Is 'Cold Steel' all hype? - Page 3

bakes · October 23rd, 2009, 04:19 PM

Have had older folders and loved them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

QKShooter · October 23rd, 2009, 05:27 PM

ASHTXSNIPER - You really DO like them.

The Trail Master is excellent for chopping.

What is your opinion of the newer Cold Steel knives?
The older ones were USA made and I understand that now they are China made.

ASHTXSNIPER · October 23rd, 2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QKShooter

ASHTXSNIPER - You really DO like them.

The Trail Master is excellent for chopping.

What is your opinion of the newer Cold Steel knives?
The older ones were USA made and I understand that now they are China made.

All of the Trailmasters I have are Carbon V USA made. I stocked up on them when Camillus went out of business. I have a Gurka Kukri in SK-5 amd it is right up there with the Carbon V stuff.

jbum · October 23rd, 2009, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QKShooter

I had an early Trailmaster Bowie and gave it to my Brother years ago and he is still using it.

The only Cold Steel knife that I own right now is one of their Bushman knives.

You can usually pick one up for dirt cheap on Ebay.
I got lucky and bought mine on Ebay for less than $10.00

It certainly does win "The Worst Sheath Ever Made For Any Knife" award.

It sucks for chopping but, I beat the hell out of mine.

I use it for digging weeds out of my sidewalk and all Knife Chores around the house that I don't want to ruin a more expensive knife doing.

My Wife uses it for gardening tasks like digging tulip bulb holes in the dirt and digging out or cutting weeds.

It takes a fast sharp (initially agressive) field edge but, will not hold it very long because it is not super hard steel.

You sure can beat the living crap out of it though.
Check out the youtube knife tests VID and watch that guy beat the crap out of his with a 5 Pound hammer.

Buy one if you can get one cheap and toss it into the vehicle or your SHTF Bag just for the heckovit.

I have 3 of these and just beat the heck out of them they just keep going. 1 in the car 1 for the house and 1 in my back pack.

flyby · October 24th, 2009, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamRudolph

They're way overblown, but some of their knives, particularly their older folding knives, are pretty decent.

The problems:

The materials are relatively chintzy. They use cheap blade steels sold at premium prices. What gets you S30V, 154CM, or VG-10 from Spyderco, Kershaw, or Benchmade, gets you AUS8 from Cold Steel. Their San Mai is nothing to write home about, making San Mai layered steel from average to crummy steel still makes it average to crummy steel. They like to come up with fancy names for their steel that bear eerie resemblances to good knife steels but are in fact the same mid-to-low quality stainless steels they have always used. I'm not saying that AUS8 can't make decent knives, I'm just saying for what you pay, you should get more than that.

Crummy and Chintzy aren't very accurate words to describe properly tempered aus8 (even though their largely using VG-1 now which is a real and different steel from aus8 ;) ..though how much better is debatable.
But yes it would be nice to see some of the other super steels especially on their most expensive models.

Quote:

Originally Posted by unloved

I'm not talking about the Ti-Lite. Have you seen the AK-47, Spartan, the two larger knives of the Espada family, Rajah (both models), and the Talwar?

Yea I've seen them, though it seems they might work more reliably if the thumb disc was bent/pitched up a several degrees more to increase the gap for snagging ..but anyway point taken ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASHTXSNIPER

I like them

Nice Collection!!

EvilMonk · October 25th, 2009, 04:34 AM

Can't speak much on their knives, but their specialty items are very good. I have a sjambok (think whip meets baton) that will disintegrate a tree in no time flat.

As mentioned above by many, some things are good and some things are...not.

If you see something you like specifically, ask around here or do a thread search for the reviews...

SIGP250 · October 25th, 2009, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r0rtiz

This is my first post so forgive me if this topic has already been addressed. I was buying some ammo at the sporting goods store the other day and they were playing the Cold Steel knives demo videos. I was pretty impressed by the various knives so i went home and watched some more stuff on the internet.

The blades look freaking amazing, albeit very over-priced and I wanted to know if they are the "real deal". Certainly one's training greatly impacts the effectiveness of the knife, but still... Are the blades themselves really all that?!

Not really,

I sell DMT, Gerber, Remington, Superknife, Winchester, Case, Kershaw, SOG, Ka-bar, Browning, Coast, Cold Steel, Columbia River, Leatherman, CAS Hanwei and Puma Tec.

It just depends on what you are looking for at a certain price point. Most all have a wide range of knives that are competitive with each other.

When you look at the more expensive models, the type of steel, tempering, hand working, etc. becomes more important.

Cold Steel sells steak knives and axes too but they also make some very fine hunting knives.

Send me a PM if you are interested in anything I have. There are hundreds to choose from at all price points.

jhh3rd · October 26th, 2009, 08:18 PM

I have a couple folders and the shovel modeled after the Spetsnaz shovel. Pretty good knives and the shovel is no slouch for gardening, planting bulbs, etc. I'll try just about any brand except for those made in China (excluding Taiwan) and any knife made in Pakistan and India.

SamRudolph · October 27th, 2009, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyby

Crummy and Chintzy aren't very accurate words to describe properly tempered aus8 (even though their largely using VG-1 now which is a real and different steel from aus8 ;) ..though how much better is debatable.
But yes it would be nice to see some of the other super steels especially on their most expensive models.

AUS8 isn't bad, per se, but for what Cold Steel's MSRP is, it's bad.

max7777 · October 28th, 2009, 07:51 AM

I have a talon folder & love it. wish they made it in a 3.5 " holds a good edge & works good as a all round utility knife for me at home & work. It's a real conversation piece also

October 25th, 2009, 04:34 AM	#26
EvilMonk Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N. Kentucky Area Posts: 275	Can't speak much on their knives, but their specialty items are very good. I have a sjambok (think whip meets baton) that will disintegrate a tree in no time flat. As mentioned above by many, some things are good and some things are...not. If you see something you like specifically, ask around here or do a thread search for the reviews... __________________ That which does not kill us leaves us broken and bleeding... Convenire Volui Spectatus

October 28th, 2009, 07:51 AM	#30
max7777 Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: denver Posts: 84	I have a talon folder & love it. wish they made it in a 3.5 " holds a good edge & works good as a all round utility knife for me at home & work. It's a real conversation piece also __________________ Support your local gun shop.

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October 23rd, 2009, 04:19 PM	#21
bakes New Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: ohio Posts: 11	Have had older folders and loved them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

October 23rd, 2009, 05:27 PM	#22
QKShooter Assistant Administrator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Off Of The X Posts: 23,493	ASHTXSNIPER - You really DO like them. The Trail Master is excellent for chopping. What is your opinion of the newer Cold Steel knives? The older ones were USA made and I understand that now they are China made.

October 26th, 2009, 08:18 PM	#28
jhh3rd Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: nc Posts: 419	I have a couple folders and the shovel modeled after the Spetsnaz shovel. Pretty good knives and the shovel is no slouch for gardening, planting bulbs, etc. I'll try just about any brand except for those made in China (excluding Taiwan) and any knife made in Pakistan and India.