Seven years ago I was already in love with a KnifeCenter Exclusive Native. The idea to propose a smooth G10 handle was IMHO a great EDC enhancement as G10 can turn any knife into a pocket shredder.
As you can notice the Native 5 with its OEM clip can perfectly be clipped to a watch pocket.
I was certain I have missed the opportunity to own one of those smooth operators exclusively made for the KCI when, Alex, a fellow member of the Facebook Spyderco Fan Club France has pointed it to me. They were still in stock ! HERE !!
I know monsieur Howard Korn, the founder of the KCI, since his very beginnings back in the 90’s when he was all alone, and suggested me to design their logo. Howard was the very first reseller to propose knives on a big scale using a very new medium: the world wide web ! What a venture ! And eventually what a success ! It was before Amazon and Howard is one of the pioneers in terms of spreading the cutlery’s culture worldwide. Hence now the great videos which are produced in house. Again, it has been a smooth transaction from the USA to France thanks to a great customer service for a great exclusive. I may be biased but this is my customer experience for almost 30 years with the Knife Center: flawless and inspiring.
Eventually I have found out I have bought perhaps the very last one of those Native Exclusive as 10 days later my order (June2024) they are now out of stock.
So what do we got here ?
I have written a lot about CPM Cruwear ! But this tough and well balanced alloy which can provide a crispy razor edge is perfect on small or long folders. This is a workhorse steel and one of the greatest high tech alloy available in modern cutlery. I have even proved how hard it was to get a patina on it. This time with DLC coating no patina or rusting will be feared. BTW DLC Diamond Like Coating is used from implants. It is not toxic.
This all black version of the Native is ready to be used in all weather conditions.
So here we got a very low profile package with a none threatening design as black knives matter when confronted to sheeples who could point you as a Mall Ninja with a dark saber.
These days I am reluctent to carry in the city a long blade/folder and my search for accepted shorter knives, locking or not locking is evident. I have previously studied knives which can be used in the city and the Native is one of them. The idea is a maximum of polyvalence for a tool which should raise eyebrows. A friendly not threatening package. The knid of knives my grandfathers and father used to carry without any after thoughts but in planes. 😉 When heading for the countryside, I don’t restrict my self in terms of blade length but for a big city, I play a very low profile game and most of the time I do strictly follow the Law even if I’m not fearing any kind of Police check. Hence the Native: same cockpit as Hellboy which is used a lot in the kitchen as the Chief as turned into a Chef but shorter.
There is also a swedge or on the blade spine on the Native which is not present on the Chief.
The action is smooth with zero blade play as chute drop is obtain by releasing the lock. I have already written and how those Golden Native are top notch in term of fit and finish, using them since 2011.
This version with no liner is for me the best design and this Exclusive the best of the best. In those years of titanium frame locks and axis locks, the chance to own a great lockback is precious. And this one is for me: the Last of The Mohicans !
Spyderco Urban, Squeak and UKPK family is one of the most addictive slipjoint proposition in the modern world. I have already written about them in this blog. The UKPK Salt is simply one of the best modern folder available nowadays. The Squeak is totally sheeple friendly and of course the Urban made for the city and to be carry everywhere but on the airlines.
Spyderco’s description: “This Exclusive version of the Spyderco Urban™ was manufactured specifically for Heinnie Haynes (heinnie.com) and is available only through their sales channels. Originally introduced in 2009 and later discontinued, the Urban remains a cult classic among devoted fans of Spyderco’s non-locking, one-hand-opening, clip-carried SLIPIT™ knives. This distinctive expression of it showcases a leaf-shaped blade crafted from premium CPM® S90V® particle metallurgy stainless steel. The PlainEdge™ blade is full-flat ground for exceptional edge geometry and is proudly laser engraved with the Heinnie Haynes logo.Not to be outdone, the handle of this knife features distinctive red G-10 scales with a non-slip peel-ply texture. They complement the jimping (textured grooves) on the blade’s thumb ramp and index-finger choil to ensure a positive grip and outstanding control during use. A reversible deep-pocket wire clip provides a choice of left or right-side tip-up carry, making every aspect of the design completely ambidextrous.”
This Red One is my third Urban. The first one was in K390, the second one was in AEBL and named Cappucino. All of them has been pushed out of my pocket because of the greatness of the UKPK Salt in LC200N. Anyway they all have been great companion during my UK travels as they are totally legal: non locking under 3 inches blade (76mm)… Eventually I have been looking for a G10 version with a full stainless steel back spacer and I have found the Heinnie Haynes exclusive version available on their site. It is not a cheap knife be aware of that but it oozes quality on paper and in the hand.
First thing first, this Urban got a CPM S90 V blade, the same found on the Proficient Bushcraft knife. S90V was known before as CPM420V and it is still one of Sal Glesser favorite steel ever to be produced by Crucible.
S90V is known for its incredible edge retention and in the last 25 years of using it, I can tell you this one can be a bear to resharpen. Diamonds are its best friends and even then it needs a lot of white ceramic time and stropping… Compared to non stainless super steel like Maxamet it can be really tedious to get really sharp. But one it is sharp, its working edge seems to stay forever on. This is exactly the opposite of my previous experience with Cappucino my AEB-L Urban. This one was strong and a breeze to keep razor but it was back to butter knife level quick when used on abrasive matters like cardboard for example. S90V eats brown cardboard for breakfast and it stays sharp for very long but is it tedious to put it back to a crispy razor edge. That’s great when you need long lasting working knife on a trip when you have not planned to bring a sharpening stone for example and Sal trusts enough S90V to put that very alloy on all his own special Sprint Runs with CF Handle. I have never been disappointed by S90V and even on fixed blades or on the Manny folders it has always been a game changer in term of long lasting sharpness and is even better than CPM100V in my book. S90V is also very stainless. Unless you want to use your knife in the ocean, it can handle some hard work in the forest without to be cleaned immediately. It has been found that this S90V Urban got a little thinner blade 0.23 cm against 0.29 cm… The blade is also a little shorter than previous Urban bot nothing I have noticed in terms of utility.
This Urban has been made in Italy and in my own experience Maniago craftmanship has never been a bad surprise. Your mileage may vary but this is mine. I have been happy with my Spytalians !
G10 is not a current material on Urbans as FRN is everywhere and, better, the texture of this G10 is even more unique. I was first thinking to turned this knife into a pebble but, naah ! It is great as it is. I have just adjust the feel by sanding it but all in all this is great high quality made handle and again kuddos to Maniago. All Heinnie Haynes exclusive got that red treatement on the handle, this is their signature. And a G10 version got a longer steel backspace on the handle closing it.
Now about the action, this Urban has been the most hard to close of all my splipjoints ! It is really a positive point. I can still open it with quick movement of my wrist but the closing ask for some force which is really rare (even in Spyderco production, the first UKPK were chewing gums to quote Guillaume, Spyderco Fan Club moderator). Strong spring, and no lock make it a great candidate for carrying a legal folder nowadays.
Now about geometry, Maniago desserves another kuddos ! As you can see on the picture above, I was able to split a bottle butt in a single pass with the factory edge. This is also rare ! Even my lovely Hellboy needed some thinning before to reach that level. This is thin geometry right out of the box !! The short blade drop point makes it a great whittler and Spyderco knows how to make little big knife. The hump and the choil are transmitting your force’s cuts directly to the blade, sparing the handle, its axis and its mechanism. This is clever and Sal has been inspired by San Francisco Gambler’s knives. His first implementation of this “cockpit” has been 30 years ago on the C36 military. So choils/humps binome are clever and great for avoiding a non locking blade to close on your finger. This is a must have !
So here we got a legal folder with a non threatening blade, strong non locking spring, great geometry and stellar particule metallurgy steel. What not to love in this wonderful Urban ?
You can cut a pizza in your plate and use it as a steak knife without raising any eyebrows. I use my knives in plates and I know how to avoid to get them dull on the plate ceramic. My mother in law is never putting a knife near my plate, this is how I can spot where I’m going to sit on her table eventually.
Also the Urban got the perfect size to be carry in A 501 watchpocket, and as you can see mine has been shredded by many aggressive G10 handles before massive sanding.
So I highly recommend this great exclusive little knife, again it is not cheap but quality is there from the tip to the clip.
Since the reception of my Chief Native I have found that he was a sole survivor from a Xmas Mystery Box bought in Spyderco’s plant in Golden in December. In that box were different items and a rare Sprint Run Second Factory which was destined to end in my pocket and considered by myself IMHO as the perfect realisation of Sal and Eric ideas about pocket knives. In fact I think it is my favorite Spyderco ever. I have written a first review here. And now it is time for a second approach of Hellboy which has succeeded in kicking other knives from my pocket and quench my thirst for novelty.
So why ?
First the Native family feature an absence of hump on the blade making them very slick and beautiful.
Even the Shaman benefits from that.
The Chief is on the left and the Shaman on the right.
As you can notice the design of the Native Chief is really close to one of my favorite design: the AFCK. Sal Glesser was no stranger in the Benchmade BM800 AFCK back in the 90’s. He helped Les De Asis founder of Benchmade on it. They had both learned how to make Michael Walker’s linerlocks at Bob Terzuola shop. Both company were accelerating on the tactical lane in close formation.
As you can notice, my AFCKs (Advanced Folding Combat Knife) which was also designed by Chris Caracci a former Navy SEaL have been used a lot. The first version got a Spydiehole and the second version got an oval hole and an axislock. This design was one of my favorite for a big folding knife as EDC. And back then I was really in love with concept of tool highspeed steel on a modern plateform.
The same happend with that special Native Chief which got a very special alloy for its blade: CPM-4V. With that steel, the edge is strong and the thin blade is very solid. It gives a lot of confidence when cutting on a plate made of ceramic of glass. No chipping can happen. Hellboy has been used a lot for cutting pies and cake on glass plates and the edge behavior was not disappointing. When I have noticed a little shiny spot, some white ceramic was able to put everything back on line but it was really minor.
Now CPM4V is not stainless. It will form a patina or, worst, rust very quick and easily when used in acidic matters like cutting lemons and being used on a salad with vinegar. DLC coating is really welcome for that kind of behavior. Back in the 90’s Benchmade was offering only PVD coating which is really inferior to Diamond Like Coating. So far the blade of my Chief is not marked and scar by it various cutting tasks even when cutting. My previous Chief was a naked Rex45 blade and it was another story told here.
Even strawberries can darken the edge of CPM 4V.
But cheese is a great way to notice how DLC is making the surface of the blade less sticky but more stinky.
The Chief was not always used on gentle medium like wood.
It was also used on plate with vinegar salsa. Here it is basamic vinegar from Modena.
In the kitchen the knife is really behaving like an paring knife. It is really handy on fruits and vegetables. Its very pointy blade is great to carve. .The mechanism has never suffered from being wet and rinsed under water. The knife was smooth through and through its various wet works.
Now I like to have chamfered and smooth handles and blade spine. The Chief is known to be very square everywhere. The G10 has been easy to smooth with sandpaper used wet to avoid toxical dust. Now the blade spine is DLC coated and it was my esthetic choice to remove the coating on all the length of its spine.
I love the result.
It has been done with some diamond rods. Now the spine is much more confortable for my thumb in case of push cuts.
CPM 4V on that Native Chief platform is really the bread and butter for a strong thin folder. I’m not afraid to use hard on wood and plastic. And it is a must in the kitchen various missions. It has been also test on different hard wood and compared (geometry speaking) with many other knives I got. One of my champion is the Swayback in term of smooth pushcuts. But also the Wolfspyder and the Yojimbo.
My Chief needed more convexing and thinning to go to the level I was expecting. Again diamonds has been used handfree to remove the shoulder of the edge. CPM 4V keeps a very very crispy edge and bites in the wood very aggressively.
CPM M4 is a stunning alloy which is prefered on fixed blade but it is a gem on a long and thin folder. It makes it super solid with a very permissive edge.
Some will argue that toughness is not important in folders or fine slicing knives and feel that only edge retention matters in that case because they don’t use their knives in aggressive ways which are likely to lead to chipping. However, broken tips are still common on small knives and kitchen knives. And with higher toughness, the knives are better able to handle thin, low angle edges without chipping. And they can be heat treated to higher hardness to help prevent edge rolling and deformation, while still maintaining good toughness. This means that, indirectly, higher toughness can lead to better cutting performance because of the possibility of thinner edges.
The good news is that CPM Magnacut has been copied on CPM 4V behavior.
The K390 Delica has always been a monster of pocket knife (click on the name to go to my old review of the Delica with buffed sprint alloy). The thin blade mixed with the super tool steel allow (K390) alloy has proven to be amazing for hardchore. From their Seki Japan plant, Spyderco is producing many different K390 model, folders and fixed blades. The Stretch 2 being highly regarded as one of their best design.
So here you got an incredibly tough, strong and wear resistant blade on scales produced by Lynch. A typical Sal Glesser design: performance first !
But Lynchnw has taken that game to another league with their scale:
“A few years ago Casey put out a very limited run of the LynchNW MOD 1 Delica 4 and some scale sets. This is our newest Delica MOD 2 Titanium Scale Kit, modifying your choice of Delica 4 Knife with a set of Custom Titanium scales, featuring a forward finger choil, blade profiled scale holes, smooth bellied profile, a custom titanium back-spacer, enlarged lanyard hole, and a custom designed deep carry titanium clip. ” To quote Lynchnw.com site.”
What bring these new scales apart of adding titanium for the pure neo industrial look of it ? It bring many things:
A finger choil. A real one.
A longer handle and your pinkie will thank you for that.
A slim package which is soft on your pocket trousers.
Seven holes which are showing the edge of your knife when it’s closed.
See how cute is it ?
So here we got a very friendly city pocket knife which is not screaming “I’m a sword from Hell !!” like my new beloved Hellboy Chief or this AFCK in M2.
It looks like a lady and gentleman knife. But beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing.
This one share the same core engine as a Police 4: K390 at 65HRC in a thin geometry ! It is a Metropolice knife.
This is my second Native Chief and this is a Factory Second bought in a Mystery Box of 2023: “This limited-edition Exclusive version of the Native Chief™ was specially manufactured for St. Nick’s Knife Factory (stnicksknives.com) and is only offered through their sales channels.… …Our Red & Black Holiday Sale starts December 1st at 9:00AM MST! This online-only event will feature deep discounts on select factory-second knives, two different Mystery Boxes containing seconds of special high-value models, Sprint Runs, and Exclusives.“ Red and Black ? This one was made to go in that Box ! 🙂
Which means it has some cosmetic flaw I was not able to spot. The action is rock solid. I mean it is much more solid than my previous Chief the Mighty Rex45 Orange Sprint Run: the Joker.
I have heard that CPM Magnacut could be a stainless CPM 4V. What I have heard through the years is how CPM 4V was tough and strong. The tougher used in Spyderco was CPM 3V used in the Tuff by Ed Schempp. 4V is used in cutting competition with CPM M4. It is tougher than A2 or D2 and tougher than M4. What is avantage in a folder like the Chief ? Simply look at the blade shape:
The Chief’s blade is more pointy than the PM2. To quote Spyderco: “This advanced alloy was specifically developed for demanding industrial applications requiring high degrees of both toughness and wear resistance. The PlainEdge™ blade is full-flat ground for a superior balance of strength, edge geometry, and point utility and features a stealthy black Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating that also helps protect it from corrosion.”
Yes this is a good thing because with 5% of chromium, CPM 4V can rust. DLC is really clearing one issue for this folder. Actually there si some reminiscence of the Benchmade AFCK in M2HSS. It was 25 years ago that this co-designed with Chris Caracci and Sal Glesser folder propose a rusting tool steel on a modern “tactical” folder. And it also was protected under a black coating to prevent rust.
So ease in mind is a good point in a workhorse. In the signature theme of St. Nick’s Exclusives, the linerless handle of this knife is constructed with vibrant red peel-ply-textured G-10 scales. To complement the blade’s low-profile DLC coating, the four-position pocket clip, lock bar, and all other handle hardware also have durable black coatings.
So what do we got with this Hellboy’s blade of choice ? A long folder with no hump on its blade. Very slick ! A tough blade on a pointy design that you can use hard ! A very strong lock as Backlock are one of the stronger locks around. Quoting Sal in my previous Chief review: “Actually Eric and Tom went over this model with the engineers for quite a while before making the decision to make it liner-less. We’ve done a lot of experimenting lately and you can see a lot in the many different designs and options. It surprises me that some would think to make decisions on values without any experience. if we screwed it up, we’ll fix it, but we don’t screw up often considering the many envelopes we’re willing to push.”
Now that Spyderco is promoting a lightweight FRN version of the Chief in CPM Magnacut, this is good occasion to step back in time and enjoy this incredibly slick and tough piece of equipment of some years ago.
Now for my own adjustement, I have sand the G10 to a point my trouser will less suffer.
The edge is already deshouldered with diamond and now I will tune the edge to my suits as CPM 4V is not only tough it is also strong.
Also I have changed the classic clip for a deep carry cheap chinese clone. And hope we go !
Edit: I’m back on the OEM black matte clip which gives me less knife into the pocket. Deep carry is not mandatory on this one. The Chief needs to be proud to be red !
The Amphibian Milestone in CPM Magnacut iq PARA MILITARY® 2 SALT® BLACK G-10 CPM MAGNACUT® BLACK BLADE – C81GMCBK2 which is much too long to fit in a title.
This is not my first Paramillie 2, I usually wear the 52100 carbon fiber version but I have used many many version in S90V, CPM Cruwear and S30V. The 52100 is actually the exact opposite of this new version. Announced at the 2023 Amsterdam Minimeet, a Paramillie impervious to the element. Better: a nautical version ready to stand tall in frond of the salty waves of the ocean’s breakers. Then the wait began.
And here it is, in all its glory ! Delivered with Larrin Thomas dreamlike alloy: the CPM Magnacut ! A steel which hits a lot of sweet spots. Like some sort of totally rustfree CPM M4: strong, resilient and able to withstand thin edges without chipping. So why adding a DLC on that alloy ? Overkill can be fun, can’t it be ?
Here are 3 versions. The 52100, the CPM Cruwear and CPM Magnacut from right to left. Three excellences in their own way all designed by Sal and Eric Glesser. CPM Magnacut is a story of love. Quoting his metallurgist of designer: “The carbide structure of MagnaCut is much finer than the common powder metallurgy stainless steels such as CPM-154, M390, Elmax, S35VN, etc. The only stainless PM steel I have imaged which is competitive in terms of carbide/nitride size is Vanax. MagnaCut is even somewhat finer than CPM-4V and Vanadis 4 Extra, the non-stainless steels that MagnaCut was modeled after. This is an excellent result and should lead to excellent properties.”
Quoting Spyderco: “This tour-de-force expression of the Para Military 2 showcases a full-flat-ground blade crafted from CPM MagnaCut—a state-of-the-art particle metallurgy steel that offers an exceptional balance of edge retention, toughness, and superior corrosion resistance. Cloaked in a non-reflective Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating, the PlainEdge blade is housed in a handle featuring peel-ply-textured black G-10 scales machined with the signature Caribbean Bi-Directional Texture pattern of Spyderco’s US-made Salt Series knives. To complement its blade steel and finish, the knife’s nested stainless steel liners, four-position pocket clip, and all other hardware are also made from ultra- corrosion-resistant materials and black coated.”
That new Salty Paramillie is destined to be an amphibian workhorse, an hippocampus !! All hardware is black coated but the stop pin which is silver and made of “fearlessly corrosion-resistant marine-grade materials“. The handle (as efficient it is to be non slippery) is destined to be a pocket shredder as it is carved to be used with wet oily hands. Your trousers will suffer !! Unless, like myself you are a compulsive user of sandpaper. And even then, it will be hard on pocket’s lips.
The Diamond Like Coating is not only protecting a blade which doesn’t need any protection, it gives a strong Mall Ninja vibe also. Usually coating brings some king of lubrification to the matter separation. I’m not impressed so far, even on sausages. The geometry is perfect on my PM Salty. Thin as a razor though.
One thing I had to change was the clip. It was replaced by a Flytanium Universal Titanium Clip which is short and deep carry. Also I have moved the clip for a Tip Up carry which suit the Paramillie better in my book.
Of course de-shouldering the edge is the first step to convex that I do on new knives. Especially I have read that Magnacut loves leather stropping.
And this is true ! The edge turned quick into a über razor state.
It zipped through meat like a lightsaber into banta meat.
So now the game is on. The Salty Magnacut Paramillie is ready to kick all other knives from my pockets and be used on the long run. Let see what this cutlery apogee era knife has to propose on the long run !
Behind the code “SC28FP2WK390” is hidden one of the gem designed inhouse by Sal Glesser. The Dragonflies are legion. (All those green texts are actually links)
Quoting Spyderco: “The Dragonfly 2 is one of the most size-efficient folding knives ever created, especially when expressed with a straight-edged Wharncliffe-style blade. When that blade is crafted from tough, wear-resistant K390 tool steel, the result is a compact, powerhouse cutting tool that will take and hold an exceptional edge.
Like the standard Dragonfly 2, this knife also features a user-friendly back lock, and a reversible deep-pocket wire clip, but its linerless FRN handle is molded in the signature blue color of Spyderco’s K390 family of knives.”
The Dragonflies are very small locking knives which has been made in many many ways: stainless steel handle, Salt rustproof serie and many Sprint Run is now offered in Wharncliffe blade shape with one of the best super tool steel available K390. Such a strong steel on a small thin tool is a must try. Wharncliffe blades offers such a great performance. I have reviewed it many times. Backlocks or Lockbacks are known to be the strongest lock available and by design you are chocking the blade by the hum and the choil and you are applying your cutting force directly to it and not to the handle, preserving the mechanism for harder chores.
The handle despite being reduced is for 4 fingers grasp. This is a tour-de-force in term of design.
My Pingo features a thicker blade and, with its slipjoint mechanism, has proven to be a truly reliable everyday companion.
The Dragonfly, on the other hand, offers a more aggressive cutting solution in a more compact package.
The Wharncliffe blade design really excels on the plate: only the tip makes initial contact, which helps preserve the edge from harsh contact with ceramic surfaces. As a result, this small knife can even serve as a very capable, compact steak knife.
As my friend Jur once told me, “The older you get, the smaller the knives you’ll prefer.” Over time, I’ve come to realize just how true that is.
The Dragonfly in K390 is a remarkably refined combination. Ultra-compact, slim in the pocket, yet equipped with a blade that performs far beyond its size, it delivers impressive cutting power and edge retention in a minimalist format.
Lightweight, discreet, and highly capable, it’s the kind of tool that quietly earns its place as a daily companion — equally suited to a lady or a gentleman who appreciates precision and performance in a compact form.
Article written by Nemo Sandman – Edited the 5th of November 2025. All rights (pictures and text) reserved.
Have you ever wondered why so many Spyderco Sprint Runs seem to appear out of nowhere, featuring gorgeous carbon fiber handles and impressive CPM S90V blades?
It’s simple — Sal Glesser loves both materials.
For him, carbon fiber reflects his lifelong passion for motorsports, while S90V stands out as a stainless steel in a league of its own, combining high performance and outstanding reliability.
So, long story short: Full Flat Grind + Carbon Fiber + S90V = Sal Glesser’s favorite combo!
And to quote my friend Spydercollector:
“When the Bushcraft fixed blade was first announced, Sal also planned to do a so-called NASA version; a version of the Bushcraft knife with all high-tech materials. I believe NASA is a protected name, but Endeavour still evokes the high-tech approach most people associate with the famous space agency. The Endeavour features a full flat grind S90V blade and full sculpted carbon fiber handles. It was a beautiful knife with a grip that had me looking around for stuff to cut.”
Here is the Proficient: it is designed by wilderness expert Chris Claycomb of Bushcraft UK, the Proficient functions perfectly with traditional bushcraft skills and cutting methods. Carefully contoured and polished to eliminate hot spots and ensure maximum comfort during prolonged use.
Bushcraft knives are defined by specific parameters — typically featuring blades between 4 and 6 inches. Spyderco’s Bushcraft model fits perfectly within that tradition: a 4-inch, full-tang blade with no handguard, purpose-built for control and versatility.
In true Bushcraft spirit, users generally favor high-carbon tool steels over stainless options, prioritizing edge retention and cutting performance rather than corrosion resistance. The O-1 tool steel used here, with its high carbon content, delivers excellent long-term sharpness while remaining easy to resharpen in the field.
Carried on the belt or strap in a leather sheath, this knife is blueprinted for wilderness chores — slicing, chopping, whittling, and processing game — all in the traditional Bushcraft style.
To quote Spyderco: “The Spyderco Proficient takes the concept of the traditional “do-all” bushcraft knife and elevates it to new levels of performance with state-of-the-art materials and manufacturing methods. Designed by wilderness expert Chris Claycomb of Bushcraft UK, the Proficient functions perfectly with traditional bushcraft skills and cutting methods while offering superior durability, edge retention, cutting performance, and corrosion resistance Instead of traditional carbon steel and an axe-like “Scandi” (Scandinavian) grind, the Proficient’s blade is crafted from vanadium-rich CPM®S90V particle-metallurgy stainless steel and boasts a full-flat grind for low-friction cutting performance.“
This concept of a stainless blade paired with a black polished handle has, ten years later, been fully embraced — a perfect example being the Casström No.10 Swedish Forest Knife in Black Micarta with a 14C28N flat grind.
I first discovered CPM S90V back when it was still known as CPM 420V, thanks to Darrel Ralph (RIP) and his beautiful Apogee folder. The blade was astonishingly wear-resistant — so much so that, without diamond abrasives, only a backstand could bring it from dull to sharp. It was a bear to sharpen then… and still is today.
The difference is, as end-line users, we now have easy access to industrial diamond tools, making steels like S90V finally practical to maintain at their full potential.
I have written a lot about S90V. This alloy has proven it can be tough enough as a stainless steel to be used in any all terrain tools; especially since it is available on Manly folders which got the reputation of using a very fine thin geometry on their blades. Modern Bushcrafters (like the Benchmade Puukko) are focused on toughness with the use of the very tough CPM 3V.
What does CPM S90V bring to the table?
It’s incredibly wear-resistant. This steel is notoriously hard to dull, even when cutting abrasive materials like brown cardboard loaded with silica. It keeps its edge far longer than most steels, making it ideal for demanding, real-world use. Also the full flat grind is a must in a matter separator specialized in wood works. As much as I love Scandi Grind found on Woodlore clones (first designed by Ray Mears). I have found that especially in the wonderful Spyderco Sprig full flat ground knives can be really efficient on hard wood. (BTW when the writing appears in green: it is a link !! and I have tested them here.)
It’s stainless! Even if you (like me) enjoy the patina that forms on a great carbon steel blade, there’s real peace of mind in using a reliable stainless steel — especially when working near water, in the rain, or by the sea.
The Sprig was an impressive tool in terms of pure geometry. Designed as a hunting and fishing knife, it was a real wood eater — a beaver of a blade, cutting deep and effortlessly.
Guess what? The Proficient shares the same profile, especially after a bit of convexing — which I’ll be covering soon in a second article.
So far, that contoured handle is an absolute delight to use, and I’ll be putting it to the test in the upcoming piece. While the old O1 Bushcrafter had enough heft for light chopping, the Proficient excels at powerful push cuts — a completely different experience.
Interestingly, the Proficient isn’t a big knife. Once sheathed, it can disappear into the front pocket of a pair of denim jeans — no need to let it dangle from a belt. So what do we got ? Imagine the plateforme of the Bushcrafter (link) a solid companion, a reliable 4×4 and you just turn it into some Urus from Lamborghini: stellar alloy and lighter tougher handle. The Proficient is Sal Glesser’s gambit — a bold move in a world where the bushcraft community traditionally favors carbon steel and natural wooden handles. This knife dares to break from that norm.
Of course, this jewel comes at a price, and most bushcrafters aren’t Wall Street sharks. They use Opinel, Mora, or at best a €100 fixed blade — unless they’re ready to splurge on an original Woodlore.
So, the “stealth wealth” of this NASA-grade bushcrafter isn’t for everyone. It’s like a Lamborghini — not the most practical, but a statement of refined performance and engineering excellence. Because in the end, real performance comes at a price.
Article written by Nemo Sandman – Edited on November 5th, 2025. All rights (pictures and text) reserved.
Here it is the Benchmade Adamas second generation with its CPM Cruwear heavy duty blade. It has been almost 20 years since I have reviewed one of Benchmade hardchore (made for the Military) folder. The last one was the AFCK Axis in D2 and I even think it was not upload even if it was my EDC for two years. I loved the AFCKs because, well, Sal Glesser was involved in its design with Chris Caracci and Les de Asis and Bob Terzuola and I simply appreciate Sal Glesser’s way to invent and design “matter separators”.
But here it is “Tabula Rasa” as far as I am concern ! Go figure: no hole in the blade, but holes in the handle, a gifted designer which I’m going to discover named Shane Sibert who has also designed the Bushcrafter for Benchmade… and Clive Owen’s knife in Sin City. His signature seems to be fuller on his blade. “I started making knives in 1994 with the idea of creating blade ware that is simple, practical and efficient. I have been a full-time knifemaker since 2004. Keeping with the theme of practicality, I avoid large metal guards, bolsters and heavy pommels to keep the knives balanced and agile in the hand. Materials have been carefully selected to ensure optimal edge retention and low maintenance. Although the knives incorporate slim handle slabs to decrease unwanted bulk and weight, the handles contour the hand for a synergistic fit. I strive to hold myself to high quality and design standards and produce a knife that will invoke pride of ownership and at the same time perform the task that it was designed for with exceptional ease.” (quoted from Arizona Customs Knives)
You can notice slabs and hole on the handle. Actually for such a big knife the Adamas is not that big. The first version was release in 2011 (you can see it here on Arizona Customs Knives) and was made of D2 the new version came ten years later and with its blade upgrade to CPM Cruwear. This steel is known to be tough ! Less than CPM3V but with a better edge retention. The Cpm Cruwear Shaman was a big hit ! Here Benchmade has heat treated the CPM Cruwear to 63-65 HRC ! This is something I need to test as it is much harder than Spyderco HRC (61-62HRC) on their CPM Cruwear blades. (Sal tested his own blade at 61.1 HRC).
At first touch, the Adamas oozes quality and delicate attention to details. The Olive Drab G10 slabs are wonderfully tappered on both ends and the jimping is done perfectly in my book, not as aggressive as G10 Manix for example. It is palm friendly even when closed. Well done. The holes in the handle help my thumb to index the tool.. There is no hot spots. The handle is totally open and easy to clean and check for debris. It is created as a workhorse which can get dirty but still reliable. Of course this is an expensive knife with a MRSP at $280.00 but you can see where your money has gone. It is manufactured with love. The blade is perfectly centered on mine and there is zero blade play in any direction. I love the Axis Lock concept since its very first Henry&Williams BM710 release. I have never had any issue with its Omega Spring. It is easy to use with one finger when the SPyderco Cage Ball Bearing needs two finger to work. The Axis Lock makes any knife as fast as automatics. I have never had any play on mine and I have been using them since their very very first release. I won’t do batonning with the lock engaged like some youtubers seems to do until lock failure. For record, you can do batoning with an opinel… But engaged lock (any lock) does not like to schoked and a beating can damage an disengaged any lock even a butterfly. Knowing how to use tools in the right situation should be mandatory before doing really stupid things on video and if anyone want to use a folder for batonning some wood (stupid millennial fashion as far as I am concern) just do it with no lock engaged or learn how to bring a better tool…
But once deployed, with just a gentle flick of the wrist — axis lock with heavy blade are just extraordinary easy to deplay— the blade is shown in all its power. I understand why some youtubers would like to shove it in concrete or in bricks…. I’m not certain they will be able to peel an apple in public with it but for that kind of task a Mini Adamas has been released with the same blade thickness…. Oooh well I’m not certain the thick Mini Adamas is made for fruits either. F<or that there is another tool too: the Kapara… The Adamas offering a 0.14″ | 3.556mm thick blade, it is designed hardcore for hard chores for folders. How will it behave, that will be in our next article but that blade surely offers a lot of lateral strength. For now it is just a very first glance. All specs of the Adamas can be found on Benchmade here. You can also notice on that picture its deep carry clip which can be a nice touch for such a big heavy folder. More on that later. The action is smooth at the pivot but needs a little breaking at the lock release; nothing some nano oil can not fix.
This is a very beautiful folder which is very well balanced, its sweet point being just under the index finger when hold in hammer grip. It is alive in my hands. The axis lock makes it ambidextrous and you can notice on that picture the 3 points for adapting that clip or another three screw clip (not deep carry) if needed on both sides of the handle.
The blade handle ratio is almost to 1 with the Adamas compared to the Military C36 which is known for its long handle. Of course the Adamas came very sharp out of the box, but not as sharp as I want. The blade is protected with cerakote coating Flat Earth colored which got excellent reputation in terms of tough protecting the CPM Cruwear from rusting. Cruwear can get a patina but it is not easy. Here Benchmade and Shane Sibert have chosen to propose a stealthy look for the soldiers which need no blade reflection under the sun too.
It is also sold with a very nice sheath offering many carry options for soldiers and hunters alike. The deep carry clip is perfect in term of retention and ease to retrieve the big and heavy knife. Oh it is 183 grams (5,45 oz) which is really heavy. The liners are stainless steel not titanium. This is Heavy Metal !
As you can notice the Adamas is much thicker than the C35 Military and much heavier too. Sal Glesser wanted his military to be as light as possible as a soldier got already many heavy things to carry. Benchmade has taken another direction. The Adamas is beefierand thicker. Actually it can also been more confortable for long usage. We will see…
Another beefy released was the Shaman which almost has the same handle length. The Adamas provides a lot of edge.
Here is my good old AFCK Axis. It was used with a lot of love as you can notice. Zero issue with the lock BTW.
Now it is time to give some work to that Adamas designed to “deliver unrivaled performance throughout hard-use applications”. The next step will involve certainly some sharpening and reprofiling… More to come soon…. But for now on, it is a knife which makes me grin when I open and close it. Kuddos to Benchmade and Shane Sibert for bringing this second gen of the mighty Adamas.
“It’s been a long road Getting from there to here It’s been a long time But my time is finally near…”
Yes, it has been 22 years (since 1999) that we have been waiting for the Native Chief to be produced.
Sal Glesser said:
In 2008: “We only made one prototype. The model never went into production.”
In 2017: “The Native “Chief” has been on hold for some 15 – 20 years. I imagine we can get it to queue if there is demand. I’ll watch the thread. The Shaman is designed to be 3.5″ blade length which is legal in more places that the Chief’s 4.0″ blade.”
In 2018 “Working on the refinements for the 3rd prototype. We work on roughly 20-30 designs at any given time…. We’ll use a Golden back lock.” Then… “I’ve been carrying a “Chief prototype. A 20 year old “sal” design with modern “Eric” mods.” had written Sal Glesser in March 2019.
As shown on Eric Glesser video “Native Chief Breakdown”, the prototype looks a lot like the finale version.
Here is also a video from Wouter (Spydercollector) presenting the production sample:
Also, knowing the Vanilla version released in 2019, all made in their new facility in Golden Colorado Earth, was in S30V, waiting for a Sprint Run was mandatory in my case. I got my eye on the Rex45 Chief before even to be able to get the Tree Rex Shaman. Rex45 seems to me a great steel for such a “toothpick”. Last year I had the chance to get a Tree Rex and my experience with that alloy made the wait of the Chief even longer. You can read my thoughts about CPM REX45 here:
To quote Spyderco’s site: “Crucible® CPM® REX® 45 is a super-high-speed particle metallurgy tool steel enriched with large volumes of cobalt, tungsten, molybdenum, and vanadium. Its high cobalt content increases the steel’s attainable hardness and enhances the positive properties of the steel’s other alloys. The addition of vanadium promotes the formation of vanadium carbides, which provide high wear resistance, fine grain size and increased toughness.“
CPM Rex45 is just great: no chipping, pleasant to keep ultra sharp with only some leather + compound stropping: a great super steel. Just be careful with its dust with 10% of toxic cobalt, better be safe than sorry.
OK, my Chief was expected for the first of April, hence the name “Joker”. The slim shade and the burnt orange color scales also inspired me… (Certainly not the Joachim’s or Jared’s crappy interpretations, much more Ledger and Bolland.)
Back to the knife: stretching in length the Native is a beautiful result. Since the Native model people were asking for a longer version and a shorter version, they have been heard.
Right out of the box, the Chief felt very angular: sharp edges on the scales, gritty G10, and a lot of hot spot on the choil/ricasso and the blade spine. My Mandy City felt the exact opposite and it cost me a third of the Chief Price. So I was a little disappointed. It was not love at the first sight. Luckily , I know my Spyderco for a looooong loooong time and get my sandpaper ready.
I have send it under the tap to avoid any G10 dust which are really toxic for the lungs. Now the handle is suiting my taste.
The last experience I got with thick all-G10 construction knife in the Spyderco Family was the great Manix 2 Lockback (sold for 99 euros !) which was a great hard working folder.
The G10 slabs are much more thick than with the steel liners construction. Quoting Sal: “Actually Eric and Tom went over this model with the engineers for quite a while before making the decision to make it liner-less. We’ve done a lot of experimenting lately and you can see a lot in the many different designs and options. It surprises me that some would think to make decisions on values without any experience. if we screwed it up, we’ll fix it, but we don’t screw up often considering the many envelopes we’re willing to push.”
Compared to the Police:
You can compared thick G10 and thinG10+Liners.
As with the steel liner’s knives, there is zero flex and zero play, horizontal or vertical. It is like a vault. (My old Benchmade AFCK BM800HSS got titanium liners and flexes a lot.) G10 is a really solid material. They even makes stealthy fixed knives with G10 blades… A steel liner could also bend and warp, not a thick G10 slab IMHO. Also the Cold Steel Recon folders are steel linerless and Cold Steel’s Recons are known for their sturdiness. I got an XL Recon and the lack of liner is really not an issue. The blade, helped by two bronze phosphorous washers, chutes free when unlock which is very reliable and easy to learn to put back the knife in the pocket. It is done smoothly and fast. It is a very secure way to close your knife.
Let’s not forget: a one hand opening knife needs to be a one hand closing knife. The best example is using a knife at the top of a ladder: you want to be able to get the knife back in the pocket easily and safely.
I’m not a huge fan of the hour glass clips founded on the Native 5 and the Delica/Endura/Paramillie/Para3. It has been immediately replaced mine with a Blade4sell small titanium clip. Let’s do a family photo:
On the Shaman (“made to be a fairly heavy duty folder. Simple, but stout.” according to Sal), the Chief, the Native and the Lil’ Native my favorite clip is that last one.
The Native family is the no “hump” clan of the Spyderco Catalog. The Chief is co signed by Eric and Sal.
Back to the Orange Chief, I was not really pleased also by its edge geometry. I felt it thick behind the edge. Even if the knife was razor sharp out of the box, it could not pass my plastic bottle test which consist in cutting the butt of a soda bottle by the center which is thicker. The thin Manly City was able to do it right out of the box, as were able my Swayback, my PPT or even my Delica too for example… The champions being the Michael Walker and the Nilakka. It is a matter of “deshouldering”, convexing the edge as always.
Diamonds are super steel best friends.
And now it is able to pass the test. 🙂 But let’s do it again for good measure.
Once thinned with diamonds, I usually strop it for a nice shining results. So far I need more elbow grease but it slowly get better and better.
Also the choil was very sharp to my taste. A little diamond filing and it was much more finger friendly.
So far, the Chief is a slim knife but destined to be very polyvalent. When the Shaman is very outdoors oriented, the Chief finds its place also in the kitchen. It takes time to built a natural patina on Rex45 but it will come later after some fruits and hot meats.
The orange scales make it very table’s friendly too, despite its very pointy shape which could make sheeples nervous.
In a plate nothing force you to keep the edge perpendicular to the surface. I have found REX45 being hard to dull on plates anyway. It is a very easy going steel.
Another easy going steel is K390 found in the Police Model. You can see it is a tad longer than the Chief with also a thinner stock blade.
The Chief is elegant and certainly one of the most beautiful design in the Spyderco scuderia. Their backlock is so solid, the handle will break before it. Sal Glesser knows that making a longer version of the Native was not as simple as a sketch on a drawing board. You can watch the video at the end of this article about that.
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