Cold Steel opinions wanted

oldmanwilly said:
I had not thought about modifying the Code 4. Instead I thought to leave it intact in case I decide to sell it later. Maybe it deserves a second look.
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Put a stack of business cards (or quarters) under the clip for a while; that loosens it up. Leave the blade half open somewhere for a week or so, and that loosens up the backspring lock just enough. It winds up being a sweet knife. I wound up selling mine because the thumb stud blocks through cuts at the back of the blade. No point in having such a big blade if that's gonna happen.

oldmanwilly said:
As for the Large Voyager, I only question the bulky handle when debating whether to carry it to the office or around town. When I'm out in the brush I have no issue at all, in fact on occasion I've carried it in lieu of a fixed blade (a choice which I previously thought heretical).
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I think I'm going to get another Voyager L, clip, plain edge, and just take the clip off. Then, find a sheath the right size and use this for my folding woods knife.

jlauffer said:
Just wish they were uncoated.
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For the American Lawman, they don't appear to be coated, like a cheap paint, but some kind of finish that is baked INTO the steel. It should hold up very well. Experience on that, anyone?
 
jbmonkey said:
i disagree with about everything in your post. i was gonna type it all out, but I don't care enough.
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Just wanted to crap in the thread, huh?

I don't know how you could even argue that it's hard to bend a pocket clip or to sand down aggressive grip patterns...
 
David Mary said:
To be fair, I think "usually" should be "sometimes" or "often in the past, but not as much lately".
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Agreed...haven't had any issues with the various ones I've bought over the years. The Code 4 I just got needs the lock bar depressed a hair further than I would like, but that's been the worst I've experienced so far, which ain't too bad in my book.
 
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Twindog said:
The Tri-ad lock can be good or bad, and with Cold Steel it's usually bad -- difficult to close.
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Everyone's preferences are different, but this runs counter to my own experience with CS knives over the past several years.

FWIW, 100% of my Tri-Ad knives have broken in to the point where they drop freely (or almost freely) when the lock is disengaged. CS tends to design in a generous ricasso that allows you to safely let the blade drop onto your thumb or forefinger. On the ones that require more pressure to release, I use the joint of my thumb rather than the tip.
 
I have had a Cold Steel Recon 1 Spear Point, an American Lawman, and a Code 4 Spear point.

Great knives. Edges have come from the factory very sharp (except the Lawman. For some reason, I never could get that knife sharp). Awesome lock-up.

However, I have gifted both the Recon 1 and American Lawman. I didn't vibe with them.

They're great knives though.

Edit: Forgot to mention, my Cold Steels have all been smooth. The Tri Ad breaks in very very nicely. At least on my three copies.
 
Smaug said:
Put a stack of business cards (or quarters) under the clip for a while; that loosens it up. Leave the blade half open somewhere for a week or so, and that loosens up the backspring lock just enough. It winds up being a sweet knife. I wound up selling mine because the thumb stud blocks through cuts at the back of the blade. No point in having such a big blade if that's gonna happen.


I think I'm going to get another Voyager L, clip, plain edge, and just take the clip off. Then, find a sheath the right size and use this for my folding woods knife.


For the American Lawman, they don't appear to be coated, like a cheap paint, but some kind of finish that is baked INTO the steel. It should hold up very well. Experience on that, anyone?
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Luckily I found a titanium deep carry clip on Etsy, so no need to modify the clip on the Code 4. That said, I have tweaked all of my other CS pocket clips in a vice and by sanding down the scales.
 
Smaug said:
Just wanted to crap in the thread, huh?

I don't know how you could even argue that it's hard to bend a pocket clip or to sand down aggressive grip patterns...
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yeah was being a downer in my typing. was poor form. you got me there and I admit it. my apologies to poster I posted that to.

I see many of his points differently from my first hand use. he has valid points for some. most dont apply to me from my experiences.

sorry, but didn't argue that point at all though, in bold and underlined. argued I shouldn't have to do it, nothing more than that. its important for op to consider if he wants to or doesn't, so worth mentioning. I should have typed better and nicer. I know better.
 
initially i wrote them off because of their manufacturing location, but that was before i bought a kudu
a measly 10 dollar knife i took on a backpacking trip with my dad, i swam with it, carved wood with it, beat on sticks with it, i even tried to break it with a large log, finally i did, but it took 6 full strength swings, now i own a recon 1, american lawman, voyager, and a espada, so my opinion? they are beasts
 
I carry the Cold Steel ProLite Tanto as EDC. It's very robust, sharp (german Krupp Steel) and light. I like it for it's practical size and the Triad-Lock is crazy strong. On YT there is a Destruction Test Video of various folders and the CS is the only one which survives the enormous amount of abuse.
 
I've had more than a few Cold Steels, never kept any for one reason or another. If I were to get another one it would be a Recon 1 spear point or one of their fixed blades. I've already had 2 Recon 1s and sold them though, so I don't see another in my future. The company brings a good product to market for sure, not my cup of tea however.

midnight flyer said:
I posted this a while back. A few years ago a friend of mine went to SHOT show and actually met Lyn Thompson. Said he was the nicest guy, was having a blast just like everybody else there. No sign of the guy we we see in the videos.

The subject of the clips came up and Lyn explained it very handily and in a way that made perfect sense. He knew that a lot of his knives were put immediately to work (let's be honest; they are pretty for their spartan utility value, not for their elegance) by law enforcement, military, professional hunters/hikers/outdoor guides, workmen, etc., and not seen as collector's pieces. They are to be clipped to packs, utility belts, tool belts, hiking gear, military gear, gear straps, pack straps, all manner of deployment gear, and on and on. A strong, tight clip was requested by those folks.

Since it is easy to bend a pocket clip, he felt like it was easy to bend one. However... no so easy to tighten one up. When out in the field a real user may not have the time or proper equipment to remove the clip, bend it, then test it, then bend it again until it was just right. But using a trick I learned here (and have used it on all my CS knives since it was posted on BF) you can slip a couple of coins under the clip and leave it overnight to loosen it up. For me, my last CS (the Bush Ranger) took 3 quarters, but it is now perfect in my jeans. (I carry the knife for my construction duties).

Acknowledging the fact that everyone knows that G10 is easy to sand, he felt like the most aggressive G10 models (such as my Lawman) can easily be sanded to user preference. OR, they can be left as is and be more of a sure grip when being used in rain, with sweaty hands, or when using while wearing gloves. When the weather is bad and I know I am working outside, I truly appreciate the grippy G10 on my American Lawman.

Robert
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That's just ad copy from a great salesman.
 
craytab said:
I've had more than a few Cold Steels, never kept any for one reason or another. If I were to get another one it would be a Recon 1 spear point or one of their fixed blades. I've already had 2 Recon 1s and sold them though, so I don't see another in my future. The company brings a good product to market for sure, not my cup of tea however.


That's just ad copy from a great salesman.
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That's how I feel. Just not my cup of tea. Blade stock is thick. They're great for a self defense knife I suppose! Or for some wood working.
 
The tri ad lock is very secure and strong, which is the shiniest point of CS folders. However, together with that also comes the relative difficulty of operating the lock, for both opening and disengaging the lock (no need to school me on this as I have owned plenty of CS folders and know exactly how to operate the lock). It may or may not be easy to bend the clip and sand the g10, but if that is something I have to do on a brand new knife, it is already something undesirable. I have not bought the latest CS folders with the black clip but man, the paint on mine goes off when you just blow air on them. Recon 1 S35VN or CTS-XHP at $100 is definitely a great value. Not sure about some of the newer ones at nearly $200 each.
 
I am a retired Law Enforcement Officer. I carried a Cold Steel AK-47 for many years. When my son joined the USMC, I bought one for him. He has carried it several years. It served him well during two deployments. He still carries it. I still carry mine as well. I recommend this knife as well as several other Cold Steel products. Good luck and let us know what you end up with.
 
I'm a CS fan. I own 2 Ultimate Hunters (UH), Recon 1 (spear), Code 4 (spear), and a SRK fixed blade (sk5 steel). I think CS offers great bang for the buck in knives. Yes, their videos of guys stabbing stuff swinging on ropes is mall ninja but it doesn't bother me.

I like a long and thick handle. I usually wear a XL or 2XL glove. I prefer the handles of the UH over the Code 4 (too thin and I dont like metal handles), Lawman (too thin), and AK47 (funky shaped handle) which all sport 3.5" blades.

I'd recommend an Ultimate Hunter. If you prefer a thinner handle, the Lawman or Code 4 (if you dont mind metal handles).

If you want a big boi knife, the Recon 1 is awesome too.
 
CS offers a lot of value. S35vn flat ground blades or XHP on older models which are hollow ground. Most are generally under 100 bucks, made in Taiwan, have good fit and finish and grinds, and come razor sharp out the box. I own or have owned almost every model of folder including multiples of some i prefer most, from small to XL sizes. Some models use more modest steels with a lower price point. Some offer more than one blade shape. Some use no liners and thick G10 to keep the weight down which i like. Some have very aggressive G10 texturing and yes the clips are very tight. Both can be modified easy enough. All have excellent Heat treat in my experience. The tri-ad lock is stronger than anything you'll ever need although the same could be said for any lock type really for EDC use. The code 4 and tuff lite are a little easier to disengage the lock on my examples (owned Three code 4 and two A lawmans). My favorites for edc are the code 4, lawman, and tuff lite although I’ll admit they don’t get a lot of carry lately since I have nicer folders now but they are perfectly serviceable and good value for the money imo and got carried plenty at the time. The tuff lite is an amazing and affordable smaller folder that’s very useful at about 30 bucks and still sees some use. My recommendation would be to pick a model in a size and design you like. Cant go wrong with any of them really.
 
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Edgeoflife said:
CS offers a lot of value. S35vn flat ground blades or XHP on older models which are hollow ground. Most are generally under 100 bucks, made in Taiwan, have good fit and finish and grinds, and come razor sharp out the box.
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I think that is one of the factors that keeps me interested in the CS product line. I like the consistency of the end product. My complaint is I have run into some lock stick, enough that I sent a Code 4 back. I don't worry about the newest fad of having the knife "drop shutty", and for my personal safety reasons out on the job expect to treat the knife as a tool and close it with both hands. While all my CS knives are smooth as silk to open and snap to lock, there is no "high speed deployment" for me. Thankfully, these are work tools, so that's fine. I just need my knives to be sturdy and stay sharp.

Edgeoflife said:
My recommendation would be to pick a model in a size and design you like. Cant go wrong with any of them really.
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When looking at the full catalogue, I am not sure there is another knife maker out there that has a larger, more diverse catalogue of products. Bowies, folders of all kinds, kitchen knives, hatchets, spear points, traditional knives such as the Bushman, and on and on. Plenty to look at! I agree with the comments on the price to value, both up and down. To me, CS makes a simple utility driven knife, and really not sure they will do well in the $200+ market with their current offerings. I sincerely hope they don't go the way of ZT and start making art knives and collectibles that are not priced for the average working man to put in his pocket and take to work.

Robert
 
midnight flyer said:
When looking at the full catalogue, I am not sure there is another knife maker out there that has a larger, more diverse catalogue of products. Bowies, folders of all kinds, kitchen knives, hatchets, spear points, traditional knives such as the Bushman, and on and on. Plenty to look at! I agree with the comments on the price to value, both up and down. To me, CS makes a simple utility driven knife, and really not sure they will do well in the $200+ market with their current offerings. I sincerely hope they don't go the way of ZT and start making art knives and collectibles that are not priced for the average working man to put in his pocket and take to work.

Robert
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Spyderco has a more diverse offering of actual tools, and unlike cold steel they actually make many of them.

ZT was always the higher end line of Kershaw, not even comparable to COLD Steel really. Kershaw as a whole is in far more working pockets than Cold steel could ever hope (and they actually make a lot of knives unlike cold steel).

Cold Steel brings to market some good quality, innovative, and fun stuff, no doubt. But let's not let the brand love allow us to keep our head in the clouds and drink too much of the cool-aid, shall we?
 
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vjb.knife said:
I would like to try one of the Cold Steel Triad lock folders but I have never seen them. There are no dealers here on the island so I have no oportunity to check them out. I have a good source but the question is which model? If you own one and like it, please let me know what you think of it.
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Right now, my favorites for EDC are the Recon 1, Code 4, and Voyager. Tough knives that won’t break the bank.

If you want something higher end, check out the Ultimate Hunter and AD knives.
 
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