Cold Steel Leatherneck Tanto D2 Fixed Blade Knife

No opportunity to use out in the field yet, so limited to first impressions.German D2 steel, manufactured in Taiwan, 100% guaranteed under cold steel warranty and quality control, and all for under $70 bones?! YES PLEASE! This knife looks to be manufactured from slightly thicker metal stock than the Ka-Bar USMC. The tang extends all the way through to the end, and also looks to be thicker.The handle has a concave groove (as pictured) on both sides, which make initial griping of the knife comfortable and seemingly non-slip. I have found that tanto points are easier to sharpen, and tend to maintain their points better than most other blade shapes.I have not tried sharpening this tool and am uncertain as to the heat treatment of this particular knife, but if done properly (as I am certain cold steel WILL do), D2 steel may be difficult to re-sharpen. Upon my initial inspection, I am confident to say that this item should not fail you. It has been built fully with the intention of replacing their competitor brands in the military/tactical arenas.As with all sharp tools, please keep in mind that it takes many hours of careful practice and actual use in order to become adept at using them safely. Be respectful of these items, as these items definitely have the ability to cause severe irreversible trauma to a person. These particular items which have their blades blackened are fully intended to muffle them in the presence of other people, and is intended to be used tactically. This is a no nonsense item, so please treat them according to their nature (always cut AWAY from yourself). There are many instructional videos that can be found on YouTube which instruct how to safely handle a knife from professionals in the field!Whether you are a tactical operator or just someone who loves camping, this knife should serve you truthfully and sincerely. I will update if there is any continued interest in this item and when I have gotten some actual use out of it!Hope this helps! I purchase these items with my own earnings. If you found this review helpful, please click that thumbs up icon! Thanks!

If I ever go back into a combat zone, this is the knife I'm taking with me. Ka-Bar makes an "extreme fighting knife" in D2 steel that is based upon its iconic USMC knife, but this knife is better. Why? Because the tang is much more substantial than the Ka-Bar's, meaning it's much less likely to shear at the handle when under stress. Its pommel is made from machined steel, and not a casting like the Ka-Bar's. This knife is also made from D2, one of the toughest knife steels out there. The handle is much "grippier" than the Ka-Bar's--I've never held a knife that had such positive gripping surfaces. The tanto-style blade says "I mean business" and is unsurpassed when you need penetration. One reviewer has used this knife for the "knife hunting" of wild pigs with great success, and another has found that it handily penetrates those "knife resistant" tactical vests--both great examples of penetrating power. The sheath is absolutely superb--it locks the knife in at the crossguard, which is also very substantial, and it has a retaining strap for that extra bit of insurance. I have the Ka-Bar D2 "extreme" knife, and while the Ka-Bar is no slouch, this knife is better. It's made in Taiwan--and the craftsmanship is outstanding. The D2 is the German version of that steel. You could also do "bushcraft" with this knife, although there are some knives better suited for that purpose. But this is the knife you want to take into combat because it's deadly serious and seriously tough. You can wear it on your belt or use paracord to affix it to your tactical vest. Because it's not fully "stainless steel," you will want to keep the edge oiled or coated with a thin film of grease. That's a small tradeoff, because D2 will keep going when many pure stainless steel blades have broken or had their edges roll. D2 is also harder to sharpen than most stainless steels--but it holds its edge longer, too. Cold Steel knives are also warranted for life. Ka-Bar has just started offering a limited lifetime warranty, but has more exclusions than Cold Steel's warranty. If I could take only one knife with me into harm's way, this would be it. And, what's more, it's less expensive than the Ka-Bar Extreme Fighting Knife. You just cannot go wrong with this knife!

I love this knife! It came oiled and razor sharp. The kydex sheath fits the knife like a glove with NO ratteling. The sheath has a belt loop that unsnaps and un-velcros which allows you to put it on your belt without removing it. It is full tang and the tang at the butt measures 5/16x 26/32. Large, larger than my beloved Kabar. The spine is also 5/16. The "rubber" handle is convex on both sides and dimpled to allow for a good grip. The knife hangs loosely as it should. If you fall you don't want this knife and sheath hitting you in the abdomen. I would not hesitate to recommend this knife to anyone looking for a tanto blade.

I have trained in weapons based martial arts for 30yrs and i teach it so i have owned a lot of knives. I own the gi tanto and now this. The leatherneck is very superior and the balence is just wow! Handle has great grip! I have not loved a knife this much in years😎😎😎 i got 2!

Incredibly sharp! Excellent durability. Great looking! As a USMC vet with a legitimate KaBar. This equals if not exceeds the original. The tanto style tip is a significant upgrade over the original as a fighting knife ( i.e. cutting and stabbing). The grip is flawless wet or dry. The shape is comfortably secure in your hand. Tactically impressive with its silent kydex sheath. Trustworthy in standard or inverted carry. This is a great example of the excellence in performance and reliabilty of Cold Steel.

This one is razor sharp out of the box. It has a very intimidating presence and is a serious combat blade. Well made with an excellent grip, it's designed to stay in your hand, very comfortable secure grip, and has a guard in place to protect the user. Full tang with a flat hammer like pommel for striking. The sheath is amazing, it's the Cold Steel Secure Ex plastic sheath which holds the knife very securely and it has an additional snap fastener strap to hold the knife in place further up the handle. You could easily expand on the sheath as there are holes and slots to tie it down to your leg and you could mount a small carry bag to it to carry a survival kit, sharpening stone, compass, whatever is important to you. The knife is top quality steel and is heavy stock like 5mm so it's quite heavy at 7 inches long for the blade alone. Get one for yourself, you won't be disappointed.

This is a great knife--made by one of the most respected cutlery firms out there, flawlessly constructed, a blade made from German D2 tool steel, and the best sheath I have ever seen for a tactical knife. Some have derided the tanto blade style as not being as versatile as a clip-point or drop point blade--but I have seen too many broken clip point blades to not appreciate the tanto style. When you don't have a can opener or a Swiss Army knife, and you need to open that can of stew or beans or go hungry, this is the knife that can do the job without breaking or bending. The tanto point can also be effectively used as a chisel for notching wooden beams or sticks. The handle is the grippiest I have ever seen on a knife--firm, but not mushy or made of materials likely to deteriorate. The sheath is made of a plastic material, and the knife just snaps in, the sheath gripping the knife by the quillon. There's also a retaining strap that closes around the grip with a button snap. You probably don't need the strap--but I appreciate the extra bit of insurance. The sheath has a belt loop that will accommodate 2 - 2 1/2 inch belts. Holes around the edge of the sheath allow you to secure it to a pack or vest with paracord. You can also run a bit of paracord through the top of the rip to make a retaining lanyard. Now, D2 steel is corrosion-resistant, but it's not quite fully stainless steel. You need to keep some oil on the edge of the blade--or a bit of gun grease like RIG. You could probably get away with storing the knife in its sheath--but I took my knife out, greased the blade and wrapped the blade in wax paper to store the knife when not in use. I have stored all of my knives this way with never a speak of rust or hint of corrosion. The grease and wax paper blocks all corrosion-causing oxygen from the blade. I have two Ka-Bars and a Buck folder in D2 steel, and it's one of the best knife steels out there. The knife blade is also coated with DLC--which stands for "Diamond-Like Carbon." It's a tough coating that should last a long time. I won't be using this knife for batoning wood--a practice frowned upon by Cold Steel, Ka-Bar and others. Youtubers are the only people I've ever observed to baton wood--any knowledgeable woodsman or woodswoman knows you just don't do that. You could undoubtedly get away with batoning with this knife, because it really is full tang, and has a milled steel pommel riveted to the end of the tang. But again, if you baton wood with a knife, you are displaying your ignorance. Imagine being in a survival situation, and you start batoning wood--instead of just picking up firewood off the ground--and your knife breaks. What then? Experienced woodsmen and woodwomen know that if you are going deep into the woods, you take an axe or small saw with you. All of that said, I really recommend this knife. I have read reviews that state this knife has shown its penetration capabilities by going through so-called "knife resistant" vests and being used to kill hogs in "knife hunting" of hogs (something I do not recommend). If I were going back to Afghanistan, this is the knife I would take with me. If you absolutely need to punch through something, this is your knife. If you want a knife with a high intimidation factor once it is unsheathed, this is your knife. If you want a knife to which you could trust your life in almost any conceivable situation, this is your knife. If you get it, I am sure you won't be disappointed!

What should I say.... Well... Cold steel never disappoints ...The product market at such a friendly price with high quality metal and brand name.... With 120$cad price... Perfect.I personally is not the best expert in blades but I've been collecting knivies for a while now, somewhat my experience can qualify for a review.The blade feels sturdy and heavy, unlike crappy PVCs handles out there by Mtech and other shitty companies cold steel makes it's plastic handle so well that you cannot find the difference in handling with a 600$ authentic Japanese tanto.(I have 2 bought from Japan not eBay garbage from China)Overall this blade is perfect for its price, although they could improve minor details such as the s***ty belt clip on the sheath9.9/10

Amazing edge out of the box. Yes, I shaved with it. No, not my throat. Not that confident in my straight razor skills.The 5mm thick steel of this amazing knife gives it a feel of solid power. That steel extends from the knife's tip through to the pommel in a spectacular full tang. This leaves me confident of the durability of this intimidating piece of combat cutlery.The pommel is a thick steel disk which many suggest is a good hammering surface. Not sure I would use it to drive nails but breaking loose something that was stuck or breaking off a small lock I could see doing.This is one of the finest knives I have encountered and is, in my opinion, the best of the Cold Steel Tanto series.

Really good blade especially for the price! I recommend this over the ka-bar as the tang does not tapper at the grip and the hand guard is very durable. Just remember that you will need a diamond sharpening system for this knife!