Review Request: Cold Steel Triple Action Folder

[Kodiak PA]

I was wondering if anyone has seen or handled these knives. They look interesting. I would like to learn a little more about them if anyone has used them.
TIA

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~Greg~

 

[TomMarker]

I'd like to hear people's experiences with this one too.. It looks like one-handed openings are out of the question with it, which severely restricts its useability, IMHO. It does look like it would be very strong, much like a balisong since the blade can't really go anywhere..

Of course, I don't think it's trying to be any sort of tactical knife, but it's always much more convenient to be able to open one handed, unlike that crappy Barlow knife I had to use in Boy Scouts as a kid

but then, i just like to complain..
tom

 

[Kodiak PA]

Tom,
I found a picture on the forum that shows better than I could ever explain it on how the blade locks up. The pic is from the Shot Show.
http://www.bladeforums.com/features/shot/coldsteel.html

It looks like the knife would lock up solidly--no liner lock to fail. I'm also interested in how that AUS10 holds up.

Anyone seen this knife in person???

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~Greg~

 

[TomMarker]

greg,
yeah, i've seen the pictures in the CS catalog too, and it looks like you'd stand a better chance of breaking the blade before the lock.

You'd have to be pretty dextrous to open it with one hand though... i'd much rather carry a balisong...

 

[Nemo]

HEllo,

SOrry,

But it's much easier and safer to open it with one hand than a balisong !!

You just need to have the technic.
you can open it in less than 0.01 second !!!

I think I will film it for you finally.

It's muxh more quick and safe than any other folder. Also you can have the chance to have a double edge blade.


Cheers,

JM

 

[Charlie Mike]

I have handled the double edge version several years ago. It is, in my opinion, easier to open than a balisong. It opens single handed (right) in three steps. First, use your thumb to flip the cover down. Then, use the thumb stud to raise the blade. Finally, close the cover by using a wrist snap much like the snapping motion to activate the Carson flipper on the CRKT M16-04. The pocket clip is used as a gripping point. I hope this helps.

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See you in hell, Liquid. That takes care of the cremation.

 

[generallobster]

I read a post a while ago, and James Keating apparently reviewed it and said that it was the fastest manual openning knife out there, if you knew the technique for doing it. If you have searched, you have probably found all the old threads bashing the TAF as an overpriced gimick. I have never seen one, but if opening really is that fast, then the TAF is probably the only real double edged folding knife that you can legally carry. It has zero competition since I can't think of any true double edged folding knives in production. The only problem is it has no guard and the handle material looks polished and slippery.

 

[Bladeandbarrel]

Although an interesting design, there are some fatal flaws to the triple action knife.

1)Unless you manually grind or file down the ball detent that holds the handles together, the Triple-Action is possibly the slowest folder to open one handed in the world.

Once the ball is flattened, you can actually whip it open very, very quickly.

2)The downside to all that slamming of handles is the stress it places on the 2 tiny screws that form the pivot joints on the scales. I destroyed a Triple action in about 1 day just flipping it continously.

If Cold Steel used a hardened steel female pivot at the handle joint, instead of using steel screws in the soft alloy scales, it would work much better.

3)No guard.

4)No guard.

Did I mention it has no guard?

The AUS-10 blades are very nice. The knife however is worth about 1/2 of what CS sells it for, and I love CS products. this one however leaves me "Cold".

Try BEFORE you buy

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"The most effective armor is to keep out of range"-Italian proverb

 

[RH]

I respect Keating's knowledge and experience (his odd focus on training with huge, totally impractical Bowies notwithstanding)
But I can't see how 3 distinct moves can be THE fastest, faster than a Ken Onion, or even faster than a run of the mill, ONE motion hole or stud. I'm good with a butterfly, but in a 'situation' you lose your fine motor skills and coordination first. Give me a big ugly Spyderco any day.

 

[generallobster]

Oops, the date on the original post shows Kodiak asked about this in the beginning of 1999. One of the reviews for the TAF in the seach is his own after he got it. Doh!