How’s the Native Salt treating you?

[prndltech]

Mine had no blade play and was smooth opening and closing. After it being the third time for me trying the platform, sadly, I learned I just can’t warm up to the native and I sold it.

[Wartstein]

Had a (S35VN) Native LW once, the action and especially the execution of the backlock were great. No blade play as far as I remember.

So I am just wondering: Why should the Native Salt be "worse" in general than the also linerless "regular" Native LW? Differences are just the type of steel and color of the handle, right?! :confused:

Well, one would hope. However, judging by the comments it’s a mixed bag. I’ve had a fair sample of Spyderco backlocks, and while none had any blade play or serious problems; there’s something of a spread in how smooth the action is. The linerless G10 Native I sold had simply the best action of any backlock I’ve tried hands down, including customs. The “worst” is my Tasman, it’s flickable but it takes a conscious effort and a fair bit of power. If I picked up the same model but action was like my other Salt, I doubt I would want to keep it because I’d always think of how good it can be. Yes, it’s nitpicky and petty but well, I am a petty and shallow man sometimes.

Some of these anecdotes give me hope, but it seems hit or miss. I don’t want to be stuck with another knife that should enjoy but can’t.

Thanks for your reply! Ok, but than it is like: There is a variety concerning the smoothness of action between ALL backlocks or to narrow it down between all linerless FRN Natives, and it is NOT the case that the linerless, FRN Native Salt inherently and generally is "worse" in that capacity than the linerless, FRN Native LW (in S30V / S35 VN), right`??

[JuPaul]

No problems with mine. Used it quite a bit before rotating out to my Pacific for the late summer. I like a suspended wax lube for the pivot like White Lightning seems to work best. I can easily one-hand close quickly and easily. Keep in mind the toothpaste treatment does work, takes a little time but loosens up the action quite nicely.

Yes, can you please elaborate on this toothpaste treatment?

Maybe it's just me, but I don't have a single spydie back lock that will drop all the way shut (like a comp lock will, for example). Honestly I didn't know that was possible! Most of mine can be easily closed one-handed with a little flick to pop the blade forward, and can be deployed with the spydie hole and a little wrist flick, but none are as "flickable" as the comp locks or cbbl locks I have. I feel like to get true "flickability" I'd have to loosen the pivots to the point of being unsafe. Am I just doing something wrong?

Don´t know if I get you right, but I can flick open all of my backlocks easily with my thumb, and most of them even with all fingers... (pinky in a revese grip of course). The hardest to do is the Chap LW, due to its light blade.

Maybe I just have weaker fingers, seriously. Can you flick them open with the same amount of pressure you would use on a comp lock?? Even on my most broken in delica, dragonfly, and native salt, I still have to use a little wrist action to flick them open. On my para 3s, for example, I could easily flick them open with no wrist action out of the box.

Edit: You're a pretty serious rock climber, right? I used to climb when I lived in Colorado, but I'm sure I never had the finger strength that you do. :p

Edit again: Actually, I lied, I can easily flick open two of my dragonflys without any wrist action. But neither drops all the way shut.

[Cowboyfromhell]

I had this knife in my pocket all day today. Went pumpkin picking with the family surrounded by a misty fog in the new England countryside today. Darn it, I should have taken a pic with the knife stabbed into a punkin....

[DukeBrnz]

Had a (S35VN) Native LW once, the action and especially the execution of the backlock were great. No blade play as far as I remember.

So I am just wondering: Why should the Native Salt be "worse" in general than the also linerless "regular" Native LW? Differences are just the type of steel and color of the handle, right?! :confused:

Well, one would hope. However, judging by the comments it’s a mixed bag. I’ve had a fair sample of Spyderco backlocks, and while none had any blade play or serious problems; there’s something of a spread in how smooth the action is. The linerless G10 Native I sold had simply the best action of any backlock I’ve tried hands down, including customs. The “worst” is my Tasman, it’s flickable but it takes a conscious effort and a fair bit of power. If I picked up the same model but action was like my other Salt, I doubt I would want to keep it because I’d always think of how good it can be. Yes, it’s nitpicky and petty but well, I am a petty and shallow man sometimes.

Some of these anecdotes give me hope, but it seems hit or miss. I don’t want to be stuck with another knife that should enjoy but can’t.

Thanks for your reply! Ok, but than it is like: There is a variety concerning the smoothness of action between ALL backlocks or to narrow it down between all linerless FRN Natives, and it is NOT the case that the linerless, FRN Native Salt inherently and generally is "worse" in that capacity than the linerless, FRN Native LW (in S30V / S35 VN), right`??

I don’t think anyone has said that the Native Salt is definitively worse than anything. Everyone is just relating their personal experiences, which is completely subjective. I think there’s variation between models and between samples of the same model. There’s definitely variation between how people experience their knife too.

My hypothesis is a linerless frn model is probably gonna be stiffer than other configurations.

[Enactive]

My Native Salt is my only linerless FRN handled Spyderco, so no real basis to compare. My sample is an excellent knife.

[Wartstein]

Don´t know if I get you right, but I can flick open all of my backlocks easily with my thumb, and most of them even with all fingers... (pinky in a revese grip of course). The hardest to do is the Chap LW, due to its light blade.

Maybe I just have weaker fingers, seriously. Can you flick them open with the same amount of pressure you would use on a comp lock?? Even on my most broken in delica, dragonfly, and native salt, I still have to use a little wrist action to flick them open. On my para 3s, for example, I could easily flick them open with no wrist action out of the box.

Edit: You're a pretty serious rock climber, right? I used to climb when I lived in Colorado, but I'm sure I never had the finger strength that you do. :p

Edit again: Actually, I lied, I can easily flick open two of my dragonflys without any wrist action. But neither drops all the way shut.

I am a rock climber, yes, but don´t know if "pretty serious" But sure, I should have stronger fingers (which actually means stronger muscles in the forearm) than the average person, no doubt.
But then: If finger strength determines partly how well you can flick open a backlock or not, I think the one I potentially have does not come from rock climbing, but rather from, well, frequently flicking backlocks... Why? I guess the finger strength you develop in rock climbing is more or less one that gives you a stronger grip, so you train to "curl" your fingers inwards (to close your hand), not so much moving the fingers outwards, so stretching them. I figure rock climbing finger strength is a bit like you´d only train your biceps, but never your triceps...

As for your question: I have only one comp.lock knife, a PM2. And yes, I can flick my backlocks with about the same amount of pressure as I use on the PM2 I guess. It´s just.. different.

One tip (you´ll probably know of anyway) for flicking whatever Spyderco: With you thumb in the opening hole and doing the thumb flick, imagine you re pushing the blade / your thumb forwards towards the front end of the handle, rather than outwards or perpendicular to the length of the handle.

[Wartstein]

Thanks for your reply! Ok, but than it is like: There is a variety concerning the smoothness of action between ALL backlocks or to narrow it down between all linerless FRN Natives, and it is NOT the case that the linerless, FRN Native Salt inherently and generally is "worse" in that capacity than the linerless, FRN Native LW (in S30V / S35 VN), right`??

I don’t think anyone has said that the Native Salt is definitively worse than anything. Everyone is just relating their personal experiences, which is completely subjective. I think there’s variation between models and between samples of the same model. There’s definitely variation between how people experience their knife too.

My hypothesis is a linerless frn model is probably gonna be stiffer than other configurations.

Ok, thanks for clarifying, then I got that wrong! I was assuming this thread was more or less about if specifically the Native SALT was not as "good" concerning action and so on than any other Native model.

[Doc Dan]

I have a Native 5 lightweight. It has a nice action. Why should the Salt be any different? Is there a different team making them?

[DukeBrnz]

I have a Native 5 lightweight. It has a nice action. Why should the Salt be any different? Is there a different team making them?

Good to know! Never tried a LW Native, hence my question. Honestly, I think it’s entirely possible that there would be differences between manufacturing runs.

I’ve got two knives built on the same Delica handle one is a Lil Matriarch which has liners and one is a Tasman which has no liners. The Tasman is much stiffer to open, no matter how I adjust the screws. Again, no one is besmirching the reputation of any model here. We’re just discussing our knives.

[blades&wrenches]

I have a Native 5 lightweight. It has a nice action. Why should the Salt be any different? Is there a different team making them?

You wouldn’t think it would be, but mine was significantly stiffer. I’ve owned 4 or 5 LW natives before the Salt, and they’ve all been fantastic. Not sure why, but it was definitely not what I expected it would be. If it were as smooth and functionally as nice as the others, I’d still have it.

[Marko]

I’ve owned one since they came out. Love it for all the rust proof reasons. I carry IWB a lot especially during the summer and have generated some sort of rust (usually from the stop pin) on every knife I’ve carried with the exception of Salt variants.

I have had a few Natives in the past and never warmed to the design. This one is working for me. Don’t know why but I like it.

WRT the action, this is where I struggle. My Native has the worst action I have experienced with any Spyderco, period. It is stiff, tough to open and require a lot of thumb pressure to unlock. I have disassembled it, cleaned it, inspected the spring, oiled it, etc. No improvement. It functions great and cuts stuff, just not enjoyable to open or close.

I’m really looking forward to the release of the Siren or getting another SpydieChef. In the meantime I will keep carrying the Native Salt.

[TkoK83Spy]

No problems with mine. Used it quite a bit before rotating out to my Pacific for the late summer. I like a suspended wax lube for the pivot like White Lightning seems to work best. I can easily one-hand close quickly and easily. Keep in mind the toothpaste treatment does work, takes a little time but loosens up the action quite nicely.

Yes, can you please elaborate on this toothpaste treatment?

Maybe it's just me, but I don't have a single spydie back lock that will drop all the way shut (like a comp lock will, for example). Honestly I didn't know that was possible! Most of mine can be easily closed one-handed with a little flick to pop the blade forward, and can be deployed with the spydie hole and a little wrist flick, but none are as "flickable" as the comp locks or cbbl locks I have. I feel like to get true "flickability" I'd have to loosen the pivots to the point of being unsafe. Am I just doing something wrong?

Some people just like flicking and playing, with no care about the safety of the knife. Annoys me to read those comments. A nice slow, thumb roll with the solid thunk of a back lock engaging is more satisfying than flicking a knife around like a maniac imo, especially when it comes to a back lock. Safety should always be most important!

[JuPaul]

A nice slow, thumb roll with the solid thunk of a back lock engaging is more satisfying than flicking a knife around like a maniac imo, especially when it comes to a back lock.
[/quote]

Yeah, looks a lot less intimidating to any non-knife folks that might be watching, too. But I will admit I enjoy the flickability of many of my other knives.

[TkoK83Spy]

That's what our beloved Manix and any comp lock is for!

[Doc Dan]

Maybe Spyderco made it this way on purpose so it wouldn’t come open accidentally in shark infested waters. :eek:

[JuPaul]

That's what our beloved Manix and any comp lock is for!

Exactly!

[VooDooChild]

Joking aside, for how I carry most of my salts, a stiff action thats hard to open is a big plus. Especially if its like that from the factory and still in spec, as opposed to an overly tightened pivot screw.
I was a beach lifeguard for most of my 20s, so ive got alot of experience carrying salt series knives in boardshort pockets in rough water. Of the many salts I have its a pretty short list of the ones that I trusted in that capacity. I would put the native salt tied at the top of that list with a couple others.
I believe theres a lil native lightweight planned. Seems probable we would get a salt of that. I really hope it has VERY high blade retention/resistence to opening and self close. If thats the case then it might tie at the top with the native salt.
As far as flicking goes. While its fun and all, nobody is flicking open a knife while theyre hanging over the side of a boat with wet hands. Great way to watch it sink to the bottom of the ocean.