I wanted a reliable EDC.
Last year I finally purchased a high quality folding knife. My previous EDC knives have always been pretty inexpensive and not the best quality. I decided it was time I bought myself something that would hold up, and not fail on me.
I did some research
The first thing I did was a little investigating as to what would be the best value I could get. Something like Benchmade would be awesome, but the knives I like from them were a little out of my price range. I finally decided on Cold Steel. Their locking mechanism seemed to be even better than a Spyderco or Benchmade. The Tri-Ad lock which they have developed makes the knife a virtual fixed blade when locked open. This was the feature that sold me...and probably most people who buy from them. They make a big deal over it, but I think they should. It is absolutely amazing! Also, they have very reasonable prices on their knives which don't break the bank. They have a pretty decent selection of knife designs and styles. The one I ended up getting is their classic Recon 1.
Tested for 1 Year
Using the knife for a year now has given me time to see how well it works and lasts. So far I have been very impressed with the new CTS-XHP steel that they are using. It has held up surprisingly well. Sharpening is very easy and you get a razor edge with little effort.