The classic San Mai III fixed blades have been a Cold Steel staple for decades. Coveted by Martial Artists and knife collectors alike, they are much in demand, but these high-end luxury fixed blades are only produced in exclusive limited edition runs each year.
Therefore, Cold Steel is proud to introduce their Japanese styled blades in high-performance VG10 San Mai laminated blade steel. Each of these tough, reliable blades are honed to an edge that you would expect on the keenest of razor blades, they are not only super sharp, but built to last!
There isn't a person working in the knife industry today that knows more about the Tanto than Cold Steel does. It was, after all, Cold Steel who invented and popularized this knife style in the early 1980's. They have spent millions of dollars persuading the public, both through advertising and live or videotaped demonstrations, of the Tanto's many advantages. They have been producing Tanto's for more than 35 years now, and there is still no factory or custom knife maker around making a Tanto that can approach the cutting, slashing or piercing power of one that is manufactured by Cold Steel.
All of the Cold Steel Tantos feature hollow ground blade bevels. In addition, the Tantos come with our famous flattened oval Kraton handle. The oval shape provides a solid grip and resists rolling or twisting in the hand under hard use, the kind that, over time, would destroy a lesser knife. The use of Kraton in knife handles is another Cold Steel innovation. Kraton is an unparalleled space age material that won't crack or rot and is immune to the ravages of bad weather.
The tapered, solid steel pommel is another important Tanto feature that should not be ignored. Lynn Thompson designed it to concentrate the full force of a crushing blow in a small area so that even a moderately powerful blow can be remarkably effective in disarming or otherwise incapacitating an attacker.