, going through plastic strapping, cutting light cordage and things like that I don't feel knives like the Ti-Lite are at any particular disadvantage.
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Sounds good to me. I like tantos a lot, I just listen to some of the rumor and go on cuttin'. You seem much more of an indoor/technical cutter than I and FFG and high-hollow would probably be better. Stuff I tend to run into is usually real world outdoor/urban detritus and drek not requiring a lot of micro precision--at that point I go to the X-Acto. Probably why I also have no problem with chisel grinds.
 
EChoil said:
Sounds good to me. I like tantos a lot, I just listen to some of the rumor and go on cuttin'. You seem much more of an indoor/technical cutter than I and FFG and high-hollow would probably be better. Stuff I tend to run into is usually real world outdoor/urban detritus and drek not requiring a lot of micro precision--at that point I go to the X-Acto. Probably why I also have no problem with chisel grinds.
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Yeah, cardboard is my primary nemesis and the subject of most of my cutting chores. Limited recycling space and lots of boxes coming in means that I pay waaaay more attention to cutting geometry than I did even 8 or 10 months ago.
 
Kestrel452 said:
Want to quickly address this: Would you strongly recommend the clip point over a spear point? I previously read on here that spear points are stronger overall.



Also, you all made a fair point about the grips. Partly why I chose the Swift as something to consider was it's blade shape similarity to the Recon series, and the fact the grip isn't just a flat surface (the Swift's grip is swelled and looks more comfortable). Can anyone comment as to whether or not the swell actually makes a difference?
Click to expand...

For your listed needs I think either would be ok. Both are appropriate for self defense, but the clip point is a little more stabby.

I prefer Cold Steel's spear points myself. Occasionally I prefer a knife in clip point but spear point is usually better for my needs.
 
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