Why hasn't Cold Steel addressed the SRK Sheath Problem? (pic)

[SwissHeritageCo]

Took reception of a Cold Steel (Taiwan production) 3v SRK on my lunch break and overall I'm very pleased with the knife. This includes the grind which arrived from the factory a lot cleaner than I presumed, edge was pleasantly thinner than I expected too.



The sheath would be absolutely ideal, if only the knife properly fit it. Yes I've read the stories about the dulling of the edge upon extracting the knife, but somehow I had marked that down to the fiberglass in the plastic (people lightly bumping the edge of the plastic while pulling the knife out, etc) and not down to the actual fit of the sheath.

I was surprised to say the least,



For reference, the above image is of the knife being slid directly into the middle of the sheath with perfect alignment, and it's stuck in the middle by friction. The plastic abrades the entire edge of the knife all of the way down it. There simply isn't enough clearance, full stop. Why don't they finally make the adjustment and either extend the cavity slightly, or reduce the height of the blade slightly? Seems like it would be a straight forward fix.

It's going to take a fair amount of steel removal to get this knife to fit in it's sheath properly. I guess it's nice to know that one day, many years from now... I will have a sheath that fits But a big part of the appeal for me is having functionalsheath that matches the knife. Just seems like a weird thing not for them to address it. It's definitely not the fiberglass in the sheath (which I'm sure doesn't help) it's just that the cavity is too narrow. For whatever reason, it's flagrancy surprised me.

Shame because I think it's Cold Steel's cleanest offering,

 

[jbmonkey]

Took reception of a Cold Steel (Taiwan production) 3v SRK on my lunch break and overall I'm very pleased with the knife. This includes the grind which arrived from the factory a lot cleaner than I presumed, edge was pleasantly thinner than I expected too.

View attachment 2318012

The sheath would be absolutely ideal, if only the knife properly fit it. Yes I've read the stories about the dulling of the edge upon extracting the knife, but somehow I had marked that down to the fiberglass in the plastic (people lightly bumping the edge of the plastic while pulling the knife out, etc) and not down to the actual fit of the sheath.

I was surprised to say the least,

View attachment 2318030

For reference, the above image is of the knife being slid directly into the middle of the sheath with perfect alignment, and it's stuck in the middle by friction. The plastic abrades the entire edge of the knife all of the way down it. There simply isn't enough clearance, full stop. Why don't they finally make the adjustment and either extend the cavity slightly, or reduce the height of the blade slightly? Seems like it would be a straight forward fix.

It's going to take a fair amount of steel removal to get this knife to fit in it's sheath properly. I guess it's nice to know that one day, many years from now... I will have a sheath that fits But a big part of the appeal for me is having functionalsheath that matches the knife. Just seems like a weird thing not for them to address it. It's definitely not the fiberglass in the sheath (which I'm sure doesn't help) it's just that the cavity is too narrow. For whatever reason, it's flagrancy surprised me.

Shame because I think it's Cold Steel's cleanest offering,

View attachment 2318041

I've been saying for years until someone gets one that dulls they can't seem to understand why those who have run into it, complain.

sorry ya ran into it. I got one of those on the way. I'll let y'all know if mine fits. it does appear to be a tolerance issue. sheaths are made one place to fit certain dimensions. same models different steels, sometimes fit great.......sometimes don't. if ya have another srk in a different steel you could see if it fits without touching the sheath.....

I do this and sometimes they fit fine but the one knife doesn't.....due to being a bit larger from the grinding and sharpening.

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

I've been saying for years until someone gets one that dulls they can't seem to understand why those who have run into it, complain.

sorry ya ran into it. I got one of those on the way. I'll let y'all know if mine fits. it does appear to be a tolerance issue. sheaths are made one place to fit certain dimensions. same models different steels, sometimes fit great.......sometimes don't. if ya have another srk in a different steel you could see if it fits without touching the sheath.....

I do this and sometimes they fit fine but the one knife doesn't.....due to being a bit larger from the grinding and sharpening.

Hehe... yeah, it's a bummer. I've heard many a people bitch about it but you're right, you just don't "get it" until you've got one in hand with the same problem.

I somehow imagined it less aggressive, it's very tight... but barring the untested heat treat I'm still chuffed with the knife (especially for the price).

Could have been an excellent combo though!

Will give it a pounding when I pop it's sharpening cherry, I plan to thin it out even more and convex it, hope it helps.

 

[jbmonkey]

yep same problem with mine. doesn't fit 3v srk, but fits my san mai one. so I swapped sheaths. gsm needs to get off their butts and do some quality control. it's a joke to sell a knife with a sheath that doesn't fit it.

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

yep same problem with mine. doesn't fit 3v srk, but fits my san mai one. so I swapped sheaths. gsm needs to get off their butts and do some quality control. it's a joke to sell a knife with a sheath that doesn't fit it.

View attachment 2318295

Yeah, like... literally doesn't fit.

I knew to expect the possibility of some contact but this is particularly egregious. Very frustrating considering how easy it would be to fix. Especially when you say they do actually make one that fits lol.

Think I'm going to try and loosen mine so the edge might nestle between the crack. Otherwise that is alot of steel that needs removing.

Sorry to hear they got you too Maybe its why they were so cheap!

 

[jbmonkey]

Yeah, like... literally doesn't fit.

I knew to expect the possibility of some contact but this is particularly egregious. Very frustrating considering how easy it would be to fix. Especially when you say they do actually make one that fits lol.

Think I'm going to try and loosen mine so the edge might nestle between the crack. Otherwise that is alot of steel that needs removing.

Sorry to hear they got you too Maybe its why they were so cheap!

I should measure the blade widths and sheath openings, but im feeling lazy....

its a weird issue as my 3v wouldn't fit either just like your pic. wonder if ya could remove some of the frn plastic to allow it to sit in without messing up the retention too badly?

pop the eyelets off and I'd bet it could be done...but then ya got to buy eyelets and reset them and ya shouldn't have to do this much work on a new sheath and knife, or sale or not. im just glad mine fit when swapped. so least i got sheaths for both of them. annoying though.....

 

[KenHash]

The sheath would be absolutely ideal, if only the knife properly fit it. Yes I've read the stories about the dulling of the edge upon extracting the knife, but somehow I had marked that down to the fiberglass in the plastic (people lightly bumping the edge of the plastic while pulling the knife out, etc) and not down to the actual fit of the sheath.I was surprised to say the least,

For reference, the above image is of the knife being slid directly into the middle of the sheath with perfect alignment, and it's stuck in the middle by friction. The plastic abrades the entire edge of the knife all of the way down it. There simply isn't enough clearance, full stop. Why don't they finally make the adjustment and either extend the cavity slightly, or reduce the height of the blade slightly? Seems like it would be a straight forward fix.
It's going to take a fair amount of steel removal to get this knife to fit in it's sheath properly. I guess it's nice to know that one day, many years from now... I will have a sheath that fits But a big part of the appeal for me is having functionalsheath that matches the knife. Just seems like a weird thing not for them to address it. It's definitely not the fiberglass in the sheath (which I'm sure doesn't help) it's just that the cavity is too narrow. For whatever reason, it's flagrancy surprised me.

Shame because I think it's Cold Steel's cleanest offering,

I think the first and easiest step might be to exchange the sheath as defective. You may have to return the whole knife.
Other than that, I would definitely not remove any steel.
If the knife will not fit into the sheath, I would insert it to the point where it catches and using a heat gun (or hair dryer on highest setting) heat the sheath so that it will stretch as you push the knife in. You may have to do this on several points of contact and you'd need to work slowly.
Eventually the whole knife should go all the way in and the sheath will have cooled and hardened to fit the blade.
I have done this with Kydex sheaths successfully so I think there's a good chance it will work with the Cold Steel Secure-Ex sheaths.

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

I think the first and easiest step might be to exchange the sheath as defective. You may have to return the whole knife.
Other than that, I would definitely not remove any steel.
If the knife will not fit into the sheath, I would insert it to the point where it catches and using a heat gun (or hair dryer on highest setting) heat the sheath so that it will stretch as you push the knife in. You may have to do this on several points of contact and you'd need to work slowly.
Eventually the whole knife should go all the way in and the sheath will have cooled and hardened to fit the blade.
I have done this with Kydex sheaths successfully so I think there's a good chance it will work with the Cold Steel Secure-Ex sheaths.

While a good idea, I'm not sure it will work. I believe the material Cold Steel uses for their secure-ex sheaths is fundamentally different than kydex but I could be mistaken. For the record, the whole knife will "squeeze" into the sheath with much friction, but it's an absolute edge killer. Probably would be good for deburring though lol.

I should measure the blade widths and sheath openings, but im feeling lazy....

its a weird issue as my 3v wouldn't fit either just like your pic. wonder if ya could remove some of the frn plastic to allow it to sit in without messing up the retention too badly?

pop the eyelets off and I'd bet it could be done...but then ya got to buy eyelets and reset them and ya shouldn't have to do this much work on a new sheath and knife, or sale or not. im just glad mine fit when swapped. so least i got sheaths for both of them. annoying though.....

I'm already considering mods, and worse case scenario I could always make a leather sheath for it but I really like the matching green. Definitely going to try loosening it up a bit and creating a gap between the plastic but only after I contact Midway and let them know just how significant of an issue it is. I know they sell a metric ton of cold steel knives so maybe they have some pull in terms of feedback. A little rubbing is acceptable, straight up not fitting is weird. But yeah you're right, of all it's annoying regardless

This is my first knife with a sheath like this, and as a hobbyist sheath maker I'm very curious if the only thing keeping the retention (outside of the snap loop) is the actual edge on plastic contact.

 

[KenHash]

While a good idea, I'm not sure it will work. I believe the material Cold Steel uses for their secure-ex sheaths is fundamentally different than kydex but I could be mistaken. For the record, the whole knife will "squeeze" into the sheath with much friction, but it's an absolute edge killer. Probably would be good for deburring though lol.

I think it has a good chance of working. But it's a new just bought knife so you shouldn't have to be doing anything. Best get it exchanged.

 

[DayofReckoning]

My brothers 3V SRK sheath fits the exact same way, I've mentioned it here in the past. Exchange won't solve anything. The sheaths are just crap, period. Most model's fitment is ok, but the material dulls a blade like no other, and no matter how much space is made inside the sheath, the edge is eventually going to make contact, it's unavoidable.

Of course, in each and every thread where the sheath issue is brought up there is always some controversy, some claim to have no issues with theirs

 

[Grasshopperglock]

You know why they choose that material(?)...My humble guess.


So their brand name advertisement, on the outside, would come out sharp and bold. Regular Kydex, it's stamped into the material. Cold Steel has some injection molding going on.

 

[rycen]

I don’t know if that is the case. I’d imagine injection molding is cheaper over the long run.

Here is some kydex branding that’s well done



I wonder witch is ultimately tougher?

 

[fishface5]

You could try running a thicker hacksaw blade back and forth inside against the seam where the edge sits, to see if that relieves/ opens up that area for a better fit?
if it was mine I would try that first, and if not successful then remove the eyelets, file down the offending shoulders, create a thin recessed rubber liner between the 2 halves and then reassemble. Or if that's too much work buy a kydex sheath.

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

You could try running a thicker hacksaw blade back and forth inside against the seam where the edge sits, to see if that relieves/ opens up that area for a better fit?
if it was mine I would try that first, and if not successful then remove the eyelets, file down the offending shoulders, create a thin recessed rubber liner between the 2 halves and then reassemble. Or if that's too much work buy a kydex sheath.

That is a good idea about the hacksaw blade! I will keep that in mind Worst case I'll make a leather sheath for it but I'd prefer to keep the matching color scheme if possible.

 

[Roguer]

You could try running a thicker hacksaw blade back and forth inside against the seam where the edge sits, to see if that relieves/ opens up that area for a better fit?
if it was mine I would try that first, and if not successful then remove the eyelets, file down the offending shoulders, create a thin recessed rubber liner between the 2 halves and then reassemble. Or if that's too much work buy a kydex sheath.

Sounds like a Good Idea for other problem sheaths as well!

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

You could try running a thicker hacksaw blade back and forth inside against the seam where the edge sits, to see if that relieves/ opens up that area for a better fit?
if it was mine I would try that first, and if not successful then remove the eyelets, file down the offending shoulders, create a thin recessed rubber liner between the 2 halves and then reassemble. Or if that's too much work buy a kydex sheath.

Coming back to this, I believe I have a fix.

I can't photograph it because it's difficult to pick up on camera..... but there are actually three small ridges on the side opposite side of the edge, inside the cavity of the sheath. I believe they were designed to prevent rattle because boy do they make it a tight fit. I'm not sure I have a skinny file that's long enough to rub out all three so a hacksaw might indeed do the job (might only need to clear the first two due to the clip point). The ridges are just big enough that removing them will give the perfect amount of clearance for the cutting edge.

By shining a flashlight inside the sheath I can plainly see where my edge is making contact with the plastic and cutting into it. However, if you sheath really slowly and guide the spine as flat as you can across the back most (but not all) of the edge can skim by. Feels unnatural though and taking it out is a different matter. Good news is that with the right tool this should be a relatively easy fix Thanks for the inspiration fishface5

jbmonkey

Will report back after mods.

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

Alright,

so the left side of the cavity of the sheath is where the three little bumps/ridges are. I've successfully filed the first two down with a $2 skinny chinese diamond shaped file I had purchased at walmart.



and wouldn't you know, eliminating those is all you need for the edge of the blade to comfortably clear



Now the only concern I have left is whether or not the 3rd little ridge is forcing the beginning of the belly to make contact, sadly my file wasn't long enough to get to it but I'm not done yet. Whole thing took about 10 minutes, an easy fix with the right tools. Pretty sure you could use a regular file of the right size and just hit it with the side. No idea why they are putting those 3 ridges on there, because there is absolutely no rattle or movement without them. If cold steel left everything the same and just took those out the sheath would be perfect.

To add, I really like the sheath and it's design. Very compact, sturdy, interesting little edge guide inside of it and very secure even without the snap. Outside of the ill fitting sheath the entire package is a brilliant design.

 

[SkinnyElectrician]

Yup, same here, sheath is garbage and dulls the blade. Way too tight. I’m getting shards of plastic on the draw.

I’ll try to modify it with your file suggestion, but I’m irritated that I may have to buy a $40 (or more) aftermarket sheath for the knife. At this point, I don’t care if the modification results in rattle, the dulling is really irritating. I’m not even going to sharpen the blade until I can get this resolved.

Love the knife, hate the sheath!

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

Yup, same here, sheath is garbage and dulls the blade. Way too tight. I’m getting shards of plastic on the draw.

I’ll try to modify it with your file suggestion, but I’m irritated that I may have to buy a $40 (or more) aftermarket sheath for the knife. At this point, I don’t care if the modification results in rattle, the dulling is really irritating. I’m not even going to sharpen the blade until I can get this resolved.

Love the knife, hate the sheath!

Give it a shot. Filing down that set of nodules on the spine side of the sheath gave me just enough clearance. I ended up using a regular file to take them flush.

It's still going to feel tight because of that V guide on the edge side of the sheath, but the actual cutting edge shouldn't make contact.

It's not a quick access sheath but I ended up being happy with it so don't lose hope yet Good luck!

 

[The Hawk]

I had the same problem with my Warcraft Tanto that I bought a couple years ago. I ended up getting someone to make me a new sheath.