To be honest, no. The Chief os already very long in hand while having handle that borders too thin. and the only purpose of the finger choil is to protect you from cutting yourself when closing the knife. The XL version should really find a way to drop the finger choil and gain that 1/2” of cutting edge. Just my personal opinion.
what makes you think that?
i find the choil more useful on the chief than most other spydercos, because with no thumb ramp I can use it with more comfort than models that have a ramp.
I agree that the lack of thumb ramp can be an advantage as it allows for different grips. But ramp is a different topic.
For me Chief is a really interesting knife because of the blade shape, but given its size - I don't see the point of the choil. Look at a knife like Caribbean. It has no choil, but yet you can grip very close to the blade. I would like to see Spyderco using this design feature a little more often.
I am not saying that finger choil on large knives is 'wrong', but it does not really serves much practical purpose for me. On small knives it allows for a safer grip on a knife that is small when folded, but on a knife this is not necessary. And I would apply this argument to more knives, not just the Chief. Interesting variation is the Kapara, where there is a choil, but it costs less cutting edge. I am looking forward to more knives with this feature.
And yes - ricasso like on Delica/Endela/Endura makes even less sense to me than a choil. I guess that is simply a part of Spyderco history and evolution and Endela was made to fit the same design style.
What I think....
The Native Chief design complements both piercing and slicing by it's design, and a Native Chief XL would do both equally well too. It is just going to be scaled up. If you've looked at 5,000+ knife designs you know that there is nothing like the Spyderco Native Chief in design, not that I can find.
Choils limit slicing ability but on an XL you get 1 more inch of blade. The choil's effect is minimized. The piercing ability of a Native Chief XL is still far and above anything else on the market unless you go to a dagger, but then you lose the slicing performance.
I own an older, Japan-made version of the Cold Steel Voyager XL (6” clip point blade). And although technically I could carry it, it would be bulky and slow to get into action. So I never carry it. Also, because its handle is SO long, it wouldn’t be as nimble or easy to control as a smaller folder, or a fixed blade with the same blade length. It could probably feel just right for me if I was 7 feet tall, with hands like The Big Show.
To be fair, a Native Chief XL with a 4.5” blade would probably still be fairly comfortable to carry and easy to get open, without having a ridiculously long handle.
Jim
I emailed 5x5 Solutions and asked if they would come up with a solution for fast deployment of the Native Chief. They said that they would soon. I don't have a date for the arrival of the part, but it should sell. They could design an opening tab for the Native Chief XL too!!!
I'm not at all interested in a Native Chief XL. It seems apparent from the responses thus far that it wouldn't sell well and would inevitably be a net loss for the company. This thread* feels very forced at this point, I'm quite sure there are many forumites that are being polite by not weighing in.
Sal & Spyderco are not Lynn & Cold Steel. I understand the demographic you're going after with a defense focused 5-inch folder, but that's not this group and it's not currently Spyderco. A 5-inch Native Chief is either a gimmick or a weapon...and the $300 5-inch folding sword demographic is not a profitable one.
*Edited*
Last edited by Airlsee on Wed Dec 22, 2021 7:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Just to clarify, the "request for a larger chief" is/was not laughable, the persistence in overselling the idea and single-handedly keeping the thread going is.
Just to clarify, the "request for a larger chief" is/was not laughable, the persistence in overselling the idea and single-handedly keeping the thread going is.
I started the thread and am responding to posts, just as I am now. I am trying to sell an idea. I like the concept. You like knives under 3 inches, I get it, that's fine.
Funny that you did not say anything about the thread "C-60 Ayoob Campaign: No I Won't Shut Up" started Mon Jul 13, 2020
**EDITED - TazKristi**
Last edited by Naperville on Wed Dec 22, 2021 7:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I think this place is filled with people very passionate about particular niches in our hobby. Sometimes it can be tough to understand why someone is so invested in a particular trait, but it is what it is.
Wartstein really likes a good edge to blade length ratio...BBB really likes extreme edge retention steels run hard....I really like rust proof knives....etc.
At the end of the day we're all here for the same thing.
I'm not at all interested in a Native Chief XL. It seems apparent from the responses thus far that it wouldn't sell well and would inevitably be a net loss for the company. This thread* feels very forced at this point, I'm quite sure there are many forumites that are being polite by not weighing in.
Sal & Spyderco are not Lynn & Cold Steel. I understand the demographic you're going after with a defense focused 5-inch folder, but that's not this group and it's not currently Spyderco. A 5-inch Native Chief is either a gimmick or a weapon...and the $300 5-inch folding sword demographic is not a profitable one.
*Edited*
If it's in S30V I doubt it needs to be $300. If a 5 inch "folding sword" is not profitable what explains all of the fixed blades over 3 inches in length or Cold Steel folders over 3 inches in length?
What is one man's gimmick is another man's weapon. I encourage both.
Haha, all's well on this side, no whining to be had, just stating the obvious. I'm familiar with everyone's quirks around here, and who knows maybe we'll actually see an XL Chief one day.
It would take at least 2 years to come to light and with inflation and price increases it would be $250-$275.
3 inches and 5 inches are not the same thing, and if you think that they are then you are not a serious person.
Haha, all's well on this side, no whining to be had, just stating the obvious. I'm familiar with everyone's quirks around here, and who knows maybe we'll actually see an XL Chief one day.
It would take at least 2 years to come to light and with inflation and price increases it would be $250-$275.
3 inches and 5 inches are not the same thing, and if you think that they are then you are not a serious person.
Are most of your knives 3 inches and under? I carry fixed blades and will soon be carrying folders with more than 4 inch blades due to it being Winter here and t-shirts, sweaters and coats are 2+ inches thick.
If the D & R keep printing money like there is no end, the knife might not be available at any price.
The Spyderco Native Chief is retailing at Knife Center for $168. I doubt a 1 inch larger blade will be over $225 retail, but, with inflation who knows what we will be paying for anything in 2 years.
Come on Tex!!!! You can carry any length knife that you want with no worries. I'm in Illinois and moved out of Chicago because their laws were 2.5 inches or less. I could not honor that.
Get sum BIG knives!
EDIT: You know what those of us in Illinois (outside of Chicago) call 2.5 inch knives? Knives for cleaning under your fingernails.
Last edited by Naperville on Wed Dec 22, 2021 8:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
