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- Aug 4, 2013
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- 3,988
So, the Cold Steel Arkansas Toothpick is a new model for 2021. Although I don't believe any have been released yet, I have looked real hard at their website's pics of them. I really want to like it, but... I think they screwed the pooch on one thing, that being the motifs done on the sheath's chape and throat, and on the handles pommel.
These are being made in Taiwan, where usually it's India, (most likely by Windlass Steelcrafts), that something of this genre is done for them. The steel is of 1055 carbon, so that will be in the same range of steel that CS uses for these types of designs, so no change there. As for how the blade is made, being done in Taiwan, it is most certainly made using modern cnc machinery, and the blade likely is done using the stock removal method, (where as the India produced CS blade would have started out as a hand forged blade that then gets sent to grinders for final shaping and such). As for the execution of fit and finish, the Taiwan product's outcome will be the more precise and consistent, (again, state of the art equipment being the big difference for that).
Okay, so, why am I having a hard time considering an order placement for the new CS Arkansas Toothpick?...
Well, it's those motifs I mentioned above. They seem so "mickey mouse" in their style. To me, they look like they were done by a kindergarten child. I really can't fully explain it, but the closest thing I can compare that motif design/artwork to, is that it looks like the type used on very inexpensive stainless steel wall hanger type knives and swords often found on the tables of flea market vendors. In other words, on something that would have a price tag of about $19.95.
It all seems pretty darn neat, and seemingly to be of a very respectable quality... but then my eyes are drawn to those motifs, especially the Crocodile/or Alligator figure, and I say to myself... "What were they thinking!". If indeed that is a Crocodile or Alligator that it's supposed to represent, boy did they really do poorly on it.
Anyhow, the way the motifs were executed on the chape, throat, and pommel, makes it all somehow look "cheap" to me.
Too bad, because if this had been done with some good styling, I think it would be a winner, (and I would not hesitate to purchase it).
These are being made in Taiwan, where usually it's India, (most likely by Windlass Steelcrafts), that something of this genre is done for them. The steel is of 1055 carbon, so that will be in the same range of steel that CS uses for these types of designs, so no change there. As for how the blade is made, being done in Taiwan, it is most certainly made using modern cnc machinery, and the blade likely is done using the stock removal method, (where as the India produced CS blade would have started out as a hand forged blade that then gets sent to grinders for final shaping and such). As for the execution of fit and finish, the Taiwan product's outcome will be the more precise and consistent, (again, state of the art equipment being the big difference for that).
Okay, so, why am I having a hard time considering an order placement for the new CS Arkansas Toothpick?...
Well, it's those motifs I mentioned above. They seem so "mickey mouse" in their style. To me, they look like they were done by a kindergarten child. I really can't fully explain it, but the closest thing I can compare that motif design/artwork to, is that it looks like the type used on very inexpensive stainless steel wall hanger type knives and swords often found on the tables of flea market vendors. In other words, on something that would have a price tag of about $19.95.
It all seems pretty darn neat, and seemingly to be of a very respectable quality... but then my eyes are drawn to those motifs, especially the Crocodile/or Alligator figure, and I say to myself... "What were they thinking!". If indeed that is a Crocodile or Alligator that it's supposed to represent, boy did they really do poorly on it.
Anyhow, the way the motifs were executed on the chape, throat, and pommel, makes it all somehow look "cheap" to me.
Too bad, because if this had been done with some good styling, I think it would be a winner, (and I would not hesitate to purchase it).
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