S30V Native... I quit!

B

Buck268

Joined
Nov 5, 2006
Messages
1,864
Well I'm throwing in the towel on trying to get my Native to hold an edge. Again. But I mean it this time.

I've tried everything from a coarse 600 grit (DMT) finish to a finely polished edge; nothign lasts for s...t! Granted the chipping problem has receeded, but how can such a great super steel hold an edge not even as long as my SAK...not to mention it doesn't take the same hair popping edge either.

It did alright on my last camping/trout fishing trip... But it definately needed sharpening afterwards. So I did, and a very nice job at that! Nice keen hair popping edge, stropped on 1500 grit wetdry and then on leather loaded with mothers metal polish. Well about the only thing I've cut since then was today, I cut a rag in half. No big deal even my POS gerber wouldn't be phased! But I checked my edge out after work and its all blunted and crappified. What gives? Did I get a bum heat treat, and if so what do I do?? All I know is I'm very dissapointed and don't have the money to buy a replacement at this time... Well, maybe I'll just start throwing my SAK or one of my slippies in my pocket, although I will miss the ease of accessability :(
 
Buck268 said:
Well I'm throwing in the towel on trying to get my Native to hold an edge. Again. But I mean it this time.

I've tried everything from a coarse 600 grit (DMT) finish to a finely polished edge; nothign lasts for s...t! Granted the chipping problem has receeded, but how can such a great super steel hold an edge not even as long as my SAK...not to mention it doesn't take the same hair popping edge either.

It did alright on my last camping/trout fishing trip... But it definately needed sharpening afterwards. So I did, and a very nice job at that! Nice keen hair popping edge, stropped on 1500 grit wetdry and then on leather loaded with mothers metal polish. Well about the only thing I've cut since then was today, I cut a rag in half. No big deal even my POS gerber wouldn't be phased! But I checked my edge out after work and its all blunted and crappified. What gives? Did I get a bum heat treat, and if so what do I do?? All I know is I'm very dissapointed and don't have the money to buy a replacement at this time... Well, maybe I'll just start throwing my SAK or one of my slippies in my pocket, although I will miss the ease of accessability :(
Click to expand...

You might send it in and let us check it out. If there is something wrong with the blade, we'll replace the knife.

We sell many thousands of Natives and most seem pleased with the S30V edge holding. Please ask customer service to let me inspect it. thanx.

sal
 
I think I'm going to have to do that. I've heard so much good about these knives, and I can say some good about this one still. Its just the steel doesn't seem to be what everybody says it should. I'll have to ship it out to you guys sometime next week.
 
Like Sal says, send it in, they will treat you right. I only ever had to send one Spyderco back but they took care of me 100%. They stand behind their knives and want to make you happy.

I have heard a lot about the Native, it is one of the more popular models. I have not heard anyone complain about the edge holding ability. It sounds like maybe you got a bad one or possibly it is how you are sharpening. It sounds like you know what you are doing if you are using a strop.
 
I wouldn't say I know what I'm doing... I'd let anybody who knows tell you :p

But yeah I'll just send it in... I gotta check into their warrenty policy, though and see what I gotta do... hey maybe I'll look now


Edit: OK, that was the free sharpening service that was $5 (not bad, though!). So I just package it up and ship it in with a description of the problem then?
 
Hi Buck,

I'm sorry for your frustration. We can get the edge under some glasss and see if there is a problem with the sharpening. We can Rc the blade and make sure it's properly heat treated.

Most important in the end is that you experience satisfaction and enjoy your knife.

sal
 
I don't doubt your reputation in the least for customer service (and its a very very good one), I guess I just have been hoping it was an issue solvable by sharpening (which it seems it is not). I'll be sending it out soon, problably Monday.

Thank you very much for your personal attention, can't wait to see what your guys find.
 
When is the last time you got a personal response from the owner of the company that manufactured your car when you had a warranty issue???? Speaks volumes.....
 
fespo276 said:
When is the last time you got a personal response from the owner of the company that manufactured your car when you had a warranty issue???? Speaks volumes.....
Click to expand...

That is what made me a loyal Spyderco fan. I bought a Delica way back and I had a problem with it. Sal took care of me personally. For a knife that was in the $30-40 range, I was impressed at how I was treated. I think it was my first Delica or close to it. Since then, I have bought over 100 Spydercos! Sometimes treating the little guy well pays off.

Had I got the shaft from Spyderco, I wouldn't have bought another knife from them. There are too many other knife companies to deal with poor quality or poor customer service. Spyderco saw to it that most of my knife dollars get spent with them. At least 80% of all my knives are Spyderco and that will remain true as long as they keep up the good work.
 
Buck268, do you have any other S30V knives? I was wondering what other knives you have that are S30V and how they compare in edge holding, and experiences sharpening them? Joe
 
Earlier today, before reading this thread, I boxed up my S30V Military to send back to Spyderco. Reason? I could not get it scary sharp, and if I got it close it would not last long. It would get a decent utility edge, but I like to be able to feel my blade cut into hair with just a touch.

I have sharpened all manner of steels, including other Spyderco knives with S30V, and they all sharpen excellently and easily on the Sharpmaker. But this particular Military just would not work with me. Last weekend I spent three hours on it. I tried back beveling, working through the Sharpmaker steps, use the fine rod, go back to the grey rod, 100+ strokes on the fine rod. Just everything under the sun. It was like trying to find some magic secret to get this thing sharp.

So I boxed it up today and asked Spyderco to check it out, and if appropriate, reblade or replace the knife. Sal, if you see this my name is James Marsh and the package will be coming Priority Mail to you this week.

Thank you.
 
I had a native in s30v and I was surprised to see the edge roll (quite substantially and it was visible from about a foot away) just from cutting some paper and opening a couple of boxes. I have since sold it anyway.
 
S30V holds THE nastiest burr of any steel I have worked with, and the symptoms you are claiming point to burr formation. I have been sharpening knives since I was a boy and I still am suprised when I spend some time sharpening my Para and it has a burr that just endlessly flops side to side. BUT, when I do remove the bur the steel performs awsome. Using a magnified scope to check the edge is almost mandatory with my S30V knives, along with the other burr removing techniques like starting with a edge cut into the stone, and using diamond hones.

BTW, I find that ZDP is extremely easy to sharpen despite its hardness because it dosn't readlily form a burr, and when it does it just sharpens off instead of endlessly flopping from side to side. Random thought.
 
It doessound likea burr, I agree. But I can't feel it or see it under good light and 10x hand lens, so I don't see how it could be... In any case, I'm going to send it out to their service dept today or maybe tomarow depending on when I get out of work.
 
I'm a big Spyderco fan, but I have to say I'm not a fan of S30V steel. I've had Natives, Paramils, and a couple other Spydies that were S30V, but I was never able to get them sharp. I can get VG10 shaving sharp fairly easily, but there's something about S30V (at least for me - I probably just am not good at sharpening). :confused:
 
S30V is my favorite steel after buying and using the S30V Military, Native, and Yojimbo, 3 Dodos (gotta have some spares) and BM Skirmish. They all take the best edge of any of the knives I own. I just use the white ceramic rods on my Sharpmaker. I am comparing these to the Byrd Crossbill and Pelican, Al Mar SERE 2000, and a BG-42 Military.

The Byrds form a burr that is hard to get rid of, but when you do, they work well. I have never had burr problems with any S30V knife, but I don't use them hard, so I might not be the best test case. I do like VG-10 and my fixed blade Temperance is a joy to sharpen and takes an awesome edge - it is my dedicated grilling knife for that reason. Steaks don't stand a chance :)
 
I have a pre-metal clip Seki marked Delica, a S30V Native and a Mini-Manix. I'm probably the worse sharpener in the world but I have had little or no problem with sharpening any of these knives. They usually get close to if not hair popping sharp on just a diamond steel touched up with an old AG Russell ceramic rod. Lucky, I guess?
 
I also get a nasty burr when i sharpen my mini manix. I do some steep angle stropping on cardboard to get rid of them. It was such a pain that I make an extra effort to make such that I touch it up now and then. No such problem on touch up.
 
I have an older Delica with the FRN clip. I get it scary sharp but I use a piece of regular steel with nothing on it to get it that way. The blade steel is AUS -8A . It holds its edge for a weeks. I use it everyday for opening letters and cutting food in the kitchen. It sometimes gets to open cardboard boxes too. Still it holds its edge.
 
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