Cold Steel Swords

COLD STEEL SWORDS AT A GLANCE

Official Website:	Cold Steel.com
Manufactured in:	China (Asian swords) and India (European models)
Steels Used:	1055 Carbon Steel
Edge/Sharpness:	Sharpened
Price Range:	US$150 to $940
Best Deals:	Click here for special pricing info

Cold Steels Lynn Thompson

Cold Steel Swords are some of the best known swords for sale on the internet - partially as a result of their aggressive marketing campaigns combined with a reputation for proving the quality and cutting power of their swords in a series of promotional and sometimes very gruesome DVD's(the "Proof" series).

While Cold Steel swords are made in at least 2 separate forges (one in China by smiths trained by Fred Chen for their Japanese swords and one in India for the European swords) they pride themselves on keeping close control over the swords they commission - striving to create a product that is a little heavier than the historical equivalent it is based upon - yet extremely sharp, very durable and with excellent cutting abilities.

The price range on their swords varies quite dramatically from seller to seller, though if you shop around most can typically be obtained within the US$150 to $300 price range.

MAIN PRODUCT LINES

In a unique and rather broad 'shotgun' approach - Cold Steel swords typically produce at least one model for each genre of sword, from Military Sabres, Chinese Jian to medieval swords and everything else in between.

As such, it is very hard to neatly categorize their blades other than to say that they produce at least 'one of each broad type' - and quite a few varieties of Japanese Katana.

KNOWN ISSUES

The quality of some models of Cold Steel swords can be something of a hit and miss affair - notably with regards to the structural integrity of their hilts. In particular, the Hand and Half Sword and the Gross Messer have had reported issues in this area – with the Hand and a Half sword often reported as falling apart at the handle for no good reason, and the pommel of the Gross Messer occasionally dropping of during use due to an insufficiently long pommel screw.

It would seem that the Gross Messer has largely been fixed and that the Hand and a Half is due for a new pommel attachment in early 2008.

Regardless though, Cold Steel do not shy away from these issues and state in their FAQ and Return Policy that if a sword breaks in normal use or is in some other way defective, to return it to them with a short explanation (regardless of where you bought it from) and they will resolve the problem...

Otherwise, the most common issue on their swords involves sharpness - or lack of it. The overwhelming majority of their swords are ridiculously sharp, but there are occasions where some bad ones slip through that are as blunt as a butter knife. While the good ones far outweigh the bad, the sheer volume of Cold Steel swords on the market magnifies this problem exponentially.

Many of the rejects end up being sold off on ebay. And a warning that a given retailer is selling the factory seconds is an unusually low price (though there are exceptions such as Trueswords.com, where their Cold Steel swords are sold at the lowest price on the internet, but are pre-inspected and covered by their excellent commitment to customer service should a lemon slip through the net).

REVIEWS

WHERE TO BUY

Prices for Cold Steel swords fluctuate wildly, with the most expensive place to buy them being directly from Cold Steel!

However, I have found that the best prices and the best customer service are to be had at Trueswords.com where they are typically available for half the price of Cold Steel and approx $10-20 lower than their closest (legitimate) competitors.

ADDITIONAL COLD STEEL SWORDS STOCKISTS

The following additional retailers also stock Cold Steel swords:

Kult of Athena
NOTES: Probably the SECOND best place to pick up Cold Steel swords at the best prices, they also have very fast shipping and a solid reputation for customer service.

Swords Direct
NOTES: Not the best choice, but not the worst either. Their prices are a little bit inflated, but better than buying from the manufacturer directly.

Knife Centre Store
NOTES: A decent selection at good prices. Many Knife sellers also stock Cold Steel Swords as well as their knives.

By the Sword
NOTES: Good prices and good customer service.

Cold Steel swords are also available at many online knife sellers, Ebay.com and bricks and mortar knife stores.

What's YOUR experience with this brand?

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