I mean... it's a ColdSteel SRK right? Like... what more needs to be said. While this is a fine knife I have been a little disappointed in the edge sharpness of ColdSteel knives thr last few years. I bought a Recon Scout in 2011 and it was so sharp, it was literally the sharpest tool I have ever seen. This knife came about like any other factory production knife it wasn't totally dull or anything like that, but it didn't come "scary sharp" Read more

In my opinion, Cold Steel may well offer the best production-grade knives on the market today. Their SRK (Survival Rescue Knife) is no exception, which is why the Navy issues the SRK SK5 to all SEAL trainees. There are three variations of the SRK: SK5 (Japanese high carbon steel), San Mai (three layers of good VG10 steel), and 3V. This review is for the 3V version. I have owned the SK5 and San Mai versions, and they are excellent in their own right. The 3V model costs about twice that of the SK5 and roughly $35 more than the San Mai. At this point, the question is whether or not the 3V model is worth the additional cost. In my opinion, the 3V is absolutely well worth the extra money. It's the best of the SRK lineup. The main reason lies within the heart of the blade, the steel itself. 3V is a high-end steel with a stellar reputation for quality, durability, edge retention and strength. Another outstanding feature of the 3V version is that it has a full tang, whereas the SK5 and San Mai do not. I have never broken an SRK, but I do appreciate the fact that it is going to be more durable overall. The lines, angles and grinds of the 3V reflect amazing attention to detail, and the cutting edge is so sharp that it shaves hair from my arm with absolutely no effort whatsoever. It is scary sharp, and will cut you if you stare at it too long. Well, almost. Like the other two SRK models, the classic drop-point blade is about 5mm thick, but yet does not feel overly large, heavy or cumbersome. The Kraton handle material provides a very secure grip even when one's hands are wet, and it feels good. I know that some folks hate the sheath that CS supplies with their fixed blade knives. While I don't particularly care for them myself, I have found, over time, that they do what they are intended to do. They are just fine for a camper, hunter, backpacker, etc. If I were back in the military, I would absolutely feel comfortable with the 3V on my side, but would use a much better sheath, such as the Spec-Ops brand. Some reviewers have stated that the sheath rubs against the cutting edge of the knife, causing it to become dull. I have never found this to be the case. If you want to check yours, here's how. Using a black marker, color the cutting edge on both sides and then insert the knife into the sheath and withdraw it. Repeat this process several times. If the cutting edge is rubbing against the sheath, it will rub the black marker in the affected areas. The knife fits snugly into the sheath, and it is quite secure. It's not coming out until you make a conscious effort to draw it. What I don't like about the sheath is the nylon strap that connects the body of the sheath to one's belt. During the drawing process, the nylon strap allows the sheath to ride up a couple inches before the knife is removed. This does no harm, but definitely makes the drawing process slower and less efficient. The sheath itself can easily be attached to one's backpack or other such gear through several different processes. All things considered, the sheath is acceptable for all but military applications. The 3V is such an awesome knife that it's worth the expense of obtaining an aftermarket sheath should you so desire. To me, value is the sum of an item's quality, practicality, and price. Using this formula, I can say that the SRK 3V is simply amazing. I am definitely impressed. This knife is as nice as others costing hundreds more. I would prefer that it be American made instead of Taiwan, but theirs is not a communist country, so I can live with that. If it were US made, it would cost a LOT more and may not have the same quality. Don't let the Taiwan manufacture deceive you. Via Cold Steel, they produce quality blades on par with those of Japan and the United States. For its current approximate cost of $118, this is truly an amazing value and is well worth the additional funds. Read more

Get this instead of the sk-5 steel version. Much better knife, and a significantly stronger tip. SRK in 3v is better than san-mai or Fallkniven vg10 laminate- both have a tip made of exposed vg10- which is not as though as 3v and doesn't hold the edge nearly as well either. Stunning knife a perfect sweet spot between fallkniven A1 and S1 in terms of size/weight. Blade came razor sharp. The sheath, while not incredible, doesn't bind on the blade, good positive retention. Read more

A beautiful knife at a really great price. It is sharp as a razor and made of CPM-3V steel, so it is a really tough, solid knife that is not too heavy. Read more

Wow. Amazing knife. Not much can be said about this that hasn’t already been said, but here are some observations: 1) It’s big, but not unwieldy. Not really useful as a carving or whittling knife. As a camp knife though, this thing is exemplary. Super thick and sturdy to easily splits small logs for a campfire, yet just thin enough for basic food prep, rope cutting, etc. And razor sharp! 2) The quality of materials and workmanship is fantastic. Knife handle and blade were perfect, not a blemish to be seen. Knife slides cleanly into the sheath with a nice swooshing sound; no rattle or wobble. Tight fit yet the blade edge does NOT scrape against the sheath as some have said. Maybe there was a bad batch and production has been cleaned up since then. As for the steel used, this is CPM 3V steel. Do a Google search and you’ll see just how great this stuff is; some say it’s the perfect knife steel with the only flaw being that it’s only marginally rust resistant as opposed to being stainless steel. 3) This knife is clearly a combat/survival oriented knife. As such it has an intimidating look and profile, so probably not the best idea to carry it around in a grocery store or while running errands unless you live in a remote wilderness area. In which case, carrying this knife will probably be enough to ward off grizzly bears and mountain lions without issue. So in summary, at $100-125 this an unbeatable value for a virtually indestructible knife that will probably excel at almost everything you want to do with it. Read more

I saw somewhere that the Cold Steel SRK was now available in 3V steel. So I began looking at it's availability and found it on Amazon at a decent price, so before the price went up, I purchased one. I was already thinking of getting one before I found out it was available in 3V. I have other Cold Steel fixed blade knives in 3V steel which have performed real decently! I have many Cold Steel knives, both fixed blades and folders and have never been disappointed with the build quality and price. Never had to return one over many years of purchases. The knife arrived in a typical Cold Steel box, with a Secure-Ex sheath. I will probably get a custom leather sheath for this knife eventually. The knife build quality is excellent, the knife looks good, there was some oil on the blade, but it had to travel from Taiwan, so that's normal as you don't want any saltwater corrosion on the trip! The blade is chunky and straight as expected, the grind is even and the blade is super sharp, easily goes through paper. It has a good weight and balance for a tactical/general use field knife. There is a reason, besides economics, they issue these to the Navy SEALS in BUDS training! It's a tough knife and will withstand any manner of tasks you need a knife for whether camping, hunting, fishing etc. Now with the 3V steel blade, the knife became even tougher! A good purchase! A good knife if you want a tough, general purpose field knife that will hold up! Read more

The sheath is a bit tight but I prefer this. In contrast to my compact C which slides in quite easily with a single click this knife is quite snug against the insides of the sheath itself when you insert it. It is probably the same mold from when this was a hollow ground blade years ago . When I push the blade in up to the handle it goes into the sheath with a double click. At first you push it in and the handle is a snug fit and can't come out easily. But if I push it in further then it's very tight. That allows me to have a snug fit if I want to use the knife or have a very tight fit if I'm traveling around and don't want it to fall out and lose it. The blade was extremely Sharp and the fit and finish is excellent. In the past this CPM knife steel was made in the USA and the blanks were sent to Taiwan to have the handles put on and the sheath made. I'm not sure if they do that still. I put a tiny magnet on the butt end of the knife and it sticks so this knife tang is all the way to the end. The spine is extremely sharp so if you want to strike a fire steel it's not a problem. I coated the knife edge with magic marker and inserted the knife into the sheath several times to see if the blade was rubbing but it doesn't seem like it's touching. However in any case it's always better to ride the knife on the spine while inserting it into the sheath. Read more

Knife itself is good. Comes sharp, 90 degree spine, grippy handle. However, the sheath is insanely tight and Fiberglass plastic - so using the sheath is a two hand operation and will dull your blade in no time. Would not purchase for the sheath alone. Read more

One of the best do-everything knives out there. Read more

I am pleased with this version of the CSSRK over all. Came almost razor sharp. A couple of VERY light strops made it screaming jaw dropping sharp. Probably a tiny burr. Did not experience all the legendary edge dulling from the glass filled nylon sheath material. The frog attached to the sheath was another matter. Snap is kind of weak, strap was at first tight but loosened itself very quickly compared to the other CSSRK sheathes I own with older models. Brass ferrule seems too small with almost no flare on its edges, which might contribute to the handle loosening over time with HEAVY use. If that happens, I will rehandle the knife. Handle is a bit smaller than previous models , also the knife is a bit lighter than its grandparents, but well balanced. I won't be batoning anything but shakewood kindling for fire (maybe) which means I will most likely die before the modification I have in mind is needed at all. Please use a rust preventative such as properly applied EEZOX (BEST) , a very THIN coat of Fluid Film, or at least some Wicked Wax ,because CPM3V will rust and corrode, it is not stainless. Keep it clean, dry and hone it when it just starts to go dull. Also try a thin film of Super lube O ring grease on the contact points of the sheath in the throat area if its a bit tight. Really helos, and won't harm polymers Read more

Best knife ive ever owned. Expensive but you get what you pay for. Read more

Amazing Knife, the Size is imponent, the grip feel safe and comfortable, really sharp, its a high quality tactical/survivor knife. I would recommend this item 100% Read more

I began collecting both fixed blades and folders back in 2019. Over the last 5 years I have purchased a collection of high end knives. Although the SRK 3V is one of the cheaper knives I’ve purchased when it comes to price, there is just something about it that feels right in the hand. The grip is extremely comfortable and the weight of the knife is perfect. The edge is razor sharp and easy to maintain with a worksharp pro. And it looks awesome. I keep it secured to the Molle on my backpack shoulder strap. If you are looking for a great all around fixed blade knife to handle anything that comes your way, this is the one to get. Read more

For those who actually do NOT have a clue, this knife is the best deal for a knife of this type. CPM 3V is considered by so many experts as a top 5 "super steel", even after 25 years on the market. So few other steels has the balance of toughness combined with great edge retension and sharpening ease. The blade design itself is itself a CLASSIC survival style knife with its roots in Protection & Survival. If I could only choose 1 knife to face the world, it would be this knife with this Steel/CPM 3V ( if tempered/heat treated by a reputable company like Cold Steel, of course). I own 3 and have bought 6 others as gifts to those who DO have a clue. Read more

There are tons of YouTube reviews about this knife and most certainly they go into every aspect. The sheath is excellent without a shadow of a doubt and very versatile to say the least. I feel, however, that the knife could have done with a more finishing in terms of smoothness of edges. The handle is very nice and obviously will last a while, but again the knife needs more smoothness. If Tiffany or Gucci made knives it wouldn’t be this, but if you aim to just see it as a tool then I suppose it could easily be seen as a sharp hammer. More polishing certainly would have excelled this knife equal to Randall or even a loveless knife but as it stands it is just okay, but not a gem. The dimensions of the knife are excellent and well weight adjusted in my view and you won’t be entirely disappointed. Read more

Great size without being too big, great feel in the grip, durable steel that stays sharp, versatile sheath. I own scores of knives, some with specific purposes. This checks all the boxes and then some. It has become my go to when I'm not sure what I will need for the day's activities. This Cold Steel really is "Anytime, Anywhere." Read more

I honestly don't have anything negative to say about this knife. Beautiful, sharp. Knife seats well in sheath and is held very securely. Very sharp, holds an edge well yet is quite easy to maintain with a ceramic rod. This is a carbon steel knife that leaves absolutely no residue on apples when they are peeled. This is first carbon steel knife I have owned that left no blackish grey residue on apples. This knife blade made of 3v steel seems in some ways to act like a stainless steel and yet in other ways to act like a carbon steel. So far I mostly use it in the kitchen for food prep, opening packages and tearing down boxes. Bottom line- I love this knife and would absolutely purchase it again. Also pricing was fair with free shipping- compared to other Canadian companies. Another local store in Vancouver Canada no longer supports local customers while using the postal service that is on strike 😳 Read more