The Native blade-handle profile.

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gomipile

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Apr 17, 2010
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What Spyderco knives have had a blade-handle profile like the Native? That is, a profile where the blade doesn't ramp up above the handle level in the open position, and which folds to a comparatively narrow package for a Spyderco?

For the future, I'd be particularly interested to see Spyderco knives with this blade-handle format that have longer (but not wider) blades, and using other locking mechanisms. Combine both of those with a FFG grind like on the Native 5, and I'd love to see it.
 
The new southard flipper doesn't have a thumb ramp and looks to be fairly narrow.
Filip de Leeuw Collab Friction Folder doesn't have the thumb ramp.
The chaparral has a slight one you might be able to deal with.
The air also has just a small one. and is also narrow.

The endura has a longer less wide blade but it has a thumb ramp, same with the police, thin long but again has a thumb ramp. Both are more narrow blades.

I can't think of any others. Most spyderco's have a thumb ramp. And the wide blades is just something spyderco does.
 
I like thumb ramps for some purposes, but I really like the lines of the Native, with one curve continuing from the butt of the handle to the Blade tip. The Native's jimping and choil give me more than enough control for detail work, as well.

I'd just like to see more like it in those ways, but different in lock design, blade length, grind, etc., is all.
 
I'm actually interested in the Native 5
I like the look of the lightweight but I do not like how small the thumb hole feels
That said I would buy a Native lightweight if it were $40 :P
 
I love the native 5. The thumb ramp and all the jimping make for a really secure grip and a very natural place for your thumb to sit when choking up on the blade for detail work.
 
My point is that I'd like to see more Spyderco's with this sort of slim profile. The Native is great, but I'd like to see some longer knives with the same width in pocket. Also different locking mechanisms. I think a narrow knife like this would be great with a liner lock, compression lock, or CBBL.
 
gomipile said:
My point is that I'd like to see more Spyderco's with this sort of slim profile. The Native is great, but I'd like to see some longer knives with the same width in pocket. Also different locking mechanisms. I think a narrow knife like this would be great with a liner lock, compression lock, or CBBL.
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The Police G10 is the closest thing you can have right now.
 
The Junior doesn't have a ramp above the handle. Has a compression lock too.
Yojimbo and Yojimbo 2 kinda fit the bill (Yojimbo 2 feels a bit wide in hand and pocket when closed, to me-- still great blade though).
Manix series does not have a pronounced ramp (but are a bit wide closed).
Chokwe is very slim in hand closed, even more so with blade deployed. Not a very dramatic ramp, long enough blade.
JD Smith (mid lock as well though).
 
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here is a picture of my Police G10 and Ulize
Ulize is a sexy blade, but I kind of missed the finger choil
JTYUvFs.jpg
 
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Over the years, a fair number. Currently, you could look at the Centofante Memory and the Lum Chinese Folder. If you're a bit flexible, the Sage series, Chaparral series, Manix II family, Gayle Bradley Air, Chokwe, and Ulize all have relatively low humps. I probably missed some in both categories. As for me, in most cases I'd rather have a larger, more easily accessible Spyderhole than a flat transition between handle and blade.
 
Nice knives, but I'd like the Natives absolutely rampless jimped spine and the Native style choil rather than the Junior's. I just wonder why Spyderco has so many wide knives when the Native proves that they can do a relatively narrow design that still looks like a Spyderco through and through.
 
gomipile said:
Nice knives, but I'd like the Natives absolutely rampless jimped spine and the Native style choil rather than the Junior's. I just wonder why Spyderco has so many wide knives when the Native proves that they can do a relatively narrow design that still looks like a Spyderco through and through.
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Tradeoff for that is a smaller, partially occluded, Spyderhole and, while that obviously doesn't bother you, it keeps the Native out of some folks pockets. For me, at least, the slightly less than 1/4" difference in closed width between a Native and a Stretch is of no consequence. Both ride equally well in my back pocket. OTOH, the Stretch's larger, more easily accessible, Spyderhole gives it a definite advantage by allowing easier, more reliable, opening and the thumb ramp created by the hump comes in handy at times.
 
To me the Southard is a little like the Centofante 3. The Centofante 3 has a slight ramp, but is not wide. I would like to see a comparison shot of a Southard and a Centofante 3.
 
The Deacon said:
OTOH, the Stretch's larger, more easily accessible, Spyderhole gives it a definite advantage by allowing easier, more reliable, opening and the thumb ramp created by the hump comes in handy at times.
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I agree 100%. I also prefer Spyderco knives with the "hump". In addition to allowing better access to the Spyderhole, I think the hump functions really well as a thumb ramp when you need it.
 
The Deacon said:
Tradeoff for that is a smaller, partially occluded, Spyderhole and, while that obviously doesn't bother you, it keeps the Native out of some folks pockets. For me, at least, the slightly less than 1/4" difference in closed width between a Native and a Stretch is of no consequence. Both ride equally well in my back pocket. OTOH, the Stretch's larger, more easily accessible, Spyderhole gives it a definite advantage by allowing easier, more reliable, opening and the thumb ramp created by the hump comes in handy at times.
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Nafunu said:
I agree 100%. I also prefer Spyderco knives with the "hump". In addition to allowing better access to the Spyderhole, I think the hump functions really well as a thumb ramp when you need it.
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Like Nafunu, I also agree. Though aesthetically, the thumb ramp has bothered me on a few Spyders, in use it has always been an asset no doubt.
 
The Deacon said:
Tradeoff for that is a smaller, partially occluded, Spyderhole and, while that obviously doesn't bother you, it keeps the Native out of some folks pockets. For me, at least, the slightly less than 1/4" difference in closed width between a Native and a Stretch is of no consequence. Both ride equally well in my back pocket. OTOH, the Stretch's larger, more easily accessible, Spyderhole gives it a definite advantage by allowing easier, more reliable, opening and the thumb ramp created by the hump comes in handy at times.
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There are two problems with the Stretch, from my perspective:

First, the choil isn't anywhere near as "nice" as the Native's. The Native's choil gives me a lot of confidence that the blade will go where I want it to, and that a slight bump won't send my index finger along the edge.

Second, it is still a lockback. I like lockbacks, but from my experience, lockbacks aren't where Spyderco shines. To put that comment into perspective, the absolute best liner locks I own are Spyderco models(and I own a *lot* of liner locks.) And while I have several Spyderco lockbacks, and they are nice, they aren't the best lockbacks I've seen.

Now, if they made a "partially occluded Spyderhole", rampless, deep choil knife like the Native, but with a 4" modified drop point FFG blade and a liner lock, compression lock, or CBBL, I'd be all over it.
 
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