Why do knife snobs hate Cold Steel??

[Larry Turko]

I bought a CS Talwar.

It's ridiculously heavy to have in your pocket. The lock has a swiss cheese pattern and the spring is ridiculously strong, which makes it a pain(literally) to disengage the lock. The previously mentioned ridiculously strong spring makes it near impossible to open the blade one-handed. The thumb plate is a poor imitation of the Emerson wave opener and doesn't catch well on the pocket seam. When waving it open, the lock will fail to engage 75% of the time and has resulted in the blade closing on my fingers on more than one occasion.

I don't own the Talwar so I can't comment on that model. Although if you think that knife is "ridiculously " heavy in your pocket, it's a good thing you don't have the large Espada [or heaven forbid, in your case, the extra-large Espada] or Rajah. A delicate flower like you would probably topple over sideways. Speaking of the large Espada and Rajah 1; the thumbplates on my models work astonishingly well. It's amazing to see the 6" blade Rajah fly open so effortlessly. I have five waved Emerson folders and I think the thumbplates on the Espada, Rajah, AK-47 and Spartan, has them beat.

 

[cziv]

I've also been around to remember when they ridiculed those using AUS8A, and now that's what they're using.

I've bought Cold Steel knives for at least 20 years. They were all made of AUS8 or VG 1. I started with 2 large Voyagers, a Peacekeeper 1 and a Bush Ranger convex bowie style.

All 3 unique designs by CS with a stainless steel they used and to my knowledge have never made fun. Who would make fun of their best selling steel.

Of those first 4 CS knives (above) no one can call rip-off or copy. They were the "shit" back then and every kinfe was delivered "shaving sharp."

My Voyagers at that time, had Lifetime guarantees and their CS replaced one of mine with a new knife because the built in pocket clip had become a bit distorted - still shaving sharp too.

I bought a Rajah 1 from them during close out and the blade was off center. They sent me a new knife and a UPS call tag w/o asking me for any collateral. I had my new Rajah a week before theirs ever returned to them.

I've called and offered to buy a set of pocket clip screws that I lost. They sent them free and were in my mailbox in 3 days.

Andrew Demko said he works out of 3 different workshops up north (forgot the locations) and in CA as well - so they have facilities beside an impot warehouse.

People shouldn't be so quick to bash. I only own a few CS knives right now but they're high value. I have Benchmade, Spyderco, ESEE, Kershaw, KA-BAR, Wenger, Victorinox and more - they've all produced some unpopular knives during their company's history.

You can't hit a home run every time at bat. I think some posters are full of don't know what they;re talking about.

 

[J.Mattson]

Besides your Demko what do you have with CPM154? I want to find something in that steel and wondering what others have.

I think the only production knife currently being made with CMP-154 is the Kershaw Blur.

Lots of options if your willing to go mid-tech or custom though.

 

[swamp]

Hello Everybody! This is my first post here. Im more of a gun guy than a knife guy but I thought I would join up.

Here are some of my blades

-CS Natchez bowie
-CS Laredo bowie in SK-5
-CS Trailmaster in SK-5
-CS Recon Scout in SK-5
-CS Recon 1 tanto (new model)

-RC3
-ESEE 6

-CRKT Hissatsu folder with mods (outburst removed, black coating removed,
nice forced patina,metal inserts drilled for weight reduction)

-Spyderco Military
-Spyderco Endura G10


Back to my topic question,

Why so much hate for Cold Steel?? So what if the advertising sucks, and Lynn
looks like an overgrown 12 year old kid playing with knives, they have some good tough products, not all, but a lot.

I LOVE my Natchez bowie, will never use it but Im postive it could hold its own and its well made. My collector knife.

I LOVE my Laredo bowie, again tough and also beautiful, has gotten great reviews too.

I USE my ESEE 6, Recon Scout and my Trailmaster A LOT, and the TM can do and has done everything my ESEE has and in my opinion looks better doing it
and I trust it just as much.

I do wish ESEE would come out with a bowie design, I would buy 2.

So why do people hate on them soo much? I think they are very good and Ive never had a problem with any of them.



Oh yeah the bowie knife design is the best in the world hands down, It can do everything well.

Does he even round off the tang/handle juncture yet? 90% angles will snap if stressed too much.

Oh, and Cold Steel is OK if your buying a folder under 70-80... over that they suck.

Fifteen years of personal experience tought me that.

 

[scotchleaf]

because they make really dangerous knives???
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=609845

 

[Franciscomv]

This subject seems to pop up every once in a while, and the answers are all pretty much the same. I have two different views about Cold Steel, one as a dealer and one as a knife enthusiast.

As a dealer I LOVE the brand. They sell items that allow me to reach a lot of customers that wouldn't be interested in other brands. I don't want to make this sound like an insult to CS fans, but most of the customers who I sell CS products to aren't very knife savvy and quite a few of them are mall ninjas. People who buy a knife because of the cool videos and badass looks.

As a knife enthusiast I've got mixed feelings about CS. I don't like Lynn Thompson and his advertising style, I would prefer a better warranty, nicer steels and I think some of their products are more novelty items than anything else.

However, I own a few of their knives and I can't complain about their performance. I've had a Carbon V Master Hunter for years, I used it daily while working as a hunting guide and it's still going strong. I hate the rubber handle, though. The American Lawman is also quite good, I'm not crazy about it being made in Taiwan (my own stupid prejudice, I'll admit that) and I'd like it a lot more if it were made with better steel. I bought it to try out the Tri-Ad lock and I'm really impressed. Bringing Andrew Demko in was a great move by CS.

Their more expensive knives seem overpriced to me. I've handled dozens of them and I've never been tempted to keep one, even though I can get them at wholesale prices. I think there are better options out there for the money.

 

[Splat]

Here we go again. Who cares if someone hates your favorite knife. Does it really matter to you? I know it wouldn't matter to me.

 

[hardheart]

Cold Steel advertised their stainless knives as 400 series before they revealed it to be AUS8, including the center of the san mai blades. Wish I still had the Special Projects catalog from '92 when I made my first mail order from them.

 

[Ankerson]

Cold Steel advertised their stainless knives as 400 series before they revealed it to be AUS8, including the center of the san mai blades. Wish I still had the Special Projects catalog from '92 when I made my first mail order from them.

The very 1st Tantos were 440C I believe when Buck made them, then they started making them in Japan and changed to AUS-8.

 

[Zombie Zeke]

because they make really dangerous knives???
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=609845

See that is impossible with a Cold Steel, since they are terrible.

That sucks bro, I hope your ok now. :thumbup:

 

[JGON]

Cold Steel as a company will never be in the same category as ESEE or Busse or Becker to any of us here for many of the reasons that are mentioned already, mainly...

1. Crap Warranty
2. Marketing Hype Machine

But with all the reasons we love to hate CS, bottom line is the knives really aren't that bad if you set all the other stuff set aside.

Every time I try to hate Cold Steel, I take a look at some of the Andrew Demko stuff and feel my wallet start to burn... The American Lawman is a folder I may purchase someday.

The XL Espada is also a monster. A very impractical monster that would never see much real action, but wouldn't that beast be fun to own for a while?

No Cold Steel products will ever replace my Izula, my Murray Carter, or my Junglas, but I may purchase another one someday.

JGON

 

[ThePharce]

I will say this. For all of the over the top hype that Lynn is guilty of, he receives much more flack for it that Strider does for having claimed to be Special Forces....which in my eyes is a MUCH worse thing to do.

 

[viva la]

yea, what would a guy who owns a damn knife company know about knives.

like i said, he shows time and time again that he doesn't know how to properly use a knife in a fight...or use a sword correctly. Hell just youtube some videos of him cutting tatami mats, anyone who knows anything about swords can tell you how bad his form is. don't take my word for it...go watch the video, and then watch someone like James Williams use a sword. It's night and day. Jerry has finesse, Lynn has nothing.

It's not my opinion, it is quite evident once you see the two.

THAT is one of the reasons I don't like cold steel. Don't try to pass yourself off as something you are not. Lynn is NOT a swordsman, and from what I have seen in other videos he is not a knife fighter.

 

[eccvets]

I love my CS knifes, hell the two most prized knifes I own are two CS safekeeper 1's which are freakishly scary big and retardedly awesome. I hope I never have to use them but if I do, who ever is on the receiving end is not gonna like it...

as for lynn, I'm just scared he will have a heart attack and they will stop producing wonderful knifes at a competitive price. The fact is a knife is a knife and it doesnt really matter who is pushing them; as long as they are sharp as hell and well made, thats what makes it a good knife and all those who disagree can suck it!

As for the warrenty, I have yet to see a CS fail. I figure if your using a knife so hard that it fails you probally are abusing it and probally got your moneys worth, espeically if its a fixed blade. Unless it snaps in half while your cutting a peice of steak in half, your probally using a knife too hard. It's called a knife, not a pry bar!

Those who dont like CS, dont buy them. I mean nobody is putting a gun to your head a telling you to spend your money on something you dont like.

 

[100eyes]

like i said, he shows time and time again that he doesn't know how to properly use a knife in a fight...or use a sword correctly. Hell just youtube some videos of him cutting tatami mats, anyone who knows anything about swords can tell you how bad his form is. don't take my word for it...go watch the video, and then watch someone like James Williams use a sword. It's night and day. Jerry has finesse, Lynn has nothing.

It's not my opinion, it is quite evident once you see the two.

THAT is one of the reasons I don't like cold steel. Don't try to pass yourself off as something you are not. Lynn is NOT a swordsman, and from what I have seen in other videos he is not a knife fighter.

From all the videos I've seen as well I do agree that's he's not an excellent martial artist or fighter, although he's definitely better than the average Joe due to his interest, resources, and practice.

however I personally don't think it's necessary to be at a professional or master level to know and appreciate the difference between a good knife and a bad knife, as a lot of people including knife makers and designers don't have such training, but know what to look for in quality.

In the end you're buying the knives, not the owner. If someone doesn't buy CS knives because they don't like LT, I suppose that's understandable, it's their choice - though to me it's kinda like saying I hate America because I think he's such a stereotypical American in my view(no offense to anyone).

 

[Wunderbar]

I have found that the japenese made CS products are really fine knives. My favorite bowie of all time was the Bush Ranger in AUS-8A. Being a company that does not make knives but just markets them under their name, I don't really like. Some of there designs are weak such as the Carbon V Culloden (tip was too fine). Warranty is a joke and the Swiss Army knives they made a few years back....What the hell was that? CS was complaining about SA knives being too expensive and then they copy Victorinox/Wengar and put out a POS version??? I believe that CS lies on their "Proof" video also. I tested several of their Voyager models cutting Manilla rope like in their video and not one even came close to making as many cuts like in the video without a resharpening. I have to give Cold Steel a Poor grade as a knife company.

 

[GrinderMcgee]

Hello Everybody! This is my first post here. Im more of a gun guy than a knife guy but I thought I would join up.

Here are some of my blades

-CS Natchez bowie
-CS Laredo bowie in SK-5
-CS Trailmaster in SK-5
-CS Recon Scout in SK-5
-CS Recon 1 tanto (new model)

.....
......
.........

Oh yeah the bowie knife design is the best in the world hands down, It can do everything well.

Of the blades listed in the OP, it is no wonder he thinks Cold Steel is the best. What other company makes bowie knives this way and they are getting better everytime. Here is my new Laredo from Taiwan under $200.

Someone is listening.

Hmmm, this ain't a TiLite.

Nobody does it better for the money.

 

[EMT_Lee]

I will say this. For all of the over the top hype that Lynn is guilty of, he receives much more flack for it that Strider does for having claimed to be Special Forces....which in my eyes is a MUCH worse thing to do.

Mick Strider said he was a Ranger, not Special Forces. He served in the 75th, albeit not long and never saw any real duty. He's lied about his military career, sure, making up some crazy-ass stories about charging machinegun nests and stuff. But, trust me, he's taken plenty of flak for it.

About Cold Steel: They make some pretty cool knives. I've owned a Bushman for around 10-11 years, and I've had a Roach Belly for a little over a year. The Bushman is fan-damn-tastic. Awesome knife, bullet-proof. The Roach Belly is a neat knife, too. Feels good in the hand, nice knife for food prep and such. I think I paid $13 for it. Can't beat that. That's my experience with Cold Steel, in a nutshell. Never tried their folders or anything. I probably would though, such as the American Lawman.

 

[sharp lupo]

Of the blades listed in the OP, it is no wonder he thinks Cold Steel is the best. What other company makes bowie knives this way and they are getting better everytime. Here is my new Laredo from Taiwan under $200.

Someone is listening.

Hmmm, this ain't a TiLite.

Nobody does it better for the money.

Nice knives! You have the Laredo and the Natchez?

Are you rehandling the Laredo? Id like to but I dont know anyone around here
who could do such a thing.

 

[Zombie Zeke]

Cold Steel as a company will never be in the same category as ESEE or Busse or Becker to any of us here for many of the reasons that are mentioned already, mainly...

1. Crap Warranty
2. Marketing Hype Machine

But with all the reasons we love to hate CS, bottom line is the knives really aren't that bad if you set all the other stuff set aside.

Every time I try to hate Cold Steel, I take a look at some of the Andrew Demko stuff and feel my wallet start to burn... The American Lawman is a folder I may purchase someday.

The XL Espada is also a monster. A very impractical monster that would never see much real action, but wouldn't that beast be fun to own for a while?

No Cold Steel products will ever replace my Izula, my Murray Carter, or my Junglas, but I may purchase another one someday.

JGON

ESEE makes a fine knife, so does Busse, but that point you made about the Espada, I am going to have to disagree with you. The large is a great EDC from what I hear, and the idea of having a large folder that instantly appears open and ready to roll, is a handy item for those of us that don't feel like advertising a large fixed blade on the hip.