$150, which Cold Steel to buy?

D

dkblade

Joined
Nov 7, 2014
Messages
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I have a gift certificate for $150 to one of the prominent online knife stores that contains the letters HQ. I've narrowed my search down to these 4:

Recon 1 Clip Point
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Code 4 Spear Point
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Ultimate Hunter
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American Lawman
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All offered in CTS-XHP and with comparable pricing, so I'm not worried about affordability. I simply want the best of the 4.

That said, all my knives serve a purpose. For instance, my PM2 is my "tactical" fast opening, very sharp and pointy, protection against attacks knife, My Sebenza 21 is my EDC work knife that can do anything and is carried frequently to work, my Benchmade Mini grip ritter is my "fun to open" and very easy to carry EDC knife that I alternate with my Sebenza for work duty, my case sodbuster jr. doesn't really serve much purpose but it's sharp as hell, good for cutting fishing line and stuff, my Sage 1 is definitely my go to classy looking suit pocket and weekend outing knife, and my Coyote brown Rat 1 from Ontario Knife Company is my beater, lend it to friends or take it camping and baton the hell out of it and not care if it breaks-- knife, and my heavily used and worked in Buck mini tac lite has seen ZERO pocket time since I found this forum, and will rest it's weary bones in my knife drawer until my future child is old enough to inherit it as their first knife!

My rambling thoughts:

Recon 1 Clip Point: BIG BIG BIG knife, bigger than any knife in my arsenal by some margin, badass looking, and the only one of the CS knives I'm considering that doesn't have the ugly gap where the tang hits the blade stop (I know it's stupid but I do think it negatively affects the closed appearance of many CS knives, particularly the Ultimate Hunter). Pocket shredding G10 would require some modification--not a big deal, but kind of a pain in the ass. Would perform well as a replacement for my PM2 as a protective knife and also for camping duties. May not be the best EDC knife of the bunch.

Code 4 Spear Point: Maybe a better EDC knife than the Recon 1? VERY SLIM profile should make it disappear in the pocket. Is the aluminum frame sturdy enough to do camping duty? Is the aluminum anywhere near as grippy as the plain jane Sebenza titanium? VERY nice looking profile, sleek, slim and sexy. Blade looks very utilitarian. Not too concerned about lock strength so long as the aluminum is strong.

Ultimate Hunter: Almost pulled the trigger on this one before seeking Bladeforums assistance on my decision making process. LOVE the look of the handle, scale materials, bead blast, grind, shape etc. So so fond of the blade shape. I don't do ANY hunting at all being in southern california, so I won't be concerned about blade shape puncturing anything it shouldn't. Really nice horizontal and vertical grind on the blade, overall a better looking more contemporary and classier looking knife. Maybe the best EDC of the bunch? Might be a little afraid of hurting the look of this one by beating on it like I would the Recon, but it may make its way into the daily rotation between the Sebenza and the Ritter mini grip. HATE the look of the knife when closed....looks like an afterthought. Maybe too bulky in pocket for EDC?

American Lawman: Probably the most traditional shape and the most utilitarian of the bunch. Size wise, not quite as big as the Recon 1 but probably as big as the Rat 1. G10 is aggressive like the Recon 1 so it will need some modification, not a big deal. Looks nice when closed and open, has a functional choil for choking up. I like the name on it more than any of the other 3! "American Lawman" just sounds badass.

What do you guys think? If you had to choose between the 4 which one would you prefer, and why? Thanks!!
 
I have each of those models and love them all. I carry the Lawman the most because it is very light, thin and grippy. While I love the Code 4, the handle is just a bit too slick. The Ultimate Hunter is an amazing knife also but the handle is a fair amount thicker then the others. The Recon 1 is great also. Damn, Im no help. I say buy them all 😉
 
UCPOPO said:
....I say buy them all 😉
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In time! Thanks for the advice...Is the lawman a good pocket carry? Could you just sand the portion directly under the clip hold to avoid destroying your pockets or do you need to sand that entire quadrant?
 
dkblade said:
In time! Thanks for the advice...Is the lawman a good pocket carry? Could you just sand the portion directly under the clip hold to avoid destroying your pockets or do you need to sand that entire quadrant?
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I hate the pocket clips on all of the Cold Steel folders. I usually replace them with titanium pocket clips and don't have to alter the G10.
 
Id go with the Recon 1 as a do it all folder. G-10, beautiful and useful blade shape, superb ergos, now in an awesome steel. Then with the leftover cash snag an XL voyager for a real SD blade, Im sure they have some AUS 8 versions laying around for ridiculously cheap.
 
oxman198 said:
Id go with the Recon 1 as a do it all folder. G-10, beautiful and useful blade shape, superb ergos, now in an awesome steel. Then with the leftover cash snag an XL voyager for a real SD blade, Im sure they have some AUS 8 versions laying around for ridiculously cheap.
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I'm kind of leaning towards the recon 1 clip point--it would fit a different philosophy of use than any of my current knives--the other 3 are going to be more similar to what I currently have. Also thinking about adding a micro recon with my leftover cash, though the only one they have is the tanto right now and I'm not too fond--I don't currently have any tanto's beyond my fixed ka-bar from 15 years ago so why not.
 
IMO the Recon 1 is one of the quintessential Cold Steel folders. Its really not that big, only a hair larger than the Code 4. And Cold steel does the tanto right, I have several and have found it to be a very useful blade shape. Contrary to what some people say.
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Personally, I would go with either the Recon or the UH. Recon 1 is a bruiser of a knife, but the texturing and ergos are very aggressive, which can cause some discomfort in extended use. The Ultimate Hunter will hold a significantly better edge than the Recon as they run the XHP in it much harder. It's also very ergonomic and extremely functional in a variety of grips. It transitions easily and well between EDC duties and outdoor/hiking duties. If, however, you're thinking of a knife as a last ditch self defense option, the Recon 1 will unquestionably be a better choice for that.

Now to the other two and why I wouldn't recommend them for you. Basically, if you have a PM2, I think those knives will be a bit redundant. Both are very nice, though I assiduously avoid metal scales, so the Code 4 is a no-go for me, but they're basically in the same class as the PM2. If you want another slim EDC blade to rotate with the Paramilitary, the Lawman could be a very good option, but if you're looking for variety go for one of the first two I mentioned.
 
hard to go wrong with any of the to be honest, but in your shoes, I'd have already ordered the Code4 and ponyed up the extra for overnight shipping.....
 
Well I pulled the trigger on the recon 1 clip point. I will post some pics when I receive it. As for the clip chewing up my jeans, mentioned earlier was a titanium clip that solves this problem--anybody know where to buy one? Also, could I get away just sanding the section where the end of the clip rests on the scale? I've seen people sand that entire half of the knife. That seems a bit extreme. Can't wait to get this knife! Oh ya and I still have $45 on my gift card....hmmmmm
 
Insipid Moniker said:
Personally, I would go with either the Recon or the UH. Recon 1 is a bruiser of a knife, but the texturing and ergos are very aggressive, which can cause some discomfort in extended use. The Ultimate Hunter will hold a significantly better edge than the Recon as they run the XHP in it much harder. It's also very ergonomic and extremely functional in a variety of grips. It transitions easily and well between EDC duties and outdoor/hiking duties. If, however, you're thinking of a knife as a last ditch self defense option, the Recon 1 will unquestionably be a better choice for that.

Now to the other two and why I wouldn't recommend them for you. Basically, if you have a PM2, I think those knives will be a bit redundant. Both are very nice, though I assiduously avoid metal scales, so the Code 4 is a no-go for me, but they're basically in the same class as the PM2. If you want another slim EDC blade to rotate with the Paramilitary, the Lawman could be a very good option, but if you're looking for variety go for one of the first two I mentioned.
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Does the extra hardness mean it's more likely to chip if it hits a bone if it was used for hunting?
 
Pulled the trigger on a Brooklyn shorty bat and a micro recon tanto with the left over cash--only had to dip $5.00 into my personal bank account.
 
Ultimate hunter! It is my favorite heavy duty edc . Would be fantastic as a folding hunter and camp knife .Out
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of the knives I own ; the handle is the most comfortable. It's pretty easy to sharpen. The grind is durable to not chip but thin enough behind the edge to slice really well. I've carved on some sticks of wood to see how it'd do and it just blows through it. Kiln dried poplar and santos mahogany ( which is seriously dense and hard). Can't speak highly enough of it!
 
I have the Recon 1 clip point in the G10 handles. It gets carried a lot. Mine is the old Aus8 version.



It is pretty wide when closes due to the blade shape.

I don't mind the G10. But I think the handle may be even less aggressive on the new models in the upgraded steel.
 
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