Cold Steel Trailmaster in CPM3V first look and initial impressions

Special thanks to ‪@Gpknives‬ for fast shipping and great prices.
#coldsteel #coldsteelknives #bowieknife #scarysharp #cpm3v #bowie #coldsteeltrailmaster #trailmaster

[@Feanor821]

My 3v Recon Scout also had the same issue with uneven grind lines. Shouldn’t affect performance but it affects my psyche. I had chosen it to be my #1 mainest bottom blade and wanted it to be perfect. Oh well, maybe I’ll have better luck when I get a Trailmaster.

[@InGratitudeIam]

A "good sheath" does not dull the blade, it protects the blade. They should call the current sheath material "Scrap-Ex" (without the "S").

[@dionpage7948]

That's killer!! I have SRK 3V. It's killer too. My tip was shitty&I had to reprofile it&it was a replacement cuz the sheath scared the hell outta the first 1 on the 1st draw. I was mad but in the end it is the best fixed blade I have. BEWARE THE SHEATH!!

[@bigjsknives]

Great breakdown of the differences in these blades!! That tip is pretty hypodermic on that 3V model!! Thanks for sharing!!

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

Thanks for watching!

[@lckgilmo43]

What makes this video good is that you know what your talking about. I have a Cold Steel Recon Tanto in 3V. Sharpened it on my Ken Onion Work Sharp and honed it on a ceramic rod. All my knives are scary sharp.

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

Thanks. Gotta love sharp knives

[@adods9824]

You're

[@johnboyd7158]

Good video, excellent comparison. About 20 years ago I had a Trailmaster in Carbon V steel and it was the absolute best fixed blade knife I have ever used. Thanks

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

Thank you

[@rolandrandmaa1898]

Yeah bought a set of cold steel kitchen knifes. After 3-5 years all Kray-ex handles disintegrated. So not for heavy use.

[@lefty_1506_shiloh]

That's sick! I need one! I don't yet have a Bowie type knife; but I'm in the market. My largest knives are my Ka-bar, seal pup elite, and my Kershaw 1077: but that's more like a machete to me; though it's called a large knife.

[@dennisleighton2812]

Interesting. I bought a Trail Master, but in San Mai III and the fit and finish was absolutely flawless! So, it's disappointing to see that blade's grind like that. I'd send it back quite promptly, and demand a refund, then re-invest in a San Mai!!

[@Stoney_AKA_James]

Excellent! Can't wait for you to test it!!

[@WhatsthePOINT_EDC]

That’s one HELL of a knife man! I’m glad you got it! 3V is straight up Badassery.🔥🔪🤘💪

[@scottf.3808]

Yep, that plunge grind is one thing then uneven is another thang....It makes better sense seeing the video....Nice piece to have as I am sure lots of fun ahead....Good stuff.....

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

Oh yeah. Fun will be had lol

[@adods9824]

Every one ive seen on YT is overground. I really want one, but at $600 - $700 AUD ... NO ! Unacceptable... .I will save and get a Fallkniven MB10 ... With a beautiful quality 'non edge dulling' leather sheath too !

[@singingtoad]

I don't currently own any knives in cpm3v, but from what I've seen it seems to be a very tough steel, especially when heat treated correctly. I look forward to seeing your testing and giving this knife a proper shakedown. 👍Thanks and Cheers!

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

Heck yes. It’s going to be fun

[@franciscoarana6626]

I would have returned it in a heartbeat. You pointing the bad grind out. .. Enough to really piss me off!

[@franciscoarana6626]

AGREE!

[@adods9824]

Agreed!!

[@dertnberny]

My 3v Trailmaster, recently acquired, found the same way 😡. Going back to GSM. That is unacceptable.

[@adods9824]

Agreed!

[@toiletpaper5770]

After seeing so many “overground” consistently I wonder if it was done to balance the knife out. The previous ones NOT being overground tells me either it’s indeed poor QC or 3V has a different weight/density than the other steels.

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

I’m going to say poor QC. Because I’ve seen a lot overground unevenly. And the specs says 5/16.

[@bobmellon]

Dude i have used the mtech as my firewood splitting knife for like 10 years now, actually does really well and holds a good enough working edge.

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

I love the Mtech

[@franciscoarana6626]

Not an issue for me as to dulling,.. not rubbing on the edge.

[@douglasreed9237]

Bring it! 😎

[@rustyknifelover4463]

So nice.

[@torpilo]

The blade thickness is advertise as 5/16. You should ask for your money back.

[@Slay_No_More]

I was about to buy one so I'm glad you did a review.

[@tonyhaichem]

If you can get a killer deal like the one I got from Midway, I would suggest you jump on it. A hunk of CPM-3V at half the cost is too good a deal to pass up!

[@Slay_No_More]

@@tonyhaichem I ended up getting one between posting this but I returned it sadly. Each edge had a different grind and one side was convex the other wasn't, the tip was curved left and the spines double edge was cockeyed too. I can only assume Helen Keller ground the thing. I'm saving up to buy a Modern Bowie from Fallkniven.

[@samthai818]

The Modern Bowie is a wonderful knife! I like the Cos steel in my S1/A1X. It appears that the San Mai Trail Master has no issues, unlike the CPM-3V. I got my TM for way under $200 which made it a great deal still. I plan to use the hell out of it. The MB is too beautiful and expensive for me to abuse without hurting my feelings. In any regards I believe that CPM-3V is superior to Cos and I am still happy I got a TM 3V at such a low price that I won't feel bad using it for everything and really putting it through its paces!

[@Slay_No_More]

@@samthai818 I was hoping the San-mai trail masters were better quality due to their production line being in Japan instead of the Taiwanese factory which has the production issues.

[@samthai818]

I got my first TM back in 2005, I wasn't really into knives then. I was busy doing some long range shooting and developing loads. But I always wanted a Carbon V or a Sam Mai Trail Master but didn't believe that a knife, any knife, was worth over $200. I know alot more about knives now, LOLs! But I have never ever heard that there were any issues of any Japan Coldsteels. A big TM San Mai and the Modern B in convex is just beautiful!

[@franciscoarana6626]

Have both in san mai and 3v. Feel as though I have two wives. Difference is, I can love both and comes without the stress.

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

Lol

[@TheRealB1gA]

Any noticeable differences in performance between San mai and 3v ?

[@alwayson999]

Yoooo... So does the $25 Mtech have a better grind than the $540 Cold steel?

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

It does. Sadly.

[@escapetherace1943]

bruh... I got a voyager today and the grind is actually perfect at the tip, slightly thinner on the belly on one side but within reason, then on the left side by the choil they overground it by .5-.7mm across a 3-4mm distance.... extremely small flaw that will disappear in a couple years of use as I resharpen so I'm not sending it back or anything, but it's crazy how that kind of flaw just pops out to my eye. Worse yet because it's on the left side and I'm a lefty it's on the showing work side for me..... *sigh* It's a great knife though.

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

Yeah. It’s sad. Thanks for sharing and watching

[@escapetherace1943]

@@peterbiltknifeguy I was thinking you might consider sending that back to their RMA. I'm okay with a small flaw at the end of my grind but that's no excuse on a cpm3v knife over 100 dollars.

[@CptFluffyNuts]

How has the cpm3v held up after all the use you've put it through? Is it as good as you were expecting?

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

It’s pretty awesome so far

[@tristanbarnett6271]

One of these days I'm going to get one of these mtech 151 but every time I go to look they are out of stock

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

They are pretty good

[@tristanbarnett6271]

@@peterbiltknifeguy I want one of those cold steel ones but I can't afford a knife like that right now

[@longrider42]

Yep, GSM, or Get Some Money. He never should have sold out.

[@escapetherace1943]

just keep sending their imperfect knives back until they end up with so many recalls sitting around they fix things.. except what would really happen is more recalls = lost profit and they'd just probably cut workers or something instead of fixing the problem and it'd get worse. Sad indeed.

[@Patrick2345454]

He's old. Gotta take some time off for yourself sometime. I would also argue that Andrew Demko is still making good stuff in the spirit of Cold Steel.

[@franciscoarana6626]

Probably has enough $ to retire on some beach ...with maybe a 'jungle' in the interior. Always liked L. Thompson.

[@adods9824]

​@@franciscoarana6626yep. Some beach that he owns!

[@WednesdaysWastWendigo]

Hey, I know this is an older video, but would you recommend the cold steel Trailmaster in 3v steel as a good investment just as a good like versatile chopping Bowie

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

Yes, absolutely. It’s fantastic

[@WednesdaysWastWendigo]

@@peterbiltknifeguy thank you for your response I always liked the design I'm just glad they finally have a really good steel for it

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

@@WednesdaysWastWendigo honestly the 01 they used was awesome to

[@WednesdaysWastWendigo]

@@peterbiltknifeguy my question is I saw a few videos on those 01 Steel ones and I saw videos of them breaking and I don't know if it's like bad heat treatment or like overuse of the knife like something like Joe X would do. So that's why I didn't buy one

[@j.p.4541]

Love your videos man. I recently bought the Recon Scout and the blade is fantastic. However the handle leaves a lot to be desired. It just doesn’t fill up my hands like an Esse 6 does. It feels like Im holding on to a stick with not much purchase to match the blade size. If cold steel was smart they would sell it with the option to change out the grip styles and materials.

[@toiletpaper5770]

What do you sharpen/hone/strop your (carbon steel) Trail Masters with?

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

A raw piece of leather. Like a barber

[@toiletpaper5770]

@@peterbiltknifeguy thanks buddy. I have a black carbon v coming

[@adods9824]

​@@toiletpaper5770how the hell did you find that?!

[@toiletpaper5770]

@@adods9824 flea bay

[@Delta922]

Those imperfections are a deal breaker for me bruh. I'll be purchasing esee knife instead.

[@adods9824]

Or very expensive fallkniven MB10!

[@adods9824]

Was all set to buy, but every one I've seen is badly ground, and the cheap sheath on an expensive knife dulls the edge I'm told. So, No! Just bought an old carbon V one instead. Sort your QC out GSM, you're ruining Cold Steel. Completely unacceptable ! :-(

[@russruss536]

I'm sorry back in the early 90s I had a trail master bone handle bowie that broke I am still bitching about the way Cold Steel tried to resolve the issue shame on them I have more knives than most including a few bowies none are coldsteel

[@TheRealB1gA]

Shame on you

[@MP-oj6zo]

i would sell all of these and buy falkniven modern bowie

[@otobotrecords]

Yeah, no.

[@Supra_Mare_Cultro_Bloke]

cold steel taiwan grinding room sufers from retirement

[@ralphhinkle1874]

I have a few cold steel knives from back in the early 90s when they were made in the USA. But when Lynn decided to have them made in in Taiwan I think they are trash now and I would never buy another one. Lynn is one of the reasons there are no jobs in our country

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

While I do agree with you about keeping it in America. I don’t believe they are trash

[@isaacs_knives_and_knowledge]

Man i don't like those weird lips ar the plunge lines

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

Yeah. Qc has suffered

[@isaacs_knives_and_knowledge]

@@peterbiltknifeguy I guess it doesn't really effect performance but that bugs me. I saw one posted on the review section of the trail master page on cold steels website with the same issue

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

Same here. That one was much worse. I was glad this one wasn’t so bad

[@msb2948]

Too much belly on that one.

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

Not in my opinion

[@tonyhaichem]

I just got a killer deal on the Trail Master for $216. They have a current promotion discount of 25% off on top of the sale. So I just purchased a Coldsteel Trail Master CPM-3V for $162! Today the ext day the price of the Trail Master jumped back up to $349. Crazy as hell!

[@peterbiltknifeguy]

Damn. That’s awesome

[@tonyhaichem]

​@@peterbiltknifeguy Yup....that was on Midway! The 25% is still on, but the base price has skyrocketed. It has been shipped, but i can't help thinking the price drop to $215 was somehow a mistake.

[@dertnberny]

@@tonyhaichemhow is the grind?

[@tonyhaichem]

Let's just say for the most part the grind is OK. I got two of the and both has an over grind up the spine just in front of the gaurd. Out to the tip the swedge is minutely uneven. One side of the swegde appears to be at a 30° grind and the other side is 28°. Out of the 2, I picked the best one( NOT BY MUCH) and returned the other. That hurts! I wanted both, because how often can one purchase a $350 knife for 50% off in CPM-3V?!? I am still glad I got a hunk of steel at a great price, but the quality of my O1 Trail Master is so much better quality!

[@TheVintagedudee]

Did you keep the 3V?