What if Cold Steel had a U.S. "Zero Tolerance"-like division?

[Buffalohump]

I freely admit owning a couple of Cold Steel knives, more than a couple, actually four. All are fixed blades though... I wish they would get serious about their folder range. Unfortunately they seem content to crank out cheapies. They were smart to recognise the genius of the Tri-Ad lock, but they don't seem that smart in other areas.

 

[marcinek]

I always wondered why this forum never had a CS section,could someone explain to me?

A manufacturer's subforum needs to be moderated by an official representative of the manufacturer. No representative, no subforum.

 

[marcinek]

Why would Cold Steel bother? "CS" isn't stupid. They are making money hand over fist now.

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

[nccole]

An even better question would be, what if Kershaw/ZT held the patent to the TRi-Ad lock?

They have the hawk lock, and can't they utilize the bolt-action lock? Spyderco and Gerber have both used it.

 

[LX_Emergency]

I freely admit owning a couple of Cold Steel knives, more than a couple, actually four. All are fixed blades though... I wish they would get serious about their folder range. Unfortunately they seem content to crank out cheapies. They were smart to recognise the genius of the Tri-Ad lock, but they don't seem that smart in other areas.

Cheapies....

ESPADA (MEDIUM)
$249.99
62NM



right....cheap.

 

[jakeyjake4528]

What if Cold Steel had a USA based division and brand that worked like ZT does for Kershaw, putting out $150-$400 high quality Tri-Ad knives in steels like Elmax, etc? Do you think they'd be able to do well enough to be a good investment for Cold Steel, while providing a middle ground between CS's AUS8 lineup and Demko customs?

This would be an awesome move for cold steel. But, as pointed out already, they are doing just fine the way they do things now. No doubt they could set all this up, but why spend large sums of money to make more money when youre already making larger sums of money?

I happily own many cold steel folders, and am very happy to own a demko custom. I would be in hog heaven if they simply beefed up their recon, lawman, ak47 series with thicker blades, liners, different steel. Could still be done in taiwan.

BUT, one thing I dont think has been mentioned in this thread before, they kind of sort of already tried this. The aluminum espada, the aluminum rajah, the black rhino, the black sable, the caldnoien edge, and i know im missing a few more on that list. All were discontinued except for the espada, and all were very very well made knives, some with the tri ad lock. I have a black rhino, and its no doubt the strongest folder likely ever offered in its price range, its a very well constructed piece, beautiful handle, but it just didnt survive.

and we also see how cold steel has shifted their focus to produce the g10 espada series, the new rajah, rajah 3, and one of their big successes, the spartan. They are going in the opposite direction then what i would like to see, but who can say what may happen in the next few years. dont get me wrong, they offer incredible toughness and value, but, once you own a demko custom, you see how good their knives could aspire to look. At least they are starting to offer stonewashed blades, a small step in the right direction.

 

[James Y]

What does that mean ? Kershaw owns the manufacturing equipment and hires people to run it, even overseas, and CS subs it all out and just does design and quality control ? I dont understand.

Pretty much. Cold Steel doesn't have it's own manufacturing facility, and contracts to have its knives made for them by other manufacturers.

Kershaw/Kai, in addition to importing knives, also is a manufacturing facility in the U.S.

Jim

 

[Free2game]

According to Cold Steel they tried to setup some production in US after Camillus, but never worked out. I don't really see them moving their production away from Taiwan, which is fine since they could still potentially use higher end steels like Spyderco also does in Taiwan. They do note some of their materials like their G-10 are American made.

At the end of the day, I don't think the market Cold Steel is after is the audience of bladeforums. They're intended more for the average joe who want to use it like a hammer and prybar, who doesn't care about a lasting edge since no edge would likely survive their abuse anyway.

I actually think we're lucky to have a company like CS making tough man toys for a decent price. Without them you'd pretty much be left with cheap Chinese wall hangers or insanely priced customs, both of which you wouldn't likely use.

There's not qualified people to actually make knives in mass production like over in Taiwan or Japan. If a US company could at the same price and quality level make knives in the US, they would have already. Price isn't the big issues though, it's the lack of people mostly. Buck for example can still make very inexpensive knives with US materials and labor, partially because they have a lot of experienced people who can train new people they hire.

 

[res1cue]

Why would Cold Steel bother? "CS" isn't stupid. They are making money hand over fist now.

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

This is the biggest reason I think as to why they don't.

They already are very successful, and have carved out a big portion of their "niche" (probably mostly folders and fixed blades up to ~70 bucks). To enter a new niche in which various companies have already been entrenched in can be a risky venture

 

[Chicago X]

i still would not give them money

I bet you love you some Strider though...


I would echo the other poster who opined that CS is targeting a different market than those on BF. If their higher-end knives ("Custom Series") had sold well, they would likely still be in production.

 

[CWL]

Imagine the videos they would put out if they opened up a hard use/ tactical division like ZT.

Huh?

Cold Steel invented the "hard use" knife marketing ploy.

How many people thought it necessary to pound a knife through a car door before CS videos?

 

[bladebertt]

If CS made a heavy duty type folder with premium steel, titanium, G-10 etc. and could sell it for a decent price, I'd buy one.

 

[res1cue]

Also in regards to not having their boards on the forums, they have their own forums, and so there is less incentive for a company who has their own forum to have one here. Benchmade, for example, doesn't. Spyderco does though.

 

[THE PUNISHER]

What does that mean ? Kershaw owns the manufacturing equipment and hires people to run it, even overseas, and CS subs it all out and just does design and quality control ? I dont understand.

+++++++

what does it mean?

does it matter who put it together.

 

[crom]

"does it matter who put it together."
Furthermore, most of the CS knives are made in Taiwan and display a nice build quality that I'd say rivals stuff I've seen made here in the US. There's nothing cheap in terms of build quality regarding CS folders.

 

[tyr_shadowblade]

Cold Steel offered a line of expensive semi-custom folders before (Caledonean, Black Talon, etc). They were in the 250-300 price range and looked very nice, but they were heavy and some customers complained about minor fit & finish issues.

 

[Franciscomv]

Once I learned to look past the goofy videos and advertising, I found a few Cold Steel designs that I liked and have performed quite well for me over the years. I've got an old (Camillus made) Carbon V Master Hunter and an old VG-1 Voyager that I use often and like a lot. What drove me away from their newer models was the switch to AUS-8 even for their more expensive folders and the fact that everything except their San-Mai III stuff seems to be made in Taiwan or China (admitedly, a personal bias).

I like some of their Tri-Ad knives, and woud happily buy a couple of Voyagers and Recons if they were made in the US or Japan with better steel (VG-10, S30V, etc.). I've got an American Lawman (early model with steel liners) and like the overall design, but I don't carry it often because of the steel and country of origin. I know AUS-8 is a decent steel, and it does take a wicked edge, but I'm spoiled and want something better, especially in a big strong knife.

 

[GCG199]

Several years ago, they did have a forum here. But they weren't prepared for how busy it turned out to be.

It didn't last very long, just a few months at the most.

Like mentioned above, they have had their own forums for at least a couple of years now, along with the other social media websites too.

 

[gomipile]

I don't think there's anything wrong with the build quality of CS's Taiwan made knives. I've just noticed that most of the knives made with CPM and Bohler steels are US made, even when their maker has the option to produce them overseas. So it would seem to me that there is a disincentive to ship US and European made steel to Asia to make knives which are then shipped back here.

 

[Shorttime]

Cold Steel/Kershaw collaboration? If Ken Onion and Andrew Demko threw their weight behind the idea, it could be made to happen...