The Martialist: The Magazine For Those Who Fight Unfairly

“Stay ‘unreasonable.’  If you
don’t like the solutions [available to you], come up with your
own.” 
Dan Webre

The Martialist does not
constitute legal advice.  It is for ENTERTAINMENT
PURPOSES ONLY.

Copyright © 2003-2004 Phil Elmore, all rights
reserved.

Cold Steel Recon 1

By Phil Elmore

If you like your tactical folders black on black as I do, the
Recon 1 definitely looks the part. This is an attractive knife, overall, from
its sculpted and cross-hatched Zytel handle to its large clip-point blade. As
soon as I received my Recon 1 from
Cold Steel, I made it
my daily carry blade. I was pleased with its performance in the week that
followed.

A reasonably large blade at just over five inches folded, the
Recon 1 rode comfortably in my pocket. The metal pocket clip, designed to be
relatively small to minimize interference with the hand when cutting, is
smooth and strong, with a good curve and tab. It is held in place with what
appear to be three small Torx screws. While reversible for right- or left-hand
use, the knife can be carried tip-up only.

The Recon 1 incorporates Cold Steel’s patent-pending Ultra
Lock. Sliding the lock rearward disengages it. While I’ve never found
rocker-bar lockbacks to be unsafe, a coworker of mine commented that the Ultra
Lock design seemed much safer to him – easier to operate without endangering
his fingers.

The 4 inch long, 3mm thick, AUS 8A stainless steel blade has an
ambidextrous, ridged disk mounted on its spine for one-hand opening. It opens
easily with a soft “click” as the Ultra Lock moves and then locks. The action
of the lock also keeps the knife from drifting open, which is critical in a
tip-up carry blade.

The handle is very comfortable and very “grippy.” The sculpted depressions
make a nice ramp for the thumb as it pushes to the opening disk. They also
help anchor the index finger while cutting in a forward grip. I would have
liked to see some thumb grooves on the back of the handle, though. For those
of you who like to attach lanyards to your folders, there’s a hole above and
to the side of the pocket clip mounting point.

While some folders are designed to provide a very low profile
in the pocket, the Recon 1 rides high. This does make it easy to draw with a
secure grip, though we all have our preferences where pocket carry profiles
are concerned.

In use, the Recon 1 zipped open my mail effortlessly, cut any
and all cardboard boxes and parcels I wished cut, and easily sliced arc after
arc from thin newsprint with its superb factory edge. I wrapped a cardboard
box in an old shirt and slashed through both with little power, parting the
cloth neatly and severing the single layer of cardboard beneath.

If I had any doubts about the cutting ability of the Recon 1,
however, they were put to rest in an accidental “human” trial. After days of
using the knife for all my day to day cutting, I gave it to a friend of mine
to examine. “Be careful,” I said. “It’s very sharp.” He had, however, already
cut himself without even feeling it. After a week as my workhorse blade, the
knife was still sharp enough to nick the fingers of the unwary.

If you’re looking for a good tactical folder for your daily carry knife, take
a look at the Recon 1. Oh, and be careful.

It’s sharp.