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Copyright © 2003-2004 Phil Elmore, all rights
reserved.
Cold Steel Night Force
A Product Review by Phil Elmore
A good friend asked me to recommend a knife with certain narrow
specifications. He needed a tactical folder, something that could be used
for both utility and defense. The knife had to be black to be as discreet
as possible, preferably with a four-inch non-serrated blade. He wanted a
thumb stud, not a thumb hole. He doesn’t like Tanto-style blades, but also
didn’t want a recurve of any kind. He needed a knife that would hold up to
extended use, too.
I did a lot of thinking, trying to determine what would best
meet his needs. I don’t know if I found the perfect knife, but I found one
that was very close to his constraints: the
Cold
Steel Night Force.
The Night Force has a four-inch blade and five-inch
Zytel handle reinforced with steel liners. It weighs five ounces.
The clip-point blade is of 440A steel coated in Teflon. I would have
preferred a tougher steel, but the knife met the other specifications well
enough that I hoped my friend would tolerate having to sharpen it a little more
often. The blade is equipped with
dual
thumb studs.
Like most Cold Steel knives I’ve handled, the Night Force was
very sharp out of the box. It opens smoothly and handles well. The
ergonomics of the handle are good, while the surface of the Zytel is pleasant to
the touch. I didn’t find it too slippery. The
thumb
grooves on the back of the handle are a feature I always like to have on a
knife.
Cold Steel’s website claims the “leafspring
lock” — a liner lock, to my eye — will reliably hold 100 pounds
without catastrophic failure. The
lock
engages to the far left of the blade tang (leaving room for wear) and does
indeed feel solid.
I like the curve of the pocket clip, though I think I would
prefer it to be positioned a bit closer to the end of the handle. The
knife is configured for “tip up” carry, which is preferred by some for
a quick draw (but not preferred by me).
Despite the things I would like to see changed,
the Night Force is a good knife that met the very specific needs my friend
expressed.
If your own criteria match his,
this knife could be worth your money.