GSARGear Review: Recon I

GSAR GEAR Review: Cold Steel Recon I

This knife is a rugged, reliable cutter.
Weighing in at 5.6 oz, with a 4″ blade and a 5 1/3″ handle, it’s a serious heavy-duty knife.

Form:
The Recon I features the following:
-Large cutting blade available in several different configurations.
-Black teflon finish for protection from rust and other damage and easy maintenance
-Contoured G-10 scales on handle give a solid non slipping grip
-Pocket clip, reversible for left or right handed use
-Rounded thumbstud for one-handed opening, also reversible

Function:
The Recon-I is extremely solid and well-balanced. Extremely sharp right out of the box. The blade is manufactured from AUS-8A Stainless and finished with a nice black coat, and doesn’t scratch too easily. It holds the edge very well, not showing marks even after cutting aluminium and the other hard materials. The teflon starts to flake away after about a year of hard use, but the blade is still in great condition, and the tip handles all sorts of prying and puncturing jobs without issue.
I have the partially-serrated tanto blade, and it is perfect for all kinds of situations. It cuts very smoothly and evenly through all materials, and provides a nice long cutting stroke, thanks to the 4″ blade.

The Tri-ad locking mechanism is extremely solid, if a little slow to open, and holds the blade very securely until released. It also helps retain the blade in the closed position to prevent it from opening accidentally. The mechanism also makes a satisfying ‘click’ when engaged, providing audible feedback that the knife is not closing until you decide it should. The lock release on the spine requires a good bit of pressure to depress, which is good, considering its location.

The Recon-1 requires little maintenance. I’ve used mine in deserts, underwater, forests, and urban situations, and it doesn’t rust or get jammed up inside. A little oil and a rub-down every once in a while makes it run even more smoothly.

The reversible pocket clip is very tight, and will not fall off of whatever you have it clipped onto accidentally. The clip is also much smaller than most, it doesn’t interfere with your grip or cause blisters over long periods of time. It holds the knife slightly higher than most if you’re pocket-carrying it, and people will probably notice you have it there. It rides well in a pocket, just not very discretely.
The G-10 scales are extremely grippy, and the Recon-I will not slip out of your hand accidentally, even when covered with oil or blood. The scales are rough, but the handle is nicely contoured and is is quite comfortable in either hand.

As you can see, this is a large, no-nonsense, cut everything knife. It might scare people at your local command post, especially in the more aggressive models, but it does what is required of it, and will last a long time.

Explore posts in the same categories: Tools of the Trade

Tags: Cold Steel, Emergency Services Gear, ES, Gear, GSAR, Recon I, Review, Search and Rescue Gear

You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.