Native Salt owners?

[Marko]

Quick question for Native Salt owners. I just received mine a week ago direct from Spyderco. Looking to make this my summer carry/running knife. This will also be my 3rd time trying a Native. Previously, I owned a Native 4 in CF and one of the first Native 5s. Both were great but for whatever reason I didn’t warm up to them.

Is anybody experiencing extreme stiffness when trying to open their Native Salt? Mine is so difficult that my thumb has slipped off the hole a few times when trying to open it. The surface of the tang that makes contact with the lock bar appears very smooth and uniform. If I squeeze down down far enough to keep the lockbar from riding on the surface of the tang the blade seems to move more freely, ruling out an overly tight pivot. It feels like the lockbar is “grabbing” or binding one the surface of the tang. Could it just need a good breaking in? All my H1 Salts fly open (Spyderhawk, Tasman and Pacific]. Today I applied a few drops of light oil to the surface of the tang and it has made a minor improvement.

Anybody else having this issue with their Native Salt?

[Enactive]

I had nothing of the sort. I would try break in for a while. Have you cleaned the lock interface?

The lighter blade of the native will not fly open like a heavier and longer blade (assuming same lock type).

I think my Native is the most solid of my Spyderco back lock knives and has maybe the most resistance opening.

[Mattysc42]

Mine was pretty stiff at first, but broke in nicely after using it at work for a couple weeks. Give it time.

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

Mine was also very stiff at first but it broke in nicely. Great little knife. I purchased my first one in PE it was very stiff, then I purchased the SE version and it was no where near as stiff.

[Jazz]

Yes, a few of us did. My new black S30V too. They have a bit off side to side play, letting the ricasso and choil nub rub on the scale sides. I trimmed mine carefully and they’re a bit better. The black one was extremely hard to open. Weird thing is, I just took it apart and thoroughly wiped it down, put it back together, and it’s slick as it should be. I can’t explain it. Something definitely was not right. The Salt is still a bit stiff. I’ll probably dismantle and wipe it down too.

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

Yes, a few of us did. My new black S30V too. They have a bit off side to side play, letting the ricasso and choil nub rub on the scale sides. I trimmed mine carefully and they’re a bit better. The black one was extremely hard to open. Weird thing is, I just took it apart and thoroughly wiped it down, put it back together, and it’s slick as it should be. I can’t explain it. Something definitely was not right. The Salt is still a bit stiff. I’ll probably dismantle and wipe it down too.

That’s what I experienced as well Side tide play on the PE LC200N version after a while, just chalked it up to FRN without scales and tightened the pivot it has been good since then.

[Jazz]

I have 3 others with no play. Something has changed. I tighten and still play. Tiny bit, but enough to do something to this particular model, I think. Could be wrong. I still love my Natives. Put the Salt in my pocket before I even saw this thread. :cool:

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

I do to. The idea of never going to rust really frees me up. Let’s face it good quality is expensive and rightly so, but it has always hampered me carrying my knives in Florida when I need them most outdoors.

LC200N conquers this.

[Doc Dan]

What could possibly be different in the Salt? Other LW's are nice and smooth. Is it possible the spring is not placed in the optimal position?

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

I am guessing size and blade shape. Honestly the issues are not a flaw in my ownership and use.

[Marko]

Another quick question. Are there no washers on the Native Salt? I just dissassembled mine. All the contact surfaces are smoth and clean. It was actually the easiest takedown of a lockback ai have ever had the pleasure of taking apart. My old ZDP Stretch took 30 mins to put back together...

Also, cleaning the surfaces returned it back to the stiff/rough opening. I think the oil on the tang actually helped.

[Marulaghost]

Another quick question. Are there no washers on the Native Salt? I just dissassembled mine. All the contact surfaces are smoth and clean. It was actually the easiest takedown of a lockback ai have ever had the pleasure of taking apart. My old ZDP Stretch took 30 mins to put back together...

Also, cleaning the surfaces returned it back to the stiff/rough opening. I think the oil on the tang actually helped.

There are a few LW or FRN versions of knives that lack washers. I believe the delica/ endura family and then the native (maybe manix 2?)

With that being said the native should be a breeze to disassemble in comparison to a stretch or endura. Even a chapparral is easier than a delica to take apart and reassemble.

[ladybug93]

a lot of people mentioned this in regards to the native salt. some have said that stiffness and a little bit of side to side blade play have been common in new native lw models. i experienced both. it’s still a little stiff in my opinion, but it’s not bad, and the side to side play somehow righted itself. i’ve never disassembled the knife or adjusted the pivot, so i have no idea what happened to make blade play disappear. it’s a great beater knife though. i love that i don’t have to worry about cleaning it right away and it touches up quickly and nicely on the sharpmaker.

[Robbob]

Mine requires quite a bit of exertion to open. I loosened the pivot as I always do with little to no effect. I'm fairly sure either the radius if the tang is too large, the protrusion on the lock bar is too long, or the spring is too forceful. I suppose I can disassemble it and another Native of mine for comparison purposes.

[ABX2011]

It does not use washers. Mine wasn't stiff but did have the side to side play that can't be tightened out because of a bushing style pivot. It's a small amount of play that can only be felt when the knife isn't locked open. So for most it's not really an issue.

[Jazz]

Mine requires quite a bit of exertion to open. I loosened the pivot as I always do with little to no effect. I'm fairly sure either the radius if the tang is too large, the protrusion on the lock bar is too long, or the spring is too forceful. I suppose I can disassemble it and another Native of mine for comparison purposes.

I should have done that. Could you post pics if you do, please?

[Accutron]

My Native Salt isn't particularly stiff, but it does have some side-to-side play, and when I open it (left-handed) the ricasso rubs on the inside of the handle. The nub in front of the choil will also catch on the handle if there's any lateral pressure to that side while closing, like if I wheel the blade halfway open and then shut again with my left thumb. Adjusting the pivot screws has no effect. I have an IR date code S110V lightweight with T8 handle screws that lightly rubs the inside of the handle when opening, but it doesn't have any side-to-side play. My other lightweights with T6 handle screws don't have these issues.

[Robbob]

Mine requires quite a bit of exertion to open. I loosened the pivot as I always do with little to no effect. I'm fairly sure either the radius if the tang is too large, the protrusion on the lock bar is too long, or the spring is too forceful. I suppose I can disassemble it and another Native of mine for comparison purposes.

I should have done that. Could you post pics if you do, please?

Ask and ye shall receive.



LC200N on the right (reflection washed out the text). As you can see, the overall form is virtually identical. The only variances are the location (or lack thereof) of the secondary hole, as well as the location (or lack thereof) of the date stamp on the tang.




There are some differences in the lockbars, namely, the number of grooves just forward of the backspring "shoulder", and the area where the spring contacts the bar.

The biggest difference is in the pivots. The S35VN and Maxamet both have matching pivots. The Salt, however, has a pivot that looks to be almost split with a washer in between the halves (on end). I tried the LC200N blade in the pink S35VN handle/lockbar/pivot and everything seemed to work like normal. However, the Maxamet blade in the Salt handle/hardware had the same tightness issue as the Salt itself. I also tried the Salt lockbar and the rest of the Maxamet parts and everything was as normal. This leads me to believe the problem is with the pivot and not the lockbar.

[Jazz]

Very interesting. Thank you very much sir, for your trouble. I hope they fix it. To someone knife savvy, it is noticeable and annoying, especially when compared to a glassy smooth one.

[ladybug93]

The Salt, however, has a pivot that looks to be almost split with a washer in between the halves (on end).
...
This leads me to believe the problem is with the pivot and not the lockbar.

did you get a picture of this detail? i’m not seeing what you are referring to. if not, no worries. i’m just curious about it.

thanks for this comparison. i’m surprised it would be any different from any other native that already exists and why they would change it. maybe someone from spyderco will chime in.