S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

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TheGiant80
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S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#1

Post by TheGiant80 »

If you had your next knife purchase narrowed down to these two bad boys, which would you choose?

I know all the stats. I’m more interested in which knife ticks the most boxes of the users here on the forums.

(And if you feel like giving a brief explanation, that would be radical!)
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Dazen
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#2

Post by Dazen »

Both!

But if I really had to choose one it would be the Chief. I love the smoother texture carbon fiber they used on the Chief and I wish they would use more of it.

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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#3

Post by JoviAl »

The chief every time - I like a finger choil on my smaller/pocket knives.
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Work: Carribean Salt SE and a Magnacut Mule - or - PW Customs Harp and a Rockjumper SE (paired)

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Evil D
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#4

Post by Evil D »

I want to like the Siren so much...have looked at it many times, it's almost perfect except too much space between the grip and the edge, which is probably great for it's intended use but not what I prefer for EDC. I'd probably go with the Chief. I've been wondering if I could grind a finger choil into the front of the grip on the Siren..
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#5

Post by Dnwrghtsr »

Siren, 3.3 ounces feels perfect in my hand. Blade under 4 inches. I’m in Florida now 4 inch limit had to leave my native chief and military at home.
Lc200n, s90v, magnacut, 20v, 204p, cruwear, s110v, 15v, cts-xhp
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#6

Post by Dnwrghtsr »

Edge length is almost identical, and I also prefer the wire clip. I do like both just slightly prefer the siren.
Lc200n, s90v, magnacut, 20v, 204p, cruwear, s110v, 15v, cts-xhp
capt.carl
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#7

Post by capt.carl »

Evil D wrote:
Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:14 am
I want to like the Siren so much...have looked at it many times, it's almost perfect except too much space between the grip and the edge, which is probably great for it's intended use but not what I prefer for EDC. I'd probably go with the Chief. I've been wondering if I could grind a finger choil into the front of the grip on the Siren..
Compared to a lot of choilless knives the distance between edge and handle is pretty good. But yeah, not he same if you want a choil. I personally really like both but the siren is such a great edc. Ergos are insanely good and that handle guard gives me a lot of confidence in use.
They are both great designs, so hard choice.
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Matus
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#8

Post by Matus »

I would prefer to be able to get closer to the blade than what the siren Offers, but Chief does not have (for me) a particularly comfortable handle (too narrow in height towards the rear and very blocky). So I would probably pick the Siren - and I also prefer the cutting edge profile. The Chief I had (Rex45) was mechanically pure perfection, that needs to be said.
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#9

Post by TkoK83Spy »

100% the Native Chief! I find the Siren to be pretty ugly and also has a forced grip.
15 :bug-red 's in 10 different steels
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#10

Post by JSumm »

I have really considered that Sprint Run Siren. I am a huge fan of the Chief. I am curious for those that think your hand is too far back from the edge, do you typically hold the Chief in the finger choil or behind it? I also thought the hand was too far away from the edge on the Siren, but once I started looking at it again I realized I primarily hold the Chief behind the choil, so in that grip the Siren would get the hand closer to the edge.
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Evil D
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#11

Post by Evil D »

capt.carl wrote:
Thu Feb 09, 2023 8:15 am
Evil D wrote:
Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:14 am
I want to like the Siren so much...have looked at it many times, it's almost perfect except too much space between the grip and the edge, which is probably great for it's intended use but not what I prefer for EDC. I'd probably go with the Chief. I've been wondering if I could grind a finger choil into the front of the grip on the Siren..
Compared to a lot of choilless knives the distance between edge and handle is pretty good. But yeah, not he same if you want a choil. I personally really like both but the siren is such a great edc. Ergos are insanely good and that handle guard gives me a lot of confidence in use.
They are both great designs, so hard choice.


I'd just assume not have a choil or a gap at all. If the edge on the Siren came back to your index finger position as well as a Caribbean or Autonomy 2 I'd own one. Other problem like with so many other choices are all the alternatives. If these were the only two knives I could choose from it would be a very different decision.
Last edited by Evil D on Thu Feb 09, 2023 9:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#12

Post by TkoK83Spy »

JSumm wrote:
Thu Feb 09, 2023 8:37 am
I have really considered that Sprint Run Siren. I am a huge fan of the Chief. I am curious for those that think your hand is too far back from the edge, do you typically hold the Chief in the finger choil or behind it? I also thought the hand was too far away from the edge on the Siren, but once I started looking at it again I realized I primarily hold the Chief behind the choil, so in that grip the Siren would get the hand closer to the edge.
I'm a use the choil/ricasso guy pretty much all the time if the knife has it. I like that extra feeling of my hand/fingers locked in, and also controls my cuts better as well.
15 :bug-red 's in 10 different steels
1 - Bradford Guardian 3 / Vanadis 4E Wharnie
1 - Monterey Bay Knives Slayback Flipper / ZDP 189
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31/Macassar Ebony Inlays
1 - CRK Large Inkosi Insingo/ Black Micarta Inlays
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31 Insingo/Magnacut

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R100
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#13

Post by R100 »

I don't want to be controversial but I think most of the folk commenting here don't have a Siren. I thought what they do before I actually tried one.

I have the S90V Siren and an S30V Chief. I far prefer the Siren. Much better ergonomics for me, more robust blade with similar slicyness and much better balance. If you hold the Chief behind the choil you feel a long way from the edge and the blade just seems too pointy for most uses. To me it would be a much better knife if it retained the point of the Native 5 at the end of a longer blade. I really wanted to like the Chief but just can't. It feels like it was designed by a committee whereas the Siren feels designed from the ground up by one person who knew what they were doing.

I put off buying a Siren for a long while because I was worried about that big guard but I don't mind it at all in actual use. You feel much closer to the edge than with the Chief held behind the choil. The Siren locks you in and the blade feels like an extension of your hand. Ergonomics are a very subjective thing but I have come to think this might be the most comfortable of all Spydercos.The other thing is that the guard is surprisingly good to choke up on for detailed work. The Siren is also in a whole different league as a hunting and fishing knife than the Chief but that is probably stating the obvious.

Everyone's use and needs are different but if you want a great outdoors and EDC knife I say give the Siren a go.

Dan
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Matus
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#14

Post by Matus »

Dan, I indeed never had the Siren, but all you say about both these knives is in line with my experience with the Chief and expectations of the Siren.
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#15

Post by capt.carl »

R100 wrote:
Thu Feb 09, 2023 9:02 pm
I don't want to be controversial but I think most of the folk commenting here don't have a Siren. I thought what they do before I actually tried one.

I have the S90V Siren and an S30V Chief. I far prefer the Siren. Much better ergonomics for me, more robust blade with similar slicyness and much better balance. If you hold the Chief behind the choil you feel a long way from the edge and the blade just seems too pointy for most uses. To me it would be a much better knife if it retained the point of the Native 5 at the end of a longer blade. I really wanted to like the Chief but just can't. It feels like it was designed by a committee whereas the Siren feels designed from the ground up by one person who knew what they were doing.

I put off buying a Siren for a long while because I was worried about that big guard but I don't mind it at all in actual use. You feel much closer to the edge than with the Chief held behind the choil. The Siren locks you in and the blade feels like an extension of your hand. Ergonomics are a very subjective thing but I have come to think this might be the most comfortable of all Spydercos.The other thing is that the guard is surprisingly good to choke up on for detailed work. The Siren is also in a whole different league as a hunting and fishing knife than the Chief but that is probably stating the obvious.

Everyone's use and needs are different but if you want a great outdoors and EDC knife I say give the Siren a go.

Dan
You put it well with all the points about the siren. I think you’re right, I’ve noticed a lot of people online judge it from pictures but dont have any experience with it. It’s a great user and very intentionally built to be an all around solid edc. It’s funny how hung up many online are with the guard, but imo it is actually a nice feature.Lance did an excellent job designing this one
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#16

Post by Manixguy@1994 »

I think they are both great knives and have both in different variants . They are are both humpless which is my preference. I think Lance nailed it with the Siren and hope a Magnacut version will come out some day . The Chief is such a great large folder , very versatile , and pocket friendly for its size . I actually have another Chief coming my way . If choosing I would go Chief mainly because the steel in my opinion is a better fit rather for a Siren . MG2
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TheGiant80
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#17

Post by TheGiant80 »

I'm diggin' what I see folks. Thanks to all who left input. They're both lovely blades indeed!
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#18

Post by Araignee »

From what I've seen, you can't really "one hand drop close" with the Siren.

It's a feature I really like with many Spyderco backlocks, being able to press on the lock and then let the blade drop shut on your finger.

If the Siren had a hidden ricasso like that of the Rockjumper, it'd be pretty cool.
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#19

Post by Coastal »

R100 wrote:
Thu Feb 09, 2023 9:02 pm

I have the S90V Siren and an S30V Chief. I far prefer the Siren. Much better ergonomics for me, more robust blade with similar slicyness and much better balance. If you hold the Chief behind the choil you feel a long way from the edge and the (Chief's) blade just seems too pointy for most uses. To me it would be a much better knife if it retained the point of the Native 5 at the end of a longer blade. I really wanted to like the Chief but just can't. It feels like it was designed by a committee whereas the Siren feels designed from the ground up by one person who knew what they were doing.

You feel much closer to the edge than with the Chief held behind the choil. The Siren locks you in and the blade feels like an extension of your hand. Ergonomics are a very subjective thing but I have come to think this might be the most comfortable of all Spydercos.The other thing is that the guard is surprisingly good to choke up on for detailed work. The Siren is also in a whole different league as a hunting and fishing knife than the Chief but that is probably stating the obvious.

Dan
Dan expressed so exactly how I feel about these two knives that I can't improve on it. The Chief is far and away the most disappointing excellent knife that I own. I know it's excellent because the workmanship is top-notch, and this forum has told me over and over what a great knife it is. But not for me.
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Re: S90V Carbon Siren or S90V Carbon Native Chief?

#20

Post by shunsui »

Acquire both, but I really like the Siren's ergos.
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