NFFF/Never-Summer NATIVE: How "SALTy"?

[death-bringah]

A super-picky questions, and my apologies if this has already been covered...

Of Spyderco's LC200N knives, of which I believe there are now only 3, the TUSK is an obvious member of the SALT-series, and the excellent SPYDIECHEF (the 1st full-PE/FFG SALT, I think) is proclaimed as: "A proud member of Spyderco’s SALT Series™" in the official Spyderco product blurb...however, the NFFF/Never-Summer NATIVE is a knife which exists in a number of other un-SALTy versions, and so I was wondering if it is only really the blade; or; also the OTHER "metal bits" (lock-bar; screws; clip; etc.) which have that same EXCELLENT degree of corrosion-resistance? I know they are coated but this is not always an effective barrier. :o Basically my question is: Is the NFFF NATIVE a "full-on" SALT; or just the blade?

...Please let me know. Thank-you!

take care -d.

[SG89]

All Salt series knives have hardware that is not corrosion resistant proof

[death-bringah]

Not trying to be obtuse; but I wasn't able to find anything from Spyderco that OFFICIALLY proclaimed the NFFF NATIVE as a SALT, and I didn't want to make that assumption merely because of the blade-steel that was chosen for it, precisely because of all the other non-SALT NATIVE 5s.

Either way, the NFFF NATIVE is a knife with a lot going for it, and I am happy with my pair of them, and to support the cause.

take care -d.

[sal]

Hi D,

As Spydergirl mentioned, all of the parts are the same as our Autonomy, which is a Salt model. Should be ok for you.

sal

[death-bringah]

BOOM...It's an even better knife now! Thank-you very much, sir.

take care -d.

[Surfingringo]

Hey D-bringah, I haven't used that Native specifically but I have used several lc200n knives (that share the same hardware) daily in extremely harsh and corrosive environments for the last couple of years. The lc200n blade itself will not rust. Trust me. I've left those knives in my kayak bathing in blood and saltwater for months at a time with not so much as a fresh water rinse and the steel has shown zero corrosion...zilch. The hardware will technically corrode but you have to REALLY work at it. When left on the boat 24/7 like that sitting in saltwater, my folders will start to show some orange bleeding at the hardware but even that takes about 6 weeks to appear. I have left h1 and lc200n overnight and even multiple days on the boat and very commonly throw them in the sink salty and bloody without even rinsing until I grab them the next day and I have never seen any corrosion from that level of use. So basically, unless you are storing it in a bag of salt you should never see any corrosion on that knife.

The salt folders are all sufficiently corrosion proof for me, hardware included. I would, however, like to see Spyderco use fully rustproof screws/pins on their fixed blade Salts though. In my experience, fixed blades used for saltwater activities are commonly mounted and left on the boat/kayak/divebag so they end up seeing a higher level of exposure than a folder that rides in the pocket and goes home to a warm dry bed every night.

[ZrowsN1s]

I've gotten blood from raw and cooked red meat, as well as chicken grease all over the handle, blade, pivot area, hasn't rusted yet. Great portable food knife, perfect size. I took it to Phils BBQ and used it to cut meat off their giant Beef ribs so I didn't have to get my hands dirty, it didn't raise any eyebrows with the other patrons.

It makes quick work of a costco chicken chicken:

[freebird610]

All Salt series knives have hardware that is not corrosion resistant

Ok I'm confused between this comment and Sal's comment. It was my understanding that Salt series have hardware that is indeed corrosion resisant just like the blade. Is the hardware also lc200n or just the blade? I remember from an earlier thread that said just the blade was and that the rest was standard native hardware.

[Surfingringo]

All Salt series knives have hardware that is not corrosion resistant

Ok I'm confused between this comment and Sal's comment. It was my understanding that Salt series have hardware that is indeed corrosion resisant just like the blade. Is the hardware also lc200n or just the blade? I remember from an earlier thread that said just the blade was and that the rest was standard native hardware.

Just the blade is lc200n. I know Spydergirl knows what she is talking about but I feel compelled to correct her wording. I believe that all of the frn knives from Japan share the same hardware. This hardware is actually HIGHLY corrosion resistant. Far more corrosion resistant than any regular stainless blade steel that Spyderco uses. It is not, however, rust PROOF. The hardware will corrode but as I said in my above post it takes a level of exposure that 99% of folks aren't even capable of creating in their environment and the 1% who are would have to really work at it hard. The Neversummer Native shares the same hardware as the regular Native. I suppose that hardware could be different than that used on the Japan knives but even if it is I suspect it is still a extremely corrosion resistant steel. Most quality hardware is. I would feel completely confident that I could use that Native in the saltwater everyday in my kayak with no rust issues. I am doing that now with my Spydiechef and have seen no corrosion at all.

Remember, when you don't have to worry about "blade steel" qualities, there are a multitude of stainless steel options that are far more corrosion resistant than even the most stainless blade steels.

[freebird610]

All Salt series knives have hardware that is not corrosion resistant

Ok I'm confused between this comment and Sal's comment. It was my understanding that Salt series have hardware that is indeed corrosion resisant just like the blade. Is the hardware also lc200n or just the blade? I remember from an earlier thread that said just the blade was and that the rest was standard native hardware.

Just the blade is lc200n. I know Spydergirl knows what she is talking about but I feel compelled to correct her wording. I believe that all of the frn knives from Japan share the same hardware. This hardware is actually HIGHLY corrosion resistant. Far more corrosion resistant than any regular stainless blade steel that Spyderco uses. It is not, however, rust PROOF. The hardware will corrode but as I said in my above post it takes a level of exposure that 99% of folks aren't even capable of creating in their environment and the 1% who are would have to really work at it hard. The Neversummer Native shares the same hardware as the regular Native. I suppose that hardware could be different than that used on the Japan knives but even if it is I suspect it is still a extremely corrosion resistant steel. Most quality hardware is. I would feel completely confident that I could use that Native in the saltwater everyday in my kayak with no rust issues. I am doing that now with my Spydiechef and have seen no corrosion at all.

Remember, when you don't have to worry about "blade steel" qualities, there are a multitude of stainless steel options that are far more corrosion resistant than even the most stainless blade steels.

Do you know if the liners on the frn knives are as corrosion resistant as the other hardware?

[SG89]

:spyder:

[The Deacon]

Need to keep in mind that there are quite a few "highly corrosion resistant" steels. Most of them are not suitable for use as blade steel but they're fine for things like clips, pins, screws,springs, liners, and even handle slabs. Many of them are also considerably less expensive than the nitrogen blade steels. Cookware and tableware are prime examples. When's the last time you saw rust on a stainless steel spoon or saucepan?

[Surfingringo]

:spyder:

I missed the pre-edited version. I didn't get in trouble did I?? :eek: :o

[SG89]

:spyder:

I missed the pre-edited version. I didn't get in trouble did I?? :eek: :o

No lol. I originally posted asking if you could post pics of your knives in action to show the op what the salt series is capable of then I realized he's been a forum member since 2004 :p so he's probably seen them

[death-bringah]

Hey! I'd love to see those pix, even if I do know what the SALT-series knives are capable of...

The reason for my question was simply that, although Spyderco does declare it to be "extremely corrosion resistant", I had not seen anything coming directly from Spyderco that stated the NFFF NATIVE is a SALT. For my part, though I have not been as unkind to my knives as Surfingringo, I have never had any corrosion problems with knives from the SALT-series, not EVEN the hardware, and this goes for both folders and fixed-blades...however, I HAVE experienced both corroding blade-steel AND hardware from non-SALT Spydercos.

Chronologically speaking; when the very 1st NATIVE 5s were released, the assumption I had was that the blade could get rusty, and so could some other parts of the knife...then when the NFFF-version was released, I did not know if it was merely a change in the blade-steel, or, also the hardware, to a rust-proof version. (Could also be that the NATIVE 5 hardware has ALWAYS been rust-proof, but I had not heard that from on high either.) Given the un-SALTy origins of the design, I didn't want to just assume before I went and sweat all over it my beautiful NFFF NATIVEs.

Since we all seem to be really paying attention, I suppose this might beg the question: Why do some rust-proof knives from Spyderco say "SALT", and not others? But I will leave this for the marketing experts. Mr. Glesser's word is good enough for me.

take care -d.

[Bodog]

I so wish the Never Summer knife had been unserrated. I'd have bought two as soon as they became available. And I don't really care for backlocks. But this knife looked freaking great.

[SG89]

Hey OP i see your point now. Maybe when they are exclusives they aren't considered SALT series even if they are H1 or LC200N. There was a USN exclusive H1 hawkbill Ladybug and I don't remember it ever being referred to as in the SALT series

[death-bringah]

I believe that when the USN LADYBUG HAWKBILLs were released, there was at the time already a standard LADYBUG HAWKBILL SALT...however, the USN CATCHERMAN was the only chance to get that knife with an H1 blade...but I can't remember if it was proclaimed an official SALT.

There was also the toxic green USN ENDURA but with a VG10 blade.

The LC200N is a newer steel for Spyderco, and though I think it might be a bit of a waste, there was in my mind the possibility that steel could have just been thrown into the special edition NATIVE for the novelty; or to give us end-users a chance to try it; or even perhaps at the request of Never-Summer. Super picky question. :o

take care -d.