I wholeheartedly agree with your generalizations on the Native 5 LW. I gifted mine to my son and have missed it ever since. Unless you really need a larger knife, factoring strength, cost, utility, carryability, etc, this may be the best Spyderco available (and I love many Spydies).
(4yrs later, i wonder how many you have) Sold my s30v blacked out one, 2 days later i regretted it n bought the all white Rex and the next day i bought the mint m4. This week its the Maxamet. So thats 3 since i sold my 1.... n it didnt even take a week. N yes, i lost money 😆
This is my next knife for sure. My beloved Delica has been my go to edc for years it’s just so perfect. I have many Spyderco’s all the popular models I don’t know how I haven’t owned a native yet.
Hello, I just purchased my first Native-5 & am eagerly awaiting its arrival. I have opted for the more modest S35VN version. An affordable price tag & I agree with your assessment that the Native can be seen as the next iteration of the Delica. I like the Delica, & have a few; a yellow serrated Salt-2, a bright orange version for outdoor use & the ZDP-189 version for the steel. I like, wherever possible, to get different handle colours. It allows for quick identification of the blade I am looking for when I open the desk drawer. So it will come as no surprise that I went for the shocking pink version of this knife! I live with a young pink & grey galah that I found injured on the roadside. A Spyderco blade in Maxamet is definitely on the cards. I need to pair a grey knife with the Native to match the girl's plumage... Amazing the rationalisations we can come up with to justify that next purchase... Ciao for now & happy collecting Doctor, fm. ;-)
I have the Native 5 in Maxamet and it's a great knife! I'm bummed that I missed the Mule in that steel. Mine is M390 which is also awesome, too. It would be sweet to see Spyderco introduce Maxamet in some of their smaller knifes. I'd love to have a Maxamet Dragonfly!
I really like this knife, and appreciate your exhaustive testing on it. Combined with Spyderco's warranty reversal I think I'll be picking one up as a *True Use Knife™.* It also doesn't hurt that it's also one of their sleekest and handsomest offerings for something so simple.
I have a couple in S30V and S110V. This is an extremely capable and efficient design with elegance in its simplicity. Spyderco reverted back to S30V on the base Native 5. Though I also like S35VN, I think it may be more advantageous to manufacturers and less so for the end user. I have only seen one manufacturer representative say it plainly and declare that, outside manufacturing ease, S35VN is inferior to S30V in use.
Just picked one up at the Oregon Knife Collectors show.... Sal and Eric had seconds for 50 bucks, and I could not pass it up. Been wanting to try maxamet. I agree with you, killer little EDC blade.
The native 5 has been my every day carry for 2 years, my wife prefers the native 5 as well. The only native 5 model I don't own is the 40th anniversary wich is titanium an around 300-400.00. One day I will buy one. As a new subscriber you put out great informative videos.
Awesome! Glad to hear a Native expert enjoys my vids. This is an excellent knife that I truly enjoy. I would choose this over Para 3 every day of the week.
I’m with you on the mule team knives. I’m sort of glad those are a bit of an underground thing. I just wrapped my z-wear mule in canvas micarta to match my shaman and that pair is near perfection when it comes to outdoor/harder use. I like them too much to put them through any actual hard abuse but the point remains. The mules are fantastic mid-sized fixed blades for anything beyond general edc…you just gotta get them from spyderco while they’re $50.
Looks like a great knife. I've seen others that have let patina. I'm not a fan of that but I do like the other characteristics of the steel. Great review.
Do all LW Native 5's run without washers or just the maxamet version? Also, for the price difference would you go with this one or back to the S110V? Thanks, great video!
@Doctor : i already oredred Shaman based on your review because i need something beefy to work around camp. Now i would like to get something smaller for my pocket and lighter also. There is number of Native versions outhere but somehow i am narrow it down to: - native 5 , g10, backlock, s35vn - native 5, frn handle, backlock s35vn The last one is really good price here in Europe compare to G10 version. Or maybe i should go s110v? Thx
S35VN is 99% of S110V, and may be easier to sharpen later. For the price, the Native 5 LW in FRN is a great knife, and the weight savings are impressive and translate into a better EDC knife.
I think if cost is an issue, you will not go wrong with the less expensive model. If cost is not an issue, S110V is an amazing steel, and Maxamet is the ultimate version. I have owned 2 of the FRN versions, and like them very much. It is a small knife, and thus is used in lighter to medium tasks. The FRN handles are perfectly adequate for this type of use, the G10 adds weight of Steel liners and is only necessary if you need it. I would actually recommend waiting a few weeks and see about grabbing the LC200N Native Salt coming out soon. That may be the very best one for overall use and materials.
The company is Halpern Titanium, they make amazing scales out of dymondwood, CF, micarta, and G10 for the Mule Team knives. Interestingly, not out of titanium though haha!
duuuude thank you for saying the manic is fuuuggly i swear... and like why would a Spyderco guy go out of his way to get a benchmade-style-lock wonky boy?? ok so it has a leaf blade and hole other than that , ew also think the sage LW kinda looks like the ontario rat also not a beauty imo
The smoothness can‘t build up with the backlock. Steel on FRN doesn‘t do any damage and holds up over time. To the fact that there are used less parts makes the knife a step easier to maintain and clean. Look at the Para 3 LW. It has one washer on the liner side and it‘s smooth.
I wholeheartedly agree with your generalizations on the Native 5 LW. I gifted mine to my son and have missed it ever since. Unless you really need a larger knife, factoring strength, cost, utility, carryability, etc, this may be the best Spyderco available (and I love many Spydies).
Exactly. I just grabbed the CF/S90V version!
(4yrs later, i wonder how many you have)
Sold my s30v blacked out one, 2 days later i regretted it n bought the all white Rex and the next day i bought the mint m4. This week its the Maxamet. So thats 3 since i sold my 1.... n it didnt even take a week. N yes, i lost money 😆
Really enjoyed the fun fact about how difficult it was to do a satin finish on it.
This is my next knife for sure. My beloved Delica has been my go to edc for years it’s just so perfect. I have many Spyderco’s all the popular models I don’t know how I haven’t owned a native yet.
Hello, I just purchased my first Native-5 & am eagerly awaiting its arrival. I have opted for the more modest S35VN version. An affordable price tag & I agree with your assessment that the Native can be seen as the next iteration of the Delica. I like the Delica, & have a few; a yellow serrated Salt-2, a bright orange version for outdoor use & the ZDP-189 version for the steel. I like, wherever possible, to get different handle colours. It allows for quick identification of the blade I am looking for when I open the desk drawer. So it will come as no surprise that I went for the shocking pink version of this knife! I live with a young pink & grey galah that I found injured on the roadside. A Spyderco blade in Maxamet is definitely on the cards. I need to pair a grey knife with the Native to match the girl's plumage... Amazing the rationalisations we can come up with to justify that next purchase... Ciao for now & happy collecting Doctor, fm. ;-)
Thanks for the story! I hope you enjoy the knife! I love the Native series. Plan to pick up the Native Salt next year for sure!
I have the Native 5 in Maxamet and it's a great knife! I'm bummed that I missed the Mule in that steel. Mine is M390 which is also awesome, too. It would be sweet to see Spyderco introduce Maxamet in some of their smaller knifes. I'd love to have a Maxamet Dragonfly!
I really like this knife, and appreciate your exhaustive testing on it. Combined with Spyderco's warranty reversal I think I'll be picking one up as a *True Use Knife™.* It also doesn't hurt that it's also one of their sleekest and handsomest offerings for something so simple.
This is an ideal user knife. And the steel is amazing!
I have a couple in S30V and S110V. This is an extremely capable and efficient design with elegance in its simplicity. Spyderco reverted back to S30V on the base Native 5. Though I also like S35VN, I think it may be more advantageous to manufacturers and less so for the end user. I have only seen one manufacturer representative say it plainly and declare that, outside manufacturing ease, S35VN is inferior to S30V in use.
Just picked one up at the Oregon Knife Collectors show.... Sal and Eric had seconds for 50 bucks, and I could not pass it up. Been wanting to try maxamet. I agree with you, killer little EDC blade.
Good pickup!! Great knife.
The native 5 has been my every day carry for 2 years, my wife prefers the native 5 as well. The only native 5 model I don't own is the 40th anniversary wich is titanium an around 300-400.00. One day I will buy one. As a new subscriber you put out great informative videos.
Awesome! Glad to hear a Native expert enjoys my vids. This is an excellent knife that I truly enjoy. I would choose this over Para 3 every day of the week.
I’m with you on the mule team knives. I’m sort of glad those are a bit of an underground thing. I just wrapped my z-wear mule in canvas micarta to match my shaman and that pair is near perfection when it comes to outdoor/harder use. I like them too much to put them through any actual hard abuse but the point remains. The mules are fantastic mid-sized fixed blades for anything beyond general edc…you just gotta get them from spyderco while they’re $50.
Looks like a great knife. I've seen others that have let patina. I'm not a fan of that but I do like the other characteristics of the steel. Great review.
I did not experience any patina on this blade, but a very very mild patina on my mule team after cutting fruits.
Just ordered one of these for a birthday present to myself.
a e s t h e t i c s on this native is on point
I can “Spydie” flick every model I’ve bought. Native’s, police 4, endura, etc.
My rockstar name "Hardwell Rockness" 😎 lol good review love my S35VN native 5. The ergonomics are top notch!
haha nice one!
Absolutely fucking not and that confirms that you do not use your knives hard.
I bought a factory 2nd and was worried it was a 2nd because of the action. Kind of disappointed that i cant spydie flick it.
Good, informative video.
Can Maxamet cut a knife blade made out of SM100 in half?
Unlikely
This knife ALSO has an exceptionally high Hardwell Rockness factor....
Thanks for the mention :) Curious on the clip that you ordered, I have not found any deep cary ones. any problems with rusting?
7redi No problems with rusting at all with minimal care. I ordered a tenacious clip. Will make a video if it works.
So native 5 lightweight s110v or Chaparrel noble in XHP...??????
Do all LW Native 5's run without washers or just the maxamet version? Also, for the price difference would you go with this one or back to the S110V? Thanks, great video!
Ryan I I think they are all made the same way
Ryan I and I think S110V is more than adequate. It is probably the better choice for 99% of people. This one is for knife nuts only.
Thanks for the reply!
Just tried to order the pm2 in maximet from blade hq and received an empty box with peanuts from them...be careful where you spend your money!
Hey don't you work for knife center?
Really dude it must’ve not been Blade HQ and any follow up on this?
It's in the mail !! \o/
What do you think is better the native or the sage?
@Doctor : i already oredred Shaman based on your review because i need something beefy to work around camp.
Now i would like to get something smaller for my pocket and lighter also.
There is number of Native versions outhere but somehow i am narrow it down to:
- native 5 , g10, backlock, s35vn
- native 5, frn handle, backlock s35vn
The last one is really good price here in Europe compare to G10 version.
Or maybe i should go s110v?
Thx
S35VN is 99% of S110V, and may be easier to sharpen later. For the price, the Native 5 LW in FRN is a great knife, and the weight savings are impressive and translate into a better EDC knife.
Doctor Frunkey : so you are recommending to go FRN version instead of G-10?
And s35vn steel?
I think if cost is an issue, you will not go wrong with the less expensive model. If cost is not an issue, S110V is an amazing steel, and Maxamet is the ultimate version. I have owned 2 of the FRN versions, and like them very much. It is a small knife, and thus is used in lighter to medium tasks. The FRN handles are perfectly adequate for this type of use, the G10 adds weight of Steel liners and is only necessary if you need it. I would actually recommend waiting a few weeks and see about grabbing the LC200N Native Salt coming out soon. That may be the very best one for overall use and materials.
Doctor Frunkey : thanks . Will wait for Native Salt. Until then Shaman and Lil Native with compression lock will do ;)
Good choice!
Hardwell rockness 😂 we should just start calling it that
man I gotta get me one of those mules.
Yes you do!! They are awesome, especially with the Halpern Titanium scales.
Doctor Frunkey haven't heard of them I'll have to check them out.
I don't see any titanium but that silver twill is pretty nice
The company is Halpern Titanium, they make amazing scales out of dymondwood, CF, micarta, and G10 for the Mule Team knives. Interestingly, not out of titanium though haha!
duuuude thank you for saying the manic is fuuuggly i swear... and like why would a Spyderco guy go out of his way to get a benchmade-style-lock wonky boy?? ok so it has a leaf blade and hole other than that , ew
also think the sage LW kinda looks like the ontario rat also not a beauty imo
now the new Stretch LW in k390 on the other hand got my flicky fingers all chub :P
Lol the native 5 and manix look the same almost..
17 degrees *
I think I'm better at spider flicking than Frunky.
All I need to know is that a 🧠 surgeon 😷 says one of the best EDC knives around #ShipIt 🔪🚪
You can't have both
Have both of what?
👍🍒💣💥💯❤🔥🆒🤙
cost 5 cents for a couple of washers. WHY NOT to give it some smoothness. Crazy stupid
The smoothness can‘t build up with the backlock. Steel on FRN doesn‘t do any damage and holds up over time. To the fact that there are used less parts makes the knife a step easier to maintain and clean. Look at the Para 3 LW. It has one washer on the liner side and it‘s smooth.
Tiawan.... Whyyyyyyy.
5:20 Absolute bullshit, i have broken two spyderco backlocks, they have like half a millimetre of engagement
1:50 HAHAHAHA pure lie, it is barely rounded brick, you are not using one of those hard. I have the LC200N version
You need to get your hands checked bro, they're broken.