When do Cold Steel models get discontinued?

L

Langseax1096

Joined
Dec 14, 2023
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I've just got into Cold Steel after being unsatisfied with Spydercos aversion (which is probably political in nature) for making large fighting knives. Within the last year i have bought an Espada XL black and tan, all black model, and a black and tan Karambit claw fixed blade. Is there a certain time of year, or news letter sent out from the manufacturer for when certain models are being discontinued?
 
I don't think Spyderco is opposed to making large fighting knives, but they do discontinue items that don't sell well enough. They used to make the Szabo Folder and Tatanka, which you might want to track down. They still make the Civilian and introduced the larger Yojumbo fairly recently (not a huge knife but it's bigger than the others and certainly intended as a fighting knife).

As for Cold Steel discontinuing models, I don't think they would know in advance since it would be mostly based on sales. Lynn used to occasionally push through models that were difficult to manufacture or incredibly niche in appeal just because he thought they were cool, and these would often end up getting discontinued and reaching highly collectible status. Now that they're more corporate, they might be less inclined to release unusual new models or keep items in the catalog that aren't selling well enough.
 
There is no schedule for discontinuing knives or bringing them back.

Some knives only last on the market for a short time and others last for many years, and sometimes one that seems like it has been around forever so you can put off buying it gets discontinued.

On the Spyderco issue, I don't think their lack of large fighting knives is political but rather economic.

They charge such high prices for their current fixed blades, into the range of custom knife prices, so if they released something like a Laredo or Natchez Bowie it would probably be around a thousand dollars considering the price for their 7.5" bowie.

Few people would spend that much on production knives.

If instead you are referring to large folders, I don't think anyone other than CS makes them. Camillus had a really nice looking folding Bowie that I was thinking of buying but like other Camillus knives I put off buying it until it was too late.

IMO it is more that CS is unusual in that it has such a wide range of products in various categories while other companies tend to specialize more.
 
Tsujigiri said:
I don't think Spyderco is opposed to making large fighting knives, but they do discontinue items that don't sell well enough. They used to make the Szabo Folder and Tatanka, which you might want to track down. They still make the Civilian and introduced the larger Yojumbo fairly recently (not a huge knife but it's bigger than the others and certainly intended as a fighting knife).

As for Cold Steel discontinuing models, I don't think they would know in advance since it would be mostly based on sales. Lynn used to occasionally push through models that were difficult to manufacture or incredibly niche in appeal just because he thought they were cool, and these would often end up getting discontinued and reaching highly collectible status. Now that they're more corporate, they might be less inclined to release unusual new models or keep items in the catalog that aren't selling well enough.
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I have the Yojumbo and Yojimbo. I can't justify the price of a Tatanka when so many great Cold Steel models exist to carry. That Szabo model i have had my eye on for awhile, Szabo has that USMC knuckle dragger aesthetic i also enjoy.
 
Benjamin Liu said:
There is no schedule for discontinuing knives or bringing them back.

Some knives only last on the market for a short time and others last for many years, and sometimes one that seems like it has been around forever so you can put off buying it gets discontinued.

On the Spyderco issue, I don't think their lack of large fighting knives is political but rather economic.

They charge such high prices for their current fixed blades, into the range of custom knife prices, so if they released something like a Laredo or Natchez Bowie it would probably be around a thousand dollars considering the price for their 7.5" bowie.

Few people would spend that much on production knives.

If instead you are referring to large folders, I don't think anyone other than CS makes them. Camillus had a really nice looking folding Bowie that I was thinking of buying but like other Camillus knives I put off buying it until it was too late.

IMO it is more that CS is unusual in that it has such a wide range of products in various categories while other companies tend to specialize more.
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I find it very hard to believe a 5-6'' folding knife in VG-10 or non-Gucci steel would be 1k even with that great compression lock. They ought to be making a 5.5'' Yojumbo XL that has a slightly slimmer blade profile.
 
Tsujigiri said:
Spyderco is opposed
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If you're talking folders , Spyderco doesn't have a lock comparable to the Demko Tri-ad .

That is Cold Steel's real secret of success in scaling-up workable fighting folders to 5.5" and over , in IMO . :cool::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Plus Cold Steel used to aggressively promote and market, fighting and hard use knives . Proof videos .

And they offered these huge folders at relatively affordable prices .
 
DocJD said:
If you're talking folders , Spyderco doesn't have a lock comparable to the Demko Tri-ad .

That is Cold Steel's real secret of success in scaling-up workable fighting folders to 5.5" and over , in IMO . :cool::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Plus Cold Steel used to aggressively promote and market, fighting and hard use knives . Proof videos .

And they offered these huge folders at relatively affordable prices .
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Good point, the longer blade lengths mean potentially more force leveraged on the lock. Although I'd argue that Spyderco does have two comparable locks to the Tri-ad. The compression lock essentially applies the same concept used in the Tri-ad lock; throw an extra stop pin in the works and you can withstand higher forces. Except they did it to a liner lock instead of a back lock. And the Tatanka supposedly has a special patented lock in it that gives it extra strength over a regular backlock, but I don't fully understand how it works because no one wants to take theirs apart (apparently it's impossible to get back together if you do that).
 
DocJD said:
I'll believe that... when Spyderco makes a folder the size of an XL Espada , that performs as well . ;)
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I'm all for more knives in that category. If I can't disassemble and reassemble it, though, I'll probably pass lol
 
Tsujigiri said:
Good point, the longer blade lengths mean potentially more force leveraged on the lock. Although I'd argue that Spyderco does have two comparable locks to the Tri-ad. The compression lock essentially applies the same concept used in the Tri-ad lock; throw an extra stop pin in the works and you can withstand higher forces. Except they did it to a liner lock instead of a back lock. And the Tatanka supposedly has a special patented lock in it that gives it extra strength over a regular backlock, but I don't fully understand how it works because no one wants to take theirs apart (apparently it's impossible to get back together if you do that).
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both very strong locks, but so far i haven't seen any lock that is as strong as Demkos tri-ad.
 
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