First Impressions on the CS Spartan

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kfgk14

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Jun 18, 2010
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I recently picked up a Cold Steel Spartan for $60 on Amazon. I've had it about a week and I love the thing.
Here's a little information on the blade and shape, and the history of the design.
The Spartan is an Andrew Demko-designed knife, using Cold Steel's Tri-Ad locking mechanism. Needless to say, the lockup is as amazing as the look in the mugger's face inevitably would be when you procure this at his demand of cash.:cool:
The blade shape is a Kopis design based on the (Surprise!) Kopis sword used by the Spartans. It will cut everything. I guarantee you. If you compress three inches of cardboard together, sharpen this thing up, and slice, you will halve that cardboard instantly. It is an amazing knife. Stabbing is very effective too.
The knife's Grivory handle also comes from the Kopis sword, and your hand really locks into it. This makes gimping unnecessary, because you get such amazing grip already.
The 4.5" AUS 8A blade arrived razor sharp, props to Cold Steel on that. It is bead-blasted and looks really cool.
It has ambidextrous pocket clips included, good for a southpaw like me.
Torx-head bits will disassemble the entire blade and adjust the tension to allow easier opening of the blade.
The blade has a little hook-type thing instead of a thumb stud to open the blade, just hook that on the seam of your pants pocket and pull as you take out the blade. It will snap open as you pull. If the pull doesn't fully open and lock the blade, you can simply flick your wrist to deploy fully.
There is a lanyard hole already drilled in.

As good as this blade is, there are a few issues I have with it currently:
1.) It weighs a crap ton. Once you're cutting stuff, you'll enjoy those nine ounces, but right up until then, you'll hate them. Really, Cold Steel, lighten the liners and the Tri-Ad locking mechanism a bit! You can machine that out some and lose none of the strength you had. For EDC this may be an issue. As an emergency tactical blade, or a primary hiking blade, this thing is much better suited.
2.) in the week and a half of carry, I have noticed a few little rust specks on the blade. That is just the nature of the AUS 8A, I'd assume.
All in all, though, this is an excellent tactical folder (and EDC blade, of you don't mind weight) for the price, especially considering that the 4.5" blade has many fixed-blade capabilities in a much more compact size. I'm going to say 8.5 of 10.
 
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AUS 8 is pretty resistant to rust and discoloration. Why your Spartan has some rust specks doesn't have anything to do with AUS 8, but rather with the bead blasted blade (grey thing all over the blade). When the blade was bead blasted, micro pores formed. Water particles that are trapped within these pores will cause micro rust. Clean your knife with metal polish such as semichrome or flitz, and it will be as new.

To prevent this kind of rust, simply keep the blade dry after each use. However in my case, I polish the blade using dremel and metal polish to remove (or enlarge the opening) of the pores.

The Spartan is a great knife, I love mine. It definitely compares with them more expensive heavy duty tactical folders such as Strider's and Chris Reeves's.
 
I sharpened mine with sandpaper on a rubber backing and now it has a satin finish that is more resistant to rust.
 
How stout is the handle material in comparison to G10? The other Tri-Ad lock knives with G10 handles seem bomb proof.
 
I was a little concerned about the handle before I got mine. I didn't want a hollow-feeling FRN type handle.

After handling mine a while, I've found the grivory handle to be very stout. It feels almost like a mix of FRN and G-10. Not as hollow and plasticy feeling as a Griptillian, but not quite as solid as the G-10 on my Rajah I either. It does have steel liners which make it very strong. I'm sure the full aluminum frame and G-10 scales on the Rajah I are stronger, but I don't think you could break either one. Both knives are tanks and lock up like a vault.
 
kfgk14 said:
The knife's Grivory handle also comes from the Kopis sword...
Click to expand...
You mean the ancient Greeks came up with Grivory? Wow...no wonder they creamed the Persians!

I like the Spartan, but I don't like the brushed satin finish. I want it polished. The blade, too, is a bit broad.
 
I took the hump out of mine a bit.
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I recently got the Spartan... I like everything about it. Except for one thing.... I can't close the blade. I have had tons of knives and have never had one that I couldn't close the blade easily. After about two minutes of trying to force it closed using a towel so I wouldn't cut my hand on the blade and a piece of wood to push down on the lock as hard as possible, it finally closed. I thought it might just be a freak thing so i tried it two and three more times and every time I would break out in a sweat trying to close the blade. Checking around online it appears that others have had the same problem and blaming it on too strong of springs or bad machining/burrs/tolerencing/finishing. Whatever the problem is I don't need a knife that fights me and has the potential to cut me badly when it finally does break loose. I do realize that there are lots of Spartan owners who love this knife, so you buy the knife and take your chances. For me, Back it goes. :(
 
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