Cold Steel Spartan - fatal flaw for me

[mykem]

Hey guys,

The Cold Steel Spartan - I tried to like this knife. I really did.

Unfortunately, for me anyway, the Triad lock negates everything else good about this knife. And there's a lot to like. What a shame.

Simply put, the lock is too strong. When the knife was new, I worked it, and I mean REALLY worked it, 14 nights in a row.

I opened and closed it 200 times per night for two weeks. That's 2,800 times opening and closing this thing! And it never loosened up to a managable degree where I could close it one handed. Heck, it never even got to the point where I could close it comfortably using both hands!

After two weeks, I still needed to use both hands and a LOT of pressure to depress the lock release enough to close the knife. I had to press down on the release with my right thumb and use my left hand /thumb to add further pressure to my right thumb to close it.

And towards the end of a session, I had to wrap a cloth around the lock release before I pressed it because my right thumb was hurting by then.

It just wasn't worth the effort for me. After all, I gave it 2,800 chances. I sent it back for a refund.

Listen, I like and appreciate strong locks on folders for all the obvious reasons. But this thing was ridiculous.

I'm sure there's a mechanical modification that would make this knife easier to close. But it would be an "inexact" mod and could ruin the knife if overdone. And it definitely would void the Cold Steel warranty.

Now I know one of you guys is going to respond, "What?!?!? I can depress my Spartan's lock release with my tongue."

Well, all I can say is that guy doesn't really own one OR his wife is a very happy gal.

 

[Hackenslash]

I've had the same problem with some CS Triad locks. I have a Voyager that's smooth as silk and a Code 4 that feels like I have to break it to actuate the lock. I don't think it's a model specific thing, probably more of a quality control/fit and finish issue. I've never tried to use CS warranty and don't really know much about it, but maybe you could send it in to be worked on?

Edit: Oops, just noticed you already sent it back...

 

[mykem]

I've had the same problem with some CS Triad locks. I have a Voyager that's smooth as silk and a Code 4 that feels like I have to break it to actuate the lock. I don't think it's a model specific thing, probably more of a quality control/fit and finish issue. I've never tried to use CS warranty and don't really know much about it, but maybe you could send it in to be worked on?

Edit: Oops, just noticed you already sent it back...

Yeah man,

I just said screw it. A knife is supposed to be a tool to make life easier. This one just didn't cut it in that respect.

 

[Alberta Ed]

My American Lawman was stiff at first but it broke in after a couple of weeks, and some BreakFree lube. My Recon 1 was smooth as silk right out of the box. Maybe the difference is due to leverage, but now they're both sweet.

 

[mykem]

My American Lawman was stiff at first but it broke in after a couple of weeks, and some BreakFree lube. My Recon 1 was smooth as silk right out of the box. Maybe the difference is due to leverage, but now they're both sweet.

What do you mean, "due to leverage?" Where does leverage come into play?

 

[BellaBlades]

Im not sure if your aware but there is a cold steel forum and I am sure you would get a heck of alot more feedback there. Its just a hand strength thing. I guess it differs for everyone. For me Even the XL models are pretty easy for me to do with my right thumb. Its a little harder with my left hand for sure. But thats just me. I think the worst I had was an AK 47. It left a little callous after a while. But surprisingly two of the easiest for me were the two spartans I worked on.
They just are not for everyone.
Atleast you know now.
This coming from a guy that owns no cold steel products. I have, and I think they are tough and have a great steel now. But not something I need in my pocket ATM.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

The strength/degree of difficulty needed to unlock seems to be at least somewhat model specific. My Voyagers and Tuff Lite and Rajah 2 were all pretty much fine out of the box, but the Talwar and Spartan were both real thumb breakers.

 

[sharp_edge]

loosen the pivot screw a bit shall take care of it.

 

[TBL]

I don't think it's a model specific thing, probably more of a quality control/fit and finish issue.

This would also be my guess. My Spartan was hard to disengage at first, but after a little while it worked right in. The biggest thing for me was having to push it all the way in! There is no partial disengage to this lock... needs to be fully depressed with some force.

Sorry to hear yours ended up being one of the lemons!

 

[mykem]

Im not sure if your aware but there is a cold steel forum and I am sure you would get a heck of alot more feedback there. Its just a hand strength thing. I guess it differs for everyone. For me Even the XL models are pretty easy for me to do with my right thumb. Its a little harder with my left hand for sure. But thats just me. I think the worst I had was an AK 47. It left a little callous after a while. But surprisingly two of the easiest for me were the two spartans I worked on.
They just are not for everyone.
Atleast you know now.
This coming from a guy that owns no cold steel products. I have, and I think they are tough and have a great steel now. But not something I need in my pocket ATM.

The Cold Steel forum doesn't have nearly the traffic this forum does. So I posted it here. If a mod thinks this would be better in the the CS forum, please move this post.

And I beg to differ with your conclusion. This is not just a "hand strength thing."

Over the two weeks I owned the thing, I had a few guys at work and a few (sober) guys at a bar try to close this particular Spartan.

Like me, all but two of them needed two hands to close it. The consensus was, "Something is wrong with this. It shouldn't be this hard to close."

As for the other two men, well, they did it one handed!

One of them changes truck tires for a living and could effortlessly twist YOUR head off with only his thumb and forefinger. The other was a pipe fitter, another strong handed man.

They were the only people who could close the thing one handed. And both of them were of the opinion that it took more strength than they thought it would/should.

So I think your "hand strength" supposition is off the mark.

As you would say, "At least now you know."

 

[Muaddib1116]

I found that I could make the Triad Lock much more manageable by disassembling the knife, stripping the black coating off the blade and lockbar, cleaning and lubing all the moving parts, and tuning the spring bar a little bit with a fine adjustment tool (read: hammer).

 

[mykem]

I found that I could make the Triad Lock much more manageable by disassembling the knife, stripping the black coating off the blade and lockbar, cleaning and lubing all the moving parts, and tuning the spring bar a little bit with a fine adjustment tool (read: hammer).

I'm glad it worked on your CS knife.

Mine would be easier to do as there is no coating on the Spartan to remove. It's stonewashed.

I guess I could have done the other things before I sent the knife back to Cold Steel IF Cold Steel would have paid me for my time and effort. I didn't think to ask them.

If I REALLY liked it a lot, I would have made it work correctly somehow. But I would have resented like hell putting the effort in on a knife that should have functioned correctly upon purchase.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

This thread also pretty much nails down why I want Cold Steel to option the Scorpion Lock Mr. Demko recently developed. Lock strength and reliability are fantastic attributes to have, but ease of use matters.

 

[Bigfattyt]

This thread also pretty much nails down why I want Cold Steel to option the Scorpion Lock Mr. Demko recently developed. Lock strength and reliability are fantastic attributes to have, but ease of use matters.

That would be cool. Always nice to have more options.



To the OP, i've never met a Triad lock I did not like, or one that took two hands. But I do have strong hands.

 

[Muaddib1116]

I'll be honest, from what I've seen of the Scorpion lock, it's gonna be a bit of a bear to use as well, although it really depends on how Cold Steel implements it (just as it does for the Triad lock). It has the same primary (interface) feature that the triad lock does, which is huge engagement and huge lever throw. So if Cold Steel starts using it on knives and implements it with the same philosophy as they did the Triad lock (huge lock engagement with very stiff springs) then I'm not sure it's going to be that much easier to use.

 

[craytab]

My Espada large was fine. First recon 1 (AUS8) was very tough. I took it apart and bent the spring a bit, much like you would on a pocket clip if it were too stiff or not stiff enough. Took less than 10 minutes. Sold that knife when the Recon 1 Spear point came out in the new steel. The tension on that lock-back is perfect.

 

[mykem]

This thread also pretty much nails down why I want Cold Steel to option the Scorpion Lock Mr. Demko recently developed. Lock strength and reliability are fantastic attributes to have, but ease of use matters.

I agree with you 100 percent. As i said earlier, i appreciate a good, strong lock in a folder for all the obvious reasons, safety being chief among them.

But talk about using a chainsaw to cut a birthday cake!

If the Triad lock on mine was correct, I have to wonder how many Cold Steel knives with the Triad lock are sitting uncarried and unused in "junk drawers" all over the world.

 

[mykem]

To the OP, i've never met a Triad lock I did not like, or one that took two hands. But I do have strong hands.

I knew you'd show up sooner or later. You can also open a Triad lock with no hands, using just your tongue, right?

 

[James Y]

The only Triad lock I have is a drop point Code 4. At first the action was very stiff, and it was very hard to unlock. I simply kept the knife half-open on my dresser for a few days and nights, and it became very manageable to unlock. Still a bit painful if I unlock it again and again several times in a row, but I would expect that.

In fact, it loosened up enough that when I FOOLISHLY tried to unlock it one-handed, the blade swung shut right on the last knuckle of my right index finger. It put me out of work for 4 months, first with splinting (2 months), then with physical therapy to get the strength/range of motion back. I'm still doing therapy on my own for it. The accident was 9 months ago. So, as strong as the Triad lock is when in the locked position, my recommendation is to ALWAYS close a Triad locking knife with BOTH hands. I admit my accident was 100% user error, but so many people who tout lock strength as the only measure of safety tend to forget that such strong locks can make for a potentially more hazardous closing action that, in some instances, can almost negate any safety advantage it has in the open position.

Jim

 

[AmosPaul]

My American Lawman is easy to unlock, but when I give it to friends to try, they struggle to unlock it. My hands aren't stronger than theirs; the difference is they put pressure on the blade AT THE SAME TIME they push the lockbar. Due to the angles on the "tooth" on the Tri-Ad lock, this make it harder to unlock the blade. This is a feature, not a flaw.

As soon as I told them not to push on the blade while they push on the lockbar they have no trouble unlocking the knife. If you have CS try it both ways and you'll see what I mean.