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Spyderco question

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 12:00 am
by Concord_Bob
I just picked up a couple of first gen natives from the smokey mountain knife network. On the warranty statement it says to return defective/broken knives to the Camillus Knife co. in New York.



I haven't heard anything about the two companies being connected. Anybody have any info on this?

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 9:40 pm
by vampyrewolf
That would be a BRK(Blue Ridge Knives) Native. WAY below spydie quality. 440a steel, 96.

spyderco has the native in 440a in the 96 dealer book, but didn't officially release it until the g-2 version in 97.

<img src="http://www.members.shaw.ca/pjharyett/sp ... pyder5.gif">
Mei Fides, Mei Victus
We are programmed to receive. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 10:48 pm
by Shards of Narsil
The BRKs are kind of an urban legend... <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

Story goes Spyderco made the blades but did not find them up to smack. They were sold off with the idea that they would make decent low cost knives but ones not carrying the Spyderco name as they were not up to the company's standards. Somehow or other, it did not work out that way and so we have the BRK Natives.

They are not completely bad actually. Most people who have them complain about the handle. The blade is fine, probably the best part in fact.

If you can overlook the sense of being scamed, they are not too bad considering the price. Not as good as a real Spyderco, but serviceable still.

Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 7:21 am
by 4 s ter
Here is a quote from a post by Sal which gives the lowdown on the BRK Ist Generation Native:

"quote"

Hi. I've heard your requests for the "story" behind the BRK Natives. Apologies on my end for being slow. Lots going on at this time. I'm impressed that you would be interested, thanx.

When the Native was first designed, it was scheduled to be made by Camillus in New York as a subcontractor. The plan was for 440A. The Native was to be a less expensive offering than the Delica at the same size.

Camillus made a large number of blades out of 440A. They were very nicely made blades. For a variety of reasons, Camillus could not produce for us at the time, so we brought the mold (that Camillus made) into Golden and produced the GIN-1 version for years. Then we changed the blade steel to CPM-440V, the price jumped, and will probably stay with the exotic steels in the near future.

Blue Ridge Knives, a long time and very good distributor for Spyderco knives put together a plan to use the perfectly good
Camillus made blades, Camillus would make the locks and springs, Spyderco would provide the Native handles and Camillus would assemble them in New York. This made it possible to make the less expensive offering. All in all, it's a nicely made USA made piece, and as mentioned, for the price, its hard to beat.

Blue Ridge Knives had the plan and made it possible. So BRK has exclusive rights to the distribution of the model.

Hope that helps.

We'll still be making the Native in Golden from CPM steels. There is also a Seki-City variation variation coming out later this year.

sal

"endquote"


David


"Not all who wander are lost"

Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 11:11 am
by Qship
There is a safety issue with the first generation knives. Depending on how your hand is built, grabbing the knife strongly in a saber or Filipino grip may depress the back spring locking mechanism, unlocking it, and the knife may close on your hand.

Newer versions of the Native have a crescent cutout in the portion of the backspring one depresses to unlock the knife. That seems to make the knife much safer for more people, and it is a convenient way to distinguish early production from the better, later product.

The early production Native I had also had excessive side play in the blade, but I carry a later production Native as my secondary knife, and it is OK.

I would not consider an early production Native for MBC, but I have seen them sell in the $15-$20 range on the secondary market, and they can be turned into a cost effective drone. A good friend made one into a trainer for my wife by rounding the point, grinding off the edge, and dishing the backspring in the manner of later versions of the knife.

Qship

Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 1:16 pm
by Concord_Bob
Thanks for the information.
For $19 I guess it's a good knife. I will be real warry of Chris Kirk and the stuff he sells from now on. I wonder how much of his "collector" materiel is seconds.

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2004 11:05 am
by ftkinney
I have a BRK Native that I bought after Sal posted what you read below for $19 it is a fine knife. My only problem is with the clip it had some sharp edges...but that is what sand paper is for. I don't feel bad but I knew what I was getting from the begining.