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- Aug 1, 2006
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- 1,506
The Cold Steel Scimitar is a big, great knife.
That's the summary for the post. If you're pressed for time, or just want a quick line, there it is. However, if you're looking for more details (not a lot of posts about this knife are around anymore), read on and you'll get some details:
The Scimitar showed up at my door from the UPS man and I had to get it out of the package. I opted for the Teflon-coated version, which retails for a reasonable $99 from Special Projects. Its 4-inch blade is made from AUS-8A, which seems to have been cast as an economical steel by the industry in light of the introduction of superstainlesses such as CPM S30V and CPM154. However, in my tests, the AUS-8A is still great. I cut through a variety of different mediums, including: cardboard, 3/8", 1" and 2" manilla rope, hacking through 2x4s (two), parachute cord (550 lb test), 15000-pound-test rappeling line, a rack of nearly-expired ribs, a garden hose, two old leather belts, an old set of jeans, and some other odds and ends. After all of this, it could still push-shave---albeit with a greater deal of pressure than from the factory---hair off my arm. The upswept blade style is good, and the grip design places the thumb in line with the edge, offering great control of the edge.
The grip offers a variety of grip positions, and, as attested to by Lynn Thompson, you can add reach to it by grabbing the pommel---it's still a firm grip. The Zytel stays grippy even when wet with blood or water---I used it to gut 32 pheasants after a long hunt, and I took it out to Philmont (the rainy, mountain-based Boy Scout hiking trek in New Mexico) and it worked like it should have, and also stayed rust-free.
The liner lock is titanium, and won't come disengaged even in a white-knuckle grip. Cold Steel tested it to 100 lbs, and swear it will hold that. After some battoning, whacking against pine boards, everyday carry, cleaning, dropping, and other use, it's still rock-solid firm. It's also easy to work, and will disengage when you want it to without ungodly effort.
The other details are nice. The pommel aids the draw, giving you something to grip onto. The pocket clip is nice, and lets it ride in just the right position in your pocket. The thumb studs are solid, and it isn't hard to use them. The pommel would make a good nonlethal self defense option, much like a kubaton. The only downfall, however, is one rough edge in the second finger groove. About two seconds with a diamond file solved the problem. Buy one of these, and you're set for EDC for a while. It's legal in my juridstiction, but check local laws just in case---4" seems to be the borderline for a pocketknife as of late. Enjoy! :thumbup:
That's the summary for the post. If you're pressed for time, or just want a quick line, there it is. However, if you're looking for more details (not a lot of posts about this knife are around anymore), read on and you'll get some details:
The Scimitar showed up at my door from the UPS man and I had to get it out of the package. I opted for the Teflon-coated version, which retails for a reasonable $99 from Special Projects. Its 4-inch blade is made from AUS-8A, which seems to have been cast as an economical steel by the industry in light of the introduction of superstainlesses such as CPM S30V and CPM154. However, in my tests, the AUS-8A is still great. I cut through a variety of different mediums, including: cardboard, 3/8", 1" and 2" manilla rope, hacking through 2x4s (two), parachute cord (550 lb test), 15000-pound-test rappeling line, a rack of nearly-expired ribs, a garden hose, two old leather belts, an old set of jeans, and some other odds and ends. After all of this, it could still push-shave---albeit with a greater deal of pressure than from the factory---hair off my arm. The upswept blade style is good, and the grip design places the thumb in line with the edge, offering great control of the edge.
The grip offers a variety of grip positions, and, as attested to by Lynn Thompson, you can add reach to it by grabbing the pommel---it's still a firm grip. The Zytel stays grippy even when wet with blood or water---I used it to gut 32 pheasants after a long hunt, and I took it out to Philmont (the rainy, mountain-based Boy Scout hiking trek in New Mexico) and it worked like it should have, and also stayed rust-free.
The liner lock is titanium, and won't come disengaged even in a white-knuckle grip. Cold Steel tested it to 100 lbs, and swear it will hold that. After some battoning, whacking against pine boards, everyday carry, cleaning, dropping, and other use, it's still rock-solid firm. It's also easy to work, and will disengage when you want it to without ungodly effort.
The other details are nice. The pommel aids the draw, giving you something to grip onto. The pocket clip is nice, and lets it ride in just the right position in your pocket. The thumb studs are solid, and it isn't hard to use them. The pommel would make a good nonlethal self defense option, much like a kubaton. The only downfall, however, is one rough edge in the second finger groove. About two seconds with a diamond file solved the problem. Buy one of these, and you're set for EDC for a while. It's legal in my juridstiction, but check local laws just in case---4" seems to be the borderline for a pocketknife as of late. Enjoy! :thumbup: