Best bowie of the 20th century - Cold Steel Trail Master.

makandr

makandr

Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
6,054
45d1a50eee09.jpg

caf064ee9c6e.jpg
 
Oh puhlease.
I remember seeing ads like that and then buying my Carbon V Trailmaster many many years ago. Had a custom sheath made and took it with me on a whitewater wilderness trip to the Nahanni River in the North West Territories. Lots of very positive things about that knife, and very fast, tough and well balanced, but for heavy work that Kraton handle is brutal and if you are stuck in a kayak or canoe for many hours and can't clean the knife it will rust and even pit in record time.
Don't get me wrong, I still love the knife like I love all my children, I mean knives, but this is nowhere near "the best Bowie of the 20th century".
 
In agreement about the Carbon V. Good steel, but it needs constant maintenance.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HJK
HJK said:
Oh puhlease.
I remember seeing ads like that and then buying my Carbon V Trailmaster many many years ago. Had a custom sheath made and took it with me on a whitewater wilderness trip to the Nahanni River in the North West Territories. Lots of very positive things about that knife, and very fast, tough and well balanced, but for heavy work that Kraton handle is brutal and if you are stuck in a kayak or canoe for many hours and can't clean the knife it will rust and even pit in record time.
Don't get me wrong, I still love the knife like I love all my children, I mean knives, but this is nowhere near "the best Bowie of the 20th century".
Click to expand...
This is not an argument that has rusted but about everything else there is a Russian proverb: there is no comrade for the taste and color.
 
makandr said:
I agree that I also prefer stainless knives for outdoor use, but I'm talking about something else here.
Click to expand...
I'm happy to use a nice 52100, 3V. d2 and not stainless outside. They don't rust like the Carbon V, at least the one I have.
 
I always wanted one of these "classics".
The price of the old ones just got too crazy out there.

Then..... I got an INFI Alpha Regulator.
And Never looked back!!!!

Very similar knife, I'd Love to see a head to head.
 
Good stuff. “We challenge anyone to beat us at marketing!” :). Aren’t these made with a cable tang?

I appreciate that they consider sharpness and cutting ability an attribute of a finished knife. Can’t say the same for a lot of makers.
 
mb> said:
Good stuff. “We challenge anyone to beat us at marketing!” :). Aren’t these made with a cable tang?

I appreciate that they consider sharpness and cutting ability an attribute of a finished knife. Can’t say the same for a lot of makers.
Click to expand...
The CV Laredo Bowie has a cable tang (the SM Laredo has the cable replaced with a solid rod). Trail Master is considered hidden tang I guess:

View attachment 1649446
 
mb> said:
Good stuff. “We challenge anyone to beat us at marketing!” :). Aren’t these made with a cable tang?

I appreciate that they consider sharpness and cutting ability an attribute of a finished knife. Can’t say the same for a lot of makers.
Click to expand...
Trail Master has a full-tang.
 
Good knife with the marketing hype that came from a master salesman. hey that is a play on words, Trailmaster from a master salesman. :)
 
The Trail Master is an old favorite, but I wouldn't call it the best bowie of the 20th Century. There are many contenders out there, and if anyone should get the title, it would be Randall Made knives for their leadership in promoting high end production and custom knives. Without them, there may never have been a Cold Steel or a large custom knife market.

n2s
 
Gentlemen, it is difficult for me to conduct a discussion in English, sorry, I know two languages well: Russian and Russian obscene, I studied German at school, English at the institute so I practically do not speak any one ... but I agree with everyone staying with my opinion.
 
Andrey,
I have followed Cold Steel since the 1980s. I have owned (and sold) the Cold Steel Trail Master in Carbon V, Aus6, 01 and VG1 Sanmai. I just purchased another VG1 Sanmai TrailMaster as I am certain this will become extinct shortly, especially after the sale of Cold Steel to GSM. Because the knife was of stock everywhere in Japan I bought it in the US and had it shipped to Hokkaido. By the way here in Hokkaido, some of the road signs here look like this...lol. I can only read 2 of the 3 languages.
5ZbcZD.jpg

I visted Mr Hattori's factory in Seki back in 2015 where he showed me tons of knives. Included were Cold Steel Sanmai and Fallknivens. With his pernission I put up a site, and with JLauffer kind enough to let me use his extensive Cold Steel research, have been able to follow this classic of the knife world.
Ken
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top