Cold SteelHold Out 6" S35VN Ultra-Sharp Blade 7.2" G-10 Handle Everyday Carry Pocket Folding Knife w/Tri-Ad Lock, Pocket Clip

I put off buying the Hold Out because it didn't have a guard of any kind. Finally pulled the trigger during the big Prime day sale. After getting it in hand I have little qualms about the lack of guard because it tapers up towards the blade. When you have a good grip on it your hand won't slide up due to it getting wider towards the blade. The American G10 is also nice and grippy.Pocket clip doesn't need any tweaking and has perfect retention without being overly tight. Easy and comfortable pocket carry due to its slimness.You can snap this one open with a good hard wrist snap. Just make sure to keep your fingers out of the line of the blade on case you flub up the opening.Came absolutely razor sharp as all my Cold Steels do. However, there were a few marks on one side of the blade that I was mostly able to rub out with a little knife oil. Not sure what it was, but seems it was on top of the blade and not in the blade.Great addition to my Cold Steel mega folder collection. Had a hard time deciding on plain edge vs. serrated though. The plain edge is more versatile, but the serrated excels in self-defense applications. Those serrations cut through man-made material such as clothing better. They also cause more damage as you can imagine. Buy one, you won't be sorry.

Ok, so this is a beast of a folder, it's so much lighter than the espada xl, i carry it all day long in my short's pocket, the design is piercing oriented but with the serrations is a whole other story, this mf will cut anything like is nothing, on top of that i added a cheap ali snaggletooth, that's a game changer, so long story short, great for self defense, not so great for utility purposes, specially if you don't wanna scare to death people around you. I'd give 6 stars if i couldPD: A lot of people seems to think this knife needs a guard or a bigger choil, let me tell you, once you get a solid grip on it, it ain't going anywhere, even in wet conditions.PD2: My hand size is Large, almost extra large and for me at least the grip is perfect, altough given the neutral shape of the handle, size doesn't really matter so much.This is the best quality you can possible get for a self defense tool at any price point.

Its my everyday carry knife. It is kind of big. Sharp enough to cut through carpet like butter. Cold steel has never failed me. Ive had voyagers as well. They are all high quality.

Another large folder from Cold Steel I really like the design of this knife. It looks like a fixed blade and is just as strong as one. I have quite a few plain edged knives and my thinking was, perhaps I’ll get this one with a serrated edge. The serrated edge is fine on this knife, but it doesn’t suit it. A fair share of the knives I own are impractical for everyday use and serve only as collectors pieces. I’m going to guess that the majority of people purchasing this knife, will be using it for self defense. It certainly can be used for that as any knife can and the serrations would make it even better for that purpose. However, for my own purposes, the serrations are unnecessary and detract from the aesthetics of this particular design. I am undecided whether I will return it for the plain edge yet, but if I were buying for the first time, I would definitely get the plain edge. That being said, I think this knife would be excellent for food prep and other utilitarian tasks. With all that in mind, the only real negative to this knife is the same negative I and others have mentioned in reviews, is the Tri-ad lock. Sometimes you get one that is relatively easy to open and other times, it takes two hands to depress the lock deep enough to disengage the blade. From my experience, it’s usually the large folders that suffer from the super stiff lock. Something to keep in mind when purchasing. If you already own other Cold Steel knives, then you know what you’re getting into. While you can EDC just about any knife, these large folders aren’t practical for such purposes and the Tri-ad lock just compounds the nagging feeling that I’ve made an unwise purchase. So, for this blade style, I suggest the plain edge. If you’re going to use it a lot, you’re probably not going to be closing it often during whatever work you’re doing. In conclusion, it’s a stylish functional knife with a difficult locking mechanism. I do recommend it to those who know that they’re getting.

I'm an Entry level Knife Nerd . I don't have much that needs cutting, but, I like sharpening. Sort of fun in a freaky way. So, I need knives. Maybe someday I'll find something to cut other than paper. Well, you don't want to hear about my knife life.Anyhow, this looked like fun. Plus, S35VN at this price and size, what's not to like.This knife is silly sharp. So, I hacked at a 2x4 to see what is could do. Looked like a small version of those lumberjack contests. Left a friend do his own piece of lumber. Crazy knife.Still sliced through paper like a freshly sharpened blade.The End

I have the older model with the serrated edge. This knife is an amazing folder. Great for self defense in either plain edge or serrated. It will cut and pierce anything it comes in contact with. Super sturdy construction and lock up. Excellent Cold Steel quality. It will definitely save your life if called soon to do so.

Was glad Cold Steel brought this back. G10 texture is more subdued than older models and pocket clip long enough (less tension) for me not to have to sand down that section to avoid pocket destruction, which is a plus. Fits all the way into my front jeans pocket. Came very sharp. Works very well with an aftermarket SnaggletoothAL opener. The only downside to it is that the Triad lock is one of the stiffest I have ever had, and makes closing it a displeasure, even after lots of opening/closing for the sole purpose of smoothening the lock and plenty of oiling. It is very difficult to close this with one hand. I suppose that’s the tradeoff for the security of my fingers though. Overall very pleased with it anyway.