Cold Steel Espada XL G10

[Arvind]

Hi All,

I just bought a Cold steel Espada XL G10 folder. For some background, my edc has been the Large CTS-XHP Espada and I figured that size wise, that would be the largest folder I would be comfortable carrying. I kept alternating between wanting to take the plunge and get the XL vs thinking it would be way too large to carry. Finally after a couple of years of simply being double minded about, I took the plunge and bought the knife. Having received it, now I wonder why I did not go ahead and take the plunge earlier. This knife for it's size fits very well in the pocket of my sweats as well as jeans and is pretty comfortable to carry. Standing, sitting, it does not cause any problems with carry. The wave feature is a bit uncomfortable to me for such a large blade due to as when I try it, it opens partially only. So for now I stick to a two hand opening method.

One issue that I do have with the knife is that the lock is so stiff that when closing it, I have to press the back plate to the edge of my desk to close it. I have tried pressing that back plate to disengage the lock with two hands and found that my fingers can be in the way and with a large blade like this falling like a guillotine, I would rather keep my fingers than lose them. I have kept the knife partially open for 24 hours to see if that would help but it has not. Any suggestions on how to fix this would be very helpful. Overall though, I love having this knife and can't help smiling when I have it open just looking at the size. Just for the record, I do collect khukuris, tomahawks and also like bowie knives.

 

[sean2021]

24hrs will probably not do anything. My Lone Star & Mackinac Hunters were both kept open in 90 degree position for almost a year (in a safe spot of course, away from unauthorized hands). It did help a good bit but locks are still hard to disengage. This seems to be a issue that pops up with the Triad Lock from time to time. I have been told that with frequent use the locking mechanism should smoothen out eventually.

 

[d762nato]

I've been looking at these XL's as well as I also have the large model s35vn. I want to try the aus10a model though for the grippyness and just overall rough and tough look and strength. It seems like some are harder to work than others.

 

[Your Name Goes Here]

24hrs will probably not do anything. My Lone Star & Mackinac Hunters were both kept open in 90 degree position for almost a year (in a safe spot of course, away from unauthorized hands). It did help a good bit but locks are still hard to disengage. This seems to be a issue that pops up with the Triad Lock from time to time. I have been told that with frequent use the locking mechanism should smoothen out eventually.

I have had cold steel knives with lock stick issues and / or smoothness issues while opening - kept the knife in an L shape for about a week, after that, the issue goes away. Also, put a little (or a lot) oil to all the moving parts. Open and close the blade a few times after oil, but then let the knife sit in the L shape for a week or so. Hope it helps.

 

[strideruser]

Putting a spring in its designed deflection zone does NOT decrease its strength! even if you left it for a year like that. Either bend it slightly out of its deflection range (chances are you will ruin it) or open and close the knife a couple of hundred times, this will losen the knife up and make it "feel" like its made the spring softer....what happens is your thumb get stronger not the spring getting softe!