What's with the Cold Steel hate?

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bubblewhip

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I'm sort of new to the high end enthusiast knife community, but everywhere I look when someone mentions Cold Steel products I always seem to run by people who are prejudice against Cold Steel. Some of the reasoning I can relate to like they refuse to use industry standard steels, but some people say some ridiculous things like VG-1 is inferior to AUS8. Whats up with peoples hate with Cold Steel? I think their blades are a little pricey for what steel you get, but I think Cold Steel specializes more in folding handle designs and locks like the Triad and the Ti lite folded liner lock rather than top end steels.
 
Decent knives at a good price. What's to hate? That they are made in China is the complaint I hear most often. I don't care; C.S makes tools that you can use and replace without becoming a cash casualty.
 
I think most folks hate not the knives so much as the cheesy marketing the company uses to sell the knives.

I have two of their older models which are good but not great knives.

I had one of their pocket bushmen and it was a fairly good folder for the price...sold it to a friend for what I paid for it.
 
Some people say that CS bashes other makers. Personally, I like their diverse lines, and many are developed as weapons, or from historical weapons.
 
There is a history of some people here with a negative attitude towards Cold Steel. Sometimes a thread about the knives can stay on the merits, but a thread that starts like this one, asking about the "hate" is doomed.

Since this is not about the knives, I'm moving it from General Knife Discussion to FEEDBACK.
 
Cold Steel is OK in my book. i don't own any of their knives but their videos and CEO are hilarious.
 
Looking as Lynn Thompson always reminds me of that chubby kid who filmed himself in his parents basement while trying to act like a Jedi with a broom handle. Then didn't deter me from buying a Recon Scout recently though. That thing is a beast.
 
bubblewhip said:
but some people say some ridiculous things like VG-1 is inferior to AUS8.
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Nobody says things like that... lol...

I think CS makes some really good products. They have a huge variety, too; they're not ONLY a knife company. The only gripe I have is their advertising. That includes their tactic of making people think "San Mai" is a steel and such stupidity as this (watch the videos and tell me they're not stupid):

http://www.coldsteel.com/bigboreblowgun.html

Other than that, I don't have any beef (no pun intended, kinda) with their products.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
They're not stupid. Thy're mostly toys, and you may not care for them, but that doesn't make them "stupid".
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In fact, I do care for them. I've been wanting to get one of these, but I keep spending so much on knives that I don't have the money for one :rolleyes:

I might be alone here, but a grown man talking about "hunting in your own home" by shooting plastic dolls and smiling into the camera saying, "That was fun!" is 100% stupid to me.
 
Generally, most all of the really negative "hateful" comments I've seen are more about the owner and less about the knives.
He is a bit over-the-top and I can understand the negative reaction. The marketing does seem over stated and is a bit off putting and not particularly appealing to me.
But then there are others who also get overly dramatic and put some folks off....like Snody. While I may not care for it, these guys have been doing it for quite a while and I assume it works or they would change (unless ego won't let them).

As for the knives, they do have some interesting designs and are generally well made. Seems like a majority are big and heavy, but some folks like that.

I agree with others that generally they do seem over priced for what you get. However, I just picked up a couple from their special projects site. A few of the nicer items have been discontinued and the prices were to good to pass up.
 
First knife I ever purchased was a cold steel at age 14. While working my first job (dishes) a man without a green card named Jose (pot N pan cleaner) snagged it out of my pocket like a pro, FACT. Im not a cold steel fan but if I ran into that dude today id d smack him for it. That knife was sweet (frn handle/integrel clip SE tanto :confused::confused::confused:)
 
Ah come on, people need to get over themselves.... I think they make some products that are decent and some that I wouldn't touch with a barge pole.

But at least they don't churn out the same gray and boring stuff year after year. They're always doing something interesting. And Lynn's marketing approach, while certainly annoying to some, can also be damned entertaining...

I own a few of their knives and I like 'em because they are big, bold and in your face. A lot of them also work pretty damn well.

I challenge any of the CS haters to pick up their Natchez bowie and not start grinning like a monkey with a barrelful of peanuts.
 
Alann45 said:
Generally, most all of the really negative "hateful" comments I've seen are more about the owner and less about the knives.
He is a bit over-the-top and I can understand the negative reaction.
Click to expand...

I thought so as well, but there ar companies with worse advertizing tactics, IMO. I've learned over time that a lot of the hate towards Cold Steel is because Thompson published the truth about Mick Strider.
 
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