- a folding dagger
Boot daggers have always been a popular format. They may not be the most practical knives, but they have 'it' regarding looks. However, daggers can be perceived as a bit aggressive. A folding version can be an advantage, as it looks less dangerous before it is opened.
Today, we will examine closely one of the models in Cold Steel's range of that kind, the Counter Point I.
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| Cold Steel Counter Point 1 |
The number I, in this case, stands for the intermediate size, although now in the catalog, it is called Counter Point 4. There is also a little brother who is quite discreet with the addition "II." It has a seven-and-a-half-centimeter blade. Big brother Counter Point III, also called XL, is a badass in true Cold Steel spirit with a blade of about fifteen centimeters.
This is a model that has been around for a while, we're talking more than ten years and has therefore gone through a couple of different stages of development. The oldest knives were made in Japan and with a simpler domestic steel in AUS8. After that, American BD1 from Carpenter was used for a while. However, that steel turned out to be quite difficult to get hold of, which is why Cold Steel has now again landed in Japanese steel, even though the production has now landed in Taiwan. Another change is that the handle now has a very rough surface compared to before.
Despite the changes, the basis is the same, a very robust knife with a special appearance that I would like to present herewith.
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| There is no doubt as to which category of knives the Counter Point falls into |
Short version: Cold Steel Counter Point, a quintessential CS product, that looks a bit provocative but is well-built and actually is more practical than you think
Blade
The Counter Point series has a very typical blade which is the very thing about this knife. It is, of course, about a distinct "spear point" with a strong false edge, which makes the blade look almost symmetrical. Just as it should on a dagger.
The length of the blade is actually debatable. Measured to the lower part of the handle, you end up just over ten centimeters or 102 mm. Then the distance that appears slightly smaller to the center is the handle that protrudes into a point. The reason for the measurements is simple, they want to guard against jurisdictions that do not allow lengths of blades over 4". In the USA, for example, such restrictions exist locally.
The blade is then 2.8 cm wide and has a maximum thickness of 3.4 mm.
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| In the unfolded position, a 102 mm spear point blade with a high flat grind is revealed |
The grind is flat and quite high to be a saber grind due to the relatively wide blade. The knife is quite thick behind the edge with 0.6-0.7 mm. It provides a sturdy and durable edge but means that the Counter Point I may not be the best knife for the most delicate tasks but more for heavier work. Especially with this handle. But on the other hand, that is hardly surprising considering the appearance.
Overall, the blade shape sacrifices some practicality in favor of a specific aesthetic. But actually not as much as one might be led to believe. If you forget the double-edged look and imagine the back a little thicker instead, you will be left with a blade with the point in the right place and, as I said, with a fairly high saber grind.
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| The steel used is Japanese AUS10A |
It actually makes this knife somewhat more practical than its appearance suggests. Especially as the factory edge was very capable. This becomes clear when dealing with everyday materials such as cardboard and thinner plastic. The Counter Point copes with that and all other daily tasks in an excellent way, although there are other knives that of course cut better if the feel of the cuts and the resistance of specific materials are compared. In return, there are not quite as many who penetrate this well. If you want to stab your knives into things, this is the knife for you. But that hardly surprises anyone.
This isn't a winner for dealing with EDC tasks, but it doesn't make a fool of itself either. Even when cutting wood, this is not a bad knife. Especially not since the edge stretches relatively close to the handle. However, it is not possible to use "push cuts" there, as the thumb studs end up in the way. No Mora knife perhaps, but it is absolutely possible to use this knife for all kinds of work around a campfire as well.
The blade is strong enough for that and then you have the true strength of this knife which it is time to talk about now
Handle
When I reviewed a fixed-blade knife the other day, I mentioned that there were two types of handles, thin and thick. If that knife* belonged to the thin ones, then the Counter Point is definitely a representative of the second category. Especially for being a folding knife. We are talking here about a full 1.7 cm, which beats most other folding knives.
The length of the handle is 12.7 cm, of which eleven centimeters is available grippable surface behind the distinctive finger guards. The height of the handle is 2.2 cm as a minimum and 3 cm as a maximum, except at the end where it widens to 3.3 cm. The handle is quite heavily shaped in that direction. Especially with the substantial recess for the index finger. In fact, if it weren't for it, the entire handle would be almost as symmetrical as the blade in classic dagger fashion with a bulging center section.
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| The handle is built around a frame on which strongly shaped cleats in fiber-reinforced nylon are screwed |
Underneath the shaped sides is an aluminum frame. It is heavily drilled, something that is hard to miss because the holes are continuous. The function of the frame is twofold, on the one hand, they stiffen up the handle, although it is hardly needed given the sturdy sides. In part, they act as an attachment point for the lock.
As I said, the large holes in the side are hard to miss. They actually serve multiple functions. The weight is of course reduced with them, but thus the balance is also improved. In addition, the holes improve the grip, especially in the saber grip, as the fingertips can rest in them.
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| A very massive handle that is a whopping 17.3 mm wide |
Speaking of grip, a material called Griv-Ex is found in the handle sides. One of several variants that Cold Steel has used in recent years. It is about advanced plastic or, more precisely, fiber-reinforced nylon in some variants. Durable and practical but maybe not something you get excited about.
The surface looks almost glittery and this is due to the pattern which looks clogged. It provides a really good grip, almost similar to sandpaper. As mentioned earlier, it was a change from previous generations of Counter Points. Now, however, it is not news per se as the upgrade took place already in 2019.
If something is to be said about plastic in knife handles, it is that I generally do not appreciate the material but that there are some exceptions and this is one of them.
The sides are slightly arched and strongly beveled. That part is also without a pattern, which makes the handle slightly softer against the hand. They are screwed in three points in addition to the pivot screw. The size of the screw heads is the same scrap T6s that most people use. There is also a stop bolt and a through bolt for the lock that supports the handle even more.
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| Counter Point has a solid and comfortable handle |
The Counter Point I is a knife that is fairly neutrally balanced with a slight back weight. The balance point is found in the middle of the recess behind the finger guard.
This is a knife that is good in any grip but superb in the saber grip. That's where the handle locks the best. The thumb naturally ends up against the ramp on the back and the index finger gets a good position in the recess intended for this purpose, while the fingertips of the middle and ring fingers poke a little into the holes on the sides. Something that is not visible in the picture as I hold the knife in my left hand and the clip is in the way. The material also bites the skin and the bell shape of the rear end rests against the soft parts of the hand. The knife is really stuck in that grip.
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| Reverse grips also work well |
Even in a hammer grip, the knife is comfortable. As said, the curves are found in the right places and the increased width makes the knife both comfortable and even ergonomic. It's more the blade style that means the user may not work for hours on end with this knife but the handle can take it.
In addition to that, reverse grips work unusually well. A notch on the end of the handle gives the thumb somewhere to rest and the large surface makes it comfortable. Good if you are now going to stab something.
Opening and Lock
Counter Point opens with thumb studs, period. No modern inventions like multiple opening methods and other nonsense. In fact, the wide and thus sloping false edge makes it impossible to get a proper grip to fold out the blade even with two hands.
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| The thumb studs are of a classic barrel shape and are really well placed. It's lucky because they're the only way to get the blade out |
In addition, the force in the lock is so great that "Spydie flicks", i.e. flicking the blade open with the help of the index finger on the back of the blade, are not possible. All that remains is the thumbs up as I said.
They are symmetrical which is not always the case. On several of Cold Steel's knives, they are asymmetrical with a higher right side and a lower one on the left. They can be unscrewed with a little force and turned over even for the left-handed.
And since the lock, being a back lock construction is ambidextrous, so is the entire knife. Especially as the clip can be repositioned.
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| Here you can see the detail that distinguishes Tri-Ad locks from conventional lock backs, in this case, the heavily dimensioned stop pin |
The lock is of course a Tri-Ad lock, anything else would have been strange as it is an Andrew Demko invention that Cold Steel is very proud of. Often called, especially by themselves, the world's strongest folding knife lock. It may or may not be, but strong it is and so also in this case.
What sets it apart from a more traditional back lock is that Demko added a stop pin that is sandwiched between the blade and the lock bar. This means that the force from the blade goes into it instead of pressing directly against the lock, which is the reason why almost all standard locks** of this type have a small but noticeable up-and-down movement. Of course, there is no such thing here. In fact, this knife almost feels like a fixed-blade knife. That's how solid it is.
It is noticeable when the lock is to be released because the spring tension is strong. However, it is nowhere near as over the top as the first variations of this lock were. It was about marking territory and making the lock as macho as possible. Another peculiarity that Tri-Ad locks have is that you have to press quite hard because the locking lug sits deep. The advantage of it in combination with the aforementioned bolt is that it extends the life of the lock. In fact, it is self-centering to some extent, so no backlash occurs after wear. It wears in rather than out.
To Carry
Sometimes, or rather quite often, I tend to claim that knives must be good at something. Of course, the reverse also applies. There's no nice way to say it, but Counter Point I is really chunky. A damn shameless one too.
The handle is almost thirteen centimeters long, the thickness is, as I said, a whopping 1.7 centimeters, and to that must be added a height of almost four centimeters, 37 mm, in the closed position. Overall it makes you feel like you tried to hide a walrus in your pocket. And you don't get such a damn long edge for that volume either. We are talking about 9.7 cm to be exact.
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| The clip is one of Cold Steel's short standard types. It has a good ramp, far too high tension, and the friction against the handle is too high |
So you have a solid seal in your pocket. However, not an excessively heavy one. Large holes, light material on the full sides, and a blade where a fair amount of the stock thickness has been sanded off means that the Counter Point weighs 135 g. Whether heavy or light, but in between in terms of dimensions.
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| It's not a shy knife. Three centimeters of the handle is visible and the clip shines as the sun |
But the situation in the pocket doesn't get better because we have a classic Cold Steel clip here. It is like most made of spring steel. It is also quite small and very shiny. In other words, it is clearly visible. Especially as the placement makes a lot of knife stick out of the pocket. We are talking closer to three centimeters, which is not something I appreciate. We can discuss the topic of easier access to the knife at another time.
The clip apparently has to compensate for its small size by being extremely strong. You certainly won't lose your knife once it's in place, but it's really hard to get it there. Especially as Cold Steel insists on leaving the pattern on the handle where the clip meets the side. It literally eats fabric, I can tell you. Therefore, this clip needs some tweaking to work better. The pressure needs to be released a little and some sandpapering is needed where the handle and clip meet.
Then it's better, but despite that, it remains that the angle towards the attachment means that the edge of the fabric does not reach all the way in, whereupon even a little more of the knife sticks up. Better is that it is attached with a full three screws and that it is found in a recess. In other words, it sits still and does not move. The clip can also be moved to the left side or dismantled if desired.
To Conclude
Cold Steel is a company that has often been controversial. This applies to some of their products as well as their advertising, especially the one that was made some twenty, or thirty years ago. It has not aged with dignity one can say.
Part of what attracted attention, albeit in a positive sense, is that they have a very broad model program. There you can find everything from fairly practical knives to the most eye-catching ones. Sometimes the entire range is found under a single knife model. Such is the case with the Counter Point family.
The smallest is a small pocketknife although it has a lot of attitude, the middle brother is massive and the big brother is a pocket sword that measures a little over a foot open. But what binds them together and makes them both noticeable and attractive is, of course, the pronounced aesthetics. The stated goal of former Cold Steel owner and designer behind this knife, Lynn Thompson, was to create a folding boot dagger. And he did!
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| Cold Steel has succeeded in creating an easily recognizable silhouette |
Thus, it should be the first thing you look for to like this knife. One should also appreciate handles that have been lightened by having holes drilled through them. I know it's a watershed moment among knife enthusiasts. Some don't mind it or like the phenomenon, while for others it's downright discouraging.
But if you combine the holes, the rough surface of the Griv-Ex material, and the design of the thick handle, you get a knife that provides an incredibly firm grip. In general, the undersigned is not fond of plastic, either in nature or in knife handles. But there are a few exceptions and this is one of them. In this specific design of this knife model, it works great.
The blade shape is not the best for "EDC" or everyday use. But it's actually better than you might think, so don't let that stop you from buying if you like the look. It is a fully competent working knife.
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| Appearance notwithstanding, the Cold Steel Counter Point I is an excellent working knife. IF you have big pockets that is |
There you have the selling points. A stylish, semi-brutal, efficient, and also very well-built knife is what you get. The package includes a very strong lock, a solid handle as well as a really strong blade with a durable edge for being a dagger. Quality is emphasized through well-chosen materials rather than being exclusive. The entire knife feels and is very solid.
If that sounds like something for you, just go for it. For that pleasure, you can currently pay from around 90€ in Europe.
Specifications:
Length Overall: 229 mm
Length Folded: 127 mm
Weight: 137 g
Blade Length: 102 mm
Blade Thickness: 3,5 mm
Blade Steel: AUS10A
Handle Material: Griv-Ex
Lock: Tri-Ad
Produced by: Cold Steel, made in Taiwan
/ J - appreciate a nice dagger
* Which happened to be the Al Mar B-21, a fixed blade whose handle at its widest point measures 13.5mm compared to the Counter Point's 17.3mm.
** There are a few that don't have it but it requires incredible precision in manufacturing. One such knife is Lionsteel's TM1 which is the best lockback I've come across other than the Tri-ad Lock.
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