I actually bought the Marauder twice, because I accidentally received the serrated blade version first (which I didn’t even know existed) and I liked it so much I ordered the regular version elsewhere again. The Condor Undertaker bowie knife is a similar pattern with a wooden grip without the secondary hilt. :)
I find sub hilts give you so much more control at speed . I was like you with the marauder . I bought it with a couple of other knives and actually forgot about it till I found it at the bottom of my training bag when I forgot my knife bag . Now it is my go to knife , the more you use it the more you use it .i definitely think we should all contact cold steel and ask them to come out with the subhilt reversed so we can use the North American grip and parrying edge
Excellent video! I really liked this video Mike!!! First thing that struck me, was the Rockwell. I wouldn't of guessed it would be that high and the pounding on bamboo... NO damage, MAJOR plus! Your martial applications of course I wouldve"never" thought of (till NOW!), and also that excellent tip on the sheath mod from your previous video, literally changed my view of ALL of my Cold Steel sub-hilt knives!!! Looking very much forward to watching the followup of this video! You're teaching this old dog, some very useful tricks here Mike... Thanks!!!
Great video as always! Very informative. I’ve had one for a long time. Really enjoy it. I’ve even used it for throwing on occasion. Recently I’ve sanded the stonewash off and polished it to a gloss finish. My plan is to blue it pretty soon. Thanks again for the great review.
@@michaelrizzo5523 I’ll be sure to let you know. Actually the first thing I’ve blued. I just picked up a kit from Ballistol. I love the way the Cold Steel MAA Arming Sword looks and wanted to try and copy it.
@@michaelrizzo5523 It did nothing… well nothing good. Lol It’s still silver and now it’s spotty. No black at all. Oh well it was my first attempt so I’ll chalk it up to learning. Maybe some more research is needed.
@@michaelrizzo5523 Good idea. I have some more sanding and polishing to do first to clean up the spots the blueing left but I’ll give it a try. Will keep you posted
Awesome blade, thanks for going into detail on what this blade consists of. Always felt like I missed the opportunity to purchase the satin finish but miss the fact that satin has hollow grind and my stone wash is saber. Same as u not a big fan of stonewash but much rather have the saber grind vs hollow. Love my Cold Steel Marauder!
The CS Marauder is a Badass Bowie imo. Idc that it has a subhilt, it actually makes the grip feel more secure, same with the CS OSS, I love both. The Marauder is a bit more stout than the OSS but that's expected they are different styles. Nevertheless they both are awesome and both are lightweight and will penetrate with ease. For a Large Bowie the Marauder is quite light. You could get that thing out and move it around quick if needed compared to let's say the Ontario SP10. I love that Bowie too, it's beefier and heavier though than the CS Marauder.
Thank You for sharing! Do you still like the cold steel marauder? What are some basic knife self defense/martial drills one can do? Maybe you have a video I missed.
It's a good grippy light chopper. Still haven't been tempted further to cut the subhilt off. For some training direction, there are several channels on YT that are very good for this, including Rolando Estocada, and Jorgi Prina's book on Esgrima Criolla is well done. FMA and even Western saber drills can work well with big knives.
Did you ever think about getting the serrated version of the Marauder? I have a couple from Cold Steel, the Voyager Vaquero Xl and the Kobun in serrated form, and I can say with confidence that they are scary cutters. The Marauder serrated must be even more devastating against leather, skin or t-shirt... There aren't too many huge knives out there that offer anything but a plain edge.
The overall length of this knife is similar to Talwar 5.5 and other XL folding knives, with a certain reach. And when you hold the end of the knife handle, you can extend your index finger and hook the sub hilt, which will give you a certain degree of control and increase the reach a little bit. And if you want to do powerful chopping, the sub hilt is like the B-type handguard of the Chaos series, and you will unconsciously hold the handle of the knife. The only drawback is that the material of the sub hilt might be better if it can be replaced with a stronger material. Secondly, for people with thicker fingers, and if they want to use it for self-defense, they must modify the scabbard so that they can pull out the knife more quickly in critical situations.
I've been doing comparisons of functional blade reach in my recent series on big Cold Steel folders when you choke down on the grip. And, yes, I agree the OSS/OSI/Marauder would be much better with something other than rubber for the guard. I do also rebate cut the sheath mouths to get my finger into that subhilt for a more positive draw.
Great review as always,, thanks,, I held off, getting this for so many years, purely because of the sub hilt, but now I have it, I wish I'd bit the bullet, a long time ago, it's great,, 🎉,, This is really a great fighting knife, (not that I ever want to get into a knife fight, lol.. ) , If the worst happens, and "rule of law" fails, this would be useful to have, in a life or death situation,,
They used to be hollow ground, now they are flat ground, which is good, imo, as it makes the tip stronger. Also, these flat grinds give these blades more mass to make these effective cutters. I have two newer ones, one serrated and one plain. Both stonewash and flat ground. Neither were shaving sharp, these big pointy knives shipping in those garbage sheaths that dull the edges.
@@michaelrizzo5523 tbc, i got both of mine in the sheath, rather than in a cardboard slip, as is usually the case. I figured it was because the blade is too heavt and pointy to ship like that. Perhaps the vendor did it to prevent shipping issues
It can help the snap cut and withdrawal on those lighter blades. It's odd on this bigger Bowie. If I get another model, I'll try one without the sub-hilt.
@@michaelrizzo5523 w the shape of the hilt, w/o the subhilt, the marauder would be a little hard to hold on to. Would prefer a tapered grip, something like a coffin or mora type, maybe w a bit of a finger groove for index finger.
I have them both the Saber & Hollow grind blade or Satin & Stonewashed and I like the Stonewashed more it is a few ounces heavy being Saber grounded but the knife just has heft that it seems to need ,but the Hollow ground blade seem quicker in hand , likely because of the few less ounces of removed metal to hollow the blade. I like the Cold Steel Maruader , especially for a defensive knife collector. ⚔️🔪🗡️⚔️
@@michaelrizzo5523 what i want is a kife like the oss, w the clip point and all, but w just a but more mass, some combination broader @/or thicker, so it would have some cutting power. An 8” blade can be a cutter if it has some mass to it. Let me know if you know anything along those lines. I carry safe keeper every day, but looking for something at 8” and w some more mass and fully dbl edged
@@johnanon658 I wish they would make a Black Bear Classic version of the Marauder or OSI. I'm looking into more Spanish and German shorter (6.5"-8") lighter Bowies. Some have significant index finger grooves that almost function as a sub-hilt but don't get in the way so much. The Bear & Son American and Freedom Fighting Bowies I reviewed are bigger than the OSI with no sub-hilts, as is the bigger Leatherneck Bowie.
@@johnanon658 Actually, if you'd like more of a coffin grip, the CS Trailmaster and Recon Scout are like beefed up versions of the OSI, much higher quality (and price) and with a sharp false edge.
I carry this knife on me all the time, ill be danmed if im gonna be attacked by someone with a knife and not have a giant one of my own, i love this knife, super light and made for sticking
@@michaelrizzo5523 From what I've seen people online saying is, most people use this as a sitting in the drawer forever knife or as a hog sticker, I think in both cases the rubber is plenty strong. It also keeps the price lower, besides, there are plenty of other bowie options from Cold Steel.
Neither are the OSI and OSS, same grip. I think the Black Bear Classic is the only steel sub hilt they make. The rubber is kinder on the finger bones under the impact of a hard thrust, and the guard is too small to count on it stopping another blade anyway, so it's just there to give you more grip security and leverage. But it does look cheap.
The history if the sub-hilt is a bit unclear as to whether it started as simply a knifemaker's special creative touch vs a practitioner-driven upgrade. It seems to appeal to a select few, but obviously hasn't caught on as a critical feature of a big martial knife or we'd be seeing a lot more of them, and arts based around them. I find them an attractive novelty, not a necessity, and sometimes an obstacle.
@@michaelrizzo5523 Too often I find they detract from the elegant lines of a knife, but I accept mine's a subjective view. I like your show I find your reviews a useful resource.
Thing that gets me about the sub hilts is they're supposed to make withdrawal from a target almost foolproof, apparently as we know this came in extremely handy on a Cape Buffalo hunt in South Africa that went...bullish😂 and the guides son had to finish the animal with an OSS to keep it from ending his father. Problem...I wear 2X gloves and a 9.5 inch span from thumb to tip of pinky finger on diagonal. So it depends on WHICH knife CS made and the material the handle is made of as to how my knuckles react. I also prefer the saber ground versions of ANY CS knife if there is an option between that and hollow grind
Thanks for telling me about Chicago knife works. They have the Rondel dagger in stock. 👍
Just checked it out. Added to my wish list...
@@michaelrizzo5523 👍👍😊
I actually bought the Marauder twice, because I accidentally received the serrated blade version first (which I didn’t even know existed) and I liked it so much I ordered the regular version elsewhere again. The Condor Undertaker bowie knife is a similar pattern with a wooden grip without the secondary hilt. :)
Been thinking about the Undertaker. I've got some Condor reviews incoming.
I find sub hilts give you so much more control at speed . I was like you with the marauder . I bought it with a couple of other knives and actually forgot about it till I found it at the bottom of my training bag when I forgot my knife bag . Now it is my go to knife , the more you use it the more you use it .i definitely think we should all contact cold steel and ask them to come out with the subhilt reversed so we can use the North American grip and parrying edge
Excellent video! I really liked this video Mike!!! First thing that struck me, was the Rockwell. I wouldn't of guessed it would be that high and the pounding on bamboo... NO damage, MAJOR plus! Your martial applications of course I wouldve"never" thought of (till NOW!), and also that excellent tip on the sheath mod from your previous video, literally changed my view of ALL of my Cold Steel sub-hilt knives!!! Looking very much forward to watching the followup of this video! You're teaching this old dog, some very useful tricks here Mike... Thanks!!!
Thank you, my friend! Very encouraging to hear. And, yes, this knife really surprised me.
Great video as always! Very informative. I’ve had one for a long time. Really enjoy it. I’ve even used it for throwing on occasion. Recently I’ve sanded the stonewash off and polished it to a gloss finish. My plan is to blue it pretty soon. Thanks again for the great review.
There's an idea! I wonder how hard it will be to blue the AUS8A?
@@michaelrizzo5523 I’ll be sure to let you know. Actually the first thing I’ve blued. I just picked up a kit from Ballistol. I love the way the Cold Steel MAA Arming Sword looks and wanted to try and copy it.
@@michaelrizzo5523 It did nothing… well nothing good. Lol It’s still silver and now it’s spotty. No black at all. Oh well it was my first attempt so I’ll chalk it up to learning. Maybe some more research is needed.
@@poppypicker3863 Damn. Too stainless, I guess. Might be some other blend for a patina. Maybe vinegar soaking overnight?
@@michaelrizzo5523 Good idea. I have some more sanding and polishing to do first to clean up the spots the blueing left but I’ll give it a try. Will keep you posted
Awesome blade, thanks for going into detail on what this blade consists of. Always felt like I missed the opportunity to purchase the satin finish but miss the fact that satin has hollow grind and my stone wash is saber. Same as u not a big fan of stonewash but much rather have the saber grind vs hollow. Love my Cold Steel Marauder!
The CS Marauder is a Badass Bowie imo. Idc that it has a subhilt, it actually makes the grip feel more secure, same with the CS OSS, I love both. The Marauder is a bit more stout than the OSS but that's expected they are different styles. Nevertheless they both are awesome and both are lightweight and will penetrate with ease. For a Large Bowie the Marauder is quite light. You could get that thing out and move it around quick if needed compared to let's say the Ontario SP10. I love that Bowie too, it's beefier and heavier though than the CS Marauder.
Have a master hunter and a red river carbon v both. Been good knives.
I have the Plain edge and serrated version seems like the serrated version could cause a lot more damage?
Seems like it. I'm considering getting one to test.
Of course serrations will not stand up to impacting wood but that is not what serrations are meant for
@@michaelrizzo5523
Hello Michael ! COLD STEEL MARAUDER, SUPER !
What is inside the rubber handle? Full tang? Rat tail tang? Anyone know
Thank You for sharing! Do you still like the cold steel marauder? What are some basic knife self defense/martial drills one can do? Maybe you have a video I missed.
It's a good grippy light chopper. Still haven't been tempted further to cut the subhilt off. For some training direction, there are several channels on YT that are very good for this, including Rolando Estocada, and Jorgi Prina's book on Esgrima Criolla is well done. FMA and even Western saber drills can work well with big knives.
@michaelrizzo5523 Thank You for your help!
10:12 - you have a guest, on the fence behind the bamboo.)
It's a squirrel highway. Drives my cat crazy.
Did you ever think about getting the serrated version of the Marauder? I have a couple from Cold Steel, the Voyager Vaquero Xl and the Kobun in serrated form, and I can say with confidence that they are scary cutters. The Marauder serrated must be even more devastating against leather, skin or t-shirt... There aren't too many huge knives out there that offer anything but a plain edge.
I have indeed considered the serrated version. Perhaps in the near future.
The overall length of this knife is similar to Talwar 5.5 and other XL folding knives, with a certain reach.
And when you hold the end of the knife handle, you can extend your index finger and hook the sub hilt, which will give you a certain degree of control and increase the reach a little bit.
And if you want to do powerful chopping, the sub hilt is like the B-type handguard of the Chaos series, and you will unconsciously hold the handle of the knife.
The only drawback is that the material of the sub hilt might be better if it can be replaced with a stronger material.
Secondly, for people with thicker fingers, and if they want to use it for self-defense, they must modify the scabbard so that they can pull out the knife more quickly in critical situations.
I've been doing comparisons of functional blade reach in my recent series on big Cold Steel folders when you choke down on the grip. And, yes, I agree the OSS/OSI/Marauder would be much better with something other than rubber for the guard. I do also rebate cut the sheath mouths to get my finger into that subhilt for a more positive draw.
New subscriber here, and looking foreword to more of your reviews. 🇺🇸🦅
Thanks! Yep, more big knife reviews coming.
Great review as always,, thanks,,
I held off, getting this for so many years, purely because of the sub hilt, but now I have it, I wish I'd bit the bullet, a long time ago, it's great,, 🎉,,
This is really a great fighting knife, (not that I ever want to get into a knife fight, lol.. ) ,
If the worst happens, and "rule of law" fails, this would be useful to have, in a life or death situation,,
Is it true aus8 not good for wood chopping?
Seems to be okay for light chopping with a knife. A heavier chopper would probably go with carbon or spring steel.
WRONG its FANTASTIC for chopping, check out JOEX review of the marauder
Great video! You defently sold this knife to me, Thank you👍
You talk about the martial aspect of this knife...how much have you used knives in combatitve actions?
I've been pressure testing weapons sparring since the late 70s.
They used to be hollow ground, now they are flat ground, which is good, imo, as it makes the tip stronger. Also, these flat grinds give these blades more mass to make these effective cutters.
I have two newer ones, one serrated and one plain. Both stonewash and flat ground.
Neither were shaving sharp, these big pointy knives shipping in those garbage sheaths that dull the edges.
I appreciate when they ship the knife out of the sheath, but it doesn't take long to start losing your edge.
@@michaelrizzo5523 tbc, i got both of mine in the sheath, rather than in a cardboard slip, as is usually the case. I figured it was because the blade is too heavt and pointy to ship like that. Perhaps the vendor did it to prevent shipping issues
Do you prefer the serrations or the plain edge?
Just ordered mine $58.56 from Amazon on Prime days deals
I just grabbed a deeply discounted Outdoorsman Lite
The tanto lite is pretty discounted as well.
As for the hilt, i do not like it on a heaver-ish knife like this for swinging. Prefer coffin tupe. I love the hilt for the OSX knives.
It can help the snap cut and withdrawal on those lighter blades. It's odd on this bigger Bowie. If I get another model, I'll try one without the sub-hilt.
@@michaelrizzo5523 w the shape of the hilt, w/o the subhilt, the marauder would be a little hard to hold on to. Would prefer a tapered grip, something like a coffin or mora type, maybe w a bit of a finger groove for index finger.
I have them both the Saber & Hollow grind blade or Satin & Stonewashed and I like the Stonewashed more it is a few ounces heavy being Saber grounded
but the knife just has heft that it seems to need ,but the Hollow ground blade seem quicker in hand , likely because of the few less ounces of removed metal to hollow the blade.
I like the Cold Steel Maruader , especially for a defensive knife collector. ⚔️🔪🗡️⚔️
I've found this one a very nice length and weight for carry. I've considered giving the serrated version a try.
I disliked this one and went with the Boar Collector instead, very happy with it, the 9" seax blade complements my OSS and OSI very well.
Very appealing, and just my luck discontinued!
@@michaelrizzo5523 I was lucky enough to get several CS knives on special including the Boar Collector (before it was discontinued)
How the heck do you spell the word fakone/fakoan/foconne?
Facon.
@@michaelrizzo5523 thank you!
The serrated version is like a cross between a steak knife and a chain saw! It seeks flesh!
I may have to get one, then!
I wish I didn't want to own every single knife I see
…another fun fact, the OSI used to be hollow ground, but now comes flat ground. OSS is still hollow, afaik
I think Cold Steel hollow grinds put me off hollow grinds, between the dulling effect of the sheaths and the bad secondary edge bevels I've seen.
@@michaelrizzo5523 what i want is a kife like the oss, w the clip point and all, but w just a but more mass, some combination broader @/or thicker, so it would have some cutting power. An 8” blade can be a cutter if it has some mass to it.
Let me know if you know anything along those lines. I carry safe keeper every day, but looking for something at 8” and w some more mass and fully dbl edged
@@johnanon658 I wish they would make a Black Bear Classic version of the Marauder or OSI. I'm looking into more Spanish and German shorter (6.5"-8") lighter Bowies. Some have significant index finger grooves that almost function as a sub-hilt but don't get in the way so much. The Bear & Son American and Freedom Fighting Bowies I reviewed are bigger than the OSI with no sub-hilts, as is the bigger Leatherneck Bowie.
@@johnanon658 Actually, if you'd like more of a coffin grip, the CS Trailmaster and Recon Scout are like beefed up versions of the OSI, much higher quality (and price) and with a sharp false edge.
I carry this knife on me all the time, ill be danmed if im gonna be attacked by someone with a knife and not have a giant one of my own, i love this knife, super light and made for sticking
It is my favorite CS "carry" Bowie right now.
Rubber guard and hilt trigger
Strangest choice about this series of knives, going with a rubber guard especially.
@@michaelrizzo5523 From what I've seen people online saying is, most people use this as a sitting in the drawer forever knife or as a hog sticker, I think in both cases the rubber is plenty strong. It also keeps the price lower, besides, there are plenty of other bowie options from Cold Steel.
Awedome.knife
So your saying is a stoners bowie 🍁 lol😂 the leaf was the closest i could find to a weed emoji on my emoji list
Stoner's Bowie--I like it!
@@michaelrizzo5523 again I am glad I could help
It's not even a steel sub-hilt .
Neither are the OSI and OSS, same grip. I think the Black Bear Classic is the only steel sub hilt they make. The rubber is kinder on the finger bones under the impact of a hard thrust, and the guard is too small to count on it stopping another blade anyway, so it's just there to give you more grip security and leverage. But it does look cheap.
Never liked sub-hilts they're just a gimmick for the sake of being different IMO
The history if the sub-hilt is a bit unclear as to whether it started as simply a knifemaker's special creative touch vs a practitioner-driven upgrade. It seems to appeal to a select few, but obviously hasn't caught on as a critical feature of a big martial knife or we'd be seeing a lot more of them, and arts based around them. I find them an attractive novelty, not a necessity, and sometimes an obstacle.
@@michaelrizzo5523 Too often I find they detract from the elegant lines of a knife, but I accept mine's a subjective view. I like your show I find your reviews a useful resource.
@@markthomas741 Thanks!
Thing that gets me about the sub hilts is they're supposed to make withdrawal from a target almost foolproof, apparently as we know this came in extremely handy on a Cape Buffalo hunt in South Africa that went...bullish😂 and the guides son had to finish the animal with an OSS to keep it from ending his father. Problem...I wear 2X gloves and a 9.5 inch span from thumb to tip of pinky finger on diagonal. So it depends on WHICH knife CS made and the material the handle is made of as to how my knuckles react. I also prefer the saber ground versions of ANY CS knife if there is an option between that and hollow grind
Gloves do make this one awkward for me. And I have been passing on CS (and other) knives with hollow grinds lately. Just not a fan.
Rubber hilt.