Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Abel + Spyderco Native® 5

When I started my career in law enforcement over 20 years ago, one of the first purchases I was told to make was to buy a good knife which led me to Spyderco and one has been in my pocket ever since.  The blade is unbelievably sharp and the one time I had to use the lifetime warranty, a brand new knife was sent to me with no questions asked.  I'll never not have one in my pocket.  I'm a fan for life.

The recent collaboration with the Abel + Spyderco Native® 5 is neat in that here's two exceptional Colorado companies working together on a project that is both eye catching art and flawless utility made into one stellar piece of gear.  This is something that will last a lifetime.  If not several after you're gone. 

File this under "Gear Envy" even if I'm not sure which I'd pick if I was going to get one.


From the Abel website...

The Abel Native® 5 is the proud culmination of two years' research and development between two American manufacturers: Abel and Spyderco. The results are simply stunning.  

This re-engineered and re-designed Native® 5 features a fully-machined handle, made from aerospace-grade aluminum alloy, which has upgraded by the engineers at Abel for enhanced grip security and hand positioning. The handle scales are polished and Type II anodized by hand in Abel's custom shop in California. It is available in three hand-painted fish graphics: Bonefish, Native Brown Trout, and Native Rainbow Trout.

The new blade, engineered at Spyderco in Colorado, features a full-flat grind, a distal taper, and an understated swedge that combine to offer both a distinctive appearance and exceptional edge geometry. It is precision machined from a nitrogen-based, ultra-corrosion resistant stainless steel called LC200N. This extraordinary material is produced by a combination of the PESR (Pressurized Electric Slag Remelting) process and “smart forging” technology to yield a significant increase in the steel’s purity and homogenous microstructure. Regarded as the material of choice for applications involving high static and dynamic loads in corrosive environments, LC200N is best known as NASA’s preferred material for use in their high-performance aerospace equipment.

A forefinger choil (finger groove) at the base of the blade supports the option of a “choked up” forward grip for increased leverage and control during use. To ensure swift, positive opening with either hand, the blade includes a fully accessible Trademark Round Hole™. This feature compliments the back lock and stout four-position hourglass clip to make all aspects of the Abel Native® 5’s carry, deployment, and operation completely ambidextrous.

The linerless construction style reduces weight while ensuring structural strength and solid support for the knife’s highly refined back lock mechanism, which offers unparalleled strength, an exceptionally smooth action, an improved self-close function, and even greater resistance to wear and tear than previous generations of the Native.



The Abel + Spyderco Native® 5 knives are available in Native Brown, Native Rainbow and Bonefish hand painted finishes.  These knives can be pre-ordered now and should ship in February 2019.  Theses knives are priced at $495 and come with a lifetime warranty.

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