Native Chief Lightweight

[weeping minora]

Dear Sal & Co., are there any plans down the pipeline for a Native Chief Lightweight version? With a Police 4 Lightweight currently inbound, this sparked my interest. My dislike for the G-10 construction was the only reason I waited until now to pick up a P4, although I've loved the design since it was first released, as I do the Chief. I'd love to pick one up someday if we happen to see a lightweight iteration.

[Wartstein]

I think there is a lot of interest out there for a Native Chief LW, since this has been asked for several times already (among others by me).

As always, I guess before Spyderco considers producing expensive FRN molds, the Chief has to proof itself as a hit and well selling model.
Furthermore, other than the Police, it has no liners anyway, so it IS already rather lightweight... still, I´d prefer an FRN version too, and the a little smaller size than the Police (but still being a large folder) would suit me well.

I think there is hope, since the "family member" Native 5 also comes in linerless G10 PLUS in FRN. But then, the Native 5 will probably always sell better than the Chief, and be it only for it´s smaller size that goes better with the legal restrictions in many places.

So: To make a Chief LW in FRN more likely, one would probably have to help the sales of the current G10 model first... (tbh, I myself did not buy one either - yet. And now the Siren might be, what I´d even prefer over the Chief...)

[knivesandbooks]

Hard pass on that one. Will pay more for a round handle or something special done with it. But not interested in frcp. I'd much prefer to go up in materials than down. I own and Spyderco makes enough frn/frcp knives to last 5 lifetimes.

[Wartstein]

Hard pass on that one. Will pay more for a round handle or something special done with it. But not interested in frcp. I'd much prefer to go up in materials than down. I own and Spyderco makes enough frn/frcp knives to last 5 lifetimes.

Valid opinion of course, but for me FRN / FRCP IS a step UP indeed from G10...

[weeping minora]

Hard pass on that one. Will pay more for a round handle or something special done with it. But not interested in frcp. I'd much prefer to go up in materials than down. I own and Spyderco makes enough frn/frcp knives to last 5 lifetimes.

Valid opinion of course, but for me FRN / FRCP IS a step UP indeed from G10...

Threw this out there because I am not in favor of G-10 and along with Warstein find FRN as a step-up. I don't see a benefit of G-10 from a functional stand-point when compared to FRN, neither would I pay an upcharge of 20-50% for a model sporting the handle scales as such. They can always round the FRN handles as has been done with numerous models, albeit mostly seen from Seki, not impossible in the other factories of production. I understand the benefits of a company, Spyderco in this instance, using a material that is less costly to shop a new model out to the masses before investing on a potential market dud, but I'd be very surprised if Spyderco ever decided the Chief were such a dud and would not warrant such a treatment at some point in time. I'm simply asking if this is in the pipeline. It only took ~20 years to produce the G-10 iteration as it is .

[dj moonbat]

There are some contexts where I think linerless G10 is better than FRN. My G10 Urban from back in the day was great, and I don't like the current FRN model nearly as much.

On a knife as long and slender as the Chief, though, I certainly see the appeal in having some steel in the grip.

[zhyla]

On a knife as long and slender as the Chief, though, I certainly see the appeal in having some steel in the grip.

This is definitely an issue. What exactly are we gaining with FRN over G-10? The Police 4 LW saves a whopping 0.3 oz vs the G-10 version. It seems likely that a Chief LW would have a similar need for liners.

[vivi]

On a knife as long and slender as the Chief, though, I certainly see the appeal in having some steel in the grip.

This is definitely an issue. What exactly are we gaining with FRN over G-10? The Police 4 LW saves a whopping 0.3 oz vs the G-10 version. It seems likely that a Chief LW would have a similar need for liners.

There's more differences between the Police models than a 0.3oz weight savings.

[weeping minora]

I should have made my opening post more clear. I am not concerned with a weight saving and I use the "lightweight" moniker because I see it being synonymous with any model released in FRN/FRCP. With the weight being very light as it is for such a large blade in it's current format, I see no valid "point" as to where "it wouldn't be that much lighter than the G-10 version because the Police 4 isn't" being a valid counterpoint to not offer a version in FRN. Put some steel liners behind the scales, no problem. Just because the Golden "lightweight" models don't have liners to this current date, does not mean that is an improbability for the future. The benefits would be less wear on your pockets, better grip when working in wet or slick conditions and a savings to the buyer for having a "cheaper" handle construction.

[Ez556]

I don’t really care whether it’s G10 or FRCP, I just want one with an LC200N blade :D I certainly would like to see the Chief get a lightweight treatment though.

[VooDooChild]

I just for whatever reason love bidirectional frn. When I give it the old thumb test its the grippiest stuff out there. If a Native Chief ltwt were produced I would probably buy every version of it. I believe I recall it being mentioned on here somewhere, cant remember which discussion, that the lil native had lightweight versions planned so it would seem likely the native chief will get the treatment as well. I really hope we get some lightweight variations with the chief.

[steelcity16]

I don’t really care whether it’s G10 or FRCP, I just want one with an LC200N blade :D I certainly would like to see the Chief get a lightweight treatment though.

Bumping for a Chief LW Salt and or Cruwear Chief LW.

Also looking forward to the Lil Native Backlock LW. Hopefully it has both of these steel options with added jimping and a wire clip. Throw a boye dent in these models and now we are cooking with fire!! :D

I might as well throw out my endorsement for a Manix Backlock LW Salt as well. Hopefully screw construction this time. And what about a Manix XL Backlock LW Salt??? Am I getting too crazy here??? :eek: :confused:

[blueblur]

I’d prefer to see more variants of the current Chief before a lightweight version is released.

[Enactive]

I’d prefer to see more variants of the current Chief before a lightweight version is released.

I agree. We could use CruWear and LC200N variants of the G10 model. K390 too!

A new variant is an engineering project, while different steels are mostly production concerns not requiring prototyping, testing, etc.

I guess saltification (Salinization :p) is somewhere in between effort-wise?

[samdasnake]

I agree with OP, wartstein, et al. that FRN is actually an upgrade in terms of handle material. I love bidirectional FRN so much more than G10. I haven’t bought a Chief yet because I’m not a huge fan of G10, but I’d definitely buy if an FRN version were released. Like I love my tenacious LW, my para3 LW, native LW, etc. I’d love to see the whole native family lightweighted :)

[blueblur]

I’d love to see Spyderco start to roll out more of their staple models with the more aggressive G10 that is on the Siren. After some use it smooths out a little but still retains some good texture.

Release the G10 Chief with some colored coarse G10 and steels like Cruwear and 4V and they’ll have a huge hit.