Question on the Native 5

metsfan

metsfan

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Oct 26, 2012
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Hey all, got a question for you Native 5 owners...

Does anyone else have a blade that does not free fall when you disengage the locking mechanism? I got my Native 5 about a week ago so it may be that it isn't worn in, but I'm pretty sure with the pivot bushing system, the blade would be able to swing freely like the Para2 does. Could it be an over tightened pivot screw?

Any input would be appreciated
 
I don't have that particular model but being that it's a lockback might have something to do with it.
 
My Sage4 didn't free-fall at first but it does after a break-in period. I think the Sage4 uses the same mechanism as the Native5.
 
I believe the only Spydercos that use the pivot bushing are the golden made ones (Yojimbo 2, P2, M2, N5) the sage does not use a pivot bushing.

I would try adding a small amount of oil to the pivot on each side and see if that loosens it up. If you release all of the tension of the lockbar off of the blade, it should fall freely. My Manix 2 is tightened all the way down right now and it free falls.
 
Free fall will come with time. Adding some lube into the pivot bushing might help, letting it bite you a few times might definitely helps.
When I got mine it barely drop even with the lock fully pressed and flicking the wrist, adding some lube did smooth out the motion a bit, but the biggest improvement came each time it bite me. First time it took a tip off my pinky and it started to free fall a bit, second time it left a scar on my thumb and right after that bit it started to free fall.
 
I got my Native5 on the exchange LNIB last summer. It came like how my Para2s and Manix2s came, when I depress the lockswitch the blade freefalls down. I like it alot and allows for one hand closing more similar to other locks if I want. Very nice. I haven't yet held one fresh out the box so there might be a break in period that the original owner took care of... I surely wont mind the break in period I'll have to endure on future Native5's if needed. :)
 
If the N5 is anything like the Para2 (which it probably is since they both have the Bushing Pivot System) there is some significant variance from knife to knife. I have purchased 6 Para2s (5 for me, 1 for my eldest son) two were what I would call "perfect" right out of the box...swung freely with tight lockup/no blade play. Two swung freely but no matter how tightly I crank down the pivot & frame screws they still have a bit of blade play. And two came very tight, would not swing freely unless I loosened up the pivot & frame screws to find the "sweet spot" that allowed them to swing freely...but, in order to achieve that they do then have a bit of blade play to them.

Based on my experience then of these 6 Para2s (and on what I have read from others) I am beginning to think that the Bushing Pivot System's tight tolerances leaves little room for error, yet there does seem to be some (error). That said, none of these variances is significant enough to make me worry about sending in for warranty work or to worry about in general. I will just keep playing with them and tweaking them until they break in good (the last two I mentioned are my most recent acquisitions and I really haven't done much with them but fondle them a bit... I may crank them back down to remove the blade play (and thus tighten up the action such that they won't swing freely) and then see if they will break over time and swing freely while remaining tight(er) from a blade play perspective. We'll see....).
 
underdog406 said:
Free fall will come with time.
Click to expand...
Not necessary. I have two of them. On the first knife the blade free falls down after I press a lock bar since the first day. The second knife, which I bought lightly used few month ago it doesn't. I carry and use it every day since I got it, and the blade still doesn't drop. I just close the knife with my index finger like I do this with all my midlocks. I really prefer controlled closing to free drop. It is just safer. I cut myself couple times with free dropping blades.
 
I thought mine had trouble, but it turned out I just had to depress the lock a little further than I'm used to on my other lockbacks.
 
bh49 said:
Not necessary. I have two of them. On the first knife the blade free falls down after I press a lock bar since the first day. The second knife, which I bought lightly used few month ago it doesn't. I carry and use it every day since I got it, and the blade still doesn't drop. I just close the knife with my index finger like I do this with all my midlocks. I really prefer controlled closing to free drop. It is just safer. I cut myself couple times with free dropping blades.
Click to expand...

I see your point that it could be safer in fact, I'm very careful with my Manix2 because I dont use it often and it clipped me once by surprise because of how it swings. I figure though that if I make one of these knives an everyday staple (like my N5/PM2's), its risk is significantly reduced the more you get used to it as it becomes more like a natural extension of the hand. :cool:

Slicey said:
I thought mine had trouble, but it turned out I just had to depress the lock a little further than I'm used to on my other lockbacks.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I do have to depress the switch further to swing it.
 
On mine, if I press the lockbar down really hard, taking all pressure off of the tang, the blade swings completely freely. The friction is strictly from the lockbar rubbing (on mine at least.)
 
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