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Spyderco Native Chipping Issues

V

Vivi

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I'd like to here from everyone who's bought the Walmart Spyderco Native about the blade chipping. Been hearing a lot about it. I plan on picking one up in the next month myself. Would be used out in the woods for prepping fires, as well as in the house for food and other small utility tasks. Generally, nothing too demanding.

What were you doing when you chipped yours noticably or broke the tip? Was it preventable, e.g. you just handled it poorly, or was it something you're accustomed to having your knives stand up to?

I think I should be perfectly safe since I never do anything extreme with my blades, but just wanted a bit of feedback.
 
I've got a good number of Spydercos of a wide range of designs and price tags, they've all worked great for me so far.

I've used my Native quite a lot, both the S30V and the VG-10 variants (I find the handle on the VG-10 Japanesse Native more comfortable) and I've had no problems with them.
 
I dropped my Spyderco Native (from Walmart) in my garage and as it was falling (and like a spastic dimwit) I tried to catch it and all I managed to do was to smack it across the garage and up against the block wall. The knife then landed blade down and it did cause a TINY chip in the edge of the blade. The chip was so small that only a knife nut would even notice it. I’m very happy to report that after a couple swipes across a ceramic rod the blade looks perfect once again.
You will not regret your purchase of the Native, it was my first Spyderco and I absolutely love it. Within a month after buying the Native I bought the Spyderco Manix.
 
Yeah, I'm incredibly pleased with my Delica. I see why people here are such Spyderco fans. I've been excited about getting a Native because overall I feel it's more comfortable. That and a mini-pika are on my to-buy list right now.
 
I have one and have used it quite alot. no problems. I don't remember ever haveing a problem with spydercos chipping. Now if you take a ball peen hammer and a cold chisel I'm pretty sure you could get some chipping but in normal everyday use I wouldn't expect any. get one and enjoy it. ahgar
 
I bought 4 natives from Wally World and so far have had problems with only 1, I gave one to my lil bro and his seems to chip, through normal cutting of zip ties, plastic tie downs and boxes. Doesnt chip bad but does chip slightly. My sister uses hers that I gave her and no problems and mine hasnt chipped.
 
As I mentioned in replies to your earlier thread, Vivi --

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=396924

chipping was a big problem with the one I had, and as others reported in the links I provided.

After three complete resharpenings, I determined that the blade was improperly heat treated or otherwise defective, and returned the knife to Wally World (no hassle returns are one big advantage to shopping there.)

There are many things about the Native's design that I like a great deal, however I've had it with S30V. Even when heat treated correctly edge holding doesn't compare with many tool steels, even some of the fairly simple ones like 50100-B ..... and VG-10 IMO holds an edge just as well but is much easier to maintain and bring to a very high level of sharpness. Unfortunately none of Spydercos current offerings in VG-10 appeal to me.
 
So I take it they don't offer Native's in VG10? It's what my Delica uses and from what I can see it works great. Have only had it for a week or so though.
 
The blade of my Native (S30V) chipped merely opening boxes - just cutting tape and cardboard. There was no contact with staples or other hardware.

This chips are very tiny mind you. They can be felt with the finger or thumbnail relatively easy but, you need to look close to see them with the naked eye. Although I don't particular like the fact that its susceptible to chipping, the size is such that they don't impact anything I do or cut with the knife. I am sure they will sharpen right out, just have not done this yet. Its on my list though.

I have four other knives with S30V steel and, have not experienced chipping with these. However, none of these have had the use that my Native has had. So, its too early to make prudent call on these.

Frankly the chipping, given what it is on my Native, doesn't bother me much. If it continues after sharpening them out then I will be somewhat irritated and, this could affect plans on future purchases.
 
Not that I know of, Vivi. I even suggested on the Spyderco forum they consider marrying a flat ground VG-10 blade like the Calypso Jr. to the Native handle.

Edit to add.... rnhood, that sounds exactly like what my Native did. I got no further than testing edge retention on clean cardboard. Under 40x magnification I could see chips about .0005 deep. I thought it could be a burr or damage from the way they sharpen at the factory, belt grinder and buffer I'm pretty sure, but even after resharpening I could see a medium-fine AO stone was leaving the edge a mess of chips, very difficult to make clean with Sharpmaker and even then anything more than light pressure would chip it further.
 
Sounds like a good combination. I love the ergonomics, blade shape etc, but don't want a blade that'll get jagged easily.
 
Just sharpen out the chipping if it happens. It's no big deal. It rarely happens and is usually fixed with a nice sharpening.

:)

You're worrying way too much about it. Buy the knife if you like it and if it chips then still don't worry about it just sharpen it out. If it never chips then why bother worrying?

Wait and see "if" the knife even chips.
 
Vivi said:
So I take it they don't offer Native's in VG10? It's what my Delica uses and from what I can see it works great. Have only had it for a week or so though.
Click to expand...

There isn't an American made Native that you can buy cheap as dirt in Wally World with VG10. There is a Japanese made Native (Native II?) with VG10, with a slightly different handle.
 
Nick Hyle said:
There isn't an American made Native that you can buy cheap as dirt in Wally World with VG10. There is a Japanese made Native (Native II?) with VG10, with a slightly different handle.
Click to expand...

Native I is regular FRN with an S30V blade. (this kind is what is at Wal-Mart)

Native II is all Stainless with an AUS-10 blade.

Native III is 3D FRN with a VG-10 blade.

All models are great :D
 
Is the combination of the S30V and a hollow grind contributing to the problem with some blades???
 
LikeHike said:
Is the combination of the S30V and a hollow grind contributing to the problem with some blades???
Click to expand...
It shouldn't as far as I know, since major grinding and profiling of the blade is done before heat treating. A lot of manufacturers and makers have had problems with S30V..... IIRC among the many things Crucible claimed for it, ease and flexibility in heat treat was one, but in the real world it seems to have worked out differently.

If it lived up to all the claims when done properly, I guess I could see seeking out a good blade among the duds, but IMO it doesn't live up to the claims. VG-10, D2, maybe BG42 and certainly many tool steels outperform or rival S30V with a good heat treat.
 
My S30V Native chipped. So did my Manix. It's the properties of the metal combined with a thin spyderco edge. Since thinning out my SNG from 42 degrees down to 30 I've chipped it as well. The SNG took prying BB's out of drywall and prying safeties off lighters to chip it. I never did anything like that with my Spydies, and they chipped just from normal use. I swear a cardboard box chipped my Manix. I'm not sure what my point is, but thicken the edge if it happens too often. I still love S30V for it's slicing abilities.
 
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