BUSHMAN SURVIVAL BLADE MADE OF COLD STEEL
Cold Steel is one of the most recognizable brands in the knife business. Its objective to manufacture the toughest and sharpest knives in the world has been fully lived and preserved since their foundation in 1980.
As a result, they have remained among the industry’s leaders and forerunners in terms of innovation for over three decades.
One of the many examples of their seemingly unending leadership is the introduction of the checked Kraton handles and the American Tanto point blade styles, both of which have really fascinating features that everyone in the industry takes and uses as inspiration to create high-end, top-quality releases.
Cold Steel has elevated the knife business to a new and higher level of invention with the San Mai III and the “Tri-Ad Lock” folding knife locking mechanism. To this day, not one of the company’s most formidable rivals has been able to match the ingenuity and artistry of the Cold Steel Tri-Ad Lock. Therefore, outdoor lovers and specialists believe that if there is any technology that can exceed Tri-Ad Lock, it would most likely be a Cold Steel release.
This firm has successfully elevated its original ideology in the face of technological advancements, as seen by all of the goods listed above. In reality, the Cold Steel SRK demonstrates their ability to employ technology in the production of knives that are the toughest and sharpest in the world.
For all of this, anybody can rely on Cold Steel to have applied the same level of attention to their ideology when they created and debuted the Bushman.
The Bushman knives may very well be the most powerful survival/outdoor knives available anywhere in the world for the money!
Cold Steel Bushman blades are offered in two different blade shapes: straight spine and clip point. Both knives have a 7-inch saber ground blade and measure 12 1/4″ overall.
Unlike other hollow handled survival knives, there is no junction or seam between the blades and handles that necessitates the use of a mechanical fastening. Instead, the Bushman’s blades and integrated handles are each masterfully cold forged from a single piece of 2.5mm thick SK-5 high carbon steel, which is then polished to a mirror finish.
The resultant knives are skillfully heat-treated and tempered to RC54 (Rockwell Hardness), and when submitted to Cold Steel’s testing, they have sustained more than two tons of pressure at the blade/handle transition!
In addition, every Bushman blade has been meticulously ground to a razor-sharp edge, which is then sharpened and rubbed by hand until it is razor sharp. Furthermore, the Bushman knives are adaptable in that their hollow handles can accommodate a range of survival supplies as well as a number of handle extensions that may be used to increase reach, leverage, or ease of throwing. Additionally, both Bushman knives come with Cold Steel’s innovative Secure-Ex sheath, which features a Ferrocerium Fire Steel.
Now, I have to confess that when I first saw this knife, I was a bit suspicious. However, now that I’ve had an opportunity to spend more time with the knife, I’m forced to say that my reservations about it have been cast aside. In fact, as of right now, this is a knife that I would recommend to someone who is seeking for a knife that is reliable but is not too pricey.
When I set my biases aside and take a closer look at this knife, I have to concede that it would make an excellent dedicated survival weapon. In addition, the SK-5 steel (a Japanese equivalent of American 1080 steel) used in the Bushman and hardened to 54 RC is an excellent choice for this type of knife because 1080 steel is a high carbon steel with a carbon content of 0.81 percent and a manganese content of 0.75 percent as the only other component.
As a result of the high carbon level and low alloy content, this is a shallow hardening steel with a quenched hardness that ranges between RC 60 and 64, depending on the specific carbon percentage.
This combination of features results in one of the hardest steels available because, when quenched correctly, it creates a near saturated lathe Martensite with no surplus Carbides, hence avoiding the brittleness associated with higher carbon materials.
As a result, this steel is especially well-suited to applications where strength and impact resistance are sought above all other factors, and it will create blades with almost legendary toughness.
However, according to the Cold Steel web site and quenched by Cold Steel, SK-5 steel typically has a Rockwell hardness near RC 57-58 and produces a mixture of carbon-rich Martensite with some small un-dissolved carbides, with the excess carbide increasing abrasion resistance and allowing the steel to achieve an ideal balance of very good blade toughness and superior edge holding ability.
Also, while I find the integral hollow handle a little strange, I have to admit that it makes it simple to attach the knife to the end of a stave for self-defense against predatory animals. And, if you ever find yourself in the position of having to use the knife as a javelin point, I can’t think of a better steel for the job than SK-5.
While I understand that Cold Steel created this knife with a saber grind in order to generate a powerful edge rather than a razor sharp edge, I would like it if the bevel on the blade were a little higher on the blade.
On the other hand, I commend the use of Kydex to make the Secure-Ex sheath since Kydex is an incredibly durable material that is immune to water, and the addition of a fire starting stick is a brilliant concept.
So, although these knives may seem to be a bit strange at first glance, they are really very well-suited for the specific goal of outdoor survival.
Furthermore, since they are both affordable and very robust, they may be used for chores such as splitting wood and excavating roots without the risk of the knives being wrecked, as is the case with many of the other knives on our featured list.