In praise of Native Lightweight FRN S30V

T

thombrogan

Joined
Nov 16, 2002
Messages
9,948
Many of you know the old saw about being a teenager and thinking your parents didn't know too much and then marvelling at how much smarter they've gotten as you've gotten older and out into the world.

Looking at my Native, I realized how much smarter my parents... Just kidding, they've always been smart and so has the Native Lightweight FRN S30V (and it's still a baby!).

I've alway liked hollow ground blades for looks, but I had grown to think that flat and convex grinds were better overall grinds. For some reason, I believed that having more of the side of the knife touching the material it was cutting and having more material to remove during sharpening was a good idea. Flat, partially flat, and convex grinds cut great and are very strong, but the hollow grind will never be a slouch in the slicing department.

Related to that, the edge is exceptionally narrow. Like many, I like setting the primary bevel at 30 degrees instead of the recommended 40. On my non-Spyderco knives, I liked the thick, stylish grind it left, especially when working down to the UF hones (it still looks great on my 710HS) until I had trouble sharpening a D2 blade. When I first put on a 30 edge, it went about 4mm from the edge up the sides and the knife still sliced poorly. Then I ground down the shoulders pretty well and reset the 30 degree edge. This time, it was only 2mm thick at its highest and sliced better. This ties into my Native Lightweight because I used to be dismayed that I couldn't even see the 30 degree edge I put on it with my Sharpmaker (I and anything I cut could feel it, but it was nigh invisible).

Things I still have to get smarter to appreciate or keep whining about if I was right or just can't/won't get smarterer:

Blade thickness:
It's S30V, why does it need to be so thick?

The abrupt ending to the swedge:
I like poking materials better then the knife doesn't get thicker in a sudden manner.

It's cool that the Native just sits there and lets you figure out how useful it is.

Thanks Spyderco!
 
Thanks for the review and the info on 30/40 degree
I used a Native lightweight combo for ~ 2 weeks and was mightily impressed! :)
I just had the opportunity to buy a PE from a guy in mint condition. Can't wait for it to arrive :) :)
Tom
 
And you already know what you're in for! Congratulations on your new Native, Tom!

My wife bought me that Native, a Delica, and some 204UF hones for my birthday (and SFO sent a free Meercat SE with the Native). I am the most spoiled rotten man to ever live!
 
I know what you mean. I too have an S30V Native and love it, but that's not what I want to write about. What I want to write about is my Delica.

I have underappreciated this knife for far too long. Now that school is out, and I'm working more hours on my job (hardware store) and doing more work out in the yard, I have come to love this knife more than I can put into words. I have 2 points to make on this knife.

1st- I always thought the FRN pattern on this knife to be god awful ugly. And in a way I still think that, yet now I wouldn't change it if I had the option. The thing just stays glued to my hand. It is unbeleivable. It is so much more grippy than the Native style pattern for me. While I think it isn't a looker, I love its functionality. That's the beauty of it to me.

2nd- Ergonomics are supurb. I had always thought my Native felt better in the hand, but I now beleive that I thought that because I did not use the Delica enough. Now that I have been using it more I notice that it feels better in my hand than the Native. It just works for me. I can't beleive how I missed that.

I'm crazy about this Delica now, I really am. I had always chosen the Native over it for looks and heft, but I like the lightweight for EDC and screw looks. I'll take functionality over them anyday. My apologies for hi-jacking the thread but I had to express my love for this Delica.
-Kevin
 
I like the Delica more too! I've never handled a native but have seen it in person - honestly, I don't really like the looks. I wish the Delica had S30V steel and G10 liners. That would then be my perfect EDC.
 
It's not a hijacking. The Delica was mentioned, too. Penny for penny, the Delica is the best slicer I own. My best slicer is a Benchmade 921 Switchback, but it cost about 3X more than the Delica.

While I want the Delica to have to the deep integral choil of the Native (I want all folders to have that), I think the VG-10 and FRN are perfect for it. With all respect to Wegner's designs, the current Delica Lightweight is the mouse that roared.
 
Thanks for the Delica support guys.

Spyken,
I want that too, but only in a limited run. What makes the Delica so great for me is the really cheap price. I hope that Sal makes that full flatground G-10 Delica that he was speaking of... That would make my day(or life).

Thombrogan,
Glad I didn't hijack. I feel the Delica is great for the price too. I love that BM 921. Question though, how is the paint (anodized?) on the handles holding up? Thanks.
-Kevin
 
I've carried the delica for more than 20 years as my edc :)
It's a GREAT knife. perfect size.
The spydies all used to have either stainless or FRN. I always appreciated the gripping of the FRN. I don't like the all stainless. HMMMM probably have to post a sell or trade for em :)
police, mariner and probably more :)
I've recently decided to leave the arena of serrated and use plain edge.

Spyken, in about a month you'll have the chance to sign up for a Native lightweight passaround. Depending on the number of folk that sign up you'll be able to use it for 4 days or more. Use as you would your own knife.
Right now it's on passaround from Knifeforum. When that done I'm moving it here :)
Tom
 
Morgoth412,

It's holding up well (only the teeniest bit removed where the Sharpmaker has bumped against it during sharpening) and I have gotten more than its MSRP of use out of it. It's cut sheds, plastic, aluminum, cardboard, carpet, and even made some woodcarvings that reveal how much of a novice and a procrastinator I truly am. Its oval handle fills one's palm to prevent forward slippage on the blade and it's also designed to keep one's hand on the handle should the knife be stuck in something that's hard to pull free from. It's my favorite knife and for good reason.

Now back to those Natives and Delicas!
 
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