EDC recommendation: Native 5 LW – S30V or SPY27?

[Paraguy]

Hey Benben,

Check out Shadow Systems. A US company founded in 2016 making firearms in the US going after the Glock Market. I've got their CR920.

Sorry for the off topic.

sal

Colorado company too. I’ve met someone in the family behind it. They seem like a really good company!

[Vamais]

Those swedge grinds on the spine can throw optical illusions, especially if one is in light and the other is in shadow.

But really, I think that there is too much focus on blade centering (or is it handle centering?). Yes it's nice to look at, but it does not have an effect on how the knife performs. As long as the tip lands in the middle third of the handle gap, it's fine for me. Remember, Spyderco knives are designed "in the dark", and "for the hand", not the eye. Also, these are mass produced, not custom pieces, so there will be some amount of natural variation. For me, the value of Spyderco is in the metallurgy, geometry, ergonomics, and the balanced designs.

[Wartstein]

I figured it out...
Notice in the first two photos that the blade is not centered (more space on the top side than the bottom side).
Notice in the third photo that something looks off where the jimping is, and the blade looks slightly bent to the left.
Notice in the fourth photo that the blade appears to have a slight bend/curve from right to left.

IMG_1642.jpg
IMG_1643.jpg
IMG_1645.jpg
IMG_1646.jpg

I am sorry for you that you are not happy with you Native 5.

(Btw.: Here viewtopic.php?t=83968#p1332284 you can read how to post pics oin higher resolution, could be helpfull for us to better see what you mean).

- Concerning "not centered":

I know many see this differently, but to me the whole "perfect centering" thing is a complete non issue and totally irrelevant, as long as the blade does not touch/rub the inside of one scale.
I believe a lot of folks have just "learned" that this should be something to be worried about and would not even notice or at least mind it just by themselves.
I mean, imagine, one actually has to take a knife in its closed, NOT cutting ready, NOT functional position and check from a certain angle if one part is perfectly parallel to another part while this has no practical implications at all and only occurs in the "mode" where the knife is stowed away in pocket anyway...
... that said (and I won´t discuss the above cause this has gone horribly wrong once already and I do respect people who want perfect centering!):

As far as I know many even high quality Spydies can come slightly off centered, but this should be an easy fix as far as I read (again, no experience with that myself, cause I can´t bring myself to be worried about such a thing)

- Possibly bent blade:

That would be a different story imo and a reasons to return and exchange the knife.
I honestly can´t see any bend in your pics (does not mean there is none), but can´t you check by just laying the blade on a totally flat surface and see if it touches everywhere?

[Wartstein]

Those swedge grinds on the spine can throw optical illusions, especially if one is in light and the other is in shadow.

But really, I think that there is too much focus on blade centering (or is it handle centering?). Yes it's nice to look at, but it does not have an effect on how the knife performs. As long as the tip lands in the middle third of the handle gap, it's fine for me. Remember, Spyderco knives are designed "in the dark", and "for the hand", not the eye. Also, these are mass produced, not custom pieces, so there will be some amount of natural variation. For me, the value of Spyderco is in the metallurgy, geometry, ergonomics, and the balanced designs.

You are my man... (see my post above)

I still wonder how many would even notive or at least mind a slighty off centered blade if this would not have been made an "important quality criterion" to check for for whatever reason...

A bit unfortunate in any case that due to this probably many are (made...) unhappy with a folder that they otherwise would just enjoy

[Fastidiotus]

OP it's often hard to see and convey how off the centering is from above. How far off does it look with the blade closed when viewing it from the back of the knife looking head on at the tip of the blade?

My native lw is dead centered and I rolled up a receipt to wedge the blade over and place the tip relative to where it looks like yours lands. Doesn't look terrible from above but looking at it head on from the back of the knife the blade is way off center to a point I wouldn't deem acceptable. I don't mind if my user blades are slightly askew one way or the other. These are tools not watches and hard use can definitely cause the blade to land in different spots each time you close it.

That being said though if it's drastically off your valid in thinking OP that if you spend $150 it should be a decent representation of the product and not something thats worse than a lot of the factory 2nds sold at deep discount.

Sometimes it's as simple as loosening up the screws and tightening them back up, but if that doesn't fix it it's not like it will get any better over time.

[horzuff]

Centering is one of the easier things to fix, assuming the blade isn't out of true. Plenty of tutorials on YouTube. One of the easiest methods I found reliable is:

1. Note which side the blade favors when closed
2. Loosen screws on the handle
3. Open the knife and bend the blade sideways towards the same side it favored while closed
4. While You keep applying pressure to the blade (so it stays bent as in 3) carefully tighten the handle screws
5. Close knife and inspect, might need another round of the same treatment.

Also You can tape up the blade with masking tape so that You don't have to worry about cutting Yourself, then it's even easier and safer. Though I rarely bother, just make sure You apply force in such a way that when something slips Your cuttable body parts go away from the blade

[TkoK83Spy]

If it's not rubbing it's really not a problem. Do people really sit around and stare at their knives while their closed, instead of having them in their pocket?? This centering thing, I'll never understand it.

[JSumm]

Centering is one of the easier things to fix, assuming the blade isn't out of true. Plenty of tutorials on YouTube. One of the easiest methods I found reliable is:

1. Note which side the blade favors when closed
2. Loosen screws on the handle
3. Open the knife and bend the blade sideways towards the same side it favored while closed
4. While You keep applying pressure to the blade (so it stays bent as in 3) carefully tighten the handle screws
5. Close knife and inspect, might need another round of the same treatment.

Also You can tape up the blade with masking tape so that You don't have to worry about cutting Yourself, then it's even easier and safer. Though I rarely bother, just make sure You apply force in such a way that when something slips Your cuttable body parts go away from the blade

I've used this method and I can say it works pretty well. Better than others.

I had this on an Endela. Not touching the scales while closed, but right up against the scales. Maybe I could slide a piece of paper in between. Any force in that direction while closing would cause it to rub. I used this method and it cleared it up

[Wartstein]

If it's not rubbing it's really not a problem. Do people really sit around and stare at their knives while their closed, instead of having them in their pocket?? This centering thing, I'll never understand it.

Rick, I am so with you... you might recall the thread I started about this ecxact thing, but can´t link here cause it got out of hand like no thread I´ve seen before and in it a horse was beaten to dead about 100 times...

But this is exactly what I was and am so puzzled about - it is nothing against the OP, who is new to quality folders and certainly just has seen and read time over time that a perfectly centered blade is reaaally important.
It is rather about the disbelief HOW such a non issue could get such an importance.
I am actually sorry for probably quite some folks, especially new to knives, who can´t really enjoy their folders because of a thing they´d probably never noticed and minded themselves if they would not have "learned" that one "should".

I mean, imagine:

- You are new to quality folders, you get a great first Spyderco, you unbox the knife, open it and so bring it in the mode where it actually is a functional KNIFE, and the mode you actually have it in hand and use it: Everything is perfect, nothing is off, no flaws, it is supersharp, the lockup bomb proof and so on...
- then you close it, still all is fine, the blade stays closed strongly, does not rub anywhere, nothing rattles - you just could put it in your pocket and enjoy owning it and then, when the time comes, enjoy using it again.
- ... but, wait a minute - there is that thing you know that has to be checked: So you take your new, great closed knife, you turn it in you hand, you try to find that very distinct angle where you perhaps can determine if "the thing" is ok or not..
- ...and then you see it: Oh no! One part of the knife (the blade) in its closed, unfunctional position is not perfectly parallel to another part (the scale)!! This does not cause any issues, makes the knife not in the slightest less functional (it is not "functional" and ready to use when closed anyway), it has no practical implication, it can just be seen if looking at the closed knife from a very distinct angle... but still... you world is shattered of course. ...

[TkoK83Spy]

I blame those YouTube reviewers that people seem to admire for some reason. All they do is nitpick every knife in hand, rather than use it. That's why I stopped watching all YouTube reviews years ago. There's nothing to learn from these people, besides the small handful that are good at disassembly videos or god forbid, actually using their knife!

[Wartstein]

My new Native with SPY27 (and my first-ever Spyderco purchase) just arrived earlier today. Unfortunately, the blade is not even close to being centered and it looks as if it might even be slightly bent/curved. I submitted a return request (online) to the the seller. ....

Did you end up returning / exchanging it?

As said: I personally think if you "get rid of" the obsession with perfectly centered blades early on in your "quality knife journey" this will safe you a lot of imo totally unnecessary headache.
Again, if the blade does not rub the inside of the scales: Is it really an issue if it is completely parallel in the "unfunctional, sit-in-pocket" - mode of a folder? I think not, but that´s just me.

Also, most times an easy fix as folks here pointed out already.

A bent blade would be a different story, but I could not detect that in your pics.
Anyway: Hope one way or another you are happy with you Native now!

[Skydog]

My new Native with SPY27 (and my first-ever Spyderco purchase) just arrived earlier today. Unfortunately, the blade is not even close to being centered and it looks as if it might even be slightly bent/curved. I submitted a return request (online) to the the seller. ....

Did you end up returning / exchanging it?

As said: I personally think if you "get rid of" the obsession with perfectly centered blades early on in your "quality knife journey" this will safe you a lot of imo totally unnecessary headache.
Again, if the blade does not rub the inside of the scales: Is it really an issue if it is completely parallel in the "unfunctional, sit-in-pocket" - mode of a folder? I think not, but that´s just me.

Also, most times an easy fix as folks here pointed out already.

A bent blade would be a different story, but I could not detect that in your pics.
Anyway: Hope one way or another you are happy with you Native now!

Yes, I am returning it for a full refund. However, I have another Native 5 LW (SPY27) ordered from a different seller and should receive it in a couple of days. I also purchased a Sage 5 LW (S30V) last week. So…I went from never owning a Spyderco to having two of them in less than a week. I’m definitely on that journey down the rabbit hole.

We can agree to disagree on the blade centering issue. I think everyone – including myself – totally agrees that it doesn’t affect the function of the knife, and yet it is still desirable to have the blade centered. This seems to be the consensus even on this forum. It’s easy to blame Youtube, but one need look no further than many of the threads/posts on this forum to come to the conclusion that blade centering matters to most people.

Also, in my case, it was more than just a simple centering issue. I know it did not show up well in the photos, but the one I received did seem to have a bent/warped blade, the swedge was uneven, and the jimping was not done very well. It was just a poor representation overall, in my opinion. However, I really like the knife, which is why I ordered another one just like it. Hopefully, I’ll get a better specimen this time. I also really like the Sage 5 that I received last week. The fit and finish is excellent on the Sage, the action is really smooth and the blade is perfectly centered. And I really like the compression lock.

I’m also enjoying my Sharpmaker and looking forward to getting into the world of sharpening…