QUESTION: Cold Steel serrations VS Spyderco serrations

M

Mikel_24

Joined
Sep 19, 2007
Messages
2,905
Gents,

Title says it all. How do these patterns compare in real use and maintenance?

I own several Spydercos with partial or totally serrated edges and I also own a Sharpmaker, which helps me keeping them in good shape.

Currently I don't own any Cold Steel products. I used to own a Pocket Bushman that I finally sold. Great knife but it was plain edge, so I doesn't allow me to compare.

I am considering buying a Recon 1 and recently saw a picture of a Recon 1, black blade and fully serrated (sans the first 3/4 near the tip). The smallish serrations have me intrigued. How do you sharpen those little serrations? Sharpmaker will not fit in there.

And also, how do those serrations cut compared to Spyderco's??

Thanks in advance!
 
I've heard that Spyderco's serrations are easier to maintain (especially if you have a Sharpmaker.) I believe Lansky makes a special sharpening rod for Cold Steel serrations, I think some people call it a "crock stick" or something like that. No real personal experience though as I don't care for serrations
 
Lansky makes a special serrated Cold Steel sharpener. It is about $7. Works great.
 
I dont think it matterso_O
 
Personally I much prefer the Spyderco serrations. I have knives from each company with serrations. The Spyderco serrations are easier to sharpen and seem to cut rope more cleanly and easily IMO.
 
I know nothing abt Cold Steel or Spyderco serrations. If I must have serrations on a knife, I'd let Tom Veff put the serrations on my knife. Veff serrations do not tear, they very effectively SLICE. Buy a plain blade and send it to Tom Veff!

You can find Tom Veff on Facebook. His serration technology is used by CRKT. Videos of his serrations are on YouTube.
 
The Cold Steel serration pattern has more fragile "teeth".
I have had them blunt and break off where the Spyderco pattern keeps on going.
They will both cut things; my gripe is with the fragility.
 
Cold Steel Recon 1 in plain edge would serve you better, absolute favourite hard working knife. Spyderco tends to do serrations the best out of any company in my opinion. If you want some true workhorse power, grab a plain edge Recon 1 and pair it up with a Spyderco Pacific Salt fully serrated, those 2 will give you some serious cutting power for any outdoor work.
 
Mikel_24 said:
Gents,

Title says it all. How do these patterns compare in real use and maintenance?

I own several Spydercos with partial or totally serrated edges and I also own a Sharpmaker, which helps me keeping them in good shape.

Currently I don't own any Cold Steel products. I used to own a Pocket Bushman that I finally sold. Great knife but it was plain edge, so I doesn't allow me to compare.

I am considering buying a Recon 1 and recently saw a picture of a Recon 1, black blade and fully serrated (sans the first 3/4 near the tip). The smallish serrations have me intrigued. How do you sharpen those little serrations? Sharpmaker will not fit in there.

And also, how do those serrations cut compared to Spyderco's??

Thanks in advance!
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Cold Steal’s serrations remind me of those found on a cheap steak knife. You need that special croc stick to sharpen them at home.

Good luck with that because that means you are working with one grit.
 
spyderco serrations are better for most tasks. cold steel are hard to sharpen without the special sharpener. slicing meat their fine. harder things not so good.

the full serrated spydercos are some of the best cutters out there.
 
stabman said:
The Cold Steel serration pattern has more fragile "teeth".
I have had them blunt and break off where the Spyderco pattern keeps on going.
They will both cut things; my gripe is with the fragility.
Click to expand...
This. I find Cold Steel serrations are a bit more aggressive and suffer in the durability department a bit because of it.
 
Cold Steel serrations are fragile. The tips will break off with minimal use, and there is no way to fix it.

Spyderco's serrations are much more durable, and are easy to sharpen.

Serrations are not a good choice for most of the cutting I do, so I only have a few serrated knives.
 
I have a couple of each, mostly what I classify as " self defense " knives.... they get carried for " just in case " and NEVER used .....I carry a separate knife as a user....

my personal favorite from each company ATM is the

Spyderco Civilian full serrated
Cold Steel XL Vaquero full serrated

I'd NOT want to be on the bad side of either knife...

having some familiarity with both brands and their serrations, I can mimic what others have said, the Cold Steel is a more aggressive pattern, and IMHO is better when new....but under use they fade pretty quickly as the micro teeth break off leaving Spyderco with better serrations after even a few weeks of EDC use.

I guess it comes down to your planned useage... gonna cut stuff with it every day, cardboard boxes at work, open mail, dog food bags, clam shell packaging, etc etc, then I would opt for the spyderco....

Gonna carry it forever, and hope to god you never have to use it, but need it to be demonically wikkid sharp when / if you are ever called on to use it.... then go with Cold Steel.

simple question.... EDC or safe ( pocket ) queen?
 
Hawgsnawt said:
I guess it comes down to your planned useage... gonna cut stuff with it every day, cardboard boxes at work, open mail, dog food bags, clam shell packaging, etc etc, then I would opt for the spyderco....

Gonna carry it forever, and hope to god you never have to use it, but need it to be demonically wikkid sharp when / if you are ever called on to use it.... then go with Cold Steel.
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This is my take as well. I've accidentally cut myself on my serrated Cold Steel Vaquero XL just looking at it -- those "needle" serrations are insanely sharp -- but I'd never EDC that knife (even in a smaller size). My serrated Spydies have broader, much more durable, serrations better-suited to regular use.
 
I carry two knives and exactly agree with carrying a dedicated SD/ emergency survival folder =Cold Steel XL Tawar , Holdout , or Vaquero in fully serrated form . There are just no better fighting folders ! But I save these for just that , not routine cutting chores. I also carry a big plain edged CS for regular cutting tasks . SE is not so good for chopping , baton , scraping , prying or other hard use .

Spyderco SE are easier to sharpen . But CS has the stronger lock and better overall value for your money .
 
DocJD said:
Spyderco SE are easier to sharpen . But CS has the stronger lock and better overall value for your money .
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What does having a stronger lock.have to do with the performance of CS serrations vs Spyderco serrations?

"Well I snapped all the serrated tips off, and I can't keep this edge sharp. But it won't fold on me when I use my knife to do pull-ups" :rolleyes:
 
I've never owned a cold steel with serrations for a reason. Just looking at them I can tell they are not durable. I would consider them a one time use item. In sd that might be fine but in actual knife work it is not. Spyderco hands down. Preferably in H1.
 
Todd21969 said:
What does having a stronger lock.have to do with the performance of CS serrations vs Spyderco serrations?

"Well I snapped all the serrated tips off, and I can't keep this edge sharp. But it won't fold on me when I use my knife to do pull-ups" :rolleyes:
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Because they also have plain edged knives . Besides the CS SE ain't THAT fragile . I haven't really tested the new CTS-XHP models with SE , but they should be much tougher than the old AUS8 . :cool::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
The lock has nothing to do with the topic. If they aren't fragile then why do some of the folks here report breaking them in normal use?
 
craytab said:
The lock has nothing to do with the topic. If they aren't fragile then why do some of the folks here report breaking them in normal use?
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The lock is an integral part of the functionality of any locking folder .

Normal for one is abuse for another . Chopping wood is very normal use for some knives but not for a SE ( IMO) .

If I had to choose a SE working knife , it would be a Spyderco . My first "modern" folder was the all stainless Police Model in SE , which I carried for many years .
 
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