Cold Steel is famous for raising the bar in the knife industry. The Recon 1 continues the trend with its tough-as-nails build and chainsaw-like performance, setting a standard that's tough to beat. Every facet of the Recon 1's construction has been over-engineered to make it as strong, durable, and effective as humanly possible. The ComboEdge blade is made of imported Japanese AUS 8A stainless steel that's been vacuum heat treated and sub-zero quenched, while the handle features G-10 laminate scales artfully contoured and scalloped to produce a superior nonslip grip. Plus, the knife is held together by the latest in high-strength mechanical fasteners and further anchored by a 6061 heat-treated spacer.

To complement the knife's tactical mission, Cold Steel gave the Recon 1 a tough, black coated finish, which gives the blade three major tactical advantages. First, it helps the blade resist rust. Second, it eliminates glare and light reflections, which otherwise might give the user away. And third, the knife is coated with a superior lubricant, which causes the blade to slip through even tough material with markedly less friction. This means you can cut deeper and far longer than with the coated blade. Cold Steel also added a thumb disc and extra-strong pocket clip, making the Recon 1 easy to open and carry. The clip is completely ambidextrous, and its small size is designed to keep the palm comfortable under protracted use. Finally, the knife is outfitted with the company's revolutionary Tri Ad lock, which practically eliminates lock failure.