I started this thread to advocate that the Mini Recon 1 should return to the Cold Steel lineup. I have seen a few members here who share my opinion.
I do not know if the reason for discontinuing the Mini Recon 1 models were related to poor sales or the issues with CTS XHP steel supply that I've heard led to the change to S35VN. Given how hard it is to find reasonably priced used Mini Recon 1's on the secondary market makes me think it could be the latter. I believe the the Mini Recon 1 is quite possible one of the most perfect folding knives on the market for many reasons.
First we'll start with blade length. I know many of the members here find the 3-inch blade of the Mini Recon 1 to be too short. But, for the wider knife market as a whole 3 to 3.25-inches is, in my opinion, the perfect blade length. Much less than 3-inches and you're going to find yourself needing more blade than you've got at some point. Much more than 3.25 is more than a lot of users need and/or want to get out in front of non-knife people.
Second, the G-10 handle of the Mini Recon 1 puts it above comparable (price-wise) knives. If we look at knives that fall into the same size/use/price/quality category as the Mini Recon 1, we'll find knives like the Benchmade Mini Griptilian and Mini Freek, Spyderco Native 5 FRN, and Spyderco Delica. All of these knives have nylon composite handles instead of G-10. I'll throw in the Kershaw Camber even though it's discontinued because it's one of my favorite similar sized EDCs which has aluminum handles with Trac-tec inserts for grip. None of this compares to the G-10 handle of the Mini Recon especially the new G-10 that came on the most recent CTS XHP version. You can upgrade to G-10 on a couple of the knives I mentioned (Mini Griptilian and Native 5) but that pushes the price up significantly over where the Mini Recon hit. If you're willing to spend more money you can also add the Spyderco Para3, Spyderco Sage 1, Spyderco Sage 5 and Benchmade Mini Barrage (plastic handle is more expensive than Mini Recon and you can get G-10 for even more than that), but those don't provide the same value as the Mini Recon. At the other end of the spectrum, you can compromise on blade steel to get G-10 handle in a comparably sized knife with options like the Spyderco Persistence, Efficient and Alcyone or the Kershaw Natrix series. The Mini Recon beats all of these comparable options in some way or another. It's got great blade steel, awesome G-10 handle, and comes in at a great price.
Finally, the Triad lock. Very few of the comparable options above have a lock that can beat the Triad. Of those options, the upgraded lockback Spyderco put into the Native 5 models comes closest in my opinion, but even that one doesn't compare to Triad.
I just can't believe that there isn't a market for the Mini Recon 1, and I'd love to see it return to the line-up once the switch-over to S35VN steel is complete.
I do not know if the reason for discontinuing the Mini Recon 1 models were related to poor sales or the issues with CTS XHP steel supply that I've heard led to the change to S35VN. Given how hard it is to find reasonably priced used Mini Recon 1's on the secondary market makes me think it could be the latter. I believe the the Mini Recon 1 is quite possible one of the most perfect folding knives on the market for many reasons.
First we'll start with blade length. I know many of the members here find the 3-inch blade of the Mini Recon 1 to be too short. But, for the wider knife market as a whole 3 to 3.25-inches is, in my opinion, the perfect blade length. Much less than 3-inches and you're going to find yourself needing more blade than you've got at some point. Much more than 3.25 is more than a lot of users need and/or want to get out in front of non-knife people.
Second, the G-10 handle of the Mini Recon 1 puts it above comparable (price-wise) knives. If we look at knives that fall into the same size/use/price/quality category as the Mini Recon 1, we'll find knives like the Benchmade Mini Griptilian and Mini Freek, Spyderco Native 5 FRN, and Spyderco Delica. All of these knives have nylon composite handles instead of G-10. I'll throw in the Kershaw Camber even though it's discontinued because it's one of my favorite similar sized EDCs which has aluminum handles with Trac-tec inserts for grip. None of this compares to the G-10 handle of the Mini Recon especially the new G-10 that came on the most recent CTS XHP version. You can upgrade to G-10 on a couple of the knives I mentioned (Mini Griptilian and Native 5) but that pushes the price up significantly over where the Mini Recon hit. If you're willing to spend more money you can also add the Spyderco Para3, Spyderco Sage 1, Spyderco Sage 5 and Benchmade Mini Barrage (plastic handle is more expensive than Mini Recon and you can get G-10 for even more than that), but those don't provide the same value as the Mini Recon. At the other end of the spectrum, you can compromise on blade steel to get G-10 handle in a comparably sized knife with options like the Spyderco Persistence, Efficient and Alcyone or the Kershaw Natrix series. The Mini Recon beats all of these comparable options in some way or another. It's got great blade steel, awesome G-10 handle, and comes in at a great price.
Finally, the Triad lock. Very few of the comparable options above have a lock that can beat the Triad. Of those options, the upgraded lockback Spyderco put into the Native 5 models comes closest in my opinion, but even that one doesn't compare to Triad.
I just can't believe that there isn't a market for the Mini Recon 1, and I'd love to see it return to the line-up once the switch-over to S35VN steel is complete.
