Trying to decide if I should keep my Cold Steel Recon Scout in 3V

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bigstevek

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I bought the Cold Steel Recon Scout in 3V at a killer deal price of $185 ($200 w/tax) on Amazon three weeks ago. It's an awesome knife with a potentially fatal flaw. It has the Cold Steel rat tail tang, albeit a much beefier version (5/16" thick). Is that thick enough to prevent lateral stress failure if used for prying (like the failure of the Kabar USMC and similar knives when used for prying)? I know CPM-3V is extremely tough, but is the Recon Scout construction tough enough to be the "ultimate SHTF knife" (that's what I bought it for)? I also have a Becker BK2 and ESEE-6 in a similar role.
https://imgur.com/a/uuEkWwj
 
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I think you're more likely to break the tip when prying than anything else. That said, don't pry with your knife, especially in a "hit the fan" scenario where you won't be able to replace your tools.

I know there's a "famous" youtuber with a destruction test on a Cold Steel Trailmaster in 3V. No surprise, he broke the knife, but not at the tang. I imagine you'd get similar results from a Recon Scout.
 
I'd be surprised if you could break the knife at the tang easily or at all, even prying with it. every other cold steel tang setup similar I've seen in destruction videos seems to break mid blade or tip area on prying....and that's with the person trying to break it....not using it.
 
A “rat tail” tang, as you call it is not a fatal flaw.
Stick tangs have been around since metal knives were first used.
The Vikings didn’t seem to have problems with their swords or the Romans & their gladius.

Keep the knife. It’s a nice one, I had one for years.
I moved it along when I no longer found it interesting.
Scout_Kydex.jpg


It was, however, the one I immediately grabbed when I walked into Manhattan to pick up my daughter and some classmates on 9.11
So there’s that.
 
Agree with others that you're not going to have a problem, but am curious why, if you thought it had a fatal flaw, did you buy it in the first place?
 
Ebbtide said:
A “rat tail” tang, as you call it is not a fatal flaw.
Stick tangs have been around since metal knives were first used.
The Vikings didn’t seem to have problems with their swords or the Romans & their gladius.

Keep the knife. It’s a nice one, I had one for years.
I moved it along when I no longer found it interesting.
Scout_Kydex.jpg


It was, however, the one I immediately grabbed when I walked into Manhattan to pick up my daughter and some classmates on 9.11
So there’s that.
Click to expand...

Who made your sheath? I need something to replace the securex death trap mine came with.
 
I think of the skinny tangs on Mora knives as "rat tails, and mine have held up very well over several decades of use (though not abuse). The tangs on Cold Steel's Kraton handled knives are far more robust.
 
oldmanwilly said:
Who made your sheath? I need something to replace the securex death trap mine came with.
Click to expand...
That’s a Normark Sheath. Normark’s kydex was the gold standard here at bf for years.
IIRC he’s moved on to other ventures but I could be wrong.
 
Ive got both in 3v Trailmaster and Recon Scout and ive used them both extensively in the woods,they have both been great with no problems.And it stays sharp after alot of used only needs a light touch up too. That recent destruction video of the trailmaster was a bit disturbing cause it seemed to break quick, but i only use it on wood i dont abuse my knives....
 
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