Noob and a Native 5 question please.

[TheStarman]

Hi guys. My name is Steve and I've been in the background on here and Bladeforums and thought I'd introduce myself and hopefully pry some information from you at the same time. No agenda like lol.

Well after much debate I've chosen the Native 5 as my first ever Pocket knife bar my Swiss army Swiss champ!
Spyderco won over benchmade, Kershaw etc which surprised me really as at first I really didn't get the hole business.... I do now :-)

It was a tough fight between the Native and the Sage 1 and to be honest i'm still torn!

Having never had a lock back knife before id like to ask you if I can expect the lock bar to ease up any over it's life please.
I ask as this one is very stiff to push in and hurts. No way of pushing it with my index finger, and I had hoped I would be able to, to drop the blade down to close.
The blade runs very free with the lock bar depressed fully but the bar is so very tight and makes a scrapping sound when depressed, that it's almost impossible to do.
I know the fit is exceptional so I don't know whether it's too tight. Therefore will it ease or is this indicative of this lock in general please. I haven't lubed or polished anything yet.

I'd like your input please and the company I bought it from has given me a couple of days to decide between this and the Sage1. All in all I love the N5 but if it's this tight then the Sage1 may be better, at least for me.

I chose the Native because of its size, possible tip down carry and replacing the clip with a deep pocket one.
It's me 45th BURFDAY prezzie from SWMBO.

Thanks in advance for any insight you'd like to share.

Regards. Steve.

[The Deacon]

Depends on the knife. The Native V has a fairly stiff backspring, so its lockbar will always require more effort to depress than the lockbar of a model with a softer spring, like the FRN Native. OTOH, new knives tend to be a bit stiff, so most will improve over time. They also sometimes have a bit of grit in them, so a good wash with detergent and water, followed by a bit of lubricant after it dries, may improve things quite a bit. And, if the lockbar still feels like it's binding, loosening the lockbar pivot screw a hair might be worth a try.

[TheStarman]

Hi Paul. Thanks for the sound advice.
I understand why mechanically a strong spring is needed but this is indeed stronger than I thought it might be.
Sorry if my question is a little naive, I'm a little new to this.
Lovely built knife though and perfect size. Albeit I was amazed at how small it was in real life in contrast to Internet pictures and videos.

Regards. Steve.

[Rwb1500]

To play the devils advocate, the Sage 1 is an incredible knife. Very easy to unlock and close one handed as well, if that is something important to you.

[sal]

Hi Starman,

Welcome to the Spyderco forum.

It is always difficult to tell from verbal descriptions about a lock being "too tight", especially from someone unfamiliar with locking knives. Since you are in the UK, checking the knife becomes difficult. I would suggest that you contact your local dealer where you bought the knife, tell them your thoughts and ask them to exchange it for one with a "looser" spring. If they are all the same, and that's too hard for you, then the Sage model with the Walker Linerlock might be easier for you to depress. We designed the knife to be unlocked with the thumb, with the index finbger in the normal position so the blade can drop to the index finger without cutting the finger.

sal

[TheStarman]

Hi guys. Thanks for your posts. Sal, I think you have answered all my questions in one. "designed for thumb"!, doubt my weedy index finger will stand much chance.. Also you are very right in that I have no comparison against to compare to.
Please don't get me wrong, I am not criticising the product. Just asking what to expect, due to my ignorance.

Sal, I think you and the guys have developed an excellent tool and I look forward to collecting more. (actually I dont think I've ever seen a bad review anywhere), and I just know the sage 1 is going to end up in my pocket too.

Again thanks for the input. I'm going to persevere over the weekend. I love the N5. But... Ease of use on another tried, tested and much loved Spydie may be better for me at least.

Thank you all and kind regards. Steve.

[eyewall]

wow, deja vu lol!

Hi Starman, I just made my noob post yesterday about exactly the same thing on a different knife.

[tr4022]

To play the devils advocate, the Sage 1 is an incredible knife. Very easy to unlock and close one handed as well, if that is something important to you.

I second Rwb1500. I haven't held a Native 5, although it looks great, but the Sage 1 is a really beautiful, lightweight, easily opened and closed knife. It might be more what you're looking for. Also the first Chaparral, which to me basically is a smaller version of the Sage 1. Good luck with the knife quest.

Tod

[TheStarman]

wow, deja vu lol!

Hi Starman, I just made my noob post yesterday about exactly the same thing on a different knife.

Hi eyewall.. I was going to post on your thread this evening.
It was you who inspired me to post this thread. I saw yours and thought I'd start an N5 one to see if they crossed rather than put two different knives together.
But I, like you find the lock bar very tight and gritty. Not as tight as yours though as that sounds awfully restricted.
I'm very new to this style knife and I agree with Sal in that I just don't know enough for my experience here.
Ive watched too many YouTube vids that's the problem for me lol.
I'd be interested to hear how you get on with yours.. I contemplated the chap as its such an elegant tool.

Regards. Steve.

[TheStarman]

I second Rwb1500. I haven't held a Native 5, although it looks great, but the Sage 1 is a really beautiful, lightweight, easily opened and closed knife. It might be more what you're looking for. Also the first Chaparral, which to me basically is a smaller version of the Sage 1. Good luck with the knife quest.

Tod

Thanks Tod. Oh and hi :)

Yes it seems I may steer towards the Sage after all. Such a shame as I love this N5.

I have until Monday. Just can't use the N5 otherwise I won't be able to exchange it! Boooo I wanna cut something..... :D

Regards. Steve.

[jackknifeh]

Hello Starman and welcome. If your Native 5 doesn't get easier to use I'll be very surprised. You should lubricate it IMO with some good oil. Washing the pivot out with soap and water is also a good idea like someone else said. But, lubrication is going to help tremendously. Well, it does for me anyway. When I get a new knife I normally put a couple of drops of oil in the pivot every two days or so for up to two weeks. It seems to me until spring bars or whatever gets broken in there shouldn't be any other resistance to movement than necessary. I lube my knives and tools excessively. During this time I use WAY too much oil. After the knife is broken in I go back to a normal lube regiment.

But, if you can swap it for a Sage1 on Monday I'd do that if the Native 5 isn't doing better. Two reasons. You will have a knife right now that you will love. The other reason is the Sage1 is a great knife. I've never owned a Native 5. Since IMO the Sage1 is so great I'd say trade. Otherwise I'd say don't trade and give the Native more time.

Hope my thoughts help. This is a situation that requires really the opinion of only person, you. I think you did the smart thing though asking for opinions. Lots of people here have lots of opinions. :) Not me of course. Yeah right. :D

Jack

[TheStarman]

Hi Jack. Thanks for the comments. I put some 5 and 10 nano oil in today on the pivot and tang. Also in the very small gap between liners and lock bar. Lastly I released the lock pivot screw a smidgen. And.... Things did improve a little. I'm sure the knife needs to "bed in" a bit. With the lock fully depressed the blade floats free with just a tad sideways movement like on the paramilitary 2 from what I've read. When locked its solid. So the resistance is all Fromm the lock bar.
I shall keep playing over the weekend but as you say. Sage looks like it may find its way here.

Much abliged Jack.

Steve.

[jackknifeh]

Hi Jack. Thanks for the comments. I put some 5 and 10 nano oil in today on the pivot and tang. Also in the very small gap between liners and lock bar. Lastly I released the lock pivot screw a smidgen. And.... Things did improve a little. I'm sure the knife needs to "bed in" a bit. With the lock fully depressed the blade floats free with just a tad sideways movement like on the paramilitary 2 from what I've read. When locked its solid. So the resistance is all Fromm the lock bar.
I shall keep playing over the weekend but as you say. Sage looks like it may find its way here.

Much abliged Jack.

Steve.

Did you use both weights of Nano-Oil on the same spot? According to Christian, the creator (I think) of Nano-Oil when you mix the weights you end up with a single, different weight. If you mix the same amount of 5 and 10 weight you have 7.5 weight. Pretty interesting even though I don't need that level of precision in oil weight. There is the 85 weight Nano and I bet if someone needs heavier, but not that heavy a weight could come up with a thickness they like. The 85 weight is supposed to be like molasses.

Let us know how the Native does and what you decide.


Jack

[TheStarman]

Hi Jack. I used the 5 along the lock bar pivot and tang first and let it work in. Then used the 10 on spring and tang. So it may well have thinned, ( or thickened however you look at it :) ). This is the reason I bought the 2 types from Christian. The thinned/thickened oil may seep better. But my lay knowledge is erm....lay :)
The oil went black after only a few workings of the knife so I guess it's cleaning out the crap and micro burs. The blade became gritty so I wiped out and re-applied and things got a little better. Still turned black quite quickly.
I shall play over tv and dinner tonight.
Thanks for the thoughts. I will indeed post the goings on over the next few days.

Regards. Steve.

[jackknifeh]

Hi Jack. I used the 5 along the lock bar pivot and tang first and let it work in. Then used the 10 on spring and tang. So it may well have thinned, ( or thickened however you look at it :) ). This is the reason I bought the 2 types from Christian. The thinned/thickened oil may seep better. But my lay knowledge is erm....lay :)
The oil went black after only a few workings of the knife so I guess it's cleaning out the crap and micro burs. The blade became gritty so I wiped out and re-applied and things got a little better. Still turned black quite quickly.
I shall play over tv and dinner tonight.
Thanks for the thoughts. I will indeed post the goings on over the next few days.

Regards. Steve.

You may want to flush out the knife with hot water if the oil is turning black. Flush as many times as necessary to get all the junk out then lube again. Just a thought. But if you are going to turn it back in you probably don't want to to too much to it. I'm sure it's a tough decision. I love the Sages. I have the 1 and 4 (4 is favorite for me). Everyone who has used the Native5 though has raved about it also. I hope I never hold a Native5. If I do I'm sure it will cost me the price of a new one. :)

I had a hinge in the bottom of a tool box that was barely moving because it had rusted. I used the 5w Nano and the hinge sucked it in. Within 60 seconds the hinge was moving easily. It wasn't swinging freely like a new one but it was definately usable. The really thin oil gets into tight or corroded places better than thicker oil. That's my understanding. I'm really happy with the Nano-Oil.

Jack

[TheStarman]

Hi guys.
I apologise for the long absence and not posting.
Shortly after my birthday my beloved Jude became ill and was diagnosed with secondary cancer of the liver. We are still looking for the cause and it seems the primary source is the cervix. At the moment the outlook is bleak! We are still awaiting results. And to be honest using the net has been last the thing on my mind. But I owe you a post my friends.

I sent the N5 back and got the Sage. Why? Ok it was because the lock bar dropped ever so slightly when locked. I thought that after such a short time it shouldn't have done that and if I moved it just a hair, I got blade play.
I expressed my concern to the company I bought it from and they had no issues accepting it back.
The N5 did have a small issue with the spring, which upon looking inside I could see the spring pressing up tight against the liner. After gentle teasing with a Swiss army blade I managed to centre it. Hey presto. One free moving back lock which I could press with my index finger gripping the N5 between thumb and middle finger. Now I could swipe the blade freely in and out, as I've seen done with an axis lock.
The N5 also came incredibly sharp. The Sage not so, but after a 1mm diamond pasted strop it became to whittling and with patience would whittle hair.
I now have a edge pro and about to create my own masterpiece. Good or bad I'm not too sure lol

So there you have it. I now have the S1 and very happy. But I do miss the N5.

Thanks for reading and the previous comments.

Kind regards. Steve.

[sal]

Hi Steve,

Sorry to hear about Jude. We wish her, and you good luck. Our prayers are with you.

Glad you got the knife issues sorted.

sal