Native 5 frn

[piratebob53]

Love the way it fits my hand but action so stiff it’s almost a two handed open. Cleaned, lubed, worked it hundreds of times. Is there a mod like thin washers or another solution?

[Michael Janich]

Dear piratebob53:

Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.

The Native 5 design has a concentric tang and no "hump." Those features make its opening action a more deliberate effort.

Stay safe,

Mike

[Ramonade]

Love the way it fits my hand but action so stiff it’s almost a two handed open. Cleaned, lubed, worked it hundreds of times. Is there a mod like thin washers or another solution?

Which Native 5 version do you have. Is it G10, FRN ? Which steel is the blade made off ?

[Sharp Guy]

Something's not right. I have several (10?) Native 5s and I wouldn't consider any of them to be two-handed openers. They're all very smooth and reasonably easy to roll out with my thumb

Something to keep in mind about back locks in general is that the lock bar is under spring tension and it puts constant pressure on the blade tang. So they'll never open up as easily as most other lock types

[VooDooChild]

My native 5 salt is harder to open then other frn native 5s I have handled.

[jmj3esq]

My carbon fiber Native 5 opens with a properly placed yet stiff upward thumb motion. Just barely, but I can do it. I would figure the FRN knives would be smoother.

[steelcity16]

Did you loosen the pivot screw? I adjust the pivot screw to my liking on every new Spyderco. All it takes it a tiny barely perceptible twist in one direction or the other to loosen or tighten. Grab a torx and dial it in.

[Brant]

My Native is tight too, I was thinking it needed broken in a little. It’s the Rex45 with the DLC blade, would or should that matter? I did loosen the pivot screws, helped a little.

[zhyla]

Pivot too tight.

[Sharp Guy]

Just so we're all on the same page...is this about opening N5's in general or are you concerned that they're hard to flick open? Because there's a big difference between being able open a knife by rolling the blade out with your thumb and being able to flick it open with your thumb or middle finger. I'm guessing here but I probably have 50-ish Spyderco back lock knives. They're all fairly easy to open by rolling the blade out with my thumb but there's only a couple that I can actually flick open. I don't even try to flick open by back locks because I think it's hard on the lock but I couldn't anyway even if I really wanted to. It's just easier for me to open them as with my thumb.

I think I've only had to loosen the pivot a tiny bit on a couple but, I agree with the others, that's the first thing I'd check

My Native is tight too, I was thinking it needed broken in a little. It’s the Rex45 with the DLC blade, would or should that matter? I did loosen the pivot screws, helped a little.

I have one of the recent REX45 N5LWs with the white FRN and DLC blade. It opens just fine like all the other N5s I have

[Brant]

Just so we're all on the same page...is this about opening N5's in general or are you concerned that they're hard to flick open? Because there's a big difference between being able open a knife by rolling the blade out with your thumb and being able to flick it open with your thumb or middle finger. I'm guessing here but I probably have 50-ish Spyderco back lock knives. They're all fairly easy to open by rolling the blade out with my thumb but there's only a couple that I can actually flick open. I don't even try to flick open by back locks because I think it's hard on the lock but I couldn't anyway even if I really wanted to. It's just easier for me to open them as with my thumb.

I think I've only had to loosen the pivot a tiny bit on a couple but, I agree with the others, that's the first thing I'd check

My Native is tight too, I was thinking it needed broken in a little. It’s the Rex45 with the DLC blade, would or should that matter? I did loosen the pivot screws, helped a little.

I have one of the recent REX45 N5LWs with the white FRN and DLC blade. It opens just fine like all the other N5s I have

I believe I have the same one, the “stormtrooper” as some call it. It’s my first and only N5 also. No flick, the resistance must be all the back lock. The blade drops when the lock is pushed in. I wasn’t sure if these were flickable, great knife beside that.

[z1r]

I've got more than a handful of N5's. They can be flicked but require considerable effort, effort I'm not willing to expend. But none are so stiff that they can't be easily rolled open with my thumb. I'm still thinking hard of ordering another Rex45 before they are gone.

[Evil D]

Everything Mike said is spot on (of course it would be, he'd know).

The lack of thumb ramp makes a really big difference here, it changes the distance your thumb travels and the leverage you get on the hole. This knife also has a very strong close bias. If you compare it to a Rock Jumper the difference is pretty significant. The action should still be smooth, and on all of mine I have no problem dialing in the pivot screw to eliminate side play and still have the blade drop with gravity when you press the lock. After a while you get used to the opening action, think of it like lifting weights for your thumb lol.

[zuludelta]

If you're coming from using knives with ball-bearings or spring assists or crossbar-style locks, I imagine the Native 5 Lightweight can feel a tad stiff to open. But you'll get used to and come to appreciate it over time. I've owned 8 different Natives over the years and I'm at the point where I can easily "Spydie-flick" them open with my middle finger even with their pivots at more-or-less factory tightness (and obviously, slow-rolling them open with my thumb presents no issues at all).

[mongo1958]

My Manix 2 LW was like that when I got it.
It has loosened up a bit and I can do the flick and reverse flick.
One handed blade closure can be tricky some times but I'm getting the hand of the CBBL.

[jwbnyc]

The Spydercos with the Spydieholes that are more in line with the centerline require a little more English to thumb flick. Just cock your wrist in towards your gut and then un-cock outwards forcibly as you thumb flick. Just requires different technique is all..