Serrations aren’t everyone’s favorite, but one thing is undeniable: Spyderco knows how to make them perform. I’ve tested serrated Chaparrals and even the semi-serrated CPM-M4 Tenacious, but the Salt Chief in Magnacut takes this to another level thanks to its relatively long blade.
The “Salt Chief” … does it ring a bell to South Park’s fans ?
(Ah, Isaac Hayes Salty Chocolate Balls...)
For the record, Magnacut behaves similarly to CPM-4V but is far more stainless, which explains why the Salt Series (like this Chief) thrives in humid and coastal conditions.
(The LC200N version of the very same knife (with green FRN handle) would be even better in terms of corrosion resistance but Magnacut’s edge will last longer.)
My first Chief, a special edition in CPM-4V nicknamed Hellboy, was already a beast which I considered replacing my Spyderco C36 Military — and this lightweight Salt Chief has teeth that remind me of a Nine Inch Nails album : pointy, high tech, raw and aggressive.
This relatively long folder is remarkably light: 88 grams for a 102 mm blade — 21% lighter than the G10 version, according to Spyderco.
This is a serious tool for mariners, divers, explorers, military personnel, cooks, gardeners, and anyone who might let their knife get wet. Unlike my Salt Sage 5 (plain edge, monster in the woods), the Serrated Salt Chief is clearly aimed at humid/coastal environments.
(There is also a plain edge Salt Chief C244PYL which could be more versatile.)
The serrations concentrate force on small points along the edge, allowing fibers to be cut more effectively than a plain edge of the same thickness. Each tooth acts like a mini-chisel, making tasks like slicing rope, cord, seatbelts, fibrous fabrics, or vegetation far easier.
But it will be harder to cut straight as the serrations are chisel ground on the left of the blade. So it will naturally be deviate to the right during a push cut.
The multiple points of contact make serrated edges actually longer than straight plain edge. Even if the points dull slightly, the valleys continue to cut, which is why serrated blades are preferred in emergency for cutting seat belts for example.
And serrated edge are not difficult to resharpen. Do it like you would sharpen a chisel with a ceramic able to reach each valleys. Once you get a burr just one or two passes on the other side of the edge and it is back to razor. No big deal really.
Magnacut love leather though; But it won’t be easy to strop it obviously, unless using the rims of a leather belt…
The ergos are just great. Same cockpit as the Native 5.
Out of the box, I noticed a slight tip imperfection — less than a millimeter — which I easily corrected on a diamond rod in under a minute. Even with Magnacut’s hard, corrosion-resistant steel, the tip can be fragile but repairable. This means one thing: use your sh*t !
This light amphibious folder is made to be a workhorse in the sea or earth because it is also easy to keep clean.
Those diamond corners are perfect to put a fresh edge on a serrated blade.
This time again, Spyderco uses a Full-Flat Grind with SpyderEdge. But this is a very very aggressive serrated edge, much more aggressive than the serrated Chaparral for example and, yes, so aggressive and pointy, it can snag and tear but it will do the job. It won’t be a clean cut but the job will be done very very quickly.
(On the Chaparral, the serration are rounded to avoid snagging when cutting. Those same serrations can be found on another serrated folder made in Taichung for Spyderco: the LC200N made Caribbean.)
So the Salt Chief serrated is also a potential emergency tool with a pointy blade!
It will excel in marine scenarios like cutting wet cordage very quick. So this knife feels especially suited for maritime or humid environments. Those serrations also will cut in vegetation with minimal effort. Actually even a gardener or a farmer would appreciate that raw cutting power made to endure mud and rain.
But keep it mind, this is raw cutting, fast and dirty. Perfect in emergency. But the cuts won’t be clean. You won’t slice raw meat into loafs like a chef knife would. Also keep it mind the the chisel edge blade will drift to the right.
As you can notice, the teeth of the Chief are more pointy and deep than, for example, the Tenacious CPM-M4 which is less agressive.
That lightweight Chief strong mid-backlock mechanism is impressive: no liners or spacers and… zero play (unlike my CPM-4V G10 Native Chief, which had slight vertical play.), and perfect action. The blade falls gently when unlocked, The drop-shut action is smooth, supported by a very strong spring, and the knife oozes quality from every angle.
Ah ! Zero play, this what we often got from Golden made backlocks this lightweight long knife is no exception !
This long pointy folder feels lighter than expected for its size, yet solid and trustworthy. It should be perfect for fishermen, mariners, firemen, policemen, divers, gardeners, ranchmen, farmer, construction workers or anyone working in the outside or in corrosive/humid environments from the rainforest to the ocean. The combination of Magnacut steel, Spyderedge, and Yellow FRN handle makes it an emergency tool — especially for those who value edge retention, corrosion resistance, and very aggressive cutting performance in wet environments.
In short, the Serrated Salt Chief designed by Eric and Sal Glesser is a serious, reliable, and powerful folder — perfect for professionals in demanding conditions who need to cut deep and quickly.
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