Trail Master 9.5" CPM 3V Razor-Sharp Clip Point Blade 5.125" Kray-Ex Handle Tactical Fixed Blade Knife W/Secure-Ex Sheath

Long, Long ago... in a time nearly forgotten, of paper catalogs and "proof" dvds... I purchased a Carbon V version of this incredible knife. At the time, the Carbon V version cost around $256.00 (shipping and handling included) and I saved up all my pennies (we were only paid in penny denominations and the largest bill in the United States was a $20). Needless to say, it took many years of hard work, saving and starving when I was finally able to send in my hand-written paper ordering form with a paper cheque (these are real things!). Many moons later (that was how months were measured back then), when the Carbon V Trailmaster finally arrived at my doorstep, we knew that this tool would change our lives forever. Using our life savings, we brought home a whole chicken to celebrate the arrival of this marvelous tool. This tool which would leave nothing uncut... In fact, we cut right into the chicken that night with the Trailmaster, and feasted like children on candy during Halloween night. There were 8 of us, and though we were still starving (there was only one chicken), we were satisfied with the massive cutting abilities of the Trailmaster. But Carbon V stains horribly and we were horrified at the pitting and staining that our cherished blade took on that night (those still scar the blade today). We were disenchanted and our sinking hearts thought that it would be the end of this magical blade... How could we have spent our money so recklessly?!? So we decided that we would continue to save up our pennies. We would buy a "better" blade, but only after the Carbon V Trailmaster broke. At first, we were uncertain. We thought that this ugly, brittle, fragile seeming blade would break with light use. Afterall, did it not stain horribly after merely cutting chicken? We used the knife sparingly. Cutting only those things that were soft and weak, like broccoli souls and asparagus tears. We did not want to break this knife before we had all our pennies saved up for another knife. Years went by and finally we had enough to buy another blade. A better, stronger blade. But we remembered our promise. "Only after the Trailmaster broke." - so we became bold. We used the blade against harder things. We cut more meat (even the meat with the bones in them). Yet, the knife would not break. We risked chopping wood with it. Afterall, didn't we have enough to buy another blade if this was to fail? Yet it did not fail. We chopped with it and chopped with it. And we chopped some more. We chopped harder and heavier. We no longer treated it like a mewling baby. We threw it down upon the stumps, blade first after chopping. Other beautiful blades started coming into the markets and we began to dream of holding those other blades... using them. But, we could not. The Trailmaster would not break. Sticking the tip into wood after chopping became a regular thing. We even pulled it out of the stumps... carelessly. Once, we even dropped it. The Trailmaster continued to chop and even pry. Muscles, meats, wood... nothing was a match for it. It continued to chop and pound and break everything that it encountered. It was renamed in our own household. We couldn't call it the "Trailmaster" anymore. It was just "it." "Get 'it'." "I need 'it'." "This is a job for 'it'." We couldn't bear to look at this monster that prevented us from spending our money on another, newer, shinier blade... The thought of this horribly stained beast rotted inside of us. It was brought out for every dirty task imaginable. Everything we did not want to deal with, 'it' had to. 'It' worked quietly and hard. Never a complaint. Not even a chip. For more than 20 years, our knife budget continued to grow. And grow. And grow. We could not spend our money on anything else so long as 'it' continued to persevere. And 'it' did. Finally, we were visited in our dreams by the spirit of L. Thompson himself (or we like to think that we were), and he told us that 'it' was "ok" for us to buy more CS knives. 'It' had started to get lonely in all those years it was the only knife in the household and it had finally decided that it was time we brought in some playmates. "It" told us that we shouldn't feel bad that we could not break 'it' for over 20 years... 'it' even forgave us for changing "its" name. It was simply not designed to quit or break. And so our story nears its end (thank you for reading this far). We were finally released of our promise. Maybe. At least we like to think so. And we started to purchase CS knives again. This SanMai version will not stain like our old Carbon V version - so fear not of its ugly visage. If you want a knife that you can trust. One that will simply continue to exist far beyond your own years. Try these Trailmasters out. Make yourselves the same promise we made 20+ years ago (that you will not buy another knife until this one breaks), and see where that gets you. Because all we saw, was a huge knife budget that kept growing and growing... We still have our Carbon V version today. Seriously, this cursed blade will not break, but will cut and break everything else (we actually LOVE it). We have NEVER had such a "ROI (return on investment)" on any other blade, EVER. This blade is WORTHY. Buy it today, come back in 20 years when L. Thompson "visits" you in your dreams and share your story! You know you want to. Want to help 'it' continue its production into the future? Click on that "helpful" icon, and lets see if we can get some other "poor, unfortunate souls" to buy this cursed, beast of a blade. Trust me, you'll be passing this one down in your will for generations to come.

The knife I received was made in Japan. This is the legendary Trail Master that I signed up for: scary sharp from the factory in Seki with a lovely satin finish, clean grinds, and minimal machining/tooling artifacts. A gorgeous, beefy slab of laminated "San Mai III" steel. The hamon on the blade is beautifully done. While it feels a tad tip heavy, it's to good effect with a knife that can do some serious chopping, and is otherwise well balanced in the hand. In my opinion this is the best version of the Trail Master that you can get: aside from the stunning aesthetics of the thing, it's got a razor convex edge and is a highly stainless build with that VG-1 core wrapped in 420J2. The 3V version of this knife has a full flat grind, a longer clip point and a taller cutout under the blade edge. For a guy that's owned a lot of both custom and high end production bowie knives, I'm thrilled to finally get my hands on a Japanese made San Mai Trail Master. I can't wait to take this out on my next backpacking adventure. While there are reports circulating that post-GSM acquisition the quality of Cold Steel products have declined, so far I'm not seeing it. I hope it stays that way. As far as I'm concerned this is, for the money, still one of the best "modern" production Bowie knives that you can buy. The Trail Master is like the Elvis of rugged, outdoor adventure knives: a cool-as-hell, revered, time-tested, sensational design, and very influential. Sure, the sheath is nothing special, but I'm going to have fun making my own leather sheath for it.

I an not a knife collector in point of fact i own very few i would take or use any knife with me other than my Victorinox. Sure i have a multi tool, fillet knife & large serrated knife in my tackle box. So why own an oversized Bowie knife. Well until recently i lived in a rural area for 13 years and got one for processing wood & or camping & i hate to admit goes in my bike bag on long trail rides, but for that big thin light weight & cheap. So why this knife first and foremost quality & strength. Good enough for processing wood And can hold an edge well enough to cut veggies and because of the lack of blood groove it could even be mistaken for a chefs knife. The knife handle is utilitarian and has very good grip. Is it overkill, not really for the qualities. As a good comparison i own a Wustoff chefs knife and a Mercer bread knife as i feel these are excellent tools for the job, but is the Wustoff chefs knife worth the cost vs a Victorinox or a Mercer chefs knife? Probably not, but the C.S. trail master bowie San Mai is less than half the cost of the Falkniven Bowie that's essentially the same knife. The only real downside is the sheath included with the knife. I would suggest if you dislike the sheath that comes with it the knife itself is well worth an aftermarket sheath. I watched a number of videos of this knife being tested. Honestly i expected a flaw or two and kind of accept them, but hey i do not see anything. Though i am not a collector i hate to mess it up and yet it is pointless not to use something made this well. I know the whole idea of processing wood is best done with axes, mauls and saws and food prep as well as any other number of tasks have dedicated blade forms. I can think of a half dozen reasons why this blade is not the best choice for bushcraft or survival. It chops and cuts and seems designed and capable of doing both tasks quite well.

Short version: Buy this one. It's good. You won't be sorry. Seriously, stop reading this and buy the knife. Considerably less short version: I bought a Trailmaster Bowie in Carbon V when they first came out and were still made in the USA. I cold blued the blade and carried it on my web gear for years. As one might expect, it took quite a beating over the years, but it did everything I asked it to do, and it always sharpened up shaving-sharp. Wonderful piece of American steel, still have it. This new one is forged from CPM 3V , and this is what the Google AI summary has to say about CPM 3V vs Carbon V: "CPM 3V steel is generally considered significantly better than carbon 5 steel, particularly in terms of toughness and resistance to chipping, while still offering good edge retention, making it a preferred choice for applications requiring high durability and impact resistance, especially in knives, where carbon 5 steel might be more prone to breaking or chipping due to its higher carbon content and lower toughness. Key differences: *Toughness: CPM 3V is significantly tougher than carbon 5 steel, meaning it can withstand more impact without chipping or breaking. *Edge Retention: While CPM 3V has good edge retention, carbon 5 steel, with its higher carbon content, might hold an edge slightly better but at the cost of reduced toughness. *Corrosion Resistance: CPM 3V is typically considered more corrosion resistant than carbon 5 steel due to its alloy composition." The new one has one or two slight differences from the original, the most notable of which is a steel crossguard instead of the original's brass - but that's just my esthetic preference. It comes with the new Secure-Ex composite sheath, which I like much more than the original leather sheath and the first model ballistic nylon sheath (which is the one I had on my web gear.) Other raters have complained that the Secure-Ex sheath is just that bit too tight and it can dull the belly of the blade. Time will tell, and I'll update as appropriate. The Original Carbon V was $80.00 US back in the mid 1980s; as of 26 JAN 2025, this new CPM 3V was $280.00 US, and it came out of the box razor-frickin'-sharp! Do I need this one? No probably not; my 40+ years old original is still going strong, but boy howdy, I sure did WANT this one. My opinion - money well spent. I'm very pleased. Highly recommend!

I was looking for the Japanese made version. They sent me the Taiwanese version twice. Ended up with a refund. That said, the Taiwanese version is very sharp and robust. Would have kept it, but I already have the Taiwanese version.

Love it I mean it's a thick powerful chunk of American CPM 3V!!! One of my all time favorite true backwoods Bowie survival knife. It can do anything although I recommend to have a SRK 3V for smaller medium sized work and a SR1 S35VN for smaller work. Personally I actually carry that exact set up. Sometimes I throw on the belt the Recon Scout CPM 3V for gnarly medium action stuff. It's just you carry those and you will never need anything else. blade wise with you. I will always have to much ammo or to many blades on me than ever be low on ammo or blade side.

Incredible best Cold Steel ever! Razor sharp beautifully done! High quality!

This is Taiwanese made, not Japanese. It’s beautifully made. But the listing is incorrect. Returning for a refund on the base of false description.

Otro cuchillo impresionante de Cold Steel, simplemente hermoso

Perfect product highly recommended AAA+

The Cold Steel San Mai Trail Master is an outstanding knife that truly lives up to its legendary reputation. From the moment you pick it up, it feels solid, purposeful, and built for serious use. The San Mai III blade construction is a standout feature—razor sharp out of the box, excellent edge retention, and impressive toughness thanks to the laminated steel design. It inspires confidence whether you’re chopping, batoning, or doing detailed camp tasks. The blade length and weight are perfectly balanced for a large fixed blade, delivering powerful cutting performance without feeling unwieldy. The clip-point design provides great control and penetration, making it incredibly versatile for outdoor, survival, and bushcraft applications. The Kraton handle deserves special praise. It offers a secure, comfortable grip even in wet or cold conditions, and it minimizes hand fatigue during extended use. Paired with the robust brass guard and pommel, the knife feels both safe and ergonomic in hand. Fit and finish are excellent, and the included sheath holds the knife firmly while allowing for quick, easy access. Overall, the Cold Steel San Mai Trail Master is a premium-quality knife that combines durability, performance, and classic design. It’s a reliable tool you can trust in demanding situations and a must-have for anyone serious about outdoor or survival gear.

ヤングマガジンがガチで貫通します。床に置いて一突き！ カミソリのように産毛剃れます。 最早驚異的な切れ味です。

The knife itself is awesome. The sheath that comes is a real let down. One of the last cold steel fixed blades still made in japan. San mai 3 is a great mix of vg1 and 420j2 steel. Very tough blade.