[Oni Kadaki]

I'm not very familiar with cold steel, and was curious if either of these would make good overall survival knives. Anyone have any experience with these knives?

 

[SurvivalCop]

I have had a cold steel San Mai Tanto for a long time, top of the line.

 

[SeekHer]

Welcome to the forum!

There are around 100 threads dealing with Cold Steel, did you perchance look in the archives or do a search?

San Mai is not a propriety steel to CS as a few makers use it for their blades as well but it is a superior steel to what CS normally uses on their knives...

 

[SurvivalCop]

Welcome to the forum!

There are around 100 threads dealing with Cold Steel, did you perchance look in the archives or do a search?

San Mai is not a propriety steel to CS as a few makers use it for their blades as well but it is a superior steel to what CS normally uses on their knives...

Actually it is more of a type of construction of the knife then a "type" of steel. It is laminated or layered. Carbon steel in the middle and their standard stainless wrapped around it. The cutting part of the blade is no different than their other knives. It's the lamination of the carbon steel in the middle that makes the difference in strength. I have lots of cold steel knives (including their original Tanto bought in 1985) that are not San Mai and they are all top of the line.

 

[theo]

I have a SRK in carbon V. Have not used it much yet but they are highly regarded by many.

 

[gwopy]

Check out this youtube review.

I just got a Cold Steel Recon Scout, and it seems like a quality product. I think the SRK is AUS-8 steel, not the SK-5 they use for the Recon Scout. So, you should get some rust resistance even if you don't go for the San Mai III version, which I believe is VG-1 steel for the cutting edge.

 

[SeekHer]

Taken from:
Knife Steel FAQ
Author: Joe Talmadge

Carbon V
Carbon V is a trademarked term by Cold Steel, and as such is not necessarily one particular kind of steel; rather, it describes whatever steel Cold Steel happens to be using, and there is an indication they do change steels from time to time. Carbon V performs roughly between 1095-ish and O1-ish, in my opinion, and rusts like O1 as well. I've heard rumors that Carbon V is O1 (which I think is unlikely) or 1095. Numerous industry insiders insist it is 0170-6. Some spark tests done by a rec.knives reader seem to point the finger at 50100-B. Since 50100-B and 0170-6 are the same steel (see below), this is likely the current Carbon V.

AUS-6- AUS-8- AUS-10(aka 6A 8A 10A)
Japanese stainless steels, roughly comparable in carbon content to 440A (AUS-6, .65% carbon) and 440B (AUS-8, .75% carbon) and 440C (AUS-10, 1.1% carbon). AUS-6 is used by Al Mar, and is a competitor to low-end steels like 420J2. Cold Steel's use of AUS-8 has made it pretty popular, as heat treated by CS it won't hold an edge like ATS-34, but is a bit softer (and therefore weaker) and tougher. 8A is a competitor of middle-tier steels like ATS-55 and Gin-1

400 Series Stainless
Before Cold Steel switched to AUS-8, many of their stainless products were marketed as being of "400 Series Stainless". Other knife companies are beginning to use the same term. What exactly *is* 400 Series Stainless? I always imagined it was 440-A, but there's nothing to keep a company from using any 4xx steel, like 420 or 425M, and calling it 400 Series Stainless

 

[SurvivalCop]

http://www.coldsteel.com/faqs.html#san mai

"A simple way to think of San Mai III® blade construction is to imagine a sandwich: The meat center is hard, high carbon steel and the pieces of bread on either side are the lower-carbon, tough side panels. The edge of the blade should be hard to maximize edge holding ability, but if the entire blade was hard it could be damaged during the rigors of battle. For ultimate toughness the body of the blade must be able to withstand impact and lateral stresses. Toughness is generally associated with "softness" and "flexibility" in steel, so that, surprisingly, if a blade is made "tough" the edge won't be hard enough to offer superior edge holding. San Mai III® blades provides a blade with hard (higher carbon) steel in the middle for a keen, long lasting edge and tougher (lower-carbon) steel along the sides for flexibility."

 

[sluggyslugworth]

I actually just bought an old version (Camillus) of the SRK off of ebay today.It comes without a handle sheath or even a grind/edge for that matter (basically its just the metal tang straight from the cast) and is 1 1/4'' thick compared to the 3/16'' it would be if it came NIB(Thats ALOT of metal to grind off).Got it super cheap and since I couldnt find a complete Carbon V SRK it had to do (not a fan of there new AUS 8 or San Mai SRK's).Now I have to have it profiled,make a sheath and make a handle(not sure about this part yet).

 

[joes]

OP WELCOME to the forum...I have the Cold Steel Recon Tanto and Cold Steel Trail Master San Mai 3...I like them.........:thumb: A word of caution if you have never owned an extremly sharp knife they are incredibly sharp...

 

[bebe71]

stee col recon scout va molto molto bene