Cold Steel: Recon 1

Posted in Tech by Steven

The Material

The blades are made out of imported Japanese AUS 8A stainless steel that’s been vacuum heat treated and sub-zero quenched. The handles feature G-10 laminate scales artfully contoured and scalloped for a terrific non slip grip. In addition, the blade are held together by the latest in high strength mechanical fasteners and further anchored by a 6061 heat-treated spacer.

Out of the box the blade is extremely sharp!

For those know do not know what the Recon 1 look like. See below.

Open blade, The Recon 1 I am reviewing is the bottom and last one. Although, all of these knives are great.

Closed blade, again the Recon 1 I am reviewing is the bottom and last knife in the photo.

Specifications:
Weight: 5.6 oz.
Blade Thick: 9/64″ (3.5mm)
Blade Length: 4″
Handle: 5 1/3″ long. G-10
Steel: AUS 8A Stainless
Overall Length: 9 1/3″ Black Tuff-Ex Finish
Sheath: Ultra Lock™ with Ambidextrous Stainless Pocket Clip

Sharpness and strength test conducted by Cold Steel

I have conducted minor test on the Recon 1, but nothing as serious as what Cold Steel have done. The blade continue to serve its purpose well after I have chipped away at blocks of wood as well as hacking in the the blade as a wedge.

Blade

Along with the mechanics of this knife, there is a Tuff-Ex costing that that helps the blade to resist rust and eliminate glade and light reflections. This coat also allows the blade to slip through though material with less friction. This means you are able to cut deeper and longer with this incredible knife. Although, the over-coating, the color, of the blade is easily scratched off, the blade retains its superior benefits for cutting through material.

Lock-up

It is an extremely heavy duty lock that will hold under extreme pressure! My impression of the Tri Ad Lock was”Holy S#!T that’s tough!”  There have been test on the Tri Ad Locks  and this knife cans with-stand large amounts of weight, while preventing the blade from retracting and cutting your fingers off.

Pocket Clip

This knife also features an extra strong pocket clip. This clip is completely ambidextrous with a minor adjustment. There have been clams that this clip may tear your pants pocket; I have taken this knife out of my pocket many times and there have been no damage to my pants whatsoever. However, it may subject to change, due to the fact that my pant is being pinched in between the G-10 and the pocket clip.

Deployment Speed

There is no issue with the deployment of the blade, besides the fact that it may be stiff as new; do not worry!  It will become much easier to deploy the blade over-time. If you are a person that would be concerned on blade deployment speed and have an easier time with a spring assisted knife, I found that the Recon 1 is fairly close to a spring assisted knife and not as difficult as many people make it out to be. The G-10 grip and the pocket clip pinching my pants do cause a little friction that causes a small amount of delay, but nothing too noticeable. For a under handed wrist flick, it works great!

Durability

Any knife can malfunction and wear and break-downs, but the durability of this knife will last for an extremely long time and take a beating with everyday and cutting activities. If there are any issues with this knife, you are able to use the great Cold Steel customer services to replace the knife.

Ergonomic

In the hand, the recon gives you the sense of a hard use tool. The handle groove is very comfortable and its a perfect fit in your hand. in addition to their G-10 textured handle, the handle features a finger grip that allows you to have a stronger grip on the handle. The pocket clip rides low, so not so much of the handle is visible outside of your pocket. It is fairly a large knife, but besides that point, this knife is thin, light, sharp, and extremely tough! I recommend this knife for the average knife buyer that is looking for a good quality knife with an affordable price.