Native chief vs Endura?. **Now with pics**

[DOUBLE D]

Anyone have any good comparisons, pictures, or recommendations?.

I'm an endura guy, but I'm wondering if the chief is an upgrade that is worth the price difference

[PeaceInOurTime]

I'm curious, as well. Love the Endura but am wondering how the Chief compares, especially if it's offered in SE :)

[PeanutButterFan]

I don’t own a chief but I believe its blade is a bit longer than the endura’s. It compares closer to the military and police models, it’s in that size range. :spyder:

[VooDooChild]

The Chief is really good. I cant imagine it disappointing anybody.

If the endura didnt have those darn points in the handle it would probably be one of my favorite knives. That one little thing kills it for me. I should just start sanding them down so that I can have enduras that I enjoy.

[DOUBLE D]

The Chief is really good. I cant imagine it disappointing anybody.

If the endura didnt have those darn points in the handle it would probably be one of my favorite knives. That one little thing kills it for me. I should just start sanding them down so that I can have enduras that I enjoy.

Lol, that's exactly what I do on my Endura's. The front point mostly. The back one doesn't bother me. I'll send a pic tomorrow when I get home if I can remember how to post a pic.

[Wartstein]

I own two Enduras at the moment and had quite a bit more in the past, but don´t own a Chief, so my thoughts on the latter are just theoretical.

The Endura (together with the Stretch 1) is my favorite folder of all times, but I really want to try a Chief. Only thing that´s holding me back: I am hoping for a "Chief LW" (not that the current Chief is "heavy" by any means, but an LW would come in FRN, which I prefer over G10).

For an Endura-guy the Chief is an amazing knife just by its specs alone: Closed length is practically the same in Endura and Chief, but the Chief still mangages to pack a clearly longer blade into the handle (blade 4.08" vs 3.75"). And despite having a full forward choil, it still also has a longer actual edge,
Due to the "humpless" spine of the Chief, it might be an even better/less wide carry than the Endura.

I am not necessarely a fan of finger choils in every knife, but the Chief does everything right in that regard imho; Forward choil, but still a lot of cutting edge and still more than enough space on the actual handle behind the choil

I figure the Chief has that perfect Golden backlock like the Native has. I am perfectly happy with the Endura backlock, don´t get me wrong, but the Natives is even better,

Given that I really like S30V (and probably would like REX 45 even more so since HAP 40 perhaps is my favorite steel), the Chief could be an "upgrade" over the Endura indeed... if it came in FRN

Only downside for me personally: The probably less robust tip of the Chief compared to the Endura tip (which is pointy enough for me, but a bit reenforced due to the "drop" in the spine towards the tip).

[ladybug93]

trick question. the correct answer is pacific salt se. :)

[Monty]

trick question. the correct answer is pacific salt se. :)

Winner winner, chicken dinner.

I don't like choils on anything larger than the Dragonfly at this point. It doesn't seem like any larger offering with one fits well when not using the choil and the cutting edge is unnecessarily distanced from your grip.

[ladybug93]

trick question. the correct answer is pacific salt se. :)

Winner winner, chicken dinner.

I don't like choils on anything larger than the Dragonfly at this point. It doesn't seem like any larger offering with one fits well when not using the choil and the cutting edge is unnecessarily distanced from your grip.

i can’t agree with that. i love the native and manix.

[Wartstein]

trick question. the correct answer is pacific salt se. :)

Winner winner, chicken dinner.

I don't like choils on anything larger than the Dragonfly at this point. It doesn't seem like any larger offering with one fits well when not using the choil and the cutting edge is unnecessarily distanced from your grip.

In small/midsized knives like Native, Para 3 and so on for me a choil is a bit of a drawback if one wants a universal all purpose knife , cause here the choil both sacrifices edge length and first and foremost handle length to a degree where I can't get a good four finger grip on the actual handle anymore (despite the handle would have enough overall length for that without the handle part of the choil).

DFly/ Chap size: A choil is GREAT and mandatory for a good four finger grip
Manix size: A choil is fine, cause it still leaves enough space on the actual handle
Chief size: A choil is very good, cause it still leaves both a lot of edge AND enough space on the actual handle..

Just my 2c of course.

[ugaarguy]

trick question. the correct answer is pacific salt se. :)

Winner winner, chicken dinner.

I don't like choils on anything larger than the Dragonfly at this point. It doesn't seem like any larger offering with one fits well when not using the choil and the cutting edge is unnecessarily distanced from your grip.

In small/midsized knives like Native, Para 3 and so on for me a choil is a bit of a drawback if one wants a universal all purpose knife , cause here the choil both sacrifices edge length and first and foremost handle length to a degree where I can't get a good four finger grip on the actual handle anymore (despite the handle would have enough overall length for that without the handle part of the choil).

DFly/ Chap size: A choil is GREAT and mandatory for a good four finger grip
Manix size: A choil is fine, cause it still leaves enough space on the actual handle
Chief size: A choil is very good, cause it still leaves both a lot of edge AND enough space on the actual handle..

Just my 2c of course.

Aftermarket scales prove that the ricasso on the Delica could easily be a choil, without sacrificing blade length or handle length. As the Delica comes from the factory, I can't get a comfortable grip on it. Sal seems to like ricassos and choils for safety. I'd rather have the increased functionality of a choil than the wasted space of a ricasso. My fat fingers and I are very glad that the Native exists.

[Wartstein]

trick question. the correct answer is pacific salt se. :)

In small/midsized knives like Native, Para 3 and so on for me a choil is a bit of a drawback if one wants a universal all purpose knife , cause here the choil both sacrifices edge length and first and foremost handle length to a degree where I can't get a good four finger grip on the actual handle anymore (despite the handle would have enough overall length for that without the handle part of the choil).

DFly/ Chap size: A choil is GREAT and mandatory for a good four finger grip
Manix size: A choil is fine, cause it still leaves enough space on the actual handle
Chief size: A choil is very good, cause it still leaves both a lot of edge AND enough space on the actual handle..

Just my 2c of course.

Aftermarket scales prove that the ricasso on the Delica could easily be a choil, without sacrificing blade length or handle length. As the Delica comes from the factory, I can't get a comfortable grip on it. Sal seems to like ricassos and choils for safety. I'd rather have the increased functionality of a choil than the wasted space of a ricasso. My fat fingers and I are very glad that the Native exists.

Well, discussed a lot already and I feel totally different (but of course there's no wrong or right here):

I have L to XL hands, and for me the Delica does everything right in that size class: Very generous handle even for bigger hands, and a Ricasso I personally (and many others) can perfectly choke up on at least as well as on most dedicated choils .. plus when gripped on the actual handle my hand still is rather close to the edge...

And, just said in another thread: Even choking up on the actual edge is no problem either for somewhat experienced knife users imho.(but not necessary on a Delica)

Would be a real shame if the great Delica design would be changed into yet another choiled knife in that size class: For those who want that we have Native, Para 3, Sage. . already...

[Pancake]

I have the Chief and I really like it.
I was thinking more then a few times about Endura.....but the finger grooves might not fit my hand.
I have Pac Salt 1 (thanks Warstein), and the grooves fit me perfect, not sure about Endura.

One thing that Endura has over the Chief is that is on the market for a long time, there is tons of version and sprint runs and to s of scales, different hardware and so on....but I think these are two excellent models for big EDC knife.

[Evil D]

Chief for me. The Endura ergos are not for me.

[Sumdumguy]

Chief without question. The Endura has an awful handle, the opposite of neutral.

Same with the Delica and Endela. They are the right design, with the wrong handle. The bad part is, they refuse to fix it, haha.

[Wartstein]

Chief without question. The Endura has an awful handle, the opposite of neutral.

Same with the Delica and Endela. They are the right design, with the wrong handle. The bad part is, they refuse to fix it, haha.

The dislike by some of the Endura 4 handle is one of the big knife mysteries to me: I (L to XL hands) personally have always loved the Endura 4 ergos, even long before I joined this forum and knew anything what other people think about them, I honestly even can´t decide if I prefer the Stretch or Endura ergos...

I like the Pac Salt handle (= "old" Endura handle) too, but for me the E4 handle clearly is better: More comfortable, regardless if I put my thumb to the side of the blade (which I tend to do) or on the thumb ramp, it feels more stable, secure and like a "tighter fit" (more contact of the fingers with the handle) than the Pac Salt handle...

If I would not have learned that really experienced knife users / knife guys like you (Sumdumguy) or David (Evil D) don´t really like the E4 ergos, I´d honestly would have recommend this knife as an ergomomic masterpiece (which it is for me) at least for everyone who has about my hand size..

[Evil D]

Chief without question. The Endura has an awful handle, the opposite of neutral.

Same with the Delica and Endela. They are the right design, with the wrong handle. The bad part is, they refuse to fix it, haha.

Apparently most people like the handles. I'd imagine average sized hands fit it really well, I'm just a couple sizes above average.

[DOUBLE D]

trick question. the correct answer is pacific salt se. :)

Hahaha I have one of those also!

[DOUBLE D]

Thanks for the excellent replies everyone. I may have to get my hands on a chief and do some side by side cutting work and photos. I'd that ever happens I'll post it all up here.

[Doc Dan]

The Chief is really good. I cant imagine it disappointing anybody.

If the endura didnt have those darn points in the handle it would probably be one of my favorite knives. That one little thing kills it for me. I should just start sanding them down so that I can have enduras that I enjoy.

Lol, that's exactly what I do on my Endura's. The front point mostly. The back one doesn't bother me. I'll send a pic tomorrow when I get home if I can remember how to post a pic.

I have to file down the front one also.