Serious questions about 4034 steel

[dogboye]

Like I was saying, 4034SS is a well known steel from a reputable foundry, you don't see anyone complaining about the wide selection of knives in Buck 420HC, or Victorinox 1.4110, complaining about the same type of steel when used by any other brand is just hypocrisy.

Yeah.... I've never complained about 420HC in a Buck, or 1.4110 in a Vic. I just quit buying them. Buck about 25 years ago. I've only bought three since then: two were BG42, one was S30V. That's it. I WILL buy a Vic occasionally. The Classic. It is great for tearing through tape on packages containing better knives, because that is all I use it for, and I can just leave the adhesive gum on it forever and not have to worry about it. Not a great way for a knife company to build a reputation.

thought 13c26 was the disposable razor common steel?

I've bought 12C27 safety razor blades. They work great. Love them.

GSM is little more than a warehouse with a distribution system. Their business case is to sell $30 knives to Cold Steel collectors for $400 until they wise up, and then simply toss the stale brand after sales dry up. There is no future for Cold Steel; they died a couple of years back.

n2s

I fear you have nailed it with this post. Unfortunately, I've only come into Cold Steel at the end... there seem to still be a couple of good blades, but I expect they are disappearing quickly.

Cold steel advertised and promoted A2 models and then failed to produce them. Cold Steel came out and said 4034 was GREAT and CPM3V would also be made available. This was over a year ago. Thus far the only 3v Cold Steel I am aware of is the recon scout. 4034 in fixed blade models is available in Kukri Plus and Warcraft in different blade lengths. My question is: Where are the test videos??? Cold Steel is so sold on 4034 for it's large fixed blade where are the testing videos??? I looked for customer test videos and could find none. GSM is now following the tired and true marketing ploy of sex sells using a sexy model in some videos. GSM Cold Steel is sold on 4034, show us. And let us not forget Demko also promoted it.

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I was wondering why there was a chick in their latest videos. It certainly wasn't for her sword-wielding abilities.

Yeah, that's more expensive than Manly city which is around 40€ or 50€ shipped. I'm in Europe BTW.

And Morakniv knives are kings of beater fixed blades.

That is for CERTAIN. Easy to keep a pair and a spare of just about every model.

 

[IaccidentlyCutmyThumb]

Yeah Morakniv is gonna smoke Cold Steel now. Before CS had some pretty stout blades in good steels, but if the steels are junk, and the designs are junk, then why not use a Mora instead? Honestly, I'd take a Garberg over the new 4116 3/16ths thick piece of crap they came out with. I don't care if the Mora is thinner. Durability and rigidity are good traits, I would argue the most important, but if the other traits of the knife are just terrible I'll use the knife in less demanding ways. And honestly, for non-hard use stuff a Mora Companion is better than any Cold Steel.

 

[whp]

Sadly all things come to an end, the same will be with Cold Steel, just instead of decent ending they did it the slow and painful way...

I never blame an entrepreneur/owner from selling his company at the end of his career,
rather than just closing the doors.

 

[jlauffer]

I never blame an entrepreneur/owner from selling his company at the end of his career,
rather than just closing the doors.

Partially agree. If it were me, I would make sure my employees were taken care of, at least temporarily, rather than surprise pink slips for everyone.

 

[Benjamin Liu]

Yeah Morakniv is gonna smoke Cold Steel now. Before CS had some pretty stout blades in good steels, but if the steels are junk, and the designs are junk, then why not use a Mora instead? Honestly, I'd take a Garberg over the new 4116 3/16ths thick piece of crap they came out with. I don't care if the Mora is thinner. Durability and rigidity are good traits, I would argue the most important, but if the other traits of the knife are just terrible I'll use the knife in less demanding ways. And honestly, for non-hard use stuff a Mora Companion is better than any Cold Steel.

What if GSM buys Mora? 😀

 

[jlauffer]

What if GSM buys Mora? 😀

 

[Chris_Texas]

Partially agree. If it were me, I would make sure my employees were taken care of, at least temporarily, rather than surprise pink slips for everyone.

In an ideal world, sure. But what does this even look like? Would a couple or few weeks notice cover it, and if so how do we know that this didn't happen? Nor do we know the conditions of the sale, but in my experience companies always deny they are for sale until the sale goes through. That's just how it is, as doing otherwise damages the brand. Mr. Thompson honored his obligations when the paychecks cleared, just as the employees honored theirs when they clocked out at the close of day.

 

[Chris_Texas]

What if GSM buys Mora? 😀

And Spyderco. That's the rumor (I just made up).

 

[jlauffer]

In an ideal world, sure. But what does this even look like? Would a couple or few weeks notice cover it, and if so how do we know that this didn't happen? Nor do we know the conditions of the sale, but in my experience companies always deny they are for sale until the sale goes through. That's just how it is, as doing otherwise damages the brand. Mr. Thompson honored his obligations when the paychecks cleared, just as the employees honored theirs when they clocked out at the close of day.

Yeah not sure what it would look like...some sort of severance package? Would have to go back to when it first happened, but various posts here made it sound like pretty much everyone was just let go with nothing.

 

[IaccidentlyCutmyThumb]

In an ideal world, sure. But what does this even look like? Would a couple or few weeks notice cover it, and if so how do we know that this didn't happen? Nor do we know the conditions of the sale, but in my experience companies always deny they are for sale until the sale goes through. That's just how it is, as doing otherwise damages the brand. Mr. Thompson honored his obligations when the paychecks cleared, just as the employees honored theirs when they clocked out at the close of day.

When my GF's coworker got laid off as a result of a merger he got 8 months pay. That's taking care of your people, even if you no longer need them.

With regards to the Mora being bought by GSM, it's funny to think about for sure, but after seeing what happened to CS, I think the Swedes would have more integrity than to give in. Not only that, GSM is not going to even have a remote chance at survival if it keeps having stuff made in China. Whoever is running that company is out of their damn mind if they think this is going to play out in the long-term.

 

[LostCause]

When my GF's coworker got laid off as a result of a merger he got 8 months pay. That's taking care of your people, even if you no longer need them.

With regards to the Mora being bought by GSM, it's funny to think about for sure, but after seeing what happened to CS, I think the Swedes would have more integrity than to give in. Not only that, GSM is not going to even have a remote chance at survival if it keeps having stuff made in China. Whoever is running that company is out of their damn mind if they think this is going to play out in the long-term.

GSM operates by buying established brand names whose founders stopped to care and then cashing in by tearing their reputation by selling Chinese junk at premium prices.

Once they're through with CS they'll just do the same with other company...

Or they'll become like Gerber...

 

[IaccidentlyCutmyThumb]

GSM operates by buying established brand names whose founders stopped to care and then cashing in by tearing their reputation by selling Chinese junk at premium prices.

Once they're through with CS they'll just do the same with other company...

Or they'll become like Gerber...

I think it's time to realize it's not worth investing a lot of energy or thought into a brand, as opposed to actual individual products that are good at certain tasks.

 

[LostCause]

I think it's time to realize it's not worth investing a lot of energy or thought into a brand, as opposed to actual individual products that are good at certain tasks.

Tell that to guys being ignored as they try to claim their warranty...

 

[IaccidentlyCutmyThumb]

Tell that to guys being ignored as they try to claim their warranty...

Oh dude they've got my sympathy, but it's probably time to stop buying Cold Steels, or at least expecting support if you do buy one. Seems like that's gone. At least there are other good brands. And we've got old models and our memories.

 

[Buffalohump]

Yeah, that's more expensive than Manly city which is around 40€ or 50€ shipped. I'm in Europe BTW.

And Morakniv knives are kings of beater fixed blades.

Didn't realise Manly was a brand... not one I'm familiar with and not readily accessible where I live. I was referring specifically to the Ranch Boss folder. Fixed blades are something else entirely.

 

[LostCause]

Didn't realise Manly was a brand... not one I'm familiar with and not readily accessible where I live. I was referring specifically to the Ranch Boss folder. Fixed blades are something else entirely.

Manly City is backlock folder that also comes in S90V that costs around 80€, but 14C28N version costs around 50€.
It's quite nice folder, and a killer deal for the price.

But I understand it may not be available everywhere, the same how some US brands aren't available here in Europe. But lucky for us, there's plenty of European brands.

On the other hand I agree fixed blades are completely different than folders, but at the same time, Cold Steel fixed blades are at massive disadvantage from the start, because of shitty sheaths that dull the blades. Why would any sane person make a knife sheath out of material full of glass is beyond me.

Getting another sheath is not just costly, but can be a hassle, especially for less popular models. I may have gotten another sheath for AK-47 field knife and even Mini Tac (regretably as the knife got bent in use).
I sure as hell won't be doing that again for their cheap offerings, if I ever buy them again considering their choices of steel.
8Cr13MoV is new goodness and AUS8 for "premium". Yay, so exciting...

 

[Buffalohump]

Manly City is backlock folder that also comes in S90V that costs around 80€, but 14C28N version costs around 50€.
It's quite nice folder, and a killer deal for the price.

But I understand it may not be available everywhere, the same how some US brands aren't available here in Europe. But lucky for us, there's plenty of European brands.

On the other hand I agree fixed blades are completely different than folders, but at the same time, Cold Steel fixed blades are at massive disadvantage from the start, because of shitty sheaths that dull the blades. Why would any sane person make a knife sheath out of material full of glass is beyond me.

Getting another sheath is not just costly, but can be a hassle, especially for less popular models. I may have gotten another sheath for AK-47 field knife and even Mini Tac (regretably as the knife got bent in use).
I sure as hell won't be doing that again for their cheap offerings, if I ever buy them again considering their choices of steel.
8Cr13MoV is new goodness and AUS8 for "premium". Yay, so exciting...

I will have a look around for it.... did see mention of Manly on one of the sites. Viper is another European brand that's hard to find.

I have a few of their fixed blades, all of which I've had sheaths made for. Unfortunately the sheaths are rarely worth a damn on production knives.

 

[not2sharp]

Is GSM short for Gross Sales Margins?

n2s

 

[LostCause]

Is GSM short for Gross Sales Margins?

n2s

Gross Sales Margins
Gas Station Merchandise
Gonna Sharpen Much (shitty sheaths)
Giant Scam Master

 

[Benjamin Liu]

I think it will still be a few years before Cold Steel becomes a company to avoid, if it does.

Knowing their product lines and where they are made helps determine the potential problems.

Apparently CS sharpened their South African-made machetes after they arrived in the US, and GSM either did not know this or doesn't care to sharpen them. If GSM won't sharpen them the machete line should be relegated to project blades (and their prices lowered) and not considered something for the average person to buy. If this is just something they overlooked, we now know that both the Gladius and Wakizashi machetes have this problem and maybe more will show up before they fix it, and anyone buying a CS machete should wait until the supply of dull machetes is sold or until GSM issues a recall for their distributors.

I bought three Kukri Machetes a few weeks ago but after learning that the Wakizashi machetes are now being sold dull, I won't risk buying dull machetes.

If the same people sharpened their Windlass swords sharpened their machetes, then there might be a problem with their Windlass swords as well. So we should be on the lookout for any issues on their European swords.

Their Chinese-made swords likely are sharpened in the factory as other Chinese-made swords, so these should be OK.

Likewise, their Taiwan-made knives should still be sharpened as well.

I don't see any potential quality issues with their San Mai or 3V knives, especially in their Magnum/Master Tanto/Outdoorsman/Taipan line. The main issue here is that those wanting the DLC blades should buy them now since they've been discontinued. It is not even a year since I bought my Magnum Tanto IX and now they cost at least $70.00 more than I paid for mine. The prices on the San Mai and hollow ground 3V knives seem stable.