Cold Steel Spartan Grivory Handle

by Cold Steel

Product Features

• Folding knife with hollow-ground Japanese AUS 8A stainless blade
• Edge is positioned at angle to the cut to produce deep sheering effect
• Injection-molded Grivory handle is heavily contoured for comfort
• Dual thumb plate for 1-handed opening or snag-on-pocket opening
• Tri-Ad locking mechanism; blade measures 4-1/2 inches; weighs 7.5 ounces

Product Description

Amazon.com

The Spartans were a tough breed, trained from childhood in the art of war and inured to most privations, both mental and physical. Designed by Andrew Demko, the Cold Steel Spartan pays tribute to the Spartans' vivid history while accommodating the demands of a tamer, more sophisticated world. The knife starts with a 4-1/2-inch blade that evokes the classic Kopis of the ancients, with its characteristic re-curved edge, big belly, and sharp, acute point. The blade is hollow ground from Japanese AUS 8A stainless steel and has some similarities with a Kukri, including an edge that's always positioned at an angle to the cut to produce a deep sheering effect. However, because the point is narrower and more acute than most Kukri blades, the knife stabs almost as well as it cuts.

The Spartan also echoes the ancient Kopis in its handle, which is designed to help the hand resist the pull of centrifugal force. As a result, the handle retards forward momentum when stabbing and backward movement when hammering or smashing with its pommel. The injection-molded Grivory handle is also heavily contoured for comfort, and features irregular fluting and a heavily textured surface finish. This creates an exceptionally effective grip.

To ensure quick-draw opening, the Spartan features a dual thumb plate. You can use the plate to open the knife like a conventional one-handed opener, or snag it on the edge of a pocket during the draw stroke and open it automatically (the Spartan includes dual pocket clips to ensure ambidextrous carrying). Finally, the Spartan incorporates Cold Steel's Tri-Ad locking mechanism, which has proven under torture testing to be almost impervious to stress, strain, and shock. The mechanism is almost impossible to overcome, keeping you safe from accidental opening.

Specifications

• Blade thickness: 4mm
• Blade length: 4-1/2 inches
• Steel: Japanese AUS 8A stainless
• Handle material: Grivory with steel liners
• Handle length: 6 inches
• Pocket/belt clip: Ambidextrous stainless Battle Gear
• Overall length: 10-1/2 inches
• Weight: 7.5 ounces

Product Description

The Spartan™ has dual pocket clips to assure ambidextrous carry and for quick draw opening, it features a thumb plate that can be used to open the knife like a conventional "one handed opener" or be snagged on the edge of a pocket during the draw stroke and opened automatically. Additionally, the Spartan™ incorporates our Tri-Ad locking mechanism, which has proven, under torture testing to be almost impervious to stress, strain and shock. It’s almost impossible to overcome and offers a huge margin of safety not found in our competitor’s folders.

Product Details

• Item Weight: 0.5 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B001VIYJUM
• Item model number: 21S
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (106 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,350 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #43 in Sports & Outdoors > Hunting & Fishing > Hunting > Hunting & Tactical Knives > Hunting Knives
  • #99 in Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Camping & Hiking > Knives & Tools

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most Complaints about this Knife are due to Personal Preference, March 10, 2011

By 

Glock36 "Glock36" (Grand Cayman) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cold Steel Spartan Grivory Handle (Sports)

I searched the internet, read reviews, viewed YouTube Reviews and "How To" modification. I read good things and bad things. And I bought this knife anyway. Most popular complaint: It's too big and heavy. This is pure subjective opinion. The size of the knife is claar. "I never expected it to be this big" will not cut it. My opinion: for it's purpose, it's quite small. Too heavy? easy to find out the weight before purchase. One guy actually dissasembled his knife and milled the inner side plates to save weight. I bet he saved about 0.16 oz. Another Complaint: "I don't like the handle, it encloses my hand too tightly. Again, personal preference. I feel that mine is a bit too big but the size of spacing allows me to present the knife in all practical fighting holds wihtout problems. You won't drop this knife. Another Complaint: It's not practical for everyday use. Well...no it's not. It's only purpose is to fight with. it gives you the best chance to execute a perfect knife attack. A. your opponent pulls a knife on you. B. you pull this knife on him. C. he realized that he has bitten off more than he can chew as he looks fearfully at this "mean-spirited" weapon. D. He drops his knife and runs. You have just executed the perfect knife attack. Nobody got hurt and the situation is diffused. This knife is not intended for cutting open the shipping carton of your latest Amazon.com delivery. Another Complaint: The blade does not open easily and cannot be opened with one hand. Well...this is NOT an assisted opening knife and it never claims to be. The blade is a bit hard to open at first but if you leave the knife half open each night for a couple of weeks and use a proper torx bit to slightly adust it so that it opens a bit more easily without being loose, you can fix that. Another complaintL The lockng mechanism is too hard to unlock. This is true, Unlocking this thing can cause actualy injury to your thumb. The fix: using a #6 torx wrench, dissasemble the knife carefully. Carefully round off the end of the presure spring using a fine file and working up to 2000 grit sandpaper and then Mother's Mag polish to give it a totally smooth finish. Then polish the lock release bar everywhere that it touches anything using whatever grade of wet and dry sand paper and polish that will produce a mirror finish. Make sure to round off the sharp 90 degree angles on the locking lever and the knife blade itself so that these two parts mate smoothly. Then polish every place on the blade that touches anything. After a couple of weeks of leaving it half open at night, it will unlock easily, yet the lock strength will not be compromised at all. As for opening, it has a catch on the top of the blade for that. I was able to draw it out of my pocket from a pair of Levi's Dockers dress slacks perfectly the first time, before tuning it, and it did not damage my pants at all.

If you want a good knife for self defense and your state allows the 4.5 inch blade, this knife is totally legal to carry. There will be no questions or confusion about the difference between an assisted opener and a switchblade because it is neither of those.

Some people say it rusts. I spray mine with heavy duty spray silicon every night. Some people say it's not sharp enough. Find a tungsten carbide knife sharpener for about 6 bucks and draw it across the edge of this knife about 8 times carefully and it will cut almost as well as a new single edge razor blade.

Look at this knife before you buy it. I love mine and will probably buy another one for my other pocket. This knife may not be for you, but you should know that just by looking at it.

FIVE STARS...Would recommend to anyone wanting a folding carry knife for self defense.

SOME TIME LATER...after daily carry. Well...I'm waiting...wait...wait...wait...I'm still waiting for that rust. Still waiting...I spray my blade once per week with heavy duty crc silicone and...it still looks perfect.

One drawback though: I just had to put 8 stitches in my finger. I used a tungsten carbide sharpener on this thing the day I got it. Just about 10 strokes and it was, and still is, as sharp as a new single edge razor blade. I can open it and use it without problems but I seem prone to allow it to cut the dog out of me when I close it. So be careful when you close this thing and always keep a needle and thread with you. It will cut to the bone in an instant. The steel in this thing is top notch.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent knife., January 24, 2010

By 

zig - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This is my first cold steel knife and I can safely say I'm very pleased.
I really wouldn't consider this knife an every day carry knife, but you can decide that if you get it. It's just too big to carry around. The weight doesn't bother me, but it's size in my pocket does. But, I didn't buy this knife to be an every day carry, so that isn't really a con for me.
When you first get the knife it will need to be broken in quite a bit. It has loosened up quite a bit from when I received it, but when you try to close this thing for the first few times it will be pretty difficult.
The grip is amazing as mentioned by other reviewers. It definitely doesn't feel like that knife is going to leave my hand at all if i were to start wailing on something.
It comes with two pocket clips (one already on it for right pocket, and one you can put on it for the left pocket). I've read a lot about cold steel pocket clips and they are known for not being very friendly to the fabric of your pants, so be warned if you intend to us this as an EDC. I put it in my pocket to test out the draw of the blade while its in your pocket, and it seems to work great, though I'm not exactly a master yet. But, I can definitely see this knife tearing up your pockets if you use it like this a lot.
The knife can be opened with one hand, though it is kind of difficult. There isn't many situations I can see that being a con though. I usually will be able to use both hands while opening this knife. Maybe if I worked in a warehouse and this was my EDC it could be a problem, but who in their right mind would carry this mean looking blade on them as an EDC...
All of the screws on this knife are a type of Torx, and the blade can be tightened or loosened, but I don't feel the need to right out of the box. The blade has zero play in it, which is how I like it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great knife, August 25, 2010

By 

Laura Meso - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cold Steel Spartan Grivory Handle (Sports)

the spartan is an amazing knife, everything i expect from cold steel. yes, the steel chosen, AUS8-A is very seseptible to rust, but it can perform and hold an edge better than alot of other choices. if you want simalar quality without the low rust resistance, buy the knives made with more expensive steel. the VG-10 and H1 steels used by spyderco are amazing, in all ways. but they are also way more expensive compared. this knife is AMAZING, just treat it with care; dont take it any were way to humid, dont keep it in a pocket close to your body if you are going to sweat (i personaly keep it in cargo or coat pockets away from my body when i carry it), dont get it ANYWERE near water unless u wipe it right away, i would oil it from time to time as insurance, and just keep it dry. if you do, it will out perform all your expectations.