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I read that Cold Steel has been switching from AUS series Japanese stainless to the cheaper Chinese "Alphabet soup" steel (my nick name for 8Cr13Mov type steel)?

SpyderEdgeForever wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 25, 2019 9:18 am

I read that Cold Steel has been switching from AUS series Japanese stainless to the cheaper Chinese "Alphabet soup" steel (my nick name for 8Cr13Mov type steel)?

I am truly sad and sickened by this news :mad: Before I heard this news I had always had a good spot in my heart for the Cold Steel knife company as I have collected many of their knives and products over the years. Why in GOD's name would they want to go backward on their quality :confused:

OK I'll just vote with my wallet. I most certainly wouldn't even consider buying any Cold Steel product as long as this is their game plan. It isn't like the owners of the company don't already have bushel baskets of money already>> But greed is an insidious disease and it's effects are devastating

Clearly Cold Steel have decided that their place in the market and their prospective future business state mean this is the right choice for them.

It may be they are changing the steel grade of their entry-level models to maintain a price point (Not forgetting Spyderco's value range do VERY well in 8CR13MoV).....Probably to balance the cost of their higher end models.

The Ti-lite is a great example:
The 'entry' model 4" Zytel AUS8 is $75.
The aluminium and XHP version is $150
The G10 S35 is $250

They already have quite a mix of steels across their range- and many in what I'd call the 'value end' of steel- not just from Japanese or US sources (Their fixed blade models are less obvious on the country source of their steel for example)....So this isn't really new.

this is not something new, :confused:
back in 2018 their new models made in China (like the Luzon) already had 8Cr13MoV. All of their "secondary lock" models sport the CrMoV steel since they were released last year. :o

But we can't really complain, they have steels for all price levels and affordability levels,
8Cr13MoV, 4116, AUS8, 1095, VG10, 4034, O1, SK5, 1055, 1090, 3V, 52100, AUS10, S35VN, CTS-XHP
so Japanese, German, Chinese, US and I'm sure other places. :cool:

After Spyderco they must be the knife company with most steels and variety out there, in price points and uses, that I am aware of. The Byrds are also China made, and 8Cr, yet we (or I) still buy them,
point being that we have to be thankful that they reach to more people by making cheaper products in lower tier steels, while still doing high quality, top level steel knives at the same time, to cater all kinds of fans. :rolleyes:

I agree with all that you all said. I do not mind them using these Chinese steel types as long as the quality is reasonable for the price.

While 8cr isn’t great when it’s ground well it’s perfectly serviceable as a blade steel-
I spent years using my ambitious with no ill effects and that was breaking down pallets of auto parts all day- honestly between the two steels I would have a hard time decerning between the two on an unmarked blade and assuming both had a quality heat treat.

Don’t forget they are making the Voyagers in AUS10.

AUS-8 and 8Cr13MoV are the same alloy, the difference is the country of origin.


http://www.zknives.com/knives/steels/st ... hrn=1&gm=0

awa54 wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 26, 2019 8:10 am

AUS-8 and 8Cr13MoV are the same alloy, the difference is the country of origin.


http://www.zknives.com/knives/steels/st ... hrn=1&gm=0

Spot on and I am sure someone will chime in and say that they are not quite the same, but they are. One of the problems with Chinese products has always been that you do not really know if you are getting what they claim they are providing. In many of the people, there, if they can get rich, no matter how, then the gods have given them fortune. If they are honest and do not get rich, they are not blessed. Americans do not understand this mindset because America was founded on different values and morals.

To be fair, Chinese outside of China do not think the same way. I would hazard to guess that you could believe Taiwanese steel providers and knife makers, to a point.

I think we could say the same of, for instance, KAI

While their upper line (ZT) sports ELMAX, S35VN, and CPM-20CV, :cool:
their new Kershaws are mostly downgrading from 8Cr13MoV and 12C27 to 4Cr and 3Cr, :o but this way they have an even wider range of prices, products and reach even more market sectors and people :)

Steel snobs are happy, tight budget buyers too, tradesmen, collectors, everyone...win-win? :spyder:

NECROWARNING!!!

does anyone have experience with the 4034 that cs is using? i always liked the broken skull design, but i couldn't bring myself to purchase something with steve austin's name on it. now they have the ranch boss, which is the same basic design with cheaper materials.

i'm wondering how the 4034 compares with aus8 and 8cr13mov.

4034 is a traditional German steel. If heat treated well it's very tough, very corrosian resistant, easy to sharpen but is no champion in edge holding. Made by Krupp in Germany as 1.4034 it's a staple steel for a lot of German steelmakers in Solingen. It's not some unknown Chinese steel.

Jim Malone wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 19, 2022 3:58 am

4034 is a traditional German steel. If heat treated well it's very tough, very corrosian resistant, easy to sharpen but is no champion in edge holding. Made by Krupp in Germany as 1.4034 it's a staple steel for a lot of German steelmakers in Solingen. It's not some unknown Chinese steel.

yes, i remember reading that when looking into it initially. sorry if my post in this thread isn't exactly appropriate based on the title. i thought it might be better than starting a new thread about budget steels used by cold steel.

i don't have a problem with "low-end" steels. i just was wondering how this one compares to others.

At one time I had 3 of Cold Steel's older AUS-8 models. The Kobun model is one that I especially remember as being a great performer in AUS-8. It had a really wicked edge when properly sharpened. I always thought that Cold Steel did a really great heat treatment of AUS-8. In many ways I liked their AUS-8 blades much better than their flagship CARBON V steel they used in many models during that time slot.

However I did like the Carbon V blade steel on two of the Gurkha Kukri models I still own. But for a smaller knife I can't say enough about their older AUS-8 blades.

maybe i should just grab a kiridashi, which i've always thought was cool design. if the steel is even alright, i'll pick up a ranch boss later.

JD Spydo wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 19, 2022 8:15 am

At one time I had 3 of Cold Steel's older AUS-8 models. The Kobun model is one that I especially remember as being a great performer in AUS-8. It had a really wicked edge when properly sharpened. I always thought that Cold Steel did a really great heat treatment of AUS-8. In many ways I liked their AUS-8 blades much better than their flagship CARBON V steel they used in many models during that time slot.

However I did like the Carbon V blade steel on two of the Gurkha Kukri models I still own. But for a smaller knife I can't say enough about their older AUS-8 blades.

Hi JD, I agree completely.
My experience with older models of Kukri Std and LTC are very positive in Carbon V.

Also Rajah 2 in Aus steel just the Bee's knees as far as I'm concerned...

CS's AUS8 & AUS10 have out performed their cost in my opinion. So much better than the pundits would have you believe.