Cold Steel Blades

[Master of Arms]

I had my doubts initially about those "Cold Steel" informercials but I finally broke down and bought a few. I got a "roach belly" single blade knife with sheath and was so happy that I ordered a machete. If you guys have been thinking about it, buy one.

The machete is unlike any that I`ve had before. After putting a little better edge on it, I used it around my home and wow did it do the job. It didn`t even seem real. It was like having a light saber or something.LOL

The roach belly knife was very, very sharp right out of the box.

Have any of you guys tried the Cold Steel products?

Any suggestions on any more quality blades?

 

[acmax95]

I am glad to hear you like the roach belly knife, I have one as well as a Finn Bear on the way. I had heard good things about Cold steel in the past and wanted to try them out. I will have to look into the machete.

 

[MadMercS55]

I've been using CS products for years. Some are great, others good, and some suck. Their recent lineup has alot of nice variety to it though. I really like their Recon-1 folders and Voyagers. The Trailmaster and Khukri aren't too bad either.

 

[highorder]

I have used my SRK (Carbon V) for years with satisfaction.

 

[alemonkey]

I have a Master Hunter made from Carbon-V that I bought probably 15 years ago, and it's a great knife. Holds an edge like you wouldn't believe. I think I heard they don't make them in Carbon-V anymore, and I have no experience with the new ones. I can testify that the older models are excellent though.

 

[Dave McCracken]

The Recon Tanto and 4" Voyager here are very good knives. The MiniTac, a discontinued model, is a decent low profile FB.

The Kukri machete in the truck is a good chopper. All of these are good value for the money.

But, I doubt we'll ever get anything else from CS. About two years back, Daughter wanted to get me one of the new Spikes. Despite it being featured in the catalog, we waited for five months for delivery. Finally we cancelled the order after trying to substitute another new knife and being told it too was "Backordered".

CS products are not bad for the most part. CS Shuck and Jive is bad. Our money will go elsewhere.

 

[Wolfman_556]

Cold Steel doesn't offer knives in Carbon V anymore because it was produced for them by Camillus, and Camillus is gone.

 

[22-rimfire]

Some of the Cold Steel blades have a lot of appeal to me. I like the trailmaster and the Japanese blades they offer. Have one of their swords that are okay for my needs. I just pick the sword up and smile... that is probably its best attribute. May just have to try one of their machetes.

I like the SOG blades a lot. Try a few out you won't be let down. Some of the older SOGs were made with Carbon V steel back around 1990 or so. I prefer them to the current crop of their big knives, but the Japanese steels are very good that they use. I'm no steel expert. They hold and fine edge and last with use.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

I have a CS trail hawk that I like a lot.
I have a CS smatchet that someone gave me, and it's kinda cool. Haven't used it much.

 

[maxxwilde]

But, I doubt we'll ever get anything else from CS. About two years back, Daughter wanted to get me one of the new Spikes. Despite it being featured in the catalog, we waited for five months for delivery. Finally we cancelled the order after trying to substitute another new knife and being told it too was "Backordered".

Been using cold steel for years. I recently tried to order their new Double Agent. I also added a spike to the order cause I've been wanting one. Well, the spike arrived but the double agent is forever backorderedLOL
The Spikes a good little knife, though. Slim, sharp and light.


M

 

[hso]

Have any of you guys tried the Cold Steel products?

Some love them and some hate them and some just think of them as just another knife company.

I wouldn't order directly from Cold Steel when there are plenty of discount dealers out there.

 

[The Tourist]

Use care in making purchases. I bought one a few months ago and it's one of the best knives I've owned. Others...

 

[Wolfman_556]

I've owned a CS Rifleman's Tomahawk since early 1994 and a CS Master Tanto (san mai III) since 2000. They've both been good products.

The only other laminated stainless knife I own is a Fallkniven Njord and it is superior to the CS Master Tanto (in both performance and appearance IMO) but I reckon you get what you pay for. The tanto is still a pretty good blade for the price I think. The only thing I don't like about it is the kraton handle. I'd rather it be in micarta but that can be changed. I got the tanto N.I.B. off ebay for a really good price so I can't complain. The difference is I consider the Fallkniven Njord to be possibly the finest medium-sized all-around hunting/outdoors knife in my collection and the CS Master Tanto to be more of a combat knife.

I also have a CS 1796 Light Cavalry Saber. It's a bit on the heavy side but it's sharp and very tough.

I wish Lynn didn't overhype his products so much and simply let them speak for themselves. CS does offer some good blades for the $, but the company propaganda likely turns many people off from them.

 

[neviander]

My uncle, who's a cop, turned me to Cold Steel a long time ago. I've never actually purchased anything Cold Steel, but from all reports, they are a solid company, with quality products.

 

[TimboKhan]

I have a cheapie CS Kukhri that I have been perfectly satisfied with, although to be fair it has thus far been used mostly as a backscratcher, with occasional tree-limb whacking. For 17 bucks, I got a Kukri that is nothing if not utilitarian. I like it.

As far as other CS products, eh. I have nothing against CS, except for Lynn Thompson's seemingly unquenchable desire to wear short-shorts. I just don't care for the bulk of their knives from an aesthetic point of view.

 

[JTW Jr.]

from all reports, they are a solid company, with quality products.

That's a new one on me . Solid company ? perhaps do a search on Bladeforums on Cold Steal.

Roach Belly appears to be a knock off of a Ken Brock Custom if you ask me ( or Ken )

 

[Arkady]

Cold Steel makes passable knives.

I've broken the locking mechanism on two Recon 1 folders, and I've seen several of the Ti-Lites come back to my local dealer. I'm not overly enthusiastic about my CS Kukri, either.

My Recon Tanto, on the other hand, has been a very solid knife for over five years of constant use, and the kobun I had was a great knife, but a deploying friend wanted it more than I did--I hope it's serving him well.

Kershaw makes a good knife for the money, and I like the SOG knives. I have a Pentagon Elite folder that I can not kill, and I don't think ANYTHING I am likely to encounter can destroy a Seal/Seal Pup.

On the opposite end of the price spectrum, I have been carrying a CRKT M16Z daily for 6 years, and it still locks up like the day I bought it.

 

[Geno]

I have the Recon Scout:

http://www.coldsteel.com/39lrs.html

It has been a great knife. Mine is about 8 or so years old. It holds a nice edge.

 

[Irwin]

+1 on the roach belly, though my only gripe is that the handles a little 2 small for my hands, but supprisingly for a £10 knife it was sharper out the box than my henkel or my worstofs. Think my next knife will be a fin bear or possible a mora as everyone here seems to show pictures of them every 5 seconds and tempting me Irwin

 

[ray_ray]

I EDC the CS Ti-lite 4" for selfdefense only but i love many of thier knives.

 

[mole]

Some are great, others good, and some suck.

That's been our experience as well, and let me tell you when they suck ---they really suck.

 

[Slamfire]

My first Cold Steel knife was a 4" Voyager, and I was very happy with it. I was quite impressed with how light it was, and how good the blade was.

Cold Steel has an extremely varied product line, you can buy very cheap knives, and you get what you paid for, you can buy inexpensive knives, and you often get a little more than you paid for, and you can buy their very expensive knives. I have a number of the high end knives and they are excellent.

The Trailmaster series of knives are an excellent big bowie knife. I have a Cold Steel Trailmaster (AUS 6) , a Hattori Bowie (AUS 6), and a Fallkniven Thor (VG-1). After examining these knives it is apparent that the Hattori and the Fallkniven are made in the same factory. I also think, based on blade shape, blade construction, materials, and hilt, that it is probable that the stainless and san mai Trailmasters are made at the same factory.

The cold steel special forces shovel is a great gardening tool. Used mine in root chopping and digging out in rocky soil and it has held up well.


I recently purchased a Roach Belly and the Canadian Belt knife. For the money you get a good knife. I am using them in the kitchen, they work well.

 

[Master of Arms]

There are a ton of Cold Steel blades on ebay for some pretty good prices.

 

[Browning]

Their machetes, axes and lower priced knives like the Finn Bear seem like pretty good deals, but when I could buy something from Ontario or Fallkniven for the same price as some of their medium grade/priced knives (Like the SRK) then that's when I think that they're WAY overpriced.

 

[Master of Arms]

My roachbelly knife will shave my face and it came out of the box that way. It holds an edge like nothing else. The machete seems magical. Seriously. I don`t know why because I`m not really that knowledgable on knives. My friend has a Huuuuuge collection of knives. I helped him look up the prices on a few. I don`t remember the names of them but they were expensive to say the least. He was also surprised at the blades from cold steel. His expertise is pretty much all I have to go on. That`s why I asked if there are better knives that are reasonably priced.