Spyderco Forums

Hey guys. I currently have a G10 Dragonfly and I really like it overall, but I feel like the handle may be a tad small for my hands. I want to stick with the small knives and was considering picking up a Lil' Native, and I was wondering which do you guys prefer or think is the better overall knife?

Thanks

Anyone? lol

Have you tried adding a lanyard fob?

I like them both, but prefer the D'fly. I think the Lil Native is a bit huskier than necessary for its dimensions.

If you think the Dragonfly is small for you, I'd steer away from the Compression lock lil native as its a probably a bit tricky for someone with sausage fingers. The lockback version will be easier to operate. I have size XL hands, but they aren't bear paws- I find the comp lock just a little bit awkward to operate.

I have both. They’re both great knives, but comparing the two, the lil native seems like a mini version of a larger knife and the dragonfly feels like a small knife. I prefer to hold the dragonfly but overall prefer the lock and g10 of the lil native.

One isn’t really better than the other, just marginal differences that set them apart.

I have a harder time getting my thumb to properly contort to the radius of the opening for the Dfly, but have no issue with the Lil Native. I think that the Dfly feels as a whole like more of a curve (bottom of handle through the handle and out to the tip of the blade) while the LIl Native feels straighter overall, like the Native I guess. I like them both, just have an easier time opening the Lil Native than the Dfly.

Here are a few pictures. I wear large sized gloves and they border on almost too small but I don’t need XLs.

Having both the Dfly has better ergos.

I am a Compression lock guy but the CL on the lil native is not great. CL hurts a bit at unlocking. And the ricasso bumps unto the finger at closing.

If I would ve you, I would wait for the lil native lightweight.

I have a few versions of both knives. I tend to lean toward the Dfly. The Chaperall is a bit bigger but might be a better fit for your hands

For my XL-XXL hands the Lil Native handle fills my grip better. It's a lot more substantial. The big concave section in the middle of the Dragonfly handle never felt meaty enough for my grip.



Is the regular Native too large for your preferences? Having that and a Dragonfly might be a more versatile pair.

I have and like both. But, but with large hands, I prefer the Lil’ Native.

Rinzler wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 27, 2020 11:29 am

I have both. They’re both great knives, but comparing the two, the lil native seems like a mini version of a larger knife and the dragonfly feels like a small knife. I prefer to hold the dragonfly but overall prefer the lock and g10 of the lil native.

One isn’t really better than the other, just marginal differences that set them apart.

^ This!

I like the Dragonfly a lot and plan on buying the K390 as soon as that drops. I like the handle so much I have been shilling for the addition of a Dodo-fly and Cricket-fly and even a Jester-fly and Worker-fly to the overall Dragonfly family. It is a great knife and one that I would say has achieved perfection for what it it.

I don't really like comp locks so the Lil Native Comp Lock is out. The Lil' Native Backlock is better, but I still miss the wire clip, jimping, and FRN. If a Lil Native Backlock LW comes out with a wire clip and spine and choil jimping I will be interested. It will still be different enough from the Dragonfly as was said the Dragonfly feels more like a small knife (that can do it all) and the Lil Native is more of a mini version of a larger knife and doesn't feel as small as a Dragonfly.

I voted Dragonfly, but it really depends on the use case. For my specific use case, I wanted a knife to carry loose (not clipped) in my pocket and the FRN Dragonfly is much lighter than the G10 Lil Native. When the knife is sitting at the bottom of your pocket, lighter is better.

But in your case, since you mention having the G10 Dragonfly, the weight difference would be less. And obviously if you're planning to carry it clipped, then the weight is much less important.

Man, what a great question. I kind of want to carry both on different days again to refresh my memory!

Thanks for the input, guys.

Ric wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 27, 2020 12:40 pm

Having both the Dfly has better ergos.

I am a Compression lock guy but the CL on the lil native is not great. CL hurts a bit at unlocking. And the ricasso bumps unto the finger at closing.

If I would ve you, I would wait for the lil native lightweight.

Yeah, the comp lock isn't really a good fit for a knife this small. I suspect they did a comp lock version only because the industry at the time was in full on comp lock madness and everyone loved fidgeting and spydieflicking their comp lock PM2s and demanded "more comp locks!". I have to wonder if the whole time the designers were bashing their heads into the wall thinking, "remind me why are we doing this little knife in a comp lock?". Some people like them I guess though because the poll I posted about the next BHQ M4 exclusive the Comp Lock Lil Native had more votes than the Backlock Lil Native and was second only to the Chief.

Lil Native might fit your hand better (longer handle and more ergonomic shape bc it doesn't have the pointy finger swell towards the back like on the DF2.

I like the Lil’ Native far better. I love the compression lock and hand no issues with it on the Lil’ Native. Just takes a bit of getting used to. I also prefer the wire clip.

I have both and i like them very much.
I'll try a Lil Native backlock in near future.

Do you have a steel preference?

I prefer the Dragonfly, of the two, and I vastly prefer the back lock variant of the Lil Native (over the comp lock version).

If I was picking one of them, I'd get the K390 Dragonfly, personally.


If the Dragonfly handle is small in your hands, the Lil Native might be the right fit though. Do you have anywhere local you can pick one up and fondle it, to see how it fits you?