San Mai Black Bear Classic , on sale now !

Olumin said:
Its a nice knife, but every time I look at it I think of that "we have (...) at home" joke. There’s the Loveless big bear & then there is this knife. The big bear "we have at home". You know what I mean. Just feels a bit like a "cheap" copy, lacking the elegance & character of the original.
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You are seriously comparing an original Loveless to a factory production knife? lol
The CS BBC has always been a "copy" of the Loveless. As are the numerous customs out there.
But it has never been "cheap" in construction. It's no BudK/United Cutlery copy of a famous knife.
 
DocJD said:
Just placed my order !

I was dithering ,but they happened to show another $10 off ("promotional discount for total over $75") of the price in my cart .

So $146.25 plus tax shipped .

Soon, I should have a nice sub-hilt fighter to play with ! 🥷
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where is this available at please?
 
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KenHash said:
You are seriously comparing an original Loveless to a factory production knife? lol
The CS BBC has always been a "copy" of the Loveless. As are the numerous customs out there.
But it has never been "cheap" in construction. It's no BudK/United Cutlery copy of a famous knife.
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You're responding to a guy who basically has an opinion I disagree with anytime I read his posts. He's one of those weird guys that I have almost put him on ignore, even though he's never said anything I find offensive. Factory knives are getting close to and in some cases better than "customs". A lot of the so called custom makers are selling a lot of blue sky to aloof folks. I've worked in factories before. I knew what we put out. I know what others put out. I know where "custom" makers get their stuff. And I know the quality of labor that puts it together on all accounts.
 
PsychoSword said:
You're responding to a guy who basically has an opinion I disagree with anytime I read his posts. He's one of those weird guys that I have almost put him on ignore, even though he's never said anything I find offensive.
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Don't flatter me.
 
DocJD said:
Just placed my order !

I was dithering ,but they happened to show another $10 off ("promotional discount for total over $75") of the price in my cart .

So $146.25 plus tax shipped .

Soon, I should have a nice sub-hilt fighter to play with ! 🥷
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:oops: :oops:
You guys get all the good deals!
The Black Bear Classic San Mai III is £377/$470 in the UK!!!
😆:confused:
 
DocJD said:
So you can dream about your expensive customs , while I have my value bargain sub hilt on the way ! 🧐
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Lowest price for these where I live is €300. For $150 I'd probably order one too. I'm not interested in getting a custom one of these made any time soon.
 
Olumin said:
Lowest price for these where I live is €300. For $150 I'd probably order one too. I'm not interested in getting a custom one of these made any time soon.
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That helps a lot in understanding where your opinion is coming from. The market is what it is, in different places of the world.
 
Received mine today in my mailbox ! 🥳

Didn't have much time yet to spend with it , but initial impression is excellent , especially for the price .

I didn't buy this for a showpiece , but F&F appears nearly flawless .

Balance point is right between the hilt and sub hilt . Blade feels light and fast .

The sub hilt seems to add some control and speed . But could definitely sore your index finger in a hard workout , if not conditioned for it .

BAK chopper blades , like the Natchez, are a bit too slow in my old hands now ...at least to fight .

But this BBC still works fine and feels great . Speed is life ! 🥷
 
It is sad and off-putting that I have to plan on replacing the sheath as part of any Cold Steel purchase. Not only is this an additional expense, but also often a real hassle-- assuming it is possible at all. With the Black Bear Classic the sheath will absolutely need to be replaced. The double edged design guarantees it.
 
Olumin said:
Its a nice knife, but every time I look at it I think of that "we have (...) at home" joke. There’s the Loveless big bear & then there is this knife. The big bear "we have at home". You know what I mean. Just feels a bit like a "cheap" copy, lacking the elegance & character of the original.
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The Black Bear is a cheap copy, but considering the original sold for $20,000 (and goes for even more than that on the secondary market), any subhilt is going to be a cheap imitation by comparison.

Cold Steel's model is unusual because it's a midrange subhilt; usually this particular style of knives is either a flimsy Pakistani toy or a custom costing thousands, with very little in between. Böker used to make an impressive integral model, and a few of the more down to earth makers like Steve Voorhis make knives that sell for around the same price, but that's it.

I have all three and I'd say that despite the crude and blocky look of the Black Bear, it's pretty ergonomically rounded. It has a much better steel than the basic carbon on something like a Voorhis, and it has the sharpened top and slicier grind that the Böker doesn't. The Voorhis is a well crafted handmade collectible and the Böker is a beautiful feat of production knifemaking, but the Cold Steel is the most practical user for a subhilt that I've seen. I think it's a great value, especially at these sale prices.
 
I thought I would really like my Black Bear Classic. But I just don't.

The gaps between the guards and g10 are big and sloppy, the handle and guards are blocky, the blade is so thin and acute I really don't think the vg10 core would fare well against bone at all. The balance point is almost in the middle of the handle because there's so much steel and g10 on the handle and the blade is so thin. The bad balance, thin blade and heavy handle make it awkward and does not inspire confidence. I like to buy knives in pairs, and even at $150 I passed on a second one. The Tai pan feels much more like a focused sd piece, and I felt good about having 2 or 3 of them.
 
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