Cold Steel City Stick, the "Real" One?

[Piraticalbob]

I think a lot of you heaping scorn on Thompson now are guilty of hypocrisy. In the 1980's the Cold Steel Tanto line of knives had as much prestige (and quality) as anything available at the time, and the Trail Master Bowie was the Bowie knife that everyone wanted, Cold Steel couldn't keep up with the demand for them. Mastersmith Dan Maragni consulted and designed for Cold Steel back then, also. I haven't followed with the history of the company, but at one time Cold Steel made high-quality knives for those who could afford them, and knives of lesser, but still good, quality for those who could not.

Maybe the quality isn't what it once was, but I can say that of other US companies also *cough*(Gerber)*cough*.

 

[JTW Jr.]

What you are missing is the fact that Cold Steel doesn't actually make ANYTHING any more , and hasn't for a long time. They are a marketing company , everything is made by someone else , nothing is US made.

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

Eh, I wasn't even alive in the 80's. I don't think I can be hypocritical saying that from my experience, they are a meh company.


The problem with Cold Steel is that there isn't a Cold Steel knife. You don't know who manufactured it or where, and they use confusing nomenclature for the steel they use. Not only does quality vary between models, it varies between years, as they change manufacturers.


I know they make some good stuff, but it's not worth the headache to me. With Spyderco, Benchmade, Case, Mora, Vitorinox/Wegner, etc, I know what I'm getting.


Then of course there are business reasons not to like them, but that's a whole 'nother can of worms.

 

[Hamilton Felix]

You don't know who manufactured it or where

Good point. I knew my wife would like the black OSS that they used to sell. Did some searching, found one "almost finished" from when the Camillus factory closed and some of their contract work for Cold Steel was still in the plant. The Cold Steel name has been ground off, but the rest of the black finish is there. I know their more recent "San Mai III" laminated version of the OSS is made in Japan.

I really don't know who all has manufactured the OSS, or where it has been made.

They admit some of their stuff is from China. Still, if you catch a closeout sale and you want a cheap machete to toss in the trunk, you may find a fair deal.

 

[JShirley]

I think a lot of you heaping scorn on Thompson now are guilty of hypocrisy.

Nope. I loved me some Cold Steel, once upon a time. Then I grew up. Experience is useful, if you let it be.

John

 

[hso]

How can people be guilty of hypocrosy when you acknowledge that they weren't what they once "was"?

Companies change, their commitment to quality and design change, great becomes good then barely adequate then ...

Look what happened to Marbles, one of the great American knife manufacturers all the way until they nearly died, were revived and now have others make their knives for them overseas.