Cold Steel Recon Tanto

[zenlifter]

In 1988 I turned 18 and 3 of my friends went in on a knife I always admired and talked about, a Cold Steel Magnum Tanto II and one was given to me for my birthday by these friends. I think it is a beautiful knife and a work of art when if comes to knives. Twenty years has gone by and the only thing its ever cut is Xerox brand copy paper. It glides right through like a light sabre. It lies dormant in a chest of mine with other valuables an only sees the light of day once a year for just a few minutes of admiration. If only I was born in middle Japan 600 years ago. Anyway, it did bother me one day about five years back that I never used it so I decided to get a CS Recon Tanto that was suppossed to be at least as tough. I think I liked the knife for about 2 weeks till I decided the spine was too thick and the edge was to much of a hassle to get its edge back so it went into a dusty drawer in my horse barn and I switched to a smaller CRKT knife. And I think it was probably a winter two years ago that I needed to get a metal t-post back in the ground for a fence repair. The problem was that in Wisconsin the permafrost gets quite thick in sustained -20 weather and on top of it there was a very large field stone buried under the frost layer. What to do, what to do? Well I remembered the reputation of the CS R Tanto so I stuck in the ground and sledged it through permafront, a layer of gravel and to my surprise it went through the large field stone. I was pretty surprised it could handle that (ting?). I figured it would have either failed or sustained so much damage that I would toss it. However, all it showed was some of the black paint missing and the edge of the tip was severely dulled. Since then I realized what I had in that knife. I took my grinder and actually cut serrations into the blade in an attempt to make the knife more useful around the barn for sawing through rope and burlap. I could have done a better job of it but the results were very effective as it performed these jobs better. Along with chores that you can imagine around a farm I have used it succesfully to help anchor tractor equipment, used it in gardening, staking ladders for safety purposes, and as an effective pry bar. Yesterday, I did the 5 pound sledge hammer test on a 2X4 of pine just like Noss does. No problems and I will use that 2X4 for a scratching post for one of my draft horses. They love texture on their ass when they rub it back and forth. I think I paid $50-$60 for that knife. I would recommend the Cold Steel Recon Tanto for anyone that wanted more than just a knife and was competant at getting thicker blades sharp again.
ENDOFREVIEW - Zenlifter. ps I vote for the CRKT Ultima to be in an upcoming destruction test. I hope its as tough as it looks because I own one! I'll be so nervous when he decides to test. "Hang in there honey!!" TING! War..Tanto Blades!

[Sharp]

Yep, no doubt the old CS knives were really good.

Carbon V is some great steel and can take a good beating.

I'm a little weary of the new AUS8A version. Don't think it would be as tough but then again SOG uses the exact same steel. HT might be slightly different but they both have a cryo treat.

As for the CRKT Ultima... not so sure about the Krupp 4.116 steel. I wouldn't bet my life, or anything for that matter, on the steel. It's not that great. close to 440A and 440B in terms of performance with a normal heat treat. Then again that 440A Cheaper than Dirt knife did quite a good run.

[zenlifter]

Thank you for the feedback, I will have to study up on the Krupp 4.116 steel

[kiah]

I've got an RT on the way in Carbon V. Picked it up for a song. I also received an Outdoorsman in VG-1 San Mai III yesterday. I'm loving it.

They love texture on their ass when they rub it back and forth.

:eek::D

[sharpshooter996]

Very nice. i want to know what your impressions are on the outdoorsman? Thanks

[kiah]

Very nice. i want to know what your impressions are on the outdoorsman? Thanks

I was disappointed when I opened it because it was a lot bigger than I had thought. After using it for a while though, I really like it. It handles like a smaller knife, and the grip is well sized for my hands. The previous owner had used it mainly as a log splitter, and it showed no signs of it other than a few scratches on the blade and a very small piece of damaged kraton behind the guard. The factory edge will still take a few hairs.

I need to make a better sheath though. I stabbed myself in the ass this morning trying to resheath it :rolleyes:.

Here's a pic for size comparison. Outdoorsman, Fallkniven S1, Mora 510.

http://knifetest.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=302&stc=1&d=1221504310

[sharpshooter996]

Kiahs thanks for the photo. Thats a nice looking knife. All three are lookers. I almost picked one up a year back but that silly bone splitter just held me back. Besides that it looks great. Nice shape to the blade, and I imagine the San Mai will preform.

Sorry to hear you almost impaled yourself. How did that happen anyways?

[kiah]

Kiahs thanks for the photo. Thats a nice looking knife. All three are lookers. I almost picked one up a year back but that silly bone splitter just held me back. Besides that it looks great. Nice shape to the blade, and I imagine the San Mai will preform.


You can find the old models sometimes on Ebay or the BF Exchange (I think there may be one up now). They don't have the "bone breaker" or the filework. I think they were AUS8 though.

Sorry to hear you almost impaled yourself. How did that happen anyways?

I was wearing the sheath behind my right hip. It has a velcro strap on it that closed itself. So when I reinserted, I thought the blade was going into the sheath, but it was sliding between the velcro on the strap. When the velcro seperated, the blade slid down under my belt and jeans and poked me. It was pretty much a pin prick, and only bled for a second. Surprised the hell out of me though. :rolleyes:


http://knifetest.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=303&stc=1&d=1221514865
http://knifetest.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=304&stc=1&d=1221514881

[sharpshooter996]

Glade to hear it was only minor. Ya i bet that got your attention. :eek: Velcro for the closure that is kind of a weird set up. The sheath looks very nice though. The saying if you play with knifes you are going to get cut is true. Is for all of us im sure. Its happened to me a number of times i must admit. Be safe my friend.