What Is The General Consensus on Cold Steel Folders

T

theedge13

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Feb 11, 2008
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All Lynn Thompson politics/mall ninja bs aside, what say you? I gotta admit, i watched some vids and am kinda buying into the hype. Namely the folding bushman, rajah (big ol SOB!), and the spartan. These look like tanks....could be useful in the woods....

Honest opinions welcomed.
 
I really like the Finn Bear, the original Bushman, the Roach Belly, and the 'hawks. I hear a lot of the good things about the old Trailmasters and SRK's. But beyond that I can't attest too much.
Can't say that I wouldn't mind owning that small Espada, though. I just can't make myself spend that kind of money on AUS-8 steel. No matter what kind futuristic, moon-base cryo-treatment it's supposedly been put through.
Coaldigger had a bad experience with the axe they brought out (the Trailboss?).
A friend of mine has been petitioning them for a number of years now to make a sledehammer out of the stuff they make the Brooklyn Smasher out of (which would just be neat as all get out).
 
KEmSAT-Survival said:
I really like the Finn Bear, the original Bushman, the Roach Belly, and the 'hawks. I hear a lot of the good things about the old Trailmasters and SRK's. But beyond that I can't attest too much.
Can't say that I wouldn't mind owning that small Espada, though. I just can't make myself spend that kind of money on AUS-8 steel. No matter what kind futuristic, moon-base cryo-treatment it's supposedly been put through.
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Completely hear ya re: the aus8. I do love my RAT1 folder..but it was inexpensive.
 
I think their stuff is a little hit and miss. Some overpriced and some low quality. The bulk of their stuff is good solid gear though.

Of the stuff you mentioned though I think they are good solid knives. Need to look at each of their lines and each knife indivually in my mind.

I have owned a lot of CS over the years and can't say that any of it has dissappointed me.
 
Only thing by them ive ever owned was a tanto voyager...it got lost and i didnt cry...guess i didnt like it as much as i thought..but those 3 that i mentioned really got me to wanting. I like the idea of a 14" folder Kuhk :D
 
I did have my TrailBoss Axe fail, the edge chipped & cracked really bad & this was not being abused, light duty if you ask me. But ColdSteel did replace the Axe with no trouble (the axe sits in my closet now) I do also have a hawk from CS & it's been tough as nails & holds a good edge. I have had 2 CS folders (still have 1) Te trailguide & the Prolite. Bothe were Awsome knives for what I paid for them. I lost the TrailGuid at work (coalmines) but I do still have the Prolite & it's a Beast ! I had my doubt's on the prolite because it is 440A Sub-Zero quinched steel..lalala...But it holds a really good edge & is not bad to resharpen at all ! I also have the CS Khuk Machete & it has been awsome for a $9.99 machete !
Some of Lynn's stuff is way over priced & impractical but some of it is a good deal.
 
I've owned a couple of Recon Tantos, never had a compaint. (oops, not a folder! Sorry.)
 
The economy line (long hunter, Canadian, Finn Bear, Finn Wolf etc) are great for the money. My car junkers are my Finn Bear and Finn Wolf, and the Long Hunter has made its way into the kitchen drawer. I had a couple kukri machetes, gave one to a friend. I've seen a few rehandled Trailmaster bowies, the old Carbon V models, and they were held in HIGH esteem. I had a few of their "reproductions", one being the Scottish dirk. Not good for much except to hang on the wall. I was not happy with the Recon Tanto I had. The Sgian Dubh was a neat reproduction. I had both Gunsite models, they were too big for me. I did have most sizes of the Voyager. The largest model was too big, but the small tanto and clip point folders were great users. I'm still kicking myself for getting rid of my Ozark Classics line, I had a few of the slipjoints, they were made by Camillus, and were great. My sister got her boyfriend one of their tomahawks for his birthday, the Trail hawk I think, and he swears by it, and uses the hell out of it. I had a Ti Lite, the "primo" version, but it didn't light my fire.

I don't know who's making their products now, no idea if anything is actually made by Cold Steel, or if everything is contracted out. I have heard that their SK5 blades aren't bad, and that they still have some good users.
 
A lot of what Cold Steel makes is overpriced, but I also like a lot of their products. I have more experience with their fixed blades, which have all been decent at worst.
 
the pocket bushman is a brute - not an easy or convenient closer, and you need gloves if you're going to baton with it -- but it'll take plenty of abuse, sharpens well, etc... fair value for price.
+1 on the finn bear & roach belly, the older carbon V, etc...
no experience with the new SK5 stuff, the Rajah, or the spartan.
 
I've got a Cold Steel Recon 1, had it for 8 years and used it heavily. I have it as my primary knife when in military situations. A great (hate to use this term) tactical folder.

It works well in more woods related tasks but I do have a different folder I prefer for that.
 
The two folders I own are the American Lawman and Spartan. They're both good. Lately I've been EDCing the Spartan and it fills that role well despite its size.
 
My Cold Steel Voyagers and Cold Steel Gunsite are great cheap-beater-folders, regardless of what I think of the company.
 
I've always liked Cold Steel products. Anything I've ever owned by them have pretty much lived up to Lynn's claims. I have had several Voyagers over the years and have found them to be tough as a tank. I've used them as throwing knives and to do light chopping chores and they stood the abuse! And now they have the new Triad locks! I couldn't wait to buy a Triad model after I saw the videos of how strong they are. I bought the large size American Lawman and I have to say, it's a great knife! One of the sharpest out of the box I've ever owned. And I have complete confidence in the lock with no fear of it closing during hard use as I do with some other types of locks. Buy a Cold Steel. They're worth their money in my opinion!
 
vwb563 said:
I've always liked Cold Steel products. Anything I've ever owned by them have pretty much lived up to Lynn's claims. I have had several Voyagers over the years and have found them to be tough as a tank. I've used them as throwing knives and to do light chopping chores and they stood the abuse! And now they have the new Triad locks! I couldn't wait to buy a Triad model after I saw the videos of how strong they are. I bought the large size American Lawman and I have to say, it's a great knife! One of the sharpest out of the box I've ever owned. And I have complete confidence in the lock with no fear of it closing during hard use as I do with some other types of locks. Buy a Cold Steel. They're worth their money in my opinion!
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Sound advise... those triads are insane. 405lb tested on the Rajah! :eek: no catastrophic failure
 
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