Question about Cold Steel's "Oyabun"

C

Cort

Joined
Feb 22, 2002
Messages
14
I recently picked up a Cold Steel "Oyabun"
new-in-box for 48.50....Its a nice sharp knife.

heres my question I purchased the older model with the 7½" blade the new models are only offered in 9" blades(before both were available)
On the Cold Steel site it says that the blade is made from 420Sub Quenched Steel and "made in Taiwan"......

Heres my Question
my "Oyabun" is stamped "made in Japan" and the steel looks and feels more like Aus8 rather then 420Sub....Does anyone know if the older models of Cold Steel "Oyabun's" were originally made in Japan? and what kind of steel did they use?
:confused:
 
Dont know where they were originally made, but I can say that the smaller one (Kobun) that I have is pretty under-whelming. The rubber handle/guard had begun to split a little when I got it. I figured maybe I could use it for my first attempt at re-handling something. I assumed that the handle was held on pretty securely, wrong. It took almost no effort to grab either side of the small split and rip it off. Its not epoxied, or even a tight fit around the tang. Its simply a rubber sleeve that is slipped easily on over the tang, with the little lanyard hole sleeve holding it, and thats it. I know they can be had at a discount, but for what CS lists as MSRP, and all the praise they give themselves, you would think that they would at least have sealed it to prevent water from going down in the handle.

Oh, I know ya didnt ask for a small book here :) Just wanted to toss that in.
 
well ive had other knives before with rubber handles and when it wares out ill just replace it but for $48 I couldnt pass it up especialy if it is AUS8 rather then 420Sub.....
 
I have an older Oyabun 7 1/2" and an older Cold Steel Catalog. The knife is made out of AUS 8 A steel. Same goes for the older Kobun except for the black coated blade model that was Carbon V
 
Dude,

I used to own a "Kobun" and Cold Steel's 13-AN tanto.. They were made in Japan in AUS-8.. Nice to handle but the rubberised grip seems to warp after much use in my country's warm and humid environ.. ;)

Sam
 
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