| Last year, I purchased a Spyderco Native with black blade for
display. As with all of my display knives, I had to play with it
for a few hours before putting it away. Having left a good first
impression, I bought another one, and the Native immediately
earned a place in my pocket. The Native is a mid-sized folder, just shy of seven inches in
length when open, with a three-inch blade. Its handle is fairly
plain-looking and composed of one piece of black FRN, meaning
there are no pesky screws to get loose over time and fall out,
but you also can't take it apart for a thorough cleaning.
There's enough texturing to keep my hand from slipping, but
slipping wouldn't be much of a problem anyway, thanks to the
handle's two deep finger grooves. The pocket clip's edges are
rounded, so it doesn't dig into my hand, and tight enough that
it won't let go of my pocket when I'm not looking. Though I've
heard of the screw that holds the clip on quickly loosening and
falling out, it has never happened to me.
The spear-like blade shape is visually appealing, with its
false-edge grind on the spine. The blade is hollow ground and
about 2.5 millimeters thick, made of CPM S30V, one of the
higher-end steels on the market, and comes shaving-sharp out of
the box. You almost can't beat the price, considering the blade
steel, as other knives of comparable materials are often priced
near the $100 mark, while the Native can now commonly be found
around $40.
However, it's not perfect. The knife has several sharp edges
in various places, which can sometimes be uncomfortable; for
example, the inner edges of the handle where it meets the blade
when the knife is closed, the edges of the blade's spine, and
the edge of the trademark Spyderco opening hole are all fairly
sharp. Also, the opening hole is a bit small and partially
submerged in the handle when the knife is closed, making it
difficult to access if you have big thumbs or if you're wearing
gloves. Similarly, the forward finger groove is a bit small. I
have fairly small fingers and mine fit snugly, so bigger or
gloved fingers might not work so well.
My Native is still nearly shaving-sharp without ever being
sharpened, and despite its flaws, it's a pretty tough knife for general purpose use,
and an excellent value. I highly recommend it. - CB |
