Where do you see the Trail Master San Mai III being in the near future?

PocketKnifeJimmy

PocketKnifeJimmy

Joined
Aug 4, 2013
Messages
3,989
With there being no Cold Steel Representative here to pick their brains, I tend to guess on what twist and turns the company may take with their products.

The Trail Master in VG-1 San Mai III, is Cold Steel's last VG-1 San Mai core product, (with all of their other San Mai products being in the VG-10 core).
Also, the Trail Master in VG-1 San Mai III is Cold Steel's last San Mai product made in Japan, (all of their other San Mai products being produced in Taiwan).
The Trail Master VG-1 San Mai III has another "Last of the Mohicans" thing going on, it being the last of the convexed blades, strongly believed to be done for Cold Steel by Hattori in Seki Japan.

So, where this Trail Master differs from the other current Cold Steel San Mai line, is in the following ways:

*Made in Japan (rather than in Taiwan).

*Made in the VG-1 core San Mai (rather than the VG-10 core San Mai).

*Convexed blade (rather than having a full flat grind).

*Most likely made under contract for Cold Steel by Hattori of Seki, Japan.

Okay, so where does this model go in the near future? Would your guess be that it hangs on for the upcoming 2022 catalog line-up?
Or, does this Japanese made model finally go the way of the DoDo Bird? 🐦

My own guess is that it will go DoDo Bird, but can see them possibly replacing it with a Trail Master San Mai made in Taiwan, sans having the convexing of the blade, (going to a full flat grind).

What say you folks? And, what is the reasoning for your guess/guesses?

Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts on this subject 👍😊👍
 
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Jimmy, I could be wrong, but I strongly believe the Japanese San Mai Trailmaster is going to be discontinued. In fact, I believe it so strongly, I ponied out the dough for one a few weeks ago. Couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that this was my last chance to get one, so I grabbed one (much better luck with QA this time).

Of course, with no help or word from Cold Steel, it's all speculation at this point. We'll see.
 
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DayofReckoning said:
Jimmy, I could be wrong, but I strongly believe the Japanese San Mai Trailmaster is going to be discontinued. In fact, I believe it so strongly, I ponied out the dough for one a few weeks ago. Couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that this was my last chance to get one, so I grabbed one (much better luck with QA this time).

Of course, with no help or word from Cold Steel, it's all speculation at this point. We'll see.
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I'm on the same page as you, Sir.
And, yeah, I can relate to the purchasing of one because of a strong feeling that they may not be offered by Cold Steel for much longer.
As a matter of fact, I wound up getting two of them within a few weeks of each other. My thinking was that the extra one would make for some great future trading fodder.
But, the thing is, they are both such nice specimens, I may just keep both in my collection... My hording them like little ingots of gold 👍😁👍
 
Considering ordering one from Knife Center right now… always wanted one as a “grail” back in the day. Concerned that it’s getting to be “now or never” for a Japan made one I’ve always wanted. Missed the SRK.
 
XJ-linux said:
Considering ordering one from Knife Center right now… always wanted one as a “grail” back in the day. Concerned that it’s getting to be “now or never” for a Japan made one I’ve always wanted. Missed the SRK.
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Knifecenter does have a decent price on them, but if I'm not mistaken, they are out of stock there.
With getting new inventories of CS being so iffy right now, especially if this particular model has already been DoDo'd and has not been listed as such yet, maybe seeking out an alternative vendor may be in order.
In any case, good luck to you, Sir! 👍
 
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I scoured the internet when purchasing mine, and last time I checked there are only TWO sources that have them in stock. I believe it's against the rules to say where here, but if anyone needs to know, just send me a PM and I can tell you where.
 
PocketKnifeJimmy said:
With there being no Cold Steel Representative here to pick their brains, I tend to guess on what twist and turns the company may take with their products.

The Trail Master in VG-1 San Mai III, is Cold Steel's last VG-1 San Mai core product, (with all of their other San Mai products being in the VG-10 core).
Also, the Trail Master in VG-1 San Mai III is Cold Steel's last San Mai product made in Japan, (all of their other San Mai products being produced in Taiwan).
The Trail Master VG-1 San Mai III has another "Last of the Mohicans" thing going on, it being the last of the convexed blades, strongly believed to be done for Cold Steel by Hattori in Seki Japan.

So, where this Trail Master differs from the other current Cold Steel San Mai line, is in the following ways:

*Made in Japan (rather than in Taiwan).

*Made in the VG-1 core San Mai (rather than the VG-10 core San Mai).

*Convexed blade (rather than having a full flat grind).

*Most likely made under contract for Cold Steel by Hattori of Seki, Japan.

Okay, so where does this model go in the near future? Would your guess be that it hangs on for the upcoming 2022 catalog line-up?
Or, does this Japanese made model finally go the way of the DoDo Bird? 🐦

My own guess is that it will go DoDo Bird, but can see them possibly replacing it with a Trail Master San Mai made in Taiwan, sans having the convexing of the blade, (going to a full flat grind).

What say you folks? And, what is the reasoning for your guess/guesses?

Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts on this subject 👍😊👍
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My main gripe with the San Mai, 3V models is that they’re asking for insane prices with minimal/non-existent customer service. And good luck with the warranty. Unless you’re a hardcore CS collector, that amount of money would be better spent on a custom with a knifemaker that stands by his work for a lifetime. Heck, you can get a good custom field knife for less than 400-600 bucks.

Dodo bird eventually unless demand somehow magically spikes up for these models.
 
DangerZone98 said:
Dodo bird eventually unless demand somehow magically spikes up for these models.
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I agree that demand for this model has likely dropped off quite a bit over the years. It's been out for quite a while now, and no longer has that "cool new gadget" factor to help in it's sales. The convex blade done by the maker in Seki Japan, (again, likely by Hattori), is likely costing Cold Steel more money than what they would like, and so that too would be a reason for the bean counters at CS to finally place it on the chopping block.

Most big name knife firms in the knife industry that had their knives made by Hattori, eventually pulled away from having them made there. It's definitely not because of Hattori' quality, but the rising cost of having them made there. The only reason that Cold Steel didn't switch to Taiwan manufacture for this model, (while all the others in their San Mai line did go there), is highly likely because of the Japan made San Mai Trail Master is well known for it's convexed blade. That trait was likely a wee bit too difficult for CS's Taiwan source to mimick.

Of course we still see Falkniven's knives still being made by Hattori, but their prices also reflect that fact.

Yup, DoDo Bird status for this CS model seems almost inevitable, but will 2021 be the last year that it made it into their catalog, or does it manage to squeeze itself into the 2022 catalog?... I guess it won't be too long before we find out, since 2022 is literally right around the corner now 😁
 
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PocketKnifeJimmy PocketKnifeJimmy

The San Mai III Trail Master is not "strongly believed to be" or "likely" made by Ichiro Hattori. They are.. I know this because I saw them and handled one in the Hattori Factory in Seki Japan over 6 years ago. Along with the CS Tantos.
Cold Steel contracted "most" of the VG1 core San Mai III models in 2006-2007. To my knowledge, Kinryu and Tak Fukuta are the only other
Seki factories that also did SM III models. All of these contracts ended in 2015 with, as you say the SM III Trail Master the only one remaining.
I personally was "sure" that the TM would also be terminated and moved to Taiwan construction. And that was in 2016.
I'm glad I was wrong because it gave me time to buy one, to replace the one I sold off years ago.
Even back then Mr Hattori told me that their work for Fallkniven was increasing constantly, so that dovetailed with them reducing (or getting reduced) work from Cold Steel.

Between 2016 and present day, I believe that Hattori is continuing to make the SM III TM but in very limited numbers, ie; at a schedule that Hattori can accomodate. This would explain why inventory stocks of this model seem to fluctuate and vendors are ually out of stock until another small batch comes in.
Cold Steel's website says this " This model features VG-1 San Mai III steel and is hand-made in limited edition in Japan."

Clearly though, with GSM's takeover of Cold Steel, the future of the Seki made San Mai III Trail Master is very uncertain.
 
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KenHash said:
PocketKnifeJimmy PocketKnifeJimmy

The San Mai III Trail Master is not "strongly believed to be" or "likely" made by Ichiro Hattori. They are.. I know this because I saw them and handled one in the Hattori Factory in Seki Japan over 6 years ago. Along with the CS Tantos.
Cold Steel contracted "most" of the VG1 core San Mai III models in 2006-2007. To my knowledge, Kinryu and Tak Fukuta are the only other
Seki factories that also did SM III models. All of these contracts ended in 2015 with, as you say the SM III Trail Master the only one remaining.
I personally was "sure" that the TM would also be terminated and moved to Taiwan construction. And that was in 2016.
I'm glad I was wrong because it game me time to buy one, to replace the one I sold off years ago.
Even back then Mr Hattori told me that their work for Fallkniven was increasing constantly, so that dovetailed with them reducing (or getting reduced) work from Cold Steel.

Between 2016 and present day, I believe that Hattori is continuing to make the SM III TM but in very limited numbers, ie; at a schedule that Hattori can accomodate. This would explain why inventory stocks of this model seem to fluctuate and vendors are ually out of stock until another small batch comes in.
Cold Steel's website says this " This model features VG-1 San Mai III steel and is hand-made in limited edition in Japan."

Clearly though, with GSM's takeover of Cold Steel, the future of the Seki made San Mai III Trail Master is very uncertain.
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Great information, thanks for sharing!
👍😊👍
 
MolokaiRider said:
I am kicking myself not buying a few of these in San Mai and O1 back when they were readily available.
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I just did a quick online search for the TM in San Mai III, and just as another poster above mentioned, it's still currently in stock/available at a very few locations. Prices seem to be in the $280 to $330 range, (depending on which vendor).
I found one vendor listing it as "out of stock/no backorder", and another one has it listed as "discontinued".
Although I believe these have a high chance of being discontinued, I don't know if they are... At least YET!
Even if they are, there still may be further shipments of them coming in to fill CS's final orders on them. Since it's all a guessing game right now, the few here and there currently being offered, may or may not be the last of them.
I guess now would be a good time to grab one if one wants to at least guarantee getting one at these current prices. If they do in fact become discontinued, their secondary market prices will likely rise sharply.

Again, I wish good luck to anyone that decides to get one now... And I hope you score a great specimen at a decent price 👍
 
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On a related question I have...
I know some of the Fallkniven Bowie type blade knives are very similar in shape and styling to the Cold Steel Trail Master. Now, my question is, did Fallkniven come out first with these big Bowie type San Mai steel knives made under contract by Hattori of Seki Japan, or did Cold Steel's Trail Master come out first?
 
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