Am I the only one who doesn’t love the SHF?

Am I the only one who doesn’t love the SHF?

  • Yes

    Votes: 24 26.7%

  • No

    Votes: 38 42.2%

  • Whatchu talkin’ bout Willis?

    Votes: 20 22.2%

  • I don’t understand the question

    Votes: 8 8.9%
  • Total voters
    90
I very much like the large SHF. It fits my hand very well. Carries nicely in the jeans pocket. So far has cut everything I’ve asked it to. Obviously subjective, but aesthetically I think it looks great. I like it more than I thought I would which is funny because I just bought a Spyderco Shaman that I thought I would love but do not. Looks are fine but the ergos don’t work for me. Very underwhelmed so far. Thankful for the variety of knives out there so we have the choices we do.
 
Can't speak for others, but the large SHF always feels like it was custom made to fit my hand and lock into place. Is it perfect? No, but as a work knife, multiple elements in the design and execution of the knife surpasses those elements on my Sebenzas. Are they super slicy ultra thin knives? Nope. But then, Mr. Harsey didn't design them to be, either. They are a large, fullsize knife with the same sort of thick blade situation that other knives like my XM18s (and other Hinderer knives) and my Les George VECPs have. Common elements in today's market, and for some they don't work.

But for me, they do. I currently have three and I love 'em all.
 
Quiet said:
Can't speak for others, but the large SHF always feels like it was custom made to fit my hand and lock into place. Is it perfect? No, but as a work knife, multiple elements in the design and execution of the knife surpasses those elements on my Sebenzas. Are they super slicy ultra thin knives? Nope. But then, Mr. Harsey didn't design them to be, either. They are a large, fullsize knife with the same sort of thick blade situation that other knives like my XM18s (and other Hinderer knives) and my Les George VECPs have. Common elements in today's market, and for some they don't work.

But for me, they do. I currently have three and I love 'em all.
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I feel the same way.
They fit my hand well and I dont get hot spots or fatigue when I grip it for hard cuts.
 
If knifeart is to be believed, there was a special edition plague doctor with a 4.25" blade. THAT is the one I want...and I missed it.
Makes getting the current 4" version feel like settling.
(I did ask Spartan if the information was correct, and if there was any hope of another run in that size - I got no response)

*edited to add - I'm inclined to doubt it was 4.25" because the listed OAL is the same as the 4" versions...but I want to believe. I do , I do, I do.
 
Ok at the risk of offending anyone...........

I love Spartan knives. I have every dagger they have made and sometimes more than one of each model.
I have met Curtis and Mark many times and they are two of the best blokes in the knife industry period. I have no doubt the SHF is beautifully made and will perform excellently but I just can't bring myself to like this folder.

Firstly and primarily I feel that the tumble finish on the blade, which blurs the grind lines and gives the knife a far too "manufactured" look, is just ugly. The coated blades are even worse to my eye.

A crisper hand finish of the grind lines would elevate the knife to the status it deserves and be more in line with its price point and decoration.

I also think that this particular Harsey design lacks some elegance. The handle seems to have too much going on and I think this detracts from the elegance of the knife.

This could be a worthy competitor to the Sebenza and could outclass it, but it needs a review to take to the next level.
 
I found the large one to be a bit too large but I really like the small version. I've been carrying an AB for the last few weeks but due to this thread I think it'll be one of my small SHF's tomorrow. Most likely the Warthog.

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Steven65 said:
Ok at the risk of offending anyone...........

I love Spartan knives. I have every dagger they have made and sometimes more than one of each model.
I have met Curtis and Mark many times and they are two of the best blokes in the knife industry period. I have no doubt the SHF is beautifully made and will perform excellently but I just can't bring myself to like this folder.

Firstly and primarily I feel that the tumble finish on the blade, which blurs the grind lines and gives the knife a far too "manufactured" look, is just ugly. The coated blades are even worse to my eye.

A crisper hand finish of the grind lines would elevate the knife to the status it deserves and be more in line with its price point and decoration.

I also think that this particular Harsey design lacks some elegance. The handle seems to have too much going on and I think this detracts from the elegance of the knife.

This could be a worthy competitor to the Sebenza and could outclass it, but it needs a review to take to the next level.
Click to expand...


To say for the 17th time, I love mine. However, I agree with you there. I feel like the SHf is a B+ given a "good enough" A- by many. I carry mine a lot, but there is just a couple of things keeping if from being legendary instead of just great. I can live with the Jimping.. jimping everywhere (que Buzz Lightyear meme), but I feel if they were just a bit dehorned on the edges around the handle, and the "it's not a bug, it's a feature" grinds at the bottom of the blade were dragged kicking and screaming into 2024, it would be just a few small things to turn this into THE heavy use pocket knife for those wanting an old school CRK that can handle being run over by TWO tanks instead of just one.

Once again, part unknown, push me out of a helicopter with a folder and I will probably pick the SHF. Let me be a whiney knife knut to pick nuts? Those are my few gripes on a fantastic design.
 
Steven65 said:
Ok at the risk of offending anyone...........

I love Spartan knives. I have every dagger they have made and sometimes more than one of each model.
I have met Curtis and Mark many times and they are two of the best blokes in the knife industry period. I have no doubt the SHF is beautifully made and will perform excellently but I just can't bring myself to like this folder.

Firstly and primarily I feel that the tumble finish on the blade, which blurs the grind lines and gives the knife a far too "manufactured" look, is just ugly. The coated blades are even worse to my eye.

A crisper hand finish of the grind lines would elevate the knife to the status it deserves and be more in line with its price point and decoration.

I also think that this particular Harsey design lacks some elegance. The handle seems to have too much going on and I think this detracts from the elegance of the knife.

This could be a worthy competitor to the Sebenza and could outclass it, but it needs a review to take to the next level.
Click to expand...
Thank you for sharing your evaluation and insights. I do agree with you.
 
Stringjam7 said:
I love the aesthetic, the feel-in-hand, the company - but I don't like the cutting performance. That's the one thing that hangs me up on these - they are some of the worst in my collection at that. I get that they like to do that thick blade stock, overbuilt thing, but I would love if they would offer a grind option on their blades that addressed that for those of us that want everything else the knife offers, and a blade that cuts well.
Click to expand...

Thick blade stock kills it before anything else for me. I don't buy anything 4mm/0.156” thick anymore because I've never had anything that thick that I actually liked the cutting performance of in a 4" or shorter folder.

I like the overall look of the design, all the graphics options, the LH pocket clip option, but I just don't think it will cut to my satisfaction.
 
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