- Joined
- Feb 25, 2020
- Messages
- 35
Probably done to death, but I'll give my impressions. I'm not normally a "big" folding knife guy; I have Buck 110 that rarely sees daylight because it's not pocket carry friendly. Typically carry 3" or so light folders with thinner blade profiles. But I saw a review for the Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter and bought it. For $80 I was very impressed with it. Scary-sharp, great blade profiles with plenty of belly, super comfortable handle profile and rock solid Triad Lock. Had some store e-gift cards and bought an AD10 this week for $50 cost to me (after gift cards). Overall they both impress the heck out of me. I would feel comfortable using these as EDC (with casual/looser pants/shorts for the AD10) or as camp/hiking/hunting knives. In fact I spent a weekend in the Western MD mountains last week at a rustic camp and only brought the Ultimate Hunter for a knife. Didn't feel like I was "under-knifed" at all for food prep, light wood work, etc.
My impressions:
-the UH is definitely more carry-comfortable and is noticeably lighter and smaller in hand and pocket.
-both came VERY sharp, but I think the UH actually came a tad sharper, but I don't have any scientific way to prove that.
-the AD10 is way slicker of an open/close action. The UH takes noticeably more finger-pressure to open it and close it. I can open both one-handed but the AD10 is much easier/smoother
-the G10 handles on the AD10 are smoother than the UH's G10 scales. Not sure if that's a plus or a minus, as the UH's slightly rougher texture may give better grip when wet. The scales on the AD10 feel almost smooth.
-while I thought the UH's handle shape was super-comfortable (and it is!), the AD10's grip is even better because of it's increased width and height. It's hand-filling. Feels better than some fixed blades I own. The AD10's pocket clip is obnoxious and I'll be replacing it with a slimmer one.
The AD10 is just in another class for heft and feeling solid. Not that the UH feels like a lightweight.
Things I'd change on the AD10:
-Jimping; while the jimping cuts on the UH go through the handle scales and the middle lock bar/spacer, on the AD10 for some reason they only go through the scales and the liners but not the middle lock bar/spacer. Which, unless you're coming in from an angle on the handle, means that the jimping doesn't work really since you've got a smooth middle at the same height. They should have cut them all the way across like on the UH.
-pocket clip: use the one from the UH or something equally slimmer.
-blade spine: leave a short section at the rear of the blade's spine with a 90 degree edge to strike fire steel with. Odd that this knife would ignore that. The UH has ample sharp 90 deg. back to it for fire steel or scraping shavings. I like the swedge on the top of the AD10's blade though...
Things I'd change on the UH:
-thumb studs. Put the bigger ones from AD10 on it
That's it.
My impressions:
-the UH is definitely more carry-comfortable and is noticeably lighter and smaller in hand and pocket.
-both came VERY sharp, but I think the UH actually came a tad sharper, but I don't have any scientific way to prove that.
-the AD10 is way slicker of an open/close action. The UH takes noticeably more finger-pressure to open it and close it. I can open both one-handed but the AD10 is much easier/smoother
-the G10 handles on the AD10 are smoother than the UH's G10 scales. Not sure if that's a plus or a minus, as the UH's slightly rougher texture may give better grip when wet. The scales on the AD10 feel almost smooth.
-while I thought the UH's handle shape was super-comfortable (and it is!), the AD10's grip is even better because of it's increased width and height. It's hand-filling. Feels better than some fixed blades I own. The AD10's pocket clip is obnoxious and I'll be replacing it with a slimmer one.
The AD10 is just in another class for heft and feeling solid. Not that the UH feels like a lightweight.
Things I'd change on the AD10:
-Jimping; while the jimping cuts on the UH go through the handle scales and the middle lock bar/spacer, on the AD10 for some reason they only go through the scales and the liners but not the middle lock bar/spacer. Which, unless you're coming in from an angle on the handle, means that the jimping doesn't work really since you've got a smooth middle at the same height. They should have cut them all the way across like on the UH.
-pocket clip: use the one from the UH or something equally slimmer.
-blade spine: leave a short section at the rear of the blade's spine with a 90 degree edge to strike fire steel with. Odd that this knife would ignore that. The UH has ample sharp 90 deg. back to it for fire steel or scraping shavings. I like the swedge on the top of the AD10's blade though...
Things I'd change on the UH:
-thumb studs. Put the bigger ones from AD10 on it
That's it.
Last edited: