Spyderco Native Chief Lightweight Salt CPM-MagnaCut Satin Plain Yellow FRN C244PYL

Spyderco Native Chief Lightweight Salt CPM-MagnaCut Satin Plain Yellow FRN C244PYL

ASPC244PYL

First introduced in 1997, the original Spyderco Native quickly set a high standard for full-size, lightweight folding knives. Specifically designed to offer masterful, USA-made craftsmanship at an exceptionally affordable price, it also became the platform for introducing Spyderco's patented ambidextrous "barrel-bolt" pocket clip.

As the legions of dedicated Native followers continued to grow, some end users began expressing interest in an extended version that would offer more blade length and better ergonomics for large hands. Inspired by this idea, in 1999 Spyderco created a prototype design called the Native Chief, which retained the Native's pocket-friendly width while extending its overall length by nearly two inches. In true Spyderco fashion, they took this prototype "on the road," showing it at various trade shows and customer gatherings to gather detailed feedback. They also continued their own in-house development, refining the design in an effort to fully unlock its potential.

Although feedback on the design was very positive, making knives with longer blades is not as simple as it may seem. The longer a knife blade is, the longer the lever arm and the greater the stress on the locking mechanism. Addressing these challenges was overshadowed by other priorities and other models, and ultimately the project remained on hold for many years.

The turning point in the Native Chief story was actually the development of the Native 5—the fifth-generation evolution of its predecessor. 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 (CQI). One of the defining characteristics of this model is its highly refined locking 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 lock redefined the state of the art in the engineering and execution of this deceptively simple mechanism. This also proved to be the final ingredient needed to turn the Native Chief into a reality.

The "extended" version of the timeless Spyderco Native, the Native Chief increases the original design's overall length by about one-third while preserving its slim, pocket-friendly profile. The Native Chief Lightweight continues this evolution by replacing the G10 scales with a lightweight fiberglass-reinforced nylon (FRN) handle. The injection-molded handle features high-traction bi-directional texturing, and its linerless construction reduces the knife's weight by 21% compared to its predecessor. It retains the same precision Lockback mechanism and includes four sets of threaded inserts to allow fully configurable mounting of the knife's four-position pocket clip. The Native Chief Lightweight's blade is full-flat ground and features the fully accessible Trademark Round Hole to complement the knife's symmetrical, fully ambidextrous design.

This Native Chief Lightweight Salt proudly combines the best qualities of the lightweight Native Chief platform with the unmatched edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance of CPM-MagnaCut steel. With a full-flat grind for optimal edge geometry, the blade is supported by a precise back lock mechanism and a linerless handle injection molded from bright yellow fiberglass-reinforced nylon (FRN). The handle includes threaded inserts that allow the four-position pocket clip to be mounted on either side and at either end of the handle to support all possible carry preferences. And like all Salt Series folders, this knife's handle hardware is made from exceptionally ultra-corrosion-resistant materials.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Blade length: 102 mm.

Cutting edge: 89 mm.

Steel: CPM-MangaCut Stainless Steel

Finish: Satin

Overall length: 230 mm.

Closed length: 129 mm.

Blade thickness: 3.2 mm.

Blade: Drop Point / Plain

Grind: Full-Flat

Lock: Lockback

Handle: Yellow Fiberglass-Reinforced Nylon (FRN)

Clip: Tip-Up/Down, Left/Right Carry

Weight: 88 g.

Origin: USA