Native Chief User Stories?

[James Y]

I'm not normally like this with my knives, but I don't carry or use my Native Chief as much as I would like, because of a silly reason. I have a slight fear that the tip is too fragile. I have many other knives with fine tips that I do not feel this way about, but for whatever reason I feel that way about the Chief.

I haven't found much in the way of user videos of the Chief on YT. Most have been unboxing, or talking about stats. Has anybody actually used their Chief extensively over time, and if so, what are your experiences?

Jim

[vivi]

if you search my posts you'll find all the info you could want. lots of reviews, photos, etc.

example:

You know those thick cardboard bins 3 corrugated layers deep they ship pumpkins in? Broke down a few of those today with my Chief that we had in our back lot from a recent pumpkin carving competition.





Still scrape shaves despite using a pretty coarse finish and dulling it some since sharpening it.

tip hasn't ever been an issue for it. I prefer thin pointy tips for the same reason I like thin edges - they cut better.

lw impressions - viewtopic.php?t=97196

m4 sprint thread - viewtopic.php?p=1531084&hilit=chief#p1531084

rex45 patina - viewtopic.php?p=1510974&hilit=chief#p1510974

4v photos - viewtopic.php?p=1592212&hilit=chief#p1592212

[James Y]

Many thanks, vivi!

Jim

[Brock O Lee]

My burnt-orange REX-45 rose from long-term safe queen storage, and was put to work in Jul. It's been on household recycling duties for the last 6 weeks, until further notice.

Factory edge, and edge #1 did not last long.

Edge #2 performed much better, but I destroyed it completely when I sliced into a hidden staple in a cardboard box last week. No chipping or rolling at 15 dps, just blunting. Tip is still good...

I resharpened, took the clip off, and now chamfered the edges of the G10 for better ergos. I wipe the blade with a Ballistol rag from time-to-time, so no patina.



I'm still forming an opinion on the Native Chief. I like choils in general, but I'm not a huge fan of the choil on this model. Grip seems to be too far back, or too far forward, if that even makes sense.

[sal]

Thanx for the thread James.

Nothing like "Real-World-Testing". I'm interested to hear experiences.

I just received my production sample of the Cruwear/Micarta version. A nice combination and it's in my pocket.

Actually, quite impressive is my biased opinion. Eric did skillful job refining the design, The Golden Knifemakers did a beautiful building it and the tan Micarta should take on a nice "used look".

I'll share my experience using it.

sal

[Wallach]

Thanx for the thread James.

Nothing like "Real-World-Testing". I'm interested to hear experiences.

I just received my production sample of the Cruwear/Micarta version. A nice combination and it's in my pocket.

Actually, quite impressive is my biased opinion. Eric did skillful job refining the design, The Golden Knifemakers did a beautiful building it and the tan Micarta should take on a nice "used look".

I'll share my experience using it.

sal

Oh snap, does that mean this knife is getting close to shipping? I've been dying to get my hands on this one!

[vivi]

My burnt-orange REX-45 rose from long-term safe queen storage, and was put to work in Jul. It's been on household recycling duties for the last 6 weeks, until further notice.

Factory edge, and edge #1 did not last long.

Edge #2 performed much better, but I destroyed it completely when I sliced into a hidden staple in a cardboard box last week. No chipping or rolling at 15 dps, just blunting. Tip is still good...

I resharpened, took the clip off, and now chamfered the edges of the G10 for better ergos. I wipe the blade with a Ballistol rag from time-to-time, so no patina.



I'm still forming an opinion on the Native Chief. I like choils in general, but I'm not a huge fan of the choil on this model. Grip seems to be too far back, or too far forward, if that even makes sense.

that's funny, I'm the opposite.

on most spydies the opening hole hump is right where I'd want my thumb when using the choil, so on the Military, my modded Pacific Salt, the Police etc. I pretty much never use them.

On the Native Chief the lack of a thumb ramp makes the choked up grip feel much better, so I use the choil on my Chiefs more than any other model.

One downside to a larger choil is like you note it can make the further back grip feel a bit too far from the edge.

regarding edge retention, I always see better edge holding after erasing the factory edge. even if I keep it about the same angle. not sure why.

your chamfering looks good. I don't bother on a lot of knives, but on the Chief in particular it makes a big difference. I've done it to all of my g10 chiefs.

[Brock O Lee]

that's funny, I'm the opposite.

on most spydies the opening hole hump is right where I'd want my thumb when using the choil, so on the Military, my modded Pacific Salt, the Police etc. I pretty much never use them.

On the Native Chief the lack of a thumb ramp makes the choked up grip feel much better, so I use the choil on my Chiefs more than any other model.

One downside to a larger choil is like you note it can make the further back grip feel a bit too far from the edge.

regarding edge retention, I always see better edge holding after erasing the factory edge. even if I keep it about the same angle. not sure why.

your chamfering looks good. I don't bother on a lot of knives, but on the Chief in particular it makes a big difference. I've done it to all of my g10 chiefs.

I think hand size and shape make the difference. Spyderco is smart enough to cater for all of us.

I've learnt now, with the whole Native family, that they all work best for me in a choked-up grip.

Chamfering is a 5 min job with a smooth file and sandpaper, and improves the ergos a lot. That's also why I prefer G10 over FRN/FRCP scales. With G10 there is no risk that you'll over-chamfer into the aggressive bi-directional pattern.

[zhyla]

Mine either came with the tip missing a tiny chip or it chipped in the first hour of owning it while slicing paper or something. But you’d really have to be looking for it.

I can’t say I’ve really carried it much. I wrote a whole thread about it but I think it’s a pretty awkward knife. I tend to carry a Chap, Stretch, or Manix 2. There’s not much a Chief adds to that mix in my eyes.

[kobold]

I reserve my s90v/cf chief for crafts (like leathercraft) where that fine tip can be put to good use for precise cuts. My rex45/g10 one is more of a general use edc, feels dependable, fits my hands, no play, nice patina, good for food too.

i don't worry about the tip too much, even if it gets damaged, i am sure it would be minuscule. Like i had to stab a steel oil drum with my maxamet pm2 to get some insignificant damage that went away with the next sharpening. And Rex45 is supposed to be more robust than maxamet.

[Evil D]

I like strong tips even if realistically I don't need them, but unless you're doing something with this knife that you shouldn't be doing, the most likely reason you'll damage the tip is if you drop it.

[Manixguy@1994]

The Chief is one blade I really don’t worry about tip , as long as I don’t get crazy with lateral movement and that would be on me not the blade . For me , my comfort level is using the choil . MG2

[yablanowitz]

Whittling project done start to finish with that Rex 45 Chief. I like it. I like it a lot.

[James Y]

Much appreciation for everyone's replies!

Whittling project done start to finish with that Rex 45 Chief. I like it. I like it a lot.

Wow! Beautuful work!!

Jim

[Naperville]

I've been carrying a Spyderco Native Chief for self defense every day since at least the release of the S90V version, maybe earlier. That may have been around 2020 some time.

Perps may see the shadow of it in my pocket and decide not to bother with me. Sounds like a positive user story to me.

I'm never without it except at work or in bed. I even forgot to remove my Native Chief one day at work in the warehouse. The manager just said, just keep it in your pocket, do not take it out and on your break take it out to your car. We do not allow knives or firearms in the building. OOPS!

[Naperville]

Whittling project done start to finish with that Rex 45 Chief. I like it. I like it a lot.

If I could whittle / carve like that I'd rather do that for money than do what I am doing right now.

[cjk]

Thanx for the thread James.

Nothing like "Real-World-Testing". I'm interested to hear experiences.

I just received my production sample of the Cruwear/Micarta version. A nice combination and it's in my pocket.

Actually, quite impressive is my biased opinion. Eric did skillful job refining the design, The Golden Knifemakers did a beautiful building it and the tan Micarta should take on a nice "used look".

I'll share my experience using it.

sal

Off topic, but I don't guess there's a Native 5 production sample in that pocket as well?

--Christian

[yablanowitz]

Whittling project done start to finish with that Rex 45 Chief. I like it. I like it a lot.

If I could whittle / carve like that I'd rather do that for money than do what I am doing right now.

The problem with doing it for money is you would either have to be a LOT faster than me, or you'd have to get $500 for a piece like that to make minimum wage.

[Naperville]

Whittling project done start to finish with that Rex 45 Chief. I like it. I like it a lot.

If I could whittle / carve like that I'd rather do that for money than do what I am doing right now.

The problem with doing it for money is you would either have to be a LOT faster than me, or you'd have to get $500 for a piece like that to make minimum wage.

Sounds like I better stick with Plan A, which is to follow in the footsteps of world renown artist Hunter Biden and blow paint around on a canvas with a straw. I hear he gets $500,000 a painting.