Ok, someone else out there must also think this is friggin awesome!

[Benner]

I am referring to the Cold Steel Triple Action folder.  I absolutely love this knife and yet every review I read and every comment I hear about them is a negative one.  I had a soft spot for this knife right from the beginning of my toolhood and after being sent one from my good pal Gadget Guy, have grown to like it even more.

So, does anyone else out there actually like this knife?  Does anyone else out there even own one? I am keen to see whether I have just been unlucky with the comments I have read, or whether Cold Steel really do have a fan base of 1 for this knife  .

[jekostas]

Owned one.  The knife ate itself.  I was very close at one point to driving down to California and throwing the stupid thing through their office windows.

[Benner]

But you missed the point!  What other folding knife have you had that could do that? 

I found once you got the knack of it, it was fine.

[jekostas]

But you missed the point!  What other folding knife have you had that could do that? 

I found once you got the knack of it, it was fine.

Unfortunately, once I got the knack of it there were already large chunks taken out of the blade.  It's nearly impossible to *never* screw up the deployment.

[J-sews]

Never owned one, never seen one, but this discussion has me curious as to what the issue is..? Knives that eat themselves, lets see a few pics!

[Benner]

But you missed the point!  What other folding knife have you had that could do that? 

I found once you got the knack of it, it was fine.

Unfortunately, once I got the knack of it there were already large chunks taken out of the blade.  It's nearly impossible to *never* screw up the deployment.

Maybe you should have bought 2! 

Bob, I have some pics somewhere.  I'll sees what I can find.

[Beerplumber]

Never owned one, never seen one, but this discussion has me curious as to what the issue is..? Knives that eat themselves, lets see a few pics!

+1

[Benner]

Isn't she pretty 

[J-sews]

She is indeed! Plain ol' folders have a hard time holding my attention; there's just not enough going on with them. (which is why I prefer multi's) But this thing looks nice and gadgety.


So what's the (alleged) problem with them?   

[Benner]

The problem is is that it is made to be flipped around like a balisong knife and by doing so, the blade can hit the slimmer handle causing it to dig in to the comparativley soft aluminium handle.  This not only ruins the handle (aka eating itself  ) but obviously can ding the blade up as well.  This did happen to me a couple of times when I first got it, mainly because I was jumping around on the backs of sofas pretending to be a ninja, but also because I had no idea what I was doing.  After a bit of playing, this is no longer an issue for me at all, and I find the deploying can be dead fast without any eatage of any kind.

I think you are right Bob, its the gadgetness of this one that really appeals to me.  It has a high fiddle factor that I just love and is just so different compared to everything else I own.  The design does have its issues (as we have discussed) but those don't matter to me at all as I get a lot of enjoyment out of it and I just, like it.

Rumour had it that Cold Steel were going to release a new version of this knife (this one is discontinued) but I don't know what happened to that one.

[enki_ck]

Cold Steel demo videos always make mi giggle 

[jekostas]

Here's a good video with a review of the Triple Action.



Take a look at 3:40 or so and you'll see the major problem of the design.  Essentially what happens if you don't open the knife and squeeze the handle properly, the leading edge of the handle will close right in to the sharpened blade, taking nicks out of it.  These really, really build up over time.  By the time I was sick of sharpening the thing I ended up calling Cold Steel directly and got them to send me an e-mail with a contact number so I could take it back to the store and get my money back.  They knew pretty quickly about how much the design was borked.

[Benner]

Yep, that shows the potential problem quite well.  However as I mentioned earlier, proper technique means that that doesn't happen.  Doesn't take that much practice either from my experience.

[PyroJames]

The problem is is that it is made to be flipped around like a balisong knife and by doing so, the blade can hit the slimmer handle causing it to dig in to the comparativley soft aluminium handle.  This not only ruins the handle (aka eating itself  ) but obviously can ding the blade up as well. 

Being a balisong nut, I actually wanted to get this knife to play around with but as you mentioned, the knife eating itself really put me on the fence. 

However, it does look like really fun knife. 

This did happen to me a couple of times when I first got it, mainly because I was jumping around on the backs of sofas pretending to be a ninja

I'm glad I'm not the only one that does this. 

[ironraven]

I think he hit the nail on the head- it is the not-a-balisong option for places were balisongs aren't a legal option, but it is just designed to be a thumb in the eye to... someone. The design is interesting, I've seen one kinda like it once in a museum collection of Civil War and post-CW artifacts, in amongst the crutches, hooks, and what looks like a wide skateboard and a pair of small anvils with handles so someone with no legs can drag himself about. It had brass handle plates- maybe for this reason.

Mostly, I think it is a solution in search of a problem and the best it could find was being a smart alek punk.

[dks]

reminds me of the problem faced with SOG powerlock covers; hitting the blade on the covers if you do not open them when closing the blade

[J-sews]

Thanks for the info fellas

[Sean]

Yes, I have one and play around with it occasionally.  It has a "higher fiddle factor" and
requires a bit of skill to master but looks impressive when accomplished.

[Benner]

Just me and you it is then Sean! 

[Sean]

It's starting to look that way.
One of these years it might be a bit collectable.

[Benner]

Especially if they don't release the new version.

When it comes to oldie CS knives, I see you got one that I totally regret not buying.  An aluminum AK-47.


Why oh why did I not buy one when I had the chance.

[Styerman]

I used to collecting locking folders , there isn't much new under the sun . A few had some merit , most were novelties .

Chris

[Sean]

Especially if they don't release the new version.

When it comes to oldie CS knives, I see you got one that I totally regret not buying.  An aluminum AK-47.


Why oh why did I not buy one when I had the chance.

still in stock in my neck of the woods a quite a bit cheaper than ebay seems to be
getting for them.  I'm really thinking I should nab on of the old style g-10 models
before they vanish as well.

[Benner]

I can't seem to find any of the older versions here at all.  Which is a real shame as like the Voyagers, I prefer the looks of the older ones.

[Sean]

Yeah one day there going to be all gone!  But their is still stock left.  I bought one of the 4 inch
older voyagers in VG1 and love it.  The 3 inch would be next on list.  The newer style Voyagers
are quite a bit cheaper but made with AUS8.

[shecky]

The general design seems to be around. I recall seeing a Blackie Collins patent that featured a knife that folded in this manner. I believe Case manufactured it for a while. Also, there is a Marbles Fish Knife that folds in a similar way. These can still be found from a few internet vendors. I cannot say if these other triple folding knives were flippable balisong style, the way the Cold Steel version is.

[jekostas]

I believe it was Fred Perrin with the Jacob's Ladder knife.  The Case was called the Tri-Fold.  It was kind of a low-end beater knife with hard plastic handles and I don't think it lasted very long.  The Case certainly wasn't flippable, don't know about the Perrin.