Spyderco Forums

Wanting to buy a compression lock. Liking smaller blades for edc. What are the opinions for each of these? I wish the had different steels but that what it is.This would only be my third Spyderco. Trying to find real in my carry preferences with locks and skins among other things.

1Manix 2 m390 tan g10
1 CARIBBEAN sheepfoot lc200n yellow g10

I like the feel of the manix, is just a little large. I have the caribbean in my fishing stuff and not carried much.
Let me know
Thanks
Steve

As always: Very subjective.

So just my personal opinion, or rather preference - and this just by the specs and what I read and know about the two models (don´t have either one myself)

For me Sage 5 100%, and I´d go for the FRN lightweight . especially, but not only, for general EDC.
Why?

- Blade and cutting edge a lot longer than on the Lil Native: Means more versatile, while still being a really small knife (for me at least)
- Blade also a bit thinner in stock, but will feel even "more thinner" in reality, due to the longer blade and by this more tapering. 3.00 mm (Sage) is still a sturdy blade imho, but should slice better than the Lil Native
- Longer grip, more grip options and I prefer FRN (on the LW Sage 5) over G10 (on the Lil Native)
- It might be that the comp.lock is a bit harder / more awkward to operate on the Lil Native cause the handle is so short (just a guess though)
- The one thing I´d prefer in the Lil Native: Can be had in SE.

/ If you could warm up to a backlock (would make sense, since you already have a comp.lock and CBBL knife and could try something new) I´d recommend a Chaparral FRN: You get a knife almost as small as the Lil Native (and lighter and slimmer), but with more cutting edge, more grip area, a much thinner, slicier blade and actually pretty much the shape and form of a Sage, just a bit smaller in all dimensions.

I'm going to throw out a different suggestion, as I'm sure many others will too. But if you like the feel of a Manix, but want something smaller with that similar feel, look into the UKPK.

The Manix is my favorite Spyderco model, I've had 7 at one time. The UKPK feels so similar in hand (to me) just a smaller package. Yea it doesn't have a lock, but I work in a warehouse and have used mine many many times and have never had a problem. It's an ergonomic masterpiece!

I have a photo of the Manix next to a UKPK in this thread here on this page...

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=91027

I have and love both but if you own neither, the Sage 5 lw is where to start. It might seem a bit middle of the road and “boring” but it’s a PHENOMENAL “middle of the road”. Mine and many others’ are finished almost perfectly, they’re highly ergonomic and offer killer cutting performance for their blade stock thickness. Their stop pins are absolutely diesel so I don’t feel bad flicking mine here and there. The locking mechanism is perfect. The list goes on and on

Sage 5 would be a better all around EDC knife. The Lil Native is a great knife but it is surprisingly small.

I have both and I prefer the Sage in hand though I prefer the Lil Native in size. The sage has a slight thumb ramp and jimping that really locks it in to your hand. I’ll echo others in saying the Sage LW is great. It feels very premium even in FRN. I’ll also say the Chaparrals are a great in between size with a jimped thumb ramp. The Lil Native is a nice knife though, and you can still find it in S90V if you don’t mind spending the extra bucks.

Very different knives (albeit with somewhat similar ergonomics).

The Lil' Native is a a very small, very robust knife. It has rather thick blade stock and is able to handle jobs much larger than you would think.

The Sage 5 is much larger, and hand filling. Although the blade stock is of similar thickness in the knives, the blade on the Sage 5 is much taller. Since both knives use a full-flat grind, this makes the Sage 5 much thinner behind the edge, and is easily the better slicer.

I like the Lil' Native for popping REALLY stubborn, thick zipties off of pallets at work... While the Sage 5 absolutely destroys cardboard and poly wrap.

I would go with the Lil Native SE. Pocket chainsaw. If you want a sweet slicing comp lock get the Watu.

I really seen to like smaller knives in the pocket, and not really a problem in use. I really don't use it much slicing cardboard or anything like that, just for all the little things that come up each day at home, slicing para cord to tarp up the boat and cover. Using it to scrape the insulation off wire to work on a plug or trimming some buds off flowers or small tree. Some days just a mail opener. I know with my manix 2 with 390 I need to watch and not pry. I have other brands with the same thing with that edge holding but chippy steel. So s30 or 35 would be fine. It seems on the pictures you have, It is more than 1/2 inch in blade length. But handle length looks right. The sage looks way bigger.
Thinking about locking types I really need to spend some time with my caribbean for the locking style, I just really haven't used it on the fishing boat much. Was sick a lot this year and went one time.
I just need to try more I guess. I know all my friends that build ar15s with me always say, buy them both and see. I never seem to have the funds they do.
Any way, thanks for the help .Seem that I am rambling but I really do enjoy the help.
Steve

In other news I called and will be able to go through the Chris Reeves manufacturing plant on Wednesday, Good Deal

If you could handle both before buying, that would be ideal. I tried the Lil Native at a store, and found it too small to use comfortably. I prefer the size of the Sage 5 LW.

If you like M4 steel, there is a Sage 5 LW exclusive that will be coming soon to the dealer below.

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Spyderco- ... ht--137711

Sage5 in CF. I dislike the FRN scale pattern on the lightweight one.

Sage 5 has the most comfortable feel in hand, I prefer it over the Watu, the Native family has much thicker blade stock that I just don’t need, so I prefer the grind on the Sage 5. The Sage 5 comp lock and taller scales make it easier to open and close one handed for me. I haven’t bought a Sage LW yet but I expect that to be a future purchase. The Manix 2 LW is a fantastic package combining the large FFG slicey blade and CBBL into a slim pocketable folder with a large blade. I think the Sage with it’s FFG blade and comp lock with FRN will make a very appealing package.

There’s also the compression lock Para 3, G-10 or LW.

The ergos of the lil native are a bit off. It's more a lil tank. Feels overbuilt.
The sage is heavy for a lightweight.

Overall I suggest to try the para 3 lightweight.
It's also cheap.

But in the end all 3 knives are great, should also been tested and probably owned...