This folding knife was provided by the company to the author for review.
To call this knife robust would be to slap it across the face with a white glove.
It is much more than that.
The Cold Steel AD-10 Tanto displayed with its blade open, showcasing its rugged design on a rustic wooden table. This Cold Steel review highlights its robust build and durability for real-world use.
Despite this, you would be surprised at its inherent pocketability.
What makes it so massive visually is its 3.8mm blade thickness.
That is 9/64thinch for you imperialist measurers out there, or over 1/8thinch.
The Cold Steel AD-10 Tanto in action, held firmly during a desert hike. This knife review covers its comfort and reliability in outdoor environments.
This blade steel is larger in cross-section than that of many fixed-blade knives.
Of over a hundred knives in my collection, I have no folding knife this beefy.
The Cold Steel Company has never been known for their shyness when it comes to product lines.
The Cold Steel AD-10 knife lies open on a wooden plank, showcasing its sleek design and rugged blade.
Lynn Thompson founded Cold Steel in 1980.
I have seen him in action multiple times at the Blade Show and the SHOT Show.
Thompson was selling ruggedness.
A striking image of the Cold Steel AD-10 knife embedded in a steel ammo can, showcasing its robust tanto blade.
Another thing Thompson brought to American knife buyers was the tanto blade shape.
I still have two CS Mini Voyagers from the 1990s.
One is in my pick-up truck as I write this.
The author carrying the Cold Steel AD-10 Tanto knife during a hike, showcasing its utility in outdoor settings.
The Details
The AD-10s 4 tanto has a dropped point, unlike most in its genre.
It is profiled from CPM SV35N stainless super steel.
The blade is hollow ground at the belly and is flat ground along its chisel point.
Unlike some tantos, it has a double bevel.
As expected, it came frighteningly sharp out of the box.
The Cold Steel AD-10 is a premium production version of knife maker Andrew Demkos custom AD-10.
It is faithful to the original model, from the machined thumb studs to the asymmetrical pocket clip.
The Cold Steel AD-10s serious blade is held open securely with Cold Steels Tri-Ad lock system.
The mechanical advantage of this arrangement produces an extremely solid lock that is perhaps the strongest on the market.
Cold Steel confidently employs it on most of their giant folding knives.
Aluminum has the required strength but is lighter than steel and less expensive than titanium.
3D-machined G-10 scales complete the build.
Large gimping on the blade spine and handle befits the oversized nature of the AD-10.
I like the shape of the handle.
In a thrusting motion, it guards your fingers from contacting the edge.
In slashes, cuts or swings, the handle hooks downward to catch your rearward fingers.
At the butt of the handle, the aluminum backspacer ends in a point that can defeat auto glass.
The reproduction stainless steel clip is Demkos design and is controversial in its aesthetic.
In Practice
I took the Cold Steel AD-10 on a hiking trip to Arizona recently.
The knifes heft and durability were welcome companions in the desert or in town.
Back at my sanctum, I started cutting and hacking with the AD-10.
The blade was still super sharp.
I eyed my spare ammo cans.
Armor-piercing point on the AD-10?
The AD-10 was hammered into the G.I.
It penetrated headlong through the steel with a worrisome thunk, thunk, thunk.
Upon examination, the AD-10 tip was unscathed.
No damage at all.
Eclectic to be sure, but they reflect the varied nature of Cold Steel products.
The MSRP is $239, but I am confident your favorite retailer will shave a chunk off that.
An AD-10 could enhance your exploits as well.
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