Cold Steel Spartan

W

WVHILLS

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Aug 2, 2006
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Holy crap I really want one of these!!!! I am waiting for NewGraham to get some more instock! I have never owned a Cold Steel knife before but I just can't stay away from the Spartan any longer. I have read several reviews both online and from Tactical Knives magazine, there doesn't seem to be very much negative feedback if any. Any Spartan owners out there that feel differently?
 
I don't own a Spartan, but if the threads that pop up here are any guide, the only significant/consistent complaint people have about it is that the bead-blast finish makes the blade somewhat rust-prone. So you'll want to make sure to put a coat of oil (or something like Tuf-Glide) on it as a preventative measure, especially if you live in a humid climate, will be using it around water, etc.
 
It's a huge knife, even folded it was too big and oddly shaped. So, I sold the one I had because I bought it to carry and the shape closed was just too bulky. Other than that it seemed well made and locked up solid. If you don't find the size too much, it should serve you fine for the price paid.
 
I really don't think the size will be an issue, I don't plan on using it as an edc.
 
With regards to rust, I use either Birchwood-Casey Sheath or Fluid Film on all of my knives, especially the AUS series ones that have been bead blasted or stonewashed like the Spartan. These rust prevetatives don't need to be reapplied very often at all, but I typically reapply once a month or so if I've been using the knife. You can get a 2.5 ounce can of Fluid Film for about $5, and that'll last you a damn long time, as you only need a spot's worth of it on a rag once a month or so.

The edge of the grivory along the blade channel of the grip, where the meat of your fingers grip, is very sharp from the factory. I used a Buck 110 to shave off the whole edge on both sides, and finished it off with a very fine jewelers file. Sandpaper would work fine as well.

The action needed a little lubrication, and the pivot required a very slight adjustment, no big deal.

I tied a doubled up piece of leather boot lace to the lanyard hole, knotted at the hole and double knotted at 1" as a fob, to make deployment from the pocket easier. I also installed the included left side pocket clip and left the right side one on, so that I can switch pockets easily. If anything, having both pocket clips on improves the(already excellent) grip, as it gives my pinky a nice spot to rest.

I've been carrying the Spartan every day for about a month in heavy jeans, and it rides very comfortably in the pocket, so that I don't even notice it. I've had smaller knives that felt bulkier in the pocket, like the large CRKT M16 or the all-stainless Endura

The only other thing is that unlike other waved folders, the thumb plate works better when drawn all the way to the edge of the pocket, so the plate straddles the crease. Drawing it out and to the side like works with an Endura or Emerson doesn't work so well. Once you get the hang of it, opening it wave-style is easy and 100% effective.

I've been very happy with it, it is a very comfortable, effective large EDC knife, and I'd bet that it would do fine as a defense blade if you so chose.
 
The Spartan is a beast of a folder, thick, tough, Tri-Ad lock, excellently shaped handle. It's very big, quite heavy but you can actually chop with it. Very few folders I can think of that are tougher and stronger.
It's a bit of a hassle to sharpen it due to the pronounced recurve, but the Sharpmaker does quite well. The knife is very good value for money.
 
philwar said:
The Spartan is a beast of a folder, thick, tough, Tri-Ad lock, excellently shaped handle. It's very big, quite heavy but you can actually chop with it. Very few folders I can think of that are tougher and stronger.
It's a bit of a hassle to sharpen it due to the pronounced recurve, but the Sharpmaker does quite well. The knife is very good value for money.
Click to expand...

I use a strop, and its actually easier to strop than my Wharncliffe blades, since the tip is beefy enough that it doesn't have any tendency to bite into the leather backwards.

Oh yeah, the blade is very sharp, and very beefy in general. I've used it to open cans with no ill effects. The grind is hollow, but it approaches a short full flat grind cross section at the tip, while still being sharpened enough there for the tip to be very useful in general.
 
I have no complaints. I love my Spartan. It's big, mean and looks pretty cool IMO. I have used a sharpmaker with very little issue.

Spartan005-1.jpg
 
I think its a great knife. I never had an issue with rust on mine but you shouldn't as long as you keep it clean and oil it periodically. The blade on mine was slightly off center but didn't touch either liner. I wound up trading mine since I just wasn't crazy about how it carried. If you're not going to EDC it though, go for it...its a very nice knife otherwise. I picked up a Rajah III to carry and its great.
 
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