Toughness of San Mai lll?

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d762nato

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Dec 16, 2009
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Hello folks I'll be getting a master tanto in san mai lll with the stainless steel fittings in a few days. I'm curious as to the toughness compared to the other steels that cold steel has used over the years. Is the 400 series steel they used to use better/worse than san mai steel when it comes to stabbing through a car hood,door ect. ect. in testing and still be sharp and undamaged like say some of the 3v stuff I've seen around here. Thanks,
 
Stabbing thru a car door or hood has hardly anything to do with the steel, it's all about blade geometry.
 
San Mai is mighty pretty and stainless . 3V is tougher . Proof videos ain't how to's !
 
San Mai III is the best knife steel the CS has used to date, with the exception of a few limited addition Damascus blades. The combination of very hard steel and the blade geometry is why the blades perform so well.
 
samuraistuart said:
Stabbing thru a car door or hood has hardly anything to do with the steel, it's all about blade geometry.
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Yep! short and sweet! Thanks,

DocJD said:
San Mai is mighty pretty and stainless . 3V is tougher . Proof videos ain't how to's !
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I figured as much just figured maybe someone had used their pretty knife the hard way. Thanks,

capnsutton said:
San Mai III is the best knife steel the CS has used to date, with the exception of a few limited addition Damascus blades. The combination of very hard steel and the blade geometry is why the blades perform so well.
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Thanks Capn, I like your blades just wish I had more $$ and I'd own them.

dingy said:
do you wanna get a tough knife ? go cabon steels .
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Some how I knew you were going to say that. Maybe the new 3v or 01 stuff their putting out. Hmm, Thanks again folks.
 
The Master Tanto is mainly a fighting knife , so maximum toughness should not really be necessary . SM3 should be more than good enough . Many have said it works great in their Trailmasters for hard use - wood chopping etc .
 
I agree with dingy that carbon steels are harder because of their carbon content. Steels such as Super Blue or YXR7 (Japan) are awesome. Very, very high carbon stainless steel also exists. The prime example is the Hitachi, Ltd. manufactured ZDP-189 steel that can reach RHc 67. It's secret is the 3% carbon and 20% chromium.

In terms of San Mai III, I've attached images of what the Cold Steel owners manual says about their blades and general build quality. It's technically very difficult to manufacture within a high-quality standard with a relatively high rejection rate on blanks. With a high demand, it's expensive.
 
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the thermal treatment that cold-steel performs on its stainless or carbon knives is exceptional I own the so many dreams ever lll VG-1, marauder and kobun AUS-8A gurkha kukri trailmaster in O-1 etc. etc - are exceptional, choose what you like.

cold-steel knives are great for everyday use, but exceptional for combat. or personal defense are scary handy, so much recon and marauder are great, ghurka kukri in 0-1 is a beast
 
I have an old CS Clipmate from the late '80's that's got a San Mai 3 blade. I carried it for years and used it in a cabinet shop, in the woods in FL, around the house... The blade has a few scratches on it but it's undamaged other than that. Still has a tight lockup... still has a nicely centered blade... still shaving sharp and easy to maintain... still ready for whatever. I don't stab car hoods or separate elevator doors with my pocket knives, but this one's still ready for all the things I normally do in a day.

Don't know about the other steels they use, but I've never regretted getting this one.
 
capnsutton said:
I agree with dingy that carbon steels are harder because of their carbon content. Steels such as Super Blue or YXR7 (Japan) are awesome. Very, very high carbon stainless steel also exists. The prime example is the Hitachi, Ltd. manufactured ZDP-189 steel that can reach RHc 67. It's secret is the 3% carbon and 20% chromium.

In terms of San Mai III, I've attached images of what the Cold Steel owners manual says about their blades and general build quality. It's technically very difficult to manufacture within a high-quality standard with a relatively high rejection rate on blanks. With a high demand, it's expensive.
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Thanks for the pics and all the reading on these awesome knives Capnsutton, pretty neat that you have all the paper work on the tanto.
 
I still remember(kinda new at knives)seeing the first San Mai and thinking their was something wrong with the blade or sharpened wrong LOL. Now officially a San Mai junkie after scoring the Emperor Collection and more, yet there is still always one to get it seems like. Kicking myself for ignoring the TaiPan San Mai and now they are astronomical. I do like the newer blackened models, they look nasty and intimidating but are not really in the same league.
 
nephron said:
I still remember(kinda new at knives)seeing the first San Mai and thinking their was something wrong with the blade or sharpened wrong LOL. Now officially a San Mai junkie after scoring the Emperor Collection and more, yet there is still always one to get it seems like. Kicking myself for ignoring the TaiPan San Mai and now they are astronomical. I do like the newer blackened models, they look nasty and intimidating but are not really in the same league.
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Sounds like you have a nice collection of oldies, congrats. I'd like to see that emperor collection some time. Thanks,
 
nephron said:
I still remember(kinda new at knives)seeing the first San Mai and thinking their was something wrong with the blade or sharpened wrong LOL. Now officially a San Mai junkie after scoring the Emperor Collection and more, yet there is still always one to get it seems like. Kicking myself for ignoring the TaiPan San Mai and now they are astronomical. I do like the newer blackened models, they look nasty and intimidating but are not really in the same league.
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I think that the DLC finished 3V knives made by Cold Steel are in a league of their own and wish that they would include additional models in this format. Laredo and Natchez Bowies come to mind and the iconic Trail Master while they`re at it!
 
Haven't tried or handled any of the new 3v stuff yet. I wouldn't mind a recon tanto though. Hmm! another knife Thanks.....I think, my wife probably not so think. :D
 
My hunting knife way back when was a Cold Steel Clip Mate in San Mai III.

Probably one of the toughest folders I ever used as a hunting knife. I got no problems with San Mai III toughness.
 
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