Spartan blades- worth the cost?

I don't know what people could consider "survival" use of a knife that would break a Spartan Difensa. I'm sure that if you pounded it into an oak knot and then started hammering on the side there is a good chance you could break it. I'm honestly not sure why people have gotten so excited about batoning in general lately, it is appropriate for kindling, but a hatchet is a better tool for most of the abusive things that people want to do to knives.

With my Difensa I have batoned (though just for reviews, I think it is a silly practice. I have also batoned with cheap Moras and they didn't explode as long as I was atoning appropriately sized wood), I have chopped branches off of trees, I have dug in rocky dirt (because after all, it is a beast), I have cut metal conduit, cut ropes, cooked meals, all sorts of stuff. It has shaken off all of that.

As long as you aren't being absurd with your knife use I don't see how you are going to bust the S35VN. I'm sure you can find reviews out there that show people busting these kinds of knives, but I just don't get it.
 
I've had a couple Spartan blades as well as some Busse knives. They were all fantastic.

I think of the Busse's more like choppers and Spartans more like fighters. Both are US made owned by decent people. Pick the style of knife that you like the best, and as long as you maintain your tools either steel should serve you well. Also, Spartan's kydex is fantastic, if that is your thing.
Best of luck!
 
Well that makes me feel confident. Because i didnt find many reviews about spartan blades nor their specific heat treated steel.

Of the reviews i found most said that the blade was suited for only combat, anything much else would risk breaking them...
But you guys make me think otherwise^
Plus a $600+ (Aus) knife - easily breakable? Doesnt seem right.

Ps that Nate the machanist guy's knife video was impressive.
Any idea if he sells or has an online shop?
 
XtianAus said:
Well that makes me feel confident. Because i didnt find many reviews about spartan blades nor their specific heat treated steel.

Of the reviews i found most said that the blade was suited for only combat, anything much else would risk breaking them...
But you guys make me think otherwise^
Plus a $600+ (Aus) knife - easily breakable? Doesnt seem right.

Ps that Nate the machanist guy's knife video was impressive.
Any idea if he sells or has an online shop?
Click to expand...
He sells on Blade forums, but his knives frequently get snapped up within a minute of being posted, so you have to keep an eye out. He announces before he posts the sales thread
 
You should check out this latest video in the Light Chopper thread. In addition to running through the tests from earlier he also bends it severely with a cheater bar trying to get it to break.
[video]https://youtu.be/yC2PLk_04vE[/video]
Nathan The Machinist is using CPM 3V on these knives, which is definitely stronger than S35VN, though S35VN is more corrosion resistant. But 3V is pretty good at corrosion resistance for a non-stainless. It is like semi-stainless. This just to say, Spartan knives are strong, but I wouldn't do this stuff to them.

The thread on designing that chopper is here http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1331680-Carothers-Loriendesign-Chopper-WiP

But yeah, even though Nathan Carothers' knives can be a little hard to get your hands on because they sell so fast, they do sell for less than you might expect. Might be worth holding out for one. I drool over his knives a lot, but I am pretty set for big beefy knives. My Spartan really has me satisfied there.
 
abbydaddy said:
You should check out this latest video in the Light Chopper thread. In addition to running through the tests from earlier he also bends it severely with a cheater bar trying to get it to break.
[video]https://youtu.be/yC2PLk_04vE[/video]
Nathan The Machinist is using CPM 3V on these knives, which is definitely stronger than S35VN, though S35VN is more corrosion resistant. But 3V is pretty good at corrosion resistance for a non-stainless. It is like semi-stainless. This just to say, Spartan knives are strong, but I wouldn't do this stuff to them.

The thread on designing that chopper is here http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1331680-Carothers-Loriendesign-Chopper-WiP

But yeah, even though Nathan Carothers' knives can be a little hard to get your hands on because they sell so fast, they do sell for less than you might expect. Might be worth holding out for one. I drool over his knives a lot, but I am pretty set for big beefy knives. My Spartan really has me satisfied there.
Click to expand...


They are very impressive indeed
How would a spartan hold up against splitting concrete?

Also would you mind linking me the forum where he sells his products? Thanks
 
XtianAus said:
They are very impressive indeed
How would a spartan hold up against splitting concrete?

Also would you mind linking me the forum where he sells his products? Thanks
Click to expand...

I have no idea how they would hold up. I would not hammer mine through a concrete block. It would survive I'm sure, but the edge would not hold as well. Spartan runs their steel a little softer. I would expect the edge to be pretty smooshed.

He sells them on the exchange here on this forum. You'll have to look it up.
 
Nathan the Machinist's stuff is amazing. I have a kitchen knife made by him. Good luck getting one of his knives :)
 
If you are looking for a Busse (Infi) that is very nimble yet tough, check out the Axe Hammer. They are sold as a tribute knife on a tactical website. Not sure if I can name venders on here or not. It is ready for purchase now and for a small price, a sheath is also offered. At .170 thick, the Axe Hammer is great performer and definitely a looker. The knife was offered in both satin and a coated blade. With sheath, it's the same price as a Defensia.
 
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DJC72 said:
If you are looking for a Busse (Infi) that is very nimble yet tough, check out the Axe Hammer. They are sold as a tribute knife on a tactical website. Not sure if I can name venders on here or not. It is ready for purchase now and for a small price, a sheath is also offered. At .170 thick, the Axe Hammer is great performer and definitely a looker. The knife was offered in both satin and a coated blade. With sheath, it's the same price as a Defensia.
Click to expand...

That blade looks awesome and the story behind it makes it even better. I remember a while back when Busee/the family took out multi-page ads in various knife magazines. Truly a cool thing.
 
Here are some pics of my Spartans and some Busse.

All of them together:

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The Spartans:

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Busse:

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With some Esee for size comparison:

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Sheaths. Notice the absence of Busse:

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Thoughts:

Spartan seems like more tactical or Utility blades. The Busse I have seem like more Woods blades. Both can flex into the other roll however. And there are infinite Busse and kin out there to satisfy any roll you are thinking of.

The Spartans are not meant to be hammered into concrete. Really, no knife is. If there is one knife I would be most confident in when trying to smash concrete with it would be busse. As an example, the tips on the RMD, TGLB, and Difensa:

WsThmugh.jpg


I know if you are trying to break one which one will break first: the Difensa. Then again, you shouldn't need to try to break them.

The Difensa handle is one of the only that feels better than the RMD for me. It is simply fantastic. As an all around utility or field blade I think it will be about perfect. I feel the RMD will handle more woods work and do it better. I just got these Spartans over the winter so other than EDCing the Enyo and NYX I haven't put much use to them. These sheaths I got with the Spartans are great (kydex). I had to add sheaths to the Busse which adds at least $40 to each.

Are they worth it? I think so. But I did only pay new price for the Difensa. The Enyo, NYX, and Horkos I got about 1/3 off new when buying on the secondary market. It would be hard to find a NIB Busse for that much off.
 
I have built a shelter, baton wood for several fires, and made a bow drill with my nyx. The only problem I had was the handle isn't the most comfortable for extended use. Otherwise the steel has held up to everything I've thrown at it. If your abusing it more than this you need to get something cheap. Concrete and steel isn't reality for survival.
 
I'd go with Busse for the INFI steel.

Something many dont mention about Busse knives is how great their designs are performance and comfort-wise. You dont pay just for the steel, they're VERY well thought.

HOWEVER:

I love Bill Harsey and he makes some of the coolest knives in the market, be it Gerbers, Chris Reeves or in this case Spartans.

Spartans will be more brittle and stainless. S101 Scrapyards / Swamp Rats will be tougher but rust-prone. If you want a hard use knife, get the Busse kin, if you want more refinement (like for food and for precise stabbing) get the Spartan. Both look awesome.

A Spartan (or any S35Vn knife) will probably break if you thump on it enough, but the most noticeable difference is that the tip will probably chip if you drill holes agressively or pry open stuff with it. That won't happen with SR101, much less with INFI.

A Spartan would probably be a better weapon also.

In summary: If you dont want INFI I'd go Spartan, purely for the cool factor.
 
I've baton through thick knotted oak with my Spartan nyx and worked it pretty hard and the edge showed no signs of damage. It is s30v, but I have a Chris reeve Nyala in s35vn and love it. It is my edc, and it holds a great edge and is easy to keep.
 
saylorbrand said:
I've baton through thick knotted oak with my Spartan nyx and worked it pretty hard and the edge showed no signs of damage. It is s30v, but I have a Chris reeve Nyala in s35vn and love it. It is my edc, and it holds a great edge and is easy to keep.
Click to expand...

I love CRKs too and the Professional Soldier is my go-to hiking knife, I just wouldnt be as careless with it or with either the Green Beret or the Pacific as I am with my Boss Jack.

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The edge on them performs poorly under stress, that is, whacking and chopping wood, and there's no way I'm prying open anything with the Pacific's delicate tip.

However as many people know CRK has some arguable "underhardening" issue on their fixed blades, something Spartan doesnt have.
 
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