Cold SteelRecon 1 4" S35VN Razor-Sharp Blade 5.375" G-10 Handle Tactical Folding Knife w/Tri-Ad Lock, Ambidextrous Pocket/Belt Clip

Incredible durability with the Triad lock this is one of the best hard use folders that's on the market period Regardless of cost. The Recon one is just a beast of a hard use folder the grip has excellent thickness so you're going to really be able to put in a lot of force on it without without it being uncomfortable the knife looks incredible it's a very Sleek design yet very comfortable in hand. The blade shape is beautiful for EDC type task as well as harder use type task say during camping or whatever the geometry of this blade is excellent it is a super slicy blade yet very stout. The grind does a really good job of leaving a lot of material for a nice tough blade allowing the knife to have reasonable cutting performance due to a nice geometry i'm not a fan of S35VN Steel in most cases there's only two companies out there that do it really good one is Cold Steel the next is Spyderco those are the only two companies that I will buy that specific steel from because they do a pretty good job on it and you actually get a pretty decent performing Steel. The Recon one is one of those knives that is a classic for a reason because it's built like a tank it's comfortable in hand it'll take whatever you throw at it and it just makes for an all-around good cutting tool. I still wished they made these in CTS XHP steel as it was significantly better but sadly that's not the case anymore.

I just received this knife today, so I can’t speak to its longevity or how well it holds an edge. But I can say this: this is the first knife that has wowed me right out of the box. I literally said the word “WOW!” when testing its sharpness just now.For the last 15 years, I’ve been using an Emerson Commander and a number of Spyderco knives. This is my first time trying something new outside of that realm. Compared to these other knives, it’s definitely a lot bulkier in the pocket — so if your pocket space is limited, be aware that the fit may not be optimal.The G-10 handle is very solid, and the grip is designed more ergonomically than any of my previous knives. My fingers feel well-protected and there’s not a chance this thing is coming out of my hands in a fight.It locks open *very* firmly — much more so than any knife I’ve used to date. It’s a bit hard to close, but I’ve been opening and closing it repeatedly and it does seem to be easing up, so I think it just needs a couple hundred closes to break it in. The same is probably true or the pocket clip, which feels a bit excessively tight. Not sure if I’ll be leaving it on or not.Aesthetically, this thing is both gorgeous and intimidating. Maybe not the best thing to pull out on a work site for utility use, but will definitely intimidate someone in a defense situation.Overall, this thing feels like a workhorse and I get the impression it’s worth double what I paid for it. I can see why it has a reputation as one of the best defensive folding knives for EDC.

I was blown away by feel of the knife in my hand: there's a nice tactile feel to the G10 material and the deep relief cuts in the handle invite fingers to wrap naturally and tightly in exactly the right place. I have only a tiny collection of knives, but I'm skeptical I will find a handle that feels more inviting and secure to hold.Its sculpted handle and angular blade and overall darkness make it look menacing.I found it easy to open, but not with one hand. The act of releasing the locking mechanism to refold the knife requires a significant and surprising amount of force. This makes the lock mechanism very safe against accidental re-folding - a significant positive quality that deserves to be considered in choosing this knife. I really like it; but I was a little surprised by it. There may be certain young or old individuals who are challenged by its stiffness and will need help re-folding it.The steel alloy of this knife is S35VN, a vanadium alloy powder metallurgy steel with high hardness and great edge retention. This alloy not quite as corrosion resistant as magnacut, a close relative popular in high-end knives. The black coating on the blade, though, obviates the corrosion issue. The alloy is also more brittle (less tough) than some other high end knife alloy steels such as magnacut. The quality of toughness is somewhat more important for a survival knife that will be struck hard with other objects in normal course of work. Toughness will likely not be very important until the knife is dropped and lands tip-first on a rock or until it is used to hack away at something else that is pretty hard. I've not tested it in these scenarios, just giving my understanding as an engineer and a viewer of many YouTube videos on the subject.I tried shaving hair off my arm with this knife right out of the box. In this very informal test I found it to be of comparable sharpness to other good knives; but not literally "razor sharp."

Really great knife. Comes sharper than razor sharp out of the box. Great ergonomics G10 handles for reduces weight but still incredibly strong and durable. DlC is excellent better than spydercos. S35vn this just maybe my favorite knife. Cold steel offers cpm steel at a great price and value. The Triad lock is extremely snappy and secure. Update:since GSM takeover I've noticed flaws in the blade specifically the tanto point they're not evenly symmetrical and the steel has nicks from easy use.Edit: despite These flaws the Recon 1 is clearly a knife you can depend for your life on. Seeing the other brands they feel like letter openers compared to this and I this is constantly making it's way as my edc.