Spyderco Native Chief Lightweight

First released in 1997, the original Spyderco Native quickly set a high standard in affordable, full-service, lightweight folding knives. Purpose-designed to offer made-in-USA craftsmanship at an extremely affordable price, it was also the platform for introducing Spyderco's patented reversible "barrel-bolt" pocket clip.

As the Native's legions of devoted followers steadily grew, some end users began expressing interest in an extended version that would offer more blade length and better ergonomics for large hands. Inspired by that idea, in 1999 Spyderco created a prototype of a design they called the Native Chief, which maintained the pocket-friendly width of the Native but extended its overall length by nearly two inches. In true Spyderco style, they then took that prototype "on the road," displaying it at various trade shows and customer gatherings to elicit detailed feedback. They also continued their own in-house development, fine-tuning the design in an effort to fully realize its potential.

Although feedback on the design was very positive, making longer-bladed knives isn't as simple as it might seem. The longer the knife's blade, the longer the leverage arm and the more pressure applied to the lock mechanism. Sorting out these challenges was overshadowed by other priorities and other models, and ultimately the Native Chief ended up lying dormant for many years.

The tipping point in the story of the Native Chief was actually the development of the Native 5—the fifth-generation evolution of its progenitor. The highly refined Native 5 reflects more than two decades of real-world use, detailed customer feedback, and Spyderco's own relentless pursuit of Constant Quality Improvement (C.Q.I.). One of the defining characteristics of this model is its highly refined lockback mechanism. The culmination of years of meticulous research, development, and testing—as well as a significant investment in ultra-high-precision machinery—the Native 5's lockback redefined the state of the art in the engineering and execution of this deceptively simple mechanism. It was also the final ingredient needed to make the Native Chief a reality.

An "extended" version of the timeless Spyderco Native, the Native Chief stretches the overall length of the original design by about one-third while maintaining its slim, pocket-friendly profile. The Native Chief Lightweight continues that evolution, replacing the G10 scales with a lightweight, fiberglass-reinforced nylon (FRN) handle. The injection-molded handle includes high-traction Bi-Directional Texturing and its linerless construction trims the knife's weight by 21% compared to its predecessor. It retains the same precision-machines lockback mechanism and includes four sets of threaded inserts to allow fully configurable mounting of the knife's four-position pocket clip. The blade of the Native Chief Lightweight is full-flat ground from CTS-BD1N stainless steel and features a fully accessible Trademark Round Hole to complement the knife's symmetrical, completely ambidextrous design.

Specifications

• Blade Length: 4.02" (102 mm)
• Cutting Edge: 3.52" (89 mm)
• Closed Length: 5.08" (129 mm)
• Overall Length: 9.05" (230 mm)
• Blade Thickness: 0.125" (3.2 mm)
• Blade Material: CTS-BD1N Stainless Steel
• Blade Style: Drop Point
• Blade Grind: Full Flat
• Blade Finish: Satin
• Blade Edge: Plain
• Handle Material: Fiberglass-Reinforced Nylon
• Handle Color: Black
• Locking Mechanism: Lockback
• Pocket Clip: Tip-Up/Down, Left/Right Carry
• Model Number: C244PBK
• Model Name: Native Chief Lightweight
• Weight: 3.1 oz. (88 g)
• Made in the USA

Benchmade 535BK-2 Bugout CF Elite S30V

Blade Steel: CPM-S30V
Handle:
Blade Length: 3.24”
Weight: 1.8oz.
Open Length: 7.46”

Spyderco Native Chief

The Spyderco Native Chief takes the highly evolved, time-tested form of our iconic Native model and stretches it by about one third to create a longer, even more capable cutting tool that is still incredibly slim and pocket friendly. Its full-flat-ground CPM S30V® stainless steel blade includes an index-finger choil and a fully accessible Trademark Round Hole for ambidextrous one-handed opening.

The blade is supported by a linerless handle that includes textured G-10 scales, a stainless steel backspacer, and an ultra-refined, precision-machined back lock mechanism. Four sets of threaded inserts in the scales allow its polished hourglass pocket clip to be configured for tip-up or tip-down carry on either side of the body, and a generously sized lanyard hole easily accommodates fobs and lanyards.

Spyderco Shaman

Here is another addition to Spyderco's USA-made product line, the Shaman is an extremely capable folding knife with an equally impressive lineage.

In simple terms, the Shaman's hand-filling, no-nonsense design is Spyderco's best-selling Native model—on steroids. Originally released in 1997, the Native blazed a trail as an affordable, extremely ergonomic, lightweight folder. It was also instrumental in introducing Spyderco's patented reversible pocket clip, which was a revolutionary feature for its time. Although stainless steel and carbon fiber versions were briefly produced in Japan, the Native Lightweight distinguished itself as a flagship of Spyderco's American-made product line, offering superior quality and made-in-USA craftsmanship at an extremely affordable price.

In the years since then, the Native has steadily evolved through five generations and spawned a wide range of variations, including a number of models specifically geared toward the needs of military, law enforcement, and tactical users. With countless thousands of Natives in daily use around the globe, it's not surprising that Spyderco gets a lot of feedback from their owners. And one of the most common requests they get—especially from duty-bound end users—is for a larger, beefier expression of the same basic design. The Shaman is Spyderco's response to that demand.

At 8.25-inches overall, the Shaman is about 20 percent larger than the Native, making it ideal for folks with larger hands and those who need or prefer a bigger blade. Its design offers the same refined ergonomics and proven qualities of the Native, as well as a few significant differences.

The soul of this impressive design is its CPM S30V stainless steel blade, which features a very high saber (partial flat) grind and a prominent swedge (unsharpened back bevel). This masterfully executed grind balances strength, low-friction edge geometry, and an acute, utilitarian point to offer a blade that will eagerly tackle almost any cutting chore. The blade's signature Trademark Round Hole is fully accessible from both sides to support swift, one-handed opening with either hand. It features a handsome low-maintenance stonewashed finish. For tactical applications where light discipline is a concern, versions with a non-reflective black Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coating will also be offered.

Although the Shaman's handle shape and ergonomics follow the spirit of the Native, its handle construction and lock mechanism are distinctly different. The handle's scales are 3D machined from G10 and thoughtfully contoured to provide a comfortable, secure grip. Skeletonized stainless steel liners nested within the smooth, matte-finished scales reinforce the handle's structural strength and form the basis of the knife's patented Compression Lock. This high-strength mechanism is located in the spine of the handle, where it contacts the web of the thumb during normal use and is well protected from accidental release. Its location also allows the blade to be closed safely and easily with one hand without placing your fingers in the path of the edge. To ensure convenient carry and keep the knife poised for immediate access, the handle includes a stonewashed four-position pocket clip that offers a choice of left or right-side, tip-up or tip-down carry.

The Shaman is a powerhouse cutting tool that is deeply rooted in the success of one of Spyderco's most iconic designs and the feedback of their loyal customers.

Specifications

• Blade Length: 3.58"
• Closed Length: 4.67"
• Overall Length: 8.25"
• Cutting Edge: 3.12"
• Blade Thickness: 0.145"
• Blade Material: CPM-S30V Stainless Steel
• Blade Style: Spear Point
• Blade Grind: Full-Flat
• Blade Finish: Stonewash
• Blade Edge: Plain
• Handle Material: G10
• Handle Color: Matte Black
• Locking Mechanism: Compression
• Pocket Clip: Tip-Up/Down, Right/Left Carry
• Model Number: C229GPBK
• Model Name: Shaman
• Weight: 5.2 oz.
• Made in the USA

Benchmade Hunt Crooked River S30V

Blade Steel: CPM-S30V
Blade Length: 4.00"
Weight: 5.41oz.
Open Length: 9.30"

Spyderco Shaman

The Shaman is a hand-filling, no-nonsense folding knife based on the proven design theme of the iconic Spyderco Native. About 20 percent larger than the Native, it offers the same refined ergonomics, as well as a few significant differences.

Available with either a PlainEdge or fully serrated SpyderEdge, the Shaman’s blade is crafted from CPM S30V stainless steel and features a very high flat grind that balances strength, low-friction edge geometry, and an acute, utilitarian point. Its signature Trademark Round Hole™ is fully accessible from both sides to support swift, one-handed opening with either hand. For tactical applications where light discipline is a concern, this version of the Shaman also boasts a non-reflective black Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) blade coating.

Although the Shaman’s handle shape and ergonomics follow the spirit of the Native, its construction and lock mechanism are distinctly different. The scales are 3-D machined from G-10 and thoughtfully contoured to provide a comfortable, secure grip. Skeletonized stainless steel liners nested within the smooth, matte-finished scales reinforce the handle’s structural strength and form the basis of the knife’s Compression Lock®mechanism. To ensure convenient carry and keep the knife poised for immediate access, the handle includes a four-position pocket clip that supports left or right-side, tip-up or tip-down carry. Like the blade, the clip and all handle hardware feature a non-reflective matte black coating.

Spyderco Drunken

Blade Steel: S30V
Handle:
Blade Length:
Weight:
Open Length: