Spartan Blades: Bill Harsey Designed Hunter & Difensa, and the Phrike (VERY Pic Hvy)

[fielder]

Oh yeah, the Difensa is tough as hell. I didn't baby it at all, I beat the crap out of it. I just ended up preferring the shorter blade of the Hunter in the field after all. Maybe I'm just getting old

Is the Hunter as tough with its hollow grind?

 

[BarnZ]

Harsey Difensa or Model II? If only one which one, and why?

Thanks to my fellow knife knuts for your 2¢.

 

[Mistwalker]

Is the Hunter as tough with its hollow grind?

The Hunter is very tough. The hollow grind Mr. Harsey does is not the fragile sort of hollow grind. Plus there is actually a little more steel left in the tip of the Hunter than the Difensa. The cryo-quench they do on the S35VN makes it a really tough and durable knife.

Harsey Difensa or Model II? If only one which one, and why?

Thanks to my fellow knife knuts for your 2¢.

I sometimes wish I had gotten the Model II instead, and just may. The more I look at it, the more I like the attitude of that blade geometry

 

[razorburn]

I am thinking of getting the Harsey Model II but then again we are talking 425 bucks.

 

[Mistwalker]

I am thinking of getting the Harsey Model II but then again we are talking 425 bucks.

Yeah, the downside of any collaborative work with such a known name in the industry is the higher price. That said, it was the last three years of using my Hunter that made me completely cool with the idea of getting an even more expensive Harsey original model that's even smaller, from the man himself And man, is that a long queue...

 

[lazy otter]

I've been wanting a few Spartans for awhile especially the Breed fighter. It's cool to see a good review on Spartan since there doesn't seem to be many reviews out there. I believe on their folder they worked with Chris Reeves on it or took some imput from him if I remember right. I could spend a good amount on knives from them and even more now thanks to this review.

 

[Mistwalker]

No there aren't many, most that do reviews don't want to spend the money, and the majority of their customers don't have time to do reviews... Especially here where a photo hosting site and uploading, then copy/pasting image codes are required. It gets complicated doing that from the field. I have talked to a lot of people in different branches of the service who have discussed this with me, so I started a Spartan Blades Users Group on face book to give them an easier way to share the pics they can share from where they are in the world. We get some pretty cool shots posted now and then because it's a lot easier for the guys to upload from a phone or laptop without having to spend an hour to upload a couple of photos. I'll see if the guys mind me sharing some of them here in this thread.

Honestly, I got to do the tests and eval on the Harsey Hunter for a magazine I wrote for, and they let me keep it afterward. I was so impressed I just kept using it and testing it over a period of years. I have since bought a few others, and love their knives.

 

[RevDevil]

I really like the Phrike, looks like it can give the CRK Pro Soldier a run for its money. I might just go and buy it one of these days, I am in the pocketable fixed blade phase as of late. The Enyo looks like a nice little cutter too. Thank you for your time and energy writing this up and sharing, Mistwalker.

 

[Mistwalker]

I have handled both and though I do like the Pro Soldier a lot, I think I like the Phrike better. It has an inch bigger blade, and 1.25" bigger overall. The scales are a nice touch also while still keeping it thin. The Phrike is pocket-able, but not completely out of sight unless in a deep pocket. For my uses I end up tucking the Phrike in a pack and carrying the Nyx. But now in some places I may be packing the Nyx and wearing the Enyo since I have it set up how I wanted.

 

[bedgoo]

Awesome review! Answered all my questions about these knives that no one else could answer. Thanks MW!

 

[The cow]

They one that I've always wanted but their choice of steel always puzzled me since you don't hear s35vn in anything but folders and they're marketing it for full blown harduse fixed blades.

 

[fielder]

I have often wondered about that same thing.

 

[Mistwalker]

Awesome review! Answered all my questions about these knives that no one else could answer. Thanks MW!

Thanks man, glad I could help!

They one that I've always wanted but their choice of steel always puzzled me since you don't hear s35vn in anything but folders and they're marketing it for full blown harduse fixed blades.

I have often wondered about that same thing.

The Spartan Hunter was the first hard-use fixed blade in CPM S35VN that I tested, but I have tested others since then. I have tested three knives made by Newton Martin in this steel and loved all of them. One I am carrying on a regular basis on woods wanders now. Then two so far by Ed Martin and have had really good experiences with those as well, and have another coming soon, which is actually a Bushcrafting knife. I think I will soon need to gather up all of the images and see if I can start a serious discussion on this steel, and see what other people's experiences have been. From everything I have seen, done properly it is a great steel for working fixed blades that has great corrosion resistance, and as usual will all come down to the maker, the grind, the edge bevel, the heat treatment, and the quench...

 

[MatthewSB]

Thanks for the incredible pictures, and this thread!

I've had my Hunter for a few weeks now, and after having occasion to use it, while out in the woods and around the property, I am absolutely blown away at the design and execution. The knife slices wonderfully, in spite of the thick stock and thanks to the hollow grind, and somehow magically stays thick all the way to the tip inspiring a lot of confidence that it will not break unless absolutely abused (maybe not even then ) The knife is perfectly balanced and fast in the hand, the handle is comfortable and the ample handguard keeps my hand away from the cutting edge. This is, by far, the best 'do everything' fixed blade I've ever had the pleasure of using. The First Spear sheath is as well thought out and built as the knife. I'm so glad they didn't put a pouch on the outside of the sheath, I dislike any extra bulk on a knife sheath.

From everything I have seen, done properly it is a great steel for working fixed blades that has great corrosion resistance, and as usual will all come down to the maker, the grind, the edge bevel, the heat treatment, and the quench...

I couldn't agree more. Those who flippantly denigrate a steel type (S35VN) or a grind (hollow) or any other single attribute without taking the rest of the spec's into consideration lack understanding as to what actually matters in a knife. Spartan apparently knows how to bring everything together (steel, grind, blade shape, HT, etc.) to make brilliant knives.

 

[Mistwalker]

Thanks for the incredible pictures, and this thread!

I've had my Hunter for a few weeks now, and after having occasion to use it, while out in the woods and around the property, I am absolutely blown away at the design and execution. The knife slices wonderfully, in spite of the thick stock and thanks to the hollow grind, and somehow magically stays thick all the way to the tip inspiring a lot of confidence that it will not break unless absolutely abused (maybe not even then ) The knife is perfectly balanced and fast in the hand, the handle is comfortable and the ample handguard keeps my hand away from the cutting edge. This is, by far, the best 'do everything' fixed blade I've ever had the pleasure of using. The First Spear sheath is as well thought out and built as the knife. I'm so glad they didn't put a pouch on the outside of the sheath, I dislike any extra bulk on a knife sheath.



I couldn't agree more. Those who flippantly denigrate a steel type (S35VN) or a grind (hollow) or any other single attribute without taking the rest of the spec's into consideration lack understanding as to what actually matters in a knife. Spartan apparently knows how to bring everything together (steel, grind, blade shape, HT, etc.) to make brilliant knives.

Thanks Matthew, I'm glad you liked the post. I think the hype used in all industries, and the knife industry is certainly no exception, makes it difficult for a lot of people to navigate the information highway without picking up erroneous or incomplete information along the way. The knife industry is such a huge market that many people want a piece of the action. Some because it is their passion and they want to contribute, others because there is money flowing through it and they want to snag some. A lot of bold statements are made out there because half the battle of getting someone to hand over their hard earned money is catching their attention. I'm all for making those bold claims if you can back it up. You do what you must to market your product. Yet a lot of people will often state partial facts or denigrate design features on other knives in an effort to sell their own knives, and inexperienced people walk away from the deal ill-informed. It pays to research a little before making large purchases. One case in point occurred at Blade 2014. I was standing at a table, looking at knives that were made completely through CNC, profiles, grinds, finish, handle scales. As far as I could tell everything about them was made with automated machinery with the possible exceptions of attaching the handle scales, and the final edge grind. The materials were O-1 tool steel and G10, though I am not knocking O-1 or G10 in the least. The marketing strategy was based on the knives being the chosen knife of some SEAL team. There was a big banner with some guys in uniform holding the knife in front of a HUM-VEE out in desert terrain. The knives ranged in price from $450 to upwards of $600 if I recall, didn't really pay a lot of attention to the larger ones. I remember standing there, handling the knives and looking up at the banner, thinking to myself that spending that kind of money on a CNC knife made of those materials, would be an insult to any and all of at least two dozen craftsmen in that room that I personally knew, with that list including names like Bill Harsey. All I could do was walk away shaking my head. Yet I'm sure others would have a completely different opinion.

I think the Spartan / Harsey Hunter is an excellent example of the knife it is marketed to be. A knife that is tough enough to handle the tasks of field use in a combat role, and environmentally hardy enough to deal with a salt water environment very well, and yet functional enough as a cutting tool to serve well as a hunting knife on leave, after retirement, or even in an indigenous primitive living situation during an advisory role. I think Mr. Harsey did masterful job of combining design features to give this knife all of those capabilities in one tool, and the hollow grind he did on it is perfect for its intended uses. The handle ergonomics are both sublime and secure, and I find the overall profile aesthetically pleasing. It made the group of knives I intend to never part with a year into using it, and it is still there five years later, going on six.

 

[fielder]

You have done an excellent review thank you.

 

[Mistwalker]

You have done an excellent review thank you.

Thanks man, glad you liked the post.

 

[rustyrazor]

They one that I've always wanted but their choice of steel always puzzled me since you don't hear s35vn in anything but folders and they're marketing it for full blown harduse fixed blades.

trust me, you can put your worries to rest. I've beat mine pretty hard and have friends that have as well and none of us have any reservations about trusting CPM S35VN whatsoever. it's a great mix of toughness and edge holding.

 

[lazy otter]

I recently got the Breed fighter and out of all (which is alot) the daggers or dagger like knives I've handled it is well above and beyond what I've experianced!

 

[fielder]

Me too man, and totally digging the Akribis. It's pricey, but man is it awesome

I have just got an Akribis in meteorite grey with g10 scales. I love it! The blade is perfectly centered and lock up is rock solid. The fit and finish is spot on. And it is so smooth. It has kicked everything else out of my pocket including a Sebenza, it really is that good.
Now if someone wants to donate me a Harsey Hunter or Difensa I would be very thankful!!!