Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

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Enactive
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Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#1

Post by Enactive »

First I will just say that I know this knife has been long-awaited by folks who have been around here longer than me. My expectations were high and I am impressed! I will give my first impressions and it would be great to hear other folks experiences with the Chief too and see their photos. I have really enjoyed the photos of the Chief that others have shared and will add some later.

Overall the build quality is excellent. Out of the box the blade has no play when locked up and dropped with a very minor jiggle when the lock was released with the knife held horizontally. I have not adjusted anything, but put a couple drops of oil into the pivot and it now drops freely when the lock is released. The action is good enough that it is easy to middle-finger flick open (this is not something that I do routinely, but It is something I check out).

The overall finish quality is excellent—if it were much nicer it would risk being too precious. As I mentioned the lockup is ‘Golden solid’ with no detectable blade play and the blade is very well centered (perfect to the naked eye). The grinds are all very nice—the primary and the edge bevel are both consistent on both sides.

If I’m persnickety, I will point out that as with many Spydercos that include a 50/50 choil and finger guard, the edge grind does not meet the plunge line perfectly. In this regard, my Shaman is slightly better and my Native Salt is slightly worse.

One other nitpick I noticed is a very sharp burr on the inside of the backspacer at the butt of the knife. Of course I was easily able to fix that. The G10 texture is quite grippy (may need sanding to not chew pockets) and the rectangular cross-section indexes well in the hand. Both the blockiness and texture contrast nicely with the Shaman’s smooth contours. I quite like both in hand.

The Chief is sleek and feels light and nimble for its size, while still feeling plenty beefy for me. The light weight for its size has encouraged me to leave the clip in the tip-up position and carry in my front right pocket. Other knives that I have in this size class (Spyderco Resilience, Byrd Cara Cara rescue, Ontario Rat 1) I carry tip-down in my right rear pocket. The Chief is pretty slim in pocket for a larger Spyderco, enough so that it feels good in the front pocket. The clip also feels good in various grips in the tip-up configuration.

I have not yet used it to cut anything of consequence, but it looks promising and the grind seems not too thick BTE. The edge is quite sharp, but not the sharpest Spyderco I’ve received. It does shave but not tree-top hair. I’m confident that we’ll have more conversations about the real world performance over time.

Appearance wise I think the Chief is simple and elegant in its sweeping lines. Even though I think it looks good, the long leaf blade looks quite stabby to my eye. Maybe this could be mitigated by colored G10?

In my haste to make this post, I am not including photos, but I think there are many great photos of the Chief around. I invite those of you who have a Chief to contribute your impressions to this thread!
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rbb2
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#2

Post by rbb2 »

I really like the slimness of the knife in pocket as well, the lack of a thumb ramp really lets it ride well.

I had the same impression re: looking stabby, but haven't had the occasion to use it for anything to test that aspect, nor taken the time to compare it closely to a PM2.

And I agree that the look of the knife, especially open, is almost elegant in it's simplicity and graceful lines. To my eye, it could be the best looking Spyderco made.
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#3

Post by Wartstein »

Folks, just keep torturing me with Chief-threads and pics... ;) Just kidding of course, I am really glad for everyone who already has the Chief and courious for your impressions!
I pulled the trigger on a serrated Endela first, and will have to sell a Mili and an sg Endura before I can get the Chief. But eventually I will!
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
Doeswhateveraspidercan
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#4

Post by Doeswhateveraspidercan »

Just received mine last night.

1. Sharpness out of the box is excellent so much so I thought woah hold up is this S30V.

2. Feels perfect in the hand, my hand usuals seeks a finger choil but with this knife it does not. Having the finger choil however makes this feel like two different knives when held that way.

3. Blade stock and flat grind have combined in this knife to make a very nice large slicer.

4. Actual use since last night shredded some junk mail slicing through offers and depositing them in the garbage in nothing flat. Broke down 2 boxes with ease.

5. Solid lock up.

6. Very light weight yet sturdy feeling.

7. Slim in the pocket can be carried with shorts.

8. Carries deep tip up or down.

9. Fit and finish smooth and precise.

10. Perfect blade centering.

11. Easy open and close one handed tension on backlock is superb.

12.Clean looks leaf like blade shape says Spyderco all over it.

1st impressions are this is a keeper

Mind boggling question. Why did it take so long to produce this?

I like my native but it is too small even minor tasks like cutting down boxes leave my hands too close to sharp cardboard. This is much better

Thanks for producing this Sal & Eric
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#5

Post by Enactive »

There will be more of these to follow-- but here is a shot this morning with the Resilience.
IMAG2959a.jpg
I'd like to see other folks' photos too and suppose i should start a parallel thread in the Spyderco Picture Gallery forum.
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#6

Post by Enactive »

Wartstein wrote:
Tue Jun 11, 2019 12:05 am
Folks, just keep torturing me with Chief-threads and pics... ;) Just kidding of course, I am really glad for everyone who already has the Chief and courious for your impressions!
I pulled the trigger on a serrated Endela first, and will have to sell a Mili and an sg Endura before I can get the Chief. But eventually I will!
Ha! You'll get yours eventually. I saw your other post in the Endela thread-- i look forward to seeing your impressions of the full serrations and the Endela chassis.
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#7

Post by VashHash »

I've been waiting a few years for this model to come out. I'm very pleased with it. Such a nice design for those of us with larger hands. Carries well in the pocket without a hump in the blade. Smooth opening and it drops about halfway closed when you press the lock in. Very solid lock up with no blade play.
It cuts very well.
Image
Image

Initial shot when I received it
Image
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#8

Post by rbb2 »

Here are a couple comparison shots (I know the lighting kind of sucks, sorry). For the closed shot, I lined the ends all up on the same line. For the open shot, I lined up the handle side point of the finger choil on the same line.

Image

Image
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#9

Post by Doeswhateveraspidercan »

Making dinner tonight, Aglio E oilio Spaghetti.

It will be traditional in that I will thinly slice fresh garlic cloves.

I will also thinly slice some bell peppers and olives and chop up some green onion. Will use the Native Chief, the Spydie Chef the Hundred Pacer and the Benchmade Nestucca cleaver get some action shots and comparison shots in and not to derail this thread will post it here viewtopic.php?f=2&t=84051
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#10

Post by p_atrick »

I never noticed how much smaller the finger choil is on the PM2 than on the Native series. I never found my PM2 to be uncomfortable. How do they compare?
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#11

Post by Doeswhateveraspidercan »

While the PM 2 is like a comfortable chair this is like a custom recliner.
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#12

Post by Wartstein »

p_atrick wrote:
Tue Jun 11, 2019 12:59 pm
I never noticed how much smaller the finger choil is on the PM2 than on the Native series. I never found my PM2 to be uncomfortable. How do they compare?
It´s not really that much smaller (except maybe a tiny bit shallower and a tiny bit shorter), just more of the choil in the handle, and less in the blade. Imho the better design, as long as the handle still offers a full your finger grip also BEHIND the choil. Why? Better EDGE to handle ratio...

Still I am sure I will prefer the Chief over PM2 or Millie. In fact, despite the choil being located a lot in the blade, it still has a really quite good edge to handle ratio.
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#13

Post by Doeswhateveraspidercan »

Wartstein wrote:
Tue Jun 11, 2019 2:06 pm
p_atrick wrote:
Tue Jun 11, 2019 12:59 pm
I never noticed how much smaller the finger choil is on the PM2 than on the Native series. I never found my PM2 to be uncomfortable. How do they compare?
It´s not really that much smaller (except maybe a tiny bit shallower and a tiny bit shorter), just more of the choil in the handle, and less in the blade. Imho the better design, as long as the handle still offers a full your finger grip also BEHIND the choil. Why? Better EDGE to handle ratio...

Still I am sure I will prefer the Chief over PM2 or Millie. In fact, despite the choil being located a lot in the blade, it still has a really quite good edge to handle ratio.
The handle Still offers a full 4 finger grip behind the choil all day long and I wear extra large gloves.

This knife brings so many great qualities in one package it is difficult to believe and it is so light as to be surprising. I apologize for anything I speculated in the negative about liner-less knives with this G-10 liners are unneeded.

How this is sharper out of the box than an Ikuchi and slices nicer is a mystery to me and is starting to make me love Gasp :eek: S30V
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#14

Post by Wartstein »

Doeswhateveraspidercan wrote:
Tue Jun 11, 2019 2:23 pm
Wartstein wrote:
Tue Jun 11, 2019 2:06 pm
p_atrick wrote:
Tue Jun 11, 2019 12:59 pm
I never noticed how much smaller the finger choil is on the PM2 than on the Native series. I never found my PM2 to be uncomfortable. How do they compare?
It´s not really that much smaller (except maybe a tiny bit shallower and a tiny bit shorter), just more of the choil in the handle, and less in the blade. Imho the better design, as long as the handle still offers a full your finger grip also BEHIND the choil. Why? Better EDGE to handle ratio...

Still I am sure I will prefer the Chief over PM2 or Millie. In fact, despite the choil being located a lot in the blade, it still has a really quite good edge to handle ratio.
The handle Still offers a full 4 finger grip behind the choil all day long and I wear extra large gloves.

This knife brings so many great qualities in one package it is difficult to believe and it is so light as to be surprising. I apologize for anything I speculated in the negative about liner-less knives with this G-10 liners are unneeded.

How this is sharper out of the box than an Ikuchi and slices nicer is a mystery to me and is starting to make me love Gasp :eek: S30V
Guess I did not really make my point: What I meant was:
By concept (cause it´s better for the edge to handle ratio) I prefer choils, that are located more in the handle than in the blade as long as there is still enough space for a full four finger grip behind the choil. Just on a very SHORT handle it´s better to "move" the choil more into the BLADE, so that the handle BEHIND the choil can still offer a four finger grip.

I know, that the Chief - unlike the Native 5 - easily offers a four finger grip behind the choil!! Must be like this, since the handle is long PLUS a comparably small amount of the choil is in the handle, but more in the blade
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#15

Post by p_atrick »

Doeswhateveraspidercan wrote:
Tue Jun 11, 2019 2:23 pm
How this is sharper out of the box than an Ikuchi and slices nicer is a mystery to me and is starting to make me love Gasp :eek: S30V
I recently watched this video (mostly to confirm my love of the Sage 2). I was surprised to see that the Sage 2 is thinner (BTE) than most other Spydercos (I think the video claims this is the thinnest blade out of the box). I do remember him saying the Sage 2 is thinner than the Delica. Maybe the Chief is ground thinner than a PM2 or Millie?
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#16

Post by rbb2 »

p_atrick wrote:
Tue Jun 11, 2019 12:59 pm
I never noticed how much smaller the finger choil is on the PM2 than on the Native series. I never found my PM2 to be uncomfortable. How do they compare?
I just pulled them back out to compare, and the difference is probably only noticeable if you look for it and handle them back to back.

That being said, I have large hands and fingers, and the finger choil on the chief does seem to offer a bit more purchase, as it allows the finger to get in a little deeper.
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#17

Post by levs18 »

I really want this knife but am not a big fan of s30v. I’m hoping we get a sprint really soon.
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#18

Post by Doeswhateveraspidercan »

levs18 wrote:
Tue Jun 11, 2019 3:41 pm
I really want this knife but am not a big fan of s30v. I’m hoping we get a sprint really soon.
Lol all I have done is complain about S30V and trust me this knife is changing my mind. Go for it!
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#19

Post by Enactive »

Here are a few of the Chief with some Scandis:

With my boyhood classic Mora
IMAG2963.jpg
Mora Garberg
IMAG2966.jpg
Mora Eldris
IMAG2967.jpg
Helle Ola-kniven blank with cherry wood handle i made some years ago
IMAG2969.jpg
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Re: Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

#20

Post by Enactive »

Here are some comparisons to some of my other Spydie-family:

with the Shaman outside
IMAG2971.jpg
With the Shaman inside
IMAG2980.jpg
The Natives
IMAG2975.jpg
The big folders
IMAG2977.jpg
My top shelf Spyderco folders
IMAG2976.jpg
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