Sal, may I ask: Any (even just remote) chance of an FRN Chief?

[BAX229]

An FRN LC200N Native Chief would make a great fish knife

[James Y]

As said in my original post: The weight saving would probably around 20 %.
And FRN has more advantages over G10 than just being lighter...

Advantages are relative. We have different experiences and preferences. I like both, but tend to favor G10, except for price. :p I find Golden FRN to be more pocket shredding than G10.

You are right of course :o Should have said "differences and possible advantages as I did in my original post

/ The "FRN more pocket shredding"-thing differs totally from my own experiences: What shreds pockets most is when the knife is pulled out of the pocket and the garment between clip on the outside and the point the clip lands on the handle (inside of the pocket) gets "rubbed"... this is less abrasive if the spot on the inside of the pocket is smooth like it is with Spydercos FRN, since this is where the smooth logo is.
But of course ymmv :)

My most “pocket-shredding” Spyderco is my Native 5 LWT. It ripped the inside of one of my pockets after pulling it out only two times. I then carried it down in the pocket for awhile, before realizing the Native didn’t feel all that great in my hand (it feels like it’s forcing my hand to hold it just a certain way).

OTOH, I’m interested in a Native Chief, and I think an FRN Salt version would be great.

Jim

[kerrcobra]

My most “pocket-shredding” Spyderco is my Native 5 LWT.

I noticed that for some reason the Native 5 LW pocket clip when placed in tip-up position doesn't lay on the smooth circle of FRN like it does with tip-down carry. Instead, it lays on the bi-directional part of the FRN and causes it to grab going in and out of the pocket. For me, that made it a huge pain just trying to get it in/out of my pocket. Wonder if that's what you noticed too.

And to stay on topic, I'm definitely in for anything in FRN. Love the contouring of FRN handles, but contour it like the Seki-FRN handles and not like the blocky Native 5 LW FRN handle.

[Enactive]

As said in my original post: The weight saving would probably around 20 %.
And FRN has more advantages over G10 than just being lighter...

Advantages are relative. We have different experiences and preferences. I like both, but tend to favor G10, except for price. :p I find Golden FRN to be more pocket shredding than G10.

You are right of course :o Should have said "differences and possible advantages as I did in my original post

/ The "FRN more pocket shredding"-thing differs totally from my own experiences: What shreds pockets most is when the knife is pulled out of the pocket and the garment between clip on the outside and the point the clip lands on the handle (inside of the pocket) gets "rubbed"... this is less abrasive if the spot on the inside of the pocket is smooth like it is with Spydercos FRN, since this is where the smooth logo is.
But of course ymmv :)

My most “pocket-shredding” Spyderco is my Native 5 LWT. It ripped the inside of one of my pockets after pulling it out only two times. I then carried it down in the pocket for awhile, before realizing the Native didn’t feel all that great in my hand (it feels like it’s forcing my hand to hold it just a certain way).

OTOH, I’m interested in a Native Chief, and I think an FRN Salt version would be great.

Jim

I've been advocating for a Native Chief Salt since they first came out. I would like a G10 handled Salt variant. No new engineering required, just materials changes. :spyder: :cool:

[James Y]

My most “pocket-shredding” Spyderco is my Native 5 LWT.

I noticed that for some reason the Native 5 LW pocket clip when placed in tip-up position doesn't lay on the smooth circle of FRN like it does with tip-down carry. Instead, it lays on the bi-directional part of the FRN and causes it to grab going in and out of the pocket. For me, that made it a huge pain just trying to get it in/out of my pocket. Wonder if that's what you noticed too.

Yes, that is the same thing I noticed. But I never have changed the clip on mine to tip-down.

TBH, before I switched the clip position to tip-down carry on my Police 4 LWT, it had some of the same issues as my Native 5 LWT. But switched to tip-down, it’s very smooth in and out of pocket, because in tip-down position, the clip/handle contact point is more on the handle logo than it is in tip-up position.

Jim

[James Y]

Advantages are relative. We have different experiences and preferences. I like both, but tend to favor G10, except for price. :p I find Golden FRN to be more pocket shredding than G10.

You are right of course :o Should have said "differences and possible advantages as I did in my original post

/ The "FRN more pocket shredding"-thing differs totally from my own experiences: What shreds pockets most is when the knife is pulled out of the pocket and the garment between clip on the outside and the point the clip lands on the handle (inside of the pocket) gets "rubbed"... this is less abrasive if the spot on the inside of the pocket is smooth like it is with Spydercos FRN, since this is where the smooth logo is.
But of course ymmv :)

My most “pocket-shredding” Spyderco is my Native 5 LWT. It ripped the inside of one of my pockets after pulling it out only two times. I then carried it down in the pocket for awhile, before realizing the Native didn’t feel all that great in my hand (it feels like it’s forcing my hand to hold it just a certain way).

OTOH, I’m interested in a Native Chief, and I think an FRN Salt version would be great.

Jim

I've been advocating for a Native Chief Salt since they first came out. I would like a G10 handled Salt variant. No new engineering required, just materials changes. :spyder: :cool:

Come to think of it, I’d probably prefer a G10-handled, LC200N Native Chief Salt over an FRN version (or maybe both versions could be made?).

Jim

[JRinFL]

Oh, maybe we can also get some other blade profiles while we are at it? Wharncliffe and clip point, perhaps? Might be a good replacement for the late Renegade model.

[Wartstein]

Oh, maybe we can also get some other blade profiles while we are at it? Wharncliffe and clip point, perhaps? Might be a good replacement for the late Renegade model.

... and SE... :rolleyes: :)

[JRinFL]

Oh, maybe we can also get some other blade profiles while we are at it? Wharncliffe and clip point, perhaps? Might be a good replacement for the late Renegade model.

... and SE... :rolleyes: :)

Yes, both edge types in all blade profiles.

[Leksy]

Do want.
If it ever comes in FRN, I'll get it ASAP.
(after PM2 FRN, of course :D )

[bearfacedkiller]

The weight savings would seem to mostly be in the removal of the steel backspacer. If I wanted a lighter Chief I would rather see a G10 backspacer than a frn version.

Truth is that I don’t really care about the weight but I would be curious why we don’t see g10 backspacers? Just balance? It would basically have the same balance as a frn version.

[samdasnake]

I would definitely be interested in an FRN Chief. I love the design of the chief but I generally prefer linerless FRN like the Goddard LW.

[Wartstein]

As said, for me FRN is not only lighter, but normally more comfortable and more secure in hand and less of a pocket shredder - the latter obviously only though if the smooth logo sits on the exact place where the clip lands on the handle.

Anyway: I started a poll once, asking who´d like the "Native family" to become the line in which each model comes both in a comp. lock and backlock (Chief, Shaman, Native 5, Lil Native - the latter already DOES come in both locktypes), see here:
viewtopic.php?t=84760

I think Sal said, that at least the Shaman could not have a backlock in the current shape (a backlock and the tall blade would not fit in the current handle).

BUT: Perhaps the Native family could become the line where each model comes both in linerless G10 AND FRN (as already the case with the Native 5)!?

[kobold]

At first, I though "No!"

Then at the second thought I pictured a Spy27 Chief in blue FRN and I liked what I see, I imagined it as a great user.

But at the third thought, I am not so thrilled. I would like a Spy27 G10 next or as others asked: 4V, M4, AEB-L, and so on more.

The biggest turn-off is the lack of phosphor bronze washers and the plastic backspacer. I understand the weight savings involved with the backspacer. So, okay, fine. But the lack of PB washers is the real biggie.

[Wartstein]

...

The biggest turn-off is the lack of phosphor bronze washers and the plastic backspacer. I understand the weight savings involved with the backspacer. So, okay, fine. But the lack of PB washers is the real biggie.

Is it, functionwise?
Honest question, I can´t tell. Just can recall that my Native 5 LW (FRN) had very good action.

[kobold]

...

The biggest turn-off is the lack of phosphor bronze washers and the plastic backspacer. I understand the weight savings involved with the backspacer. So, okay, fine. But the lack of PB washers is the real biggie.

Is it, functionwise?
Honest question, I can´t tell. Just can recall that my Native 5 LW (FRN) had very good action.

I think the action deteriorates with time and use. My well used Salt Native is worse than the two newer and almost unused FRN Natives. But a knife with washers will always be smoother, unless the washers are super grimy or damaged in some way.

Probably a less than perfect analogy, but the difference in action is like the difference between driving on a road and a dirt road.

[R100]

The weight savings would seem to mostly be in the removal of the steel backspacer. If I wanted a lighter Chief I would rather see a G10 backspacer than a frn version.

Truth is that I don’t really care about the weight but I would be curious why we don’t see g10 backspacers? Just balance? It would basically have the same balance as a frn version.

My thoughts exactly. I prefer the look and feel of G10, particularly compared to the squared off Golden FRN. The Chief is already light and well balanced and if the back spacer was G10 it would be so close to the weight of an frn model that I couldn't notice the difference. It seems odd to have linerless G10 and then put a heavy steel backspacer in it.

The screws are close to the edge of the handle on the Chief but I have still made mine much more comfortable with the amount of rounding off I have been able to do. To maintain the narrow handle in an FRN version I imagine the screws would still be close to the edge and would require squared edges that would be much more difficult to modify neatly.

To me FRN shines where there is a big weight difference. I have a linered G10 Native 5 and for me it is way too heavy for the short cutting edge and I never carry it. In contrast, I really enjoy and often carry my FRN version. I also prefer the FRN versions of the Manix 2.

Dan

[Wartstein]

...

The biggest turn-off is the lack of phosphor bronze washers and the plastic backspacer. I understand the weight savings involved with the backspacer. So, okay, fine. But the lack of PB washers is the real biggie.

Is it, functionwise?
Honest question, I can´t tell. Just can recall that my Native 5 LW (FRN) had very good action.

I think the action deteriorates with time and use. My well used Salt Native is worse than the two newer and almost unused FRN Natives. But a knife with washers will always be smoother, unless the washers are super grimy or damaged in some way.

Probably a less than perfect analogy, but the difference in action is like the difference between driving on a road and a dirt road.

Thanks, that´s good info.

As said, my Native 5 LW had very good action, but I only had it for a year or so and it did not see a ton of use (like most of my small folders).
My other FRN linerless Golden folders are two Manix 2 LWs. Actually I have no idea if they feature washers or not, since I never disassembled them due to the pinned construction. Action if fine anyway on both, also on the much more often used REX45 one.

[kobold]

I suspect silt and sand damaged the FRN? I had to disassemble and clean the Salt Native more than once.

I would actually like to buy sets of very thin PB washers and install them in all my FRN folders.

[JRinFL]

I suspect silt and sand damaged the FRN? I had to disassemble and clean the Salt Native more than once.

I would actually like to buy sets of very thin PB washers and install them in all my FRN folders.

If you do add washers, please post your experiences. I have been thinking about doing the same on my N5 Salt.