It's a boot knife. Designed to be thin, light weight and affordable. What do you expect for a $34.00 boot knife? I have several and they are a great value.
Europe: €65-72, a model with black coating @€56 at a clearance sale. 2x what you paid. Still, the reviews at this European shop are overall positive. Honestly, the issues you have with the knife only show the importance of reading specs and watch reviews before you buy it. Avoidable disappointment, blahblah. It's a lightweight bootknife, made to conceal and to use in a "boot knife role", for which it ticks most boxes. It's no Srk or Recon, nor intended for outdoor survival, but it will beat those (and many other heavy utility or tactical knives) at Kobun's own intended niche role. I can't think of any covert carry defense blade with better inch per ounce ratio. I do love my Recon, it feels great in hand. Swordlike. But I carry Kobun.
I have one for concealed carry in the UK. For defence only. Its not legal but hey the criminals dont seem to care so i wont either. Kept sharp and never used until its needed a cold steel blade wont let you down.
Seriously self defense shouldn’t be illegal in UK. It’s nice to imagine a fantasy world where Weapons aren’t needed but that’s just not the case and these privileged politicians need to understand that
I've had my Kobun for over 20 years. I wear it concealed with an attached blacked out clip and it fits securely inside the waistband. This knife works well in cold or hot weather- a shirt or jacket easily affords access and fast deployment. Also, the handle has a swell that you might enjoy. It's made in China and I don't recall the steel but its a defensive instrument that's good enough to get the job done. Great review !
You need to remember that knife is made for finishing off humans it's made for killing people not bushcraft,camping, wood work 😮 you don't need a thick blade for that it's for fighting slicing arteries on neck or wrist or puncturing chest or body 😮.
As you said, you're on the younger side. Take a look to the blade weapons used in the time when people fight and trust their lives on such blades, I mean, people who live their lives fighting, and see if you find any thick "hand filling " handle. There's a reason, if you get hit in your hand or knocked down and get kicked in your weapon hand, a thinner handle is preferred. Your hand closes more and is difficult to lose your weapon than with a thicker handle. This is a fighting knife, as you said.
i have allmost all the CS Tanto knives and two Kobun knives and i love them. the thin grip is great on a fighting knife. getting great edge control and power in the twist. I also has short fingers and a wide hand.
That is the CRKT Mossback Hunter. And the clip on the Kobun is mainly intended for a boot but can be worn on a belt. Here in California it is also illegal to conceal such a knife. But you need to be prepared because this world is getting uglier. If an officer asks, just be truthful and they will be cool with you. I carry a TOPS C.U.T. 4.0 on my belt and COLDSTEEL Recon Tanto folder in my pocket. Both are easy to deploy. If I can’t run, then I will fight. No shame in running. Live to to fight another day. Just got the Recon Tanto in SK5. I like it so far. That one is for my SUV. Nice vids. Keep it up 👍🏾. Thanks 🙏🏾. Oh, almost forgot. The folder is before GSM acquisition. Love that folder.
I absolutely love Cold Steel, but maybe I should say that I did depending on how valid this concern is...but I have been seeing more and more folks complaining about these kinds of issues across the whole catalog....maybe it's a coincidence, or maybe their manufacturing and or QC isn't what it was before the sale of the company. I am guessing the latter based on my understanding that the plants that Lynn used to produce these knives are still the ones used now. I really hope the new owners don't let things slip too much, because if Cold Steel ended up like Schrade or Gerber, I would be inconsolable (not kidding) The day Lynn made the announcement on RUclips, was a very sad one for me, but that just goes to show you how much I love the knives they make. Cheers.
I developed a taste for the "weirder" Cold Steel knives, like the asymmetrical Counter Tac boot knife for example and I will get myself a Kobun soon, because I have started finding how thin it is kind of sexy. I almost got one many years ago, just because I wanted a Tanto fighting knife, but back then I decided to spend a little more and get myself a Recon Tanto instead. Back then I considered the Kobun kind of the bargain bin Tanto fighter and felt like if I would be settling for something less if I would have bought it instead of the Recon Tanto. I started my collection with a "covering all the bases" mindset. With that I mean I wanted to have one of each type of knife I considered useful to have. I wanted one high quality survival knife, a bushcraft knife, a classical soldier fighting knife, a boot knife, a dagger, a neck knife, a throwing knife and so on. By now I kind of have at least one of every type of knife I wanted to have and since then I feel more free to buy knives just because I like them and because they have certain features that makes them interesting and desirable. The Kobun isn't just a toy to me though. I think I could actually use a lightweight but fully sized and fully capable fixed fighting knife that I could carry when I walk the dog and stuff like that. Its size and its prize make it relatively easily concealable and it is cheap and disposable enough that I could theoretically just ditch it if I am worried about running into police, which can't be said about the Recon Tanto in San Mai 3 steel that I bought years ago.
cold steel kobun is a great knife i just ordered a second one from cold steel so i could further support the company i could of paid 15 dollars for it but i just appreciate cold steel. im cutting things all the time at my job and it’s always a clean effortless cutt
Love my kobun,use it to skin squirrels tanto tip makes it easy to skin and gut,throws good sparks off my spark rod using the tip. Like many others I first had issue with the handle,but I learned to handle it with light grip sorta like a conductor using a baton,and it is very fluid in my hands. The guard is part of what holds it in the sheath.
That interesting that you use it for skinning, most people consider a tanto to not be ideal for that. But if it works for you, great! Yeah I've decided to go ahead and keep the guard on
I am hoping to buy a Recon Tanto in the next couple days, but now I've seen this one and I've got to ask... using for what it's designed for, do you feel like you're more likely to slide up onto the blade on the Kubon then you are on the Recon Tanto? I like that it's smaller and lighter but I'm afraid it'll cause slippage forward under heavy use cuz the guards on the front of the handle don't look that big... I've watched the manufacturer video on the Recon Tanto and they're stabbing the **** outta stuff without any hand slippage forward.
Coldsteel is infamous in making uneven grinds usually its just a little bit where you can barely notice but on the less expensive models it gets pretty bad but you get what you pay for
They did make them in 440 stainless at one point, but it was a while back and I would be hesitant at a price that cheap. The 440 ones are relatively collectible at this point.
Not sure if that's your jam, but I recently got the Boker Solingen BFF Packlite, designed by Lucas Burnley, and I'm really loving it a lot. (Small full steel MagnaCut fixed blade for just barely under 90 Euros. As of now in the US it's like a a little bit above 90 dollars.)
AUS8a is corrosion resistant. i live on an island and sure you can get a spot here and there maybe but it wont rust like other things, i edc this all the time and moisture/temp from the body has had no effect on mine whatsoever granted mine are way older.
@@MattRoseKnives That's good! I have a similarly designed low-end dagger by Smith & Wesson and I think the tang only goes less than halfway down in that.
Would you recommend the Kobun Knife over the recon tanto? I just like the look of the recon over the silver blade, so is there really any difference in performance??
You should review the Civivi Brazen next. Best $50.00 pocket folder I have ever held... Actually compared to a few of my more expensive knives I still like my civivi brazen more it's my EDC. And if you love tantos as much as I do you'll love this knife
Don’t cut that guard! That’s what helps hold it in the sheath. But even older ones have that uneven guard, mine is ten years old now. And the grind on the edge is similar…or was til I fixed it on the sharpener
I will tell you it can put up with a lot of abuse. I use mine as an abuse blade for work. So far, it is still somehow in one piece. Btw, you can throw it pretty well too
I also like my Kobun very much, for most of the same reasons...very capable for it's weight and price. Have to disagree with you about the belt clip though. I find the tension of the sheath on the knife (how hard you need to pull to remove knife) overwhelms the tension of the clip on my belt. Whether I wear it IWB or OWB, the darned thing comes off the belt before the knife comes clear. Have a Tek-Lok on order to replace that silly, slippery spring steel. As usual with Cold Steel, good blade in so-so sheath.
Great job! But you should know WHY the Cold Steel Kobun is so popular. Just after September11th, 2001, the CIA sent several covert operators into Afghanistan to gather intelligence and make connections with potential assets. They needed to give their agents a durable, lightweight, fighting knife that would be easy to conceal. Cold Steel readily fulfilled that contract! Many Army, Marine, Navy, and Air Force operators and servicemembers carry it on deployment to this day; I have one.....
my kobun had the same grind issue. the thin handle really helps in boot carry which it is sold as and why i bought it, to clip to a pair of thin topped combat boots.
My top guard is tad bit higher also, I think that's normal,and my grind is a little off to but not the same as yours is. 😎🐻😎 It's probably a small fit and finish issue that they don't care too much about with the grind and I just realized it when I saw yours 🦁
I have one complaint about Kobun,,,handle is too thin for my hand 🤚 but I understand that was designed as boot knife.I will paracord wrap it for noice grip..It is known as bodyguard knife...
What annoys me about Cold Steel is their practice of always bringing out a black coated version of a new fixed knife first, then discontinuing it, replacing it with a cheap stonewashed version of the same knife, discontinuing that and then only selling overpriced San Mai versions. I hate that pressure of having to buy fast if you want the coated version. I have been into knifes for a long time, but due to certain circumstances, I rarely have the free money to spend hundreds of bucks on a toy knife I will never use and I have missed out on so many knives I would like to have had.
You know why i would prefere the kobun over the much "better" (= more pricy) warcraft? The grip. You can hold it comfortable in any position, while the finger groves of the warcraft dictate you to hold it in a certain way. To me, that's no good at all. Second, it's better concealable, wich is kinda the whole point of a smaller fighting knife.
I had a Kobun knife from when they first came out, its a superb everyday do everything knife, I love it, but I am not scared to use and abuse it, mine is AUS8, but I think they changed it on the latest models.
Data point for you - I just got a new SK-5 Recon Tanto with what seems like the same problem with the tip grind, except worse by about 1-2mm in terms of how far down the spine the grind begins. I have a vernier protractor and could see that it's not just the grind depth but the angle that's different, which is a much harder problem to think about ever fixing DIY because it means just putting the high side on a flat stone wouldn't work and would wind up ruining the edge in the tip area. I'm trying to not worry about it because it won't have a functional impact, but at the same time my eyes keep going to it every time I hold the knife, so it might have to go back.
I just got my Kobun strait edged a few days ago and its badass, but i already had the serrated version. I use it as a duct knife, it works perfectly and its awesome to have such a cool looking blade at work!👍🔪 They both have uneven grinds where you mentioned, not too happy about that but they are still very awesome knives. I plan on getting another serrated to keep as a nin abused one.
There are sooooooo many things you dislike about the knife!!!! Why on god green earth did you buy it!!! Your knife seems like you never used it before!!!!
Pretty much every Cold Steel tanto I've seen is uneven. It's not a big deal. My SR1 Lite has the same issue with its tanto grind. Cold Steel tends to have a very good design. Uses mid-range materials. And have some flaws in the fit and finish of their lower priced stuff. But you get a lot of utility out of their knives even if they are not perfect show pieces.
That Warcraft is a very good blade , it would have been good if they didn't change that blade ,so you have a rear knife in that older design and in 3V steel so take care of it. ⚔️🦁⚔️
I got one……. Those are just for stabbing, I can throw mine pretty well but I think the tang only goes halfway in those so I ain’t breaking it, lol got it for a twenty bag back in highschool, I had a mark1 also but I swapped it for an eighth before I knew the value of either of em, ya win some ya lose some ehh?🤷🏻♂️
After watching your video tell me about how Aus-8 steel sets you up for rust and needs to be sharpened more often, I did some additional research. In article after article I read how Aus-8 steel is a "best steel" for knife making. Here is quoted text from just one of those articles that explains how Aus-8 steel is superior: "It has unmatched resistance to rust, and it is stress-free to use, easy to maintain, and very convenient for application. AUS-8 steel is high in Chromium; Japanese-made steel that is rust-resistant and very hard and is able to acquire a razor-sharp edge to place both knife lover and knife maker. The superb balance features provided by this steel from other types of steel give it so many reasons why you must search for a knife made of AUS-8 steel." Article after article stated basically the same information. What's up with that??!!
I had to chuckle a little during the video. I have quite a few CS swords and knives, most of them 20+ yrs old and many are AUS8. None have any rust and wouldn't expect them to.
I want a kobun I wanna trade my bran new 6" hold out fully serrations for one. S35VN. I Kno my knife is worth 3X a kobun but idc. I'm not looking to come up I'm looking for something I will use more.
Hammer grip isn't always a grip for a fighting knife. You use a thumb grip, where your thumb rests on a guard, hence guard on a "blunt" side is longer. Other grip is a flat grip, where you hold your knife like for slicing left to right, not up and down...thumb resting on a wider part of your handle...
This is a self defense boot knife, nothing more! Cold Steel makes popular stuff, sometimes overpriced...There are a lot better brands with better Quality. Tanto style is cool but not allround at all, good boot knife for 25 dollars. You can do survival or bushcraft with a kitchen knife...but i dont recommend it 😁
Function over form. Looking better takes a backseat to performance. There are reasons for the handle being that way, just look at the more insightful reviews on this knife or even the actual Cold Steel spec and description video. Most of your dislikes or gripes will be explained in them
I got a SRK Compact and it had a missing screw on the right side of the sheath. Terrible QC from Cold Steel. Hell manly knives do a s90v 3.7inch G10 knives for £70. Decent craftsman as well. Cold Steel has always been under par and over priced in my opinion. At that point you might as well get a fantastic Spyderco PM2 in Maxamet like I did, the edge retention lasts years.
Have you even spent any time carrying this knife? You seem like a nice enough guy, but I don't think you know enough about this knife to review it. Enjoy spreading your mayonnaise with it.
Aus 8 wasn't ever a premium steel of any type. It has always been in the same class as 420 but with a worse reputation! It got a bad rap like D2 because of bad heat treat and unrealistic expectations from owners.
Yawn...
Agreed 🤣
I'm not watching any more of this. I wasted 2 min already.
sounds like it's your bedtime lil guy...lol
Time for bed little buckaroo.
It's a boot knife. Designed to be thin, light weight and affordable. What do you expect for a $34.00 boot knife? I have several and they are a great value.
Agreed!
$65...
@@k1zer100 Wow, the prices went up.
$40 some stores i know
Europe: €65-72, a model with black coating @€56 at a clearance sale.
2x what you paid.
Still, the reviews at this European shop are overall positive.
Honestly, the issues you have with the knife only show the importance of reading specs and watch reviews before you buy it. Avoidable disappointment, blahblah. It's a lightweight bootknife, made to conceal and to use in a "boot knife role", for which it ticks most boxes. It's no Srk or Recon, nor intended for outdoor survival, but it will beat those (and many other heavy utility or tactical knives) at Kobun's own intended niche role. I can't think of any covert carry defense blade with better inch per ounce ratio.
I do love my Recon, it feels great in hand. Swordlike. But I carry Kobun.
I have one for concealed carry in the UK. For defence only. Its not legal but hey the criminals dont seem to care so i wont either.
Kept sharp and never used until its needed a cold steel blade wont let you down.
"Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6."
same, uk when i studied there and back home.
Considering you guys are dealing with open race wars and grooming gangs daily, I don't blame you.
When the government tell you you are only legal as a victim.
Seriously self defense shouldn’t be illegal in UK. It’s nice to imagine a fantasy world where Weapons aren’t needed but that’s just not the case and these privileged politicians need to understand that
I've had my Kobun for over 20 years. I wear it concealed with an attached blacked out clip and it fits securely inside the waistband. This knife works well in cold or hot weather- a shirt or jacket easily affords access and fast deployment. Also, the handle has a swell that you might enjoy. It's made in China and I don't recall the steel but its a defensive instrument that's good enough to get the job done. Great review !
The kobun is not made in China if yours is it's a knockoff
Just got the Kobun! The serrated version. DEFINITELY going into my EDC rotation!!! Great review btw...
Good knife for small jobs. Being a Cold Steel fan, I like the light and slim design of the Kobun. It is my designated fishing knife.
Me too!!!
Me to.i just have to make sure my friends don't use it because they leave blood and stuff on it when they put it back in the sheath.
He catches Japanese fighting fish
I have several of the first gen. I keep one in my car's glove box for emergencies. Good all-around knife.
Agreed
It is meant to be a boot knife for concealment, thin and light weight. Like the AMX card, "don't leave home without it".
Indeed
You need to remember that knife is made for finishing off humans it's made for killing people not bushcraft,camping, wood work 😮 you don't need a thick blade for that it's for fighting slicing arteries on neck or wrist or puncturing chest or body 😮.
😂
As you said, you're on the younger side. Take a look to the blade weapons used in the time when people fight and trust their lives on such blades, I mean, people who live their lives fighting, and see if you find any thick "hand filling " handle. There's a reason, if you get hit in your hand or knocked down and get kicked in your weapon hand, a thinner handle is preferred. Your hand closes more and is difficult to lose your weapon than with a thicker handle. This is a fighting knife, as you said.
Good point!
i have allmost all the CS Tanto knives and two Kobun knives and i love them. the thin grip is great on a fighting knife. getting great edge control and power in the twist. I also has short fingers and a wide hand.
Bro, excellent video - had the info I needed, and it was good to hear your perspective on this blade vs others - great work 👍
That is the CRKT Mossback Hunter. And the clip on the Kobun is mainly intended for a boot but can be worn on a belt. Here in California it is also illegal to conceal such a knife. But you need to be prepared because this world is getting uglier. If an officer asks, just be truthful and they will be cool with you. I carry a TOPS C.U.T. 4.0 on my belt and COLDSTEEL Recon Tanto folder in my pocket. Both are easy to deploy. If I can’t run, then I will fight. No shame in running. Live to to fight another day. Just got the Recon Tanto in SK5. I like it so far. That one is for my SUV. Nice vids. Keep it up 👍🏾. Thanks 🙏🏾. Oh, almost forgot. The folder is before GSM acquisition. Love that folder.
8 years ongoing, having my Kobun with the older plastic clip sheath
Nice! I remember those haha
How can you compare at $40 knife with 3V SRK knife that cost $150?
I absolutely love Cold Steel, but maybe I should say that I did depending on how valid this concern is...but I have been seeing more and more folks complaining about these kinds of issues across the whole catalog....maybe it's a coincidence, or maybe their manufacturing and or QC isn't what it was before the sale of the company. I am guessing the latter based on my understanding that the plants that Lynn used to produce these knives are still the ones used now. I really hope the new owners don't let things slip too much, because if Cold Steel ended up like Schrade or Gerber, I would be inconsolable (not kidding) The day Lynn made the announcement on RUclips, was a very sad one for me, but that just goes to show you how much I love the knives they make. Cheers.
Same and same!
I developed a taste for the "weirder" Cold Steel knives, like the asymmetrical Counter Tac boot knife for example and I will get myself a Kobun soon, because I have started finding how thin it is kind of sexy.
I almost got one many years ago, just because I wanted a Tanto fighting knife, but back then I decided to spend a little more and get myself a Recon Tanto instead. Back then I considered the Kobun kind of the bargain bin Tanto fighter and felt like if I would be settling for something less if I would have bought it instead of the Recon Tanto.
I started my collection with a "covering all the bases" mindset. With that I mean I wanted to have one of each type of knife I considered useful to have. I wanted one high quality survival knife, a bushcraft knife, a classical soldier fighting knife, a boot knife, a dagger, a neck knife, a throwing knife and so on. By now I kind of have at least one of every type of knife I wanted to have and since then I feel more free to buy knives just because I like them and because they have certain features that makes them interesting and desirable.
The Kobun isn't just a toy to me though. I think I could actually use a lightweight but fully sized and fully capable fixed fighting knife that I could carry when I walk the dog and stuff like that. Its size and its prize make it relatively easily concealable and it is cheap and disposable enough that I could theoretically just ditch it if I am worried about running into police, which can't be said about the Recon Tanto in San Mai 3 steel that I bought years ago.
May be wrong, but I’m pretty sure the tip of that ground was on purpose
Correct. It’s ground like that to offer more strength at the tip.
cold steel kobun is a great knife i just ordered a second one from cold steel so i could further support the company i could of paid 15 dollars for it but i just appreciate cold steel. im cutting things all the time at my job and it’s always a clean effortless cutt
God bless you for comparing side to side the Kobun and the SRK, the two knives I am considering for buying one!
Love my kobun,use it to skin squirrels tanto tip makes it easy to skin and gut,throws good sparks off my spark rod using the tip.
Like many others I first had issue with the handle,but I learned to handle it with light grip sorta like a conductor using a baton,and it is very fluid in my hands.
The guard is part of what holds it in the sheath.
That interesting that you use it for skinning, most people consider a tanto to not be ideal for that. But if it works for you, great! Yeah I've decided to go ahead and keep the guard on
You use the blade on your ferro rod?!!!!
Get a Kyoto 1 for EDC, a Kobun for tactical uses, and a SRK for bushcraft. That’s all you need and cost you $150
I am hoping to buy a Recon Tanto in the next couple days, but now I've seen this one and I've got to ask... using for what it's designed for, do you feel like you're more likely to slide up onto the blade on the Kubon then you are on the Recon Tanto? I like that it's smaller and lighter but I'm afraid it'll cause slippage forward under heavy use cuz the guards on the front of the handle don't look that big... I've watched the manufacturer video on the Recon Tanto and they're stabbing the **** outta stuff without any hand slippage forward.
Perhaps a bit… but the Keaton handle is so grippy I wouldn’t worry about it too much to be honest
@@MattRoseKnives Thanx, for the info
Will coconut oil work to stop the knife rusting??
Coldsteel is infamous in making uneven grinds usually its just a little bit where you can barely notice but on the less expensive models it gets pretty bad but you get what you pay for
Often that is true!
Cold steel Kobun / GI Tanto / recon Tanto ? Which one would be a better choice
I have a Kobun on the way , it's a Boot Knife so it need to be thin and sleek but light wieght and fast in hand 🦁⚔️🦁
Indeed!
Is it full Tang?
Is you full brain?
I’ve been eyeing up this knife. I wonder if hockey tape or tennis racket wrap would solve the thickness issue
Does it have a full tang ?
Kinda lol. For All intents and purposes it does have full-time. Goes down to the very base of the knife
@@MattRoseKnives So it does have a full tang not just a stick tang emm..
I found one on Ebay for $23 said it's made from 440 stainless, did they make it in 440 or you think it's a fake
They did make them in 440 stainless at one point, but it was a while back and I would be hesitant at a price that cheap. The 440 ones are relatively collectible at this point.
@@MattRoseKnives ok thanks!
Just ordered the serrated one from Amazon, IWB Carey possible? Comfortable??
I’m sure it would be, as far as knives go. But the kraton is going to be pretty grippy, could be uncomfortable
Not sure if that's your jam, but I recently got the Boker Solingen BFF Packlite, designed by Lucas Burnley, and I'm really loving it a lot. (Small full steel MagnaCut fixed blade for just barely under 90 Euros. As of now in the US it's like a a little bit above 90 dollars.)
Big fan of the crkt mossback! Very comfortable handle for carving
It's pronounced tahn-toh
The Kobun variant was used by the CIA. The slim profile made it easy to wear, like in your boot.
AUS8a is corrosion resistant. i live on an island and sure you can get a spot here and there maybe but it wont rust like other things, i edc this all the time and moisture/temp from the body has had no effect on mine whatsoever granted mine are way older.
Fair fair. Aus 8 has always only been mildly stainless for me. But it is still classified as a stainless steel
How far into the handle do you suppose the tang extends?
Essentially all the way down
@@MattRoseKnives That's good! I have a similarly designed low-end dagger by Smith & Wesson and I think the tang only goes less than halfway down in that.
Would you recommend the Kobun Knife over the recon tanto? I just like the look of the recon over the silver blade, so is there really any difference in performance??
How about a review of Cold Steel's "Tanto Lite"?
I'm definitely going to check those out!
I use the kobun as a kithen knife mostly also as a outdoortool
Good video. I especially appreciate the comparison to the srk.
Aus8 was never thought as a premium steel, it has always been considered a high end budget steel
You should review the Civivi Brazen next. Best $50.00 pocket folder I have ever held... Actually compared to a few of my more expensive knives I still like my civivi brazen more it's my EDC. And if you love tantos as much as I do you'll love this knife
I'll look into it!
Don’t cut that guard! That’s what helps hold it in the sheath. But even older ones have that uneven guard, mine is ten years old now. And the grind on the edge is similar…or was til I fixed it on the sharpener
Good advice!
The handle is much to slim. Even the smaller Kyoto has a thicker handle. Actually the handle style of the Kyoto would also look better on the Kobun.
Totally fair
I think the thin handle is because this one is designed primarily as boot knife. It wears easier that way in the boot since the handle is so flat
There’s reasons for the handle being that way. Function over form, style takes a backseat to get the most performance out of the knife
@@MikeJ2319 To have a good grip on a knife is the most function I could think of!
@@Gieszkanne a fat grip on a designed concealed/boot knife? Psh
I am thinking of getting a Muela Tanto 19 N, have you crossed paths with one yet maybe?
I haven't, but I'll look into it!
I will tell you it can put up with a lot of abuse. I use mine as an abuse blade for work. So far, it is still somehow in one piece. Btw, you can throw it pretty well too
Very good review !!
I'm pretty sure this knife is specifically made for combat.The thickness of the blade isn't very practical for other uses.. Still very cool though.
I also like my Kobun very much, for most of the same reasons...very capable for it's weight and price. Have to disagree with you about the belt clip though. I find the tension of the sheath on the knife (how hard you need to pull to remove knife) overwhelms the tension of the clip on my belt. Whether I wear it IWB or OWB, the darned thing comes off the belt before the knife comes clear. Have a Tek-Lok on order to replace that silly, slippery spring steel. As usual with Cold Steel, good blade in so-so sheath.
Great job! But you should know WHY the Cold Steel Kobun is so popular.
Just after September11th, 2001, the CIA sent several covert operators into Afghanistan to gather intelligence and make connections with potential assets. They needed to give their agents a durable, lightweight, fighting knife that would be easy to conceal. Cold Steel readily fulfilled that contract! Many Army, Marine, Navy, and Air Force operators and servicemembers carry it on deployment to this day; I have one.....
I've had my 119 since 1975.
Awesome
my kobun had the same grind issue. the thin handle really helps in boot carry which it is sold as and why i bought it, to clip to a pair of thin topped combat boots.
Makes sense!
7:15 you can always easily make a handle thicker, but not thinner.
Badass,knive,man
Thanks!
Mossback by crkt it was alright and I do love cold steel but I’m kinda into work tuff gears stuff right now
Nice!
The guard length is intentional
My top guard is tad bit higher also, I think that's normal,and my grind is a little off to but not the same as yours is. 😎🐻😎
It's probably a small fit and finish issue that they don't care too much about with the grind and I just realized it when I saw yours 🦁
Gotcha!
Can you review the srk-c
I plan on it soon!
I have one complaint about Kobun,,,handle is too thin for my hand 🤚 but I understand that was designed as boot knife.I will paracord wrap it for noice grip..It is known as bodyguard knife...
Yeah! That's the issue I had at first. But then kinda grew accustomed to it and now I really enjoy the blade
What annoys me about Cold Steel is their practice of always bringing out a black coated version of a new fixed knife first, then discontinuing it, replacing it with a cheap stonewashed version of the same knife, discontinuing that and then only selling overpriced San Mai versions.
I hate that pressure of having to buy fast if you want the coated version.
I have been into knifes for a long time, but due to certain circumstances, I rarely have the free money to spend hundreds of bucks on a toy knife I will never use and I have missed out on so many knives I would like to have had.
Combat concealable knife
In spite of your opinion I have a kobun and never had a problem.its made to be easily hidden in your waistband or jacket.
I wrapped the handle on mine with paracord for a better grip.
My biggest complaint is the sheath
You know why i would prefere the kobun over the much "better" (= more pricy) warcraft? The grip. You can hold it comfortable in any position, while the finger groves of the warcraft dictate you to hold it in a certain way. To me, that's no good at all. Second, it's better concealable, wich is kinda the whole point of a smaller fighting knife.
the signature series has a better qc
Planning on picking up the Thompson version!
@@MattRoseKnives its very sharp
CRKT Mossback Hunter.
Ding ding!
Bingo got a new sheath though
CRKT is Columbia River Knife & Tool.
I had a Kobun knife from when they first came out, its a superb everyday do everything knife, I love it, but I am not scared to use and abuse it, mine is AUS8, but I think they changed it on the latest models.
Awesome! Still Aus 8a actually
@@MattRoseKnives yeah your right, I could of sworn they changed steel somewhere, I am getting old.
I have a brand new kobun and a 10ish year old one
Nice!
@@MattRoseKnives the 10yr old one would having you ask wtf i did with it
Data point for you - I just got a new SK-5 Recon Tanto with what seems like the same problem with the tip grind, except worse by about 1-2mm in terms of how far down the spine the grind begins. I have a vernier protractor and could see that it's not just the grind depth but the angle that's different, which is a much harder problem to think about ever fixing DIY because it means just putting the high side on a flat stone wouldn't work and would wind up ruining the edge in the tip area. I'm trying to not worry about it because it won't have a functional impact, but at the same time my eyes keep going to it every time I hold the knife, so it might have to go back.
Fair fair, thanks for the data point. And yeah it won’t effect functionality, but boy does it drive me crazy lol
I just got my Kobun strait edged a few days ago and its badass, but i already had the serrated version. I use it as a duct knife, it works perfectly and its awesome to have such a cool looking blade at work!👍🔪
They both have uneven grinds where you mentioned, not too happy about that but they are still very awesome knives. I plan on getting another serrated to keep as a nin abused one.
I've had one of these for 10 years (purchased July 2014) and the rubberized handle is tacky and gross feeling now.
There are sooooooo many things you dislike about the knife!!!! Why on god green earth did you buy it!!! Your knife seems like you never used it before!!!!
Lol just sharing my thoughts dude
Pretty much every Cold Steel tanto I've seen is uneven. It's not a big deal. My SR1 Lite has the same issue with its tanto grind.
Cold Steel tends to have a very good design. Uses mid-range materials. And have some flaws in the fit and finish of their lower priced stuff. But you get a lot of utility out of their knives even if they are not perfect show pieces.
If you need a grab and stab it’s the perfect knife. You can use it for other things too but that’s what it was designed for.
That Warcraft is a very good blade , it would have been good if they didn't change that blade ,so you have a rear knife in that older design and in 3V steel so take care of it. ⚔️🦁⚔️
Agreed!
The SRK is hard to beat.
Gerber Mark 2.
I got one……. Those are just for stabbing, I can throw mine pretty well but I think the tang only goes halfway in those so I ain’t breaking it, lol got it for a twenty bag back in highschool, I had a mark1 also but I swapped it for an eighth before I knew the value of either of em, ya win some ya lose some ehh?🤷🏻♂️
@@bobhope4949 😃
Got it for 4 usd. Fine knife
Lol I just came from a video stating this is Americas best knife for the cia! I hear cold steel…..😂
After watching your video tell me about how Aus-8 steel sets you up for rust and needs to be sharpened more often, I did some additional research. In article after article I read how Aus-8 steel is a "best steel" for knife making. Here is quoted text from just one of those articles that explains how Aus-8 steel is superior: "It has unmatched resistance to rust, and it is stress-free to use, easy to maintain, and very convenient for application. AUS-8 steel is high in Chromium; Japanese-made steel that is rust-resistant and very hard and is able to acquire a razor-sharp edge to place both knife lover and knife maker. The superb balance features provided by this steel from other types of steel give it so many reasons why you must search for a knife made of AUS-8 steel." Article after article stated basically the same information. What's up with that??!!
I had to chuckle a little during the video. I have quite a few CS swords and knives, most of them 20+ yrs old and many are AUS8. None have any rust and wouldn't expect them to.
If they offered CPM 3V they own the market
I want a kobun I wanna trade my bran new 6" hold out fully serrations for one. S35VN. I Kno my knife is worth 3X a kobun but idc. I'm not looking to come up I'm looking for something I will use more.
Check out the Cold Steel Nation Facebook page. Lots of trading going on there.
@@MattRoseKnives I will check that out today thank you
Hammer grip isn't always a grip for a fighting knife.
You use a thumb grip, where your thumb rests on a guard, hence guard on a "blunt" side is longer.
Other grip is a flat grip, where you hold your knife like for slicing left to right, not up and down...thumb resting on a wider part of your handle...
It is what it is. U need a Custom product.
Everybody check out the new Lynn Thompson kobun
Don't have to watch, for the money, good boot knife and have a couple.
Noice
Cold Steel, there no.1
AUS-8 and AUS-8A are not the same.
Yes yes. But Functionally, mostly the same ;)
This is a self defense boot knife, nothing more! Cold Steel makes popular stuff, sometimes overpriced...There are a lot better brands with better Quality. Tanto style is cool but not allround at all, good boot knife for 25 dollars. You can do survival or bushcraft with a kitchen knife...but i dont recommend it 😁
Function over form. Looking better takes a backseat to performance. There are reasons for the handle being that way, just look at the more insightful reviews on this knife or even the actual Cold Steel spec and description video. Most of your dislikes or gripes will be explained in them
Hey a cold steel boot knife that is "3D"! Who knew?
I got a SRK Compact and it had a missing screw on the right side of the sheath. Terrible QC from Cold Steel. Hell manly knives do a s90v 3.7inch G10 knives for £70. Decent craftsman as well. Cold Steel has always been under par and over priced in my opinion. At that point you might as well get a fantastic Spyderco PM2 in Maxamet like I did, the edge retention lasts years.
i paied 14$ for it
Great deal!
Have you even spent any time carrying this knife?
You seem like a nice enough guy, but I don't think you know enough about this knife to review it.
Enjoy spreading your mayonnaise with it.
😂😂😂
Bird and trout knife crkt
I’ll check it out!
Aus 8 wasn't ever a premium steel of any type. It has always been in the same class as 420 but with a worse reputation! It got a bad rap like D2 because of bad heat treat and unrealistic expectations from owners.
Indeed, not a great steel, but not terrible either. Perfectly serviceable in my opinion
154cm is getting down to the budget category now as well