This Master Tanto came from the store inside the sheath

[tess_lawrie_fan]

This Old Steel Master Tanto came from a big store inside the sheath (which of course wasn't sealed in a plastic wrap anymore) and without the white cardboard that usually wraps the blade. I received only the box, the knife inside the sheath and both inside the usual bubble wrap.

Two friends of mine received a MT from the same store and in the same condition, and I don't know what to think. The knife does not have any scratch and is perfectly laminated, so I will keep it anyway. My friends are also quite happy.

Out of curiosity, is this normal? My friends and I are wondering if these knives were returned for any reason, which could possibly explain the better price we've paid. But three in the same condition?

 

[jlauffer]

This Old Steel Master Tanto came from a big store inside the sheath (which of course wasn't sealed in a plastic wrap anymore) and without the white cardboard that usually wraps the blade. I received only the box, the knife inside the sheath and both inside the usual bubble wrap.

Two friends of mine received a MT from the same store and in the same condition, and I don't know what to think. The knife does not have any scratch and is perfectly laminated, so I will keep it anyway. My friends are also quite happy.

Out of curiosity, is this normal? My friends and I are wondering if these knives were returned for any reason, which could possibly explain the better price we've paid. But three in the same condition?

I never bought any brand new from Cold Steel or their dealers, but all of the various Tanto/Master Tanto/Magnum Tantos I've acquired over the years (basically all the models in my Tanto history thread) came in the leather sheath, and inside a bubble wrap bag. The only exceptions were the Emperor Collection set, and the Cutlery Shoppe exclusive Spec Ops/Master Ops ones, which came with blade sleeves marked with the serial number on the knives.

I have various other older CS stainless models, both bought from CS and not, that came this way too. One exception is a SMIII Laredo Bowie that has a blade sleeve. The Carbon V stuff I have came in a blade sleeve inside a bubble wrap bag, while the sheath was in a regular bag.

 

[EveryDayIsHalloween]

This Old Steel Master Tanto came from a big store inside the sheath (which of course wasn't sealed in a plastic wrap anymore) and without the white cardboard that usually wraps the blade. I received only the box, the knife inside the sheath and both inside the usual bubble wrap.

Two friends of mine received a MT from the same store and in the same condition, and I don't know what to think. The knife does not have any scratch and is perfectly laminated, so I will keep it anyway. My friends are also quite happy.

Out of curiosity, is this normal? My friends and I are wondering if these knives were returned for any reason, which could possibly explain the better price we've paid. But three in the same condition?

I think I got one from the same place for about 110 bucks and then ordered a second one. They both came exactly as you described and are brand new and authentic

The larger Tanto models had cardboard sleeves though. But the Master Tantos were just as you say. Perfectly normal.

 

[Zulus]

This Old Steel Master Tanto came from a big store inside the sheath (which of course wasn't sealed in a plastic wrap anymore) and without the white cardboard that usually wraps the blade. I received only the box, the knife inside the sheath and both inside the usual bubble wrap.

Two friends of mine received a MT from the same store and in the same condition, and I don't know what to think. The knife does not have any scratch and is perfectly laminated, so I will keep it anyway. My friends are also quite happy.

Out of curiosity, is this normal? My friends and I are wondering if these knives were returned for any reason, which could possibly explain the better price we've paid. But three in the same condition?

I still have brand new Japanese Trail Master received recently, still unboxed
I'll check asap, but If knife come tucked inside the sheath - it's not correct !

 

[Zulus]

OK, checked moments ago
No reason to take any pictures
Brand new Japanese made Trail Master San Mai III come in box
tucked in sheath and simple plastic foil wrap
I think white cardboard sleeves are added for carbon blades only

 

[tess_lawrie_fan]

Thank you all for your answers!

Just for the records, this is what I was expecting for:

The 3V Nightfall series with DLC coating, which are less prone to scratches, come tucked inside the sheath.

But the San Mai models usually come with the white card board protector; the only exception would be the Trail Master, which BTW don't come with a Secure-Ex sheath.

Anyway, I have seen Master Tantos with AND without the white sleeve.

 

[jlauffer]

Thank you all for your answers!

Just for the records, this is what I was expecting for:

The 3V Nightfall series with DLC coating, which are less prone to scratches, come tucked inside the sheath.

But the San Mai models usually come with the white card board protector; the only exception would be the Trail Master, which BTW don't come with a Secure-Ex sheath.

Anyway, I have seen Master Tantos with AND without the white sleeve.

Makes sense that 3V would come in a sleeve, since it's carbon steel, even with the DLC. The old epoxy-coated Carbon V stuff had sleeves too. Not really an issue with stainless.

 

[tess_lawrie_fan]

Makes sense that 3V would come in a sleeve, since it's carbon steel, even with the DLC. The old epoxy-coated Carbon V stuff had sleeves too. Not really an issue with stainless.

I thought it was the opposite. Being tougher (and hard to scratch because of the DLC painting), the 3V Nightfall knives could afford to be sold tucked inside the sheath. OTOH, the softer 420HC external layers of the San Mai would be more prone to scratches, hence the sleves.

 

[MolokaiRider]

I had a Master Hunter in VG1 arrive yesterday that was in a huge box, blade in a sleeve, and the sheath in plastic, all wrapped in a lot of brown packing paper.

 

[tess_lawrie_fan]

I had a Master Hunter in VG1 arrive yesterday that was in a huge box, blade in a sleeve, and the sheath in plastic, all wrapped in a lot of brown packing paper.

And the huge box was "generic" and had the code BOXG14X3?

The Cold Steel generic box

Meet the BOXG14X3, a Cold Steel "generic" box. Have you seen this before? There's an OSS box in the pic for size comparison. I'm already forging my conspiracy theory to explain its existence: it was made to dispatch some knifes which will disappear from the Cold Steel's catalog. Printing a...

www.bladeforums.com

 

[jbmonkey]

I've gotten a couple different sized magnum tantos in the box in the sheaths in plastic bag and blade covered in grease. was a pain to clean the grease out of the sheath.......

 

[tess_lawrie_fan]

I've gotten a couple different sized magnum tantos in the box in the sheaths in plastic bag and blade covered in grease. was a pain to clean the grease out of the sheath.......

That stinking grease? I did it once too...

 

[DocJD]

grease

At least I never received a rusty blade from CS .

 

[jlauffer]

At least I never received a rusty blade from CS .

I've had some of their stainless models stored in their leather sheaths for 25+ years with no issues. Seem to remember them saying at some point that the way the leather is treated, it shouldn't cause issues with stainless, and seems to be true.

 

[Benjamin Liu]

All of the CS knives I've purchased with Secure-ex sheaths came in the sheaths.

My Recon Tanto I purchased in 1997 came with the blade in a cardboard sleeve and had a warning sticker on the handle not to store the knife in the sheath, which I followed for the first few years and then I just kept it in the sheath with no problems.

 

[tess_lawrie_fan]

It seems that Cold Steel does not had a strict policy about this.

Also, in the end of the day, it seems to be something unimportant in itself. Anyway, my friends are relieved and so am I.

 

[Benjamin Liu]

I've had some of their stainless models stored in their leather sheaths for 25+ years with no issues. Seem to remember them saying at some point that the way the leather is treated, it shouldn't cause issues with stainless, and seems to be true.

The original Tanto I purchased in 1989, my Urban Pal I purchased in 1988, and my Urban Skinner I purchased in 1986 have always been stored in their leather sheaths and I never had even a spec of rust on any of them.