Cold Steel SRK

[David]

I guess the SRK has gone through different innerations since I've owned one 30 years ago. IIRC, mine was Carbon V. Wish I hadn't sold it

[bdc]

To my understanding, the original was made by Fallkniven to Cold Steel's specifications. Eventually, the two companies stopped doing business. Falkniven took the SRK design and refined it into the A1 model. However, today, the A1 is made in Seki City to Fallkniven's design! I own multiples of both. I have been trying to find a very expensive srk model made a couple of years ago and you have reminded me to do so again.

[bdc]

I just did a scan of the Cold Steel san mai line and the Fallkniven A1.

If a person reads the current reviews, one gains three impressions:
1. there are people who buy expensive knives and do not understand how to sharpen them, much less blade curvature.
2. there are a lot of complainers who use knives as hammers/axes-right tool for the wrong application or wrong tool for the right application, your choice.
3. major brands do have runs of bad knives of good design. It could be result of using deficient materials, having an employee go out for a smoke at the wrong time, whatever. So, make sure that you examine whatever knife you buy very closely when you get it.

[xxo]

Survival Lilly's long term review/destruction test on the SRK:

[David]

Cold Steel did a torture test video, probably 20+ years ago. They were putting the knives in a wood block then snapping them to the side to test tip strength. Plunging them, tip first, through a car hood, and slashing through several free standing hemp ropes tied together. IIRC, the Kukri knife made it through 7 hemp ropes (going off memory). The SRK I 'think' did maybe 5 hemp ropes. I don't know if I have that video anymore or where it is and I don't see anything on YT but it was very informative and enlightening.

[xxo]

I think I used to have that on VHS back in the day....a very long video where they tested just about every product in the CS catalog - great stuff!

[bdcochran]

I was a knife dealer. When I die, my son will inherit a treasure trove.

Having sworn off restoration of knives, tomahawks, hatchets, axes, swords, and manual tools, I succumbed to buying another Cold Steel SRK. I admit that when a person has a couple of unused Fallkniven A1s in inventory, it is near folly to buy another SRK. So, here is the history. Most of you already know that Cold Steel does not make its product. My late father lived about 5 miles from the offices which was just receiving and shipping. At the beginning, Cold Steel had Fallkniven making the SRK or its forebearer. When there came a parting of the ways, Fallkniven took the Cold Steel model and up graded it. Fallkniven produces the knife in Japan.

So, I researched the modifications of the blade and the sheath currently. After due consideration, I decided not to modify the sheath, not to add anything to the sheath, not to add something like a Tek-Lok. No, don't remove the blade coating What I came to was cleaning up the blade edge and slightly altering the angle of the edge. Out came the original worksharp. Surprisingly, the initial green belt took off more material than I had anticipated. As I worked with finer grits, less was taken off.

In related matters, I acquired three more Russian Kizlyar combat knives. Again, didn't need them. There is a quasi embargo now. Probably will never be imported again. They will increase in value beyond belief. I believe that they will appreciate greatly.

The other day, in another forum, someone spoke about Benchmade knives designed by Ernie Emerson. So, I looked them up. $500 and up. I paid $60 each for 6 as a dealer and still have 5, 4 of which are unused. The point is that the knife market for quality knives is really very tiny. If you see a folder or a fixed blade that you like, buy it as the probability is that it will become discontinued at some point. I have an Al Mar fixed blade sitting near the computer. Today, with Al having passed on, the price on his used fixed blades is insane. Ditto on Ek knives before the purchase of the company name and designs by Ontario Knife Company.

[aerynsun]

I was a knife dealer. When I die, my son will inherit a treasure trove.

Having sworn off restoration of knives, tomahawks, hatchets, axes, swords, and manual tools, I succumbed to buying another Cold Steel SRK. I admit that when a person has a couple of unused Fallkniven A1s in inventory, it is near folly to buy another SRK. So, here is the history. Most of you already know that Cold Steel does not make its product. My late father lived about 5 miles from the offices which was just receiving and shipping. At the beginning, Cold Steel had Fallkniven making the SRK or its forebearer. When there came a parting of the ways, Fallkniven took the Cold Steel model and up graded it. Fallkniven produces the knife in Japan.

So, I researched the modifications of the blade and the sheath currently. After due consideration, I decided not to modify the sheath, not to add anything to the sheath, not to add something like a Tek-Lok. No, don't remove the blade coating What I came to was cleaning up the blade edge and slightly altering the angle of the edge. Out came the original worksharp. Surprisingly, the initial green belt took off more material than I had anticipated. As I worked with finer grits, less was taken off.

In related matters, I acquired three more Russian Kizlyar combat knives. Again, didn't need them. There is a quasi embargo now. Probably will never be imported again. They will increase in value beyond belief. I believe that they will appreciate greatly.

The other day, in another forum, someone spoke about Benchmade knives designed by Ernie Emerson. So, I looked them up. $500 and up. I paid $60 each for 6 as a dealer and still have 5, 4 of which are unused. The point is that the knife market for quality knives is really very tiny. If you see a folder or a fixed blade that you like, buy it as the probability is that it will become discontinued at some point. I have an Al Mar fixed blade sitting near the computer. Today, with Al having passed on, the price on his used fixed blades is insane. Ditto on Ek knives before the purchase of the company name and designs by Ontario Knife Company.

I don't know where all the knives go. Look at all the knife mfgs, somehow they make money. But I think most end up in a box somewhere with very little if any wear.

[David]

I think I used to have that on VHS back in the day....a very long video where they tested just about every product in the CS catalog - great stuff!

Yep, they stabbed car doors and hoods and all sorts of tests. Very informative and entertaining video.