What's up with the Cold Steel hate around here?

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cziv said:
Do you have any info on which models are the most popular among our troops?
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Most common fixed blade seen was the SRK. Next were the Ontario / ESEE knives, then the Benchmade Nimravus models.

Keep in mind that Benchmade Autos were the most common automatic, followed by the Gerber Auto, both of which were replaceable through supply channels.

Folding knives like the Spyderco Endura, Gerber EZ Out and Benchmade Griptilians were the most common. Back in Afghanistan in '02-'03 the most common folding knife was the CRKT M16 and M14, so you tend to notice the trends.

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Seelow - you are exactly right.
 
My son did 3 tours in Iraq and he had access to Benchmade autos as a platoon Sgt.. He's been out 2 years almost and now my son-in-law is in the Army in supply and they have the Gerber autos - S30V blade but not a Benchmade to be sure.

I don't know of the CS product being Army issue but they deliver via USPS to APO's or the guys may have taken them in their gear maybe.

I looked the Gerber over and honestly would rather pack my choice of a Cold Steel knife. ;)
 
CS weren't issued...they were in the PX with the other knives the Soldiers bought, cziv.
 
IMHO, Cold Steel makes the Ugliest knives I have ever seen, and for what they are they are way over priced. Not to mention most of thier offering seem to be directed to the appeal of basement dwelling teenagers. Sorry to those of you who like them, I don't and probably never will.

With that said if YOU like them, buy them, and enjoy, your entitled to spend YOUR money however you wish, just as I am free to do the same.
 
tobii3 said:
CS weren't issued...they were in the PX with the other knives the Soldiers bought, cziv.
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That's the Walmart Effect. The PX is like a big box store, they stock common items at low prices so they will sell off the shelves fast. Not necessarily "top shelf" though. Military like civilian, not so many spend time researching knives. They take what they can afford of what's locally available, of course companies want to get on the PX's list.

It helps if the knives available are tough enough to hold up. A lot of Cold Steel knives are.
 
Adding to that, the PX in Afghanistan wasn't much bigger than a fast food restaurant. Hell, in '02 it was barely the size of a 2 car garage. The one they moved into after clearing the landmines in '03 is STILL the same one in use in 2012. Imagine trying to fit your local WalMart inside your house....then have 1,000 people come through it every day. In '12, it was supporting over 12K people.
 
IMHO, Cold Steel makes the Ugliest knives I have ever seen, and for what they are they are way over priced. Not to mention most of thier offering seem to be directed to the appeal of basement dwelling teenagers.
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This. I was trying to put words to it, but you summed up quite nicely what I was thinking.
 
Firestrike said:
IMHO, Cold Steel makes the Ugliest knives I have ever seen, and for what they are they are way over priced. Not to mention most of thier offering seem to be directed to the appeal of basement dwelling teenagers. Sorry to those of you who like them, I don't and probably never will.

With that said if YOU like them, buy them, and enjoy, your entitled to spend YOUR money however you wish, just as I am free to do the same.
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I would not call all cold steel knives ugly. They do have ugly knives and they do have good looking knives. But in the end, beauty isn't as important as function to those that use knives. They have some very useful designs and some not so useful. you just have to sort through the BS.
 
Come on. They have a video for the SRK of some guy, dressed all in black, cutting rack of ribs in half suspended in the air. Another guy sticks holes in an old car hood. Another guy splits a piece of wood and another one cuts a quarter in half.

Are we supposed to take this seriously?
 
Firestrike said:
IMHO, Cold Steel makes the Ugliest knives I have ever seen, and for what they are they are way over priced. Not to mention most of thier offering seem to be directed to the appeal of basement dwelling teenagers. Sorry to those of you who like them, I don't and probably never will.

With that said if YOU like them, buy them, and enjoy, your entitled to spend YOUR money however you wish, just as I am free to do the same.
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well said
 
I want a knife, not something that you'd buy at Hot Topic. (I know some of their knives of OKAY, but not the best ever.)
 
Brasso3 said:
Come on. They have a video for the SRK of some guy, dressed all in black, cutting rack of ribs in half suspended in the air. Another guy sticks holes in an old car hood. Another guy splits a piece of wood and another one cuts a quarter in half.

Are we supposed to take this seriously?
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Take it seriously? Some people do, and some people like me and you just laugh at it. None the less, "Some" of it is entertaining to watch people do dumb things that we would never use a knife for.
 
Brasso3 said:
Come on. They have a video for the SRK of some guy, dressed all in black, cutting rack of ribs in half suspended in the air. Another guy sticks holes in an old car hood. Another guy splits a piece of wood and another one cuts a quarter in half.

Are we supposed to take this seriously?
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Well, let's take a look at Daniel Winkler's site, shall we?

Daniel Winkler, Master Bladesmith

Watch the movie.
 
Poleaxe said:
Are we supposed to take THIS seriously?
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It's called "marketing". Try to remember, you are buying a PRODUCT, not the advertising.

You've seen the FIAT 500 Abarth commercials...does buying one make you Charlie Sheen in a houseful of women?
 
tobii3 said:
It's called "marketing". Try to remember, you are buying a PRODUCT, not the advertising.

You've seen the FIAT 500 Abarth commercials...does buying one make you Charlie Sheen in a houseful of women?
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Agreed, also.. I am sure those tomahawks are excellent but almost 900 dollars?! The ontario ranger tomahawk looks pretty similar and can be had for around 100$ and it also full tang with 1095 and micarta scales.
 
I like Andrew Demko's design. Specially the lock in the Folding Bushman. That is a cold steel knife that I think truly deserves mad credit.
 
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