Native Chief first and ongoing impressions thread

[dan31]

It’s going to be hard to resist the REX45 since landing the S90v CF sprint. I think these will become classics people long for down the road.

[bearfacedkiller]

Dimensionally similar to the C54 with a similarly acute tip. I like it!

[kobold]

I didn't had the chance to compare them directly, but I also noticed from photos that the tip might be even thinner than the one on the Military. BTW, nothing wrong with that.

[wrdwrght]

Carried mine the other day and its great. Although at this point Im just convinced Golden makes the best backlocks on the planet in terms of use and operation. Will probably buy any backlock from them.

Yeah, man.

It's a helluva knife. :cool: :spyder:

For the life of me, I can’t figure why I’m so late to this thread.

It may be that I’d gone off the deep end with a new Cairn pup when the thread started. But I think it had more to do with me being preoccupied with the wholly unexpected Shaman (and getting its crazily-sold variants), even though I had started clamoring for the rumored Chief soon after I joined the Forum. When mine arrived at last, I remember thinking “Very nice. Next Shaman please.”

I don’t really have much else to add that hasn’t been said, except to suggest that the Chief, in losing limelight to the Shaman, seems to be a sleeper, but it’s really us who have been Rip Van Winkel.

I’ve come to love mine for its pleasing lines, its feel in hand, and its flat-bellied reach-out edge. Of my “big four”, I put my Chief behind my Millie and ahead of my Calypso and Police4, with not a lot of air between any of them.

Like you, Josh, I’ve already, acquired the S90V version, and do prefer the CF feel to the G10 original. But I’ll forgo the one in Rex45, which I’m happy with in a Millie and Manix2. I trust Sal and Eric to give us more steel choices worthy of the design. I’ll jump on Cruwear if I don’t get it in a Military first.

[Rinzler]

Chief stands up well to an imperial IPA

It balances pretty well on my finger too

What clip is that?

[VashHash]

Chief stands up well to an imperial IPA

It balances pretty well on my finger too

What clip is that?

MXG para2 clip. Fits the chief well. The screws that come with it are a hair too long but it's not a big issue.

[5-by-5]

Asked comparison questions yesterday. I only have the energy for pics.

[Enactive]

Carried mine the other day and its great. Although at this point Im just convinced Golden makes the best backlocks on the planet in terms of use and operation. Will probably buy any backlock from them.

Yeah, man.

It's a helluva knife. :cool: :spyder:

For the life of me, I can’t figure why I’m so late to this thread.

It may be that I’d gone off the deep end with a new Cairn pup when the thread started. But I think it had more to do with me being preoccupied with the wholly unexpected Shaman (and getting its crazily-sold variants), even though I had started clamoring for the rumored Chief soon after I joined the Forum. When mine arrived at last, I remember thinking “Very nice. Next Shaman please.”

I don’t really have much else to add that hasn’t been said, except to suggest that the Chief, in losing limelight to the Shaman, seems to be a sleeper, but it’s really us who have been Rip Van Winkel.

I’ve come to love mine for its pleasing lines, its feel in hand, and its flat-bellied reach-out edge. Of my “big four”, I put my Chief behind my Millie and ahead of my Calypso and Police4, with not a lot of air between any of them.

Like you, Josh, I’ve already, acquired the S90V version, and do prefer the CF feel to the G10 original. But I’ll forgo the one in Rex45, which I’m happy with in a Millie and Manix2. I trust Sal and Eric to give us more steel choices worthy of the design. I’ll jump on Cruwear if I don’t get it in a Military first.

Better late than never. Glad you made it.

I only have the S30V model ( the post you referenced is from 2020). I think i'll go for Rex, maybe 4V, although i don't like coated blades either.

[Xformer]

Carried mine the other day and its great. Although at this point Im just convinced Golden makes the best backlocks on the planet in terms of use and operation. Will probably buy any backlock from them.

Agreed. I'll never understand why the Delica isn't brought home, Golden can pull it off perfectly.

[PSquared]

Dimensionally similar to the C54 with a similarly acute tip. I like it!

This photo almost sells me on a knife bigger than I really have a use for ... this photo with a Renagade added would probably push me over the edge.

Has anyone posted a Renegade vs Native Chief image?

[steelcity16]

Noticed this on the St. Nick's site today. Pretty cool. Maybe a hint of things to come????

https://www.stnicksknives.com/blogs/new ... 4550&_ss=r

[Perhaps_OCD?]

OMG.... I just got my REX45 one. This knife is amazing! The proportions are fantastic! I now must get more variants. LOVE that s90v and CF.

[Perhaps_OCD?]

Noticed this on the St. Nick's site today. Pretty cool. Maybe a hint of things to come????

https://www.stnicksknives.com/blogs/new ... 4550&_ss=r

I now own an s90v and CF one as well. :D

Thanks for the link!

[James Y]

I don’t buy too many knives anymore, but the Native Chief is one I’m genuinely interested in.

Jim

[vivi]

Noticed this on the St. Nick's site today. Pretty cool. Maybe a hint of things to come????

https://www.stnicksknives.com/blogs/new ... 4550&_ss=r

Really hope these drop within a month or two. I'd like a DLC Chief for warmer weather.

[Airlsee]

I had been holding off on any of the Chief variants until the REX finally dropped and I have to say that I really like this knife more than I had anticipated. It's a useable large blade that is easy to control and use in many different positions. It has a nice sweep to the blade allowing great slicing strokes and a very precise tip, all while carrying just like a Native 5. I have both the Chief and Military in REX 45 and I have to say at least for the moment, this is my favorite of the 2. For EDC tasks at least...

I do love the Native 5, so I don't really know why I'm so surprised.

[Naperville]

I have a Native Chief in S90V. It has been my daily EDC since it came out and I really like it. That big, sharp, pointy S90V blade is beautiful!

I make my last payment on a Rex45 knife in just a few days, and then I'll have 2 of them.

[ZrowsN1s]

I picked up both sprints as well. I've enjoyed the S30V version a lot. Glad to have two supercharged versions to play with now as well. A great slicer and poker.

[James Y]

I wonder if or when Golden’s base steel will change to SPY27, and if it might be worth it to wait on that possibility. I like Spyderco’s S30V, but would like to try SPY27, and the Native Chief seems like a great knife to experience that with. Or maybe that would really drive up the cost.

Jim

[MFlovejp]

I wonder if or when Golden’s base steel will change to SPY27, and if it might be worth it to wait on that possibility. I like Spyderco’s S30V, but would like to try SPY27, and the Native Chief seems like a great knife to experience that with. Or maybe that would really drive up the cost.

Jim

I’m very curious as to how all this will shake out as well. Seems like there are several possibilities for what will become (or remain) the base steel. I’ve heard conjecture that Spy27 is the new base, or that S45VN will start taking over. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see S30V remain as a standard for a long time to come, and how can they get rid of VG-10? One big mystery to me.