My struggle with the Native

[Hardbawl]

It took me a while to come around on the native. Then I really liked it. One day it just clicked.

I also like the choils on the native family because I feel they lock your finger in better than the choils on other designs.

Amen, Hello, Come In! You hit the nail on the head. I first ordered the Native to have a knife with a Cruwear blade. When the Native first arrived, I was disappointed. It felt small in my extra large paws. But I wanted to experience the Cruwear blade so I carried it and really used it. One day, like you, it just clicked. I don't know who designed the Native, but they did good! Once you get used to using it, the Native becomes part of your hand. Nuff said. I don't know who built my Native, but they did good. This thing is put together better than many "Custom" knives. The lock is way better than the same kind of lock on my Endura. I don't know who picked Cruwear steel for the blade, but they did good. Cruwear sharpens easier than a true stainless steel. It holds its edge well and can be made sharper [with simple tools] than any steel I have used. My Native 5 has EARNED her place in my pocket. I have named her Pocahontas. She leads the way.

[Wartstein]

It took me a while to come around on the native. Then I really liked it. One day it just clicked.

I also like the choils on the native family because I feel they lock your finger in better than the choils on other designs.

Amen, Hello, Come In! You hit the nail on the head. I first ordered the Native to have a knife with a Cruwear blade. When the Native first arrived, I was disappointed. It felt small in my extra large paws. But I wanted to experience the Cruwear blade so I carried it and really used it. One day, like you, it just clicked. I don't know who designed the Native, but they did good! Once you get used to using it, the Native becomes part of your hand. Nuff said. I don't know who built my Native, but they did good. This thing is put together better than many "Custom" knives. The lock is way better than the same kind of lock on my Endura. I don't know who picked Cruwear steel for the blade, but they did good. Cruwear sharpens easier than a true stainless steel. It holds its edge well and can be made sharper [with simple tools] than any steel I have used. My Native 5 has EARNED her place in my pocket. I have named her Pocahontas. She leads the way.

That´s a cool story and a nice read! :)

And I am totally with you concerning the amazing backlock and great fit and finish of the Native!

Concerning ergos: I begin to think that perhaps my index finger, despite I have L to XL hands, is maybe not really "thick" and that´s the reason while I feel more supported, better locked in and the knife less likely to "roll" when using the Chap compared to the Native...?!

[Doc Dan]

I wear a 2xl glove and the Native forces me to use the choil. I do like being able to choke up on the blade but would prefer to have a choice of whether to or not. Also, as I mentioned earlier, the cutting edge is very short. Now, the choil on the Chief and the Lil Native makes sense to me.

[Maximumsmoochy]

I said earlier that I didnt like the native 5 at first. I figured there must be something to people liking it so much so I forced myself to carry my native 5 salt every day. I was going to give it a few weeks and if I still didnt like it then it wasnt for me. On day 4 for what seemed like no reason I pulled it out to use it and it just worked. All of a sudden I really liked it.

The next day I went home to try to figure out why. The conclusion I reached was, in the non choil grip, I was wanting to put the magority of my grip leverage on the wrong fingers. I didnt notice this until I compared it with my salt 2. On the salt 2 or delica the handle works well if you push on the thumb ramp and keep a tight grip with your ring and pinky finger while keeping a looser grip with your first and middel finger. The native 5, at least for me, is the opposite. It worked well when I pressed on the spine jimping with my thumb and put the magority of handle grip in my first and middle finger, and kept a looser grip with my ring and pinky finger. (In the behind the choil grip). I know its different for everybody but this is the difference that I noticed for me personally.

Similar experience going from not-click to click regarding the Native. And I appreciate the thoughts of how one’s hand fits the grip differently from knife to knife.

One point about stock thickness - I have no doubt that 2mm on the Chap is plenty strong, but bearing down on such a skinny blade spine can be uncomfortable, much like pressing the skinny lockbar can be uncomfortable. I "upsized" from the Chap back to the Native for several aforementioned reasons (thicker handle, more comfortable lockbar), and specifically because the blade stock feels better on the thumb.

[dan31]

Good point on stock thickness. Everyone wants a better cutting knife, but at what cost? 1 mm stock ground thin would cut well but in a backlock the lock bar would be almost inoperable. I think the 2.5 of the Delica is optimal for an edc slicer. The native stock is optimal for using the choil as it gives your thumb enough area to distribute pressure. Spyderco spends a lot of time considering the balance of materials, design and construction of their products. Optimized performance for each design.

[Wartstein]

Good point on stock thickness. Everyone wants a better cutting knife, but at what cost? 1 mm stock ground thin would cut well but in a backlock the lock bar would be almost inoperable. I think the 2.5 of the Delica is optimal for an edc slicer. The native stock is optimal for using the choil as it gives your thumb enough area to distribute pressure. Spyderco spends a lot of time considering the balance of materials, design and construction of their products. Optimized performance for each design.

I (big Chap fan... :D ) have to admit that putting pressure on the spine indeed feels clearly more comfortable on the thicker Native! No doubt.

But, and I can´t explain why, not so in the CHOIL... for me personally the thinner-stock-Chap choil feels more comfortable and more stable than the Native choil - again, don´t know WHY that is (logically it should NOT), but for me it´s true. :confused: