Why do I hate Cold Steel?

I agree that the CS knives I've owned take more effort to CLOSE than most other knives I own, but opening them, I've never had a problem. When you're talking about something that is purported to be one of the strongest knife locking mechanisms extant, I don't consider a little extra effort closing the knife to be a real drawback.

I understand that there are many people who, do to health issues or other circumstances beyond their control, have limited hand strength. I hope they are able to find the right knives and other tools to minimize the impact that has on their daily lives.

That said, I have other hobbies and pursuits that require me to have a certain amount of hand strength and dexterity, and spending some time squeezing rubber balls I get at the dollar store, and exercising my hands with hand grip exercisers that are available for $5-$10 from stores or online go a LONG way toward making easy work of opening knives, jars, etc. and other manual tasks.

I am in no way a CS apologist or fanboy, and only have one, the Ultimate Hunter, in my EDC rotation. I own and use more Benchmade, Spyderco, Zero Tolerance, Kizer, etc. knives than I do Cold Steel.

Mr.SATism said:
For anyone getting a new CS, you REALLY have to break in the lock yourself, I know I did for all CS's. Is it making excuses for the company? Maybe. But they are reasonably priced with a super steel. Now that doesn't mean if you aren't willing to put in the work. I have not heard of anyone that was ecstatic about their NIB triad lock yet. It's like a relationship that has a little rocky start, but smooth sailing afterwards. That's as far into THAT analogy as I would like to go.
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What?!? Hobbits aren't beasts?!? :)
b00n said:
I really don't mean to sound rude or offensive, but how can a man who claims to be a beast working out and training all sorts of stuff have the built of a Hobbit?
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More than a few comments here to raise the collective blood pressure! I have a CS kukri marked South Africa which set me back one crisp twenty dollar bill at a flea market. It was used when I picked it up.

That knife has been left out in the rain, forgotten in a tool box and then beat to hell and back. Last deer season I loaned it out to a buddy of mine who chopped everything including the pelvic bone. He wanted to buy it off me. Then there was the time I used it to clear out some old seasoned wood behind the shed. I tried to abuse it, even tried to mash up the edge. Yep, I have hit rocks with it and it still keeps ticking.

So, is there something magical about this $20 tool in 1055? YMMV but I think the tool is well worth the few bucks I shelled out.
 
rje58 said:
I am in no way a CS apologist or fanboy,
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As far as the Tri-ad lock goes, call me an apologist, fanboy and keyboard warrior because I have done some crazy stupid things with my recon 1 and you know the rest of that sentence lol
Edit: yes this contradicts the tone in what I said earlier, but I was talking to someone who’s kid couldn’t close the knife, and IMO if you’re giving your kid a knife, not being able to close it should set off the paternal red flags that it might hurt them, but that’s my non paternal .07 ₪
 
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Say what you want, Lynn Thompson running one of the very few American knife companies that's consistently profitable and innovative. The range of stuff they offer has to be seen to be believed. From old school slipjoints, to historical reproductions, modern folders, swords, axes, etc...and training pieces also (show me another company who does that). I've owned CS from back when they started and I would trade gun parts for knives with Lynn at the Pomona Gun Show. Some of their old VG10 kitchen knives are daily use pieces around my house, and as good as new after 20 years.

Here's one most of you will never see, a traditional knife in CPM 535. They made 600.
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eisman said:
Here's one most of you will never see, a traditional knife in CPM 535. They made 600
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This one AND the Charm! KC has a couple of the Ranch Boss and the charm is everywhere. No one talks about these two because they are in love with the Lucky One/Two, but
I can't blame them! We are in the modern traditional era (specifically slipjoints) and I do want to give CS the inital credit, but I will step down if anyone can provide evidence of a modern traditional production knife (I already assume this was a thing in the custom world)
 
Stubai said:
More than a few comments here to raise the collective blood pressure! I have a CS kukri marked South Africa which set me back one crisp twenty dollar bill at a flea market. It was used when I picked it up.

That knife has been left out in the rain, forgotten in a tool box and then beat to hell and back. Last deer season I loaned it out to a buddy of mine who chopped everything including the pelvic bone. He wanted to buy it off me. Then there was the time I used it to clear out some old seasoned wood behind the shed. I tried to abuse it, even tried to mash up the edge. Yep, I have hit rocks with it and it still keeps ticking.

So, is there something magical about this $20 tool in 1055? YMMV but I think the tool is well worth the few bucks I shelled out.
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Yeah, I have I think it’s called the magnum kukri machete, and it’s imo better than imacasa, and probably equal to 14” tramontana machete!
 
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Sonnydaze said:
Bought one mini Amer Lawman for my 12-yr-old grandson. He could not open the knife due to the extreme backlock spring. I could barely operate it. My very large grown son had lots of trouble with the spring. The kid gave up; threw it in a drawer. The only CS folder I've ever purchased.
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Tell the young man to put it in the drawer half open over night for a few nights.
 
I know it's been said but when Cold Steel Gets something right they get it right they have many models I'm not in love with but for a utility folder at a decent price the Recon 1, American Lawman, and Ultimate Hunter are nearly perfect and Knives I recommend more than anything else. They are not as easy to recommend but in my own use I've found I love the Talwar and the 4max as well and would say that the SR1 is probably the truest example of a hard use knife I've ever seen. Lynn will probably be suing Kai over their ZT like a tank label any day now because of it. Anyway I don't watch the stupid videos and the one where they cut the fingers off a hand was especially bad (glad it was removed from IG) but they have some great models.
 
My biggest issue w/ Cold Steel knives is that I really don't like thumbstuds I prefer thumb holes and flippers and they don't make anything remotely appealing to me with those options.
 
Mine is the way they promote their stuff with their videos showing aggressive behaviors with blades plain and simple. The whole knife community is trying for years now to remove that kind of thinking toward knives from peoples minds. Knives are tools and they are completely ruining all that effort. With zombie apocalypse weaponry and fantasy blades that can only serve one purpose. And because of this I never bought anything from them and I disregard all their products systematically.
 
The marketing of a product is intended to influence the buyer and Cold Steel has influenced me to buy elsewhere. Cold Steel presents itself more as a violent video game than as a manufacturer of quality knives. Am I irrational because my dislike for Thompson's brass turns me away? A rational knife owner would carry an SAK and would never visit a knife forum.
 
I guess CS's marketing is bound to turn off a lot of people just as it likely attracts many people. Personally, I don't think I'm heavily influenced by their marketing. I like their knives. They're a good value and fun to mod. If I want a more perfect knife out of the box then I choose a Spyderco.
 
My brother is a huge fan of CS and I never was. I have the only CS I believe I will ever own for one reason only, Ichiro Hattori. I have a Recon Scout and a Trailmaster both in San Mai made by the master himself. Both have custom g10 four finger groove handles I made to suit my love for old randall models 14 and 16 in my collection. When you can find a deal on a CS hattori don't pass it up.
 
dirtvictim said:
My brother is a huge fan of CS and I never was. I have the only CS I believe I will ever own for one reason only, Ichiro Hattori. I have a Recon Scout and a Trailmaster both in San Mai made by the master himself. Both have custom g10 four finger groove handles I made to suit my love for old randall models 14 and 16 in my collection. When you can find a deal on a CS hattori don't pass it up.
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How can you tell if it’s a Hattori?
 
Yonose said:
How can you tell if it’s a Hattori?
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Since the link was already provided I thought you might like to see what a real handle does for the CS Hattori. I wish there was an easier way to load pics but this will have to do. Link removed due to posting police.
 
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