Would love to purchase an SRK and Master Hunter but have read several reviews stating that the rubber handles can become loose with use. Is this a common problem or is it most likely the result of improper use. And will CS replace the knife should it occur. Also read that certain chemicals can "melt/soften" the handle material
SRK and Master Hunter Handle Issues
- Thread starter sean1999
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- Feb 11, 2014
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I was quoted $50 last year to re-handle my SRK. I said funk that and contacted a knife maker that can make custom handles for it. That knife maker charged me the same price with better quality handle that will absolutely won't fail.
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I've been EDCing a Super Edge (same kind of handle construction) for years on my keys. Certainly a rougher way to carry a knife than on a belt. Zero problems. The knife is as good as the day I got it.
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I've had numerous Cold Steel knives and have never had a krayton handle come loose. I've seen the few stories of people complaining about it but have never personally experienced it. I have heard of people pulling the handles off and epoxy them on solid. I have had a few krayton handles removed and replaced with Micarta just for something different.
I contacted cold steel yesterday.Because i have a problem with an almost never used SRK in VG1.This Knife has no scratch and the handle wobbles(not much but as i said i used it only 3 times lite)
5 Years ago i had the same probleme with an recon tanto in aus8a.I didnt return it because it would cost me too much(im from EU)and i thought maybe its just mine.
I put a new handle on the recon.
But with the sanmai srk i dont want to do it .....i mean i paid almost 190us$ for it and used it 3 times lite(fish and meat)
if i would pay shipment to u.s. and back this knife would cost me almost 250us$
so this is "World's STRONGEST Sharpest Knives"???
im not hating on CS i just tell it how it is. i have many cs products.
i have an srk carbon v from 2000 and it has no flaws!
the handle from the carbon v srk is not soft like from the new models.
5 Years ago i had the same probleme with an recon tanto in aus8a.I didnt return it because it would cost me too much(im from EU)and i thought maybe its just mine.
I put a new handle on the recon.
But with the sanmai srk i dont want to do it .....i mean i paid almost 190us$ for it and used it 3 times lite(fish and meat)
if i would pay shipment to u.s. and back this knife would cost me almost 250us$
so this is "World's STRONGEST Sharpest Knives"???
im not hating on CS i just tell it how it is. i have many cs products.
i have an srk carbon v from 2000 and it has no flaws!
the handle from the carbon v srk is not soft like from the new models.
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- Dec 31, 2007
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- 435
Only CS handle I have had come loose (owned-among others-Original Tanto, Recon Scout which was primary outdoor knife for YEARS, two Kobun Tantos, and many more) was a Mini-Pendleton. One of the Kobuns was in a CAR FIRE (2006) where my Crown Vic patrol car caught fire and burned. The handle melted but I still had to use a super sharp knife to cut the rubber away. I still think there is always going to be a lemon every once in a while though.
a fake Recon Tanto for 28$ would be the same.melted rubber isnt easy to cut with a dull knife.
vg1sanmai3 is cold steels high-end product.so i think i can expect some quality control on a japan made knife.
You have had some remarkably bad luck with the handles. I have never received a new CS with a loose handle and have never had one
come loose from regular use. But of course I recognize that this kind of thing happens with any factory knife. Can you return the knife to your local EU dealer for repair and they can send it to CS Ventura? It seems that a "loose handle" should be warranty covered and a simple epoxy fix for them.
come loose from regular use. But of course I recognize that this kind of thing happens with any factory knife. Can you return the knife to your local EU dealer for repair and they can send it to CS Ventura? It seems that a "loose handle" should be warranty covered and a simple epoxy fix for them.
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- Jun 29, 1999
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- 9,317
Never had a problem with the Kraton grips on my SRK or Master Hunters after decades of hard use. Great design; never get slippery even under adverse conditions: cold, wet, blood, fat.
@UCPOPO
Yes i know how to fix it.
But this is not the point.The point is i paid lot of money for a knife from a company that calls himself or called himself "WORLD STRONGEST KNIVES..." now its (after cold steel sued crkt)"anytime anywhere"
imagine you buy an expensive sport car and the steering wheel wobbles.
and the car manufacturer is like "oh sorry to hear that.. you just have to glue it together ..then its a good car"
@KenHash
no its not just me.many ppl have this problem but:
1. some dont even know about it because they never used their knifes
2. some are just collectors
3. some are just dreaming about self defense
4 some are not on onlineforums like bladeforums
5 some are from asia or eu and just dont report it.
Yes i know how to fix it.
But this is not the point.The point is i paid lot of money for a knife from a company that calls himself or called himself "WORLD STRONGEST KNIVES..." now its (after cold steel sued crkt)"anytime anywhere"
imagine you buy an expensive sport car and the steering wheel wobbles.
and the car manufacturer is like "oh sorry to hear that.. you just have to glue it together ..then its a good car"
@KenHash
no its not just me.many ppl have this problem but:
1. some dont even know about it because they never used their knifes
2. some are just collectors
3. some are just dreaming about self defense
4 some are not on onlineforums like bladeforums
5 some are from asia or eu and just dont report it.
Krusher,
I didn't say it was just you. We have heard reports of handles becoming loose, mostly from heavy use including batoning activity.
As UCPOPO pointed out the handles are not expoxied, in which it makes one wonder why the looseness doesn't occur more often.
However considering that I have previously owned or still own upwards of 20 Cold Steel knives, the vast majority obviously being Kraton handled,
and few of them used heavily over 3 decades, the fact that I have yet to run into a loose handle suggests to me that it's not a "common" occurrence.
That Cold Steel has never to anyone's knowledge run a product recall or completely changed their handles to something else since the 1980s also
suggests that it is not "common". I am hardly the only one who has not had handle problems over several decades.
I understand that you are upset that the handle came loose on what you consider to be an "expensive" knife. The term is relative to each individual.
It is a quality control issue that should have been caught at the factory before shipping out, and at Cold Steel Ventura when it arrived. But QC issues that arise "after" use are the hardest to catch for obvious reasons. The loose handle is a rather simple problem to solve. Or as I suggested, return it to the EU dealer as a warranty issue. But if your objective is to portray all Cold Steel Knives as poor quality based on your handle experience, sorry but I'm afraid I can't buy it.
I didn't say it was just you. We have heard reports of handles becoming loose, mostly from heavy use including batoning activity.
As UCPOPO pointed out the handles are not expoxied, in which it makes one wonder why the looseness doesn't occur more often.
However considering that I have previously owned or still own upwards of 20 Cold Steel knives, the vast majority obviously being Kraton handled,
and few of them used heavily over 3 decades, the fact that I have yet to run into a loose handle suggests to me that it's not a "common" occurrence.
That Cold Steel has never to anyone's knowledge run a product recall or completely changed their handles to something else since the 1980s also
suggests that it is not "common". I am hardly the only one who has not had handle problems over several decades.
I understand that you are upset that the handle came loose on what you consider to be an "expensive" knife. The term is relative to each individual.
It is a quality control issue that should have been caught at the factory before shipping out, and at Cold Steel Ventura when it arrived. But QC issues that arise "after" use are the hardest to catch for obvious reasons. The loose handle is a rather simple problem to solve. Or as I suggested, return it to the EU dealer as a warranty issue. But if your objective is to portray all Cold Steel Knives as poor quality based on your handle experience, sorry but I'm afraid I can't buy it.
I always buy products from reputable sellers so if there is a problem(and there will always be a problem since nothing in life is an absolute, well death and taxes notwithstanding), would you buy a new car with no provision to return it if their is a problem under warranty? Using their slogan as a term of derision is probably not going to make you a lot of friends on here and I would council you on not doing the same to a Cold Steel rep. if you call them. Good luck with your problem I hope you get it fixed to your satisfaction.
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They should just mold it around the tang similar to what fallkniven does. it creates a solid handle that wont come loose. the problem with press fit is that the tang and the kraton itself has variances and that will definitely cause issue.
Excellent idea, I do hope CS addresses this handle issue. I feel if you're going to spend a good amount of money on a knife, then a loose handle should never even be a possible risk. I do want to say I really appreciate the offerings that CS has, very good bang for the buck.
Perhaps they have changed the way they are attaching the handles? I have some older CS knives in Carbon V (quite a few) and the handles are all tight to this day. I have heard of a few reports of loose handles on the new knives. I want one of the new 3V SRK and 3V Master Hunter knives. I hope this is not a real issue.
