Cold steel prices

V

Vlade

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Feb 8, 2020
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I was looking through knifecenter today and I found the knife that I have out of many, for one of them I paid $179 from knifecenter the same knife today is $129. How could the prices go down like this? It doesn't make sense everything else is going up in price. Is the quality gone down as well as the price is the question. Any insights on why this is happening?
 
Yeah me too I haven't bought a cold steel knife in quite a while. And I don't plan on buying anymore. I've moved on to other brands as well. I think I'm going to give Spyderco a good look. I always used to like a Kershaw but even their quality is going downhill. The USA models aren't what they used to be. So they're out of the question too. And I'm not spending $300 on a ZT. Which I've heard a lot of complaints about lately.
 
I've noticed that CS goes on sale frequently these days. We hear a lot of chatter around here of customer service being absent or slow.

The kid in me would be thrilled to see Cold Steel sponsoring TV shows on the outdoor channels, but without LT the magic is gone, it seems. For me anyway.

I still love the classics tho! When I upgraded from a Spyderco Endura to a CS Voyager back in the 90s I thought that folding tanto would be the last knife I would ever need!

I just ordered a Spyderco Subvert sprint for myself so I would encourage you to try a Spyderco for sure. I try to have a Delica for every occasion and I love the Police model as well!
 
That wasn't on sale that was the regular price $129. Soon they'll be reduced to junk and nobody will want them. Spyderco is next on my list
 
Vlade said:
That wasn't on sale that was the regular price $129. Soon they'll be reduced to junk and nobody will want them. Spyderco is next on my list
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I feel almost like CS is in a tight spot, tho I'm certain the corporation that runs it has no idea. It's really tough for a company to be both a collector brand and a "user" brand. Lots of folks collect CS but they have mostly always been about the knife user/abuser for the most part.

I think Spyderco balances this best of the Big Boys; Benchmade is decent at it too, and they really try with the Gold Class.

I should say that in, like, 3 decades of using and using hard Cold Steel products, I have NEVER needed any service of any kind on any of the dozens I have owned.
But, if a person needs it and it isn't there, that's certainly not good and people's stories are very believable.
 
Kiteman72 said:
I feel almost like CS is in a tight spot, tho I'm certain the corporation that runs it has no idea. It's really tough for a company to be both a collector brand and a "user" brand. Lots of folks collect CS but they have mostly always been about the knife user/abuser for the most part.

I think Spyderco balances this best of the Big Boys; Benchmade is decent at it too, and they really try with the Gold Class.

I should say that in, like, 3 decades of using and using hard Cold Steel products, I have NEVER needed any service of any kind on any of the dozens I have owned.
But, if a person needs it and it isn't there, that's certainly not good and people's stories are very believable.
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There is no customer service. Cold steel is dead the only thing left is the bury the casket
 
What CS do you need? Knives are very simple tools with just a few parts. Everything remains equal, I rather to have lower prices than free sharpening, free pocket clips, discount blade replacements kind of nonsense. 30-day return period is more than enough of an insurance against defects and poor workmanship.
 
00max00 said:
What CS do you need? Knives are very simple tools with just a few parts. Everything remains equal, I rather to have lower prices than free sharpening, free pocket clips, discount blade replacements kind of nonsense. 30-day return period is more than enough of an insurance against defects and poor workmanship.
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Is that their policy now? 30 day return policy? If that's true that's not too bad I guess.
 
I just saw a full on TV commercial on the Sportsman channel and they clearly think they are killing it.

Also, if you have never had a knife go south on you after 30 days of owning it, you are a much luckier person than I am. But as I stated earlier, I've not had to use CS's CS so I really have nothing to complain about.
 
Cold Steel is trying to liquidate their inventory of LT knives so they can change the economics of their brand. They will probably go more mainstream. That's why Cold Steel knives keeps going on sale.

Cold Steel fanboys like me hate it because there's no replacing Lynn Thompson's design intent. The reason we like CS knives in the first place will get overlooked by GSM dumbfucks who know "all about marketing" and nothing about the real reasons people enjoyed and gravitated to Cold Steel.

My advice, take advantage of the sales while you can. Cold Steel can cease to be a brand overnight if China merely shakes their sabers at Taiwan. All those older Taiwan-made blades will become instant collectors' items and all those Japan made blades will become unicorn/grail knives.
 
In observing CS prices, some models fluctuate greatly (Laredo, Natchez, Leatherneck, Warcraft series) and others are pretty stable such as the Trailmaster, Kukri, and Magnum Tanto series.

Generally the lowest I see the San Mai Trailmaster selling for is just over $250.00 but once I saw it for $223.00.
 
Not much they make, that I don’t already own, is of interest to me these days. I keep waiting for the post saying they’ve been sold again or gone out of business. Were I to buy more, I’d only buy classics in CV or SM3.
 
Vlade said:
I was looking through knifecenter today and I found the knife that I have out of many, for one of them I paid $179 from knifecenter the same knife today is $129. How could the prices go down like this? It doesn't make sense everything else is going up in price. Is the quality gone down as well as the price is the question. Any insights on why this is happening?
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It's the law of supply and demand. When inflation causes consumers to cut back on spending, nonessentials and toys get cut first.
This reduced demand forces the supply to sell for less, or not at all.
 
ChuteTheMall said:
It's the law of supply and demand. When inflation causes consumers to cut back on spending, nonessentials and toys get cut first.
This reduced demand forces the supply to sell for less, or not at all.
Click to expand...
I'll be the first one to tell you I don't know the first thing about economics. But what you said makes sense, thank you for your knowledge
 
The only thing in the near future I might have interest from Cold Steel is a Spartan with premium steel, a 5 Max, and a Kobun in S35VN. I can't think of anything else off hand.

I'm sure I'll think of some other things though.. They need to bring back the Recon Tantos in CPM...
 
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