Cold SteelRecon 1 4" S35VN Razor-Sharp Blade 5.375" G-10 Handle Tactical Folding Knife w/Tri-Ad Lock, Ambidextrous Pocket/Belt Clip

Other reviewers have already said it all--this knife is a well-designed workhorse. Cold Steel is now knocking the ball out of the park with their sub-$100 S35VN knives--it's outstanding steel that takes a razor edge and keeps it (typically found in knives costing double).I went with the plain-edge tanto version...At first I was going to buy the tanto with a 50/50 serrated edge but then noticed it has a single bevel (it is only ground on one side of the blade for its entire length). Not a big deal, it's just not what I prefer. About the only time serrations come in handy for me is when I'm cutting a lot of rope cordage, and I feel the plain edge has more utility.I'm simply a retired old fart who likes useful knives, but I've read that the Recon 1 Tanto is the preferred folding knife for many special operations personnel--Navy Seals, Army Rangers, Delta, CIA, etc. The triad lock is the best in the business--it's as strong as a fixed blade knife.I own around 70 knives including some that cost over $200 (ZT, Spyderco, Benchmade), but if I were marooned on a desert island this is the one I would pick, no question. It takes up some pocket space (though it's thinner than other Cold Steel knives) and it is not a "gentlemen's folder"-- it is just a sharp, beautifully-engineered, heavy duty, unbreakable cutting machine. If you ever wind up on Gilligan's Island, this is the knife you will want.

Incredible durability with the Triad lock this is one of the best hard use folders that's on the market period Regardless of cost. The Recon one is just a beast of a hard use folder the grip has excellent thickness so you're going to really be able to put in a lot of force on it without without it being uncomfortable the knife looks incredible it's a very Sleek design yet very comfortable in hand. The blade shape is beautiful for EDC type task as well as harder use type task say during camping or whatever the geometry of this blade is excellent it is a super slicy blade yet very stout. The grind does a really good job of leaving a lot of material for a nice tough blade allowing the knife to have reasonable cutting performance due to a nice geometry i'm not a fan of S35VN Steel in most cases there's only two companies out there that do it really good one is Cold Steel the next is Spyderco those are the only two companies that I will buy that specific steel from because they do a pretty good job on it and you actually get a pretty decent performing Steel. The Recon one is one of those knives that is a classic for a reason because it's built like a tank it's comfortable in hand it'll take whatever you throw at it and it just makes for an all-around good cutting tool. I still wished they made these in CTS XHP steel as it was significantly better but sadly that's not the case anymore.

I just received this knife today, so I can’t speak to its longevity or how well it holds an edge. But I can say this: this is the first knife that has wowed me right out of the box. I literally said the word “WOW!” when testing its sharpness just now.For the last 15 years, I’ve been using an Emerson Commander and a number of Spyderco knives. This is my first time trying something new outside of that realm. Compared to these other knives, it’s definitely a lot bulkier in the pocket — so if your pocket space is limited, be aware that the fit may not be optimal.The G-10 handle is very solid, and the grip is designed more ergonomically than any of my previous knives. My fingers feel well-protected and there’s not a chance this thing is coming out of my hands in a fight.It locks open *very* firmly — much more so than any knife I’ve used to date. It’s a bit hard to close, but I’ve been opening and closing it repeatedly and it does seem to be easing up, so I think it just needs a couple hundred closes to break it in. The same is probably true or the pocket clip, which feels a bit excessively tight. Not sure if I’ll be leaving it on or not.Aesthetically, this thing is both gorgeous and intimidating. Maybe not the best thing to pull out on a work site for utility use, but will definitely intimidate someone in a defense situation.Overall, this thing feels like a workhorse and I get the impression it’s worth double what I paid for it. I can see why it has a reputation as one of the best defensive folding knives for EDC.

I have never held a knife that felt as comfortable as this one does in my hand. The steel is excellent quality and holds an edge well, which is good for me as I'm not used to sharpening a hollow grind like this knife has. The locking and opening mechanism is great, but feels a little bit too tight; the lock release requires more pressure to depress than I'm used to with other lockback folders.I do wish Cold Steel offered a half-serrated spear point version of this model, because I'm not all that keen on the tanto type.Overall, I'm keeping this knife for good.

The knife is awesome. Sharp, easy to use. Good size, fits in pocket. Nice balance. The only drawback for me is the thumb-press closure. As an older person it is difficult for me to apply sufficient pressure to close it easily. I need to put on a pair of gloves to get it to close well.