# Cold Steel Recon 1 vs WE Knife Banter: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Cold Steel Recon 1 (Cold Steel) and WE Knife Banter (WE Knife Co.) among pocket knives. WE Knife Banter is the cheaper of the two at $109.99.

## Side by side

| Spec | Cold Steel Recon 1 | WE Knife Banter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $169.99 | $109.99 |
| Brand | Cold Steel | WE Knife Co. |
| Blade length (in) | 4 | 2.91 |
| Blade steel | CPM S35VN | CPM 20CV |
| Lock type | Tri-Ad lock | nested liner lock |
| Opening mechanism | dual thumb studs, ambidextrous manual opening | dual thumb studs, caged bearing pivot |
| Blade shape grind | clip point, flat grind, DLC coated | drop point, flat grind |
| Handle material | G-10 | G-10 |
| Closed length (in) | 5.375 | 3.86 |
| Weight (oz) | 5.3 | 2.47 |

## Key differences

- Blade length (in): Cold Steel Recon 1 4 vs WE Knife Banter 2.91
- Blade steel: Cold Steel Recon 1 CPM S35VN vs WE Knife Banter CPM 20CV
- Lock type: Cold Steel Recon 1 Tri-Ad lock vs WE Knife Banter nested liner lock
- Opening mechanism: Cold Steel Recon 1 dual thumb studs, ambidextrous manual opening vs WE Knife Banter dual thumb studs, caged bearing pivot
- Blade shape grind: Cold Steel Recon 1 clip point, flat grind, DLC coated vs WE Knife Banter drop point, flat grind
- Closed length (in): Cold Steel Recon 1 5.375 vs WE Knife Banter 3.86
- Weight (oz): Cold Steel Recon 1 5.3 vs WE Knife Banter 2.47

## Sources

- Cold Steel Recon 1: https://www.coldsteel.com/recon-1-clip-point-plain-edge-s35vn/ (coldsteel.com, verified 2026-08-11)
- WE Knife Banter: https://www.bladehq.com/item--WE-Knife-Co-Banter-Liner-Lock-Knife--105271 (bladehq.com, verified 2026-08-11)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/pocket-knives/cold-steel-recon-1-vs-we-knife-banter/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Cold Steel Recon 1 ($169.99) vs WE Knife Banter ($109.99) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/pocket-knives/cold-steel-recon-1-vs-we-knife-banter/
License: CC BY 4.0.