Name: Spyderco Native 5 Folding Knife 3" S30V Satin Plain Blade, Black G10 Handles
Brand: Spyderco Knives
SKU: SP41GP5
Price: 211.5 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.55 (40 reviews)

Donald P.
Claymont, De

Oct 12, 2011

Pros: Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality

Cons: None

Native5 - Upgrade

In comparing the Spyderco Native5 to the older model, I find it to be a significant upgrade. Is it worth twice as much money? That's a personal call. Everything about the new model is a big improvement. Blade steel, handle material and construction, and fit and finish. Although, the knife I received did not have the advertised David Boyle Dent. In my experience with other knives in S35VN, I have found it to have very good edge retention. I am expecting the same performance with this knife. Fit and finish on my knife is very good. Every edge is flush, with no gaps between scales, liners and lock. Blade is centered and locks tight. The spine jimping extends from the blade into the lock bar and you can't see where one ends and the other begins, when the blade is locked open. The Native5 is 1 oz. heavier, due to the construction changes. It is ever so slightly thinner, 0.452" vs 0.464", as measured on my knives, even though the blade and lock bar are slightly thicker. The hole is slightly larger. The knife arrived sharp, but that is irrelevant to me, since I've never seen a factory edge that was as good as it could be. So, the first thing I did was sharpen it. Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase. Knife Center's "free shipping" extends delivery time since it takes a very circuitous route to get to the final destination, at least in my case.

Steve F
Rochester, NY

May 04, 2016

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Pocket Clip

Better than expected

I'm a "knife guy"...lots of knives, predominantly folding, everything from zero tolerance all the way down to Chinese made no-names. I've never touched a Spyderco that I really warmed up to; compared to my ZT (and even some of my Kershaw) knives, they felt flimsy, not heavy-duty, not particularly appealing, and I've owned a few. Until now. This is a perfect EDC size; big enough to be useful, and small enough not to scare NKP (non knife people). This one feels solid, and the back of the blade maintains enough thickness far enough along toward the tip so that I do not have the fear of tip breakage that I have had with other Spydercos. The G10 feels great in the hand-textured, but not too rough-and the back lock is solid, solid, solid. Blade centering is good, and there's no slop, play or bouncy springback when the blade is deployed and locked into place, something that is sometimes an issue with backlock knives. There is some pressure upon opening the blade because of the tension from the backlock system, and it's not going to open like a Kershaw Speedsafe our even a CRKT nonassisted flipper, but it's still pretty easy to open with one hand using the iconic Spyderco blade hole. The blade seems a nice compromise between softer steels (say, the 8Cr13MoV on my CRKT M-16, easier to both dull and sharpen) and premium steels (say, the Elmax on my Zero Tolerance 770cf, holds an edge forever but tough to sharpen). The S35VN in this Native 5 reportedly contains a bit more chrome than the S30VN in many other middle to upper-middle range blades, supposedly making it a little harder and a little more resistant to corrosion. I'll take their word for it. In sharpening and use, I can't tell the difference between those two. The handle is surprisingly comfortable for me; I have very large hands (for instance, I love the handle and grip on my ZT0350ts, a bruiser of an knife for EDK). Smaller hands won't use the well-jimped finger impression in the choil, and will be happy with the handle alone. Nice ergonomic jimping under the thumb, too; add the G10 sides and it adds up to a great grip, even if the knife is wet. I'm frankly amazed that I've been carrying this as often as I have, but there's something about it...The right size, the right weight, and comfy in the hand. Hits the sweet spot for an EDC. Not really a tactical knife, but well enough designed and tough enough in build so that I'd have confidence in it for that use in a pinch. I abuse my EDCs at times, and so far, this cool little folder is up to it. It arrived pretty sharp out of the box, although I took that up a notch or two. The only niggle (there's always something, huh) is that the clip-which is secure on my pocket-is VERY shiny, and it's not small. A little attention-getting. I highly recommend the Native 5 in the G10 handle configuration. And I never thought that I'd say that about a Spyderco! And to boot, the blade's S35VN is Crucible steel, and the knife is made in Golden, CO--a completely American knife. Kudos to Spyderco for bringing it in at such a reasonable price, given the materials and the build.

F A
east rockaway n.y.

Apr 12, 2012

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

perfection

this is just about the strongest knife i owne,super tight lock up and sharp right out of the box,very nicely made,good job spyderco!

Shay S.
West Virginia

Jan 21, 2013

Pros: Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Great spyderco knife

This is a great classic spyderco knife. I have handled this knife and it is on my short list to purchase.

Timbo
Issaquah, WA

Apr 28, 2017

Pros: Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Lock Ease of Use

Spyderco C41GP5 Native 5 Folding Knife

Feels great in my hand, love the steel and edge. Extremely sharp and holds an edge well.

Todd
Northern California

Mar 26, 2014

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Tough But Classy

The Native 5 has been my EDC for almost six months. It's one of the most comfortable pocket knives I own. The length, width, and shape of the handle fill my hand as if the Native 5 were a larger knife. The blade shape and steel are excellent for everyday cutting. (I’ve slowly come to appreciate the Native’s S35VN. The Native 5 is my first Spyderco that didn’t arrive screaming and hair-splitting sharp. I wasn’t terribly happy, but after some stropping, the Native 5’s edge put a smile on my face. I’ve been smiling for months since.) The Native 5’s lockup and pivot are smooth and tight, as we’ve come to expect from Spyderco knives. The jimping grabs the fingers without tearing them up. The G-10 and steel fittings are tough but classy. In fact, “tough but classy” describes this knife overall: the Native 5 wears almost as well on my slacks as it does on my jeans. Well done, Spyderco. Very well done.

Ray
melbourne, florida

Jan 08, 2016

Pros: Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Weight, Pocket Clip

New EDC

Bought this for myself as a new daily carry and use piece, replacing a Native with FRN handles I'd been using daily for the past 3 years or so. Sent that one to my grandson. The Native is perfect size for me - fits well in jeans or shorts, though the weight on the new one is quite a bit more than the frn. But, construction is great and quality of assembly and materials is outstanding. Blade was plenty sharp out of the box and haven't had to touch it up at all. Use this piece to cut cardboard, some wire (22 awg hook-up as well as RG-178 coax) with no problems and no negative evidence to the blade edge. Pocket clip is fine and keeps it in good position, but it would be nice to have the option of a deep carry, though that might turn out to be a hassle for frequent access. I prefer the backlock - never like moving a finger into the blade path when closing. I can't figure out how to avoid that on locking liner or framelock species. This knife is solid, sharp, built like a tank and easy to open and close when needed. I like being able to retrieve, deploy, cut and return before most people know it's there. Love Spyderco's products. Also have a Caly 3 for Sunday dress. But this Native 5 is going to get a work-out over the next 3 to 5 years, every day, every way, by Ray.

Bade 14
Atlanta, GA

Sep 13, 2011

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Perfection!

In every way... perfect. Thanks Knife Center

Anthony
Faxas

Jul 08, 2016

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Worth every Dollar

The quality is exceptional! Perfectly engineered!

Dan
Mt Nebo, Queensland, Australia

Dec 01, 2011

Pros: Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Pocket Clip

Outstanding knife

This is a far better built and stronger midlock than any other I have used. It has much less vertical blade play than is usual with this lock type and is well suited to harder use. Maybe a bit like a smaller Manix2. The ergonomics are excellent and make it perform like a much bigger knife in heavier cutting tasks while still being an outstanding slicer. The S35V seems a real improvement in terms of toughness and edge holding on S30V which I also like. It comes back to factory sharpness easily with careful stropping on leather charged with green CrO compound and I have not felt the need to reprofile it. Downsides would be the weight and the thickness of the G10 scales but that is in line with the knife's heavy duty nature. Once I had adjusted to this I realised I had a lot more knife than I thought I was going to get. I do however dislike the shiny clip and have swapped it for a black one.

Al
Northwest Michigan

Nov 06, 2017

Pros: Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Spyderco C41GP5 Native 5 an exceptional buy!

I carry a knife in my pocket every day. It is an extremely useful tool that I use to around the home, shop and ranch many times every day. Opening boxes and grain bags, cutting bailing twine and rope, removing foil seals from fluid bottles, trimming hoses and tubing to the desired length and cutting-up cardboard containers for disposal are just a few among the many uses. This knife is well built, has a secure blade lock and operates smoothly. The textured handle allows a full, secure grip and the blade holds an edge better than most of the other knives I have used on a daily-carry basis. Anyone wanting a sturdy EDC (every day carry) knife would do well to choose this one, and Knife Center is a great organization to buy it from.

Bjorn
Norway

May 26, 2017

Pros: Ease of Opening, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

A perfect size!

This knife has quickly become one of my favourites. It is small enough for EDC and strong enough to do the job. I prefer this one over the light-weight version becasue it is more solid. I have even used it on camping trips in the mountains. The blade keeps its sharp edge very well. The handle can have a little bit rough edges. So, some might want to carefully sand them a little.

Cliff S
Florida

Dec 10, 2012

Pros: Weight, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Good knife

I own it now as a replacement to a lost sage. WISH I had the sage back, with that said this is nearly as good. Doesn't open as easy as the sage even after a breaking period and lite oil. I thing the blade rubs some on the lock mech. Loosen the pivots and still tight, depress the lock and blade is totally free. But I can one hand it with some wrist flick so not a huge issue. The 35V is good stuff and retains edge well, just don't get the edge angle too flat or some say too smooth. It can be sharpened to razor with 22 deg and little ruff seem to help cutting. Over all quality is a 9 of 10 with only the very very slightest burr on the handle near the frame but that is total nit pick. The pocket clip is as all should be, great. Sharp, good feeling and looking knife that will probably last my lifetime and maybe my grandsons too.

Frank
E rockaway

Jun 20, 2019

Pros: Ease of Opening, Pocket Clip, Overall Quality

Cons: None

Nice

Love the new native 5 g10 , outstanding design, Like it better than the old one without compromising Strength. You won’t be disappointed if you purchased this knife

Jo Moma
Arkansas

Jul 26, 2017

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

For cutting shot quick

For stuff and thangz.

Justin
Alabama

Jan 20, 2022

Pros: None

Cons: None

Miniature native chief

They basically seen what worked good on the chief. The daddy to them all. And the guy said they are going cheap switching back to S30V that wouldn’t make sense cause S30V is harder to work with and manufacture. They watered S30V down to accommodate to all these people that don’t want to learn how to sharpen and make it easier for them and reduce some edge retention. It’s a good move going back but the future is S45VN but I’m old school I still think they had the recipe right the first time S30V is a great all around steel. This is a nice example just like my chief gonna be lightweight and hold a razor sharp edge for a good while.

Tt
Bothell, WA

Jan 24, 2012

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Lock Ease of Use

Outstanding knife in a great steel!

This is an excellent quality knife that rivals some custom knives in build quality. I love the new full flat grind on the blade in these Native 5 models; it's much preferable to the hollow grind on previous models. The s35 steel blade comes scary sharp. Though it's a small knife and easy to pocket for that reason, the choil in the blade enables you to get a good firm grip, even with medium-large hands. The locking mechanism is rock solid and snaps into place with a reassuring "clack." The blade is perfectly centered and glides smoothly open and closed. It is a bit tight when new, so it's not always easy to flick the blade completely open to a locked position until you get it broken in a bit. The pocket clip is great and you can set it up for LH or RH carry, with tip-up or tip-down in your pocket. Overall, I'd highly recommend this knife. If you don't care about the premium steel, you can save about $20 dollars and get the s30v steel version. But s35 is supposed to be about 20% tougher than s30v and so I wanted to try it!

Linda L
3330 S Keaton Ave Tyler, TX

Jan 26, 2016

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Review for Spyderco C41GP5 Native 5 Folding Knife

I purchased this knife as a gift for my husband. This is how he answered EDC Everything is great about it. He researched knives and had the info before he told me he would like it.

Blade 14
Atlanta, GA

Dec 17, 2011

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

So I've been carrying this for over a month now...

After over a month with this as an EDC, I'm still impressed. I usually trade off knives alot but I've ended up carrying this and whatever other knife looks good that day because I can't put this one down. Not the easiest to sharpen, but holds it's edge a long time. Very comfortable in the hand.

Steve F
Rochester, NY

Jun 06, 2016

Pros: Handle Material, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Updating my review

Updating my last review... Follow-up: I called Spyderco customer service in Golden, CO, and told them that the shiny clip was a bit much, and asked if I could get a black clip. Not only did they send me one, they did it for free--and also sent me one for my Manix 2. When the clips came, a little tube of Loctite was included with them. Great customer service.

Richard R.
Potomac, MD

May 30, 2012

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Handle Feel

Feels good. Quality

Wonderful EDC. Two things would make it even better. 1. The flat grind could come a lot closer to the edge with less secondary bevel. The steele should be tough enough and make it an even better cutter. A Krein regrind is in order here. 2. The corners on the G-10 should be beveled/rounded off.

Robert L
Pompano Beach, Fla.

Nov 15, 2016

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Worth replacing....

Yes, friends...they make dry bags for a reason....at least my wallet and phone were in there but my trusty knife went over the side of the canoe and will be seen no more....It was the first high-end (for me) folder I bought and it served me well for a number of years. I have bought other great knives since that original purchase but kept coming back to this as an EDC knife. It seems to be the perfect combination of size, steel, form and function for me. Lucky they are making the exact same knife so I am pretending the incident never happened.

Dale
NorthCentral,Iowa

Jun 18, 2015

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Work Horse

I have carried the Native for three years and by far have found it to be my favorite of all time. I work in the seed /grain industry and am using this knife daily to cut cardboard, plastic, seed /feed bags, rubber belting, twine etc.,etc.. The blade retains a great edge and locks solid with no play in the open position. Each weekend I run an extra fine stone across the entire edge of the CPM S35VN to ensure maximum sharpness, This procedure only takes 5 minutes tops. The pocket clip on the Native has withstood three plus years of use andl is as solid as the first day I put it in my pocket. I use to carry assist blade knives but found after extensive use had a tendency to develope side to side play in the open position.

Fredointhecut
90291

May 10, 2017

Pros: Weight, Blade Material, Overall Quality

Cons: None

I love it!

I love this product! Worth every penny! Phenomenal

Don
Claymont, De

Oct 12, 2011

Pros: Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality

Cons: None

Native5 - Upgrade

In comparing the Spyderco Native5 to the older model, I find it to be a significant upgrade. Is it worth twice as much money? That's a personal call. Everything about the new model is a big improvement. Blade steel, handle material and construction, and fit and finish. Although, the knife I received did not have the advertised David Boyle Dent. In my experience with other knives in S35VN, I have found it to have very good edge retention. I am expecting the same performance with this knife. Fit and finish on my knife is very good. Every edge is flush, with no gaps between scales, liners and lock. Blade is centered and locks tight. The spine jimping extends from the blade into the lock bar and you can't see where one ends and the other begins, when the blade is locked open. The Native5 is 1 oz. heavier, due to the construction changes. It is ever so slightly thinner, 0.452" vs 0.464", as measured on my knives, even though the blade and lock bar are slightly thicker. The hole is slightly larger. The knife arrived sharp, but that is irrelevant to me, since I've never seen a factory edge that was as good as it could be. So, the first thing I did was sharpen it. Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase. Knife Center's "free shipping" extends delivery time since it takes a very circuitous route to get to the final destination, at least in my case.

Adam
Upstate NY

Jul 20, 2017

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Pocket Clip

New EDC (maybe even permanently!)

So, to start off, I live in the communist state of New York under the reign of Supreme Leader Quomo so I had the privilege of finding a knife that wouldn't send me to prison for 7 years if I sneezed too loud around a State Stormtrooper... I originally carried a blacked out Spyderco PM2 when the Army stationed me in the free world (Virginia) but since NYS thinks every knife is a "gravity knife", a term with about as much weight to it as "assault rifle", I decided to get something a little less scary for the sheeple. In comes the Native 5. I had my eyes on this little guy ever since I was saved by the grace of Spyderco but I could never really pull the trigger since the PM2 always did everything I needed a knife to do. I gotta say, Spyderco took one of the oldest lock designs and turned it into artwork. The fit/finish: astonishing. The lockup: rock solid. The ease of use: one handed perfection. Blade design is perfect, love the smaller thumbhole, the weight is nothing, it disappears in pocket (something I never experienced with the PM2) and sharpness out of box was outstanding as usual. The ONLY thing I can come up with as a con is the pocket clip. Wayyyy too long for the knife... BUT I always replace the pocket clip with a titanium low ride clip from MXG anyways so it was no problem, I usually don't like that clip on any of their knives. Just a preference, YMMV. Another thing to note... I'll quote The Late Boy Scout: "great in pocket, good in hand". Yep, definitely applies here. Ergos are nothing to write home about but at the same time most knives in this size category are downright uncomfortable... So, given the circumstances, I have to say the ergos are very good. In conclusion, I originally ordered this knife with my head low, grieving my long lost freedom but, in a turn of events, I actually ended up with my perfect EDC! For now... ;)

Mike
Hiroshima, Japan

Jan 06, 2014

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Handle Feel

Excellent product and service

Before ordering the Spyderco Native5 from KnifeCenter.com, I did a lot of Internet research into the knife and the retailer's reputation. I am tremendously pleased with both. I had to wait a long time for the knife since it was on back-order. KnifeCenter.com did a good job keeping me informed about the status of my order, and they shipped it to me by FedEx, which made tracking the shipment to Japan easy. When the order arrived a week before Christmas, the package (including the Spyderco knife box) was in rough shape, which is to be expected since it was opened and inspected by customs. Thankfully, the knife was in pristine condition. The Native5 has everything I was looking for in an EDC folder. It is light and tough and sharp. From what I can tell, the blade steel is excellent, and the knife arrived hair-splitting sharp. The blade deploys easily with one hand, and it locks securely into place with a loud "plasticky" click, which surprised me. It is my first knife with G-10 scales, and I am not yet accustomed to the feel. Once in the hand, however, it feels good. Because of the gimping and comfortable choil, it is easy to grip. So far, I have only used the knife for mundane tasks: opening boxes and cutting tape, cardboard boxes, string, etc. It cut through them like butter, and I look forward to using it for more challenging tasks in the spring.

Darren M
Fort Collins, Colorado

Nov 24, 2012

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Incredibly solid, tight, high quality knife

I have owned the Spyderco C41GP5 Native5 for about a month now, and it is really one of the best production knives for the money I've ever used. The first thing I noticed is just how quality the knife feels in your hand - its thick blade, absolutely unbudging blade lock when deployed, super smooth operation, tight seams, sub flush precisely counter sunk screw holes and ingenious ergonomic grip are second to none. Match that list of impressive accomplishments with a full flat ground blade made out of nitrogen treated S35V steel and this knife HAS to be at the top of any discerning knife aficionado's best ever list for EDC production knives. I have read complaints the knife opens too slowly, but I have not found that to be the case at all. The trademark Spyderco thumb hole is perfectly placed for my hands and I can easily, even effortlessly, open the knife with either hand. Though I'm right handed and prefer to keep the very classy polished steel pocket clip in its default factory position, I did switch it and then switch it back and the screw holes on both sides are incredibly tight and look to be able to handle dozens of changes of position if I chose to do so (which I won't need to again, but it's nice to know it would hold up if I ever felt the urge to experiment again). I can easily open or close the knife with one hand, and I love the confidence I have in the blade's unwavering position - the ingenious spine lock is just brute! Also, the knife is such a joy to hold that I really love employing the "old school" method of two handed opening, reminiscent of the first time I experienced the Buck 110 lock back on a 1970's hunting trip! One thing that is a little concerning is the belly of the blade does seem to contact the inner steel spine. In several weeks of mostly household use (box, apple, rope, tape cutting and, yes, even some no-no abusive prying of screws and window trim), I have not noticed the blade dull one degree from the cutting power it had right out of the box I have heard of the edge holding capacity of S35V and thus far I'm a believer though I will keep monitoring that aforementioned blade belly click on the spine. The most impressive thing to me about this knife is how the front finger choil adds such versatility and applicability. I've carved a few blocks of balsa with the knife just for giggles and I'm impressed how the design of the grip on the knife allows for careful dexterity in making fine detail (not that I'm aces as a carver, but this knife is very easy to use for small, delicate cuts). I know Spyderco will undoubtedly keep tinkering with this already excellent design, but I hope they continue to produce this most excellent version of the Native for a long time to come. I can see myself wanting to purchase one or two more as spares so I can always keep one of these incredible EDC models on my person at all times. I'm VERY much looking forward to the sunburst titanium model making its appearance so that I can have a dress knife in the same model! If you want a top quality EDC that will never disappoint and simply emanates quality in your hand, buy at least one of these outstanding AMERICAN MADE knives ASAP!!

Jo Moma
Arkansas

Jul 26, 2017

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

For cutting shot quick

For stuff and thangz.

Ccfree
3100 feet

Feb 25, 2018

Pros: Weight, Blade Material, Overall Quality

Cons: None

CCFREE

Carried Native 5 for about a year and a half. Used for wacking at blackberry vines. Cutting chores such as cardboard, aluminum cans and various woods. (Maple, Pine, Cedar, Oak ) Built traps with it though it’s not narrow enough for the task it did get the job done. I split 4” seasoned oak with it. (Battening) She pulled it off without a hitch and stay sharp enough to cut paper afterwards. No bends or chips. What I do have to say is I’m good at knife jobs and I suspect this is why the tip survived. If treated as a survival knife the tip could not make it. But I will say the lock never flinched. And the handle never gave me a moments thought about blisters.

Joev
Houston, TX

Oct 12, 2011

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

improvement?

Well, Spyderco greatly improved on the materials and ruggedness of the Native with this iteration. The G10 is more grippy and the flat grind make blade a much better slicer (not to mention seemingly sharper). My only complaint is that the blade is much slower/harder to deploy. Even after lubricating the pivot and completely loosening the pivot screw, it still takes a lot of thumb pressure and a hard snap of the wrist to even get the blade to lock. If you like to open your knives slowly, then this won't be a problem. The over quality, craftsmanship, and sharpness are typical top notch Spyderco.

Alex
Miami FL

Nov 23, 2011

Pros: Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Handle Feel

Good Knife

Extremely nice knife, only downside is it could use some rounded edges for more ergonomics. Very Sharp out of box. Great construction like all spydercos dose not come withe the dent in the locking bar.

Daniel H
Baltimore, Md

Jun 20, 2012

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Lock Type

Good but could be better

I just got this a few days ago and I am impressed. The factory sharpness is incredible, I stroped it a bit and it was going through phonebook paper like butter. However after doing some testing with the paper i noticed that the edge had rolled. Not a good sign because I didn't really cut that much and my other native in s30v never rolled even with an extreme angle. Everything else was great, fit and finish, great, ergonomics, great. I wish they would have stuck with s30v and this knife would have been perfect.

Ek Pinkcow
Bangkok, TH

Dec 04, 2011

Pros: Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

I really like it more than Native 2 which I pocket everyday. Though the clip shape, comparing to Native 2, is not my type, overall this one is little-big sweet EDC folder.

Tn
San Francisco, Ca

Nov 04, 2012

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Won over Para

After finally trying both Paramilitary and Native knives out in person, I ended up ordering the Native. Para is much too long for regular carry and Native felt much better in my medium sized hand. A really great knife. Awesome lock. Like the semi-closed design. I ordered the Böker Subcom Wharncliffe at the same time and just ended up carrying that instead as it is much more practical.

Disappointed Native Fan
Golden Colorado USA Earth

Jun 24, 2018

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening

Cons: Handle Material

CQR?

So I'm thinking they've regressed rather than improved the native with these new changes. S30V is categorically NOT an improvement over S35vn. S35vn was designed as an improved version of S30V. It is easier to sharpen and less prone to chipping with similar if not better edge retention and rust resistance. It is cheaper though. Similarly there was no reason to remove the steel lingers on the g10 version other than cost. If people wanted a lightweight native there was already a linerless version available in the frn lightweight. Their claim it doesn't weaken the knife is nonsense. G10 is nowhere near as strong as steel. Since the dimensions haven't changed they simply replaced the steel with g10. Knife is weaker for it. These changes was may for cost reasons and cost reasons alone. They have absolutely made this knife worse to save money on production. To veil it under the guise of "continuous improvement" is disingenuous and insulting. It's not a bad knife, but it is worse than it was. 3*.

R Wiebe
Smithville Ontario Canada

Sep 24, 2018

Pros: None

Cons: None

Is lighter better?

Received a native 5 I believe for Father’s Day the titanium handle sn35v blade the most solid strong beautiful knife I have great for gutting deer please don’t make only weaker lighter and cheaper knives there are many who would gladly pay for genuine quality weight really who will notice that

Steven
Rochester, NY

Apr 29, 2020

Pros: None

Cons: None

The changes are downgrades

This is a follow-up to an extremely favorable review of the Native 5 that I wrote, and is posted here, from May 2016. I have the Native 5 from that time: G10, steel liners, SV35VN blade. Someone I know has one of the current models. We compared them side-by-side. I have to say that the differences in them constitute downgrades to the current model. Spyderco is currently trying to save money at the expense of quality, and that is disappointing. I did not think they were going to cross that threshold, but that is unfortunately exactly what they have done. What is particularly surprising is that they have done it under the guise of continuing to improve and refine the product. Um, no. The description of this knife rings a bit hollow. For example: "After Spyderco's exhaustive in-house performance testing and tons of end-user feedback, they have also decided to change the blade steel of the Native 5 from CPM-S35VN to CPM-S30V." Um, no. Ridiculous. SV35VN is MORE expensive then is SV30; in fact, it is a further refinement of SV 30. The only reason one would substitute downward is manufacturing cost. The price of the knife certainly didn't decline any. The same is true of linerless construction. It certainly is cheaper to do it that way , and while you save a little weight, you don't save a whole lot of weight in a knife as small as the Native 5... and it is quite obvious that you sacrifice durability in the long run. Is the linerless knife still viable? Sure. Is anywhere near as heavy-duty? No. I'll tell you that the one I have will probably still be around to give to my grandchild down the road. Now, the new version of the knife is perfectly fine to carry around as an EDC. You should be very happy with it if you buy it.The minute you compare to the way they used to make it, however, you realize immediately that it is a lesser product. And if you know anything about folding knives (My collection includes a few Spydercos, both lightweight and as heavy-duty as they make), you immediately realize that this is a lesser product at a fairly premium price. This is now priced up into the range where you can buy, for example, some of the higher-end production Zero Tolerance knives. Just to put a fine point on it, I am not a knife snob. I don't insist that everything have G10/steel liners/fancy steel. I own cheap "beater" knives and fairly expensive production models from a variety of manufacturers. For instance, I own the Spyderco Manix 2 in both the standard 'flagship' and the lightweight versions (even though the lightweight version has significantly downgraded steel from the standard version), and the lightweight version definitely has its place as an EDC, and I use it all the time. But I don't confuse its quality with the 'flagship' version. And the lightweight Manix 2 is not being sold as an advantageously modified product, when it is clearly a downgrade. No. It is being sold as a lightweight alternative.That's exactly what it is. If Spyderco wants me to pay the same kind of prices charged by some higher-end production knife lines, then they should not be cutting the quality of the knife in order to make it cheaper and disingenuously claiming that such it an advantageous evolution of the product. At the very least, the prior version should still be offered, with the two versions priced appropriately to reflect their differing manufacturing costs. Under present circumstances, I would strongly recommend the Spyderco Para 3 over the Native 5. The length of the cutting edge on the blades is identical, the Para 3 has substantially better ergos and a great top-accessed pressure lock system--and it's a little bit less money then the now-downgraded Native 5! Please allow me to stress that I am not slamming Spyderco as a company. They make great products, I'm happy with all of the knives in my collection that bear their name, and on the rare occasion when I have contacted them they have been helpful and generous to a fault. That is why their recent move with the Native 5 is so surprising. Your mileage may vary. OK, rant over.

Rusty
Alabama

Jan 10, 2012

Pros: Handle Material, Blade Material

Cons: Lock Ease of Use

Disappointed

This knife uses excellent materials but my example is poorly made. The blade bevels are terribly uneven, creating a very wide and extremely thin portion of the edge right in the belly of the blade. The spacer in the back is poorly fit, having had too much material removed in various areas on the sides. Lots of tool marks on the liners and was scratched up nicely on the blade right out of the box. Also, the locking action is really stiff and very gritty feeling. Materials: excellent. Construction: poor. QC: failure. A knife at this price point with this type of fit and finish is very, very disappointing.

Martin
NY

Jan 21, 2020

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality

Cons: None

They need to change it to S35VN

the blade is hard to sharpen and chips a lot

We value your privacy

Reviews and Ratings for Spyderco Native 5 Folding Knife 3" S30V Satin Plain Blade, Black G10 Handles - C41GP5

Price: $211.50

Customer Reviews

Native5 - Upgrade

Better than expected

perfection

Great spyderco knife

Spyderco C41GP5 Native 5 Folding Knife

Tough But Classy

New EDC

Perfection!

Worth every Dollar

Outstanding knife

Spyderco C41GP5 Native 5 an exceptional buy!

A perfect size!

Good knife

Nice

For cutting shot quick

Miniature native chief

Outstanding knife in a great steel!

Review for Spyderco C41GP5 Native 5 Folding Knife

So I've been carrying this for over a month now...

Updating my review

Feels good. Quality

Worth replacing....

Work Horse

I love it!

Native5 - Upgrade

New EDC (maybe even permanently!)

Excellent product and service

Incredibly solid, tight, high quality knife

For cutting shot quick

CCFREE

improvement?

Good Knife

Good but could be better

Won over Para

CQR?

Is lighter better?

The changes are downgrades

Disappointed

They need to change it to S35VN