Recon Tanto 7" VG-10 San Mai Razor-Sharp Blade 4.75" Kray-Ex Handle Military Tactical Fixed Blade Knife w/Secure-Ex Sheath

I love Cold Steel's Recon Tantos. I own three of them. The other 2 are made of SK-5 Steel which is really good, but I have always wanted one that was this higher quality San Mai Steel (Similar to Japanese VG-10 Steel), so I bought this one to improve my collection. This blade is 7 inches long and razor sharp out of the box! The handle has a very nice grip, and it came with a really nice Kydex sheath. The blade Steel is layered with a harder spring steel on the outside for durability and corrosion resistance, and an inner core of a softer steel that is easy to sharpen to razor sharp and it stays sharp. You can see where the thick outer steel meets the special steel core if you look at the blade where the edge is tapering down, there is a barely visible line where the two steels meet. This is the same Steel that Japanese kitchen knives and swords are made from. Cold Steel really knows what they are doing when it comes to making a knife blade, and they heat treat the blades perfectly! This knife is tough as nails and hair splitting sharp, the best of both worlds. I highly recommend this Recon tanto in this San Mai high grade steel! It really will stab through a metal door without hurting the knife; I've tried it! It's my favorite knife to carry in the car for protection! The price they have here on Amazon is the best price available because I've checked all the other sites, and they are charging $20 to $50 more everywhere else. This is a premium knife for a great deal! Next day shipping!

Well made combat knife. This isn't an EDC knife, it's slightly to large for that, but it is built robust enough to be used for everyday cutting tasks. The tanto grind is all about combat and self defense. The American tanto was invented by the great one, Lynn Thompson, way back in 1980. Think of it as if an ice pick and a razor blade got drunk and banged on a pool table. The American tanto is their bastard child. If you know a soldier, this would make a great gift. My only negative criticism is that the the rubber they use for the handle is a bit soft which could over time of using it hard could deform and result in the handle becoming loose on the tang.

Cold Steel’s Recon Tanto has been around since the 1990's, and is arguably one of the best examples of the American Tanto design first introduced by Cold Steel by its founder, Lynn Thompson in the early 1980’s. It foregoes the oval handle and “skull-crusher” pommel in favor of a more conventional squareish handle with no pommel. In hand, it feels more like a “regular” knife. The “Kray-Ex” textured rubber-like handle material is rugged, slip-resistant, and in my over thirty years of experience using it, typically maintains its integrity for decades. This, the San Mai model, differs from the classic ones by being slightly hollow ground, and, of course, being made of laminated steel. The blade is nicely polished, and looks a lot dressier than the typical Recon Tanto with its black coating. Evaluated with regard to its being a tactical knife, there is no great difference between the two. Used tactically, the hollow ground primary bevel is neither advantageous nor disadvantageous under realistic usage scenarios. I don’t consider Recon Tantos to be very well suited for field, bushcraft, hunting, etc. use. Its seven-inch blade makes this a comparatively big knife that might be awkward to EDC, depending on whether it is carried dangling from its nylon sheath loop, or attached higher and secured at one’s waist. The knife is slightly blade-heavy, but feels light and nimble in hand. Its Secure-Ex sheath comes with a nylon belt loop that will fit belts up to almost 3 inches wide. It also has 14 grommet holes and 4 slots, allowing a multitude of attachment and carry options employing zip-ties, paracord, C-clips, etc. The Recon Tanto in San Mai is an aesthetically impressive part of my collection, but it will not replace the “regular” Recon Tanto as my work-horse version. Each is worth its price, but for different (essentially non-functional) reasons.

This review is for the San Mai version. Overall, a very nice knife. Solid, well-made, and the lines and angles are very good. It's razor sharp, and the tip is robust, very pointed and strong. The handle is just the right size: not too big, not too small, and the material provides a very secure grip. The knife is quite versatile, being right at home at the campsite, in the field, or on your military web gear. The sheath consists of two parts: the sheath itself and the nylon device that is attached to the sheath with two screws, with the other end being made for a belt. If you are going to strap the sheath to a backpack or ruck, then the sheath should serve you well. If, however, you intend to wear the knife on a belt, then I would detach the nylon belt portion from the sheath and throw it away, it's pretty crappy. You will need a better sheath for belt use. For the money the Recon Tanto is quite a bargain. It's every bit as nice as one costing hundreds more.

The steel on this knife is perfectly thick. No worries of breakage or failure, as a last resort it is a powerful option. The 7" blade is at the perfect end of long but not too long. Edit: After getting this knife I have enjoyed its feel so much I got the rubber Tanto trainer to really practice use of this knife.

Addendum on 4-23-2024: i have used the blade to stab into copper tubing to scuttle some defunct air conditioning units, and the blade edge on tip is holding. i used a mallet to drive it in to make a large hole, so i can say with confidence the steel is good. there was a pointier but smaller knife i was also using as well, and the tip on the other blade is flat out gone. the Recon survived. end addendum Out of the box, the thing is hair-shaving level. Short blade and grip allows for good movement and control. Sheath holds securely, takes considerable force to take out, and the edge is known to be a tougher steel. I am fond of the tanto tips, so this checks several boxes in my opinion. if you catch the light just right on the spine, you can actually see how thick the VG-10 steel layer actually is (comprises nearly 1/3 of the thickness itself). past experience with Cold Steel VG-10 shows that the edge itself is going to take a long time under normal use to harm or break, but if you're doing bushcraft or throwing the knife, expect it to not endure so such a level. it'll hold out, no doubt, but do not expect mythical metal for this knife. the knife will try anyways because that is the way of Cold Steel 4-25-2024: it withstood some tests relating to bushcraft with making wood shaving for firestarting. Tip is still sharp enough that i bumped it while cleaning off the dirt and it drew blood with minimal effort. This was after i scuttled a dozen units with it by driving the tip through copper tubing using additional force. July 4th, 2024: the blade still endures some abuse, although there was some loss in edge on the tanto tip to the straight run of the main blade. it fell into concrete and chipped the floor. nothing a sharpening stone can't undo.

Review of Cold Steel 35 AM San Mai Tanto Knife - San Mai blade is a " harder" center layer of steel sandwiched between two "softer" layers - the harder center for improved edge retention with the softer outer layers to provide more flexibility to resist breakage if blade is bent / flexed during heavy cutting tasks. The handle is made of a soft rubber like material and feels comfortable in bare hand when cutting.. Overall the knife appears to be well made - blade edge has an even grind and was sharp out of box. Designed more for self defense and maybe hunting, but not the best blade design for most camp chores. The blade is a bit too long and thick for smaller, finer cutting tasks.

This knife is a Real San mai knife. It's easy to hold, maneuver, & very well balanced. This knife is Really razor sharp & I love it!! I Cary it with me " EVERYWHERE " I go! This knife is one you should add to your survival kit. A Great Knife!!! UPDATE... ITs been a year or so. My San-Mai tanto knife it STILL razor-sharp!!! I'm loving it! I Cary it with me Everywhere I go. Especially hunting, fishing, camping and hiking. If you're looking for a Real long lasting knife... look no further!!! One thing though..... The little screws come a loose. The remedy... go to Wal-Mart, get some 1/4 inch long, replace them all with a washer on each side and put the nut on and you'll have more problems. And, it makes your look really cool too.