Tai Pan was my favorite double edged Cold Steel, then along came the Black Bear Classic

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DayofReckoning

Joined
Mar 11, 2021
Messages
177
Can't say enough good about the Black Bear Classic. Fit and Finish are absolutely superb for a production knife of this price, the sub hilt adds a wonderful sense of security to your grip, the tip is needle, needle sharp, combined with being heavy in the handle, allows for incredible penetration. And the knife is just plain beautiful.

The Tai Pan is great, and has it's advantages. But when the SHTF and calls for a double edge, I'm grabbing the Black Bear Classic :).
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This is not the Practical Tactical forum , but the sub-hilt kinda locks you into one grip at time .

I mean , it's hard to change grip while fighting . Unlike the neutral grip on the Tai Pan .

I don't like this in any fighting knife , but it's purely a matter of personal preference . ;)
 
DocJD said:
This is not the Practical Tactical forum , but the sub-hilt kinda locks you into one grip at time .

I mean , it's hard to change grip while fighting . Unlike the neutral grip on the Tai Pan .

I don't like this in any fighting knife , but it's purely a matter of personal preference . ;)
Click to expand...
No fighting style expert here, but I would guess that your opinion on the Tai Pan's grip style. I imagine that it would make a huge deciding factor for choosing it over the Black Bear Classic' grip style.

Now, with that said, I do wish the Tai Pan were offered with the same or similar type of handle material as the Black Bear Classic, (G10 or Micarta), since I do believe it would give it a higher quality appearance than the Kraton material it has. Even if it were to be offered this way as an option, I think that would be nice... And I bet a G10 or Micarta handled Tai Pan would be a decent seller for Cold Steel.

I am surprised that there isn't an aftermarket grip maker out there making some bolt on replacement grips for the Tai Pan. It looks like it would be a fairly easy project for a grip manufacturer to do such a project. Maybe they would offer them in materials like a black G10, maybe an Ivory Micarta, Buffalo Horn, Ebony, or something else that would allow the Tai Pan to easily be customized by their owners, and again, as a fairly easy bolt on replacement.

Let's face it, although the Tai Pan is basically a one duty purposed knife, most folks, (myself included), like it for it's "coolness factor" and for it being a neat collectable. In that case, the Kraton handle material doesn't do it visual justice. You slap onto it a new fancy schmancy handle, and... Wah-Lah, that extra touch of classy could be added to it.

The Black Bear Classic, with it's from the factory handle material, already arrives to the customer with that classier appearance because of it 😊

PS.
Question to you folks about the Tai Pan... I know that it's pommel is screwed right onto the knife's threaded tang, but what exactly keeps that pommel in place without easily unscrewing off? Is it a "locktite" substance that they use to secure it?
Thanks in advance 👍
 
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DocJD said:
This is not the Practical Tactical forum , but the sub-hilt kinda locks you into one grip at time .

I mean , it's hard to change grip while fighting . Unlike the neutral grip on the Tai Pan .

I don't like this in any fighting knife , but it's purely a matter of personal preference . ;)
Click to expand...

Good points made.

Yes, the sub-hilt does lock you into that one grip. But what you gain is a safe and secure grip feeling that the Tai Pan does not have. When you lock in that finger around the sub-hilt, the knife just feels so secure.

I agree though, it really is personal preference.
 
PocketKnifeJimmy said:
No fighting style expert here, but I would guess that your opinion on the Tai Pan's grip style. I imagine that it would make a huge deciding factor for choosing it over the Black Bear Classic' grip style.

Now, with that said, I do wish the Tai Pan were offered with the same or similar type of handle material as the Black Bear Classic, (G10 or Micarta), since I do believe it would give it a higher quality appearance than the Kraton material it has. Even if it were to be offered this way as an option, I think that would be nice... And I bet a G10 or Micarta handled Tai Pan would be a decent seller for Cold Steel.

I am surprised that there isn't an aftermarket grip maker out there making some bolt on replacement grips for the Tai Pan. It looks like it would be a fairly easy project for a grip manufacturer to do such a project. Maybe they would offer them in materials like a black G10, maybe an Ivory Micarta, Buffalo Horn, Ebony, or something else that would allow the Tai Pan to easily be customized by their owners, and again, as a fairly easy bolt on replacement.

Let's face it, although the Tai Pan is basically a one duty purposed knife, most folks, (myself included), like it for it's "coolness factor" and for it being a neat collectable. In that case, the Kraton handle material doesn't do it visual justice. You slap onto it a new fancy schmancy handle, and... Wah-Lah, that extra touch of classy could be added to it.

The Black Bear Classic, with it's from the factory handle material, already arrives to the customer with that classier appearance because of it 😊

PS.
Question to you folks about the Tai Pan... I know that it's pommel is screwed right onto the knife's threaded tang, but what exactly keeps that pommel in place without easily unscrewing off? Is it a "locktite" substance that they use to secure it?
Thanks in advance 👍
Click to expand...

A Tai Pan with G10 or Micarta handle would be nice and look beautiful, I wish the option was there. But I'm also thinking the Kraton might provided a bit better of a grip.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe the Black Bear Classic used to come with Micarta handles. Not sure when they switched to G10.

As far as how the Tai Pan's pommel is held in place, I imagine it is probably locktite on. Maybe someday I will be brave enough to try and remove mine and see for myself.
 
DayofReckoning said:
A Tai Pan with G10 or Micarta handle would be nice and look beautiful, I wish the option was there. But I'm also thinking the Kraton might provided a bit better of a grip.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe the Black Bear Classic used to come with Micarta handles. Not sure when they switched to G10.

As far as how the Tai Pan's pommel is held in place, I imagine it is probably locktite on. Maybe someday I will be brave enough to try and remove mine and see for myself.
Click to expand...

The BBC was made by Hattori, Seki Japan from 2007 to 2015/16. When Cold Steel switched to Taiwan production, that's when the Micarta became G10.
The Tai Pan was also made by Hattori until then.
The Tai Pan was contructed the same way as the Tantos made in the same factory. Maybe some photos here might help.



The above are from my website.
 
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