Spyderco Native BRK

billy blade · #1

I just picked up a LNIB Spyderco Native at a flea market CHEEP :) The blade is marked 1st Generation BRK. The blade is 440c and it has a silver clip. Can any one tell me something about it?
Thanks
Bill

SoCal Operator · #2

Well, there's a reason that knife was cheap. The BRK Natives were an early run from a factory whch did not deliver on quality. They have a reputation for being poorly made knives. More info here

http://paulberetta.com/spy101_the_brk_native.htm

courtesy of forum member The Deacon

bh49 · #3

440C sound quite strange. Supposed to be 440A :confused:

spyderHS08 · #4

I ended up with one of those on accident as well...Not actually a true spyderco. Heres a link to my thread asking about it from a few years back. http://spyderco.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27545

billy blade · #5

My Bad it is 440a! Good write up by the Deacon. I still don't feel that $15 was to much for it since it was one of the first Natives. I did not realize they had so many grownig pains with the native.
Thanks for the info!

bohica1998 · #6

It's interesting, depending on who you ask, some folks say it IS a Spyderco, some say it isn't one. I have 14 Spyderco Natives (so far), of which I count this as one.

I look at it as a Spyderco that was built by someone else out of parts made by Spyderco. Kind of a poorly put together kit knife. Just depends on your point of view, I guess.

The Deacon · #7

billy blade wrote:My Bad it is 440a! Good write up by the Deacon. I still don't feel that $15 was to much for it since it was one of the first Natives. I did not realize they had so many grownig pains with the native.
Thanks for the info!

Thanks, and IMHO $15 is not a bad price at all to pay for one.

bohica1998 wrote:It's interesting, depending on who you ask, some folks say it IS a Spyderco, some say it isn't one. I have 14 Spyderco Natives (so far), of which I count this as one.

I look at it as a Spyderco that was built by someone else out of parts made by Spyderco. Kind of a poorly put together kit knife. Just depends on your point of view, I guess.

It's "not a Spyderco" in the sense that it was not sold by Spyderco and is not warrantied by them. But, to put that in perspective, my Santa Fe Stoneworks Kiwis would fall into that same category.

It "is a Spyderco" in the sense that it was assembled and sold with their knowledge and consent from parts which were originally produced for them and which carry the Spyderco name.

The only real "problem" is the way some of them are marketed on eBay, with at least the implication they are covered by Spyderco's warranty.