Sometimes it pays to drop in at the pawn shop!

[High-Gear]

For years I check in at the local pawn shops from time to time always to my wife’s chagrin. I keep telling her I’m looking for the diamond in the rough, and have to remind her in the past I’ve been able to buy a new in the box HK-SP89, and found a Microtech OSS Carbon in a case of $15 Chinese knives.

Today, I hit paydirt again! I found a Spartan Harsey Difensa sitting in a cabinet with some super cheapo tacti-cool blades.

It shows a little use, but a good cleaning and 20 minutes sharpening and she’s in good shape.

054-AF414-B1-D6-42-BF-A65-A-3-EC959-D8-CB2-A hosted at ImgBB

Image 054-AF414-B1-D6-42-BF-A65-A-3-EC959-D8-CB2-A hosted in ImgBB

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A couple of questions for those in the know:

1) the handle material is chocolate brown but ads say the knife was only available with black or od handles?

2) the blade shape is very similar to the CRK Pacific, do you guys think the leather sheath from that knife might work? I might contact Gfeller and ask them to make a sheath for this one similar to the pacific.

 

[killgar]

That particular model of Spartan Blades is known to be counterfeited. I believe that one way to tell a fake "Difensa" is the handle scales. The fake has hollow, plastic scales (pic below). The real deal has solid micarta scales.

That might explain the brown handles.

 

[High-Gear]

That particular model of Spartan Blades is known to be counterfeited. I believe that one way to tell a fake "Difensa" is the handle scales. The fake has hollow, plastic scales (pic below). The real deal has solid micarta scales.

That might explain the brown handles.

Not hollow.

The quality, fit and finish doesn’t seem like a cheap fake. My knife also doesn't have jimping at the back like the fake in your photo. Do you now of any other tells?

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Image 467662-FC-8-CCB-492-F-A315-00-F4-A10672-BA hosted in ImgBB

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[rje58]

The quality, fit and finish doesn’t seem like a cheap fake. What are the other tells?

There is information about the Spartan Defensa counterfeits on the Spartan FB page. You could post your photos there and let Spartan themselves verify for you, I'm guessing?

 

[High-Gear]

Ok, Thanks. I'll have to check out their fb page. I checked the weight and it is correct for the specs. I've noticed that is usually a good indicator of cheap knock off items, they tend to be way too light. (watches and knives).

There is information about the Spartan Defensa counterfeits on the Spartan FB page. You could post your photos there and let Spartan themselves verify for you, I'm guessing?

 

[Gravy]

Hopefully it's real, that's a really good find. That one has such nice lines.

 

[Ajack60]

Scratch the inside of the handle to see if it was dyed that brown color.

 

[AdamFuzzyballs]

I stopped by an antique store today and saw what at first glance was the same model Spartan. Upon closer inspection, it’s a Chinese clone branded under an “ozark mountain” knife or something like that. I’m always weary of pawn shops and antique stores and such- not that it matters- they always seem to want solid gold for everything around here!

 

[High-Gear]

Hopefully it's real, that's a really good find. That one has such nice lines.

I hope so as well, thanks. I found the post where the photo above came from, that was for a Model II thus the jimping on the back. I've handled enough quality knifes in my day that I don't think this one is a fake. I've found a few more hunters and Difensa's with brownish (OD) scales in various photos. It's just odd their color control isn't consistant.

 

[Zulus]

If good remember never bought a knife at any pawn yet
But
several good ones and good priced at thrifts or such entities here and there
Warning
usually bought something completely different than planned :^D

 

[POCEH KOCEB]

I found my MOD auto and my Benchmade Snody in a pawn shop, dirt cheap...
But l agree, 90% of the time they sell just junk.

 

[justjed]

I have a good pawn shop for knives, they know what they're looking at, and they don't buy or sell crap knives. Prices reflect this, but they're willing to haggle some....

 

[000Robert]

For years I check in at the local pawn shops from time to time always to my wife’s chagrin. I keep telling her I’m looking for the diamond in the rough, and have to remind her in the past I’ve been able to buy a new in the box HK-SP89, and found a Microtrch OSS Carbon in a case of $15 Chinese knives.

Today, I hit paydirt again! I found a Spartan Harsey Difensa sitting in a cabinet with some super cheapo tacti-cool blades.

It shows a little use, but a good cleaning and 20 minutes sharpening and she’s in good shape.

054-AF414-B1-D6-42-BF-A65-A-3-EC959-D8-CB2-A hosted at ImgBB

Image 054-AF414-B1-D6-42-BF-A65-A-3-EC959-D8-CB2-A hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

B8-AA47-D9-E74-C-41-EE-B39-F-74588098649-C hosted at ImgBB

Image B8-AA47-D9-E74-C-41-EE-B39-F-74588098649-C hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

A couple of questions for those in the know:

1) the handle material is chocolate brown but ads say the knife was only available with black or od handles?

2) the blade shape is very similar to the CRK Pacific, do you guys think the leather sheath from that knife might work? I might contact Gfeller and ask them to make a sheath for this one similar to the pacific.

I love pawn shops also! You never know what you may find. Nice score.