Why do knife snobs hate Cold Steel??

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Ankerson said:
Yes Heat Treating and Tempering can make a huge difference in how a steel performs.

But it won't turn AUS-8 or 420HC into S90V, M390 or ZDP.
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Shh! Don't let Cotdt hear you say that!:eek:
 
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Ankerson said:
I know why CS uses AUS-8. ;)

It's a tough steel and affordable so the customers can have a good solid product at a reasonable price. Remember LCT's claims to the Strongest knives etc.

You can't put something like 154cm against AUS-8 when testing for toughness and strength, AUS-8 will come out on top every time.

Sure 154cm will hold an edge longer, but it's more brittle than AUS-8 so it will snap, read break a lot easier than AUS-8 will. That's just the properties of the steels and there is no getting around that.
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I suppose that's true. My comments about CS using "sub-par" steels like AUS8 is somewhat off-base. Cold Steel doesn't make claims of making the best-slicing knives, or the longest-lasting in rope-cutting-tests knives, they claim to make the "World's Strongest Knives" (I'll ignore the claim about "Sharpest Knives"). And "prove" it with videos of stabbing car doors and whatnot.

What steel is "best" is subjective to the task at hand (among other things), and I'll concede that AUS8 is a far better steel for stabbing car doors than VG-10 or S30V. Personally though, I don't find myself stabbing car doors all that often, so I prefer a steel that holds an edge better when used performing "normal" and "every day" cutting tasks. For which AUS8 is IMO sub-par.



I also must amend my original statement that CS's knives "never really did anything for me". I'll admit that I've always liked the look of the Ti-Lite titanium models (particularly the purple anodized one). But I never risked buying one because I was wary of getting a lemon. And to be fair, it's a Phil Boguszewski, not a CS one.
 
Planterz said:
I suppose that's true. My comments about CS using "sub-par" steels like AUS8 is somewhat off-base. Cold Steel doesn't make claims of making the best-slicing knives, or the longest-lasting in rope-cutting-tests knives, they claim to make the "World's Strongest Knives" (I'll ignore the claim about "Sharpest Knives"). And "prove" it with videos of stabbing car doors and whatnot.

What steel is "best" is subjective to the task at hand (among other things), and I'll concede that AUS8 is a far better steel for stabbing car doors than VG-10 or S30V. Personally though, I don't find myself stabbing car doors all that often, so I prefer a steel that holds an edge better when used performing "normal" and "every day" cutting tasks. For which AUS8 is IMO sub-par.



I also must amend my original statement that CS's knives "never really did anything for me". I'll admit that I've always liked the look of the Ti-Lite titanium models (particularly the purple anodized one). But I never risked buying one because I was wary of getting a lemon. And to be fair, it's a Phil Boguszewski, not a CS one.
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It's all good, just different. :thumbup:
 
Ankerson said:
We are agreeing. :thumbup:

AUS-8 is a good steel, I never said it wasn't.

However there are better steels on the market that are just as tough and will hold an edge longer. However these steels cost a lot more than AUS-8 does do the production costs and the end cost would go up by a percentage depending on the steel used.

I know why CS uses AUS-8. ;)

It's a tough steel and affordable so the customers can have a good solid product at a reasonable price. Remember LCT's claims to the Strongest knives etc.

You can't put something like 154cm against AUS-8 when testing for toughness and strength, AUS-8 will come out on top every time.

Sure 154cm will hold an edge longer, but it's more brittle than AUS-8 so it will snap, read break a lot easier than AUS-8 will. That's just the properties of the steels and there is no getting around that.
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I can get on board with that statement. :thumbup::thumbup:
 
GrinderMcgee said:
I can get on board with that statement. :thumbup::thumbup:
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Cool. :)

I do believe that CS could stand for some refinements though.

Steel, F&F etc could get better from the way I see it and I say that knowing that the prices would go up on the knives but the end products would be improved in the end.
 
Even though i dont agree with Lynn Thompsons approach to selling knives, i think cold steel bring are bringing some great knives. As long as the knives are good quality and perform well, i dont see any other reason to buy cold steel.
 
I'm kinda late on this topic but here's my beef with 'em - price and warranty. Lynn is Lynn and that's it. All kinds of ppl out there and not all are nice, friendly or at least pleasant.

But the thing is I got a knife as a gift and it busted first time I used it. Now I didn't pay for it so that was good, but then again I wouldn't pay that price when there are other companies that have more affordable stuff that is of the same or higher value, only not as tacticool but then again that's even undesired by some (like me).
Any way I contacted the local distributor about sending the knife in and they blew me off in a min or 2 that i misused the knife. Mailed CS and they said the same thing. Now I don't get since when is cutting abuse (some kind of plastic, no stronger than a ziptie), but even if I leave that alone the fact that they didn't want to even see the knife is astounding. Some companies even offer and try help to finance the shipping if it's trough the roof because even if it's a lemon it can tell 'em sth.
CS just gave the impression that they don't give a damn about it
 
styx said:
Any way I contacted the local distributor about sending the knife in and they blew me off in a min or 2 that i misused the knife. Mailed CS and they said the same thing. Now I don't get since when is cutting abuse (some kind of plastic, no stronger than a ziptie), but even if I leave that alone the fact that they didn't want to even see the knife is astounding. Some companies even offer and try help to finance the shipping if it's trough the roof because even if it's a lemon it can tell 'em sth.
CS just gave the impression that they don't give a damn about it
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"CS just gave the impression that they don't give a damn about it"

That is not an "impression", that is a fact, that is what happened to you, actions speak a LOT louder than words.
They can scream all day about knife "challenges" and "proof", etc, but this is REAL PROOF!!
Not only PROOF of lack of warranty and customer service, Lack of actually caring about the Customer, but also PROOF of low quality.
Any quality knife maker (well, in this case, knife contractor) would want a defective knife back to investigate the problem, to see why it broke and to make corrections to make sure it does not happen again.
What CS is telling you (not words, but actions), that this is "normal" for this knife, it is not covered by warranty and they do not care enough to want to see the knife too see what was broken, why it broke and make changes to prevent it from happening again (maybe a recall?)
If CS does not care about their knives, I feel like, why should I buy one.
Just my .02
 
Still... I'd rather buy a CS right now than a Microtech.
 
Wish I still had the for sale video... To make a long story short, I traded 2 OTFs for a NIB (only fired once kinda thing) bed blast plain Halo V. After 10 firings, the spring kinked and it failed to retract. Sent it back and it was cool for 2 months serving as a desk toy. Then it happened again. The guy at MT said he put a new spring in and the same problem happened in 2-3 firings. He ordered another spring that was slightly smaller. A day before it shipped, I got an email from the guy who I sent it to informing me of the corrective action. That same day, I was at a knife show and got to meet Tony Marfione Jr. He told the same thing that the email said, something about how the early springs (my knife was in the low #200's) were too long and would tend to go sideways. When the knife arrived, it fired a handful of times and the same old shit again. I ended up selling it for $300 as a parts kit.
 
Charlie Mike said:
Wish I still had the for sale video... To make a long story short, I traded 2 OTFs for a NIB (only fired once kinda thing) bed blast plain Halo V. After 10 firings, the spring kinked and it failed to retract. Sent it back and it was cool for 2 months serving as a desk toy. Then it happened again. The guy at MT said he put a new spring in and the same problem happened in 2-3 firings. He ordered another spring that was slightly smaller. A day before it shipped, I got an email from the guy who I sent it to informing me of the corrective action. That same day, I was at a knife show and got to meet Tony Marfione Jr. He told the same thing that the email said, something about how the early springs (my knife was in the low #200's) were too long and would tend to go sideways. When the knife arrived, it fired a handful of times and the same old shit again. I ended up selling it for $300 as a parts kit.
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Damn sorry to hear that. I wouldnt trust a OTF for anything anyways,
but I hd one for one day.
I was never into autos but I just ordered a Benchmade AFO II and
Auto stryker yesterday and it took me some years to build up to it.

3 years ago I bought a MT scarab from a gun show. I took it home and it
immediately started to misfire(would not lock into position)
I took it back the next day and got my money back. Thats the only experence I have with MT and would NeVeR recommend them to any LEO or
active military.
 
I never had any luck with any OTF from any company.
Even the BM Infidel, I was sooo disappointed in it, I immediately sold it. Just the design is weak, I do not trust them, but the "cool factor" is there, but not for use as a EDC or tactical knife, more of a novelty, IMO
 
waynejitsu said:
i never had any luck with any otf from any company.
Even the bm infidel, i was sooo disappointed in it, i immediately sold it. Just the design is weak, i do not trust them, but the "cool factor" is there, but not for use as a edc or tactical knife, more of a novelty, imo
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exactly
 
You guys must have had bad luck.

I saw a spy movie - the spy gets behind his "mark" on a city bus and puts his OTF against the metal backed seat in front of him. He pushed the trigger and that sucker fired right through the metal back (probably an aluminum alloy), through the padding and killed the bad guy instantly with a stab in the back from the spy's OTF! :eek:

He had a solid one but I wasn't a knife addict then so I didn't see the model. It sure cut through the metal as good as Cold Steel knives do! :)
 
The only MT I own is this guy. My wife owns the blued version, same first production run.

[youtube]v-RxJeG1ox4[/youtube]

[youtube]5T8ooepV6b0[/youtube]
 
cziv said:
You guys must have had bad luck.

I saw a spy movie - the spy gets behind his "mark" on a city bus and puts his OTF against the metal backed seat in front of him. He pushed the trigger and that sucker fired right through the metal back (probably an aluminum alloy), through the padding and killed the bad guy instantly with a stab in the back from the spy's OTF! :eek:

He had a solid one but I wasn't a knife addict then so I didn't see the model. It sure cut through the metal as good as Cold Steel knives do! :)
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That was the little known CS OTF prototype! :D
 
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