SK5 vs San Mai vs 3v, your favorite CS fixed blade, steel, what you do with it

OD Green!
Cold Steel Exclusive SRK CPM-3V Fixed Blade Knife
 
the srk in 3v was 95 bucks last week.....BTW I got olive drab one. knife didn't fit in sheath. we talked about it in cold steel needs to fix their secure ex sheaths thread......
 
Benjamin Liu said:
My favorite CS knife is the Tanto/Master Tanto series.

I really like the design and the feel of the handle.

I'm not sure which steel they were/are made in is the best, my original Tanto's mystery steel, or my Master Tantos' San Mai or 3V.

I don't think it really matters much.

I did not include the Outdoorsman since I don't have one yet.
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Now I have one.

The Outdoorsman was on my list since the late 1980s but I did not get one until a few days ago.

For those wondering, the it fits the sheath of my Buck Special I bought in 2000, though I'm not sure about current sheaths.
 
So since I have the SRK in 3v and San Mai, I might as well get the cheap one too to round out the collection
 
Deadshot138 said:
So since I have the SRK in 3v and San Mai, I might as well get the cheap one too to round out the collection
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Just the opposite here. I had (and still have) carbon steel SRKs - truly like and use them; I'm a carbon steel guy for my fixed blades generally.

However, the benefits of 3V cannot be ignored so a ways back I got one of them eventually as well. Then came the current sale, along with this thread by you bunch of enablers and, well - the rest is history as they say.

For what it's worth, I somehow picker up an SRK San Mai along the way somehow and it's never been used. I guess I own it just because.
 
SALTY said:
Just the opposite here. I had (and still have) carbon steel SRKs - truly like and use them; I'm a carbon steel guy for my fixed blades generally.

However, the benefits of 3V cannot be ignored so a ways back I got one of them eventually as well. Then came the current sale, along with this thread by you bunch of enablers and, well - the rest is history as they say.

For what it's worth, I somehow picker up an SRK San Mai along the way somehow and it's never been used. I guess I own it just because.
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I would have bought an SRK in SK5, if they hadn't greatly weakened the tip by switching to a hollow grind. The CPM-3V and San Mai 3 versions have flat grinds and strong tips. The old carbon V versions had flat grinds and strong tips, as did the old AUS-8A version.
 
DDDYLN said:
The OD green looks sweet, abc that's a ridiculously low price for CPM-3V. I bought the Black handled version for $137, which was a good deal at the time. Perhaps CPM-3V will get less expensive over time (not that I need anymore knives).
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Still think it's well worth it at $137. This was quoted by Midway as a "one time price" or something of that sort at approx $106 before tax. I got an extra 10% off because I had never ordered from them before (added to the mailing list). But the whole package is really well thought out, including the sheath.

I'm curious if anyone knows what hrc Cold Steel runs their 3v at?
 
There is nothing wrong with the heat treating of Cold Steels 3V; its being done by Peters and they are well known for doing an excellent heat treat job.I have a Trailmaster and recon scout in 3v their grind lines and finish are fine. Ive used the 3v Recon Scout and it performs great. I carved down a couple of 6" diameter pieces of wood to make the end pointy to hammer into the ground for fence posts,it really worked well and the knife was still sharp afterwards.The Carothers are great knives,just about the best out there,but they are hard to come by ; the latest list to get on is long sold out .Theres 1 big chopper/bowie on the exchange if you want to pay over 1000.00 for it.And they are double the price on the popular auction site.
 
goldie said:
There is nothing wrong with the heat treating of Cold Steels 3V; its being done by Peters and they are well known for doing an excellent heat treat job.I have a Trailmaster and recon scout in 3v their grind lines and finish are fine. Ive used the 3v Recon Scout and it performs great. I carved down a couple of 6" diameter pieces of wood to make the end pointy to hammer into the ground for fence posts,it really worked well and the knife was still sharp afterwards.The Carothers are great knives,just about the best out there,but they are hard to come by ; the latest list to get on is long sold out .Theres 1 big chopper/bowie on the exchange if you want to pay over 1000.00 for it.And they are double the price on the popular auction site.
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I had no idea cold steel's 3v was treated at Peter's. That is ideal news but I wonder if it varies by the country producing it (italy vs taiwan for example). I wasn't complaining about their 3v heat treat (haven't tested it yet), was just curious being that I've read different hrc's on their 3v specifically.

For the record, I am very pleased with my purchase. I appreciate the flat saber of the 3v vs the hollow grind of the SK5 version. The sheath only required a little bit of elbow grease to function perfectly, I hope others read of the fix because before that the thought of not being able to use it really soured the good vibes. The edge grind (just the edge) arrived uneven from one side to the next but that doesn't bother me at all. It was pleasantly thinner than I expected and screaming sharp (outside of moras it's the sharpest factory grind I've received).

Even the swedge came pretty sharp, too sharp in fact. I'll be filing it down so it doesn't eat up batons. Was my first cold steel product and the only one I'm really interested in but I'm very happy with it as a whole package - and if it's heat treated at Peter's it's an unbelievable value.

jux t said:
I’m only going off memory, but I think I saw their CPM-3V Master Hunter independently tested at 61.
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That's good news :)
 
I have the SK5 and the 3V SRK and my SK5 sits unused in a backup bag. I find the 3V, with its false edge and 90° spine, more useful for me. My 3V SRK has been batoned for wood and beef bones. Thrown at anything and folded the tip once when it hit a rock which I reground easily with a cheapo Smith's diamond sharpener. Keeps a sharp edge really really well and I don't have trouble resharpening it. I have not really seen the edge chip, more like minor burrs almost invisible can mainly feel it when doing the paper test and easily fixed with a DMT rod.

I have enroute an orange-handled/sheathed SRK-C in 3V and can't wait to see what it can do for me!

EDIT: I have also used the 3V SRK in saltwater cutting up bait/rope etc and I have yet to see corrosion from such exposure. I do wash it in freshwater once I get home at most but that would be a good many hours that would have definitely put rust into my 1095 knives.


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