EDMW Knife Collectors

bellwether

Arch-Supremacy Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
14,140
Reaction score
0
Another one arrived

dw5cuu.jpg

Hmm.. It's a beautiful piece but cold steel has bad reviews about their metal quality plus that's a tanto point. If you use it often, do tell me how it holds up.
 

vespaguy

Master Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2012
Messages
3,884
Reaction score
1,097
actually cold steel's AUS8A heat treat is pretty damn good. I can't say about the other materials and why they use only low end steels in their whole line up, but their AUS8A is certainly on par if not better than other maker's AUS8A.

Charlie, those are classic CS collector pieces for guys who are into CS. I remember those days when I was young and exploring the second floor of Sngarms at Trengganu St :s13::s13::s13:
 

khimwoon

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2001
Messages
570
Reaction score
0
actually cold steel's AUS8A heat treat is pretty damn good. I can't say about the other materials and why they use only low end steels in their whole line up, but their AUS8A is certainly on par if not better than other maker's AUS8A.

Charlie, those are classic CS collector pieces for guys who are into CS. I remember those days when I was young and exploring the second floor of Sngarms at Trengganu St :s13::s13::s13:

Maybe I can give some insight to the recon tanto. I used it during my ns days for all sort of tasks and their carbon v steel is very good at their price point. Resharpening is very simple too.
 

vespaguy

Master Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2012
Messages
3,884
Reaction score
1,097
Maybe I can give some insight to the recon tanto. I used it during my ns days for all sort of tasks and their carbon v steel is very good at their price point. Resharpening is very simple too.

they used to be made in the US and in carbon v, IIRC. The carbon steel blades are definitely easy to sharpen and great, the only thing was that one had to oil the exposed edges.

now it's made in Seki-City and AUS8A, AFAIK. So you lose a bit of toughness and edgeholding but you get corrosion resistance.

how do you like the kraton handles?
 

khimwoon

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2001
Messages
570
Reaction score
0
they used to be made in the US and in carbon v, IIRC. The carbon steel blades are definitely easy to sharpen and great, the only thing was that one had to oil the exposed edges.

now it's made in Seki-City and AUS8A, AFAIK. So you lose a bit of toughness and edgeholding but you get corrosion resistance.

how do you like the kraton handles?

Had mine for 10 over years and it still look great. Handle well in wet condition and the rubber absorb some of the impact esp when we use it to chop. It's a perfect durian opener too haha.
 

Charlie_Zhang

Arch-Supremacy Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Messages
23,038
Reaction score
0

Charlie_Zhang

Arch-Supremacy Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Messages
23,038
Reaction score
0
Anyone knows if I bring my kabar and tanto out of sg for overseas trekking trip... Custom will have problems bo?

Put in check in luggauge
 

worcer

Arch-Supremacy Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2010
Messages
19,823
Reaction score
939

Pricing in Singapore is horrible high. Even hock gift shop is cheap in Singapore considering they are 2 times more expensive than other retailers overseas.

If u looking for less than $100 but good for outdoors, it does not exist. A cold steel Tanto lite is alrdy $60++ here and u cant use it for batoning(if u know wat I am talking about).

U need at least a US army Ka-bar for such matters. Any cold steel San mai would do the job but they cost $400++ in Singapore. The best is if u can get a tough blade like a CPM-3V material knife.

A good survival/camping knife is 60USD(ka-bar) or a 100++(VG10 Falkavien). If u wan to invest on a good knife then GSO 4.1 or a Chris reeve.
 

worcer

Arch-Supremacy Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2010
Messages
19,823
Reaction score
939
Anyone knows if I bring my kabar and tanto out of sg for overseas trekking trip... Custom will have problems bo?

Put in check in luggauge

Confirm cannot. I believe u must apply for it b4 going to that country depending on where.

Because if custom catch u with one of those.. even a folder, u will be lockup or blackmailed(by neighbouring countries police).

Ka bar is considered a weapon no matter how u explain. Tanto even worst.

The most stupid part is when u return from oversea... because other countries custom may be lax but Singapore will confirm catch u. Then u explain also useless. they treat that u attempt to bring in a weapon. Lucky if they nvr lock u up. Most likely will compound ur knife forever...

Just go that country and buy a cheap one...
 

worcer

Arch-Supremacy Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2010
Messages
19,823
Reaction score
939
Hmm.. It's a beautiful piece but cold steel has bad reviews about their metal quality plus that's a tanto point. If you use it often, do tell me how it holds up.

Their new steel all got problem. They are cheap if u buy overseas but...

their 4116 steel cant hold an edge and not tough for batoning(will break and chip after a few chops)

Their san mai is the only ok blades but pricing also not cheap.

If u can buy overseas, and like tanto point... get a SOG tsunami better.
 

worcer

Arch-Supremacy Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2010
Messages
19,823
Reaction score
939
Maybe I can give some insight to the recon tanto. I used it during my ns days for all sort of tasks and their carbon v steel is very good at their price point. Resharpening is very simple too.

Now the recon tanto and all cold steel does not make in Carbon V. Think the supplier giving them the material stop giving them the rights.

The recon tanto now is mostly in VG1 san mai.
 

Charlie_Zhang

Arch-Supremacy Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Messages
23,038
Reaction score
0
Confirm cannot. I believe u must apply for it b4 going to that country depending on where.

Because if custom catch u with one of those.. even a folder, u will be lockup or blackmailed(by neighbouring countries police).

Ka bar is considered a weapon no matter how u explain. Tanto even worst.

The most stupid part is when u return from oversea... because other countries custom may be lax but Singapore will confirm catch u. Then u explain also useless. they treat that u attempt to bring in a weapon. Lucky if they nvr lock u up. Most likely will compound ur knife forever...

Just go that country and buy a cheap one...

Sucks....
Used my kabar in ubin yesterday ... Still look great!
Any experts can advise what type of sharpening stone I should buy for my knife?
Saw some on amazon and ebay got those

Japanese Professional Knife Sharpening Stone Sharpener
Japanese Professional Knife Sharpening Stone Sharpener : Amazon.com : Kitchen & Dining

http://bit.ly/19VFI0s
 
Last edited:

vespaguy

Master Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2012
Messages
3,884
Reaction score
1,097
@ taeception - before any suggestions can be given, you'll need to help refine the query.

- fixed blade or folder?
- what purpose? (this may affect fixed blade or folder)
- carbon or stainless steel? are you good at maintaining your blades? or do you prefer something that you only need to sharpen once in a blue moon since it will not be used?
- if folder, do you prefer a certain type of lock - lock-backs? liner locks? framelocks? slipjoints? doesn't matter?
- is there a particular look or style you like?

For about USD100 (SGD130 approx), you can get a wide variety of both folders or fixed blades (some customs even) that are value for money. For folders, think Spyderco, Benchmade (there's a store at Beach Rd run by Tay of Hornest), Kershaw and many many more plus of course the whole gamut of Chinese copies (which are good just that they infringe the IPR of many companies).

Cold Steel American lawman with a 3" blade is not a bad knife, the tri-ad lock is very highly rated, the AUS8A steel is very easy to sharpen, but it doesn't hold an edge very long, so if you're using it the whole day, you may have to touch up every once in awhile.

There's also buying used knives in the aftermarket, that may bring some more reduction in prices, but you may need to know how to clean it and sharpen it up.

My default if you do not know what you want is to suggest the following:

- Spyderco Delica (if you want to keep at 3")
- Spyderco Endura (if you want more length as it has a 4" blade)
- Spyderco Dragonfly, Persistence, Tenacious
- Benchmade Griptillian

If you stick to 440C, N680/N690, 154CM, ATS34, CPM154V, VG10 for the stainless, you'd be good to go - all of them will deliver better performance than AUS8A with decent corrosion resistance for Singapore's climate.

For carbon steel, they are much easier to sharpen and tougher (if heat treated properly) and simple steels are great for field work, for eg. 10XX series, O1. They'll rust so you'll need to either use them often or patina them from day one (mustard or acid) or oil them.

Refine your parameters, I think you'll see many suggestions coming.
 

vespaguy

Master Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2012
Messages
3,884
Reaction score
1,097
Confirm cannot. I believe u must apply for it b4 going to that country depending on where.

Because if custom catch u with one of those.. even a folder, u will be lockup or blackmailed(by neighbouring countries police).

Ka bar is considered a weapon no matter how u explain. Tanto even worst.

The most stupid part is when u return from oversea... because other countries custom may be lax but Singapore will confirm catch u. Then u explain also useless. they treat that u attempt to bring in a weapon. Lucky if they nvr lock u up. Most likely will compound ur knife forever...

Just go that country and buy a cheap one...

I wont comment on Singapore customs, but for customs of other countries, worcer is right...some customs officers are not too nice about these things. Korea and China are strict (and can be strict since their laws do not allow such thing). Thailand, Cambodia - if you have a valid reason, they won't care too much (they're found everywhere). Philippines - I've heard many stories of customs officers who create trouble for you (either because they want your toy or they want $$$). Malaysia - never heard of any issues.

just for giggles, here's the promotional video for CS on the recon tanto...it doesn't show edge condition, or edgeholding or whether it returns to true after being bent but hell, it's entertaining...VG-1 is a decent steel used a lot in stainless kitchen knives in Japan.

 
Last edited:
Important Forum Advisory Note
This forum is moderated by volunteer moderators who will react only to members' feedback on posts. Moderators are not employees or representatives of HWZ. Forum members and moderators are responsible for their own posts.

Please refer to our Community Guidelines and Standards, Terms of Service and Member T&Cs for more information.
Top