Cold Steel Recon Scout 3V is it junk?

Рет қаралды 12,582

Жыл бұрын

Cold Steel Recon Scout 3V is it junk?
This is a current production of the Recon Scout in 3V made in Taiwan and after GSM bought out Cold Steel. I’m extremely impressed with this knife! Let me me know what you think in the comments!

Пікірлер: 132

@Biomass1 10 ай бұрын

My 30 yo Carbon V Trailmaster still gets alot of use as does my Scout, SRK, OSS and Recon Tanto, all in Carbon V. Carried the SRK for 12 years as an Army sniper. Sorry about your dog. My dogs are the most important "people" in my life. My German Shepard just turned 2 and is scary smart. Her name is Uzi.

@franciscoarana6626 10 ай бұрын

Excellent!.. my sincerest to you. German Shepherds are 'poeplle'...the smartest and most loyal.

@ThirdoptionJCSU 3 ай бұрын

German Shepards are the best friends and smarter than 80% people no doubt about it.

@adods9824 2 ай бұрын

"Dogs are the best ...people !" Boom Tish! Aussie band The Fauves. Their lyrics ...

@paulsmith8855 2 ай бұрын

The Mtech version are very good also and I have one in O1 Tool Steel . 😊

@StashaLintzell 28 күн бұрын

@@paulsmith8855 Mtech doesn't use O1 steel my friend. Sorry

@Teachering Жыл бұрын

That is a good looking knife. I really like Cold Steel knives. Handsome knives.

@rnkmode1876 9 ай бұрын

I'm not hung up on 3V, I'd buy this knife if it was in AUS8A, AUS10A, 5160, 5200, San Mai VG10. I'm more of a fan of mid range steels anyway.

@gravytrainoutdoors 9 ай бұрын

I’m not a sold on it because it’s 3V either. Lots of other great steels out there that are more cost effective and easier to sharpen

@jusme8060 7 ай бұрын

Especially lately hearing about all of the problems with the super steels coming from the factory.

@adamsifford6228 2 ай бұрын

Cold steel does a great job tho.

@paulsmith8855 2 ай бұрын

Mtech has a very good copy that some believe is very good and holds up to the Trail Master Bowie. 😢

@svensvensson627 2 ай бұрын

agree, they HT the fancy steel so high it cant bend at all. not good in these kind of knives

@BrewCityRider 3 күн бұрын

Great collection of blades! Im thinking of grabbing a Recon Scout. Lowest price Ive seen lately is $199, which is not terrible.

@gravytrainoutdoors 3 күн бұрын

@@BrewCityRider thank you! No that’s not a bad price at all. They are a great knife. I think you’ll like it.

@gallowsgradient Жыл бұрын

Sorry to hear about your dog. It's tough to put down a pet.

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

Thank you. She was 13 so at least she had a good long life. Our other dogs are certainly having a hard time of it.

@timb8970 Жыл бұрын

@@gravytrainoutdoorsmy condolences to you brother. We’ve had to put down a few of our pets over the years and it’s always heartbreaking.

@thegamejunky7223 9 ай бұрын

Sry, I was referring to the 3v trail master, they look so similar, I got confused and spaced it.

@brr8888 7 ай бұрын

They’re still made in the same factory. I have two 3V Trailmasters they’re awesome.

@gravytrainoutdoors 7 ай бұрын

You’re talking about the San mai 3 trail master right? I thought there were but wasn’t 100% sure. They are a beast of a knife. If I had the money to spare I would buy a 3V trail master as well.

@powerplay4real174 Ай бұрын

Nice Blades ⚔️

@rnkmode1876 Ай бұрын

Ok so fast forward 7 months from this post, I bought this knife recently and I gotta tell ya I'm impressed with the handle, I didn't think it would be so comfortable in hand, it came Super Sharp. Beast of a blade, the handle guard is fine, although I wish the back of it was non existent, but really not a big deal. Love the swedge on it too.

@gravytrainoutdoors Ай бұрын

It’s definitely a heck of a knife! No real complaints for me either.

@peterbiltknifeguy Жыл бұрын

O1 and sk5 are Taiwan too. Excellent quality control

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

The heat treat on my other Taiwan made CS knives have been spot on as well. For example, my Taiwan made AD-10 had far better fit and finish than my US made 4-Max. They are very good!

@peterbiltknifeguy Жыл бұрын

@@gravytrainoutdoors yep. My cs trailmaster 3v is showing up Tuesday. I’ll be comparing to my o1 and sk5. Hopefully it’s on par with that they were in the past

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

@@peterbiltknifeguy I’m sure it will be! Let me know what you think of it when you get it.

@peterbiltknifeguy Жыл бұрын

@@gravytrainoutdoors oh I’m definitely posting a video on here. I’ll do all 3 side by side

@powerplay4real174 Ай бұрын

SK-5 is Chinese

@adamsifford6228 2 ай бұрын

Every cold steel I've bought has Been great.

@gravytrainoutdoors 2 ай бұрын

That has been my experience as well!

@franciscoarana6626 Ай бұрын

The Trail Master is SanMaii is Vg1., more forgiving.

@Supra_Mare_Cultro_Bloke Жыл бұрын

expecting the SK5 version, reasonable price and outdoor sharpening.

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

Sk5 is a fantastic steel. In many ways it is superior to 3V. The ability to be easily sharpened is one of them!

@douglasreed9237 Жыл бұрын

Had a modern Bowie but traded it away. How thick is the tip on the Recon Scout? Sorry to hear about your dog my boxer passed away a couple years ago. I still haven't gotten another dog. It was just to much to go through again. He was like my kid and best friend. Thanks 🙏

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

Thank you. I’m sorry to hear about your pup as well. We have 3 other dogs but it will be some time before we will be ready to add another to the family. I totally understand how you feel. The tip on the recon is substantially thick. The swedge makes it appear as though the tip is fine but it’s not. There is no way you would snap it off doing anything within reason with the knife. The knife is of much thicker stock than it really needs to be. I hope that helps answer your question.

@_g_520 Жыл бұрын

rip

@adods9824 2 ай бұрын

Modern Bowie. Fallkniven? What did you think of the $1,000 Knife man?

@douglasreed9237 2 ай бұрын

@adods9824 I think I gave around 6 for it. Never used it, though. I'm more of a collector than user. It was a really well-made knife, though.

@adods9824 2 ай бұрын

@@douglasreed9237me too,and considering one. Thanks for the reply ! I think if it is really well made, if I can find an affordable one, I'll grab it ...Cheers ! :-)

@certamen832 6 ай бұрын

Already own 2 Teddy 2’s, awesome blades. Am on the fence on either getting the RS or the Tope Recon as my first 3v knife; which one would you suggest? I like the extra thickness on the RS, but the synthetic sheath amd handle are a buzzkill.

@gravytrainoutdoors 6 ай бұрын

I think the Tope recon is the superior knife in many ways. The handle is more comfortable, it’s a convex grind, it chops better and more importantly it slices far better.

@certamen832 6 ай бұрын

@@gravytrainoutdoors thanks. Would have to get the RS a better handle and better sheath anyways, which isn't easy to do where I live to begin with and makes the RS more expensive than the Tope Recon, which imo doesn't make it worth it for a Taiwan made knife, no matter how good.

@gravytrainoutdoors 6 ай бұрын

@@certamen832 I am not a fan of the sheath or handle either. What the RS has going for it is the fit and finish, great heat treatment and it is a good value for what you are getting. The Tope Recon is more but you get a lot more knife for the money. The micarta and handles with corby bolts are bomb proof. The leather sheath that comes with it is also very nice. It’s a Jenna Martin design and is really a premium option. I have a huge soft spot for my Teddy 2. I would really like to get another with a single quillion and a micarta handle.

@certamen832 4 ай бұрын

@@gravytrainoutdoors Yeah, the micarta is super sturdy and definitely the best handle material for a user, along with g10 and burlap. Personally I don't see any advantage to natural materials nowadays aside from maybe looks or collection value, though micarta can definitely look quite nice, one of my Teddy 2's has antique ivory micarta, which is more gorgeous than any of their wood options in my personal opinion. If you are still interested in grabbing one of them, they are on the production schedule and should be out for preorder by the second half of 2024, so I'd say make sure you're tuned on the production schedule group and dlt/ksf newsletter. They are also not that difficult to get on the second hand market, got all my brk's from either ebay, the brk trading facebook group or local used guns/knives sites, all flawless and factory new. Good luck!

@thegamejunky7223 9 ай бұрын

I always paracord the sheath so if it gets beat up a little, the paracord can reinforce the sheath and make it more stout.

@gravytrainoutdoors 9 ай бұрын

That’s a great idea!

@thegamejunky7223 9 ай бұрын

@@gravytrainoutdoors I’ve heard others say that the lanyard hole is only through rubber and if that eyelet gets crushed or pulled to hard by a lanyard, the handle slips eventually? Is this true?

@gravytrainoutdoors 9 ай бұрын

@@thegamejunky7223 it may be the case. I’ll have to look closer at it. It certainly doesn’t feel that way in use though.

@johnmutton799 Жыл бұрын

Far better with a micarta handle, or G10. I did a G10 on the 3v and micarta on my O1 model. With the tangs encapsulated in the material. With guards wedged and welded to the tangs. This is my favourite knife!

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

That would be a heck of a knife! Down the road if the rubber breaks down enough I would do the same thing. I’m tempted to do it anyways. I’d make the handle a bit thicker near the guard similar to what the Fallkniven Modern Bowie handle is.

@jordanmichaelharvey 10 ай бұрын

We’re do you get this done , you have a company ?

@j.p.4541 6 ай бұрын

Hey John, what kind of tang does this knife have? I’m genuinely curios, thanks!

@j.p.4541 6 ай бұрын

I wish cold steel would use a flat spine all the way to the tip like the falkniven uses on their A1

@j.p.4541 6 ай бұрын

Man I appreciate the review, sorry to hear about your dog, that sucks man.

@chopperdeath 3 ай бұрын

Mine was made in 2000, and is in black.

@powerplay4real174 Ай бұрын

You mean 15.4 oz. That's at least what the box says 15.4 ounces without sheath 😊

@spartacus4141 10 ай бұрын

Great review buddy. Do u have a review on the srk in 3v?

@gravytrainoutdoors 10 ай бұрын

Thanks! I haven’t done one on the SRK but my buddy has one in AUS-8A which he has beat on and it’s been really good. I had a master hunter which has the same handle and loved that knife. Unfortunately it was stolen and I never had a chance to make a video on it but it was real winner of a knife

@lukedawg357SIG Жыл бұрын

So sorry about your dog its very hard take care.

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

Thank you.

@stevethecross2727 Жыл бұрын

Everything is junk to someone you can't please everyone. I keep wondering who are all these idiots that bring $200 and $400 knives out into the woods to beat the crap out of them? Many knives under $100 will do everything you need them to do adequately.

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

I agree. How anyone could think these knives are junk just because of where they are made is silly. Although, quality control and poor heat treatment will make a $200-400 knife junk. There are tons of knives in the $75-150 range that are stellar performers.

@stevethecross2727 Жыл бұрын

@@gravytrainoutdoors Don't get me wrong I have a couple of very expensive ones myself but they don't come into the woods with me during hunting season.

@DDDYLN 9 ай бұрын

This is my philosophy as well. Unfortunately, the knife enthusiasts will heckle you all day long on KZfaq and forums. I finally stopped paying attention to them, because they collect $500 folding knives like people who collect expensive watches. I suspect they never get used. I have the newer version of the Cold Steel Survivalist. I'd like to have a Recon Scout as well, but I'm not sure I can justify spending the money, when I have other blades that will do the job. It is a very nice knife. Aside from fine work, it looks like it can do anything.

@gravytrainoutdoors 9 ай бұрын

@@DDDYLN a lot of people definitely get lost in the search for the newest super steel offering or design but at the end of the day the return on investment with some of these very expensive knives or simply not justifiable. I good example is my Cold Steel 4-Max Scout vs my 4-Max. The 4-Max is 400% more expensive than the Scout. The Scout is a extremely capable knife that is at least 80% of what the 4-Max is in a lot of ways. Even though I say this, I enjoy premium offerings and do buy them. I use them all. None are safe queens.

@DDDYLN 9 ай бұрын

@@gravytrainoutdoors ironically, I just bought a 4 Max Scout tonight for $63+change. The Elite is close to $400. I couldn't justify it. If I was made of money, I'd certainly buy the Elite. I guess the original 4 Max, turned into the 4 Max Elite. You can still find the original 4 Max a few places, and it's even more expensive than the Elite.

@donoberloh 6 ай бұрын

I’ve had an SRK in SK5 that I beat for ten years. I went to the San-Mai tanto gen 1 when they had a brass hilt. I could bring myself to hard use the San-Mai so I picked up a recon scout, it broke at the hilt, Cold Steel replaced it and it too broke at the hilt. I switched to a fallkniven A1 and have beat it like no one should treat a knife, I know people don’t always think VG1 is worth having but the laminated blade has been outstanding, never chips, or rolls the edge, I don’t hone it after each trip to the bush like I had to with the recon scout. I had the cold steel knives when sheaths were canvas, that’s the time frame. My CS tanto in SK5 still has its original leather sheath and has not broke on me yet. If cold steel made a full tang blade I might try another one but until then don’t abuse any Cold steel blade if you want to make it back home.

@gravytrainoutdoors 6 ай бұрын

I haven’t heard of any issues with these. The cold steel San mai 3 in VG-1 are made in Japan by Hattori. Hattori also makes Fallkniven’s knives. I would trust the quality of any knife that comes from Hattori. Full tang is always a better option for sure. I have a few Bark River hidden tang knives that I’ve beat the snot out of so I know a properly done hidden tang knife can take a boat load of abuse and not break. In most cases the manufacturer didn’t radius the 90 degree corners where it steps down at the hilt. That sharp 90 cracks a crack point.

@backyardblacksmith3090 5 ай бұрын

I'm sorry for your loss, I had to put my cat down last year I'm still broken up about it

@gravytrainoutdoors 5 ай бұрын

Thank you. I’m sorry for your loss as well. Our animals are certainly family and when we loose one it cuts deep.

@michaelstjohn6086 Жыл бұрын

Good video. Tripods are good also!

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

Haha yes they are. I normally have one setup but my tripod mount broke. Spent all my money on knives 🤣

@michaelstjohn6086 Жыл бұрын

@@gravytrainoutdoors between knives, guns, tools I feel the pain!

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

@@michaelstjohn6086 haha yup, you know it well then! My big killer lately has been fuel costs to operate my trucks and equipment.

@PumpkinKingXXIII 4 ай бұрын

I think they are getting better but no quality is not as good as California based cold steel. Warrant service is non existent, my outdoorsman sheath wasn’t even molded for that knife. It was molded for the master tango I think to save $. It cracked and I contacted them and never got a replacement.

@Xandrosi 2 ай бұрын

In the past, Cold Steel was infamous for their terrible sheaths that would dull blades. Consequently, I've had to go with after-market Kydex. Any opinion on this sheath?

@gravytrainoutdoors 2 ай бұрын

Still the same old sheath they are famous for. The knife also fits perfectly in a Bark River sheath that comes with the Teddy 2 if you like a leather sheath.

@steves3372 3 ай бұрын

Every knife made in Taiwan has the best quality all over the world.

@sergeantdef.3572 Ай бұрын

How they prevence that the guard gonna rattle? How is that guard secured?

@gravytrainoutdoors Ай бұрын

I haven’t heard of anyone having issues with the guards rattling loose yet. I think it’s press fit and glued in place.

@douglasreed9237 Жыл бұрын

You need to weigh that knife I believe cold steels website has it listed wrong. It's probably closer to 16 or 17 ounces. Thanks 👍

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

That makes more sense. I was reading the specs off the website in real time as I was making the video and thought it didn’t seem right. I’m going to find my kitchen scale and weigh it!

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

You are 100% correct. I just weighed it and uploaded a short video. It weighs 15.2oz. Thanks for pointing that out!

@Supra_Mare_Cultro_Bloke 11 ай бұрын

the stupid gsm said 9 oz on website

@paulsmith8855 2 ай бұрын

Those are Soldiers Knives , Bowie style blade with false edge top. 😢

@davidpadgett4284 11 ай бұрын

The knife you said was a Trailmaster was instead a fallknivin Bowie.

@gravytrainoutdoors 11 ай бұрын

I was taking about the Fallkniven Modern Bowie being a very similar blade as the trail master. The San Mai trail masters are made in the same factory in Japan as the Fallkniven modern bowie is.

@donoberloh 6 ай бұрын

Do you test them in hard use activities in the field?

@gravytrainoutdoors 6 ай бұрын

I do. I haven’t had a chance to thump on this one yet but I will. I’ve only done some basic cutting chores with it. It’s enough to know how it cuts/slices compared to other knives but that’s definitely not it’s forte.

@ronnybooze8003 Жыл бұрын

The original Recon Scout was manufactured in Carbon V. I believe it was outsourced to Camillus.

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

I’d love to get my hands on one of those!

@torgomax Жыл бұрын

I'm glad to hear that cold steel quality hasn't suffered because Lynn sold the company. I,m looking to buy that Marauder fixed blade soon. SUBSCRIBING 🗡🗡🗡🗡

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

I think things are good so far with no loss in the quality we have come to expect from Cold Steel. I really like the Marauder profile and would love to get one. I have a custom from Dan Tope called the Revenant Bowie which reminds me of the Marauder a bit. Thanks for watching and subscribing!

@powerplay4real174 Ай бұрын

Made in Taiwan,by Masters 😊

@mikeboyce21 7 ай бұрын

R.I.P Doggy. 😢

@dennisleighton2812 Жыл бұрын

Note: There are many comments on KZfaq about this knife being withdrawn from production. Can you clarify definitively whether this is true or not, as it makes no sense discussing a knife that is no longer available. Thanks. Being a CS Trail Master owner, I can't help wondering about the Recon Scout. It seems to come from the same philosophy as the ESEE 5 - shorter but very stocky build. Now my Trail Master (the San Mai III version) is so perfectly balanced that I'm wondering how the Recon Scout would balance out? My TM is a great chopper and the sweet spot is at about 5-6 inches out from the handle. With the Recon Scout the sweet spot would have to be about the same distance from the tip as the overall shape is similar, and this means it's about only 3-4 inches from the handle. One is losing a lot of leverage there. So I'm guessing it's a matter of the one or the other. There doesn't seem to be any point for having both productively. Of course one could have other reasons for having both! ;-) For me the only reason I'd consider the Recon Scout is weight saving - it's a few ounces lighter. This lighter version would obviously compromise its chopping capability. Interesting. Looking forward to your reply. Cheers mate!

@gravytrainoutdoors Жыл бұрын

They are still being made. I have the Fallkniven Modern Bowie which is very similar to the trail master. I think the recon scout could be a bit better with thinner stock thickness or just being a bit thinner behind the edge. I’ve yet to go out and thump on the knife but I certainly will be in the future!

@krisrhebergen Жыл бұрын

Their production seems to be on and off with a couple year break every once in a while.

@adods9824 2 ай бұрын

@@gravytrainoutdoorsOpinion of the MB .. ? The $1,000 factory knife

@gravytrainoutdoors 2 ай бұрын

@@adods9824 I like the handle on the MB better.

@Supra_Mare_Cultro_Bloke 11 ай бұрын

its 15 oz, not 9 oz

@gravytrainoutdoors 11 ай бұрын

Yeah I can’t remember if I weighed it in this video. It definitely isn’t 9 oz haha.

@johnrambo7178 6 ай бұрын

John Rambo approves

@vitordiascarlos3301 10 ай бұрын

Looks a lot like arthurs knife in rdr2

@user-vt5vu4rp5p Жыл бұрын

i love cs taiwan factory

@seppukusushi2848 9 ай бұрын

The top being a false edge is disappointing, imo.

@franciscoarana6626 10 ай бұрын

It is VG1,..NOT VG10. Otherwise, very informative video. Thank you.

@gravytrainoutdoors 10 ай бұрын

Yes! The Japanese San mai blades are VG-1. The San Mai blades made in Taiwan are made with a VG-10 core

@svensvensson627 2 ай бұрын

i see they have done a bad job on the HT on these ones. Reallly bad

@gravytrainoutdoors 2 ай бұрын

I have no complaints with this one. I won’t truly know until I sharpen it but so far it’s holding an edge as well as any other 3v blade I have. I’ve used it a fair bit doing woodwork and fooling around chopping with it and it’s performed as expected.

@2214freak 2 ай бұрын

Waaaay heavier than 9 ounces

@gravytrainoutdoors 2 ай бұрын

Haha yup!

@franciscoarana6626 10 ай бұрын

Vg1, NOT Vg10. Correction to you.

@gravytrainoutdoors 10 ай бұрын

The cold steel San Mai 3 knives made by Hattori in Japan are made with a VG1 core and the new San Mai blades made in Taiwan are VG10

@cosmiccharlie8294 9 ай бұрын

Is it made in China?

@gravytrainoutdoors 9 ай бұрын

No it’s made in Taiwan. Very different than made in China.

@cosmiccharlie8294 9 ай бұрын

@@gravytrainoutdoors Thanks for the correction!

@johnmutton799 8 ай бұрын

Cold steel do not have a factory. They do not make or design any knives. This knife is still made by the Japanese firm, they like most companies moved to Taiwan. Cold Steel are just a marketing company.

@alexbergmann2817 7 ай бұрын

not true they design,others manufacture for them.

@samthai818 8 ай бұрын

3V is easy to sharpen. It is not difficult at all. Certainly no more difficult than VG1 or VG10. I spend no more time sharpening a 3V Bark River or a 3V coldsteel than a VG10/COS Fallkniven.

@gravytrainoutdoors 8 ай бұрын

It isn’t a hard steel to maintain the edge on but it’s it more difficult to fully sharpen or repair an edge vs vg1 or vg10 in my experience. It’s the nature of a higher wear resistant steel.

@samthai818 8 ай бұрын

I actually had to reprofile my Bark River's edge because it came from the factory uneven and wavy. It was fairly easy even with less than ideal conditions and tools. I was In a hotel room on a trip with my brand new Aurora where I used a Smiths Tri Hone sharpening system to reprofile the Aurora and an SRK VG10. They both took an equal amount of time. I am now happy with both knives but factory knives from BRK SUCKS, and CS is hit or miss.

@gravytrainoutdoors 8 ай бұрын

@@samthai818 I had a CS master hunter in VG-1 that I re-profiled and it took lot more work than I expected. I haven’t found my Bark River knives in 3V to be any easier though. I have other knives in 3V, one in particular that took a bit of work to reprofile. The biggest thing I notice is that it can be a pain to get a good burr going that you can pop off. Once you do though your left with an edge that cuts like a chainsaw. Have you noticed that as well?

@SurvivalSpec 10 ай бұрын

It is VG10 don’t listen to these trolls 🧌

@gravytrainoutdoors 10 ай бұрын

I had to go back and watch the video again. It was late when I made it and must have been tired haha. I did say the originals were vg10 and not vg1. Truth be told, the original san mail cold steels were AUS6, then aus8 before the San Mai 3 VG1 version if I remember correctly. Those blades are made by Hattori in Japan. The new Taiwan san mai blade made in Taiwan use the vg10 core. The san mai trailmaster is still made in Japan fortunately but all the other are made in Taiwan now. VG1 vs vg10 are so close it would be impossible for me to tell the difference in use. At least these new Taiwan made blade seem to be too notch in terms of fit and finish and heat treat!

@SurvivalSpec 10 ай бұрын

@@gravytrainoutdoors VG1 and VG10 chemistry are very close in composition

@gravytrainoutdoors 10 ай бұрын

@@SurvivalSpec they are! I think vg1 is tougher in practice. I would be hard pressed to say that with any confidence though