OK, kind of a click-baity subject line, but that's from the publisher of the video. Interesting facts about Cold Steel's Tanto designs and Kobun, SRK (and Demko's Triad Lock) Enjoy

Imagine being the director during the filming of the "infomercials" just waiting to yell "CUT!!!"

Can't recall if the fellow in Germany that tortured knifes to death/breakage while decked out in MOPP gear did the Kobun, Recon Tanto etc.. And just yesterday was thinking I had enough knives on hand....

ETA: Joe X is his handle. Yep, he managed to destroy them.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: rat2306,

I carried a Recon Tanto in the Marines, then another 18 months doing other stuff. After that, I cave it to my Lil Brother a career Infantry Marine, who toted it around for another 20 years.

Probably the best Field Knife I've used!

^^$40 for the SK-5 steel Recon Tanto with OD or FDE grips at Knife Center. Almost ordered one over the weekend, but sent for a Kobun with 5.5-inch blade instead.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: rat2306,

2 minutes and 49 seconds to the meat bicycle.

I think the Kobun and/or Recon are made in Taiwan. Is Taiwan good? I've only bought knives made in usa or Japan. Not an expert. I almost ordered a recon but Taiwan gave me pause.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
I think the Kobun and/or Recon are made in Taiwan. Is Taiwan good? I've only bought knives made in usa or Japan. Not an expert. I almost ordered a recon but Taiwan gave me pause.

It may depend on the model and steel source; but I believe those tried-and-true models, and the SRKs, etc. are good out of the box for most folks and applications. Except Joe X. Tweaked my posts above as I'd misspelled Kobun.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
I think the Kobun and/or Recon are made in Taiwan. Is Taiwan good? I've only bought knives made in usa or Japan. Not an expert. I almost ordered a recon but Taiwan gave me pause.

Taiwan can make good stuff. They make the RAT knives, which are good affordable every day knives. They also make a number of CRKT's knives including part of their M16 series (which used to be a big seller in a lot of PXs). If the CKRT line is any indication, Taiwan can make some good every day carry knives.

The Taichung Taiwan Spydercos are also on par with the Golden, Colorado Spydercos.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
I think the Kobun and/or Recon are made in Taiwan. Is Taiwan good? I've only bought knives made in usa or Japan. Not an expert. I almost ordered a recon but Taiwan gave me pause.

Amazon has the Kobun for $40.47 and lists it as made in USA. I just ordered one. Like I need more knives

^^A few days after getting my Kobun, I needed to order something from Midway USA. Unlike some places I had looked just out of curiosity, they had SK-5 Recon Tantos in stock. They now have one less..

Aren’t there two versions or types of steel? The cheap one and the one the Seals use? Or is it the same knife and steel?

quote:

Originally posted by ruger357:
Aren’t there two versions or types of steel? The cheap one and the one the Seals use? Or is it the same knife and steel?

Three kinds of steel; as I read it, the SK-5 steel SRK was (and may still be) issued at the beginning of BUDS training for SEALS. Tough, durable, but the troops learn to take care of their gear with it. I have SRKs in all three, but only SK-5 in the Recon Tanto. I like Knife Center as it's something of a local business to me; here is their page for the Tanto in San Mai steel.

https://www.knifecenter.com/it...dle-secure-ex-sheath

Amazon Prime Days is selling the knife for $35.27 at the moment. I ordered one.