colt

[old timer90]

How good is colt knives I know they used to be good but I don't about them now

[gino]

It depends on when and where they were made in my opinion

[GregFL]

A couple months ago I bought one of the new Chinese made Colt black stag sowbelly stockmans just to see what they were like and was disappointed with the quality (even with the low price I paid for it). The "black stag" looked very artificial and had green shadows ... I guess the green was to represent algae or something growing on the stag?? There were large gaps between the liners and back springs and the blades had uneven grinds. The list goes on and on. I gifted it to a coworker or I would take some photos for you to see for yourself. If I remember correctly I read somewhere that they were made in the same factory as the Rough Riders. I also purchased a couple Rough Rider copperhead knives that I keep in my desk at work and truck for emergency use and their quality is pretty descent - much better than that of the Colt sample I had. YMMV.

[philco]

I have carried a couple of Colt knives in the past few years. The first one was a stag four inch stockman. It left a lot to be desired in that the steel seems to be of inferior quality and the blade thickness is noticably inconsistant on two of the three blades. Additionally the stag handle slab on the back side is way too thin on one end.

Back last Dec. I was at the Smokey Mountain Knife Works and picked up a Colt teardrop jack with amber stag bone handles. I have been carrying it since and I'm actually quite impressed with it. The steel is much more consistant in thickness and seems to take and hold an edge reasonably well. The fit and finish are good.........not excellent but good and so far it has held up well to the use I have put it to. One complaint I do have is that the bolsters seem to take on a somewhat brassy cast after a bit of use. I polished them recently with simichrome and they returned to a more silvery tint, but after a few days of carry, they were back to the same brassy tint I had noticed before. Still, all in all, for twenty bucks it has proven to be a very adequate user quality knife with a handsome set of handles.

[glenn]

Philco, know telling what kind of funky stuff they put on and in those newer colts.

[Froggyedge]

I have a couple of Colts among my users.
First a Ridge Runner fixed blade:

It's a nice knife that feels good in my hand. The factory edge was less than impressive, but few factory edges are...
After some reprofiling it's now shaving sharp and the performance is more than decent.
I've seen a few really low quality sheaths being made in China, but the sheath that comes with the Ridge Runner is actually sturdy and quite nice.

My other user from Colt is also a Ridge Runner, but now in a Lockback variety.
I find it nice looking and the Lockback also feels good in my hand.
The knife in the picture is actually no longer mine.
There was one problem with the Lockback I got. The blade was not as tight fitting as I like, and I hate blade play even though there is not much of it.
My better half's sister saw me using the knife and she really liked it. A few days later she was going away to spend a couple of weeks in a mountain cabin, so I decided to let her have the knife. She enjoys the knife and I don't think she even notices the blade play. And then of course I got an excuse to buy a new Ridge Runner Lockback for myself..!
Luckily my next knife had no blade play.
This happened last Summer. The picture was taken this Spring when she went along for a day hike. I had just given the edge of her knife a touch up and she wanted to test it during a coffee break by a lake.

The Lockback is 4 5/8" closed (if I remember correctly) and it comes with a nice leather sheath with the Colt logo on it.

I have not used many Colt knives and I really do not have enough experience with them to say that much, but from the experience I do have, I would say that they are affordable knives that will make decent users.

Philco had some quality issues with one of his knives and one of mine had some blade play. I don't know if all the Colt knives are made in the same factory, but there seems to be some quality inconsistencies. Unfortunately not untypical for inexpensive knives.