Cold Steel Blades

[50 Shooter]

I have an original recon tanto with brass guard & pommel and a master tanto, both knives are really nice. I've never used either as I just wanted to add them to the collection of knives that I like.

About the only way I would get rid of the recon would be if someone offered a SOG Scuba Demo or one of Valkman's Fighters in trade.

 

[alaskanativeson]

I'll agree that some CS knives are really good quality while some are less so. They make some straight forward plain jane stuff and some really specialized things that can't have much use in the real world. Some of their simple things I do like: I've owned Trailmasters, SRKs, Recon Scouts, Recon Tantos, Twistmasters, Bird and Trouts, and Hai Hochos (now known as the K4 Neck Knife.) I've been pleased with the performance of all these I've listed.

The problem comes in when you look at things other than product quality. Lynn Thompson himself seems to have quite an ego and doesn't seem to have a copy of "How To Win Friends and Influence People" on his night stand. There's also the issue of the company blatantly stealing other knife designs without so much as a "by your leave" to the original. The R1 is clearly a Randall Model 1 direct copy, the Canadian Belt Knife is a Grohmann copy, the Twistmaster is an Opinel with a zytel handle. Some people are not bothered by this owing to either the idea that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, selling products that people want makes good business sense, or they don't know or care about this at all. I fall somewhere in between. I wouldn't own an R1 if someone gave it to me but I really like some of the other CS knives I have.

 

[Norinco982lover]

I worked for a Case store in Missouri. My boss actually went up and toured their factory and they made him a custom knife of his choice. He showed it to us and it was pretty sweet. I'm pretty sure most if not all Case knives are made in the USA. The Buck knives we sold in our store were TRASH. About 95% of our Buck knives were made in China.

 

[Blofeld]

My method is to buy one from a company, then abuse it beyond all warranty limitations, and if it performed, I'll get another.

I got a Finn Bear, and beat it mercilessly. Dug through shale, hacked trees, just general abuse. Cleaned it up, put an edge on it, and it was fine. Still, something about it just screamed "Ginsu" to me. I really can't put a finger on it, but I just didn't like this knife, despite the fact that it performed as advertised.

I've always felt that a knifemaker should have some knife skills, and I'd say Lynn Thompson does. While the videos are over the top, he displays better than average technique. Still, something makes me not trust him, and I can't put a finger on that either.

I would agree that some CS products are clearly superior to others, but I frankly don't have time to sift through the crap to find the gems.

I'd like to thank the forum, I was on the fence about the Ti-Lite, but I think I'll go with a Spyderco instead.

 

[gripper]

I've been carrying one of their Scimitar spikes for some time now. I got it and a plain edge K4 neck knife in the same order from knifecenter.com for about $40.00...hard to beat.
Despite the narrow hilt on the spike;the curve of it coupled with th esteel knob at the base gives me very good control no matter what grip I use.
It seems to be particularly well suited for a Pikal (edge in,outboard) position-changine over to edge out as you throw it like a hook or a cross.Point forward;pretty good as well-you can rreally put your palm behind it.The knob at th ebase gives you some utility for an impact tool.Yeah;I like Cold STeel.

 

[Hawk]

I remember Cold Steel product as generally servicable and that doesn't appear to have changed much - this thread made me curious enough to go look.

But I also remembered why I quit buying the stuff. The marketing was, shall we say, "frenetic". I always felt like I'd been dipped in Red Bull afterward.

It was sharp out of the box but so was Spyderco.

Some of the pricing seemed geared to someone that didn't know about alternatives. I recall their Camillus Khukri was way higher than anything Himalayan Imports had (and it's gotten worse with the San Mai trade named product). I don't care if San Mai III is the greatest thing evah, a khuk is "real" when the blade is pounded out of a truck spring and there's something mildly disquieting about the fake costing 4 to 6 times more than the real thing.

Everybody's priorities will be different but CS pricing on higher end fixed blades is too close to what one would pay for Chris Reeve or similar product. Magical San Mai notwithstanding my priorities would go with the CR product in that pricing ballpark.

I have no interest in ninja shovels or plastic spikes and most of the balance is done as well or better by others.

But, one could certainly do worse and it appears they've weathered the Camillus departure well. I'll stick with my mostly Spyderco stuff - it's more soothing marketing-wise and I like that full credit is given to the designers. As far as the khuks go, Yangdu is prettier than Lynn.

 

[onebigelf]

I have a Cold Steel spear that I love and I've taken two wild pigs with it. I have a Black Bear Classic that I think is one of the best fighting knives under $1000.

John

 

[auschip]

I have a Black Bear Classic that I think is one of the best fighting knives under $1000.

That's saying alot, considering you could buy a Randall for less then $1000. I find it hard to believe that a mass produced knife is better then a custom knife. Especially if the cost is equal or sometimes even less then the mass produced Cold Steal knife.

 

[JTW Jr.]

A Randall is NOT a custom knife , it is a production knife.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Fighting Knives?

For under $1,000?

Well, I'm from the poor side of the tracks, so I guess if I had to pick something in that range, I'd probably go with one of those cheap-n-cheesy things that Chris Reeves makes.

I know, I know, it would probably break in my hand.

Probably need to be sharpened all the time.

I guess that's the price of going cheap.

But, hey, when you're poor, whatcha gonna do?

 

[auschip]

A Randall is NOT a custom knife , it is a production knife.

Good point. I didn't mean to imply that they were, but in re-reading my post it did sound that way. I do think you would agree that there are several custom makers in the same price point as the Cold Steel Black Bear. Valkman, Voorhies, Horrigan, Spencer Reiter, and many others as an example.

Speaking of, What do you have on the bench JTW? Been doing any grinding lately?

 

[JTW Jr.]

I have not been in the shop since the beginning of June , I will have a batch of 25 blades heading to Paul Bos as soon as the heat breaks.

For the price of a Cold Steel Black Bear , you could have so much better from a custom maker like one of those you mentioned , and I would add Tom Krein , Lucas Burnley , and David Wesner to that list as well.

 

[Valkman]

Holy Moly it's hot out there! Now I know why JTW isn't out there. Wuss.

LOL

Please don't mention me in any thread with Tom K. in it - when I grow up I wanna have his Grind Monkey Baby! I wish he'd call so I could learn something!

Ah well, back out to the shop.

 

[JTW Jr.]

Hey Don , you go on and enjoy the heat... I will instead take a piece of earth , proned out on the 100 yard line with my rifles.

You grind... I shoot

 

[Griff]

I can't decide if Cold Steel is more popular with schlubs like me who actually use their knives to cut stuff, (big +1 for the 4" Voyager) or with the experts who like to complain about them. Either way, I'm sure we'd all be happy to find out about somebody else who sells a fraction of the designs and configurations they supply. Maybe Condor Knife and Tool? http://www.condortk.com/index.php (oops, more o' them durn forners. oh, well...)

 

[auschip]

I can't decide if Cold Steel is more popular with schlubs like me who actually use their knives to cut stuff, (big +1 for the 4" Voyager) or with the experts who like to complain about them. Either way, I'm sure we'd all be happy to find out about somebody else who sells a fraction of the designs and configurations they supply. Maybe Condor Knife and Tool? http://www.condortk.com/index.php (oops, more o' them durn forners. oh, well...)

Benchmade would be a good place to start. CRKT also. I own, carry, and cut with knives from both of those makers. Then again, i'm not an expert.

 

[JTW Jr.]

Don't worry bud , I know you actually use your stuff.

It aint the experts who complain about them ( seeing as the real experts , must be the extremely educated Cold Steel fans hehe ), it is those that support the makers who's designs were ripped off by them , that speak out.

CS = mediocre knife at an almost decent price sold thru a marketing company and made by " insert lowest contractor overseas here ".

 

[Griff]

Now, don't get me wrong, folks; I dearly love my BM 800 AFCK, (720, 805; CRKT Crawford-Kasper, Spyderco Enduras and Dragonflys, SAK Locksmith, Ramber, Tinker, and Waiter, Buck 110, KaBar 7", Frosts Mora, Opinels, Cases, Kershaws, Gerbers, Tramontina machetes, etc etc etc) but don't want to lose one to TSA or damage them around the farm. Some of those are getting hard to find as it is.

I'll admit that I've never fondled a Sebenza, and honestly don't want to perform car surgery with a Strider. Got better options for both. Cold Steel is a good working knife for the money that doesn't need a lot of TLC as long as you use it with a bit of comon sense and care. So they make some toys. I like toys. (Go on, admit it. You do, too.) Really, though, I'd honestly say that they're a big step up from the usual Big Box Mart stuff in terms of value. If I break one, I buy another. Hasn't happened yet, but no biggie.

As for the guys pulling the strings behind the curtain, well, you know better about that than I do, but not a single one of 'em has offered to come do my chores for me. Guess they're busy making a living, too.

I sure do appreciate the knowledge, though. Lots to think about there.

Take care

 

[mgregg85]

I've got a safemaker I. Great push knife, very sharp.

 

[bogie]

I've got one of the Cold Steel spears right next to my front door (you can take the boy out of the city, but hey, he's still paranoid...), and the only time it's come out was when the girlfriend was gardening, and came across an uber-deadly garter snake, and levitated... I panicked, grabbed the closest bad lookin' thing on the way out the door, and used to to do a little poking and prodding, right up until the point where I uncovered the critter, and commenced laughing...

 

[reaperilan]

best damn knives ive ever owned. broke my grandpas buck 110 he gave me in 1998. was gonna by a spyderco but bought the AUS-8 4in voyager 1/2 serrated,tanto tip going on 11yrs old. pried open manhole covers, dug, chopped, and blatenly abused that knife but the blade has never broke.thought i lost it so bought another. baby that 1 it only cuts.also own 2 recon tantos, same problem.