Why has there never been an endura sized native?

[Michael Cook]

:spyder: You'd think that a endura sized native would be a natural, any idea why there's never been one? :spyder:

[Andre V]

If there was one released it would definitely find a way into my pocket. I think that both the endura and native are good sellers. Maybe Sal thinks that if he gives the native a bigger blade he might hurt the sales of the endura.

[The Deacon]

The "Native Chief" idea has been kicked around for some time, there is even, IIRC, a picture of a "concept model" of it that shows up here from time to time. My guess is that the idea did not go over as big with the dealers and distributors as does here on the forums.

[dialex]

As usually, Paul beat me to this. I think Jeff (Smith) has a Native Chief, maybe he'll jump here later too.

[224477]

Native Chief is absolutely supercool. I dunno why, but I like the 4inch. bladers a little better..

[4 s ter]

Top right - one of the prototypes that has never made it throught to production (along with the retractable Ulu)

[The Deacon]

That's the picture I was remembering David, thanks for posting it! Kind of looks like a small, liner-lock version of the Chinook in there too.

[UK KEN]

Top right - one of the prototypes that has never made it throught to production (along with the retractable Ulu)

The Native is my all time favourite! It is not the most expensive of my knives but it is the one I carry and use most. I like everything about this knife but would love to know how a 4" Native handles.

If it is economically viable to produce smaller versions of the Manix and Persian (both great knives) could this not also be the case where a larger Native is concerned. :confused: I wonder how many people here would be interested in owning a "Native Chief"

It is a shame that there is no "on my knees pleading" icon here, I guess
PLEASE will have to do.

Cheers, Ken

[J Smith]

I don't have one but I would jump all over a black G10 Native Cheif. :D

[Shmackey]

Seems to me like the perfect ergos and balance of the original would be lost if it were stretched out.

[BlackNinja]

I'd be up for one of those! Thanks for the pic, David.

[UK KEN]

Seems to me like the perfect ergos and balance of the original would be lost if it were stretched out.

.....it would be a very different knife but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I used to EDC a Blackhawk and after some years replaced it with a Renegade, it took a little getting used to but soon felt "natural". The extra blade weight was countered by the additional handle weight and the knife was as lively in the hand as the lighter model with the same levels of control. Regards, Ken

[rainman]

This is sort of a bump. This topic has come up before but still no Chief... :o
I would seriously jump to get one of these as the Native has always been one of my favorite :spyder: 's.
I think my memory-challenged brain might remember something being said about this by Sal. Um, Sal? :D
I didn't find it in the search, but didn't go through all 500 posts either.
Thanks,

[224477]

Guys, and whats that strange looking green sliding THING :eek: ?
The mini Chinook is really sweet, even as liner lock.

[The Deacon]

This is sort of a bump. This topic has come up before but still no Chief... :o
I would seriously jump to get one of these as the Native has always been one of my favorite :spyder: 's.
I think my memory-challenged brain might remember something being said about this by Sal. Um, Sal? :D
I didn't find it in the search, but didn't go through all 500 posts either.
Thanks,

Could be a number of reasons. The Renegade, which was that size and roughly similiar to the Native sold poorly. Dealer and distributor enthusiasm for a larger Native may just not be there. It's one thing to cater to us "knifeknuts" by making a small batch of a knife for which all the tooling already exists, quite another to tool up for a totally uinque design.

[224477]

Could be a number of reasons. The Renegade, which was that size and roughly similiar to the Native sold poorly. Dealer and distributor enthusiasm for a larger Native may just not be there. It's one thing to cater to us "knifeknuts" by making a small batch of a knife for which all the tooling already exists, quite another to tool up for a totally uinque design.

Deac, this reminds me, that IMO there were some spydercos which came to early as the market wasnt prepared to accept them. I dunno for sure, but I think that today the C54 this Chief would have much better market success as they did at the time they were on. Maybe I dont have true. Its hard to find out, ´cause this "family", as we are here, represents more the "aficionados" as the common "ELUs". Common people like simple knives and they are not as interested in material performance or performance designs. I can speak for the Caly, ´cause now I know what is it about - its a hillarious knife, but many "common" users would better take an SS Endura, ´cause they believe the steel handle in some knid of way a bit better. I made several "tests" with non knife people, took for example the C52PGY and Cara Cara - almost 95% of people whom the knives were showed would choose tha Cara and not the Caly Jr. They didnt like the plastic, the said its cheap looking, etc. I got no extra points for explaining them that FRN is not " a common plastic" and its more expensive (cost and know how) to tool a FRN handle as the SS one.
What I wanted to say is that we represent more a limited group of the market, the people who know what they are talking about, what they are using, and knowing why they did this choices..
Sorry if I went OT.. :rolleyes:

[Havatoo]

Quote from 224477: "Common people like simple knives and they are not as interested in material performance or performance designs. I can speak for the Caly, ´cause now I know what is it about - its a hillarious knife, but many "common" users would better take an SS Endura, ´cause they believe the steel handle in some knid of way a bit better. I made several "tests" with non knife people, took for example the C52PGY and Cara Cara - almost 95% of people whom the knives were showed would choose tha Cara and not the Caly Jr. They didnt like the plastic, the said its cheap looking, etc. I got no extra points for explaining them that FRN is not " a common plastic" and its more expensive <cost and know how> to tool a FRN handle as the SS one.") unquote
I bet that's why Spyderco decided to make the Byrd line-and, why their first models are stainless handled. (I'm not counting their VERY first one, of course).

[The Deacon]

Jano, I think you are very correct, in your observations regarding the average ELU. I would bet, for example, that a fair percentage of people here in New York State (and, I'd bet in other places as well) who are looking to puchase a pocket knife would tell you that carrying a folding knife the size of the Endura is illegal, while, in truth it can be legally carried anywhere in the state. Most people tend to be cautious, and don't go "looking for trouble", so misconceptions like that can limit the sale of larger knifes quite a bit.

[untamed]

Just a newb that stumbled on this thread (hope I'm not beating on dead horses here. . .) but OMG! The only reason I brought my Endura 3 over the Native WAS because of its smallish size. The Native felt soooo good in my hands the first time I held it and the blade profile would surely be an all-'rounder, for both defense and utility. An Endura-sized Native would also get my vote!

[Axlis]

I got to see the Native Chief prototype in a display case during my recent visit to Golden. It was actually a neat looking knife and kinda scary, one of those "Bleed you like a stuck pig" ones :eek: . That particular display had several very nice Natives, some prototypes, some factory runs.