Any reason to not buy a Spyderco Native 5 Salt

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January 09, 2021, 07:58 PM

P-220

Any reason to not buy a Spyderco Native 5 Salt

So, since 2001, my EDC's have primarily been:
Green Emerson mini CQC7
Emerson mini A100
Spyderco Techno

There are others I have carried, but those have been my primary EDS's

Now I think I may want a Spyderco Native 5 Salt, yes, the one with the yellow handles.

For those more experienced than me, will I be happy with the Native 5?

Thank you for any advice.

Niech Zyje P-220

Steve

January 09, 2021, 08:54 PM

Redleg06

I bought two Salts (1 ea. Atlantic & Pacific) for my wife and I to carry while kayaking. I also own an early model Native. If you like the Native and expect to get it wet the Salt might be a good choice. If you're not on the water...well it does have a yellow handle.

"Cedat Fortuna Peritis"

Set the controls for the heart of the Sun.

January 09, 2021, 11:38 PM

cslinger

The only negative I can think of is the action is very stiff on the Native 5 salt, more so then the regular native 5. It loosens up a bit with use but it will still require a bit of wrist to flick open. If you are used to the compression lock knives this might come as a shock at first.

Other than that the Native 5 is awesome and the Salt is both very light weight and damn near impervious to elements.

"Guns are tools. The only weapon ever created was man."

January 10, 2021, 01:56 PM

pedropcola

I never liked my Native. That’s a personal opinion though. The steel in that version is basically corrosion proof but if you like sharp steels that keep an edge for a long time this steel won’t cut it for you. I’ve never needed that kind of extreme stainless so I’d rather have any number of different steels that sacrifice one attribute for another.

I looked it up. I was thinking of the H1 steel, the Native salt has some steel I’ve never heard of. I expect it’s similar to H1.

January 10, 2021, 06:02 PM

cslinger

H1 is the one that tends to work best in a serrated format.

The Native 5 uses LC200 which, as I understand it, holds an edge much better and works better as a plain edge.

All my salts however are serrated.

"Guns are tools. The only weapon ever created was man."

January 10, 2021, 09:23 PM

cas

quote:
Originally posted by Redleg06:
I bought two Salts (1 ea. Atlantic & Pacific) for my wife and I to carry while kayaking.

That's what I bought mine for and the only thing I use it for. As such, I have no idea how it cuts anything other than monofilament.

I don't want to use it elsewhere, I don't want to dull it because I don't want to have to sharpen it.

January 11, 2021, 06:56 AM

offgrid

Depends how important it is to you to have a true one hand close knife?

I don't have a Native 5, but have sharpen them. Agree with Cslinger, stiff action. Fairly typical of back locks. Will certainly be stiffer then your Emersons. I have a CQC7A.

Looking at LC200 as the SteelNerd/sharpener I am. LC200 is a pretty good stainless steel as far as edge retention and ease of sharpening. Would make a great kitchen knife steel.

January 21, 2021, 05:24 PM

jimb888

I have a couple of the H1 Salts for being around the salt water and I couldn't be happier. The closest thing to doing the job outside of the Salts is the Boye knives which come with a Marlin spike but cost a fortune and have softer steel, cobalt actually.

January 25, 2021, 09:12 AM

Perception

I think if you are gonna edc it on land, there are probably better choices. If it's gonna spend any time at all in salt/chlorinated water, you probably can't do better. I took my ZDP-189 Delica into a pool one time, and it took me forever to get the spot rust that formed nearly instantly cleaned up. That motivated me to buy my first SALT knife, and anytime I'm gonna be on water I grab that instead. It's been perfect, although I really haven't had cause to cut anything tougher than some food packages and paracord.

"The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people."
"Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy."
"I did," said Ford, "it is."
"So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't the people get rid of the lizards?"
"It honestly doesn't occur to them. They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates the government they want."
"You mean they actually vote for the lizards."
"Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course."
"But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?"
"Because if they didn't vote for a lizard, then the wrong lizard might get in."

January 25, 2021, 09:38 AM

apprentice

The first time I gutted a deer with my Pacific Salt and just rinsed it off in a nearby puddle I knew I had found my favey.

Blood has a way of staining "stainless" that is tough to believe until you see it yourself.

January 25, 2021, 03:45 PM

jhe888

The Native is a very handy knife. Not too big, not too small. It has a very useful blade shape for general tasks.

If you don't need the super-mega stainless quality of LC200N, get one of the other Natives with a more capable, but less salt resistant steel. There are Natives with S110V, S30V, SPY27 (easier to sharpen than some other modern super steels), or Maxamet (medium stainless).

I wouldn't even get the Salt for fresh water - but only if I was going to be at sea with it.