Spydie Chef vs Native 5 Salt. Which would you choose and why?

[ThePerfectBlade]

Hello!

This is my first post! Excited to be here! As a person who isn't looking to collect, but to find that one perfect folding blade with the best mix of edge retention, weight/carry ability, corrosion resistance, and as minimal maintenance as possible, I have come down to two knives which fit these specs... These knives are the Spydie Chef and the Native 5 Salt. Also, since VANAX steel will probably be way out in left field in terms of price rang and since I have waited the last 3 years to pull the trigger on my first Spyderco, it looks like LC200N will be the most realistic revolutionary steel solution for my needs in the near term. I am aware this might just be the beginning for LC200N knives and more current models might come out with this steel, but I have waited for too long now and need to get one! So I guess my question is, if you had to choose between the Spydie Chef or the Native 5 salt as your choice for EDC, which would you choose and why? I would also like to get @Surfringo (Lance) opinon on this as well if possible! Thanks!

[Pelagic]

What will you be using the knife for, specifically?

[The Meat man]

Welcome to the forum PerfectBlade!

I think I'd choose the Native Salt. It'll be considerably lighter, and the blade shape is (arguably) a bit more EDC suited. And the Native platform is a really bulletproof design, tough as nails and super strong without being too overbuilt. The ergonomics, for me anyway, are also outstanding.

Really you probably couldn't go wrong with either choice. I know you'll hear a lot of well- deserved praise for the Spydiechef too. :)

[ThePerfectBlade]

What will you be using the knife for, specifically?

Hey Pelagic,

I will most likely be using it for everything and anything including food prep, opening boxes, cutting tougher plastic, cutting rope by boats (Fresh Water), fileting fish possibly, grilling, eating, carving wood ( to make a small spear for roasting marshmallows and hot dogs :D ), cutting tape, opening envelopes, and the list goes on and on... Just want an everyday minimal care EDC knife that I don't have to worry about.. I guess the biggest concern between the two for me is will the FRN scales on the native last as long not fill with gunk compared to the titanium scales on the spydie chef? Will the 2.5 inch edge length of the native be too short for the tasks at hand?

[awa54]

I split the difference and got a PE sheepsfoot Caribbean... no regrets! It won't do cutting board work like the Spydiechef, but it's a bunch cheaper, has a fantastic blade grind and is big enough to take on larger tasks than an N5. I'm looking forward to hearing whether the Native Salt has a thinner blade grind than the standard N5, I love the form factor of the N5, but the thickness behind the edge really holds it back for my preferred uses of a knife that size.

[ThePerfectBlade]

Hey Pelagic,

I would be looking to use either of these as an all around EDC. I wont be collecting any knives. I just want that one knife. What really drew me to these two is the minimal care it needs, the edge retention being better than H1 and it being closer to the retention VG-10 and S30V, and also the weight being reasonably light. My only concern with the Native 5 is if gunk would get in the FRN handles making it hard to clean and also if the 2.5 inch edge length would be too short. I have not had experience with the Native so I have no idea if the size of the blade would give me any issues on a certain task. Maybe someone who carries a native daily could chime in and see if they have any trouble ever with the size?

[Sharp Guy]

Nothing wrong with the Chef but for daily use I'd probably go with the Native. Aside from the fact that it's a great design, very light, easy to maintain, etc, it's also very reasonably priced. It's definitely not inexpensive but the price makes it easier to replace if something happens to it.

[ThePerfectBlade]

I split the difference and got a PE sheepsfoot Caribbean... no regrets! It won't do cutting board work like the Spydiechef, but it's a bunch cheaper, has a fantastic blade grind and is big enough to take on larger tasks than an N5. I'm looking forward to hearing whether the Native Salt has a thinner blade grind than the standard N5, I love the form factor of the N5, but the thickness behind the edge really holds it back for my preferred uses of a knife that size.

Hey Awa54,

Thanks for your response. I really was looking hard at the Caribbean, but the thing that held me back on it was the size and weight being 4.2oz... How are you liking LC200N? Have you tried sharpening it yet? I am very curious on how it will sharpen. I saw a video that Lance posted not to long ago and was impressed how fast the sharpmaker sharpened that knife. He literally took his dull Caribbean knife that was put to hard use and did like less than 20 passes and it was slicing through paper again. Hopefully all LC200N will sharpen like that. I posted the link below.

https://youtu.be/DGnOnAtwSNw

[Sharp Guy]

I'm looking forward to hearing whether the Native Salt has a thinner blade grind than the standard N5, I love the form factor of the N5, but the thickness behind the edge really holds it back for my preferred uses of a knife that size.

IDK, I just measured the shoulder on my new N5 Maxamet and go .018". I was kind of surprised by that. It's still no Chaparral but also not unreasonably thick for a EDC knife. I also measured my other 4 Natives that still have factory edge bevels and got .020-.022". A little thicker but still not what I'd call thick behind the edge.

[vivi]

I'd go with the Native for a lock type I prefer and a pointier tip.

[Tims]

Native 5 for ergos, backlock and blade.
That Spydiechef blade is the exact opposite of what I personally find useful in an edc blade. I can almost feel how frustrated I would be using it but to each his own.

[ladybug93]

i don't have either and i want both, but for edc, i'd probably go with the native. i'd carry the chef as more of a gentleman's folder.

[Smaug]

Native, unless most of your EDC cutting is food.

I have the Spydiechef and I love it, but the blade is quite wide for EDC.

The thing I love about the Native is that the blade is smallish, (at least the cutting edge part) but the way it's gripped fills the hand.

Eventually, you'll probably want a bigger knife too, and after awhile, you'll realize it's overkill.

Also, I think a LOT of us came here not intending to collect. But it happens, if you stick around. So get your Native and get out now, with your credit card still intact. ;-)

[vivi]

Eventually, you'll probably very a bigger knife too, and after awhile, you'll realize it's overkill.

Eh, if I could get a Native sized blade with a Police sized handle, I'd find that useful. I don't like using index choils for the majority of my cutting, so a knife that requires me to use one to get a full grip won't see much pocket time.

But the market seems too concerned with blade to handle ratios for us to see designs like that.

Oddly, there are plenty of fixed blades on the market with full sized handles and <3" blades. I enjoy them as EDC's.

[Tims]

Eventually, you'll probably very a bigger knife too, and after awhile, you'll realize it's overkill.

Eh, if I could get a Native sized blade with a Police sized handle, I'd find that useful. I don't like using index choils for the majority of my cutting, so a knife that requires me to use one to get a full grip won't see much pocket time.

But the market seems too concerned with blade to handle ratios for us to see designs like that.

Oddly, there are plenty of fixed blades on the market with full sized handles and <3" blades. I enjoy them as EDC's.

I have to say though, my Spydercos have the ‘worst’ blade to handle ratios of any knives I own. It was in fact Spyderco that helped me appreciate a ratio that favours handle length. It’s a pretty common theme in many of Spydercos knives. Don’t quote me but I think I remember Sal even saying that handle design/ergos comes first, everything else is secondary.

I value ergos highly but **** I do love those knives that when you open them, the blade just grows and grows.

[Evil D]

Pretty different knives apart from the steel. I would prefer the Chef if the blade angle were more negative angled (though I understand why it isn't). Cost and weight are also pretty significant differences. I think for general use I'd probably go with the Native mostly because I just don't like blades with upswept tips or blade angles and the Native has a lower tip.

[Cscottsss]

Native 5 for your uses IMO.

[awa54]

I split the difference and got a PE sheepsfoot Caribbean... no regrets! It won't do cutting board work like the Spydiechef, but it's a bunch cheaper, has a fantastic blade grind and is big enough to take on larger tasks than an N5. I'm looking forward to hearing whether the Native Salt has a thinner blade grind than the standard N5, I love the form factor of the N5, but the thickness behind the edge really holds it back for my preferred uses of a knife that size.

Hey Awa54,

Thanks for your response. I really was looking hard at the Caribbean, but the thing that held me back on it was the size and weight being 4.2oz... How are you liking LC200N? Have you tried sharpening it yet? I am very curious on how it will sharpen. I saw a video that Lance posted not to long ago and was impressed how fast the sharpmaker sharpened that knife. He literally took his dull Caribbean knife that was put to hard use and did like less than 20 passes and it was slicing through paper again. Hopefully all LC200N will sharpen like that. I posted the link below.

https://youtu.be/DGnOnAtwSNw

I have carried it, but the cold weather in VT (and the fact that I work retail and the Holidays are upon us) has kept me from putting it to any serious outdoor use so far. And since it hasn't been thrashed yet, I haven't sharpened it (unlike many blades that I reprofile immediately, the Caribbean is ground so thin i can't improve it!).

What I can tell you is that it came with an exceptional factory edge, even by Spyderco standards and that despite the edge length being very close to the Military, it's shorter closed and subjectively no heavier in the pocket. It *is* wider (heel of handle to blade spine wide, not scale to scale, it's nice and thin that way) though, so it blocks up pockets like a big knife (the Millie cheats that by being so slim that it hides at the back of the pocket).

On the N5s edge thickness; it's not terribly thick, just thicker than I'd wish for On a sub 3" blade... The Caribbean on the other hand feels more like a kitchen knife edge grind ...though it remains to be seen how it'll hold up to abusive treatment.

[abbazaba]

Native5. I've had the chef since it dropped and just find the ergos and blade shape of thr Native5 more to my liking. It is very much a utility knife IMO.

[wrdwrght]

The belly on the Chef makes it more a specialty knife (as the knife’s name suggests). I’d go with the multi-purpose Native5 if you seek only one knife.