How might a nondescript folder like the SR1 Lite, which doesn’t really offer any impressive features, claim the title of “best Cold Steel knife?” It’s all in the details.
About the SR1 Lite
The SR1 Lite is a middle of the road-sized knife, 9 ⅜’ overall with a 4” drop point blade of 8Cr14MoV steel.
It weighs 4.63 ounces and has tough, stout Griv-Ex scales, along with a pocket clip, a lock back, and thumb studs for deployment.
That’s all pretty basic, but it’s in the details why this is such a great knife.
Why It MIght Be the Best Cold Steel Knife
First let’s start with the size. Pretty much anyone will tell you that 4” for a folder is the sweet spot, or rather that between 3” and 4” is.
This size is perfect for pretty much anything you can do with a folding knife except really heavy camp work.
The blade steel is another really good thing here. This alloy, 8Cr14MoV is head and shoulders above 7Cr13MoV even though it almost sounds like the exact same thing.
The increased carbon concentration enables the blade to support a better heat treatment for superior edge retention, and the higher molybdenum and vanadium concentrations also make it harder and tougher.
Also, for what it’s worth, it’s a good alloy with respect to corrosion resistance as well.
The Griv-Ex scales are another positive feature especially for anyone that would put this knife to work. They’re not top heavy, but they are dense and extremely strong.
It’s a strange day when you have a knife made with scales that are nearly as tough and wear resistant as the blade, but that is the case here.
Making matters more attractive, the scales are basically impervious to moisture and weather and will not require any maintenance, which overall lowers the investment associated with owning and using the knife.
And, as a closing thought on the topic, the ergonomics of the knife scales are pretty good too.
Lock type is another thing that really adds value here. It’s a lock back, so it isn’t going to show up on any lists of “cool” knives, as the lock back is played out, but for what it’s worth, it’s a great lock.
This type of lock is relatively simple of operation, affordable to manufacture, and extremely strong. Those are all things you want to hear with a workhorse knife, especially the strong part. The one drawback is that lockbacks generally take two hands to disengage.
The pocket clip is also not your average beast. It is much heavier and thicker than some other pocket clips out there which means two things. It won’t break, and it will afford a much more solid grip on whatever you clip it to.
To close things out, the whole knife is just a fairly big, solid, heavy-in-the-hand sort of tool that gives you a good feeling about it.
One more thing: the price. Shop around and you should be able to find this knife online for less than $75.
Is it pretty? No. Does it have any really impressive or innovative features? Also no. But does it offer great value and promise to perform? Yes, resoundingly.
And that’s why it might be called the best Cold Steel knife.
Where to Get It (or Another Winner from Cold Steel)
Not sure where to get this Cold Steel knife? Visit White Mountain Knives. They carry this and countless other highlights from the brand, along with some exclusives and they offer some pretty competitive prices as well. Start your search there and if you have any questions before you buy anything, get in touch with them directly at WhiteMountainKnives@gmail.com.
