Spyderco Forums

I wonder when the Lil Native LW will be released? I hope it is in the new Reveal.

Any thoughts on this knife? I like the idea of it having much thinner blade stock. I hope it is thin enough behind the edge.

I would have preferred it if they left off the jimping but I’ll still be buying one as soon as they’re available. Whenever it comes out is fine with me, I’m far from being in a rush for a new knife.

Thinner blade stock will be interesting in use but in the years I’ve been EDCing a Lil Native, the current blade stock thickness has literally never been an issue. I see a lot of people acting like it’s too overly thick and will cut like a doorstop but they couldn’t be more wrong, it cuts and slices great!

The current Lil Native is “thin enough behind the edge”, so I have to imagine the Lightweight model with thinner blade stock will inevitably be thin enough behind the edge as well.

I'm hoping it's built like a Salt 2 with thin blade stock, entirely linerless, or if it's compression lock, like the Para 3 LW. I've had one since they came out and actually appreciated the burliness of it, but I think it deserves a major weight loss treatment.

I used a lil as my daily driver on a construction site for about a year. I found that for actual SLICING tasks (opening/breaking down boxes, and lunch fruit/veggies) it would bog down and wedge, creating a less than safe condition. Worked great for everything else. I ended up thinning down the edge quite a bit, which solved the wedging, but made it less stable for heavier cutting tasks.

I’m excited for the thinner lil lw because I like the form factor of the lil better than the dragonfly, chap etc and kind of see it as something I’d carry more than those!!

I look forward to this one as well.
My current lil is a compression lock, and besides thinking it will handle better with a back lock, I also hope the thinner blade stock translates to a thinner package overall. The current CL lil native feels a bit weird in pocket, being relatively thick for its length.
Something approaching DF thinness, but otherwise with Native ergos would be pretty appealing.

I've really been anticipating this one and hopefully, a compression lock version as well. I have the current thick blade comp lock 4V model and much appreciate its mini-bulldog personality, but I'm glad to see the LW version with a thinner blade, to fill a different niche and indulge my chest pocket light, 2nd or 3rd knife carry habit. Throw in the opportunity to try out BD1N and this is a must have for me. I'm expecting it to be fairly easy to keep a shaving sharp edge for light, around the house work, opening envelopes, cutting paper, cord, fruit, shaving errant face bristles, etc.

I hope somebody will post the specs and estimated arrival date asap.

I also wonder when it will be released. This is moving in a good direction for this knife. Plus, I can mod it easier and take down that finger guard or whatever it is and round it off nicely on an FRN knife easier than on a G10 knife.

still waiting on a lil native salt that we all thought was a sure thing after the rocks glass was announced and thought again when the lw was announced.

I have no interest in an FRN Lil’Native but I hope those who do get one soon.

I can't wait for it to come out, I'm also expecting it to be in the next reveal. I'm planning on ordering one from Spyderco as soon as I can. I like the size and build of the Dragonfly, however the ergos just don't work great for me. I see this as being an "American Dragonfly" essentially, and it's gonna immediately replace the Dragonfly I use for work every day, so I'm gonna be putting it through its paces. I didn't necessarily NEED them to thin out the blade, but I think it'll work well with its size and weight, and it only makes it that much more similar to the Dragonfly so that'll be a benefit there as well.

ladybug93 wrote: ↑

Mon May 16, 2022 9:38 am

still waiting on a lil native salt that we all thought was a sure thing after the rocks glass was announced and thought again when the lw was announced.

Lightweight in MagnaCut I presume... or maybe with the thicker blade for bait cutting, etc

Ez556 wrote: ↑

Mon May 16, 2022 12:41 pm

I can't wait for it to come out, I'm also expecting it to be in the next reveal. I'm planning on ordering one from Spyderco as soon as I can. I like the size and build of the Dragonfly, however the ergos just don't work great for me. I see this as being an "American Dragonfly" essentially, and it's gonna immediately replace the Dragonfly I use for work every day, so I'm gonna be putting it through its paces. I didn't necessarily NEED them to thin out the blade, but I think it'll work well with its size and weight, and it only makes it that much more similar to the Dragonfly so that'll be a benefit there as well.

It might replace the DF. Once I get it and take down that giant finger guard so it fits my hand better, we will see. I have high hopes for the knife.

Also waiting on this one. My employer is getting stricter about a 2.5" blade length limit, and this would max out what I can carry. The Native 5 LW fits my hand better than anything else, so I have high hopes for this model. I know I can get the G10 variant, but I would prefer the lightweight. As for the lock, I'll take what comes, although I would prefer the lockback.

The Dragonfly is nice, but its ergonomics do not compare to the Native series, at least for me.

Chumango wrote: ↑

Tue May 17, 2022 5:49 am

As for the lock, I'll take what comes, although I would prefer the lockback.

It's gonna be a lockback. It also has contoured reliefs on each side by where the opening hole is like on its larger lightweight sibling, so it'll likely be a bit more comfortable than the G10 version out of the box.

In case anyone has not seen the previews from SHOT show - viewtopic.php?f=2&t=91593&hilit=Lil+nat ... e#p1592254

It is a backlock and the production version will come with BD1N steel.

Mushroom wrote: ↑

Tue May 17, 2022 9:54 am

In case anyone has not seen the previews from SHOT show - viewtopic.php?f=2&t=91593&hilit=Lil+nat ... e#p1592254

It is a backlock and the production version will come with BD1N steel.

I like that it'll have a wire clip too

Of all the Native 5s I have one of my all-time favorites is still the black S35VN LW that I bought used. It was my first N5 and it's a really nice one. So being that one of my favs is that black one I may not pick up the Lil Native LW until there's a sprint or exclusive.

Doc Dan wrote: ↑

Mon May 16, 2022 11:20 pm

Ez556 wrote: ↑

Mon May 16, 2022 12:41 pm

I can't wait for it to come out, I'm also expecting it to be in the next reveal. I'm planning on ordering one from Spyderco as soon as I can. I like the size and build of the Dragonfly, however the ergos just don't work great for me. I see this as being an "American Dragonfly" essentially, and it's gonna immediately replace the Dragonfly I use for work every day, so I'm gonna be putting it through its paces. I didn't necessarily NEED them to thin out the blade, but I think it'll work well with its size and weight, and it only makes it that much more similar to the Dragonfly so that'll be a benefit there as well.

It might replace the DF. Once I get it and take down that giant finger guard so it fits my hand better, we will see. I have high hopes for the knife.

I'm keeping my Dragonfly models too, but just for size comparison:
(I threw in the Para 3 because it proves that beautiful dark cherry red FRN is possible and could be used on a future lightweight Lil' Native, hint, hint, St. Nick's Knives )

Mushroom wrote: ↑

Tue May 17, 2022 9:54 am

In case anyone has not seen the previews from SHOT show - viewtopic.php?f=2&t=91593&hilit=Lil+nat ... e#p1592254

It is a backlock and the production version will come with BD1N steel.

Man that's a beautiful little knife! I love FRN and can't wait for this one!

weird. i don't know why i thought it was going to be a comp lock like the p3lw. i love frn too, but until it's a salt i think i'm going to stick with grabbing a slipit for my lil native.

I will grab one, though I would like something a bit “better” than BD1N, though I do like BD1N for how easy it takes a crazy edge.

I just hope they make the Lil Native Wharncliffe in a backlock.