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

[stalag2]

I got a Mini tac Kiridashi that i use as a beater utility blade, im not really impressed with the edge holding to be frank but it does its job scraping metal craps and cutting sandpaper, two purposes i wouldnt use my Spydies for...
I recently bought a Rajah II, i really dig the design, lock seems really secure and well thought, F&F is quite good minus a totally jacked up asymetrical edge bevel (nearly a chisel edge... still shaving sharp though).I just feel they have to offer better steel choices and tone down their stupid ads and also quit badmouthing the "competitor's knives" . I dont like their will to steal designs either.
Another thing they should change is their serration pattern, i understand how they can be disliked as a whole if your only experience with them was on a CS knife, they are stupidly flimsy and chip during light use, they just catch into fabrics and fibers too much, and they are impossible to maintain at their factory sharpness, on that aspect i gess we should be happy that they dont use s30v with them needle points...
You have to admit that having to use serration for light use defeats the whole purpose of having serrations...

I dont think ill buy any CS products in the future, maybe an American Lawman or Recon but i wont ever turn into a cs fanboy, if i could get something as big as the Rajah with better materials using the same lock from another company, thats where i would put my money.

 

[ozgooner]

One thing I've not seen mentioned, and the reason I don't like CS knives, is I don't like their handle material. Too rough and grippy for me but YMMV. Doesn't mean their knives are no good, just not good for me. I don't like Fallknivens out of the box for the same reason, but their option of buying blade blanks and getting custom handles made make for some brilliant knives. I have two custom handled F1s, and a good mate has F1s, S1s and A1s with custom handles and they are all awesome blades.

I've owned a CS Kobun, and a mate has the the SRK and Trail Master. I don't mind the blade profile of the SRK, and the steel seems OK, but again, I just couldn't use that handle for any extended period of time. All that said, I won't bash them on the forums. People will like them or not, as is the case with any manufacturer.

As to where other companies have their knives made, Buck have started moving most (if not all) of their overseas manufacturing back to Post Falls, Idaho as of about twelve months ago. I'm a big fan of Spydercos too, and have blades of theirs made in China and Japan that are on par with anything coming out of the US.

 

[scott.livesey]

As to where other companies have their knives made, Buck have started moving most (if not all) of their overseas manufacturing back to Post Falls, Idaho as of about twelve months ago. I'm a big fan of Spydercos too, and have blades of theirs made in China and Japan that are on par with anything coming out of the US.

good to hear. my company has brought the lines moved to mexico in 06 back to us. doesn't help the 300+ they put out on the street or our local reputation. the corporate bean counters had to look beyond hourly wage rates and found that US worker productivity and quality made an item that was actually cheaper(when ALL costs were figured in) than what mexico or red china could do. the expansion of the red chinese middle class and increased wages for red chinese factory laborers should cause this trend to continue.
the old sailor

 

[james terrio]

One thing I've not seen mentioned, and the reason I don't like CS knives, is I don't like their handle material. Too rough and grippy for me but YMMV.

Many of CS's best fixed blades are affordable enough that you can replace the handles and even the sheaths without completely breaking the bank, if you're happy with the blade design and steel/HT. I've done a few and my clients were very pleased. They can also make great projects for folks who want to customize their own knife.

On the other hand, when considering initial price, shipping costs, time, labor and materials, that sort of thing brings you firmly into true custom/handmade territory, including options of better steel. From a full-time maker's POV, I earn the same money per hour rebuilding factory knives as I do making true customs.

 

[Custom]

Never owned a cs and never will for as long as they continue to use their current marketing strategy

 

[ebidis]

Sorry if I'm ignorant on the subject, but I have seen several posts referring to cold steel ripping of designers from other makers. What have they ripped off? I know they copied the axis lock from bench made, anything else?
Just curious.

 

[retzius]

I have a CS SRK (Aus8) that has been used as the family camping/outdoors/beatup blade for a few years and it just keeps on rockin. Its a great blade.

 

[Dorito Monk]

Sorry if I'm ignorant on the subject, but I have seen several posts referring to cold steel ripping of designers from other makers. What have they ripped off? I know they copied the axis lock from bench made, anything else?
Just curious.

Oh, kitty, now the last can of Cold Steel worms has been opened.

REPENT!

In all seriousness, most of the cold steel products that ripped-off someone else's design have long since been discontinued, so far as I know. Some of the ones that are still around include the Black Bear, which was a knockoff of a Loveless design, IIRC, the Military Classic, which was a knockoff of the Randall model 1, the GI tanto, which was a knockoff of a Strider. There are many more, but like I said, a great many of them have been discontinued.


As an aside, I wonder how many of these threads have been posted already...

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ery-against-Cold-Steel-knives-They-are-great!

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/886639-Why-all-the-hate-with-cold-steel?

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/780837-Why-do-knife-snobs-hate-Cold-Steel?

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...are-general-either-low-quality-or-overpriced?

 

[dongbeiren]

Sorry if I'm ignorant on the subject, but I have seen several posts referring to cold steel ripping of designers from other makers. What have they ripped off? I know they copied the axis lock from bench made, anything else?
Just curious.

They did NOT copy Benchmade's axis lock, they paid them to use their patent, and when the contract was over, they stopped making knives with axis lock, like the Recon 1, newer design has a regular back lock.

Sometimes different knife manufacturers do work together on something, like some companies have been using Emerson's Wave feature, that's NOT copying.

 

[Torm]

I don't hate them. I am disgusted with them and Buck and Case and Kbar and Camilius and .... who have closed USA factories and put thousands of work and now sell lower quality knives made in China or wherever they can make it the cheapest. A knife is a tool and I will spend the extra $$ to get good made in USA tools.
Scott

Well said. I own a couple of Cold Steel blades and, for the price, they're alright. My first "good" knife when I was 14 was a Cold Steel, in fact. It was a Mini Outdoorsman which I still miss (it was stolen years ago). As for my feelings on the company and its marketing, I mostly dislike Lynn Thompson's dramatic mall-ninja antics and the offshore production. Any blade or other tool I carry or use on a regular basis is usually made in the US or Canada; either country of origin is something I look for and favour whenever possible when making a purchase.

 

[ebidis]

They did NOT copy Benchmade's axis lock, they paid them to use their patent, and when the contract was over, they stopped making knives with axis lock, like the Recon 1, newer design has a regular back lock.

Sometimes different knife manufacturers do work together on something, like some companies have been using Emerson's Wave feature, that's NOT copying.

I had the good fortune to meet and talk to Mel Pardue at a local knife shop a couple of months ago, and during our conversation that very subject came up, and he told me "they (cold steel) did not license the axis lock, we sued their asses and made them stop!"

I don't know if you know something I don't, but I figured Mel is a trustworthy source.

By the way, he had some great custom knives with him. Too bad I could not afford one

 

[Freak Show Scott]

Sorry if I'm ignorant on the subject, but I have seen several posts referring to cold steel ripping of designers from other makers. What have they ripped off? I know they copied the axis lock from bench made, anything else?
Just curious.

Cold Steel seriously copied the Vietnam tomahawk and came very close to coping the name of the original maker(American Tomahawk). Also 3 of the Cold Steel Throwing knives are direct copies from another famous maker back in the 50s.

 

[Ernie1980]

I have had 3 cold steel knives, they were cheap (never pay MSRP!) but worked well. As for the ripping off of other company's design, we don't know for sure so why spread gossip? A lot of knife companies make products and parts that look very similar......
They do seem to attract hatred, but I believe it is directed at the marketing not the products. I like the tri lock personally, they make good beater knives that can be used, abused, and maybe lost without worry. Just my 2 cents

 

[42Jackbauer23]

Yea silly advertising, overpriced, but in the end mine have never failed me. I have a recon 1, tough as nails. I had a Pendleton mini hunter, good for dressing small game, lost it though. I have the master hunter in San Mai 3, it's a really good hunting knife, well designed. So I have no problems with them. Used them a lot and they are quality knives.

 

[Dorito Monk]

I have had 3 cold steel knives, they were cheap (never pay MSRP!) but worked well. As for the ripping off of other company's design, we don't know for sure so why spread gossip? A lot of knife companies make products and parts that look very similar......
They do seem to attract hatred, but I believe it is directed at the marketing not the products. I like the tri lock personally, they make good beater knives that can be used, abused, and maybe lost without worry. Just my 2 cents

Yes we do. That's not 'gossip' or a rumour or something, that's something that actually happened. Let me show you the ones I can remember off the top of my head:

Original (Loveless Sub-Hilt):

Cold Steel:

Original (Strider Tanto):

Cold Steel:

Original (Grohmann Model 1):

Cold Steel:

Original (Tighe Stick):

Cold Steel:

Original (Randal Model 1):

Cold Steel:

 

[mrdavidross321]

hmmm

kudu = okapi
twistmaster = opinel
black talon = spy civilian
thumbplate wave thingy


hmm i can think of more jus gimme a min

 

[The Lone Gunmen]

Every thing I have owned from Cold Steel has been great. I just procured a Laredo Bowie in San Mai 3, what a beauty!!, I also own a Trail master sk5, Recon scout sk5, 2 Recon Tantos 1 sk5, 1 in San mai 3, I keep my SRK in sk5 in my trunk. I also EDC my Spartan, Rajha 2 and my Espada XL G10. I've never once had a bad time with my CS blades. Well..the sheath for my Laredo in san mai 3 gave the blade a small scratch, so I put my ol' beat up trail master in it for a week to work it in, no more scratches now!

Thanks

 

[heavyfoldersarebest]

Cold Steel is GREAT, they use the worst coatings in the world but other than that, fit and finish is great, i trust the triad lock more than anything, even axis lock doesn't compare in my opinion, although Benchmade is my favorite.

 

[Thomas Linton]

Finn Bear = Hackman Puukko (but in crap steel)

 

[drgnclwk]

The only cold steel item I own is the ti-lite and it's held up well when I used it for work tasks. However, I remember contacting them by phone and they were not very helpful. They didn't sound concerned about providing good customer and didn't seem to care that I had gotten a product with sub par fit and finish. I ended up sending them an e-mail but never received a response.

On that note, if I like a particular product they put out I may consider getting it. At the same time, it's disappointing to say that I no longer expect any sort of quality customer service from this company.

I admit that their ridiculously "extreme" videos has given me and my friends a couple of good laughs.