Who Wants The "native Chief?"

Should Spyderco Make the "Native Chief?"

  • Yes--it's the design that counts! FRN and Endura spec quality is fine.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Yes, but I'm a steel snob and a handle junkie--make it $$$$ or not at all.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No, and Karl, please do not share any more of your wet knife dreams with us again!

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
S

Safety Guy

Joined
Mar 9, 2001
Messages
1,794
Call me a troublemaker!

Go to the "Updated Native" thread and look at Carlos' pic of the prototype Native Chief on page three. Note your visceral reaction. Take your pulse. Then use both your heart and your mind in deciding whether or not this beautiful, ultimate knife design is deserving of production. Of course I am totally neutral on this issue...:)

I don't care if it is made in plain black FRN with AUS-6, either! A larger Native should retain the unsharpened blade area and basic handle ergonomics of the original. It should be signicantly larger with a 3.5 to 3.9 inch blade. It should also eliminate the large size lockbar opening and incorporate a Boye Dent to prevent inadvertant lockbar engagement when held in a hammer grip. The standard reversable metal clip system is perfect. G-10 would be nice, but perhaps too expensive and risky. FRN is better than a wet knife dream in thin air, folks!! :D

A slight increase in blade thickness would be nice, but probably not required, especially if it's only going to be a 3.5" blade. Steel? Keep it inexpensive, with GIN-1, AUS-8 or ATS-55 (those are in order of my preference, BTW). Heck, whatever decent steel you can get at the best price, darnit! Whatever is just lying around! :D

It could even be another MBC piece. The Native is, IMO, one of the best handling knives out there. Easy to handle off hand, in reverse grip openings and closings, etc. The unsharpened bottom edge is so sweet for safe and snappy closings!

Sal, I already have two FRNs (GIN-1 and 440V), the SS, and the BF Blue Native. Other than the Boye Dent mod (which I'll eventually do myself on the three cheaper ones), I find it is the PERFECT POCKETKNIFE for me!

Anyone else? (Yeah, I KNOW there's more of us!) :D

TAKE THE UNSCIENTIFIC POLL, YA'LL!

Karl
 
I amuse myself reading posts that beg for the perfect knife! Military, the perfect knife but Sal, please make us a 3 1/2-inch version. Camillus Max, awesome knife but how about a 4-inch version. Native, one of the best, but I want 4 inches!
Some people, sheesh!
:rolleyes: ;) Really I'm happy with the Native, as is.
 
Lemme be clear on how I personally feel about this knife...

I like a lot of the Spyderco designs, current and prototype, and I'd love to pick up about a dozen of 'em. But I'm a poor college student and my budget just can't handle it :)

I look at the Police model and say "there's a beautiful knife--but there's no way I could afford it". Same thing with the Ronin, and the Kiwi, and the Perrin, and the Centofante, and the Shabaria, and even li'l babies like the Dragonfly and Cricket.

The Native Chief (or whatever it's called now ;) ) is the only current or concept knife from <i>any</i> company that I'd consider actually buying at this point. It's a beautiful, beautiful design.

FRN is fine (heck, I <i>like</i> FRN...), as is AUS-8. VG-10 would be great, but hardly necessary. Super steels are nice, but kinda overrated.
Thin blades are good (it's a folding FRN pocketknife--you shouldn't be trying to bend it that way anyway :D ), so there's no need to bulk up the blade stock.
Black handles are fine, or the same blue as the new Rescue, or even dark green or grey. Maybe even a nice burgundy.
Keep the swedge. I'm ambivalent about the swedge on the small Native (it looks kinda funky on such a stubby blade), but it's gorgeous on the Chief.
This package could be very similar to the Endura, but with <i>much</i> better looks and ergonomics. If it could be made at or below the price point of the Police model, I'd <i>find</i> a way to pay for it :D

So, yeah... I like the "Native Chief". ;)
 
I like the "Native Chief", but I'd REALLY like to see a Chinook, with a "Native-style" blade (grown to 4-5 inches), and the reversable pocket-clip of the Native/Endura.

THAT is MY "dream-knife".:).
 
I'd get one if it came in G-10. Just like this:
attachment.php
(Thanks Carlos!)
Blade steel - whatever works for Sal.
 
First off RVO3VOM, thanks for slipping that picture in my thread! :)

Second, I'd certainly LOVE a G10 Native Chief, but I believe Sal has stated his severe doubts about producing such an animal. Look how the BF Blue Native situation turned out--not too well.

Yes, the Blue Native is awesome when in hand, but there were financial realities involved in producing them...an FRN Native Chief is already "stretching reality" enough.

But if there WERE an FRN Native Chief, and it WERE SUCCESSFUL, then the G10 version might become more likely. I think.

Same with Dann's "dream knife." I'd love one of those, too.

What's most realistic? Being neither a knifemaker nor a factory production person, I don't know. Perhaps creating the mold for this one would actually be MORE expensive than knocking out a run of G10 versions? (They made at least one G10 version, too--the proto.)

I'm just trying to gage support for a really good idea, that's all!

Fortunately for you all, I don't do this very often. :D

Karl
 
The Blue Native may not have done well at first but know everyone wants one.I just offered someone 260.00 worth of trade for one.Don't think I will get it.
 
Jeff, have you checked with all the knife shops? Some are more than just "retail establishments." Before I got mine from the for sale forums here, I think I had called Blade Art and they said they could find one NIB for about $120.00, if I recall correctly. (That was about six months ago.) Might want to give them a try!

Either that or help me lobby Sal and Co. for more "Native Species." :)

Good luck,

Karl
 
Wow. Thanks for the "history lesson," St. James. Actually, I did wonder a bit about "Native Chief," but quickly ignored it.

We could go on and on about offensive names, offensive to whom, how many, etc. Best to move on to something that doesn't offend, although that seems to be getting harder to do nowadays.

I may be a future dead white male, but I do notice the inequity of certain nomenclature, whether sexist or racist. Any single example by itself would be trivial, but all of the "trivial" examples do add up, and then become so accepted into our language that we don't even think about it until someone points it out.

Fortunately, James Mattis and Sal both seemed to think "moving on" was for the best in that thread, and I agree. Keep in mind I only used "Native Chief" because that's what I read it was called. Before I saw that, I was thinking in terms of "Big Native." However, someone made a case in that long ago thread about mixing up the same name for different knives, even if they are "related." I basically agree, so "Big Native," or "Native III" etc. are probably not the best.

Keep in mind some folks will howl and complain about your last post and think you are a PC nitpicker and I'm a PC nitpickering enabler! :)

But IMO, all the present day PC crap is just as insidious as our entrenched speech prejudices, and seems to be working in favor of a "new age prejudice." Those who preach "tolerance" are often highly intolerant of those who mean no harm but utter the "wrong" word or phrase. This will eventually result (and has already resulted in some places) in a climate where no one wants to engage in discourse at all, for fear of being jumped on with accusations of prejudicial language and so forth.

I appreciate you showing me the history of this situation without getting defensive. I'm sure you realize that few, if any of us, were in any way showing disrespect, or even considering disrespect...

Many different perspectives here, and I admit you've caught my interest somewhat! But back to the subject before I start formulating a treatise on something I'm not prepared to write:

Since we want this knife to be a success if it is made, then we don't need anything which will create a controversy, since I don't think "controversy" will help sell this knife!

If the knife is built, then I trust Sal and Co. will come up with a suitable moniker. From now on, I suggest we call it the "big Native" or the "Native XL," or any other suitable "descriptor" which should not be thought of as a proper name.

Again, thanks for the reference!

Karl
 
A Native in that size with a red or blue G-10 handle and VG-10 blade would be a must buy item.
 
Karl, others...

I'd really like to see one in FRN, and I'd LOVE one in G-10 if it were possible.

Jeff/1911.
 
I can go for the idea of the "Native Chief", preferably in FRN or G-10.
IMHO, the last thing we need is another knife that's so heavy that you have to wear suspenders to keep your pants up (like the Chinook).

Allen.
 
The Native is one of the best EDC knives that Spyderco makes.It really needs to have some upgrades.G10 with VG10 blade.SG just sent you a email.
 
HEY!

Aries gave me an idea...

Is it possible and cost effective to create an FRN SWIRL PATTERN?

Of RED WHITE BLUE ?

Either "swirl," or even "layered," like in neopolitan ice cream.

Call it the "American Native." (Pretty darn all inclusive.)

Actually, I've wondered about this before, but now it seems like an even better idea. Something colorful and different, not to mention patriotic.

Anyone know about injection molding of FRN colors and if this is feasable? It wouldn't have to be perfectly segmented. Every knife handle would be slightly different. Look at the Camillus "flag" blades (I have an Arclite with that pattern and it's great). Different process (it's a coating, not in the material), but they did it.

Could an FRN handle be injected with red, white and blue FRN to roughly segment the piece into thirds?

Karl
 
SG, I'm glad you enjoyed the trip in the "Way Back Machine!" I think everything that needed to be said on the issue has been, but it was interesting to read again. I still miss Jim Mattis...

I agree, let the knife be made and it will stand on its own virtues.
 
James, if you think it's a good idea, why don't you start a thread in the General forum on James Mattis and provide some links to some old threads which show the atmosphere back then?

I did enjoy the diversion, and would want more, but that era was before my time. Which makes it doubly interesting, I guess!

Go ahead and state I requested it if you want. I just figure you might be a good one to do this, if you wouldn't mind. I also think it would be helpful for the newbies... Maybe five or six links to the past, if you have time?

Or, if appropriate, do it here in the Spydie forum.

Thanks!

Karl
 
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