Cold Steel Just Dropped A Salvo

everyone should remember this is not unique to CS...
kershaw now has over a dozen models with 3cr13... which is far worse than 4034

consider that?

Very true. But are those Kershaw 3cr13 knives flagship Kershaw models that go back 4 decades? I think this is a good part of the discontent among CS fans.
 
everyone should remember this is not unique to CS...
kershaw now has over a dozen models with 3cr13... which is far worse than 4034

consider that?
What makes this especially troubling for me is that it involves several of Cold Steel's iconic flagship models , not just some new budget /value models under a new name to differentiate them .

This budget stainless on a Trail Master or Gurhka Kukri makes me feel slightly nauseous .
 
Lynn Thompson has often been controversial but there is no doubt that he is good at marketing. He probably thinks he can sell a lot more cheap versions of his designs than he can expensive versions of the same designs. He is probably right unfortunately. Look for "pro / master / boss / whatever versions with a raised price point and better materials to put in an appearance when the economy rebounds.
 
Yeah , as a fan it's pretty sad . :(

But also sad because I've seen so many previously decent companies go down this road . :confused:

Cold Steel finally recently (relatively speaking) ditched the AUS-6 and AUS-8 in their higher end knives for Carpenter CTS-XHP or whatever it is/was and now S35VN, so 4034 is clearly the wrong direction, especially considering the price point of the Recon/Trail Master line.

everyone should remember this is not unique to CS...
kershaw now has over a dozen models with 3cr13... which is far worse than 4034

consider that?

What makes this especially troubling for me is that it involves several of Cold Steel's iconic flagship models , not just some new budget /value models under a new name to differentiate them .

This budget stainless on a Trail Master or Gurhka Kukri makes me feel slightly nauseous .

Exactly what my reply was going to be. Kershaw uses 3Cr13 and other Chinese gibberish steels, but those knives cost ~$30-40 or much, much less, and are clearly the budget line and not their USA made flagships like the Blur and Leek and the like. I don't know if CS is intending these 4034 knives as cheap/budget versions or if they really expect their customers to pay flagship prices for very low-end steel.
 
Sad news.
But chicomm taking the World over aren't real news anymore.

Planned to sell some of my Carbon V knives, looks they will stay little longer ...
 
I became acquainted with Cold Steel in the late 80s. Have acquired a number of their iterations early on and since passed most of them on to my son for his collection. Until probably the last 10 years I had a great deal of respect for their product (ownership and flamboyance not so much). But I agree, there direction for the most part is not for the better with regard to quality product. On the other hand, if you are after volume sales to a customer base who know little and care less about quality materials and primarily interested in the visual cool factor, they are certainly on the right track. I’ve long since been spending my money with other companies.
 
( Cold Steel's iconic flagship models) Thats why 4034 is such a bad choice !If it was a budget line,filet or kitchen knives, it wouldnt matter. The 3cr13 models used by Kershaw are run of the mill knives,they are not iconic.It would be like switching to 3cr13 or 420j2 on a Spyderco Military.Id like to see if the price stays the same or drops considerably,not that id buy one anyway.
 
Sad news.
But chicomm taking the World over aren't real news anymore.

Planned to sell some of my Carbon V knives, looks they will stay little longer ...

Carbon V is exactly the same as Case knives CV steel which is a steel that most members here would tout as trash.

I didn’t hear anywhere that the 4034 knives would be made in China.
My only CS knife with this steel, the Kiridashi, was made in Taiwan.
The place CS has been having knives made for 10 years, maybe more.
 
It is 0170-6 cutlery Steel.

It is an enhanced 1095. They added Nickel--Chromium and a trace of Vanadium .Better than 4034....
 
4034 ! That is a massive downgrade.(GIRLYman) what if street price is still 135-150 ? it would have to go down in price just as the steel quality.40-60.00 at best i cant even imagine it.Remember, this affects the laredo bowie,natchez bowie and i think the kukri.

A street price of $135-150 for a knife with a blade made out of what most mainstream brands use for their LINERS?!

GREAT GOOGA MOOGA!!!!
 
If you don’t like it, don’t buy it. Simple.
There’s lots of other good knives out there to be had.
Complaints would probably carry more weight on the CS forum.
 
everyone should remember this is not unique to CS...
kershaw now has over a dozen models with 3cr13... which is far worse than 4034

consider that?

Yes, but Kershaw does this with their entry level knives, and not their long established premium flagship models.

n2s
 
So it's 420J2 by a different name..that's a shame. CS has always had goofy marketing but now the knives are going goofy too.

They've always had goofy knives too. That's another reason they get the "mall ninja" rep they have besides the marketing they have a ton of low dollar, low quality, TMNT inspired crap they sell.

That doesn't mean they don't have a lot of great knives in their mid to top level line up (because they do) but they also sell a ton of cheap chinese crap and some people don't differentiate.
 
Carbon V is exactly the same as Case knives CV steel which is a steel that most members here would tout as trash.

I didn’t hear anywhere that the 4034 knives would be made in China.
My only CS knife with this steel, the Kiridashi, was made in Taiwan.
The place CS has been having knives made for 10 years, maybe more.

Not the exact same thing but very similar. In fact, some might even make the argument that compositionally speaking, Case's steel is a smidge better. I guess Carbon V sounds sexier. :)
 
Carbon V is exactly the same as Case knives CV steel which is a steel that most members here would tout as trash.

Not true. Very similar in composition, but with different heat treat for different intentions. The truth is that Case CV and Cold Steel Carbon V have never referred to a particular type of steel or steels, but are merely trademark names used for the steels they've used, which have actually changed over the years.

It is 0170-6 cutlery Steel.

It is an enhanced 1095. They added Nickel--Chromium and a trace of Vanadium .Better than 4034....

0170-6 was the name for a modified 1095 made by Shannon Steel. They went under, and CS's "Carbon V" changed to Camillus's 0170-6C, a modified version of Shannon's 0170-6, which was (at that time anyway) under patent. I don't know what Cold Steel used or who made their Carbon V knives after Camillus went under; that's beyond my historical knowledge of Cold Steel.
 
I don't know what Cold Steel used or who made their Carbon V knives after Camillus went under; that's beyond my historical knowledge of Cold Steel.

They didn't...Camillus went under in 2006 I believe, and that was the last catalog year for CS Carbon V.
 
Carbon V is exactly the same as Case knives CV steel which is a steel that most members here would tout as trash.I

Carbon V steel is whatever steel Cold Steel wants to call Carbon V. It's a trademark, not a type of steel. In it's time the original composition Carbon V was a good steel with a good heat treat. When Cold Steel was no longer able to source it, they substituted another steel & called it Carbon V.

The use of 4034 in some of their popular models is sad to see. Are sales off, trying to introduce typically higher end knives to new non-knife-nut buyers at lower prices, or is it just a money grab trying to cash in on their popular models?
 
They didn't...Camillus went under in 2006 I believe, and that was the last catalog year for CS Carbon V.

Feb 28, 2007 is when they folded after a long strike, which started in 2006, following reduced production from cut hours since the end of 2005, so it makes sense that the last "Carbon V" knives were in the 2006 catalog.
 
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