Abel and Spyderco Native Collaborate on Knife

The Abel + Spyderco Native 5 is the culmination of two years’ research and development between two American manufacturers. The finished result is impressive, both in terms of look and function. It seems like it might be a pretty easy fly shop seller.

The blade is precision ground from an ultra-corrosion resistant LC200N stainless steel. It is available in three hand-painted finishes: Bonefish, Native Brown, and Native Rainbow. Now available for pre-order, shipping begins February, 2019.

Detailed information from Abel:

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.

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