[lewiada]

Fällkniven A1 vs. Cold Steel SRK

Opinions? I'm talking about what I can buy new today, not old models (so please don't compare to a carbon v model of the srk which i cannot buy new). I don't mind suggestions on other knives you may prefer, but please at least end the replay with a vote for one of these two (if these were the two you needed to pick from). Intended usage = wilderness survival.

Tx!
Adam

 

[Cliff Nieporte]

NO question about it in my mind Adam.
A1 is by far the better knife of those two.

A1-Made in Japan.
SRK-Made in China.

A1-Laminated VG10 Steel.Coated or uncoated.Coating WILL wear off with use.
SRK-AUS8.Coated blade only.Coating WILL wear off with use.

A1-Convex edge...scary sharp!
SRK-Do they even come with an edge???.

A1-Functional sheath.
SRK-Functional sheath.

A1-Thermorun handle...very hard & durable material.
SRK-Softer,less durable handle material.

A1- About $170.00.
SRK-About $75.00.

I've owned both,although my SRK had the Carbon V blade,and By FAR the better knife was the A1.
The question is whether or not it's worth the extra $$$ to you.

Cliff

 

[trixie]

buy 2 srk's. no matter how durable, they can be lost/stole/confescated, or break after there are no more warrantees and no more to be had.

 

[Normann]

A1 would with no doubt be the right choice, its a far better knife and will last, it have great steel and intelligent edge_

 

[trixie]

i love knife snob threads lol. i mean are you really trying to say that a SRK would not last? that it would not do anything you ask of it?

 

[Cliff Nieporte]

i love knife snob threads lol. i mean are you really trying to say that a SRK would not last? that it would not do anything you ask of it?

I'm not a knife snob Sir.

The poster asked a question & I gave an answer.

Thanks for your valuable contribution.

Cliff

 

[trixie]

I'm not a knife snob Sir.

The poster asked a question & I gave an answer.

Thanks for your valuable contribution.

Cliff

i notice that you didnt answer my questions to you.

 

[dionysus686]

the A-1 appears to be a fine knife, worth the money im sure.
although, ive put my SRK through some hell and its served me quite well, and i kinda like the scratches on the coating, it adds character, i'd hate to scratch up a $175 A-1.
+1 SRK.

 

[Cliff Nieporte]

i notice that you didnt answer my questions to you.

The SRK would last. The A1 would last longer.

Would the SRK do anything I asked of it? Maybe,but why take that chance?

Do you actually think the newer SRKs are the same quality as the Fallknivens?
If so,I'd love to hear why.
I think that's what the OP was getting at. You know...which is the better knife. You understood that...right?

Not which one he should buy 2 of in case one breaks or gets confiscated or anything like that.

Did I answer your questions satisfactorily?

Cliff

 

[WILL]

i love knife snob threads lol. i mean are you really trying to say that a SRK would not last? that it would not do anything you ask of it?

Here's a site that shows both knives being abused to death. The A1 proves to be the better knife even before Cold Steel downgraded the SRK. We're talking about a piece of kit that your life could depend on. If someone wants the best they can get, God bless 'em. I don't think that's being a snob.

http://knifetests.com/

 

[trixie]

The SRK would last. The A1 would last longer.

Would the SRK do anything I asked of it? Maybe,but why take that chance?

Do you actually think the newer SRKs are the same quality as the Fallknivens?
If so,I'd love to hear why.
I think that's what the OP was getting at. You know...which is the better knife. You understood that...right?

Not which one he should buy 2 of in case one breaks or gets confiscated or anything like that.

Did I answer your questions satisfactorily?

Cliff

not really. either knife will last forever if treated kindly, either one will eventually fail if abused.
the SRK will do ANYTHING that could possibly be expected of it.
the way i see it a knife in the SRK's class will basically outperform the user. so if any knife is somewhat better, but at a much higher cost, its just a waste.

its fine if you wanna testify how amazing and great the A1 is, but to bash the SRK likes its some POS is absurd. its about who spent more, we buy bragging rights in this society.

 

[Cliff Nieporte]

not really. either knife will last forever if treated kindly, either one will eventually fail if abused.
the SRK will do ANYTHING that could possibly be expected of it.
the way i see it a knife in the SRK's class will basically outperform the user. so if any knife is somewhat better, but at a much higher cost, its just a waste.

its fine if you wanna testify how amazing and great the A1 is, but to bash the SRK likes its some POS is absurd. its about who spent more, we buy bragging rights in this society.

I'm so thankfull that my testfying is fine with you.
I'll sleep well tonight.

On a serious note trixie...it appears that you may have finally answered the original question!

Thanks for your opinion.

Cliff

 

[WILL]

not really. Either knife will last forever if treated kindly, either one will eventually fail if abused.

We are preparing for an unknown survival situation here, where equipment abuse can't be ruled out. If I have to abuse my knife to save my life in a pinch, I'll do it.


The SRK will do ANYTHING that could possibly be expected of it.
The way I see it, a knife in the SRK's class will basically outperform the user. So if any knife is somewhat better, but at a much higher cost, it’s just a waste.

Again, that's an opinion. If you had to wedge you're SRK into a wall, and stand on it to get over the top, will it break? I feel pretty confident that my Scrap Yard SOD would survive; thus, helping me to survive.

It’s fine if you want to testify how amazing and great the A1 is, but to bash the SRK likes its some POS is absurd. It’s about who spent more, we buy bragging rights in this society.

No one's bashing the SRK. It's a personal choice.

Alot of what you are saying is true. Still, there is a better quality knife when comparing the two. Both will cut and stab, but one is built using better materials and craftsmanship. It's not about being a snob, just equipment preference.

 

[lewiada]

Thanks all for your replies, definitely seems like the A1 is the way to go (both from your responses, and other sites I've visited). In response to trixie, I don't think that Cold Steel makes junk (after all, it was on my list) but this picture is telling that I just found over on the bladeforums.com site:

See http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=328256 for the full story (this is the Recon Scout). It seems that cold was the culprit here, but it also seems that the A1, Sweden engineered for cold temps, may have faired better.

 

[NOMISS]

I have both knives and although i like the SRK a lot, the A1 is the knife i would choose if i could only take one.
Will, thanks for the knife test website.

 

[SeekHer]

The new SRK is a piece of cheap, Commie Chinese made crap...Why do I have to sharpen the knife before I can even use it the first time, the steel is brittle, and the whole thing is made with slave labour, the sheath sucks the hind one and the blades are terrible in Cold weather...Lynn has probably lost a good portion of his business since switching to Commie China so he can make $15 knives or $400 knives and crapped out the mid ground...

The old SRKs were/are good knives and lasted well under abuse...the new ones are pure unadulterated poo-poo, kaa-kaa...

Cliff Nieporte gave a succinct and very good comparison of the value of the Fallkniven or the Cold Steel with the prices indicated and just because you have a love affair with the POS SRK is no reason to call him a knife snob...

I'm really sorry that you're so poor that you have to relegate your purchases to cheap stuff and abuse those of us who can afford something a little better...

Oh, and a little tidbit you might not know but Cold Steel has never, ever, not even once, made a knife--they are only designers and marketers not cutlers...

On a side note, I have probably 40 Cold Steel knives in my collection but thankfully all are older blades so any CS bashing isn't warranted either...

 

[trixie]

I'm really sorry that you're so poor that you have to relegate your purchases to cheap stuff and abuse those of us who can afford something a little better...

QUOTE]

lol now we get to the heart of the matter. like i said, all these public forum discussions about what knife trumps what knife is just a way for one rich prick (or wanna be rich prick this is the internet afterall) to announce to a group that he buys "nothing but the best" "im big time" "im major league" "check me out". its just chest puffing on the interwebs. exagerated reasons and the classic "you gonna trust your life to a measily $100 knife when there are $500 knives?"

kev did a video reviewing a $20 gerber knife and gave it good marks. does that make him poor? does that make him a jerkoff who doesnt know anything about knives?

and i could easily afford this A1, but you could NEVER convince me its worth the extra cash. i have my reasons, and you have yours. oh well.

 

[Cliff Nieporte]

Okay...Okay...I'll be a knife snob if it will make trixie happy.
Still working on the rich prick thing though.

In the meantime trixie,would you be so kind as to educate us with your reasons for feeling that the A1 isn't worth more money than the SRK?

I for one would really appreciate your in depth insite as to why you feel that way.

Maybe that will help get this thread back on track.

Thank You...

Cliff

 

[trixie]

Okay...Okay...I'll be a knife snob if it will make trixie happy.
Still working on the rich prick thing though.

In the meantime trixie,would you be so kind as to educate us with your reasons for feeling that the A1 isn't worth more money than the SRK?

I for one would really appreciate your in depth insite as to why you feel that way.

Maybe that will help get this thread back on track.

Thank You...

Cliff

personaly i wouldnt spend over $100 on any knife.........because it a KNIFE.
for anywheres up to $100 you can buy a fantastic knife. to spend more is because you want to. pure and simple. you can justify it any way you want, with nit-picky little details or reasons, but its just because you want to. i'd rather have spares. will or somebody gave an example of what if you had to pound the knife into a wall and use it for a step to get over the wall............well if thats the case you arent getting the knife back, i'd rather have another to replace it.

 

[Cliff Nieporte]

Thank you,trixie.

Cliff