Lil Native dilemma

[JoviAl]

I’m a big fan of the Native series. It’s arguably my favorite in the lineup, and the Lil Native is no exception. I find it a charming knife that is built like a tank. I love the little guy, but a particular design element bothers me about it. I’m running a blank on what the part of the blade is (ricasso maybe?), but the notch where the choil meets the edge, and how it sticks above the cutout for the comp lock. Now it doesn’t necessarily affect me one hand closing it. Normally, I also double check the knife is fully closed before putting it away. And yes, I can feel it hit my index finger at times when I do one hand close it. It bothers me.

Also, another thing that bothers me, is part of the edge does seem to stick above the cutout when held at an angle towards you. It doesn’t appear looking straight at the cutout though. If I can stick the meat of my finger in there, I can definitely see my hand getting a nick from the edge, especially if I sharpen it right up to the choil.

My dilemma is, I am in love with the knife. To me, it’s the ideal size for an edc. I feel it can handle everything my Native 5 LW blurple can. I want to carry it but I don’t know how I feel about part of the choil sticking above the cutout and definitely somewhat, part of the edge.

Does anyone have any issues carrying theirs? Am I the only one who is bothered by the choil sticking above the cutout? Is there a reason why it sticks above the cutout in the first place? Do I need to worry? I have no desire whatsoever to modify the blade.

Help me carry this little guy with piece of mind!

Thank you!

I use my lil Native CF S90V for a couple of hours a day most days at work for fine detail wood carving. I have never had an issue with it being unsafe. I added a tiny sharpening choil where the blade meets the finger choil as I was getting a bit of a ramp from sharpening (I’ve actually improved my sharpening since then so this is moot now), and now there is no blade edge anywhere near my finger. I would like to stress though - I did that for aesthetic reasons, not because I ever cut myself.

I adore this knife and would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone, especially for teaching children knife handling etiquette and bush work. It is perfect for my 4 year old son’s hand size and very manageable for my 7 year old (he prefers a mule for the handle).

[z1r]

I can see how that "bump" might bother those who NEED to flick a knife open. I don't, so I never even noticed it til I saw this thread. A non-issue for me.

People are actually complaining about the nub when CLOSING the knife, not opening.

(For the record: I could try a Shaman once and had no issues whatsoever with the nub )

Yeah, and I'm guessing it's those that flick closed. I should not have said flick open, I meant to say flick in general both open and closed. I still don't see an issue. I will say that this "issue" is more pronounced on my Mantra than my lil Native.

Ah, I see. Thanks for the clarification.
Tbh, I did not even realize that "flick CLOSE" is a valid term in English (not my first language, obviously )

It may not be a valid term. I once had a Swiss friend tell me that my "Cherman" was so bad because my Englisch was so bad!

[z1r]

..what? The mantra is dealing with a different lock, therefore not dealing with the same issue

https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details/C233CF/1154

Ah I forgot the 3 had the comp lock, my bad. But, it’s still not dealing with with a choil nub protruding out of the interface of the lock access cutout.

Well, sort of. The flipper travels through an arc that takes it through the compression lock release cutout. When you close the blade, the flipper can hit your finger. So, I don't flick or snap it shut, instead, I press the release then fold the blade shut. I guess I'm used to it and no way I'm giving up the knife just because I can't snap it shut like I cam a PM2. Different knives. Truth be told, I close my PM2 in the same manner most of the time. I guess my expectations are just different. If you buy a knife expecting to flick it open and shut, well, I guess I can understand some disappointment. That said, the nub on my Lil Native doesn't prevent me from performing said operation.

[Tristan_david2001]

Ah I forgot the 3 had the comp lock, my bad. But, it’s still not dealing with with a choil nub protruding out of the interface of the lock access cutout.

Well yeah, because it doesn’t have a choil but the flipper tab absolutely does protrude into the lock access.

Not from what I see in the stock photos of the knife opened and closed. The flipper tab is sitting just above the comp lock cutout.

Normally if people are going to argue their point it’s because they know what they’re talking about.

I literally have the Mantra 3 in my hand at the moment, I’m telling you the flipper tab protrudes into the lock access. It’s not up for debate via stock photo sources either.

Haha. wow.
You seem a little personally hard-pressed with me.
First of all I’m not arguing, I read a comment from another forum member, was a bit confused by his comment and chimed in, if I’m wrong oh well, I learn something. But I saw the stock photos of the mantra 3 from his link and it didn’t appear that in the closed position the flipper tab is covering any part of the compression lock access. Then now from your comments I was lead to double guess myself, so I search up a video of the model in hand. And it is literally as I first thought, free of the tab protruding in front of the lock. I don’t think it can really be compared to the actual protrusion from the choil nubs on the lil native or shaman.

[Mushroom]

It’s nothing personal, it’s as simple as letting you know the Mantra 3 flipper tab protrudes into the lock access as the blade is closing.

[Tristan_david2001]

It’s nothing personal, it’s as simple as letting you know the Mantra 3 flipper tab protrudes into the lock access as the blade is closing.

it slides pass just the very top of it, but not even protruding over the lock tab, I’m not saying there’s a complete non issue with it hitting your finger you’re pinching the tab up too high. I do think it’s much less a “protrusion” issue that will affect the function of operating a comp lock though.

[Mushroom]

It’s nothing personal, it’s as simple as letting you know the Mantra 3 flipper tab protrudes into the lock access as the blade is closing.

it slides pass just the very top of it, but not even protruding over the lock tab, I’m not saying there’s a complete non issue with it hitting your finger you’re pinching the tab up too high. I do think it’s much less a “protrusion” issue that will affect the function of operating a comp lock though.

Genuine question, what is the point you’re trying to make? Because I’m lost.

[Doc Dan]

A back lock Lil Native solves all problems, potential or otherwise.

[Tristan_david2001]

It’s nothing personal, it’s as simple as letting you know the Mantra 3 flipper tab protrudes into the lock access as the blade is closing.

it slides pass just the very top of it, but not even protruding over the lock tab, I’m not saying there’s a complete non issue with it hitting your finger you’re pinching the tab up too high. I do think it’s much less a “protrusion” issue that will affect the function of operating a comp lock though.

Genuine question, what is the point you’re trying to make? Because I’m lost.

That these “issues” on the mantra 3 and the native or shaman are very different, and the mantra not even technically having a protrusion issue, and has its own finicky issue caused by the flipper slightly passing just over the top of the cut out making it possible to hit the top of your finger. Whereas the choil numb will surely always hit the top of your finger if you don’t pull it away quick enough. Which wasn’t really point I was setting out to make, I was just confused and bringing it up to another member about what he meant by the the mantra 3 having the same issue.

[Mushroom]

It’s nothing personal, it’s as simple as letting you know the Mantra 3 flipper tab protrudes into the lock access as the blade is closing.

it slides pass just the very top of it, but not even protruding over the lock tab, I’m not saying there’s a complete non issue with it hitting your finger you’re pinching the tab up too high. I do think it’s much less a “protrusion” issue that will affect the function of operating a comp lock though.

Genuine question, what is the point you’re trying to make? Because I’m lost.

That these “issues” on the mantra 3 and the native or shaman are very different, and the mantra not even technically having a protrusion issue, and has its own finicky issue caused by the flipper slightly passing just over the top of the cut out making it possible to hit the top of your finger. Whereas the choil numb will surely always hit the top of your finger if you don’t pull it away quick enough. Which wasn’t really point I was setting out to make, I was just confused and bringing it up to another member about what he meant by the the mantra 3 having the same issue.

Whether it’s a flipper tab or choil nub it sounds like the same issue to me just in different forms on the blade. Part of the blade is hitting the users finger while it’s actuating the compression lock tab and preventing it from fully closing.

Yes, with some deliberate finger positioning the Mantra 3 blade can be fully closed without the flipper tab contacting the finger too much or at all but the same could be said for the nubs on both the Lil Native and Shaman.

[Araignee]

I don't think that's what he meant. They were 2 separate sentences. The nub's safety aspect is just so your finger doesn't slip up onto the edge, not because the blade is large. Then he said the blade is wide, which puts that safety nub into the cutout. That same safety aspect also applies to the Lil Native since it also has a finger choil and he doesn't want your finger slipping forward.

Thanks for clearing this up.

I have the Shaman, Watu and Lil Native all of which have nubs that protrude into the CL cutout. On the Watu way more than the other 2.

These variants are interesting. And pose again the question of why some other models don't have a protruding nub at all. Perhaps the blade shape.

[kennethsime]

Thanks for clearing this up.

I have the Shaman, Watu and Lil Native all of which have nubs that protrude into the CL cutout. On the Watu way more than the other 2.

These variants are interesting. And pose again the question of why some other models don't have a protruding nub at all. Perhaps the blade shape.

I notice the nub on my PM2 if I’m trying to. I don’t mind one bit, but yes my fingers are that large lol. I think that might be a lot of it - folks talk about the nub on the Shaman a lot, so folks notice the nub a lot.