Cold Steel Swords - Are They Good Or Bad? A review of sorts, based upon my experiences with Cold Steel swords over the last 15+ years. / scholagladiatoria
@@Asthmos I think I have been supporting them since they were 'unnamed' wholesale. Cold steel is good, anyone try the 300 dollar cold steel gladius, the Honshu? I must have a spherical pommel on my gladius.
I have a CS Grosse Messer that a drunk buddy went to town on a door frame with........after fifteen minutes most of the blade had full chunks taken out of it. The nest day when we were sober we found out how much damage he did to the cinder blocks the door frame was surrounded by. A lot. I still have the sword, it has a bent crossguard and the tip is missing. I basically view it has having a sharp first half and a serrated second half of the blade. The handle creaks a bit too. I have done nothing to it since that night.........I have owned the thing for well over a decade. I don't regret any of the decisions involved. It's still absolutely deadly.
@@LairdErnst Swords aren't just mere accessories to look cool in a uniform. All military swords have had some significant service history explaining their adoption, usually from their use in battle. It would inappropriate for AF to suddenly adopt swords in 2019 when they have never carried one before in it's history.
@@cappierising1774 and stupid legislation to go along with it. A pocket light saber with a switch is legal but if the saber deploys with a button it's illegal and you get sent to the prison planet.
Brah everyone knows to buy a quality Kyber crystal immediately. Stock is trash. I recommend a wilson combat kyber crystal all 4 of mine have been reliable
I have a cold steel smallsword; it's a bit on the heavy side but at least it's really stiff to enable good penetration, and we all know that's all that really matters.
I have one, and it is very functional. I have many cold steel items, and they are quite good enough for what I use them for. I have the old master tanto. Great blade, very sharp.
@@svargyle I have one, and it handles like a baseball bat. I suppose it's meant as a crude hack and stab weapon wielded by sailors with tremendous grip and forearm strength, and it accomplishes that very well.
Just purchased my first sword, a Cold Steel “Viking Sword” (have since watched your video on Viking swords lol). I love my sword, but I certainly agree that it isn’t 100% accurate. I did enjoy hearing that Cold Steel is durable and well-made for what it is, and as I’m in the USA, my sword was quite affordable.
I actually sent mine back and got the arming sword. I think I discovered that I prefer a single handed sword, that I can always mix with a my CS buckler. PS: I even thought I must have posted this a year ago and was going to delete it, then I saw your name. lol!
Rock is not durable, it's brittle. If you want to use rock as a positive description for a sword, you could say hard as a rock.. depending on the sword. Durable would simply mean that it won't brake and has resistance for the wear. Good quality to describe a tool or a kitchen knife.
For the price (in the U.S.), and for what they are and intended for, their machete swords are very hard to beat. I have owned the barong machete for years now. Near indestructible, you can stab with it as well as cut and chop. Yes, there is a clunk factor. They are made for long use with lots of sharpening and loss of material in mind. They can be great if you mod them right. Aggressive sharpening on the blade and counter balance in the handle and lanyard hole. They currently retail for just over 20 USD. That is insanely cheap for what you get. I would not go cold steel for a long sword or a reproduction but a hybrid machete/sword/knife is right up their alley.
Well I do love spears myself, but I am not sure about Cold Steel's spears' quality and I'm not planning on buying one from them. However, I do want at least one spear from another company, preferably from one that makes historically accurate weapons. Even if I have to get the head and shaft separately.
@@fransthefox9682 That's what I'm worried about, I don't mind paying for quality but it's hard to do so when there really isn't a up to date and comprehensive list or video on what is good and what isn't.
I'm not sure where you are from, but consider finding a local hobby blacksmith. I know i would make you a spear head in whatever style you would like, for not much money. Shafting it would be up to you, but most hobby type smiths would do it just for the fun of it.
Over the years I’ve purchased a few cold steel products and have not been disappointed , the whole of boar spear , war hammer , kukri , all are quality stuff.
It is always a pleasure to listen to Matt because he is very clear and logical while showing his deep knowledge without showing off. He wastes no time on hype or irrelevant stuff. Just explains the what and the why in a clear and FAIR analysis. Great. I would trust him as a judge because of the way he reasons always taking a look at both sides of an issue and not jumping into a shallow judgement. This is an increasingly rare thing these days which is very sad.
The best thing about CS swords are their variety , they really do have a broad range to choose from . Most people only ever buy one sword and if it’s not katana shaped then I always recommend CS because they won’t fall apart , will survive a bashing and people never have an original to compare too . Great swords for one off buyers or newbies
yup. You see it when they do videos cutting rope etc. they overswing wildly because the blade has so much mass it`s hard to slow it down after the cut.
Missed mentioning that the main reason for the even thickness of blades is that it's cheaper to produce blades that don't need to be worked on so much. You get what you pay for, but as long as you know what you buy and why, it works out ok.
Totally agree. I recently purchased a CS 1796 light cavalry sabre. It does have a distal taper, but it’s still a bit thick in the foible. But, I only paid $300 Canadian for it, so I can’t complain too much.
Thank you for answering that question I have had for a long time! I have a Katana from Cold Steel and it's very heavy compared to what I had imagined one to be like.
Cold steel is the name given to a hodgepodge of swords knives and machetes produced in different parts of world by different companies under contract Indian companies(windlass) make almost all of their Sabres and european swords Machetes are made by lasher tools,south africa Fixed blade knives are made by camillus cutlery USA And the katanas are made either in taiwan or china
Great video. Thank you for this one. I’ve never really been a sword guy. But the more I watch your channel, the more I want to get a sword. I look at the Cold Steel line because they are somewhat reasonable in price, but don’t have enough experience to make an informed purchase.
I really like Cold Steel knives, their “Tri-Ad Lock” is phenomenally strong and for the price (here in the U.S. at least), they are the best quality and value. However, I know very little about swords (although I have been training in Atienza Kali) but I did own a Cold Steel “European Spear” and was severely disappointed by the quality and sharpness. (Generally all the knives I have received from Cold Steel have been pretty sharp). I did also own their Barong, which they sadly no longer produce, and was happy with that. I am very interested in HEMA and just love Ancient and Medieval/Renaissance swords and weapons. But I’ve heard the same issues Scholagladiatora has repeated by other people on the internet whose opinion I respect. So my question to Scholagladiatora is: What weapon manufacturers do you recommend for well-balanced, tapered, etc. swords and weapons from these periods?
Excellent video with a few points I never considered before. Thanks! I notice in most things you can have either something designed for demonstration/sport, or something good for it's normal use and those are usually two different designs. In my former career (LEO) we had competitions wherein departments would compete with their K9 units putting them through some very cool-looking but impractical tests. Crowds would cheer and some dogs, especially from big, better funded departments would win handily. I was curious on those results because the K9 and handler that worked under me on my squad were, simply put, phenomenal at their job but fared poorly in the competition. In looking closer, I found that those champion K9 units did not work the street. They simply trained every day for competition. That begged the question, were these even really "working dogs" then? Nope, but they sure make the crowds stand up and cheer. When I used to shoot competitively (not saying I was any good, just that I competed, LOL) in was in law enforcement team competitions. We had guys that tried to use "race guns" and those were quickly regulated against as, while they were good at shooting tight groups and for run-and-gun stuff, they were not good for duty use and this was clearly designed as a duty-rig competition. You don't want a quick draw holster with practically zero retention and an open frame that exposes the weapon to the detritus of the world as a duty rig. You also don't want a weapon that only tolerates one or two specific loadings. Again, built for competition/sport, vs built for real-world use. Martial arts ... oh could go on for hours here, wrapping up my 34th year of martial arts study. The art I've been in for about 19 years now and teach the most is purely for combat (Jujutsu ... the Japanese - i.e. original - variety). Folks call me all the time and get frustrated that we aren't constantly running to competitions and stacking up trophies. Some of my students DO go to MMA matches and some have even competed in Judo matches (which comes with its own challenges if they have no specific judo rank) and usually do quite well. But those who've had real-life fights-for-their-lives are quick to point out how unrealistic competition is and they prefer our sparring and training. Judo, Taekwondo, and other stuff didn't keep some guys with knives from turning my insides into outsides a few times. But, gosh, they sure look at lot prettier in demonstrations. (IMPORTANT: I am not knocking ANY martial art/sport/way, simply stating that some are better designed for actual combat than others but ANY martial study is better than sitting on your butt).
@ŇøHă Ģ. Yeah. Swords for backyard dummies. Cabages, water conteiners, stics... you name it. Then bigger tree - mommy! my sword broke! Replace it with new one. Of course, Cold Steel knows who do they produce to. That's a dillema: HOW to make it dumbresistant and liftable for those punks at the same time.
@@ogion539 Good comment, Patrick, but you know, even when I believe that absolutely anyone could tell that this man is both intelligent and cultivated, sadly, I witnessed that he always absolutely failed at grasping even the most glaring, blatant joke, or meme, someone could've made in the comments section, always reacting defensively, and leaving the goodwilled commenter baffled, and set aback. And humor, m'friend, is a fundamental sign of mental brightness as well :-) Have a nice day sir!
@@hansvonmannschaft9062 Your quibbling here is irrelevant and NOT well deserved. You do know that after about 1000 versions of the same joke (as in your 'gay' name Hands on 'MAN shaft') the joke ceases to be funny and just becomes tiresome. I too have myself made some of these jokes so I am not just picking on you but I have at least mostly ceased pointing out ´the obvious' which ceases to be funny anymore. 'Stairway to Heaven' really is one of many good Led Zeppelin songs but when I hear it come on the radio I switch channels as I am REALLY tired of that song. Matt get's tired of the same joke! Who can blame him?
So if one were wanting a high quality, 18th or 19th c. cutlass, what would be the best option? There are many choices for medieval and Renaissance swords, but there really aren't many options for later weapons.
Wow, I didn't even know you had made this video, Matt. I have bought a couple of CS weapons and the 1796 Light Cavalry Sabre is one of them. I'm by no means an expert on how heavy this sabre should feel but I would say for a single-handed weapon it definitely does feel pretty heavy (again, I don't know what the ideal weight range would be). I would think that you're pretty accurate on your assessment on their overall quality. Seeing as how CS has made several product videos actually testing their weapons I would totally agree that they want to make sure that if nothing else their weapons are strong enough to resist warping or breaking because they know a lot of dudes are gonna get their sword and immediately go outside and break open coconuts and various other things in testing them. My example appears to be pretty sharp and it's even sharpened to some degree on the back edge of the tip which I didn't expect. I bought mine for display and have no plans to cut anything with them unless the rules of physics completely fail and we actually do experience a zombie apocalypse.
I would love to see a review of the Cold Steel Thompson saber some day. Since he put his name on it, I would hope that it is a cut above the run of the mill products. Pardon the pun.
I knew this about my Cold Steel saber before I bought it, but I wanted it more than rational thought would allow. Now I have this heavy club where I could have kept that money to save up for a good sword. But before this video I hadn't heard of Albion swords; Cold Steel was about the only brand I could find.
Hanwei is good for throwaways and wall hangers. They're not anywhere near durable. Especially Tinker and it's probably the best handling one. :) They handle sort of ok, perhaps, that's kind of a plus? Usually, garbage disposal material. The steel is wrong temper and hot spots are common. No quality control either. Windlass makes some pretty good blades on the other hand.
@@AstralS7orm hmm thats your opinion. All of my hanwei swords cuttet tatami pretty nice. Nothing to complain. I think it depends on the sword and model. On the other hand, some of my windlass were also pretty nice, but it depends on the sword and quality control. I also handled windlass swords which are really bad, overweight, bad tempering and polish...
@@AstralS7orm Hanwei Scottish backsword is pretty good aside from the fact the cloth liner is not accurate but for $300 its acceptable. I guess it all depends on the model of sword.
Thank you Matt for making this one. I know we have been asking for years.:) Im suprised no one has brought up in the comments the fact that a couple of web-based sword dealers, here in the states at least, i.e. Kult of Athena, offer no guarantee and dont offer a return service on cold steal swords. Due to an extreme lack of quality control. In the same shipment KoA got swords that were perfect and others with cracks in the steal or loose fittings or no edge at all on blades that are addvertised to be sharp and "battle ready". Has anyone else run into these problems? On another note. I have noticed lots of cutting tournaments use thier Italion longsword. Which reinforces Matts point about them being made as good cutter/choppers. I have handled some of the shamshirs they make and if held up next to the Windlass version, it looks like the blades were made at the same forge. Is there a chance they use the same supplier? Cheers!
Matt, I would love a video (or direct me if you have already done one) that more fully addresses distal taper across types of swords. I know distal taper is important, but as you note here, some swords need it more than others (e.g. a rapier would presumably need more than a saber) and I'd love a fuller exposition on that
The delta between Matt, a man of seemingly normal size and build, and the two guys that do the Cold Steel videos. Those guys are over 200 maybe 250. Way over 50kg. Matt is dedicated to speed and grace, not being a portly, stationary chopping machine.
I bought an Italian longsword from Balaur Arms that appears to be decent quality, light weight and well balanced. My only issue was the blade edge was chipped by the sharpening service and I am contemplating whether or not I want to exchange it for a new one or just have a knife sharpening shop file it out for me.
I agree with your assessment Matt. I own several CS knives, some axes, some machetes and two swords: the Italian Longsword and the hand and a half. Both are the MAA (Man At Arms) versions. I greatly enjoy cutting with the hand and a half but you're right about the lack of distal taper. Not sure how it would work in actual combat, great against zombies i suppose.
Matt are there companies out there that have the proper distal taper required for a fighting sword or saber? And would you please recommend some if there are any.
Hey Matt. Not sure why but I just had to subscribe and punch the notifications bell again. Not sure why CZcams unsubscribed me... Missed your content man!!
I had a Cold Steel MAA Norman Sword and it had a threaded tang and pommel and the threads on the tang were welded on very very poorly and it snapped at the weld on the first (rather light) strike on a cardboard box. Haven’t bought from Cold Steel since.
My only Cold Steel sword is the barong they sold in the early 2000s, and it does have a tapered blade. The handle is a bit thick, but it was designed for larger hands. The scabbard is not made like those of any other barong in my collection. My only real issue is that the blade gets stuck in the scabbard, but that also happens with a couple of my barongs purchased in the Philippines. I can't really complain since I bought it during one of their sales for only $75.00.
Almost a decade ago I ordered the two handed Messer from cold steel. The first one had a bent tip, the hilt and crossguard were mounted backwards. So I sent it back. After a few tatami mats the hilt broke on the replacement. Maybe they improved in the mean time, but I won't spend hundreds of bucks on a maybe.
Matty! i was literally just looking at a cold steel long sword and i immediately came to YT to see if you or skal had reviewed any of them and you mentioned you can probably find a sword of better quality for the same if not a bit higher price. i was hoping maybe you could point me in the right direction? love your content man! Im in the U.S btw
You should do a review of DarkSword Armory. Even tho Cold Steel isn't all that great, I admire the standard they set in the "absolute proof" videos and the challenge they laid down. It set a new standard. Zombie Tools and DarkSword Armory show that you can basically abuse the sword and it doesn't care, and that it handles like a real weapon. I'm no expert, but I think they'd be effective.
Very much appreciate your perspective. I love my Cold Steel knives and carry one on the regular... although as I've gotten older and a slightly higher income I appreciate my Benchmades more and more. I know almost nothing about swords other than what I've learned from you! The Cold Steel machete I have is okay... not that impressive but then it was $30.
I own several Cols Steel products and love them. But I only own one sword- MAA Messer. One handed Messer. It has a POB of 1". slight distal taper. Not heavy feeling. I bought it due to reading reviews and they were very accurate. Wish I had more sword experience to compare it. But I can do sole drills with it and it's nowhere near a machete that I was using. Over all a very accurate review Matt. Most of their swords are tough, but not for fighting. Hopefully they are changing that.
I own a couple of Cold steel products, but have avoided the swords due to the UK pricing. I have a few swords by Windlass and Hanwei and am very happy with them.
I bought a Cold Steel Chisa Katana, which came with a very sharp edge from the factory, but refining the edge with ceramic stones, followed by leather stropping, and final edge polishing with an agate burnisher, it's nearly scalpel sharp. I've also bought a cheaper Roman Gladius machete sword that they make, and it's deadly sharp out of the box as well, but a file rough edge - perfect for a machete.
Matt, I'm looking for a Cavalry FIGHTING Sword/Rapier for 30 Years War Reenactment and I found most of the Pappenheimer type Rapiers you can buy to flimsy and light. I looked into the Mortuary Hilt swords, but I'm not a fan of how they handle. Have you any suggestion for a sturdy, yet still elegant Cavalry Sword that can also be used comfortable while fighting on foot?
Luckily the Cold Steel Colichemarde is as optimized for thrusting as possible, regardless of the target. It's not a historical replica, however, but an interpretation. The forte is about twice as long as the historical models, and the cross section is diamond with a double fuller rather than the historical concave triangular cross section. Thus it's a bit heavier than the real thing, but a fine piece in its own right. If it can still be found, I recommend it highly.
I carry the 14 inch chef knife from Cold Steel in a custom leather front pocket sheath with a racquetball style grip tape. A fighting weapon that is about 6 ounces and blade up ready, is a great everyday carry knife!! I call it as fast as I can point finger knife or the Spear of Destiny, lol
Hi love the channel. I am currently working on a character for one of my stories and I have yet to completely figure out what the best sword might be for him. He is a very old man who spent his youth in heavy armor with sword and shield and has kind of learned the old man's lesson as my father would put it. As in, the minimum required effort for the greatest effect. Is there a sword that embodies that philosophy.
Great information given out Sir. I own 2 Ronin katanas the long sword and the arming sword. I'd love to get a proper fighting sword ⚔️ but I'm just a peasant any suggestions .
I have a few Cold Steel products. - Colichemarde Smallsword ( quite sharp for a double edged Smallsword) - Shell Guard Companion Dagger - Colichemarde Dagger - Heavy Duty Sword Cane ( this is pretty sharp and beefy) All are quite sharp. The Shell Guard Companion Dagger is quite quick to withdraw. Cold Steel tends to run heavier than normal. They evoke the spirit of the sword ,but are not exact replicas of any particular type. They certainly are robust. And the points on them are quite good too. I have yet to try their Pappenheimer Rapier and triangular Smallsword.
I agree. I have their Chinese style Gim. Beautiful and very sharp, however it’s a crowbar. Balance is way off, no distal taper and differential sharpening would be good but what do you expect for the price. Bought a number of years ago
Great video. As usual. I have many cold steel items. Raised a boy alone, so we got all the toys. lots of kids over at my place all the time. We had great fun\. We all went to Aikido class. Boys and their toys. Such is life.
I own the autofolding cold steel tilite and the Tim Wells series blow gun. Couldn't be happier with the 2! I use the tilite for self defense and bird hunting. The blade is perfect for the little wings and whole taxidermy. There is no better blowgun or dart out there. I'm gonna get the samburu spear soon too. I've looked into the katana might buy one. But overall cold steel is still by far my favorite knife.
I have a Cold Steel 1917 Cutlass, and it is as you describe. It feels like swinging a club compared to the mid-19th Century Wilkinson (sorry, I forgot the exact model) saber I bought in a thrift store.
I got a cold steel kreigsmesser because there wasn't anything else like it in the price bracket. Its about 4mm on the back edge. I think if you want a properly constructed messer or falchion you have to pay more than with double edgers. Its a heavy little brute. Fun with bamboo.
IMHO Cold Steel's best products are their machetes. While they don't have fancy features like more expensive machetes (distal taper, etc), they're rock solid in construction, and available in various historical blade shapes.
Machetes arr often suposed to be used as heavy duty choppers and would value a of the word better designed for durability so I'd agree that there machetes made with similar logic in mind would fair well
I've had the gladius machete for about 5 years now. Take it with me every time I'm in the woods. Thing has taken a lickin but keeps tickin. Keep a belt sander handy and one of these should service a life time for like $35 bucks
I love that they made way more product lines than could possibly be profitable. Someone at the company is clearly just passionate about it.
lynn c thompson, the owner, is absolutely mental about bladed weapons! 😊
@@Asthmos I think I have been supporting them since they were 'unnamed' wholesale. Cold steel is good, anyone try the 300 dollar cold steel gladius, the Honshu? I must have a spherical pommel on my gladius.
Cold steel. Overbuilt and heavy, super strong. May not be balanced like original swords. But, they will outlive you.
IMO, Cold Steel are the Ruger of swords. :-P
I have a CS Grosse Messer that a drunk buddy went to town on a door frame with........after fifteen minutes most of the blade had full chunks taken out of it. The nest day when we were sober we found out how much damage he did to the cinder blocks the door frame was surrounded by. A lot. I still have the sword, it has a bent crossguard and the tip is missing. I basically view it has having a sharp first half and a serrated second half of the blade. The handle creaks a bit too. I have done nothing to it since that night.........I have owned the thing for well over a decade. I don't regret any of the decisions involved. It's still absolutely deadly.
@@cptsmkwgn LOL
My lasted 8 years hitting wood metal other swords and finally broke but that’s not what there’s used for tatami mats it probably will never dull
Repeated bs. Stop being a sheep how many cold steel swords do you own?
One thing I know of Matt is that, regardless of how much it rains, he's always superdry.
Pretty good
Dry indeed, doubtless because he's English...
He is so dry, I have to get a drink
My dad to
What is superdry anyways? He does wear their stuff a lot. I’m an American, so I might not get the reference or something.
I have a cold steel sword for my dress uniform. So far, the wardroom has not been attacked, So I think it has done its job.
And, when you hear "Away all boarding parties", you will be prepared.
Really wish the Air Force wore swords as part of the uniform. Totally would get something real for just such an emergency.
@@LairdErnst Swords aren't just mere accessories to look cool in a uniform. All military swords have had some significant service history explaining their adoption, usually from their use in battle. It would inappropriate for AF to suddenly adopt swords in 2019 when they have never carried one before in it's history.
Adam C I don’t care. It’s my opinion and has nothing to do with tradition. It would look cool, and that is all.
@@LairdErnst there is an AF dress sword. I don't like it. www.atlantacutlery.com/us-air-force-officers-sword
I own a cold steel Jedi light saber, I cut through a bank vault and two storm troopers. Then the battery went dead.
What if the star Wars universe had pocket knife nerds but it was lightsabers
@@cappierising1774 and stupid legislation to go along with it. A pocket light saber with a switch is legal but if the saber deploys with a button it's illegal and you get sent to the prison planet.
Brah everyone knows to buy a quality Kyber crystal immediately. Stock is trash. I recommend a wilson combat kyber crystal all 4 of mine have been reliable
@@realtalk4real243 I bought a tactical black non slip hilt with quick deploy switch even though I work in an office building on Courasant
I put a suppressor on mine to get rid of the power up sound but it got disintegrated. Terrible suppressor, 10/10 would not recommend.
I have a cold steel smallsword; it's a bit on the heavy side but at least it's really stiff to enable good penetration, and we all know that's all that really matters.
Heh.
That's what my girl tells me too! ;-)
Your girl sure has her priorities straight! ;D
www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=CS88SMS This is the one I have, couldn't ask for more stiffness.
I have one, and it is very functional. I have many cold steel items, and they are quite good enough for what I use them for. I have the old master tanto. Great blade, very sharp.
I have a 1917 naval cutless. Its nice, I like it, cuts just fine. Matt really knows his stuff and this channel is invaluable. Thanks Matt!
I'm interested in this sword as well. Do you know how its weight distribution is compared to an original?
@@svargyle I have one, and it handles like a baseball bat. I suppose it's meant as a crude hack and stab weapon wielded by sailors with tremendous grip and forearm strength, and it accomplishes that very well.
C U T L A S S, waterhead.
You talk out of both sides of your mouf
Just purchased my first sword, a Cold Steel “Viking Sword” (have since watched your video on Viking swords lol). I love my sword, but I certainly agree that it isn’t 100% accurate. I did enjoy hearing that Cold Steel is durable and well-made for what it is, and as I’m in the USA, my sword was quite affordable.
I want to salut you about your last sentence !!!🍻
Yes, somehow EVERYTHING in usa is way cheaper than hier in Europe.
I bought their Nodachi, nothing else is half as much fun for hedge maintenance.
My main problem with their "Nodachi" is that they misnamed it. It's actually a Nagamaki.
Is the shaft shaped to allow for easier hedge alignment?
Hedge maintenance sounds fun.
Great for trimming cactus.
@@fransthefox9682 I had to google Cold Steel Nodachi and you are right, that is a damn Nagamaki and not a Nodachi. Looks pretty nice though.
I bought a cold steel Italian long sword, it’s razor sharp and is durable as a rock
I actually sent mine back and got the arming sword. I think I discovered that I prefer a single handed sword, that I can always mix with a my CS buckler.
PS: I even thought I must have posted this a year ago and was going to delete it, then I saw your name. lol!
But I can break a rock with a hammer....
Rock is not durable, it's brittle. If you want to use rock as a positive description for a sword, you could say hard as a rock.. depending on the sword. Durable would simply mean that it won't brake and has resistance for the wear. Good quality to describe a tool or a kitchen knife.
@@MrThule if you want to nerd out, you cant say rocks are hard and wear resistant either. Not all are.
Can you suggest the best overall claymore and katana
Great and honest review. Very respectful and to the point.
Thanks. 🙏🙏🙏
For the price (in the U.S.), and for what they are and intended for, their machete swords are very hard to beat. I have owned the barong machete for years now. Near indestructible, you can stab with it as well as cut and chop. Yes, there is a clunk factor. They are made for long use with lots of sharpening and loss of material in mind. They can be great if you mod them right. Aggressive sharpening on the blade and counter balance in the handle and lanyard hole. They currently retail for just over 20 USD. That is insanely cheap for what you get. I would not go cold steel for a long sword or a reproduction but a hybrid machete/sword/knife is right up their alley.
I'm more interested in their spears. It's hard to find any reviews on them and other companies since nobody seems to love spears.
Zephri Zi I do
first weapon in existance
Well I do love spears myself, but I am not sure about Cold Steel's spears' quality and I'm not planning on buying one from them. However, I do want at least one spear from another company, preferably from one that makes historically accurate weapons. Even if I have to get the head and shaft separately.
@@fransthefox9682 That's what I'm worried about, I don't mind paying for quality but it's hard to do so when there really isn't a up to date and comprehensive list or video on what is good and what isn't.
I'm not sure where you are from, but consider finding a local hobby blacksmith. I know i would make you a spear head in whatever style you would like, for not much money. Shafting it would be up to you, but most hobby type smiths would do it just for the fun of it.
Over the years I’ve purchased a few cold steel products and have not been disappointed , the whole of boar spear , war hammer , kukri , all are quality stuff.
I always appreciate an experienced opinion especially one in conjunction with a comprehensive analysis. Thank you!
Thank you, this is a subject I’ve always had questions on. Cheers!
It is always a pleasure to listen to Matt because he is very clear and logical while showing his deep knowledge without showing off. He wastes no time on hype or irrelevant stuff. Just explains the what and the why in a clear and FAIR analysis. Great. I would trust him as a judge because of the way he reasons always taking a look at both sides of an issue and not jumping into a shallow judgement. This is an increasingly rare thing these days which is very sad.
Oh, hey, Superdry is back
Hey, oh Superback is dry
The best thing about CS swords are their variety , they really do have a broad range to choose from . Most people only ever buy one sword and if it’s not katana shaped then I always recommend CS because they won’t fall apart , will survive a bashing and people never have an original to compare too . Great swords for one off buyers or newbies
Great explanation of the importance of weight distribution.
I think you nailed it with Cold Steel blades being designed for cutting and durability.
yup. You see it when they do videos cutting rope etc. they overswing wildly because the blade has so much mass it`s hard to slow it down after the cut.
yeah, I would never have bought one... but it's nice to see a nuanced view on what for and what against rather than the usual internet hyperbole.
Missed mentioning that the main reason for the even thickness of blades is that it's cheaper to produce blades that don't need to be worked on so much.
You get what you pay for, but as long as you know what you buy and why, it works out ok.
I love my Chisa katana. It's part of the Warrior series. Balanced, cuts well, and tough as nails.
Excellent information Matt.
Glad I saw this, I was thinking about getting a couple of their swords but am now reconsidering.
Totally agree. I recently purchased a CS 1796 light cavalry sabre. It does have a distal taper, but it’s still a bit thick in the foible. But, I only paid $300 Canadian for it, so I can’t complain too much.
As an aside, while I’m relatively pleased with what I got for what I paid, I doubt I’ll be picking up any other Cold Steel swords.
There's just something about the word foible that gets me chuckling, I have no idea why.
Thank you for answering that question I have had for a long time! I have a Katana from Cold Steel and it's very heavy compared to what I had imagined one to be like.
Cold steel is the name given to a hodgepodge of swords knives and machetes produced in different parts of world by different companies under contract
Indian companies(windlass) make almost all of their Sabres and european swords
Machetes are made by lasher tools,south africa
Fixed blade knives are made by camillus cutlery USA
And the katanas are made either in taiwan or china
Great video. Thank you for this one.
I’ve never really been a sword guy. But the more I watch your channel, the more I want to get a sword.
I look at the Cold Steel line because they are somewhat reasonable in price, but don’t have enough experience to make an informed purchase.
I really like Cold Steel knives, their “Tri-Ad Lock” is phenomenally strong and for the price (here in the U.S. at least), they are the best quality and value. However, I know very little about swords (although I have been training in Atienza Kali) but I did own a Cold Steel “European Spear” and was severely disappointed by the quality and sharpness. (Generally all the knives I have received from Cold Steel have been pretty sharp). I did also own their Barong, which they sadly no longer produce, and was happy with that. I am very interested in HEMA and just love Ancient and Medieval/Renaissance swords and weapons. But I’ve heard the same issues Scholagladiatora has repeated by other people on the internet whose opinion I respect. So my question to Scholagladiatora is: What weapon manufacturers do you recommend for well-balanced, tapered, etc. swords and weapons from these periods?
Excellent video with a few points I never considered before. Thanks!
I notice in most things you can have either something designed for demonstration/sport, or something good for it's normal use and those are usually two different designs. In my former career (LEO) we had competitions wherein departments would compete with their K9 units putting them through some very cool-looking but impractical tests. Crowds would cheer and some dogs, especially from big, better funded departments would win handily. I was curious on those results because the K9 and handler that worked under me on my squad were, simply put, phenomenal at their job but fared poorly in the competition. In looking closer, I found that those champion K9 units did not work the street. They simply trained every day for competition. That begged the question, were these even really "working dogs" then? Nope, but they sure make the crowds stand up and cheer.
When I used to shoot competitively (not saying I was any good, just that I competed, LOL) in was in law enforcement team competitions. We had guys that tried to use "race guns" and those were quickly regulated against as, while they were good at shooting tight groups and for run-and-gun stuff, they were not good for duty use and this was clearly designed as a duty-rig competition. You don't want a quick draw holster with practically zero retention and an open frame that exposes the weapon to the detritus of the world as a duty rig. You also don't want a weapon that only tolerates one or two specific loadings. Again, built for competition/sport, vs built for real-world use.
Martial arts ... oh could go on for hours here, wrapping up my 34th year of martial arts study. The art I've been in for about 19 years now and teach the most is purely for combat (Jujutsu ... the Japanese - i.e. original - variety). Folks call me all the time and get frustrated that we aren't constantly running to competitions and stacking up trophies. Some of my students DO go to MMA matches and some have even competed in Judo matches (which comes with its own challenges if they have no specific judo rank) and usually do quite well. But those who've had real-life fights-for-their-lives are quick to point out how unrealistic competition is and they prefer our sparring and training. Judo, Taekwondo, and other stuff didn't keep some guys with knives from turning my insides into outsides a few times. But, gosh, they sure look at lot prettier in demonstrations. (IMPORTANT: I am not knocking ANY martial art/sport/way, simply stating that some are better designed for actual combat than others but ANY martial study is better than sitting on your butt).
As an American we tend to prefer our tools and weapons "overbuilt" as you put it
We “play with them” when we take them out
@ŇøHă Ģ. Yeah. Swords for backyard dummies. Cabages, water conteiners, stics... you name it. Then bigger tree - mommy! my sword broke! Replace it with new one.
Of course, Cold Steel knows who do they produce to. That's a dillema: HOW to make it dumbresistant and liftable for those punks at the same time.
Not having watched the video yet. However, let's making an educated guess. Matt may say: "Well, it depends, BUT..." ;-)
King of Context
That's the best way :)
you mean BUTT
@@ogion539 Good comment, Patrick, but you know, even when I believe that absolutely anyone could tell that this man is both intelligent and cultivated, sadly, I witnessed that he always absolutely failed at grasping even the most glaring, blatant joke, or meme, someone could've made in the comments section, always reacting defensively, and leaving the goodwilled commenter baffled, and set aback. And humor, m'friend, is a fundamental sign of mental brightness as well :-) Have a nice day sir!
@@hansvonmannschaft9062 Your quibbling here is irrelevant and NOT well deserved. You do know that after about 1000 versions of the same joke (as in your 'gay' name Hands on 'MAN shaft') the joke ceases to be funny and just becomes tiresome. I too have myself made some of these jokes so I am not just picking on you but I have at least mostly ceased pointing out ´the obvious' which ceases to be funny anymore. 'Stairway to Heaven' really is one of many good Led Zeppelin songs but when I hear it come on the radio I switch channels as I am REALLY tired of that song. Matt get's tired of the same joke! Who can blame him?
I'm a huge Cold Steel fan. Thanks for the honest review. You should check out their Kukris. I think you would be really impressed. I have several.
Now I know what distal taper is and why I need it. This just improved my sword knowledge for the better. Thank You! 😎
Thanks for the information.
I have been waiting (and am getting it this week) for the cold steel hand and a half.
It’s a new batch.
Excellent video! Thanks!
So if one were wanting a high quality, 18th or 19th c. cutlass, what would be the best option? There are many choices for medieval and Renaissance swords, but there really aren't many options for later weapons.
Ideal video to watch as I am in the market for buying a sword and has been looking at some cold steel options 👍
Wow I was actually thinking of buying one thanks for the review
Good take but I must compliment you for having Firefly in the shelf. Excellent series.
Ohh there. Really hard to see. Do you look for copies of Firefly professionally?
@@tobiasschmidt1894 Lol nah I just saw something familiar and recognized it.
@Hugo Adrian Wilkins the best space Western series of all time.
I have a cold steel cutlass machete. I have taken some sabre fenching and feel confident with it. Great video as usual.
Nice and informative Matt.
Wow, I didn't even know you had made this video, Matt. I have bought a couple of CS weapons and the 1796 Light Cavalry Sabre is one of them. I'm by no means an expert on how heavy this sabre should feel but I would say for a single-handed weapon it definitely does feel pretty heavy (again, I don't know what the ideal weight range would be). I would think that you're pretty accurate on your assessment on their overall quality. Seeing as how CS has made several product videos actually testing their weapons I would totally agree that they want to make sure that if nothing else their weapons are strong enough to resist warping or breaking because they know a lot of dudes are gonna get their sword and immediately go outside and break open coconuts and various other things in testing them. My example appears to be pretty sharp and it's even sharpened to some degree on the back edge of the tip which I didn't expect. I bought mine for display and have no plans to cut anything with them unless the rules of physics completely fail and we actually do experience a zombie apocalypse.
I would love to see a review of the Cold Steel Thompson saber some day. Since he put his name on it, I would hope that it is a cut above the run of the mill products. Pardon the pun.
I knew this about my Cold Steel saber before I bought it, but I wanted it more than rational thought would allow. Now I have this heavy club where I could have kept that money to save up for a good sword. But before this video I hadn't heard of Albion swords; Cold Steel was about the only brand I could find.
You should add something about distal taper to the title. The part where you described it and its importance was way more interesting.
Thank you, great information 👍
Hanwei and Windlass next please!;)
I second this, Plz! :)
Hanwei is good for throwaways and wall hangers. They're not anywhere near durable. Especially Tinker and it's probably the best handling one. :) They handle sort of ok, perhaps, that's kind of a plus? Usually, garbage disposal material. The steel is wrong temper and hot spots are common. No quality control either.
Windlass makes some pretty good blades on the other hand.
@@AstralS7orm yikes, thx for letting us know!
@@AstralS7orm hmm thats your opinion. All of my hanwei swords cuttet tatami pretty nice. Nothing to complain. I think it depends on the sword and model. On the other hand, some of my windlass were also pretty nice, but it depends on the sword and quality control. I also handled windlass swords which are really bad, overweight, bad tempering and polish...
@@AstralS7orm Hanwei Scottish backsword is pretty good aside from the fact the cloth liner is not accurate but for $300 its acceptable. I guess it all depends on the model of sword.
Very qualified and good explanation.
Thank you Matt for making this one. I know we have been asking for years.:)
Im suprised no one has brought up in the comments the fact that a couple of web-based sword dealers, here in the states at least, i.e. Kult of Athena, offer no guarantee and dont offer a return service on cold steal swords. Due to an extreme lack of quality control. In the same shipment KoA got swords that were perfect and others with cracks in the steal or loose fittings or no edge at all on blades that are addvertised to be sharp and "battle ready".
Has anyone else run into these problems?
On another note. I have noticed lots of cutting tournaments use thier Italion longsword. Which reinforces Matts point about them being made as good cutter/choppers.
I have handled some of the shamshirs they make and if held up next to the Windlass version, it looks like the blades were made at the same forge. Is there a chance they use the same supplier?
Cheers!
Matt, I would love a video (or direct me if you have already done one) that more fully addresses distal taper across types of swords. I know distal taper is important, but as you note here, some swords need it more than others (e.g. a rapier would presumably need more than a saber) and I'd love a fuller exposition on that
Like your shirt, used to live in Machida. Very near Yokohama. Superdry is a good beer, but a big fan of Asahi Itchi Ban. Thanks for the vid sir.👍🏼👍🏼
The delta between Matt, a man of seemingly normal size and build, and the two guys that do the Cold Steel videos. Those guys are over 200 maybe 250. Way over 50kg. Matt is dedicated to speed and grace, not being a portly, stationary chopping machine.
I have a CS1917 cutlass and its heavy like a cinderblock. Unbreakable, but I would never want it in a cutless(duel) way to heavy
I own the cold steel 1796, it's very heavy and unwieldy, has a pommel nut, and is a wrist breaker with even mild movement
I own the Cold Steel 3V Master Tanto and love it. Razorsharp.
I know nothing about swords but enjoy your channel.
Cheers.
Love your channel!!! But I'm interested in your DVD collection behind you mate!
I bought an Italian longsword from Balaur Arms that appears to be decent quality, light weight and well balanced. My only issue was the blade edge was chipped by the sharpening service and I am contemplating whether or not I want to exchange it for a new one or just have a knife sharpening shop file it out for me.
Makes me wonder how much this variance in mass and weight distribution was a common thing back in the day even between blacksmiths in a town or city.
Very good explanation.
I agree with your assessment Matt. I own several CS knives, some axes, some machetes and two swords: the Italian Longsword and the hand and a half. Both are the MAA (Man At Arms) versions. I greatly enjoy cutting with the hand and a half but you're right about the lack of distal taper. Not sure how it would work in actual combat, great against zombies i suppose.
Matt are there companies out there that have the proper distal taper required for a fighting sword or saber? And would you please recommend some if there are any.
Hey Matt. Not sure why but I just had to subscribe and punch the notifications bell again. Not sure why CZcams unsubscribed me... Missed your content man!!
I had a Cold Steel MAA Norman Sword and it had a threaded tang and pommel and the threads on the tang were welded on very very poorly and it snapped at the weld on the first (rather light) strike on a cardboard box. Haven’t bought from Cold Steel since.
My only Cold Steel sword is the barong they sold in the early 2000s, and it does have a tapered blade.
The handle is a bit thick, but it was designed for larger hands. The scabbard is not made like those of any other barong in my collection. My only real issue is that the blade gets stuck in the scabbard, but that also happens with a couple of my barongs purchased in the Philippines.
I can't really complain since I bought it during one of their sales for only $75.00.
Almost a decade ago I ordered the two handed Messer from cold steel. The first one had a bent tip, the hilt and crossguard were mounted backwards. So I sent it back. After a few tatami mats the hilt broke on the replacement. Maybe they improved in the mean time, but I won't spend hundreds of bucks on a maybe.
Great information
Matty! i was literally just looking at a cold steel long sword and i immediately came to YT to see if you or skal had reviewed any of them and you mentioned you can probably find a sword of better quality for the same if not a bit higher price. i was hoping maybe you could point me in the right direction? love your content man! Im in the U.S btw
You should do a review of DarkSword Armory. Even tho Cold Steel isn't all that great, I admire the standard they set in the "absolute proof" videos and the challenge they laid down. It set a new standard. Zombie Tools and DarkSword Armory show that you can basically abuse the sword and it doesn't care, and that it handles like a real weapon. I'm no expert, but I think they'd be effective.
Very much appreciate your perspective. I love my Cold Steel knives and carry one on the regular... although as I've gotten older and a slightly higher income I appreciate my Benchmades more and more. I know almost nothing about swords other than what I've learned from you! The Cold Steel machete I have is okay... not that impressive but then it was $30.
Speaking of dynasty forge. Are you considering reviewing the German Artillery sword they make?
I have their US 1860 saber. It has a nice distal taper. It doesn’t feel like a baseball bat, it feels like a good weapon. Plus the brass is pretty :)
their Trail Boss axe is actually pretty damn good, I was shocked. For the money you can't beat it, bit of sharpening and its a handy tool.
I own several Cols Steel products and love them. But I only own one sword- MAA Messer. One handed Messer. It has a POB of 1". slight distal taper. Not heavy feeling. I bought it due to reading reviews and they were very accurate. Wish I had more sword experience to compare it. But I can do sole drills with it and it's nowhere near a machete that I was using. Over all a very accurate review Matt. Most of their swords are tough, but not for fighting. Hopefully they are changing that.
I own a couple of Cold steel products, but have avoided the swords due to the UK pricing. I have a few swords by Windlass and Hanwei and am very happy with them.
I bought a Cold Steel Chisa Katana, which came with a very sharp edge from the factory, but refining the edge with ceramic stones, followed by leather stropping, and final edge polishing with an agate burnisher, it's nearly scalpel sharp. I've also bought a cheaper Roman Gladius machete sword that they make, and it's deadly sharp out of the box as well, but a file rough edge - perfect for a machete.
Matt, I'm looking for a Cavalry FIGHTING Sword/Rapier for 30 Years War Reenactment and I found most of the Pappenheimer type Rapiers you can buy to flimsy and light.
I looked into the Mortuary Hilt swords, but I'm not a fan of how they handle.
Have you any suggestion for a sturdy, yet still elegant Cavalry Sword that can also be used comfortable while fighting on foot?
Luckily the Cold Steel Colichemarde is as optimized for thrusting as possible, regardless of the target. It's not a historical replica, however, but an interpretation. The forte is about twice as long as the historical models, and the cross section is diamond with a double fuller rather than the historical concave triangular cross section. Thus it's a bit heavier than the real thing, but a fine piece in its own right. If it can still be found, I recommend it highly.
A happy surprise -- I didn't expect much general info here, just discussion of one brand.
Thank you Matt!
Great vid thumbs up
Matt, do you have any recommendations for functional replica infantry spearpoints and wood shafts?
I would like to see a review on cold steel's Cinquedea sword.
I carry the 14 inch chef knife from Cold Steel in a custom leather front pocket sheath with a racquetball style grip tape. A fighting weapon that is about 6 ounces and blade up ready, is a great everyday carry knife!! I call it as fast as I can point finger knife or the Spear of Destiny, lol
Hi love the channel. I am currently working on a character for one of my stories and I have yet to completely figure out what the best sword might be for him. He is a very old man who spent his youth in heavy armor with sword and shield and has kind of learned the old man's lesson as my father would put it. As in, the minimum required effort for the greatest effect. Is there a sword that embodies that philosophy.
Can anyone tell me what that sword is second from the top that is horizontal? I have been looking for it for years to add to my collection
Great information given out Sir. I own 2 Ronin katanas the long sword and the arming sword. I'd love to get a proper fighting sword ⚔️ but I'm just a peasant any suggestions .
I value your commentary. I will take it into consideration. Thanks 👍
I have a few Cold Steel products.
- Colichemarde Smallsword ( quite sharp for a double edged Smallsword)
- Shell Guard Companion Dagger
- Colichemarde Dagger
- Heavy Duty Sword Cane ( this is pretty sharp and beefy)
All are quite sharp. The Shell Guard Companion Dagger is quite quick to withdraw.
Cold Steel tends to run heavier than normal. They evoke the spirit of the sword ,but are not exact replicas of any particular type. They certainly are robust. And the points on them are quite good too.
I have yet to try their Pappenheimer Rapier and triangular Smallsword.
hey what’s that european sword second from the top there in the background i have been looking for years
I agree. I have their Chinese style Gim. Beautiful and very sharp, however it’s a crowbar. Balance is way off, no distal taper and differential sharpening would be good but what do you expect for the price. Bought a number of years ago
Great video. As usual. I have many cold steel items. Raised a boy alone, so we got all the toys. lots of kids over at my place all the time. We had great fun\. We all went to Aikido class. Boys and their toys. Such is life.
I spot a Firefly show on your shelve Matt.
Shiny ;)
Fairly certain I see some Black Library as well.
I own the autofolding cold steel tilite and the Tim Wells series blow gun. Couldn't be happier with the 2! I use the tilite for self defense and bird hunting. The blade is perfect for the little wings and whole taxidermy. There is no better blowgun or dart out there. I'm gonna get the samburu spear soon too. I've looked into the katana might buy one. But overall cold steel is still by far my favorite knife.
I have a Cold Steel 1917 Cutlass, and it is as you describe. It feels like swinging a club compared to the mid-19th Century Wilkinson (sorry, I forgot the exact model) saber I bought in a thrift store.
I got a cold steel kreigsmesser because there wasn't anything else like it in the price bracket. Its about 4mm on the back edge. I think if you want a properly constructed messer or falchion you have to pay more than with double edgers.
Its a heavy little brute. Fun with bamboo.
IMHO Cold Steel's best products are their machetes. While they don't have fancy features like more expensive machetes (distal taper, etc), they're rock solid in construction, and available in various historical blade shapes.
Agreed. I beat the heck out of the couple I have and they have held up spectacularly.
Machetes arr often suposed to be used as heavy duty choppers and would value a of the word better designed for durability so I'd agree that there machetes made with similar logic in mind would fair well
Blade Shapes Compared: Falchions and Machetes czcams.com/video/i9FtGY-lcvI/video.html
I've had the gladius machete for about 5 years now. Take it with me every time I'm in the woods. Thing has taken a lickin but keeps tickin. Keep a belt sander handy and one of these should service a life time for like $35 bucks
I have the two hand machete and have had it for many years. Love it.
im looking for a messer or a greatsword, does anyone have any good recommendation ?? looking for durable and something to keep a good edge :)
What are these better options (other brands) for replica sabers? Too often it seems cold steel is the only manufacturer for those a shop carries.
Very educational.