Has Cold Steel come that far?

os_tempore

os_tempore

Wargrip & Cerakote
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Back in the 90s and early 2000s, I had a few items from Cold Steel (via BudK). For a youngin it was fine, but now that I actually use knives now for more than hitting dead trees, having a CS doesn't sound appealing.

Have they really come a long way or are they just marketed better? A few designs have nice lines. I'd hate to discover it was a CCP pot metal rat tang knife when it counted...
 
I used to feel confident to recommend Cold Steel in general , as a brand name .

New owners are changing all that . Marketing some shameful crap under the label .

Best to ask more specifically about what you are interested in .

Most of the older designs , made in USA , Japan or Taiwan have excellent steel / HT and great values if you shop around .
 
i think they still make some of the best pocket knives for the money and they are still one of my favorite brands, look at all the quality models you can still buy for a decent price like the ad-10, sr1, voyagers large and xl, ultimate hunter, recon folder, bush ranger and also the push daggers

the cold steel regular size tanto voyager is one of my all time favorite knives, gets more carry time more expensive knives i own
 
CS, prior to the GSM purchase, made some outstanding knives: Voyager series, Trailmaster/Recon Scout, Gurkha Kukri, Master Hunter, etc. Didn't the Seals use SRT's and LTC Khuks? Those who considered CS knives as mall ninja products missed out. I can't say how the GSM purchase has changed things, if at all, but CS knives were carried into combat many times over and were solid friends in the field.

My "China Doll" Chinese Gurkha Kukri is as good as it gets. My pre-GSM 3V Recon Scout is something to behold. My Taiwan Voyagers are true work horses. My mid-90's LTC has been to hell and back, almost literally. It'll outlast mankind 😆 don't even get me started on my CS extra stout rattan cane or Big Bore blowgun;):p
 
os_tempore said:
Back in the 90s and early 2000s, I had a few items from Cold Steel (via BudK). For a youngin it was fine, but now that I actually use knives now for more than hitting dead trees, having a CS doesn't sound appealing.

Have they really come a long way or are they just marketed better? A few designs have nice lines. I'd hate to discover it was a CCP pot metal rat tang knife when it counted...
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I started buying CS knives in the 80s. CS has always carried serious knives along with wacky stuff and junk in their product line. My early Carbon V SRK and Master Hunter were my go-to knives. After having owned and sold off all my CS knives (maybe 20 or so), I still keep and use my San Mai III Trail Master.
While CS may be an extreme in this regard, most Knife Companies carry great/good knives as well as not so great. I believe there is a fundamental flaw in assuming a fixed standard for a knife simply because of the brand. Especially as knife fans, we really need to measure each knife on it's own merits.
CS, even under their new GSM ownership still offers their serious established models and even some better steel options. While at the same time they are also offering cheaper stuff that knife fans would likely avoid.
Where CS really deserves hard criticism is their Customer Support, which use to be good but has now been devastated by the GSM takeover. Hopefully that will not be a permanent trait.
As for CCP stuff, CS is hardly alone. Nearly all Knife Companies use MIC for the lowest/lower end models. But even this may well change in time.
 
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My impression is Cold Steel has always focused on quality despite what people may consider over the top marketing. I think they have only improved with time and the quality of the GSM models are still good so far.

As far as customer support and warranty resolutions under the new GSM management we all know that has gone to total crap. The chances are your knife will be great but if you are one the few unlucky ones who happen to get the once in a blue moon lemon then you better have all your purchasing paper work to prove you brought it or you are screwed. Frankly I wouldn't be surprised if you are screwed even if you do have your proof of purchase handy. As long as you can live with this I would still recommend Cold Steel as a very good value.

I also did not like their "blood groove" marketing crap to describe a fuller. I know that must be some GSM employee's stupid marketing idea. Lynn Thompson never used terms like that as far as I know.
 
Havent' tried any of the new designs. The old designs appear to still be made well. I consider them well designed and well made. The American Lawman in CPM S35VN is one of my favorite blades. I can't speak for customer support under the new regime. I've never used any knife company's customer support.
 
I just hope they don't scrap all the fully functional knife styles that are not available (in a practical sense) from anywhere else but Cold Steel. The thing about Cold Steel's weirder offerings is that they are not fantasy knives nor are they junk. They are often based on real time tested and proven designs from different cultures or new designs that put function over looks.

One thing that can be a headache to people living in states with irrational knife laws and thieving political leaders making promises they know they can't deliver in any practical manner is what appears to be Lynn Thompson's view that if any kind of knife or tool can be effectively used as a weapon that it makes it a more desirable and better product overall. He considers it an added plus and he will market that to no end even if the product is primarily designed for utility non-weapon use.

As far as large knives designed specifically as weapons, well he relishes them. They seem to be his favorites and he says they can perform most or any utility tasks that smaller knives can and encourages people to choose them. He also gives graphic tips on what they do and how to use them for defense as well as conceal them. He has no bones about doing so and I have to respect the firm stance he takes on the matter.

I am not sure if GSM's lawyers share the same marketing goals but I think it would be a big mistake to attempt to moderate the Cold Steel line of products to conform to current political anti 2nd amendment trends. Cold Steel caters to a very pro-second amendment market and I believe they make up the largest share of profits to the company.

Cold Steel customers are not likely idiots either so using ignorant marketing terms like "Blood Groove" to describe a fuller is a mistake. I am sure this is one point in which GSM's lawyers and most Cold Steel customers would agree upon.
 
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As others have said, Cold Steel has always had products that catered to the mall-ninja types while also offering "serious" products for a different sort of enthusiast.
 
I have bought plenty of CS knives over the years and have given away a bunch as well, but I still think highly of the brand though I haven't acquired any recently. The new compact SRK looks like a winner IMHO.
 
I like the older models of Cold Steel, especially the ones with upgraded steel in recent years, but the cheaper stuff since GSM took over doesn't appeal to me much. It depends on what you want a knife for and if it's a folder or fixed blade you're looking for.

You can still get the Tiger Claw, Code 4, Demko AD-10, American Lawman, Ak-47, and Recon 1 all in CPM-S35VN steel, with G10 handles. If you want a quality knife, but don't want it to be too chunky, they might not be the brand for you. I'd advise anyone humming and hawing about getting the older models with upgraded materials to get them sooner than later though. You'd hate to wait to get them and find the materials downgraded and the factories in Mainland China (where there's a tendency of US knife companies to have poor quality control), instead of Taiwan.
 
knarfeng said:
Havent' tried any of the new designs. The old designs appear to still be made well. I consider them well designed and well made. The American Lawman in CPM S35VN is one of my favorite blades. I can't speak for customer support under the new regime. I've never used any knife company's customer support.
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The old designs like the Recon Tanto and SRK are still probably solid buys.
 
Cold Steel is a funny company. They sell mall ninja stuff, then make/made serious stuff to prove that they are real serious, to sell their more of their mall ninja stuff. With the new management though, they are become more generic.
 
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