I have a confession to make :(

[I_collect_knives185]

I am thinking about gettin myself a Native 1 for Christmas, but recently I have been caught in deciding between it and some competing company's blades.
They are:
Kershaw Skyline
CRKT Blue Ripple
Benchmade Mini Griptillian (yep a would be hipocrite, but if I get one I promise I'll get the thumb stud version)
So what say you? I can only afford one.
:spyder:

[OldSarSwmr]

I'm thinking out of your choices, folks here are gonna go with the Native (me included). Just guessing though...
Enjoy it.

[808spyder]

Ok, first of all you are on a spyderco forum so the answer is obvious. However, those are all good choices. Before anything there are a couple of questions for you. Do you own any other knives? How much are you willing to spend? For what purpose will you be using the knife? What kind of lock do you prefer? Handle material? Blade material? Opening mechanism? I'm sure with your response others will be able to chime in a bit more. Hope to hear form you soon.

[redyps04]

It's tough to beat the Native- great ergos and blade steel and shape. But the Blue Ripple is pretty awesome too and a close second.

[c.joe]

I have owned a few Ripples in my lifetime and they make excellent blades. Just be sure to loctite the pivot as it can get loose very easily. Excellent build and I'll most definitely choose it over the Skyline without hesitation. From what I hear, Walmart currently has some at $29.99. Get it before they run out! (pick one up for me too while you're at it :D )

[bartvdb]

native all the way . greeetzzzzz

[jabba359]

Native FTW!

P.S. My sister and brother-in-law also live in Logan.

[BAL]

Sing with me now. (music to All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, an old american classic by Don Gardner, 1946)

Every body Pauses and stares at me
I don't have a Native 1 as you can see
I don't know just who to blame for this catastrophe!
But my one wish on Christmas Eve is as plain as it can be!

All I want for Christmas
is a Native 1,
a Native 1,
just a Native 1.

Gee, if I could only
have a Native 1,
then I could wish you
"Merry Christmas!"

[NYRich]

I have a full size Griptilian and it's one of the finest knives I've ever owned. Great steel, superb lock and it really is "grippy". I had enough smaller blades so I simply chose the full size over the mini.

Maybe not the people's choice here for obvious reasons, but it's a lot different than a Native. Mine is the thumb stud version, but I prefer using the Axis lock to flip it open.

[I_collect_knives185]

Ok, first of all you are on a spyderco forum so the answer is obvious. However, those are all good choices. Before anything there are a couple of questions for you. Do you own any other knives? How much are you willing to spend? For what purpose will you be using the knife? What kind of lock do you prefer? Handle material? Blade material? Opening mechanism? I'm sure with your response others will be able to chime in a bit more. Hope to hear form you soon.

1. Yes, but only 2 Spydies, Ladybug and Tenacious. The rest of my blades are just cheap flea market knives.
2.$50-$80
3.EDC and collection, maybe self defense if I have to.
4. I dont really prefer any kind of lock, as long as its not akward, although my stand out favorites are Spyderco's David Boyle back lock, and the axis lock (although I have heard that Benchmade ripped off Blackie Collins' Bolt Action Lock
-Sage 3 and his custom stuff- when the axis was "invented")
5. Polymer, FRN, G10, And maybe SS if its lightened enough
6.AUS8-440C at the softest, and VG-10-CPM-S30V at the hardest.
7. Manual flipplers and thumb holes, though I'll settle for a stud as long as it doesnt turn my thumb purple every time i use it (I.E. Kershaw Vapor). :spyder:

[I_collect_knives185]

I have owned a few Ripples in my lifetime and they make excellent blades. Just be sure to loctite the pivot as it can get loose very easily. Excellent build and I'll most definitely choose it over the Skyline without hesitation. From what I hear, Walmart currently has some at $29.99. Get it before they run out! (pick one up for me too while you're at it :D )

The ripples at Walmart are the cheaper versions, not anywhere near as high quallity as the $80 ones sold just about everywhere else. You'd be WAY better off just buying a Skyline from them while you have the chance!

[I_collect_knives185]

Also a sporting goods store nearby (AL's Sporting Goods if you are familiar) sells
Native 1's, but at the staggering MSRP of $100. So I just went there to handle one, and it's amazing! Now luckily, Amazon has them for only $50! So thats another variable in my choice, hmm...

[c.joe]

The ripples at Walmart are the cheaper versions, not anywhere near as high quallity as the $80 ones sold just about everywhere else. You'd be WAY better off just buying a Skyline from them while you have the chance!

Didn't know that! That's most certainly disappointing. Thanks for letting me know.

[razorsharp]

Skyline is a great knife, in my rotation, but, I am obviously going to pick the native :o . If you can, get the N5, it'd just plain better :D

[dialex]

I have non Spydies and I always wonder why did I got them, since they never see any pocket time...

[defenestrate]

My non spyderco blades do not seem to hold the same utilitarian appeal as the :spyder: blades do. I have nice less expensive offerings from kershaw, buck, schrade, etc, but for a knife I trust to do what I need it to do, the native is a good choice. You do get what you pay for. Not calling other knives junk because they're not. They are fine pieces of cutlery that will probably serve you well, but I can see all of my :spyder: knives lasting long enough to give to my sons and grandsons when it is time. I can't say that about almost any other production knives, short of military issue from ontario and ka-bar. but those are not folding knives. spyderco has brought folding tactical knives into consumer reality.

[I_collect_knives185]

Alright, due to a change in the budget, I am getting a Skyline and a Native 1!
Thanks guys.

[I_collect_knives185]

Now I wonder, should I get satin or DLC coated Native? The DLC version only comes in combinationedge though, and I dont have the Sharpmaker. What should I get?

[araneae]

I have a Skyline and find the ergos and geometry of the knife to be terrible. It does have a nice thin hollow ground blade. The G-10 also feels very cheap compared to my Spydies. In the same price range, I would choose a Persistence or a G-10 Meadowlark 2 any day of the week. I also find that with the bead blast finish, my skyline collects rust like it is its job.

You will love the Native. I would go Plain edge until you get a sharpmaker.

[razorsharp]

Skyline ergos aren't great but it makes up for that with the blade, smoothness and the razor edge it takes. With tgr money you have, get the native 5 :)