# Why are Cold Steel knife prices all over the map? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 11, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cold-steel-knife-prices-all-over-the-map/517194 "2009-11-11T16:46:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cold-steel-knife-prices-all-over-the-map/517194/21 "2009-11-13T03:40:53Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Both carbon and CRES (‘stainless’) steels can rust. The propensity to rust depends upon the amount of alloying elements, but ‘plain carbon’ is generally the worst and the 400-series stainless and similar compositions (like AUS-6 and AUS-8) are generally pretty resilient to corrosion; outside of a salt spray environment they’re generally limited to some spotting and staining, although I had the blade on a Leatherman that was kept in a PFD that I used for kayaking break due to corrosion-induced fracture.r The special alloy used in the old Puma knives was both hard and extremely rust resistant. Then again, they aren’t cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Nathan\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/47e85d/32.png) [@Nathan\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nathan_S)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cold-steel-knife-prices-all-over-the-map/517194/22 "2009-11-13T10:13:42Z")
There are many wonderful sites dedicated to knives and knife - related questions. There is much knowledge to be acquired (and friends to be made) on Blade Forums, Knife Forums, Jerzee Devil (my fave) and others. Go check 'em out! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cold-steel-knife-prices-all-over-the-map/517194.md?page=1)