I just got this in the mail. No pics I've taken yet but here is one that does it some justice:
I recently sold off about 20 knives, over half of them spydercos (I got into a stockpiling kind of mindset a while back, when the FFG colored FRN models of delicas and enduras came out, so that accounts for 5-6 of 'em). I have a few P'Kals left (a very special, very unique knife) and a few Ladybug Salts (yep, a carry + a backup) that are serrated. They make perfect knives to pair with a photon and a house key and keep in the left pocket all the time. Voila! you never need to worry about getting locked out, entangled, or being in the dark again.
Anyway I recently sold off the last spyderco, a Paramilitary 2, great knife but a little big. This left me with, in the way of viable carry options (excluding my Girlfriend's ZDP Delica and Leek) nothing but a Strider SMF in 3V. Great knife but just too big to really use in a car for opening the mail, and stuff like that. I'm hanging onto it because 1) the value may increase 2) a buddy got it for me and it means something and 3) it could be useful to lug along when camping or working at manual labor tasks.
Oddly the only knife I missed out of my entire collection was...an FRN/S30v Native. That knife had the most impeccable edge holding of ANY knife I've ever had, including other S30v and "better" knives/steels (such as the Para 2). We assume factory made stuff is nearly all equal quality...when this comes to stuff like heat-treated steel, and LED lights, I believe this isn't true. I've heard stories of "quality control" in LED flashlight plants picking extra-bright lights off and selling them to flashaholics for 2-3x the usual cost.
Anyway there was something special about this native...and it was the perfect size; I also loved the swedge and spear point.
Exotic steel is exciting, and I already own a screaming sharp knife in S35vn (a Ban Tang Pikal I carry every day strong side hip), so when I saw the Native 5 has S35vn I couldn't resist, plus, it's a practical acquisition...I really found myself missing having a "gentleman's knife," a smallish-mid-sized folder that is sharp and thin enough to do every day chores. For a while I skated by with my Clinch Pick and Pikal and Ladybug, but I was really missing an EDC folder.
So like I said, I got the Native 5...it arrived today...and it reminds me very much of a Manix. Kind of like if the Manix and Native had a kid, and that kid went to Harvard when all the other kids were learning how to play with blocks.
This has the best fit and finish of any Spydie I've ever seen, including all the other Golden USA ones I've seen/handled (that silly one that makes a clicking noise, CF Balance, Para 2, P'Kal, some others that don't come to mind right now). It has THE BEST balance of any knife I've ever handled. It has lots of cool features you can read about elsewhere, like a bushing-based pivot (you don't have to adjust it by tightening/loosening a pivot bolt), and a re-designed lockback mechanism.
I'm incredibly impressed with this knife.
I recently sold off about 20 knives, over half of them spydercos (I got into a stockpiling kind of mindset a while back, when the FFG colored FRN models of delicas and enduras came out, so that accounts for 5-6 of 'em). I have a few P'Kals left (a very special, very unique knife) and a few Ladybug Salts (yep, a carry + a backup) that are serrated. They make perfect knives to pair with a photon and a house key and keep in the left pocket all the time. Voila! you never need to worry about getting locked out, entangled, or being in the dark again.
Anyway I recently sold off the last spyderco, a Paramilitary 2, great knife but a little big. This left me with, in the way of viable carry options (excluding my Girlfriend's ZDP Delica and Leek) nothing but a Strider SMF in 3V. Great knife but just too big to really use in a car for opening the mail, and stuff like that. I'm hanging onto it because 1) the value may increase 2) a buddy got it for me and it means something and 3) it could be useful to lug along when camping or working at manual labor tasks.
Oddly the only knife I missed out of my entire collection was...an FRN/S30v Native. That knife had the most impeccable edge holding of ANY knife I've ever had, including other S30v and "better" knives/steels (such as the Para 2). We assume factory made stuff is nearly all equal quality...when this comes to stuff like heat-treated steel, and LED lights, I believe this isn't true. I've heard stories of "quality control" in LED flashlight plants picking extra-bright lights off and selling them to flashaholics for 2-3x the usual cost.
Anyway there was something special about this native...and it was the perfect size; I also loved the swedge and spear point.
Exotic steel is exciting, and I already own a screaming sharp knife in S35vn (a Ban Tang Pikal I carry every day strong side hip), so when I saw the Native 5 has S35vn I couldn't resist, plus, it's a practical acquisition...I really found myself missing having a "gentleman's knife," a smallish-mid-sized folder that is sharp and thin enough to do every day chores. For a while I skated by with my Clinch Pick and Pikal and Ladybug, but I was really missing an EDC folder.
So like I said, I got the Native 5...it arrived today...and it reminds me very much of a Manix. Kind of like if the Manix and Native had a kid, and that kid went to Harvard when all the other kids were learning how to play with blocks.
This has the best fit and finish of any Spydie I've ever seen, including all the other Golden USA ones I've seen/handled (that silly one that makes a clicking noise, CF Balance, Para 2, P'Kal, some others that don't come to mind right now). It has THE BEST balance of any knife I've ever handled. It has lots of cool features you can read about elsewhere, like a bushing-based pivot (you don't have to adjust it by tightening/loosening a pivot bolt), and a re-designed lockback mechanism.
I'm incredibly impressed with this knife.
