Cold Steel Hatamoto Knife Review: A Sleek and Modern Tanto Blade

If you're a knife enthusiast or just love quality gear, the Cold Steel Hatamoto is a blade worth checking out. In this review, we’ll dive into the unboxing experience, the knife’s design, specifications, and overall impressions, based on a detailed look at this brand-new offering from Cold Steel. Let’s get started!

Unboxing the Cold Steel Hatamoto

The Cold Steel Hatamoto arrives in a sleek, minimalist box that reflects the brand’s no-nonsense approach to quality. The box is predominantly black with a clean, modern design. The Cold Steel logo is prominently displayed on the front in bold, white font, giving it a sharp and professional look. The word “Hatamoto” is printed in a stylish, angular font, hinting at the knife’s tactical aesthetic. The back of the box lists key specifications and features, including the blade steel and handle material, along with a small barcode and the Cold Steel website URL.

Inside the box, you’ll find the Hatamoto nestled securely in foam padding. Cold Steel includes a cleaning cloth to keep the blade in pristine condition, but there are no additional items like stickers or manuals in this package. The focus is clearly on the knife itself, and it’s a refreshing, straightforward unboxing experience.

The Cold Steel Hatamoto: Design and Features

The Hatamoto is a striking folder that blends modern materials with a tactical, Japanese-inspired tanto blade. Here’s a breakdown of its key features:

Handle

• Material: The handle is crafted from black carbon fiber, giving it a lightweight yet durable feel. The carbon fiber has a subtle, woven texture that looks sleek and provides a secure grip.

• Size/Grip: At 4.5 inches long, the handle is well-proportioned for most hand sizes. It feels comfortable and ergonomic, with a smooth, contoured design that minimizes hotspots during extended use.

• Lanyard Hole: There’s no lanyard hole, which might disappoint some users who prefer attaching a lanyard for quick access or personalization.

• Pocket Clip: The Hatamoto features a pocket clip, but it’s not reversible, limiting carry options to right-side, tip-up orientation. The clip is sturdy and blends seamlessly with the black aesthetic.

Lock Mechanism

The knife uses a linerlock, which is reliable and easy to operate. During testing, the lock engaged smoothly with a satisfying click, and there was no blade play when fully deployed. It’s a solid choice for a folding knife in this class.

Blade

• Steel: The blade is made from CPM-20CV, a premium stainless steel known for its excellent edge retention, corrosion resistance, and toughness. This is a high-end choice that ensures the Hatamoto can handle demanding tasks.

• Style: The tanto blade shape is both functional and visually striking, with a sharp, angular tip perfect for piercing and precision cutting.

• Finish: The blade sports a black PVD coating, which not only enhances its tactical look but also adds an extra layer of corrosion resistance.

• Grind: The flat grind provides a good balance of strength and cutting performance, making it versatile for slicing and chopping.

• Length: The blade measures 4 inches, contributing to the knife’s overall length of 9.5 inches when open.

• Thumb Studs: There are no thumb studs, which might be a drawback for those who prefer one-handed opening. Instead, the knife relies on a smooth flipper mechanism for deployment.

• Jimping: The blade lacks jimping on the spine, which could have added extra grip for detailed tasks. However, the handle’s texture compensates for this.

Variants

Currently, the Cold Steel Hatamoto is available in only one variant, featuring the black carbon fiber handle and black PVD-coated CPM-20CV blade. This singular focus ensures a cohesive design, but it may limit options for those seeking different colors or materials.

Performance and Impressions

The Hatamoto feels like a premium knife the moment you pick it up. The carbon fiber handle is lightweight yet robust, and the CPM-20CV blade is razor-sharp out of the box. The flipper mechanism is smooth, allowing for quick and reliable deployment, though the lack of thumb studs or a reversible clip might be a minor inconvenience for some users.

The tanto blade excels at piercing tasks, making it ideal for tactical or outdoor use, while the flat grind ensures it can handle everyday cutting tasks with ease. The linerlock is rock-solid, inspiring confidence during use. At 9.5 inches overall, the Hatamoto strikes a great balance between portability and functionality, making it a versatile everyday carry (EDC) option.

Where to Get It

As of this review’s release, the Cold Steel Hatamoto is available for purchase on our website. If you’re looking to add a high-quality, modern tanto folder to your collection, this knife is a fantastic choice.

Final Thoughts

The Cold Steel Hatamoto is a sleek, well-crafted folding knife that combines premium materials with a tactical design. Its CPM-20CV tanto blade, carbon fiber handle, and linerlock make it a reliable and stylish option for EDC enthusiasts, collectors, or anyone who appreciates a quality blade. While the lack of a reversible clip, lanyard hole, or jimping might be minor drawbacks, they don’t detract from the overall excellence of this knife.

With that aside, if you all enjoyed today's review, why not consider checking out our other blog reviews and our YouTube channel for more knife content. Thank you all for reading, and we will see you next time.