Spyderco Native in CPM440V?

K

Ken Cox

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I have an original Native in GIN-1 and love it.
Nuthin' wrong with it, everything right.
If I use it, I steel it and it stays razor sharp.

Still, newer, better, improved, CPM440V!

Does anyone have any experience with this steel in a light duty folder such as the Native, or perhaps the Native itself?

Please, tell me I can live without it.
Otherwise, here goes another fifty bucks.


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Luke 22:36, John 18:6-11, Freedom
If one takes care of the means, the end will take care of itself.
 
Ken,

I have had two Natives. The first was a serrated model, which I gave to a friend. Good excuse to order a plain edge.

440V is a nice steel, but it isn't magic. There are two things that I really like about the Native LW. First is the wonderful ergonomics of the knife. The second is the ability to get this knife in a high end steel for a very reasonable price. I paid Just under $50.00 (just over $50.00 with tax) for the second Native ordered from a local shop. At that price, (1/3 to 1/2 the price of most folders with the same blade steel) it is a wonderful way to be able to play with the steel a little, perhaps before you invest more money in a Military of a Starmate. This aside from the fact that, as you are aware the Native is a wonderful little knife in it's own right.

I have not used my new Native hard enough yet to be able to give you much useful information about how well the steel performs, it is doing just fine so far.


Mike
 
Mike, I absolutely love the ergonmics of the Native, too.
I note with interest a few of the comments in the review Smoke so kindly posted, that some folks find the ergonomics a little wierd.
For myself, I really choke up on the blade, as I think the designer intended, and sometimes hold the knife in the paintbrush grip with my thumb in the hole.
It feels made for my hand.
Thanks to Mike and Smoke.
Next time I'll check the archives before I request a review.

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Luke 22:36, John 18:6-11, Freedom
If one takes care of the means, the end will take care of itself.
 
If you still have a GIN-1 Native, I wouldn't pay the extra bucks for another just to get the 440V. Yeah, 440V is better, but, IMO, it's not THAT much better than the GIN-1. Wait until you use up the GIN-1 Native, or lose it, and then get the new one. Just as long as you have a Native, that is the important thing.

You might want to check around. I think I saw some site where they still had some of the G-10 Natives with shell inlay and 440V. Now THAT would be worth paying extra money for. But, I will be the one to tell you that you CAN live without 440V.

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A dog at play has the mind of a wise martial arts master, a mind capable of perfect focus. - Marc Christophe

iktomi
 
The Native isthe best everyday carry I've found. You could get one in 440-V for a back-up.

Paul
 
I have the Naitive II in 10a and a Military in CPM 440V

Both are great knives.

CPM 440V did suffer somewhat in chopping a 2be4 into small components. The edge rolled rather than chipped. Still it is not a hunting knife...

W.A.

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"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto
 
I am very fond of my Native, it to is Gin-1 , with Spyderedge. I don't mind the steel though not quite as good as 440CMV, I just wish I had gotton the plain edge. I have developed a great dislike for all serrated edges. The Native is just the right size to be a go anywhere knife.
 
I've got a couple of Almite Navigators in GIN-1 and a pair of BF Blue Natives in CPM. In my admittedly subjective experience, the CPM is a WAY better steel and you're really missing out in not trying it. It takes a sharper edge for me and holds it far longer.
 
Get out your wallet. This is one helluva knife at a great price and you can't live without it.
 
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