Why Lynn Thompson Rules!

I don't consider myself a knife collector. More of a knife user and accumulator. Every knife I buy, I intend to use. As I do use the knives, i tend to not pay out big bucks for knives. A few times I've paid more than $100 for a piece, but mostly, my 'popular' users tend to range in the $50-$100 range (aside from the Moras I have).

I do not have many CS products, but those I do have rank up there as far as some of my favorites.

My Carbon V Master Hunter is probably one of my all-time most favorite users. It is small enough to be taken anywhere, yet big enough to handle chores beyond its scope of use. I regret not buying a second one and salting it away when it was very affordable and readily available.

My Bushman and SF Shovel have seen a lot of use around camp and around the yard. Probably the most bang for the buck I've ever gotten out of edged tools.

I have other CS items that get used infrequently - A few hawks and smaller fixed blades like the ReadyEdge, etc.

The only thing I don't like about CS products are the serrations. I get around that by obtaining plain edged items.

I have been very happy with my CS products. I have found them to be solid, and they have all met or exceeded my performance expectations.


I recently acquired a CS Canadian Belt Knife, and I really like it a lot! I recently completed a Kydex neck sheath for it, and it replaced the Mora in my EDC bag. I started a thread for my CS CBK when i got it, but it was quickly overrun with CS naysayers. You can at least see my post and pics, if you'd like: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=450444


There are many knife companies out there. Cold Steel is one of them, and I like them. I like some others, too.
 
The best reason Thompson rules is because he so pisses off sanctimonious knifesturbators on this forum.
 
There isn't a Cold Steal (mispelling on purpose.) made that I would buy. Lynn Thompason recently stooped sooooo low.... You guys that are fan boys & girls, YOU can have him!!
 
I don't know Lynn Thompson personally. He promotes his knives and sometimes disparages others. He claims his CS Master Hunter is the best hunting knife in the world. I bought one. It cuts well, is comfortable to use, and holds a razor edge very well. It is a very good knife for the money. Best in the world? I really don't know. Better than SOGs NW Hunter, yes (I have one). I own 2 Vaqueros, a UWK, Peacemaker, Voyager, 2 kukris, and just traded off a Trailmaster. I have been pleased with his knives, but I can say the same for Ontario, Benchmande, Becker, SOG, Ka-Bar, and Buck. One thing I realy like about Cold Steel knives is they come razor sharp and really cut well. What's a knife for?
 
so what are his rules-

he steal designs and bad mouth's those he stole from?
now thats a rule to live by-

or to add insult to it, make the garbage in china-

another rule i must start to live by
 
S. Brown said:
I think everyone who is a member of bladeforums is a dork.
Click to expand...

Can't speak for everyone, but I certainly resemble that remark.

PhilL said:
I didn't buy any new CS knives, but they inspired me to test some of the knives I own.
Click to expand...

Same here. The original Proof vhs turned me off from the 'tactical' knives, but the Land Sea and Air Rescue cutting through all that rope was wicked cool and the kitchen knives segment made me crave turkey.

PhilL said:
I think Lynn is a guy that loves his work, knows his customers and what they want. He's no Sal Glesser, but then again not many people are.
Click to expand...

That's the best way of saying the good, bad, and ugly about it. :thumbup:
 
rosconey2 said:
so what are his rules-

he steal designs and bad mouth's those he stole from?
now thats a rule to live by-

or to add insult to it, make the garbage in china-

another rule i must start to live by
Click to expand...

I know he has copied Randall, SOG, and others. So what? I was not aware that any Cold Steels were made in China. I don't think any of mine are. Like I said, I don't know Lynn Thompson, but I have been pleased with his knives.
 
With Thompson's latest stunt, he's lost this customer for life. Prior to that I would've considered some of his products, but no more. There's no doubt that at least some of his products are good value for the money, some are very questionable, anda lot are fun to play with. I disagree with his behavior and choose not to support him now and in the future.
 
DocArnie said:
I'm not a CS fan and I don't have any CS product, but I must admit, he sells the only production karambit that I would consider a combat knife.
Click to expand...

Hey Doc,

Curious as to why you think that? What is it about CS's karambit's design that you feel is superior to other production fixed blade karambits that are out there?

Thanks,

m1
 
Then show me the other fixed production karambits with this blade length and profile. I'm not a karambit guy, but the others I have seen had a too strong ancle for their length. The CS gives you more distance.
If there are more production karambits with the same size and ancle out there, even better!
 
I do have a hickory walking stick, stamped "Walkabout", which if memory serves is a Cold Steal product. It is not a bad stick, I do have much better ones. I do not own any Cold Steal knives, nor will I. If AG Russell refuses to sell them, that is a good enough reason for me not to buy them.

BFC Dork and proud of it.
 
ignoramus said:
With Thompson's latest stunt, he's lost this customer for life. Prior to that I would've considered some of his products, but no more. There's no doubt that at least some of his products are good value for the money, some are very questionable, anda lot are fun to play with. I disagree with his behavior and choose not to support him now and in the future.
Click to expand...
What did Lynn Thompson do that has brought on all this dislike? I don't keep up with all the stuff in the knife industry. What, exactly, did he do to cause you to not purchase his knives?
 
Victor L Ross said:
What did Lynn Thompson do that has brought on all this dislike? I don't keep up with all the stuff in the knife industry. What, exactly, did he do to cause you to not purchase his knives?
Click to expand...

I can't believe that this thread has gone so long without one of the hardcore haters stepping in and giving LT both barrels. From the title, I thought this was a troll thread.

If you really want to know why people hate on LT so much, just do a search for "Cold Steel" and you'll find out more than you could ever want to know. It boils down to 2 main reasons (that I can tell of)

1) His marketing style portrays knives and knife people in a very bad light. (Gives ammo to anti-knifers)

2) He is a notorious design thief and generally considered to be a scumbag.

There are endless variations on the above themes.

Full disclosure: I own LOTS of Cold Steel stuff. I bought all of it before I came here and started reading up. The personality/ethics of the company's owner aside, the products themselves are not bad at all. I have been completely satisfied with almost everything I've bought from them, with the main exception of my titanium Ti-Lite (which is the most expensive thing of theirs I have). The blade coating on the Recon-1 does suck, as does do the sharp edges on the thumbstud on the same knife. But many of their knives are quite good. The 4" zytel Ti-Lite is a good example.

Now I buy mostly Spyderco. Which I guess is politically correct here in the forum.
 
DocArnie said:
Then show me the other fixed production karambits with this blade length and profile. I'm not a karambit guy, but the others I have seen had a too strong ancle for their length. The CS gives you more distance.
If there are more production karambits with the same size and ancle out there, even better!
Click to expand...

So you attribute OAL to what makes it the only karambit you would consider a combat knife?

As I stated before, the profile is a very traditional one. It is very similar to the HS designed by Steve Tarani. It is, however, from everything I've read,(and correct me someone if I am wrong) a single edged blade. This gives it quite a deficit in regards to being a combat knife, if you take into consideration the traditional uses and techniques associated with the use of the blade.... or even non-traditional uses. Folding karambits are, for this reason, a bummer... but it is a sacrafice you of course have to make (for obvious reasons) when choosing a folder kbit. You don't need to make that sacrafice with a fixed blade however.

I don't want to take this thread way out in left field... but I thought it was an interesting statement and wondered what your philosophy was, as either a person with combat experience or karambit experience.

Thanks for the reply.

m1
 
Some of their knives were a cold steal for the price. You could get a SRK for $30 bucks on the secondary market. Kydex included. The knife came razor sharp and stayed that way for quite a while. Not to mention being made in the Usa. All the sub zero crap they're making overseas is not of my interest.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top