Thoughts on Cold Steel

Jaeger

Jaeger

Joined
Feb 27, 1999
Messages
543

Hello, I'm more of a gun guy than a knife guy so bear with me. I've been lurking around this page for a while and noone seems to have much to say about Cold Steel products. I have a Culloden, a Recon Tanto and a 50/50 Tanto Voyager (medium size). I use the Voyager constantly and really like. (moreso than my old Spyderco Endura) Are there better choices? I also own several customs made by Dave Beck and they are fantistic! Anyway, back to the point. Are Cold Steel knives just not worth talking about? What's up? Opinions, comments. Enlighten me!
 
The topic of Cold Steel has been frequently discussed. There mut be several hundred, possibly a housand of individual posts here on this subject. One of the more recent threads is this one http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001726.html .

Cold steel makes good knives for the money, and most seem tough as h***. The biggest gripe is their hype. The other main gripe is their insistance on using serrations that are nearly impossible to sharpen. But you can read all about it if you follow the link...

YEK
 
Yekim is right on the mark. CS products have a reputation for durability, especially their carbon V knives. There is a recent thread that had CS knives discussed thoroughly, check it out.
 
I agree, for the $$, CS is a great buy. Their blades are super sharp, lock up great, no blade play and nice grips on their handles. I did have to send back my Gunsite for a lock-wobble problem but that was the only time. I'm waiting to get it back.

I like CS....their warrior type hype is a little much for me IMHO but they make a damn good product that I'm not afraid to use hard.

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~Greg~
 
I may be buying a CS XL Clip Voyager Plain, and a CS L Clip Voyager Plain. I have also been impressed with their fixed blade line, but most of my acquisitions are folders.

And their style of marketing borders on self-aggrandizing.

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One may want to keep an Eye out for my review of the Bob Kasper designed, Kevin Gentile modified AFCK and interview of Bob Kasper. Sorry about the wait, my review and interview should be online shortly, look for it right here at BladeForums.com. The delay has been getting pictures, luckily Spark has graciously offered to do the pictures. Knife writer I may be, photographer I am not, yet.

Marion David Poff fka Eye, one can msg me at mdpoff@hotmail.com

"The victorious Warrior wins first and then goes to war, while the defeated Warrior goes to war and then seeks to win" Sun-Tzu

Be Excellent, an Infinite Player


 
Hey, gun guy.
wink.gif


I think you have a lot of company on this forum. If you do a search on cold steel you'll see a large number of posts - most of which are pretty positive about cold steel. They definitely make decent using knives for a very reasonable price.

The number of posts on cold steel knives is probably only second to Spyderco knives. I own several of each and like both.
 
Jaeger,

I've had several of the CS products, Recon Tanto,Ultralock folder and only have the Trailmaster left. It is an awesome hacking weapon, the Recon I personally stabbed my 55gal drum bottom for drainage to make a burn barrel and no damage to the point, needed money and sold it off though, the Trailmaster seem to chop the best.

I wondered how you liked the Culloden?
Ever think about getting rid of it?

my .02
G2



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When a fellow says, "it ain't the money but the principle of the thing,"
it's the money.
F. McKinney Hubbard

meltingpot.fortunecity.com/haiti/688


 
I have four CS products, all Voyagers, no fixed blades YET. I think the thing to remember is not to confuse grandiose advertising with the real product quality. Because of Lynn Thompson's reputation as a person who overhypes his products, many people are ready to dismiss the CS products outright. The fact is, CS has an excellent product. If you don't like the advertising, appreciate the knives for what they are and can do. They are good knives. Jim
 
I have both a TrailMaster and a Khukri from Cold Steel aznd I have nothing but good to say about either. One of them (Choices!} is my standard camping companion. Either one and a sharpening stone (DMT), a few minor essentials and its minimalist survival time in the Rockies.

Stay Sharp!
Chris
 
Yekim, perhaps I'm doing something wrong but I can't seem to mad your thread link work. I'll try doing a search.

Mr. Graley, the Culloden is a fine little knife. I haven't used very hard though. Mostly it just rides around in a boot or in my body armor just in case. I think I'll keep it!

Thanks for the replies.
 
The link works fine for me, for whatever that's worth. If you can post specifically what happens when you click on it there might be some hope of fixing the problem. Paste in any error message.

-Cougar Allen :{)
 
I'll admit to being a bit of a Cold Steel collector. I have about 20 personal Cold Steel knives. I'm not the least bit concerned about how many inches of free hanging rope a knife will cut, but I can tell you the Cold Steel products really light my fire, not because of the advertising but because of the design and performance of the products. These knives work really well. My favorite Cold Steel product? Probably the Tai Pan Dagger. I don't carry it. I just own it and like it. Fondling knives is acceptable behavior isn't it?

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Fred
Knife Outlet
www.knifeoutlet.com
 
Cougar, I think the link Yekim created points back to this particular thread.
smile.gif


Fred, absolutely nothing wrong with fondling knives.
smile.gif
It's a form of "admiration" to these beauties... I think..
smile.gif


DannyC
 
Just because we're on the subject of Cold Steel (and it was just St. Patty's Day) I bought one of their shillelaghs back in October. The one they sent me had a two HUGE cracks in the face of the shillelagh that had been filled in with plastic wood filler that had shrank and cracked. I sent it back to them and they sent me a new one that (you guessed it!) also had cracks that had been poorly filled. I called them up to complain and the customer service girl told me all of them were like that! This might tell you something about their standards and integrity. Anyways, their customer service was great and they switched the shillelagh for a carbon V Bush Ranger thats my favorite camp knife cause its a good, inexpensive "use it and abuse it" knife. Whats the moral of this long-winded story? (can you tell I'm Irish??) Don't buy a club from a guy who makes knives, just like you would'nt buy a knife from a guy who makes clubs. Aloha!!!
 
You're right; the link in Yekim's post points to this thread. I was clicking on the link at the end of Gary W. Graley's post, which shows some interesting sheaths but has nothing in particular to do with this thread; it's just part of his sig.

I think the blood content of my caffeine stream must have been too high yesterday. Sorry about that ... I'll try not to let it happen again. In fact, I'll go make another pot of coffee right now.
smile.gif


-Cougar Allen :{)
 
If you look beyond the hype you see that CS makes a quality product. I have an old style Vaquero Grande. While I don't think it was worth the price it was originally selling for (around $90) it's well worth the $35 I paid for it. The serrations totally suck, though.

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Ciao

MM


 
Hey, Hoss
Talking about buying knives from people who make clubs....I don't think CS actually make knives, either.
smile.gif

I believe their knives are all made by contractors. Stainless knives seem to be all from Japan and the Carbon V stuff is made by an unknown US contractor. An earlier Carbon V
contractor was Ontario.

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Brian W E
ICQ #21525343
Money : spend it before it is all gone.


 
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