Does anyone carry Cold Steel?

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ez bake

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I have owned several Cold Steel. I will say IMO they are over priced. The customer service sucks.

I am quickly becoming more of a spyderco knife guy. Though I like Kershaw USA made knives.

This - Cold Steel makes great Taiwan-made knives with AUS8 Steel, but once you get above about the $65 mark, they're well over priced. At $100+ dollars, you're in Benchmade/Spyderco/ZT territory for a good Tanto Folder with better steel, better construction, and a good hard-use lock.

Add to that Cold Steel's notorious "lifetime warranty" where they ask you for proof of purchase (don't get rid of your receipt) and/or attempt to void your warranty for any number of things and they start to get less valuable (IMO). Also, their marketing is corny (though they seem to know that and aren't taking themselves too seriously), but don't try about 75% of the things they do in their marketing videos, or you'll void your warranty.

I carry an American Lawman and I've been considering the Code-4, but There aren't too many other knives they put out that really interest me. The best thing to happen to Cold steel is Andrew Demko and his Tri-Ad lock (that any Cold Steel fan will mention about 30 times if you start to ask about quality).

If you're looking for a 4" Tanto-blade folder, The Recon-1 is a great knife for $55. For anywhere close to the $100+ range, it's insanity. Cutlery Shoppe has it regularly for $67.10.
 

TallPrairie

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Basically agree with EZ Bake. The $45 - $60 range is the sweet spot of Cold Steel's lineup, value wise. Their Tri-Ad lock is tough as nails, I love it.

If you can carry a thicker knife, seriously consider the Voyager series, which was redesigned in 2011. The Large Voyager clip point (4" blade) is an extremely well designed and versatile larger folder. It is big and capable, yet legal in a lot more states than Cold Steel's signature XL type folders with 5"-plus blades. And it weighs in at just 4.6 oz, really light for such a substantial knife. The trick is that the Grivory (zytel/plastic/whatever) handles are reinforced with metal liners, but the liners are anodized aluminum not steel. In my experience this works perfectly.

Link: http://www.coldsteel.com/Product/29TLC/VOYAGER_LG_CLIP_POINT_PLAIN_EDGE.aspx

Another nice thing about the Voyagers: the blades have a tasteful and fairly corrosion-resistant stonewashed finish; they don't come with the tacky cheap black Teflon coating that many of CS's knives use.

The G10 handled Cold Steel models may seem sexier, but the Voyager is so practical. It's the sleeper in the lineup. It is really secure and tough. (Go with the Large unless you have smaller hands; the Medium is a little cramped in the grip area.) I have seen Large Voyagers online for around $45 lately. That is an insanely good buy.
 

TallPrairie

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I picked up the Recon 1 on amazon for ~50.00

Very well regarded knife; great price.

If I owned one (which may happen) I would be strongly tempted to strip the black coating off the blade for aesthetic reasons. Apparently there is a really handsome, gunmetal gray, stonewashed blade under there. You might do a Youtube search for "stripped Cold Steel Recon" to see what it looks like.

I do realize that the black coating has anticorrosion benefits, so a pure utility approach would say leave it on there.

My next Cold Steel is going to be a Code 4 spear point -- very thin, aluminum handled, Tri-Ad folder with 3.5" blade. Looks like an interesting EDC.
 

twoguns?

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View attachment 34631
From top to bottom: Cold Steel, Kershaw, Monarch. I must say that the pocket clip on the Cold Steel is something I need to get used to, it is on the point side. May just be a truck knife.

Yeah the recon is a "tip up" knife...looks like the clip is reversable ( see the 3 screws on the pictureview)

Many have reversable clips for tip up or tip down.
 

Shadowrider

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I have owned several Cold Steel. I will say IMO they are over priced. The customer service sucks.

I am quickly becoming more of a spyderco knife guy. Though I like Kershaw USA made knives.

This - Cold Steel makes great Taiwan-made knives with AUS8 Steel, but once you get above about the $65 mark, they're well over priced. At $100+ dollars, you're in Benchmade/Spyderco/ZT territory for a good Tanto Folder with better steel, better construction, and a good hard-use lock.

Add to that Cold Steel's notorious "lifetime warranty" where they ask you for proof of purchase (don't get rid of your receipt) and/or attempt to void your warranty for any number of things and they start to get less valuable (IMO). Also, their marketing is corny (though they seem to know that and aren't taking themselves too seriously), but don't try about 75% of the things they do in their marketing videos, or you'll void your warranty.

These are spot on. I used to be a Cold Steel fan, but they've increased prices and not kept up with others in steels that they use, choosing to stay with lesser steels. Even their touted San Mai III steel isn't as good as some of the other laminated steels out there for similar money. If you get mid to upper tier Cold Steel knife on clearance somewhere they are decent knives and worth buying at clearance price points, but you can get better for the same money elsewhere at normal prices.
 

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