Native tip strength?

[haertig]

I recently bought a Spyderco Native. I'm very happy with it so far.

A question on the tip ... Is it strong? Have people experienced breakage during normal use? I would never pry with or misuse a knife, but the Native's tip is quite a bit thinner and pointier than I'm used to. I'm wondering how it will stand up to tasks like being stabbed into a 50lb bag of horse feed (for the times when that blasted string opener fails to work!)

Also, how does the Native's tip thickness/strength compare to a Delica4? I couldn't decide between these two knives, so I went for the Native first (it was sitting there staring at me, for a cheap price, at a WalMart.) But now I want a Delica4 too!

 

[Vivi]

The Delica has more steel towards the end of the tip than Native's. I can take a picture later to compare them for you.

 

[kel_aa]

What is horsefeed like? Is it similar to dry cat food? Or is it like flaked oats? The Native tip is definately strong enough to stab into any of that stuff, although the stuff like catfood might be fairly abrasive.

I like the choil of the Native and didn't find the hump of the Delica too pleasing. I like thinner too, which I don't consider any part of the Native to fall into that category.

 

[haertig]

What is horsefeed like?

I wouldn't be stabbing directly into the feed. The normal procedure is to puncture and cut the bag above the actual level of feed. The bags are like big bags of dog food, except the bags are a bit stronger and thicker. Heavy paper, like two or three brown paper grocery bags folded and stacked together.

Off topic, but, the horse feed we use is like rabbit pellets in shape (yeah, I know that really helps - it might, if you have a rabbit!) Little cylinders maybe 4mm in diameter, 8mm in length. Pretty small, considering how big a horse is! The pellets are compressed and dense. Mix them in with the hay.

 

[J85909266]

I've handled both extensively, and the Delica 4 was smoother to open, sturdier, and felt tougher than the Native for me. The choil on the Native is too small for me as well.

 

[Midget]

i think it depends on what spyderco native you've got.

i feel as if the native 3D has more tip strength than the traditional native design. that upper swedge seems to take a lot more away from the traditional one than it does on the 3D. just my thoughts. i've owned 2 older natives and 2 3D's.

either way, it's a great knife. i prefer the 3D considerably more because it feels at home in my hand. but the older model native is thinner and more comfortable in the pocket.

IMO the ergonomics of the native are light years beyond that of the delica/endura. i'd take a native over a delica any day.

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

I have stabbed my Native through 3/16" thick paper spool cores. The only damage to the tip was some blunting from dropping it on concrete. Prying would be bad news, but there is no problem with doing any of the tasks you mention.

 

[Slvgx]

I've carried a Native for 9mo. now approx. I've opened plenty of things with it, like large dog food bags. Never had any problems with it.

 

[Altan]

While I like the design of the Native more, I need to tell you that the tip broke long time ago. It is a first generation model...

I also have an old model of Delica... and it is still going strong...

 

[hwyhobo]

I noticed that the tip on the new Delica (4) is less pointy than on the old Delica. It seems to turn downward a little just before the end. Was that changed to strengthen it? I had the old model Delica, and I liked the design of the tip more. It was very good for use as a pairing knife for coring apples or other fruit because of the straight tip. How is the new Delica in that regard? Is that curvy tip much of a hindrance?

I do like that straight tip on the Native, but the blade overall seems a bit too wide for its length for me.

Since I lost my old Delica, I am thinking of replacing it with either a Delica 4 or the new Native. I also thought of the Endura 4, but I am not sure if it won't be a bit much because of its extended length (I didn't notice any other difference from Delica).

 

[haertig]

Thanks for all the replies. Sounds like the tip is strong, and I was just being overly paranoid. A knife you have to baby and not use for normal tasks (to protect it from harm) is not a very useful knife. Save it for special occassions, I guess. (What? So you can find out it will break on that first special occassion?)

I doubt the Native will fail on me. I'm actually very easy on my knives. Thanks again for the help.

 

[The_Knife_Edge]

I like the native except the clip is upside down. If you clip it in your pocket the blade tip is pointing upwards. What the?

 

[MikeH]

While stranded overnight in a non-life threatening but annoying situation in the middle of a National Forest, I used my Native (original model) to open a couple of cans of beans in the steel cans, not the aluminum ones. It incurred no tip damage stabbing through the top of the cans, but now has a small chip in the front edge of the first serration, which probably just increases the effectiveness of the serration.

I don't like tip-up carry, but I did not intend to carry the Native clipped anyway. The first thing I did with it was to take the clip off and throw it away.

 

[haertig]

the blade tip is pointing upwards

I don't mind this myself. The knife the Native replaced was a tip down carry, but it only took me a half dozen pulls out of the pocket to get used to the slightly different motions needed to aquire and open the Native. Now it seems perfectly normal. I may feel differently if I alternated the knives I carry, but I pretty much stick with one knife until I decide to replace it.

 

[jdennen]

While I like the design of the Native more, I need to tell you that the tip broke long time ago. It is a first generation model...

It's hard to compare this to this to a Spyderco. The First Generation Blades were made by Camillus. The knife is OK but it's no Spyderco!

 

[The_Knife_Edge]

I think the native is a decent knife for the money.