Cold Steel Tanto Lite 20TZ - Full Review and Meat Test

A surprisingly good little tanto.
Specs:
Blade Length: 6"
Overall Length: 11 3/8"
Steel: 4116 Krupp Stainless
Weight: 5.7 oz
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Handle: 5 3/8" Long Polypropylene & Kray-Ex®
Sheath: Secure-Ex Sheath
Get one here:
www.warriorsandwonders.com/Co...
Or here:
www.amazon.ca/009214-Cold-Ste...

[@1inox1]

1.4116 is very often used for chef knives. I have a chef knife made of this steel. Nothing premium about 1.4116, but easy to sharpen. It´s a good knife.

[@CrusaderAirsoft]

Thanks for reviewing this really wanted to see it

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

No worries. Always happy to help. ;-)

[@TheTXTV]

The idea behind the sheath for the Tanto Lite is that it is a concealed carry, left handed spare weapon. Take note of the distance between the impact point and the top of the sheath. Instead of traditionally wearing it on your belt with the blade pointing downward, turn it upside down where now the blade is pointing upward and wear within your shirt and/or jacket when applicable. This enables you to unsheathe the blade using your index finger and thumb closer to the impact point of the handle and will then land firmly in your hand backwards when drawn. Also being a knife fighters concealed grip.

[@marklawrence855]

After watching this,I've just ordered one of amazon, great review 👍

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

Thank you kindly! Let us know how you like it, eh?

[@Invictus96vid]

Thank you. Meat tests are among the most legitimate ways of testing tactical knives. The only way to improve upon this is to wrap the meat in clothing. Additionally, chopping knives must be tested on meat containing bones. Since inertia has a role to play in all these tests, hanging meat that doesn't have the mass of a human isn't as realistic as possible. Lastly, Cold Steel tangs do not fit accepted definitions of "rat tails," which are associated with display or non-functionally realistic knives. If you disassemble their handles, you will see that they are encapsulated-through-tangs that maintain their integrity past the lanyard hole (which is drilled through the tang). They are not severely tapered or attached like rat tails. This is why you don't see critics accusing Cold Steel Handles and tangs of failing under stress. Blades are more likely to fail than the tangs.

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

Thank you. That’s really well explained. I’d love to amp the tests up more, but it’s mostly a budget and space thing for me. But thanks again and I’ll make sure to use encapsulated tang instead (like that so much better).

[@JesusKing1105]

Awesome meat test!

[@Captain-Electro]

Cold steel tantos are awesome. I have a CS recon that is almost 10 years old and still shaves hair with little touch ups here and there. Great review man!

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

Thanks! I do really like this one. I might get the kobun too, but for now, this is great. Thanks again.

[@S.Grenier]

I own that one, and the Kobun. Great tantos both of them. It was interesting to see the meat test, since I never go through the effort of doing this kind of testing with my blades. Pleasantly surprised by the results. It's nice that you still do these tests, despite what now seems like ever mounting criticism against "graphics demonstrations" on KZbin :P

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

Thanks. My defence against graphic demonstrations is that I'm a nutjob. ;-) I was debating on the kobun, but this one's price dropped, so I got it instead.

[@JesusKing1105]

The Kobun was extremely hard to take out the sheath also. I got a Dremel tool and removed some material and now its perfect -secure and easy to remove.

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

Yeah, my wife’s kobun needed some work to make it better for her. Now...she loves it!

[@miketreen7403]

My problem is a lot different than yours. Mine was first gen with Corex cordura sheath. I have one of the tanto lite( with cordura sheath, Black bear Bowie (again with corex sheath), and Finn Bear, with hard plastic sheath. Highly recommend the Finn Bear for general purpose. Very good all around knife. Found all three are quite good at the respictive duties they are built to perform. Next is a Warhawk

[@knighthawk3759]

19 USD with one day shipping on Amazon

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

Sweet.

[@knighthawk3759]

@@NutjobwithaMachete yep just picked one up

[@desmobob900sssp]

Nice review. By the way, the knife's full tang is more appropriately referred to as a "stick tang," not a rat tail.

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

Ah, good to know. Thanks for sharing.

[@forgedeath]

Nice review. I was wondering, the older version of the Tanto Lite has the product name 20T, But this one has the product name 20TZ. Do you have any idea if there are any differences between the two models? Obviously the older version had a Cordura sheath whereas this one has the secure-ex sheath. But I was wondering if you knew of any differences between the two versions of the knife itself?

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

Thanks. To the best of my knowledge it’s just the sheath change that prompted the model number change. Blade composition and length are the same and the handle seems the same. Hope that helps.

[@SeanCrosser]

Thanks for the review! Especially good that you basically started it with my main worries about it, based on the pictures (the plastic sheath riding up beyond the guard nub and the 'softer' steel)

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

Sean Crosser no worries 😉 glad to help.

[@JesusKing1105]

I wander how it will fit in a Kabar leather sheath?

[@siegfriedwashburn3484]

Hi! I am waiting for mail to get my favourite dream-knife Recon Tanto. But until it comes to me I am buying other models. But you know: modification for divers is not the same like hunter's needs. I wanted it just for the collection, but maybe it will be my best friend. Are you still have this one RT? How it works after 2 years?

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

It's been holding up really well. Because I have 3 of these styles (Roach Belly, this and the Canadian Belt Knife) I rotate them out, but it's been good to me.

[@siegfriedwashburn3484]

@@NutjobwithaMachete Well, I am from Israel, so we have good connection to the West! If you will do any selling remember me please! I have 48 knives, but you know, its a kind of my "friends'. As well I know, Cold Steel is made in Taiwan. And may you please tell me your opinion about China vs Taiwan?

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

@@siegfriedwashburn3484 Will do! You should check out Iratus Jackalope too. He's good guy and we do a lot of stuff as a group. China vs Taiwan steel...I usually find quality control is better from Taiwan, but there's a small increase in prices because of that. However, I have many knifes that are from China that are really good too, so it usually depends on the knife and the manufacturer. If you asked, me about machetes...South American are usually better for me. ;)

[@siegfriedwashburn3484]

@@NutjobwithaMachete Ok! Thank you! I'll check it out!

[@RoyFernbach]

The one I got had a "Cor-Ex sheath"... not the secure-ex hard plastic.

[@Cojo1225]

To be fair the plastic sheath kind of sucks. Too much retention and you can't get it out one handed.

[@bigwu100]

My God you live up to your name.

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

Bigwu 😉 - best comment ever!

[@anthonyz1327]

Cold Steels website says full tang

[@knighthawk3759]

The question really is can this thing be hammered through a car door LOL

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

lastgunslinger3759 lol. Once!

[@knighthawk3759]

@@NutjobwithaMachete I bet you could handle at least twice thanks to blade geometry

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

lastgunslinger3759 probably, yeah. But would you want to? JK - we actually did that with my fiancée’s Kobun.

[@knighthawk3759]

@@NutjobwithaMachete yes and the koblun can take it

[@carlito19934]

14 bucks on wish

[@isabellam1936]

Why do knives designer make such obvious and stupid mistakes that completely ruin knives. 🙄

[@NutjobwithaMachete]

Isabella M which one are you referring to for this one? 😏