- Joined
- Apr 11, 2019
- Messages
- 233
Wow, it was sure depressing to hear that Lynn Thompson has sold Cold Steel to some big corporate conglomerate. Of course, I knew that LT ain't immortal and that he would have to do something about his company before he kicked the bucket. But perhaps I was hoping that his family would carry on the business. Perhaps he doesn't have children or maybe they don't want to carry on in the knife business or maybe the big money made an offer that was too good to refuse. It doesn't matter now; he did what he wanted, which was his right. But if the A2 steel - stainless steel pot metal - fiasco was a punch in the nuts, the news about CS being sold was the coup de grace. It's 2020, what can you say. (
C
Chris_Texas
and not2sharp, you guys hit the nail on the head when you speculated in the A2 Steel Update thread, posts 144 and 146, that maybe Lynn Thompson would sell CS. Looking back now, that was pretty keen insight. I'll contact you guys if I ever need a clairvoyant.)
I did see the LT video pep talk, and that was a nice touch, that he thanked all of us CS fans and apologized for all the things he f'ed up or failed to do, and asked for forgiveness like a true Christian. I believe he really meant that in his heart. But despite his assurances, going forward, it can't possibly be the same with the new ownership. Let's face it: the Cold Steel that we all knew and loved is now gone. LT's individual passion and drive to make CS a leader in the knife industry won't be there anymore. Certainly not in the way that it used to be, anyway.
So let us cue the music (insert here your choice of Chopin's "Funeral March", or for classic rock fans "The End" by the Doors or "In My Time of Dying" by Led Zeppelin, or perhaps jlauffer would prefer Judas Priest's "Beyond the Realms of Death"). It's kind of the end of an era for me personally. I feel like I have to turn the page on a part of my life.
My first CS knife was the Natchez Bowie in SK5 steel. Still have it. Before this news, I had thought that I'd sell it, because it feels a bit too heavy, but now I'll definitely keep it. It's kind of a personal memento from Cold Steel's glory days.
My favorite CS knife is the Laredo Bowie. It feels just right for me when I practice my knife fighting drills. And despite buying or handling hundreds of other knives since I got my Laredo, no production knife has ever been able to match that feel. So that's pretty amazing, that Lynn Thompson designed my favorite production knife and has managed to keep its "numero uno" status against all other competitors.
Thank you, Lynn Thompson and Cold Steel. I certainly hope that CS doesn't go the way of Gerber or other knife companies that got swallowed up by big corporations, but even if that happens, I'm still thankful for my favorite CS knives, some of which I bought in multiples because I liked them so much. They've sure brought me great pleasure over the years. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I did see the LT video pep talk, and that was a nice touch, that he thanked all of us CS fans and apologized for all the things he f'ed up or failed to do, and asked for forgiveness like a true Christian. I believe he really meant that in his heart. But despite his assurances, going forward, it can't possibly be the same with the new ownership. Let's face it: the Cold Steel that we all knew and loved is now gone. LT's individual passion and drive to make CS a leader in the knife industry won't be there anymore. Certainly not in the way that it used to be, anyway.
So let us cue the music (insert here your choice of Chopin's "Funeral March", or for classic rock fans "The End" by the Doors or "In My Time of Dying" by Led Zeppelin, or perhaps jlauffer would prefer Judas Priest's "Beyond the Realms of Death"). It's kind of the end of an era for me personally. I feel like I have to turn the page on a part of my life.
My first CS knife was the Natchez Bowie in SK5 steel. Still have it. Before this news, I had thought that I'd sell it, because it feels a bit too heavy, but now I'll definitely keep it. It's kind of a personal memento from Cold Steel's glory days.
My favorite CS knife is the Laredo Bowie. It feels just right for me when I practice my knife fighting drills. And despite buying or handling hundreds of other knives since I got my Laredo, no production knife has ever been able to match that feel. So that's pretty amazing, that Lynn Thompson designed my favorite production knife and has managed to keep its "numero uno" status against all other competitors.
Thank you, Lynn Thompson and Cold Steel. I certainly hope that CS doesn't go the way of Gerber or other knife companies that got swallowed up by big corporations, but even if that happens, I'm still thankful for my favorite CS knives, some of which I bought in multiples because I liked them so much. They've sure brought me great pleasure over the years. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
