Serious questions about 4034 steel

L

LostCause

Joined
Apr 1, 2022
Messages
840
Here it goes:

You use it on everything from, large fixed blades to small folders, why?

I used my friend's knife in 4034 to gut some chickens and wasn't impressed at all. What made you make this decision to use 4034 steel?

Do you honestly believe that 4034 is an upgrade from O1?

Why is your 4034 Warcraft Tanto almost as expensive as 3V version that was on the market until recently?

Do you believe that your 4034 is close to CPM-3V in performance?
 
I hope you are not expecting a response from Cold Steel because the company has not had any representantive on this
subforum in quite some time.

If you are just posting these questions for the rest oif us, I think it's fair to say most of us feel the same way,
 
KenHash said:
I hope you are not expecting a response from Cold Steel because the company has not had any representantive on this
subforum in quite some time.

If you are just posting these questions for the rest oif us, I think it's fair to say most of us feel the same way,
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Well they did appear for a second for that giveaway thing, but regardless, I just wanted to ask, because who knows, they just might have to either answer or change something...

If this thread indeed does blow up, regardless of how unlikely that is.

In age where powder metal steels are everywhere and we see more and more breakthroughs in industry, they go after 4034 and then charge premium for it.

They either think their customers are dumb, or they hope to take advantage of unsuspecting newbies who just watched their old video or read some old posts about CS or whatever...
 
LostCause said:
Well they did appear for a second for that giveaway thing, but regardless, I just wanted to ask, because who knows, they just might have to either answer or change something...

If this thread indeed does blow up, regardless of how unlikely that is.

In age where powder metal steels are everywhere and we see more and more breakthroughs in industry, they go after 4034 and then charge premium for it.

They either think their customers are dumb, or they hope to take advantage of unsuspecting newbies who just watched their old video or read some old posts about CS or whatever...
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I would be delighted if a Cold Steel rep appeared here to answer those qiuestions, but I'd be shocked. Because I don't really see any valid reasons for going to 4034
except for economics. Even if they did not go to the latest and greatest, there are tons of other/better steels, many of whih CS has used in the past. But to give them credit they do offer "some" models in VG10 San Mai and CPM 3V.
 
KenHash said:
I would be delighted if a Cold Steel rep appeared here to answer those qiuestions, but I'd be shocked. Because I don't really see any valid reasons for going to 4034
except for economics. Even if they did not go to the latest and greatest, there are tons of other/better steels, many of whih CS has used in the past. But to give them credit they do offer "some" models in VG10 San Mai and CPM 3V.
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Yeah, they offer 3V but what's the price?

I got my AK-47 Field knife in 3V for 180€.

Today, that's the price of 4034 Warcraft tanto LOL
 
LostCause said:
Yeah, they offer 3V but what's the price?

I got my AK-47 Field knife in 3V for 180€.

Today, that's the price of 4034 Warcraft tanto LOL
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The only thing we consumers can do about any knife being priced "too high" in our opinion is not buy it. Enough people do this and the low sales volume will force
them to rethink their marketing strategy and either reduce the price or terminate the model.
 
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KenHash said:
The only thing we consumers can do about any knife being priced "too high" in our opinion is not buy it. Enough people do this and the low sales volume will force
them to rethink their marketing strategy and either reduce the price or ternminate the model.
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I sure as hell won't buy another Cold Steel except the one I already have.

While knife itself is great - I had to buy another sheath as glass filled Securex crap kept dulling it...
 
Back when CS had a representative here everyone asked about 4034. All we were told was how awesome it was and how it blew their minds. Even the knife/lock designer guy (can't recall his name right now) posted and said it was just super dooper. Its hard to imagine it being that good and, if they took a mediocre steel and made it great with heat treat, they should just start with a better steel and make it all super dooperer. The price for their 4034 knives is stupid.
 
jdk1 said:
Back when CS had a representative here everyone asked about 4034. All we were told was how awesome it was and how it blew their minds. Even the knife/lock designer guy (can't recall his name right now) posted and said it was just super dooper. Its hard to imagine it being that good and, if they took a mediocre steel and made it great with heat treat, they should just start with a better steel and make it all super dooperer. The price for their 4034 knives is stupid.
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I just read that thread... it was hard for me not to laugh react everything they said on really old thread 😅

I mean, I get it, they're trying to sell that shit but come on, how stupid you think your customers are?

Same as one youtuber that keeps praising it, on one video he struggled 30-40mins on speed up video to take down one small tree with that kukri, then went off camera to "wipe it down" which took ridiculously long time and then he came back like "wow it's still sharp!"

Not suspicious at all...


My friend gave me his 4034 outdoorsman to gut chickens with, gets dull fast, and if you even touch the bone with the edge - congrats, now you have spot that reflects light...
 
LostCause said:
I just read that thread... it was hard for me not to laugh react everything they said on really old thread 😅

I mean, I get it, they're trying to sell that shit but come on, how stupid you think your customers are?

Same as one youtuber that keeps praising it, on one video he struggled 30-40mins on speed up video to take down one small tree with that kukri, then went off camera to "wipe it down" which took ridiculously long time and then he came back like "wow it's still sharp!"

Not suspicious at all...


My friend gave me his 4034 outdoorsman to gut chickens with, gets dull fast, and if you even touch the bone with the edge - congrats, now you have spot that reflects light...
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David Martin (R.I.P.) used to test steels on processing chickens he raised on his farm. he used to keep count of how many he could process before edge wouldnt perform. it was scattered posts in his farm thread in the Buck forum. hard to dig up easily. going by memory 420hc wouldn't do too many, s90v preformed much better. id expect cold steels 4034 would perform less than Bucks 420hc.......
 
Well, the "Tree of Truth" guy likes it.

I've seen people posting that it is superior to carbon steels.

Not that I believe that.

IMO one of the biggest issues is replacing knives in a steel people like with a cheap steel, and keeping the prices at or near the original prices, or even raising the prices.

If the 4034 Warcraft was around the price of a Recon Tanto I might buy one just to test it out, but I wouldn't do it when the price is close to the 3V version that was discontinued.

I suppose if the goal was to sell all their remaining stock of 3V and O1 knives, and large SK5 knives, this could be seen as a good idea from some perspectives.
 
Benjamin Liu said:
Well, the "Tree of Truth" guy likes it.

I've seen people posting that it is superior to carbon steels.

Not that I believe that.

IMO one of the biggest issues is replacing knives in a steel people like with a cheap steel, and keeping the prices at or near the original prices, or even raising the prices.

If the 4034 Warcraft was around the price of a Recon Tanto I might buy one just to test it out, but I wouldn't do it when the price is close to the 3V version that was discontinued.

I suppose if the goal was to sell all their remaining stock of 3V and O1 knives, and large SK5 knives, this could be seen as a good idea from some perspectives.
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"Tree of truth" guy is promoting that shit on social media big time, it's even cringe to watch as he posts his videos of 4034 everywhere... he's the guy I mentioned who struggled for looong to take down a small tree with that kukri and then disappeared off camera for a good while to return to show how sharp it still is 😂

My friend himself was telling me it's the worst knife he has, which is why I wanted to try it out on chickens 🤣

And I see why it's his worst knife. Cheapo Mora he also had there did a lot better than this...

3V Warcraft tanto is the knife I really wanted to have the most... it's the knife that really got me into knives and steel.

Out of all ColdSteel knives in 3V the AK-47 was the only one I didn't want and wasn't attracted to it at all...
But Warcraft Tantos were always sold out and then just disappeared, 3V Recon Tanto got discontinued even before they did, SRK's were always sold out too... and one AK-47 field knife reappeared, just 1 piece, and it was for good price too. Apparently customer returned it because it came with tiny dark spots on steel as it somehow corroded I guess... so I realized I'm probably destined to own that one and took it.

I had no idea how much I'd like it until I held it in my hand, and it remains my favourite knife to this day.

And today 4034 costs more than that... which is insane...
 
I've heard this called a "kitchen sink steel"
May as well switch to the 5cr15 used on the Kudu... how they had absolutely no shame in making that knife in that steel? 😂 I love the Okapi, but mane I wanna cut with it!
 
Hashishiin said:
I've heard this called a "kitchen sink steel"
May as well switch to the 5cr15 used on the Kudu... how they had absolutely no shame in making that knife in that steel? 😂 I love the Okapi, but mane I wanna cut with it!
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5Cr15 has 0.45-0.50% of carbon.
4034 has 0.42-0.50% of carbon and even less other alloying elements 🤣🤣🤣

Steels ranging from 0.3 to 0.6% carbon are considered as medium carbon steels. So that isn't even high carbon steel 😂
 

4034 as treated by Cold Steel is within 17% of the edge holding of an average factory blade with AUS-8 or 440C.
Cold Steel knows their stuff.

4034 is an ideal choice for the Warcraft Tanto given the balance of toughness and stain resistance.
Does that mean it isn't overpriced? Maybe, maybe not. With inflation today this may very well be the new norm, all we can say for sure is anyone who bought a 3V Tanto pre-2020 can thank their lucky stars.
 
Joshua J. said:

4034 as treated by Cold Steel is within 17% of the edge holding of an average factory blade with AUS-8 or 440C.
Cold Steel knows their stuff.

4034 is an ideal choice for the Warcraft Tanto given the balance of toughness and stain resistance.
Does that mean it isn't overpriced? Maybe, maybe not. With inflation today this may very well be the new norm, all we can say for sure is anyone who bought a 3V Tanto pre-2020 can thank their lucky stars.
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Yeah but dude, we'd all take AUS-8 over 4034...so it being within 17% is a joke if you're paying more or the same for less performance. It's crazy.

Also don't wanna say a site that's not a supporter but the employer of David C Anderson is selling 3V SRK's in preorder right now for $145...so it's not like they're completely ripping people off with 3V prices.

Their 4034 knives should never exceed $50.
 
LostCause said:
5Cr15 has 0.45-0.50% of carbon.
4034 has 0.42-0.50% of carbon and even less other alloying elements 🤣🤣🤣

Steels ranging from 0.3 to 0.6% carbon are considered as medium carbon steels. So that isn't even high carbon steel 😂
Click to expand...

Cause it's one thing to buy 440-series equivs, AUS-8, AUS-10, I mess with all of that stuff
 
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Joshua J. said:

4034 as treated by Cold Steel is within 17% of the edge holding of an average factory blade with AUS-8 or 440C.
Cold Steel knows their stuff.

4034 is an ideal choice for the Warcraft Tanto given the balance of toughness and stain resistance.
Does that mean it isn't overpriced? Maybe, maybe not. With inflation today this may very well be the new norm, all we can say for sure is anyone who bought a 3V Tanto pre-2020 can thank their lucky stars.
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Except the fact I can still get Terava knives for fraction of the price and they outperform 4034 crap and are tougher.

I can also get LionSteel in Sleipner or Niolox for cheaper.

I can get Extrema Ratio for same price if I want a really big stainless knife that'll perform...

And those are Finnish and Italian brands, made in Finland and Italy. While Cold Steel is turning to China...
 
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