Pics of Native 5 G10 with Native 5 FRN LTW

[Peter Parker]

Can someone with both knives, Native 5 G10 and Native 5 FRN LTW, post some comparison pics showing the knives side by side, opened, closed, top view, back view, front view, bottom view, etc?

[RadioactiveSpyder]

I can certainly do so for you Pete if you can wait until this weekend when I'm back from my holiday trip. I bet someone will get so some on here much faster than that though, knowing these folks! Cheers, Radioactive :)

[Peter Parker]

I can certainly do so for you Pete if you can wait until this weekend when I'm back from my holiday trip. I bet someone will get so some on here much faster than that though, knowing these folks! Cheers, Radioactive :)

Thanks Radioactive! I can wait. Happy T-day!

[DougC-3]

Here are a few shots I posted earlier in case you haven't seen them -- not quite what you're looking for, but maybe it'll help a bit until some more shots come along :) :

(Some of these shots are partially grazed sunlight to bring out grind detail, so the steel appears much darker than real life, especially when the blade nearly fills the frame and the camera meter is trying to do its job of rendering the whole photo as 18% gray.)

With Native (1) and Forum Native 5 for comparison




Swedge grind marks show on both the Forum knife and the Lt Wt, but are much less obvious in real life


Following 2 shots show Lt Wt edge grind




The following 5 macro shots show a 21 x 14mm frame size (the lens's closest focus).

Lt Wt swedge grind close up


Spyderbug on Lt Wt


Next two shots -- the Lt Wt swedge, on my knife, was ground just about perfectly from end to end, with the two sides matching perfectly at both ends.




The forum Native 5 swedge grind for comparison -- both are a good bit harder to see (and not easy to feel) in real life.


Blade finish shot comparison with my 154CM Manix 2, my only stone washed blade

[DM11]

Cool shots, thanks!

[RadioactiveSpyder]

Hi, as promised here are some comparison pics of the G10/stainless steel-linered Native 5 and the new lightweight FRN Native 5.




(Sorry for the lineup switcheroo there )

[RadioactiveSpyder]

Some artsy shots of the handles...




And with big brother, the lightweight FRN Manix 2. I know Sal and co. are working on getting us a matching N5 S110V version next year sometime. :D





Hope these help in your decision-making process. Compared to the very noticeable weight savings of the lightweight FRN Manix 2 compared to the G10 versions (even ones with the skeletonized liners), I don't notice such an obvious difference between the lightweight and G10 versions of the Native 5. It's lighter, but the G10 version was already on the lighter side... My only other gripe with the lightweight Native 5, as many others have pointed out, is that I would have very (VERY) much preferred to see a wire clip on it versus the larger hourglass one. That would have made the knife perfect! It's pretty close as is though, and a great choice as an EDC knife. Cheers, Radioactive :)

[Peter Parker]

Thanks Radioactive and DC3!

Radioactive, from your pics it looks as tho the native 5 g10 has a thinner handle, is it noticeable when you compare them in the hand, and which do you like better, for in hand feel?

[DougC-3]

From my measurements the Native 5 G-10 is really only about a third of a mm thinner. I think the solid thick FRN on the Lt Wt Native 5 mainly just makes it look thicker. To me the main difference in feel in hand is the solid heft of the G-10 N5 vs the lightness of the lt. wt. N5 (and the feel of the FRN, which some don't care for), each strongly desirable to different people for those very reasons :) -- not much help... I'm interested in Radioactive's opinion also.

I can predict that our most adamant Native fancier on the forums, bh49 (Roman), would strongly pull for the G10 model I would like it too most of the time, maybe favoring the Lt Wt N5 when I would want to carry a more discreet knife or when cutting down on weight.

(Edited for clarity)

[Cheddarnut]

I prefer the full clip the native has, proving yet again you can please some of the people some of the time.

Also, the finishing details on the new native look great, like the nicely ground lockbar and chamfered jimping, im looking forward to handling/buying this usurper. RIP native 1.

[PayneTrain]

With Native (1) and Forum Native 5 for comparison

You know, this picture made me realize something. I don't like this new FRN style. Look at the brown Native's handle and look at the new lightweight. The brown is more rounded and sculpted, while the lightweight has those hard edges which are also on the lightweight dark blue Manix. While I love my Manix, its handle has the cheapest feel due to those edges out of any of my FRN models. That brown Native is easily my favorite (even the bi-directional stuff is finer), followed by the Pacific Salt and a green Stretch. Maybe it's a cost saving thing to get these pieces out at an attainable price, but I just want to be on the record saying that I am not a fan and I can't envision myself getting a new Native.

[RadioactiveSpyder]

Thanks Radioactive and DC3!

Radioactive, from your pics it looks as tho the native 5 g10 has a thinner handle, is it noticeable when you compare them in the hand, and which do you like better, for in hand feel?

You're very welcome, happy to help! I think Doug nailed it with his answer above that it's mainly an optical illusion that the lightweight handle is thicker, the FRN slabs are certainly thicker than the G10 ones but they serve also as the SS liner as well, so total width from edge of the lockbar to the outside edge is the same (well, I guess +/- 1.5 mm!). As for the feel in hand, I guess I'm spoiled with the two S110V versions I carry in my standard EDC lineup and haven't put the lightweight into rotation. I know it would serve admirably and I like S35VN steel, but for now it's a great addition to the N5 collection stored in the closet. That may change when the S110V version comes out, but I actually doubt it since I like the checkered G10 and CF scales so much. Funny, because the S110V Manix 2 retired a G10 Manix 2 out of my EDC rotation and it now serves as my main weekend beater knife for house/yard work. And Cheddarnut is certainly right about the high level of quality evident in the FRN version (and the G10/CF ones too), it's just a fabulous knife. You can't go wrong with any of them! Cheers, Radioactive :)

[sdedalus83]

You know, this picture made me realize something. I don't like this new FRN style. Look at the brown Native's handle and look at the new lightweight. The brown is more rounded and sculpted, while the lightweight has those hard edges which are also on the lightweight dark blue Manix. While I love my Manix, its handle has the cheapest feel due to those edges out of any of my FRN models. That brown Native is easily my favorite (even the bi-directional stuff is finer), followed by the Pacific Salt and a green Stretch. Maybe it's a cost saving thing to get these pieces out at an attainable price, but I just want to be on the record saying that I am not a fan and I can't envision myself getting a new Native.

The new native generally has more rounded edges than my frn byrds, especially on the handle choil. While it doesn't have the excellent contouring of the Seki frn handles, I'd imagine it's more comfortable than the frn manix.

[PayneTrain]

The new native generally has more rounded edges than my frn byrds, especially on the handle choil. While it doesn't have the excellent contouring of the Seki frn handles, I'd imagine it's more comfortable than the frn manix.

Yeah, that part looks good. The rest is just as square, though. Golden made the original, more comfortable version (much more; seriously, that thing is nice), so why change it now?

[DougC-3]

I'll have to admit that I find the Native "1" very comfortable in hand, and I like its smoother FRN scale design better than that of the grippier Delica-Endura series, apparently unlike almost everybody else. I was a little disappointed to learn that the Lt Wt Native had the square X-section handle with pronounced corners similar to the Lt Wt Manixes rather than the comfortable, contoured design of the early Natives. But the square corners do give you a solid platform for your fingertips to grip the knife when you're pushing out the blade with your thumb. And, like Cheddarnut said, you can't please everybody, that is unless you make umpty scintillion varieties of knives, like Spyderco does.

[PayneTrain]

But the square corners do give you a solid platform for your fingertips to grip the knife when you're pushing out the blade with your thumb.

Yeah, I suppose there is that. It does sort of act as a guard rail to a small degree on my Manix, making it just a tad harder for my fingers to slide off as opposed to having a nice smooth drop off like the Native 1. Oh well. In :spyder: we trust.

Hey, at least I can find the occasional reason not to buy another knife. I'm not in too deep yet!

[DougC-3]

Hey, at least I can find the occasional reason not to buy another knife. I'm not in too deep yet!

I usually buy first and nit-pick later



Edit: typo

[On Edge]

you guys give me too much to think about …