Native Chief

ferider ferider , it is interesting that a lot of scientific research has gone into the design of linerless G10 knives and many manufacturers design and sell their actual hard use knives made this way. I used to be in the liner only camp, but after researching, I found that in a folder, if it is well constructed, linerless G10 is as strong as linered G10. Science. The pivot pin for the lock is not a stress point to any significant degree. If you look at broken hard use knives, the weak liner locks fail at the lock. The very strong back locks fail at the blade, not the lock.
 
Kreyzhorse said:
Eh.... A cross between a Native and Endura. I'm passing on this one.
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More like a cross between a Military and a Native 5, in my opinion. It has the features we have been asking Sal for in a back lock military, plus some features of the Native line that are so well liked (like no ramp). To each his own, but I think this is going to set a design standard for not only Spyderco, but other makers, as well.
 
DocT said:
More like a cross between a Military and a Native 5, in my opinion. It has the features we have been asking Sal for in a back lock military, plus some features of the Native line that are so well liked (like no ramp). To each his own, but I think this is going to set a design standard for not only Spyderco, but other makers, as well.
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Very possible this is hit. I'm partial to smaller knives so luckily for you guys, Sal doesn't fall me often looking for my feedback on their new designs.
 
I think I'll have to get one. It does seem similar to a police 4, but with the native's blade so less of the military sweep and thumb ramp and more of the consistent drop and flat back at the handle/blade junction area that the native has. I have wanted to try the police 4 though too.

For that size knife, I hope it's priced better than the military because those are tough shoes to fill. Certainly willing to give it a shot though.
 
I like a lot of things about this knife. It is very likely that I will be getting one when it comes out.

I also share the concern of not having some kind of reinforcement at the pivot and lock bar pin. Especially on a knife of this size.

I agree that if a major failure was to occur, it would likely happen at the blade and not the G10. My concern is wear and tear; the ovaling of the G10 at points of pressure - pivot and lockbar pin.

I have a linerless G10 Native 5. I used this knife almost exclusively for 6 months when I first got it. Some of the more taxing tasks: Whittling hard wood. Cutting heavy weight cardboard. Popping off beer bottle caps, which I do with almost all my knives - blade open, leverage on my fist, and lift/torque. And, of course, lot of unnecessary opening and closing, or fidgeting.

The knife has developed little bit of vertical blade play, which it had zero when it was new. I don't know where this comes from. Did the metal experience some wear and tear, did the G10, or would this happen even if it had liners? Like I said, I don't know. But at some level, I would think, it is easier to wear out the G10 than it is the steel.
 
Vertical play is odd. It would think lateral play more likely. So, something else must be going on, like a loose lock bar screw, or perhaps the lock bar spring slipped back. I am not an expert in that particular issue. If I had unexplained play, I'd send it to Spyderco for a check up.
 
DocT said:
ferider ferider , it is interesting that a lot of scientific research has gone into the design of linerless G10 knives and many manufacturers design and sell their actual hard use knives made this way. I used to be in the liner only camp, but after researching, I found that in a folder, if it is well constructed, linerless G10 is as strong as linered G10. Science. The pivot pin for the lock is not a stress point to any significant degree. If you look at broken hard use knives, the weak liner locks fail at the lock. The very strong back locks fail at the blade, not the lock.
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OK, let's do a scientific "Gedankenexperiment" then:

Take both a G10 scale and a steel liner of some old user Spyderco and do the following:

1) drill a hole in both. You might break your drill bit with the steel liner (has happened to me); on the other hand, the drill will go through G10 like butter.
2) put either in a bench vice, and try to bend them. The steel scale will bend under some pressure, and stay bent. The G10 will be elastic, always go back to it's original shape, until it breaks.

So, after this experiment, we realize that the steel liner is harder (HRC > 55?), but in some ways, G10 is tougher. Let's forget about the lock. My biggest worry is the main Pivot. Ovaling out, damaging it when scratching loktite out, etc. To make matters worse (drool-factor?), Spyderco decided to counter-sink the Chief's Pivot screws, making the effective Pivot/scale contact area even smaller/thinner. And yes, the Pivot screws counter-sunk or not add some contact area, but you want the blade to move, right ? In many other LW knives, Spyderco uses a washer on the outside to protect the scale, plus a flat head Pivot screw. Not here. Note also that I love D-shaped Pivots in my Military, Police, etc, since I only need one driver to adjust a blade. I wouldn't trust a D-shaped hole in a G10 scale for this purpose. Etc.

I'm sure the Chief will be great for many, you can flick it all day, cut some boxes, use it for SD (it only needs to work once), make some sandwiches, etc. Just not for me, who uses knives for weeks during camping, cleans his knives around once a year, etc.

And that's my last comment on this, don't want to spoil the group's excitement too much ... compliments to Spyderco on the new design, it's really pretty.

Roland.
 
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The spyderco native 5 in g-10 and s35vn is my favorite knife but I think the native chief might take its place. Maybe I'll wait for a sprint run though.
 
I just preordered this. Makes me think it’s an improvement on the Military - tip up, backlock.
 
stormyone said:
I just preordered this. Makes me think it’s an improvement on the Military - tip up, backlock.
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Where did you pre-order it from?

With the announcement of this knife in the latest Reveal, it means we should see it by September at the latest. I hope sooner.
 
I'm hoping it's nice n slicey and not too thick behind the edge.I'll pick up this and an Endela when they are available. No pre orders for me though. That's waiting for a ride that never comes in my experience.
 
Personally I would like one of these because it's thin and will pocket well. But a backlock or compression lock on the military would be the cat's meow!
 
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So this is the Military killer? Hopefully we will see sprint runs with 204p, m4, or rex 45 with cf scales.
 
DocT said:
I do not think it will kill the Military, but it will give us a second back lock option to the Military in a large knife.
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I agree. Back lock is becoming one of my favorite locks. It is secure and knives with back lock can be made very thin.
 
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