Spartan Blades Talos Review
There is an alternative universe in which collectors hunt eBay for Extended Definition Super Betamax copies of all nine seasons of Firefly. Nathan Fillon is better known for his sardonic, space cowboy Captain Malcolm Reynolds than the boring TV trope Castle. People still can’t believe that Mal and River Tam had a baby together, but he was so heartbroken when Reavers killed Inara at the end of Season 5 that it makes perfect sense. In this parallel universe, Mazda just announced the RX-10 with its rotary engine/electric hub motors. Finally, the chain restaurant Zagna, which sells pans of lasagna, but no pizza, was one of the few sit down eateries to make it through the COVID-18 virus.
Sometimes its not clear why public sentiment picks one thing over another. One becomes a classic and the other a footnote. And often for no good reason. Betamax (as well as Super Betamax and unfortunately named ED Betamax) was 100% better than VHS. But VHS caught on and Betamax didn’t. The rotary engine is in many ways superior to the standard ICE. And NO show was better than Firefly, which was cancelled part way through its first and only season, while dregs like Home Improvement or Family Matters lasted the better part of a decade. And while I love pizza, I feel like lasagna is not the inferior Italian dish when the two are compared.
This, of course, applies to the Talos because it should be one of the best selling knives around, but it is almost forgotten in the IKC. Its orders of magnitude better than the Delica. It has better steel, lower price, and better design than the Benchmade Bugout. It crushes the Kershaw Iridium. And it is heads and shoulders better than the CRKT M16. But no one talks about the Talos. No one buys the Talos, at least based on Amazon sales. And few reviewers ever hold it up as a paragon. I ignored it for so long because I hate finger scallops, but that’s a me thing and not a Talos thing. This should be a modern classic. Instead it is a sleeper. Maybe they will release a movie version a few years later.
Here is the product page. This is a review of the Talos 1, which still being sold. They come in two colors—black or green G10. There is also a Talos 2, but it is heavier with worse steel and costs more. It has a frame lock, but I don’t really see that as an advantage. Don’t bother with the Talos 2, the Talos 1 is where it is at. If you need a fancier version of the Talos 1, try the Harsey 3.25. Here is a video review. Here are some written thoughts from Reddit. Here is the review sample:
TLDR: So good for so many reasons, except the finger scallops.
Design: 2
I am going to address the finger scallops below, so as not to penalize the knife twice for a single design issue. If you set aside that design flaw (and yes, Bill Harsey knows infinitely more about knife design than me and most people, but they still stink; think of this as the opposite of a stopped clock is right twice a day phenomenon), the rest of the Talos is a design tour de force. With a big blade, comparatively tiny handle, and basic but highly functional features, the knife is the epitome of solid. It won’t get likes on IG, but it will get you out of a pinch and, in the end, that is the true test of a knife.
Fit and Finish: 2
This is a very low degree of difficulty design, but what is here is executed nicely. The blade is especially good with the jumping being grippy but not offensive and the stone washing being even. The handle is well-made too. Again, it is a 1 out of 10 in terms of a degree of difficulty, but simplicity is often the right choice.
Grip: 0
Don’t tell me what to do. Seriously. I don’t want someone to tell me what to think, how to live, who to love, what work to do, what to believe, nothing. I will figure it out myself. If I ask for advice, feel free, but beyond that, keep your opinions to yourself. Don’t do this to me or to anyone else, so long as what one person does doesn’t impact others. This basically my motto in life, the most cogent statement of my political and philosophical beliefs, and the root of my displeasure with finger scallops.
This goes back to my favorite design book—Design of Everyday Things. Tools specifically and handles in general work better when people can use them in different ways. Finger scallops force you to use a handle in a specific way. If your hand is bigger or smaller they stink. If you want to grip the knife in a different way, they stink. If you are wearing gloves, they stink. Over and over again there are problems with finger scallops. The solution is pretty easy—get rid of them. This knife without the finger scallops would be in serious consideration for best EDC knife. Its so simple and does pretty much everything else so well that the finger scallops not only hold it back, they become more conspicuous compared to the rest of the really simple, solid design. Even Harsey makes mistakes and this is one of them.
Carry: 2
Given the knife’s dimension, weight, and over the top pocket clip, it carries like a dream. This is a super great knife in the pocket even on hot days with thin shorts. It is never a pocket pendulum and never far away.
Steel: 2
CTS-XHP is not the latest and greatest steel, but it is still well above par. I like it quite a bit. The really shocking thing here is that you find this steel on such a cheap knife. I think this might be the cheapest knife out there with XHP steel. And, as a knife guy, I really appreciate the fact that in a cheaper knife, you save all your design pennies for the steel. Good choice Spartan.
Blade Shape: 2
Harsey taketh away with the finger scallops, but gives it right back with the blade shape. This is a classic drop point blade with a nice belly and a good long straight section. It has that visually pleasing element to it too. I love the blade shape here, it just fits the knife and the intended use so well.
Grind: 2
Hmmm…why is this blade stock so fat? It is a full flat grind, which is good, but I was worried about the blade stock from the minute the knife drops out of the box. But, thankfully, it was not an issue, like, ever. The knife goes and goes and cuts well without concern. Unlike with the finger scallops, which are both theoretically bad and bad in practice, the blade stock is not an issue in practice.
Deployment Method: 2
The deployment here is good—fat thumb studs and phosphor bronze washers make for a nice poppy blade without the extra, fidgety stuff like flippers and bearing pivots. Its like the formula of good detent and snappy thumb studs always works.
Retention Method: 2
The clip here, like the knife overall, is simple, effective, and quite nice. The clip is the knife writ small.
Lock: 2
It’s hard to bitch about a liner lock that works this well, even if it could be some other, newer, more expensive to implement lock. Sure I like frame locks and sliding bar locks and top liner locks, but are they really THAT much better? If you aren’t ambi-concerned, the answer is no.
Other Considerations
Fidget Factor: Low
The knife opens nicely, but it is not the fidget toy that some of the best flippers are. If that is what you are looking for, Bill Harsey’s mustache thinks you are a manbun wearing wimp.
Fett Effect: Low
Nothing is going to show wear. Probably ever.
Value: Very High
You will not find a more no-nonsense knife than this one. It’s just solid.
Overall Score: 18 of 20
For me, the Talos is the equal of the Delica, but way, way less famous. It’s better than the Leek. It’s better than the Bugout or Mini Bugout. But if you asked the average knife guy to name the best blade under $100, you’d wait a while until they said the Talos. But it is really, really good. If you don’t need gilded Lillies, and instead want something that works, the Talos is your jam. Just get rid of the finger scallops please. One last thing—this knife feels awfully similar to a Cold Steel Recon—the texturing and the blade finish just have a familiar sense to them. Maybe they are OEM buddies.
Competition
The Talos fights well in the market place, especially if you ignore the stupid Talos II. It’s got better steel than many similar knives that cost more and it has a better design than a lot of the cheaper, Chinese made knives. Like I mentioned before, it’s kind of nuts that this knife isn’t more famous. Its better than the following (ignore the scores—they are snapshots in time—this list is accurate circa 2025):
Civivi Yonder
All of these are bangers, hot sellers, and perennial ever green products. Yet the Talos is not even part of the discussion. Why? Trends not design are driving the knife market right now. That’s fine. I will be over here, waiting until people realize trends are a dead end, while good design is the road to paradise. In the clothing world we have the same thing—style is eternal, fashion is ever-changing.
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