Cold Steel GI Tanto: Inexpensive. Any Good?

Despite how affordable they are, I put off buying one of these until now because I didn't think I'd like it.
Links to the knife at Amazon and CKW:
www.amazon.com/QEONIX-Steel-9...
www.chicagoknifeworks.com/col...

[@FerociousSniper]

The cadence of your speech, and your diction make it very easy to process the information you are communicating. Coupled with your detail oriented style of knife evaluations, you make it very easy for viewers to learn a lot of information about the products you review. Personally, I have been enjoying watching your content very much since discovering you recently.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Thanks!

[@justindelarosa9752]

Great video! I was really rooting for the G.I. Tanto. Love the mods you made on this knife.

[@jeremybryant5778]

I had an old version of this blade with more of a Teflon finish. It didn't have the brass threaded sleeves in the tang either, just a steel bolt on inside that threaded to a steel insert on the other. I eventually broke and lost one of the tang bolts but I really beat the crap out of it over several years in the woods. I wish I had bought another and kept it pristine for later use. It was probably the best knife for the money I ever had

[@ThirdoptionJCSU]

I've the video here on yotube the Japanese guy he did a convex grinds on that GI tanto and it turned out as a great slicer.

[@JCOwens-zq6fd]

I absolutely loathe the "rhino liner" like coating on stuff. I prefer either simple chemical bluing or the standard baked on mat finish CS uses. They used to be reallt good knives for the $ though, especially after you strip the coating & mod it a bit. Though lately I as well as a few others I know have had problems w/ the heat treat & the tips breaking. Given it was during a bit of hard use but the old ones used to handle it no problem.

[@powerplay4real174]

Another great Modification Mike 😊

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Thanks! I've been having fun doing these.

[@perldog07]

Yes. Fragile. Tip deforms, constant sharpening/stropping. Wilson grip tape is my preference, or a paracord wrap. For a day, hunt/hike ? It is the business for an old woods loafer like me. Three edges? I try to sheath and unsheath like a Japenese blade, but yeah touch up every time. Sheath teh sUx0r. Better for me than the srk. I gave mine away to a fan of that pattern.

[@steveborgresistance8310]

One of my favorite throwers. The GI is a can do almost anything you want to with that size of knife. For pure throwing I put my True Flight throwers slightly above the GI. I have always liked the secure x sheath. Yes I don't like the coating, I like to strip that and mustard Patina them. I take the scales off and paracord wrap my heavy use GI tantos. Nice work, keep it up 💯👍😎

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Thanks! I was surprisingly impressed with this one.

[@Supra_Mare_Cultro_Bloke]

try the South Africa line , even cheaper

[@bladetheatrics]

Ive seen many vids on this knife but this is the one that convinced me to get one! Excited to get mine and do some mods. Thanks

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Let me know what you think of yours!

[@bladetheatrics]

@@michaelrizzo5523 will do I get it tomorrow. Sub $30 bring so much joy

[@jorgefernandez6407]

Pretty good video as usual Mike! I like that knife. Kept one in my backpack for nearly two years thoroughly abusing it. 25 bucks so if it broke, no big deal but it never did! The only mod I did to it was to sharpen the swedge and that was useful too! I really liked what you did with it but then, I like what you do to ALL of them lol... I have a different blade in my backpack now and my G.I. Tanto is retired, still in one piece! Again Mike, GREAT video...

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Thanks, my friend!

[@tikkidaddy]

When one considers the density of live animal bone, I do not consider your protocol abusive at all. IF the tip snaps in SD mess, might be a problem, and as you said, not a pry bar

[@michaelrizzo5523]

That's pretty much my point in doing it, but I keep having folks call it unfairly abusive. ("It's not made for that.") Even if it's arguably "just" a "fighting" and not a utility blade, it's still hopefully built to hold up to impacting bone and other weapons that might block it, so I started using the hard bamboo and board chop tests on my swords. Fine piercing tips are always a trade-off, and I've certainly snapped off my fair share. I probably should decide what's a "fair" test for a tip.

[@jimmyj4811]

I have two; great review, by the way!

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Thanks! This turned out to be a good inexpensive knife.

[@CAS.MACKAY]

Got it for years its still going strong maybe luck but i kind of like it replaced the grip by paracord thats it .and i trow the thing a lot its real cheap so i dont understand that people expect it to be a unbreakable master piece...

[@powerplay4real174]

I have two GI Tanto fixed blades from a few years back , one will not fit in the sheath (my 1st )and the other one fits fine in both shesths ( my 2cd) The first on is a little thicker than it should be for some strange reason but I assume it's tougher. I think it's a great budget blade because at the time it was about $22 on Amazon. And with the name GI added I thought it would be a good military combat knife and in I looked it , especially because of the price. ⚔️✂️🎯✂️⚔️

[@matthiascarroll1924]

Just stumbled across your channel, been a blade enthusiast since the days of watching Cold Steel's Absolute Proof videos as a child. I've been involved mainly in folders but trying to expand my repertoire and EDC a fixed blade (currently Spyderco Ronin II) now, too. I appreciate that you are willing to modify these tools to serve your purpose, your presentation reminds me of Paul Harrell for edged weapons if you get the reference. Have you considered testing any of the Cold Steel drop forged products? Their boot knife and bowie have caught my eye.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Thanks! I've heard I sound like Paul sometimes. I was looking at the Drop Forged Series, so you may see them some time.

[@withoutcontext7953]

I wish Cold steel would make their secure-ex sheaths in a taco style instead of sandwich. also a G.I Bowie would be appreciated.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Along the lines of a Marine Raider? I'd buy that.

[@terrybest8973]

What ever the concern the gi tanto is still better than any marine ka bar fighting knife still the ka bar isn't a good knife for outdoor even a little rough use just a fact

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Yeah, I'm not willing to put my old Ka-Bar to any hard use. Rather risk a CS Leatherneck, and my Beckers have been pretty indestructible.

[@indigenousiron7692]

Do you have any experience with Fairbairn and Sykes Commando knives? Chicago knife works has several knives at different price ranges. I'm interested in the J Adams scheffield knife on sale for $57.32 I'd love a high end Commando dagger from Fox or Extreme Ratio but i can't see myself spending that much.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Thanks for the suggestion! I've long considered getting a good Fairbairn Sykes but wasn't eager to pay $200. Added to my wish list!

[@indigenousiron7692]

@@michaelrizzo5523 Whats your opinion on "knife flippers" buying limited production run high end folder knives and immediately turning around and selling them for at a high mark up? I personally don't care if someone wants to pay too much for a knife instead of talking a few minutes to search for a better deal. I'd love to have a few Hinderers,Medfords and Zero Tolerances but they have too big of a price tag for me.

[@torpilo]

3:50 Mine is 3,3 mm. Yours must have a thicker paint...

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Paint is exactly the word I use for these coatings. Or Rhino Liner.

[@bigfrankfraser1391]

ive never liked when the handguard is part of the blade, it always feels lazy, if its cheap i get it, it saves on cost, but still, it just looks lazy to me

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Those integral "guards" are also universally uncomfortable assuming it's something your hand is ramming into under impact. I did consider total removal.

[@bigfrankfraser1391]

@@michaelrizzo5523 my rule for guards on knives is a literal rule of thumb, if the guard is wider and longer than my thumb then its perfect, yet my daily use knife has no real guard on it, so its a useless rule if i dont buy guarded blades