Lets talk Native

[HarleyXJGuy]

So as you may have guessed from the topic I would like to talk Natives.

I will start by saying I had no idea this little gem would be so nice. Under the radar does not begin to describe this knife. Maybe it was the squarish handle or smallish 3" blade.

Native 110V, guess I missed the boat on that beauty huh? How much were they going for at the not BBS price? Has there been other Native sprints?

So there is a Native 4 and a Native 5? They both staying in the lineup or is the 4 going away at some point? Which is your favorite and why?

I pride myself on actually using all of my Spydies, no safe queens here but honestly I do not intend to use my OEF Native 4. Thinking it is something that will go to the grand kids. Looking for a nice Native user as we speak.

Leave a little picture of my new baby here because I can.

[Skywalker]

TBH I'm not the most knowledgeable on the Native, so if anyone knows better please correct me, but I'm pretty sure the OEF Native there is one of the Native Lightweights, pretty much the original handle and blade. According to Spydiewiki, there was also a stainless Native II made in Japan, a FRN Native 3 made in Japan (different model number on that one, wire clip and indent around the pivot differentiate it), a Native 4, again from Japan, with screw-together construction, and now the Native 5 in both G10/CF and lightweight versions.

Here's the spydiewiki links:
http://www.spydiewiki.com/index.php?title=C41_Native" target="_blank
http://www.spydiewiki.com/index.php?tit ... Native_III" target="_blank

I will say that if you haven't tried out one of the N5s yet you should, I had one in G10 and have one in CF/S110V and they're very solid, well put-together little knives. Price on the CF/S110V was $180-200 from most dealers IIRC. I think KW was running some sort of Spyderco sale that they let you apply to pre-orders to get that $180 number.

[bh49]

If you like Native, I would strongly recommend to get Native5. Native was my first Spyderco knife and I always loved it's ergos. I carried this knife for a while. I wasn't that crazy about the look. I do not like the swedge. I carried Native4 for a while as well. I liked FFG blade much more. The knife was much closer to perfect than original Native for me.
Native5 did a trick for me. The knife has fantastic ergos, a little thicker handle, which make a big difference for me on how it feels in my hand. And of cause FFG blade with nice clean lines.
I carry one of my Native5 every day, unless I need to go out of state. Mostly I carry The Forum knife. And I am impressed with S110V. Reprofiling takes longer than S35VN, but it takes the same time to sharpen and I sharpening less frequently. CF/S110V also is super nice. But it was sprint and all well known dealers sold out. Still if you keep your eyes open, you will be able to find one on secondary market. Also Native5 LW with S110V eventually will come out. Hopefully in 2015.
Enjoy your Native, it is a very nice knife.

[HarleyXJGuy]

Native 5 110V Lightweight. Very interesting.

I too am a big FFG fan so I get what you are putting down bh49. That being said I think almost my whole collection ( All 4 of them ) are FFG knives so the hollow grind of the Native 4 while not my favorite type of blade is kind of a draw. For the change of pace more then anything.

Seriously though the handle of the Native 4 feels like it was built for me and I wonder how much thicker the 5 handle is? No matter I am sure I will find out in 2015 if you know what I mean.

From the looks of things I am not the only one who has let the Native go unnoticed. Kinda quiet here compared to anything with say Para Military in the title.

[twinboysdad]

I wish there was a civilian tan SE Native. I love that color and config, but also love the folks keeping me and mine safe enjoy them. Very cool of the Glessers

[HarleyXJGuy]

I wish there was a civilian tan SE Native. I love that color and config, but also love the folks keeping me and mine safe enjoy them. Very cool of the Glessers

Very much agree with you.

The tan is very nice, so much so I am having a hard time keeping it tucked away so it will be around when I am old. Then again what is the point of having it if you don't use it? Sigh.

[twinboysdad]

You earned it, use it!! Thanks for your service and Happy Thanksgiving

[GoldenSpydie]

Congrats on your Native! The Native 1 LW is a very nice knife. Like others, I can't wait for the Native 5 LW S110V.

Here are my Natives.
Left column, top to bottom: Native 1 G10/Pearl, Native 1 Tan OIF, Native 1 Pink (my mom's), Native 1 Brown/CTS-XHP, Native 5 lightweight.
Right column, top to bottom: Native 4 CF, Native 5 Forum S110V, Native 5 CF S110V, Native 5 CF S110V (smoothed), Native 5 Moonglow.



Here are some closeups of my favorites:





Thanks for looking!

[bearfacedkiller]

You are missing one GS.

Just kidding. My big score from the sale. It was what I went for and I didn't see anybody else with one. Oh yeah!!!

[Surfingringo]

I wish there was a civilian tan SE Native. I love that color and config, but also love the folks keeping me and mine safe enjoy them. Very cool of the Glessers

Very much agree with you.

The tan is very nice, so much so I am having a hard time keeping it tucked away so it will be around when I am old. Then again what is the point of having it if you don't use it? Sigh.

Use it. If your grandfather passed along to you a knife he had overseas in the 40's would it bother you that he had carried and used it everyday? Didn't think so. Enjoy your native.

[Holland]

I wish there was a civilian tan SE Native. I love that color and config, but also love the folks keeping me and mine safe enjoy them. Very cool of the Glessers

Very much agree with you.

The tan is very nice, so much so I am having a hard time keeping it tucked away so it will be around when I am old. Then again what is the point of having it if you don't use it? Sigh.

Use it. If your grandfather passed along to you a knife he had overseas in the 40's would it bother you that he had carried and used it everyday? Didn't think so. Enjoy your native.

I definitely agree with Lance! Half of the fun of passing something down is the stories that go along with it :)

[jmh58]

Tools.. Not Jewels... :D John :)

[Leatherneck]

5 Millies
12 Paras
6 Delicas
TMAG
several D'flys
2 Ladybugs
2 Sages
2 Chappies
Some others I can't remember and the Native 5 has been the best Spyderco I have ever owned. Love the low profile blade and it gives up nothing in form & function.

[bh49]

You are missing one GS.

There were many variants of Natives. The biggest, known to me Native collector was UK Ken. He was active on this forum years ago before first FFG Native (Native4) came out.
He had a very nice set. This is his picture. You can find discussion in "My Tribe" thread.

[bh49]

My big score from the sale. It was what I went for and I didn't see anybody else with one. Oh yeah!!!

Enjoy the knife.

[JD Spydo]

The NATIVE model is still near and dear to my knife loving heart>> There is a story I can tell about how I really fell in love with that model. About 4 years ago I was working in a shop doing automotive modifications. Some of those jobs required a lot of re-wiring and cutting and ripping out the original equipment and some of it was a real tough job getting the previous stuff removed. I was willing to sacrifice one of my Spyderco knives with a Spyderedge because there were 2 demanding jobs in particular that I thought would destroy a knife.

Much to my pleasant surprise I used my original 440V, SE Native ( Golden CO USA EARTH made) and put it through some extremely rigorous and punishing cutting and ripping jobs and it held up surprisingly. Since then I gained a huge appreciation for the Spyderco NATIVE model much more than I previously did as well as gaining a much bigger appreciation for Spyderco's Spyderedged knives. Their serration pattern is truly designed for extremely punishing jobs and I don't go a day anymore without having one of Spyderco's Spyderedged blades as a companion blade.

It's funny that this great thread came up because I've been carrying that same 440V, SE NATIVE for the past 4 days now and I hadn't carried it in quite a while. It is a bulldog/alliagator of a knife in full SE and I want to see more NATIVE models in Spyderedge with better blade steels in the future. The NATIVE model is a keeper and a workhorse to be sure.

[HarleyXJGuy]

Use it. If your grandfather passed along to you a knife he had overseas in the 40's would it bother you that he had carried and used it everyday? Didn't think so. Enjoy your native.

Heck yes. When you put it that way it seems like a crime not to use it.

Going in the pocket as soon as I get off work.

Thanks.

[RadioactiveSpyder]

Simply put - one of the best Spydies out there! And boy, what an evolution it's gone through over the years.

I'm now at 10 Native 5's - here's most of them (I have backups of the 2 S110V variants plus 2 S35VN customs). The orange one is my newest mod - lightly sculpted Anso pattern in G10 made by Steve Ketchen. Steve also fixed up my ironwood one originally made by Cuscadi, properly counter-sinking the screws and giving it a high buff polish. The only other new Native 5 not visible in these pics is the lightweight FRN version. How do I love the Native? Let me count the ways! Cheers, Radioactive :)

[HarleyXJGuy]

Simply put - one of the best Spydies out there! And boy, what an evolution it's gone through over the years.

I'm now at 10 Native 5's - here's most of them (I have backups of the 2 S110V variants plus 2 S35VN customs). The orange one is my newest mod - lightly sculpted Anso pattern in G10 made by Steve Ketchen. Steve also fixed up my ironwood one originally made by Cuscadi, properly counter-sinking the screws and giving it a high buff polish. The only other new Native 5 not visible in these pics is the lightweight FRN version. How do I love the Native? Let me count the ways! Cheers, Radioactive :)

Oh that was going to be one of my questions.

Hard to get custom scales for it like say a Delica?

Nice Native collection there RS.

[RadioactiveSpyder]

Hi Harley, it's pretty easy to get some scales made by some of the folks on the Blade Forum exchange in the Custom Shop section. That said, I can not rave any more about Steve Ketchen's (spketch) skills when it comes to these sorts of things. A real pleasure to deal with and he's got good Native modding experience now! . Let me know if there's anything I can help you with in terms of logistics in getting one, seeing your location is a bit far away from the ol' USA! Cheers, Radioactive :)