Spartan Blades quality?

[EggsAndBacon]

Hey All

First time posting on a forum but wanted to get everyone's thoughts. Recently purchased a Spartan Blades Horkos and after getting it was surprised to see grind marks on both sides of it.

https://imgur.com/9B1TwOw

After returning and talking to them, sounds like all of their current inventory is like this, they acknowledged the issue and they would fix it for future production batches. Am I a few years too late to get a decent blade from them? Completely stunned a consumer like myself could spot this almost instantly after taking it out of the box.

Thinking there are better options out there, if people could share some different knife makers that have something similar that would be great.

Thanks

 

[Lodd]

I made a thread about Spartan blades earlier this year and got some feedback:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/spartan-blades-harsey-folder.1714905/

I never did end up buying one (yet), but I got some valuable advice.

 

[pyreaux]

They may be a bit lax on their fixed blades cosmetics, I've seen that one some I own. The folders I find have a bit better fit and finish. The grind lines and such aren't something I would be concerned about for function, but I understand wanting better for the prices. They're still a pretty small shop and hopefully are working to improve things like that. The harsey collabs seem to have good fit and finish, not sure if there's a reason they would be different quality there. Overall quality is there and warranty is there likely including buying something back if someone is significantly unhappy. Hopefully that doesn't change with the Pineland cutlery venture.

 

[fishface5]

I have talked with the Spartan guys a couple times at shows and they are all about function. They wanted to make good knives for their special forces buddies. But a huge chunk of the consumer base turns out to be folks who buy more to have than to use, and for them cosmetics become much more important. Thus the fancified versions of the Harsey folder for example. Hopefully they will up their game in the cosmetics area so they can grow their share of the collector/light user market, which is where most of the money really is. But I wouldn't worry about their quality as using knives based on the machining marks.

 

[vjb.knife]

I have three Spartans and I like them. They are a little pricey but still nice. I think the Harsey folder is every bit as nice as a Sebenza. I still prefer the Microtech Socom and the XM-24, but it is a nice knife.

 

[archieblue]

I’ve only examined theit fixed blades and while they are overall nice, the grinds are horrifically thick and obtuse very much like CRK’s fixed blades. Compared to many other knifemakers products I would consider them borderline unusable. I’m not one to shy away from a tool because of price but it’s the final nail in the coffin with Spartan’s knives. Mainly because the thick thick grinds leave behind a product meant and really only usable as a hard use tool. It would be exhausting to do any general bushcraft and not even great at standard issue camp tasks. I know they are harder to get but I’m on the Carothers & Survive Knives train. They both have better F&F, better materials (3V is mo bettah for a fixed blade vs. S35VN which is my fav. folder blade material) I would consider a production fiddleback but I prefer the two if/when I can find one. I’m pretty set for fixed blades, myself, but if I were in the market for one I would also be strongly considering an RMJ Unmei or maybe a Spyderco a waterway in addition to what I have.

 

[mendezj]

I will never buy a Spartan again. My impression is that they are a make-a-quick-buck operation of smoke and mirrors. A slab of steel quickly shaped into knife form, add a couple of useless slabs of poorly finished Micarta, throw in a cheap sheath, and charge way more than the final product is worth. The handle on my Horkos is so thin that makes the knife dangerous to use, and the shaping of the scales is notably rushed, an afterthought. Etc.

It seems that the “special operations” Rambo pitch has worn thin to the point of absurdity. It seems as if just about everyone is claiming his knives are dispersed around the world carried by super operators who slice throats and cut 55 gallon barrels on a daily basis. It’s ridiculous. I feel these guys are of the philosophy that a-sucker-is-born-every-minute. No, Spartan knives are not for me.