ESEE-5 and Cold Steel Spartan

B

Blk04SR

Joined
Mar 13, 2011
Messages
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Hello all I am new to the forum and its been a long time over do and need to order some new blades. I ordered a ESEE-5PB for camping and general outdoor use survival knife. I need a new folder for everyday carry and decided on the Cold Steel Spartan it look good on the website.

What is everyone's thoughts on those?

I want to pick up a and Spyderco Delica with the Emerson wave on it soon for everyday carry as a daily use type deal... and the Cold Steel Spartan is main defensive protection.

Thanks
 
I need a new folder for everyday carry and decided on the Cold Steel Spartan
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I think the Spartan is overly large for everyday carry. YMMV.
 
I gave one to a friend that delivered furniture. His started to get specs of rust on it after a couple of weeks from it being in the pocket and him sweating from the work. He doesn't live in a humid area. I found the handle to be a little on the thin side when gripping hard for such a large knife. I'm also not a big fan of the weird blade shape. For edc, it might be a little large for many folks. For a last ditch self defense knife, I'd say it would fit that bill nicely.
 
Well now, I mean if its to big ill change back to my Spyderco and look for something else, I just got back into collecting knifes. It just all depends its a start right?
 
For something of that size i would recommend the ZT 0200. it is about the same size, and it is a much better option for carry, IMAO. if you really want self defense backup, then take a peek at the cold steel Tilite/rajah 2/large espada.
 
knarfeng said:
I think the Spartan is overly large for everyday carry. YMMV.
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Yeah, its huge, and I like big folders, but it is absolutely giant. I know you already ordered it, but good alternatives include the Recon 1, AK, and American lawman, in case you decide you want something a bit more pocketable, later on
 
I got say youd get alot more out of a Zero tolerance, they are real quality knives and ive been really impressed with mine and every one i have handled.

The spartan just seems gimmicky, i believe that the demko triad lock is great but i dont think that it turns a folder into a fixed blade any more than a good frame lock.

Emerson also makes some great knives.
 
I don't think you will be disappointed with either. You know the 5 is a heavy workhorse and it will do its job great. You also know the spartan is a MASSIVE folding knife with a super strong lock and an atypical design. Neither are my cup of tea but their both good knives and will serve their purposes fine.


razorsdescent said:
The spartan just seems gimmicky, i believe that the demko triad lock is great but i dont think that it turns a folder into a fixed blade any more than a good frame lock.
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Please, if you have something to back up that opinion share it.
 
razorsdescent said:
I got say youd get alot more out of a Zero tolerance, they are real quality knives and ive been really impressed with mine and every one i have handled.

The spartan just seems gimmicky, i believe that the demko triad lock is great but i dont think that it turns a folder into a fixed blade any more than a good frame lock.

Emerson also makes some great knives.
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mat_890 said:
I don't think you will be disappointed with either. You know the 5 is a heavy workhorse and it will do its job great. You also know the spartan is a MASSIVE folding knife with a super strong lock and an atypical design. Neither are my cup of tea but their both good knives and will serve their purposes fine.




Please, if you have something to back up that opinion share it.
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well first off it is an opinion but since you asked for an expansion upon the idea

giant 4 and a half inch recurve blade on a folder with knuckledusteresque handles

ends up looking like this: http://budk.com/Knives/Jungle-Bowie-Knife?

mated with this: http://www.alphainnovationsselfdefe...tml/defense tools/Battle Crab/battle carb.htm

and the child in turn copulated with this: http://budk.com/United-Tailwind-SOA-Sniper-Folding-Knife


i mean just the description of it on the website is ridiculous a folder does not equal a sword no mater how much marketing you try and neither does a 4 1/2 inch fixed blade, seems gimmicky to me.


I'm glad you feel the need to white knight for cold steel im sure they are glad to have such loyal fans, i own a few cold steel knives and products (i think the sharkie was mismarketed, it could have been great for combat medics as an unbreakable sharpie for marking casualties) and i'm not one of the people that is out to dismantle cold steel brick by brick but cold steel does some ridiculous things and puts out some ridiculous products (like the paradox, no one has been able to explain to me a rational reason for that to exist) and i call a spade a spade.

This is as far as i will go on this subject if the OP is drooling over a cold steel and feels it perfectly meets his needs then mazel-tav, I simply sugested a few alternatives and presented my opinions.
 
razorsdescent said:
cold steel does some ridiculous things and puts out some ridiculous products (like the paradox, no one has been able to explain to me a rational reason for that to exist)
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It exists because it does not have a locking mechanism. Some jurisdictions ban locking knives. The Paradox is legal in those jurisdictions, and is also as safe to use as a locking knife.
 
For what it's worth I have torture tested the spartan to near destruction( chipped out the blade and broke a piece off the upper half) but the lock just won't break.It's almost frustrating how strong the lock is.Honestly, I don't think you would break the lock by any normal means. I'm talking only about the lock and not the blade.I mean I have stabbed and chopped with it into stone.
 
I believe you, one of my army buddies had a cold steel American lawman which i think was a good knife considering the price, when i got back form Afghanistan the first knife i bought was a coldsteel Ti-lite to carry as a SD weapon when i went out drinking and partying (i dont carry a gun when i drink and my good knives were 100's of miles away) and i ended up liking it so much that its now what i carry whenever i go out drinking and my lose a knife. but thats besides the point

Thing is that no matter how great te lock is its still got a big AUS-8 blade attached to it, and for a litle more bank i believe you can get a better blade in both steel and design. Im not a steel snob by any means (i think my current favorite steel may be 1095) but still AUS 8 leaves a litle to be desired for me.
 
razorsdescent said:
I believe you, one of my army buddies had a cold steel American lawman which i think was a good knife considering the price, when i got back form Afghanistan the first knife i bought was a coldsteel Ti-lite to carry as a SD weapon when i went out drinking and partying (i dont carry a gun when i drink and my good knives were 100's of miles away) and i ended up liking it so much that its now what i carry whenever i go out drinking and my lose a knife. but thats besides the point

Thing is that no matter how great te lock is its still got a big AUS-8 blade attached to it, and for a litle more bank i believe you can get a better blade in both steel and design. Im not a steel snob by any means (i think my current favorite steel may be 1095) but still AUS 8 leaves a litle to be desired for me.
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I agree about the AUS 8, I think it's the limiting factor in ColdSteel's knives.As for the lock themselves I believe that at least in the case of the spartan it just will not break under any normal circumstance. I will go as far as to say it wouldn't break unless you were doing something really,really extreme to break it .I think all of the other parts of the knife would break long before the lock would fail. I just think that after all of the things I did to it..I can't see how one would make it fail short of using machinery or an apparatus of some sort.
 
+1 on the Zero Tolerance suggestion. The 0200 in particular is an amazing value. It's extremely durable, has great ergo's, 3D CNC machined G-10, etc. It's 154CM steel in a quality American made folder with a no-questions asked warranty vs. a more cheaply made AUS-8 Taiwanese (and not the good Taichung factory) folder with one of the worst warranties in the business.
 
One thing about the Cold Steel Spartan compared to the ZT's though. It is much less expensive. I believe about $40-50 street in some places. The ZT lines are all $100+ IME. It is also a rock solid knife. The blade shape is very useful too.

IMO the biggest drawback of the Spartan is that it is a scary looking knife for most people. It is huge, wildly recurved, and has a very ergonomic, but aggressive looking handle. I generally prefer to carry something a little more socially acceptable, but my Spartan is one of the most "fun" knives I own.:thumbup:
 
Both of the knives you've named are too big and heavy for your uses.

Get an ESEE 4 or 6 instead of the 5 and swap out that Spartan for a smaller folder (like that waved Delica) and you'll make your life easier.
 
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