Cold Steel Trail Master Series Fixed Blade Knives
Cold Steel has offered the large bowie Trail Master knife since the late 1980s and still offers some models. The original Trail Master knife was made in the USA and Japan and was called the Carbon V (Carbon Five). The Cold Steel Carbon V made in Japan are very rare. Most Carbon V were made in the USA by Camillus for Cold Steel. The Carbon V is now discontinued. The later model Trail Master made in Japan, model 16JSM, is the San Mai III version with the convex grind. Other models and versions are made in Taiwan.
The Trail Masters made in Japan have gone through a variety of blade material from Aus6 steel to VG-1 San Mai III. Briefly Cold Steel had Trail Masters made in China but switched to Taiwan. These knives are made of different steel (SK-5 and O-1) than the original knives. Although the Cold Steel Trail Master knives are roughly the same shape and size, they are very much different in construction and blade material depending on the model and where it was made.
Cold Steel Trail Master Carbon V
The Carbon V Model 16 is highly prized due to the relative current rarity of this discontinued model and for the blade material and blade design. The original Carbon V has the satin finish convex blade much like the Japanese samurai swords. The full guard is polished brass and the kraton handle has a lanyard hole. The first models came in the black and silver boxes which were standard Cold Steel boxes at the time. Most of the original Carbon V came with a black leather sheath. Some came with a black cordura sheath.
The CS Trail Master Convex Grind
Samurai used a convex grind, known in Japan as hamaguri-ba (clam-shaped edge), primarily to maximize the structural strength, durability, and cutting efficiency of their swords, such as the katana. Unlike flat-ground blades, the convex grind puts more steel directly behind the edge, preventing chipping, warping, or rolling when striking hard armor or bones.
Some owners who did not know how to sharpen the convex grind, ended up putting a new edge on their knife and the original convex grind was lost resulting in a blade without the convex edge. (Convex grinds are harder to manufacture than flat or hollow grinds because they require skilled manual labor rather than automated machine production, making them expensive and difficult to replicate.) Some old Carbon V Trail Masters therefore will have a straight flat grind but then so do some of the other models such as those made in Taiwan.
Cold Steel Trail Master Carbon V with Leather Sheath
Notice the choil. This is unique to the Carbon V made in USA
Cold Steel Trail Master Carbon V satin finish with Kraton handle
Original Cold Steel Trailmaster Carbon V black/silver box
STAG Handle Model
The Carbon V also came with a stag handle (Model 16S) and a brown leather sheath.
Overall Length: 14 1/2"
Blade Length: 9 1/2"
Blade Steel: Carbon V
Blade Thickness: 5/16"
Handle: Sambar Stag (deer) with brass guard and butt plate
Sheath: Brown leather
The original 16S models had the black and silver boxes and the brown leather sheath had the retention strap across the handle not across the guard as did later models. Later models had the blue boxes.
There was also a Black Trail Master (Model 16CB) which was coated in a black finish also made in USA.
The Cold Steel Trail Master made in Japan
The first Trail Master knives made in Japan were the Carbon V but only a few were made. Then the model 16JS in the 1990s started being made with 400 series stainless steel. After a few years the 2nd generation was made with Aus6 steel. These had the convex grind and the stainless guard.
In 1998, Cold Steel offered the new model, 16JSM with Aus8 core and in 2007, the VG-1 core San Mai III laminated with convex grind and stainless guard. The pattern of the kraton was changed from the diamond to a round dome. A cordura nylon sheath and blue box with photo of the knife on it came with the 16JSM San Mai III. This model is a most impressive and beautiful knife.
Cold Steel Trail Master 16JSM Made in Japan San Mai III
Look closely for the lamination line showing true San Mai III. This is also the case for the other Cold Steel San Mai III knives such as the Master Tanto.
The Cold Steel Trail Master made in Taiwan
By offering a Trail Master made in Taiwan, Cold Steel is able to lower costs and still have a well made knife. These come with a plastic and nylon sheath again to lower cost. The cost is roughly half that of the Japan made stainless steel San Mai III 16JSM model Trail Master. Initially made with SK-5 steel, Cold Steel switched in 2013 to O-1 steel for these Trail Masters.
Specifications
- Blade Length: 9 1/2"
- Overall Length: 14 1/2"
- Steel: O-1 High Carbon
- Weight: 16.7 oz
- Blade Thickness: 5/16"
- Handle: 5" Long Kray-Ex™
- Sheath: Secure-Ex® Sheath
- Made in Taiwan
Cold Steel Trail Master Model 39L16CT brass guard, satin finish blade. These Trail Masters do not have the convex grind but a more traditional flat grind. They are now discontinued.
SK-5 steel - High Carbon tool steel made in Japan and is like 1080 steel.
O1 tool steel is a cold work steel. The "O" stands for oil hardening. It’s known as a low alloy steel due to the fact that of the eight additives, the largest additive is Manganese at just 1.2%. The other minerals added are Carbon at 0.95%, Silicon at 0.4%, Chromium at 0.5%, Tungsten at 0.5%, Vanadium at 0.2%, Phosphorus at 0.3%, and Sulfur at 0.03%.
In 2018, Cold Steel ended most of their mainstream, long-standing production in Seki, Japan, moving to Taiwan. Cold Steel has largely transitioned its San Mai III production to Taiwan following its 2020 sale, making new, Japanese-made 16JSM Trail Master knives rare or discontinued.
In December 2020, GSM Outdoors acquired Cold Steel, founded in 1980 by Lynn Thompson. The acquisition resulted in the relocation of operations from California to GSM's headquarters in Irving, Texas. Key figures like Lynn Thompson and designer Andrew Demko continued with Cold Steel.
The San Mai III Trail Master was the last of the Cold Steel knives made by Ichiro Hattori of Seki Japan. The last San Mai III Trail Master knives were made in 2024 in Japan. Production moved to Taiwan but continues under the same model designation including the use of VG1 core. Taiwan produces in 2026, two models of the Trailmaster. The 16JSM San Mai III in VG1 steel and the CPM 3V model in 3V steel.
2026 Cold Steel TrailMaster (Taiwan)
Specifications
Item Number: 16DT
Name: 3V Trail Master
Blade Length: 9.50"
Blade Thickness: 5/16"
Overall Length: 14.50"
Steel: CPM-3V High Carbon Steel
Weight: 17.5 oz.
Handle: 5" Long. Kray-Ex
Sheath: Secure-Ex (plastic)
Made in Taiwan
2026 Cold Steel 16JSM Trail Master Fixed 9-1/2" VG-1 San Mai III Blade, Kray-Ex Handles, Cor-Ex Sheath
Specifications
Blade Length: 9.50"
Overall Length: 14.50"
Steel: VG-1 San Mai III®
Weight: 17.5 oz
Blade Thickness: 5/16"
Handle: 5" Long Kray-Ex™
Sheath: Cor-Ex Sheath (Cordura Nylon)
Made in Taiwan
Cold Steel Tanto
SWS