Cold Steel 17t Kobun Tanto Fixed Blade Knife Review
In this article, I'm going to review the Cold Steel Kobun Tanto blade and try and assistance you non only see if information technology'south worth your money, but specifically discover how well this particular knife compares to others in its class.
Merely before we get to that, allow'due south briefly talk about the tanto blade itself, its history, and how it became office of the Cold Steel family.
Only first, please take a moment to see how well the Common cold Steel Kobun compares to other dandy knives on the market place today.
| Photo | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
 | Common cold Steel Survival Rescue Pocketknife (SRK) | $$$ |
 | Gerber LMF 2 Survival Knife | $$$ |
 | Ka-Bar Fighting Knife | $$ |
 | ESEE Knives 3P | $$$ |
 | SOG Seal Team S37-M | $$$ |
 | Common cold Steel Recon 1 | $$$ |
Why Tanto? And Why Cold Steel?
The tanto-fashion blade goes all the way back to the days of the Samurai, from 781 AD to 1150 Advertisement. Information technology has been a staple in Asian Martial Arts blades, and since the 1980s, a common style used in tactical blades.
The word "Tanto" has nada to practise with The Lone Ranger. Information technology is Japanese, and actually refers to the point of the bract, translating loosely as, "much betoken." It was the preferred point on most Japanese swords and knives, such equally the Katana, Wakizashi, Daito, etc. The bespeak was and so popular on knives that it became almost standard.
A tanto betoken is just a adequately straight or slightly curved blade that has a very acute sweep curve upwards to the betoken in the concluding few inches. These are seldom seen anymore, except on Japanese swords and historical-styled knives.
In the 1980s, Lynn Thompson created a company called Cold Steel, dedicated to making the strongest, sharpest knives in the globe. His first model, and the 1 that put them on the map, was the Recon Tanto , with a modified tanto-style blade referred to as an American, or Westernized Tanto.
Instead of a sharp sweep, the American Tanto actually has two split blades and points. The secondary blade, from the tip to the secondary indicate, has a saber-grind, whereas the primary blade has a hollow-grind.
The secondary bract and tip make for some interesting uses not possible with other blade styles. They are bang-up for frail jobs like opening boxes, scraping, and "flick" cuts when there is no room for a traditional cut—such as in a car engine, or other confined space. The tip is incredibly strong, and really tin can penetrate machine tops, and oil cans with ease, depending on the steel used in the blade. Virtually American Tantos too take a slight abdomen to the chief blade, making them acceptable slicers.
Below, please take a moment to view some of the best-selling fixed blade knives currently for auction on Amazon:
| BEST SELLERS |
|---|
one) Mossy Oak |
2) Ka-Bar USMC |
3) Common cold Steel Survivalist |
five) Camp Lore PR-iv |
4) Cold Steel San Mai SRK |
Enter, The Kobun
The Japanese word 'Kobun', like most Asian words, has many meanings depending on how it is used, and really does not translate to English language exactly. One meaning is that Kobun is one of the oldest styles of Japanese writing known. Another meaning is "soldier," just that significant is normally merely applied to members of the Japanese Mafia, known equally the Yakuza.
Whichever meaning you prefer, there is no doubt that the Common cold Steel Kobun is an elegantly styled pocketknife. The softly sweeping belly of the principal blade, the thin cross department, serious-looking point and secondary blade accept a certain creative beauty that is lacking on many other models.
Where the Recon Tanto is a front-line bruiser, the Kobun is a delicate ballerina with a seize with teeth.
The Kobun is designed to exist used as a boot pocketknife, or concealable tactical blade. The clip on the friction sheath is on the right side, and so the sheath can clip to the within of a boot, or your waistband, keeping the knife well concealed, but easily accessible.
Here are some of the specs:
- Weight: 4.4 oz.
- Blade Material: AUS eight
- Blade Length: 5-ane/two"
- Full Length: 9.78"
- Blade Thickness: 1/8"
- Scales: Kray-Ex
A Mix of Beauty and Force
Even though the Kobun is reasonably priced, information technology has many features found on expensive custom fighting knives. Ane of the showtime things y'all will observe when you go a Kobun is how light the knife is. At a mere four.4 oz, information technology is lighter than some folders. You can conduct this all 24-hour interval, and forget you have it on.
The next affair that will strike you is the thinness of the bract and handle. It lays against your side like information technology was custom-fitted only for you lot. There is no gouging, poking or rubbing, either in a boot, or in your waistband. The blade, like with all CS products, comes scary-sharp, and the thin blade feels like it would make some serious cuts. AUS 8 steel is tough, and takes a great edge on almost any stone or sharpener. It also resists rust very well. I've reviewed many other AUS 8 knives, so there is no indicate in rehashing it'due south incredible cutting ability here. I will say that the points on the Kobun are merely patently wicked.
The checkered Kray-Ex handle is very grippy, and surprisingly secure for one so thin. The knife does non effort to twist or shift at all, in whatever grip. The handle is on the thin side, to assistance in conceal-ability.
If y'all take really large hands, this may be a problem, but then again, I am not sure. My easily are virtually medium-sized, and the scales most feel custom-made. The whole pocketknife feels light, maneuverable and incredibly quick. The small bract guard never hung upwards on the describe, even though I tried several different describe techniques. It was smooth and fast no matter how I drew it. The knife fits the sheath perfectly with no rattle, and the only fashion I could make the bract accidentally come up out of it was gripping the bottom of the sheath and swinging it like a tennis racquet.
Kobun vs the Contest
Cold Steel has three other non-folding tanto-style knives that are popular; the Cold Steel Recon Tanto , (Cold Steel'south second production pocketknife), the Cold Steel Tanto Lite , and the Cold Steel GI Tanto .
Countless articles have been written about the Recon Tanto, and information technology is a legend in the knife manufacture. Introduced in 1986-87, it was offered as a cheaper alternative to their original Tanto. I am lucky plenty to have one of the first-generation US-made Recon Tantos. I carried it as a personal pocketknife when I was in the Marines, and it has been all over the world with me.
The Recon Tanto came out with contumely fittings, early on Kraton scales, and a Carbon Five steel blade. It was (and withal is) one of the toughest, most durable, and dependable tactical knives ever made. The newer models are made in Taiwan (I recall) and have stainless steel fittings, Kray-Ex scales, and an AUS eight blade. They are all the same meridian-shelf, only in my opinion, they are inferior to the older models. It may just be my incurable sense of nostalgia.
The GI Tanto is pretty much a tanto-styled Bushman, which is 1 of the greatest knives in Common cold Steel's line-up. It is a solid slice of tough 1055 loftier carbon tool steel. The one-time style models (similar mine) take a simple paracord wrap for scales. The newer ones have polypropylene scales, which in my opinion is a footstep backwards.
Poly scales are almost indestructible, but if y'all needed some paracord—for beginning-aid, to tie something, brand a trap, etc—with the onetime model, all you had to do was unwrap the handle and you still had a perfectly usable knife. On the up-side, the newer model comes with a Secure-Ex sheath, a skilful improvement over the original nylon sheath.
The GI Tanto is a cantankerous between a vicious tactical knife, and a life-saving outdoor knife—sort of like an offspring of a fling betwixt a beautiful Recon Tanto and a lonely Common cold Steel Bushman . And it does a good job of being the best of both worlds.
Information technology is marketed as being an of import part of your wilderness survival gear. You tin't skin a Woolly Mammoth with it like you tin with a Bushman, only information technology is a better fighting knife than a Bushman.
Y'all can't have everything. Only the GI Tanto is a corking all-effectually compromise.
The Tanto Lite is a less expensive tanto-version of the Cold Steel Outdoorsman . A thinner blade with less expensive materials, information technology is an adequate outdoor knife, although the tanto blade is not the all-time style for an outdoor knife. It features poly scales, a German 4116 Krupp blade (which I actually prefer over AUS 8, fifty-fifty though it is cheaper), and an inexpensive only fully functional nylon sheath.
It's somewhat hard to compare the Kobun to the Recon Tanto, GI Tanto, and Tanto Lite considering they are all designed for different purposes. The Recon Tanto is a battleground bruiser with an attitude. The GI Tanto is a tactical/outdoor knife for when the Zombie Apocalypse happens, a last-ditch survival knife for when the fries are really down. The Tanto Lite is a medium-duty outdoor pocketknife for those who really similar the tanto-mode blade.
The Kobun is a light, fast, tactical bract designed for easy concealment and rapid deployment. The Kobun will not stand up up to the extreme use that the Recon and GI Tantos are designed for, but it probably has equal utility to the Tanto Lite, while being more comfy to carry out of sight.
The Lesser Line
The Kobun is an outstanding tactical knife for Police force Officers, a military back-up knife, people who adopt a non-folding pocketknife for EDC, people who want to acquit concealed in a boot or inside the pants, or a lightweight self-defense knife to go on under a pillow. In a cocky defence force state of affairs, it can hold its own, depending on the users skill, and of course, luck. It is tough, abrupt, low-cal and reasonable-priced.
What more could you ask for in a lightweight pocketknife?
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Source: https://www.reliableknife.com/cold-steel-kobun-tanto-review/
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