Native FRN... Best Spydie Ever?

Y

YoungCutter

Joined
Sep 17, 2001
Messages
1,218
Quite possibly...
Last night dear ole' "Santa" was nice enough to deliver a couple Spydercos, one was a very impressive Chinook and the other a significantly smaller Native FRN in 440V with a Boye Dent... well sir, they're are both AWESOME knives, but to be totally honest, the Native wins my heart, it's small, lightweight, fits perfectly in the hand, strong, sharp, precise, and sexy to boot! The texturing is great, I love the spydie clips, and that Choil is my best friend.
So then I started thinking about it, and when I took into consideration Materials, Design, and Price, I came to the conclusion that this just may be the best Spydie ever.
I think i'll have to buy/try a few more Spydies to really be an authority on this, but so far I am EXTREMELY pleased with my Native... the only thing it lacks is threatening appearance, it just doesn't seem like something that could be used as a weapon - in my opinion this is really kind of a good thing :)

For some reason... I smell an SS Native down the road :)
 
I think the Calypso Jr. lightweight is the best Spydie ever. It has probably the best blade steel, the handle is extremely comfortable, the multi-directional fish scale pattern is really cool, and the Boye dent looks sweet.

Also I like the polished look of the blade without the grind lines that the native has.

I also really like the blade shape of the Calypso Jr.

Plus you can find the Calypso Jr. for about $40-$50

just my opinion though
 
Native over the Calypso Jr. --- hands down. Caypso just doesn't have the advanced ergonomics that the Native has.

So what about the CHINOOK, Young Cutter, WHAT ABOUT IT???!!!
:D :D :D
Santa really did choose [two Spidies] wisely!
 
Yes Y.C., the more you use your Native the more you will grow to appreciate that knife. Try a BF G-10 Native next if you can find one.

HPMF
 
I was just going to mention the G-10 Native. FRN being, well, FRN, ;) G-10 definitely gives a much sturdier feeling handle. My blue inlaid G-10 Native tends to be my most commonly carried knife of any kind these days.
 
Not only is the Chinook expensive, but I really have no place for a knife that large in my everyday routine.

And I know the ergonomics of the Native are supposed to be legendary and everything, but the shape of the handle really just doesn't do it for me. I don't know why, but I just could not find a comfortable way to hold that knife. The Calypso Jr. just locks into my grip, on the other hand.

just my opinion, though.
 
I wish they made Natives with liner-lock or something, i like one-hand closing mechanisms... THat would be perfect...
 
Originally posted by EiNLaNZeR
I wish they made Natives with liner-lock or something, i like one-hand closing mechanisms... THat would be perfect...
Click to expand...

Actually, there are several ways to close a Native with one hand.

The basic method, which works on most Spyderco lockbacks, to make sure your forefinger is up near the pivot, depress the lockback with your thumb, then snap the knife downward with a sharp stop. The blade should rotate downward well out of the lock position under simple inertia. From there you can just thumb it closed using the hole.

Before you tell me I'm nuts take a good look at the choil (unsharpened base of the blade). It designed as a forward grip position for fine work, but it also makes it impossible to cut yourself when closing the blade unless your hand is way back on the grip. The choil will fall right onto your index finger and prevent the sharp part of the blade from touching your hand.

Another method, which I prefer, is to turn the Native in your hand so the edge is upward. Slide your thumb forward onto the choil and your forefinger onto the thumb-ramp grooves on the back of the blade. Then use your ring finger to depress the lockback while you rotate the blade out of lock, using your forefinger and thumb. Once the blade is out of the lock position you can move your thumb to the hole and close it. I like this method because the blade is under control at all times.

Let me know if these explanations are too cryptic to follow. I'm sure I can do better when it isn't so late. :)

--Bob Q
 
I like my Native, but it is FAR from the best Spydie ever. I only really bought it because I was jonesing for a new blade one evening and a local dealer had some fresh 2001 models in stock that I couldn't resist. It gets used a lot around the house, but I hardly carry it since it's rather thick and boxy for such a small knife, and as for "advanced ergonmics" -- Not. I dislike the fact that one is forced to use the choil on the blade. For some tasks I like to have my fingers farther away from the edge and in the case of the Native the handle is simply too short to make this possible. Also, the 2001-style indented lock release bar is a <b>necessity</b> on this blade. I have handled an older model without the indent and the lock was very easy to release in most grips due to it being so damn long. My example also "flicks" open a lot easier than my other Spydie lockbacks, an important consideration for those that live in jursidictions where "gravity knives" are outlawed. And of course its pivot is non adjustable :(. It is well made and a great cutter, just a less than ideal EDC if you ask me. The Calypso Jr. (Micarta or FRN) cuts even better owing to the flat grind, and the slimness, handle shape and clip design seal the deal for me.

PM
 
mr 44,
I dunno about you, but I've been completely unable to even partially open my Native through kinetic opening (sometimes also called intertia opening), and believe it or not, i've tried.

I guess the way to end this conflict is for me to buy a Calypso Jr. and then make an authoritative proclaimation on which is, in fact, best :)
 
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