Where do you see the Trail Master San Mai III being in the near future?

PocketKnifeJimmy said:
Are you saying that the Japanese made San Mai Trail Master has now indeed been discontinued?

Also, that the India and South African made products are now discontinued too?

If so, then that means that once these inventories get sold off, the Cold Steel lineup will be extremely slimmed down! 😱
It would basically mean that a big part of CS' 2022 catalog are discontinued items that are only being shown to help sell remaining stock/inventories/and final production runs! 😱

Please elaborate on your info... And maybe what your source was for this information? Thanks! 👍

Btw, if what I think you mean is true... That would be a huge change in Cold Steel!
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Ah, I forgot - Cold Steels made in Italy gone too ...
I used to be a dealer decades ago :^D
Still have access to few warehouses
Check stocks futures nearly everyday during those amazing slide down :^((

BTW - anybody noticed that Family Dollar chain network gone too ?
Not really gone but it's now Family Dollar.25
:^O
 
Zulus said:
Aha, I forgot Cold Steels made in Italy gone too ...
I used to be a dealer decades ago :^D
Still have access to few warehouses
Check stocks futures nearly everyday during those amazing slide down :^((

BTW - anybody noticed that Family Dollar chain network gone too ?
Not really gone but it's now Family Dollar.25
:^O
Click to expand...
Thanks for your insight! 👍
 
Unfortunately I do not have any Trail Master in San Mai and I guess, I will not buy anyone either even if I still can find them here for sale in Sweden. I have said it before and I say it again… I do not understand how they can make a wonderful knife in San Mai and then only offer a sheath in Kydex or Cordura/Nylon.

I once got a Magnum Tanto II in a deal and that one had a Cordura/Nylon sheath. The fit was terrible and I was a happy guy when I sold it to a guy who wanted it.

No, I have to be content with the two Trail Masters I already have but they are in Carbon V but they both have a real leather sheath.

I also have Fällknivens Tor and Odin and both of them have a real leather sheath as it suppose to be and I will continue to buy Fällkniven because I really do not think that anyone of the guys up north should come up with the stupid idea to make these beautiful blades and only have to offer Kydex or Cordura/Nylon sheaths.

Please, do not misunderstand me… I really love Cold Steel but that is the earlier blades made in Japan and the U.S.A.

Thanks for listening on my complaints.:)

Stefan
Sweden
https://ibb.co/QPN1DR0
https://ibb.co/W5bdg5b
https://ibb.co/D11H0ZH
 
Zulus said:
BTW - widening POV a bit
Japan made Cold Steels are not made anymore yet !
India and South Africa made Cold Steels too !

Some are still available
only because stocks at warehouses/retailes aren't fully deplenished yet ...
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Regarding South African products, it's been a year or two since I have seen the Bowie and Black Bear Bowie machetes available. Prices have continued to increase during this time as well. What you used to be able to get for $15 or $20 now cost $30-$35!
 
If the India made stuff is on the discontinued list, then I do wonder where their new swords that were in their new 2022 products list are being made?.... Maybe some from Taiwan and some from China?
 
Picked up an Italian SRK in stonewashed 3V recently. Very nice! I don't think we'll be seeing them again.
 
If it holds as fact that Cold Steel has chosen to not sign future contracts with their India manufacturing partner, (which is widely believed to be Windlass Steelcrafts), then I would like to make a suggestion...
The Cold Steel Cinquedea, (in my opinion), is truly one of the coolest items that CS ever sourced from India.
If you can get your hands on it, and it's something you may be interested in owning, I truly recommend you go ahead and get one. They are made of hand forged 1065 carbon steel, and they really do a great job on them. Once one has it in hand, it screams out as being a lot of coolness and hand craftiness for the money 👌
 
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I wish we could get a solid verification on what 'Zulus' has shared with us here today. Again, if this is correct, that changes so much about Cold Steel 😱
 
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I don't put any stock in his ramblings. For anything regarding Japanese production, I would trust K KenHash .

I can think of 3 scenarios:
1. The contract with Hattori is done, but there is still existing stock.
2. The contract is not done yet.
3. They have already moved production to Taiwan, but are still showing a Japan model in the catalog by mistake.
 
Zulus said:
Ah, I forgot - Cold Steels made in Italy gone too ...
I used to be a dealer decades ago :^D
Still have access to few warehouses
Check stocks futures nearly everyday during those amazing slide down :^((

BTW - anybody noticed that Family Dollar chain network gone too ?
Not really gone but it's now Family Dollar.25
:^O
Click to expand...
I think you have us all wondering if your inside scoop about Cold Steel is factually the case.

Imo, the India made items going away permanently from Cold Steel, would be a sad thing.

Although my India made Cold Steel products are not my most perfect, they are indeed my most authentically hand crafted Cold Steel products.
Some have handles that have hand carved sections. Blades that have been hand forged by hammer, anvil, and sweat. Blade & handle components that have been final hand ground on grinding wheels, and final polish done with hands on work as well.
Yup, my Cold Steel items made in other countries are, in many respects, more precise in their final execution. But, they were made using state of the art methods. They were not forged by hand, but rather cnc machined from steel bar-stock. Some having Injection molded handles. I mean, yeah, some hands on work would need to be involved, but overall a fraction of what the CS made in India items require.
My India made CS, which mostly are representations of old school pattern weapons, were actually made in India using mostly old school methods. Yes, they are truly hand crafted.
Whether it's one of my CS Frontier Bowie knives, my CS Polish Saber, CS Cinquedea, CS Rondel Dagger, or my CS Navy Cutlass, they all have a true authentic old school look and feel about them when in hand that cannot be faked 👍
 
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I can add only one - long pieces made in India and South Africa
are step by step moved to ... everybody knows where :^((
Not Texas anymore
This is the End (The Who)
 
PocketKnifeJimmy said:
If it holds as fact that Cold Steel has chosen to not sign future contracts with their India manufacturing partner, (which is widely believed to be Windlass Steelcrafts), then I would like to make a suggestion...
The Cold Steel Cinquedea, (in my opinion), is truly one of the coolest items that CS ever sourced from India.
If you can get your hands on it, and it's something you may be interested in owning, I truly recommend you go ahead and get one. They are made of hand forged 1065 carbon steel, and they really do a great job on them. Once one has it in hand, it screams out as being a lot of coolness and hand craftiness for the money 👌
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My first Cinquedea arrived yesterday evening
Still in a box :^O

BTW -I need CS Polish Sabre
Buehler, Buehler ...
 
PocketKnifeJimmy said:
I wish we could get a solid verification on what 'Zulus' has shared with us here today. Again, if this is correct, that changes so much about Cold Steel 😱
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If you want hard copy, I'll not provide :^D
That's confidential knowledge

BTW I'm thinking vary hard about buing Steven Seagal Blade Breaker
Any owners here ?
 
Zulus said:
If you want hard copy, I'll not provide :^D
That's confidential knowledge

BTW I'm thinking vary hard about buing Steven Seagal Blade Breaker
Any ownerI consider your shared statements as
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Well, without any solid proof, I am considering your statements to be a possibility, but that would be as far as I would go with that.
I do find your statements to be plausible, but that's all one can really take from it, at least for now.
 
PocketKnifeJimmy said:
Well, without any solid proof, I am considering your statements to be a possibility, but that would be as far as I would go with that.
I do find your statements to be plausible, but that's all one can really take from it, at least for now.
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Such solid proof you can obtain from :
former Cold Steel business
Lynn Thompson personally
GSM at all
Stickman

Your choice Jimmy :^D
 
Zulus said:
Such solid proof you can obtain from :
former Cold Steel business
Lynn Thompson personally
GSM at all
Stickman

Your choice Jimmy :^D
Click to expand...
It is a little difficult to understand what you’re saying. StickMan doesn’t reply to questions about manufacturing…I’ve tried to ask him many times. Lynn Thompson is probably not answering questions about a company’s contracts that he sold and is no longer under his ownership. GSM doesn’t reply either. I’ve tried.
I like your posts and all, but I think you’re talking out of your ass a little. 😄
 
EveryDayIsHalloween said:
It is a little difficult to understand what you’re saying. StickMan doesn’t reply to questions about manufacturing…I’ve tried to ask him many times. Lynn Thompson is probably not answering questions about a company’s contracts that he sold and is no longer under his ownership. GSM doesn’t reply either. I’ve tried.
I like your posts and all, but I think you’re talking out of your ass a little. 😄
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That's my ass
Not your business at all.
 
I didn't realize san mai Trailmasters were still made by Hattori in Japan. Great news. That'll be the next knife I buy.
 
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