Free Shipping
Made In USA
Spartan Blades Les George Raider
The Spartan Blades Les George Raider is a double-edged dagger built as a tribute to the USMC Raider Stiletto carried by Marine Raiders in World War II. It was designed by Les George, a former Marine and custom knifemaker whose own knives we also carry. It keeps the original's lines and fixes the original's weak point. It is part of the Spartan Blades Field Grade line made in Taiwan.
Fixing the Original Raider Stiletto
The WWII Raider Stiletto used a cast zinc alloy hilt that cracked and flaked with age. More than half of the surviving originals show hilt cracks or missing pieces, and many wear replacement handles. George's Raider keeps the profile but moves to a full tang with injection molded handle scales, so the grip holds up to real use instead of crumbling over time.
Spartan Les George Raider Specs
The Raider carries a 7 inch double-edged blade on 3/16 inch stock, with a diamond cross section and a needle tip. Both edges are sharpened all the way to the oval cross guard. It runs 12 inches overall and weighs about 7.1 ounces. The blade is SK5 carbon steel at 58 to 60 HRC under a black powder coat. Our knife steel guide compares SK5 with stainless options. As a carbon steel, it wants a light coat of oil.
Handle Balance and Sheath
George made the Raider hilt-heavy so it settles into the hand and is less likely to be dropped. The slender, symmetrical handle swells slightly in the middle for a natural grip. It ships in a knife-specific injection molded sheath with a nylon hanger. Because the knife is symmetrical, the sheath works for either hand.
Raider vs V-14 and More Les George
The Les George V-14 is the step up, a 6.75 inch MagnaCut dagger with G10 handles. George also designed Spartan's Astor folder and the Pro-Tech Rockeye automatic. For more Spartan daggers, see the Harsey Dagger or the compact CQB ring dagger.