Cold Steel has a very colorful history. What it makes up for in age it makes up for in a collection of ridiculous marketing videos illustrating the efficacy and indestructibility of its knives, axes and other tools. If you can't do it with a Cold Steel product, well, then, at least they’d like you to believe that it can’t be done.

Cold Steel also produces a very large collection of knives and tools, which means selecting one for the title of the “best Cold Steel knife” is a really weighty initiative. In this article, we’re going to nominate an unlikely contender and furnish it with a glowing, but well-deserved review.

It’s not the Cold Steel Recon 1. It’s not the Kobun. It’s not even the infamous SRK that is made in SK-5 and is effectively indestructible. It’s a much less likely candidate, and a much cheaper one: the unassuming Cold Steel Pendleton Lite Hunter.

Before you respond with shock and rage, hear us out. Then, if you still disagree, we’d love to hear your thoughts.

The Pendleton Lite Hunter is amazingly unimpressive upon sight. It has a totally average blade profile, it’s neither large nor small, and it has what you might even call an ugly polypropylene handle and a much uglier, clunkier PP sheath. So why would we nominate this ho-hum knife to the coveted title of best Cold Steel Knife?

The answer is simple: value. This knife is laughably cheap and as tough as any other Cold Steel product out there.

Yes, there are other tough Cold Steel knives. There are other far more attractive Cold Steel knives as well. But this one has ergonomics, functional features and durability that will match every last one of them.

It’s such a winner it’s hard to pick a place to start. We’ll go with the handle.

It’s made of self-effacing, plain black polypropylene and has no apparent visually redeeming features. While that is true, it is an excellent fit for the hand, with no hot spots and a little swell near the pommel to keep it locked in place.

It also indexes perfectly and is gently textured; just enough so that you won’t slip when wet. Speaking of getting wet, the handle will not absorb blood, fat, grease or other liquids. In addition, it requires literally no maintenance.

It also has a lanyard hole built in as a thoughtful addition, as well as two gently scalloped indentations forward on the handle so the knife can be held in a remarkably comfortable pinch grip. All that, and we haven’t even gotten to the blade.

The fixed blade is just as plain as the handle. It’s made from 4116 stainless steel, which is about as corrosion resistant as 420HC (or perhaps a little more) and not as tough as 1095 blade steels. It has the optimum length of just over three and a half inches, with a little bit of sweep and a sturdy drop point blade profile. The blade has a good length of straight belly for cutting chores and the steel will take a wicked edge that you must experience to believe.

It’s small enough to serve as a skinning knife but large enough to perform some tasks generally reserved for camp knives. Also, the steel is a work of art. It may not be as tough as any of the 10 series steels, but you can stick this thing to the hilt in wet dirt, come back three days later, pull it out, wipe it off, and see yourself in the reflection. If you don’t believe it, try it.

For what it’s worth, the blade is not only corrosion resistant and capable of taking a killer edge. It will also hold that edge for much longer than you expect. Once more, if you don’t believe it, just try.

Additionally, the spine of this knife is squared, which makes it excellent for stripping bark, scraping tinder, or igniting a fire with sparks from a ferrocerium rod.

As for the sheath, it is an ugly black PP monstrosity (sometimes a nylon sheath). However, it holds the blade securely, has a drain hole, and can be added to and removed from your belt without having to mess with the belt loops. It lacks elegance but is defined by function.

Finally, and this is the icing on the cake, is the price. You can get one of these things right here at White Mountain Knives for a song, or under 20 dollars, for those of you with quantitative mindsets. Get one. Get another. Get a third. Keep one in the junk drawer. It will last forever and you will never even remember the expense.

It’s so cheap that you can afford to be wrong about the purchase, but we’re more than confident you won’t be. Get a Cold Steel Pendleton Lite Hunter, and we’re pretty sure within a few weeks you’ll have a new favorite recommendation for the title of “best Cold Steel knife.”