Spyderco byte - July 2017
The Spyderco byte July 2017 e-newsletter was sent out on 28 July 2017, and it contained the following articles.
C41CFFP5 The Native 5 Fluted Carbon Fiber
MSRP: $359.95
Origin: USA
Since its original release in 1997, the Native has been both a mainstay of the Spyderco product line and a shining example of our relentless commitment to Constant Quality Improvement (C.Q.I.). Now in its fifth generation of design, it is a flagship of Spyderco’s American-made product line with a solid reputation for offering superior craftsmanship and quality at a very affordable price.
Because of its long and distinguished lineage, the Native 5 was a natural choice as the platform for Spyderco’s 40th Anniversary Knife. Released last year, that remarkable limited-edition knife elevated the Native 5 to all new heights with a fluted carbon fiber handle and stunning Damasteel® Thor® Damascus blade. Although it was not intended as an everyday carry tool, the design features of this rare knife—particularly its linerless, fluted carbon fiber handle—inspired countless requests for a user-oriented version of it. And when our customers speak, we listen.
The Native 5 Fluted Carbon Fiber proudly features the same stunning handle as the 40th Anniversary Native. The meticulously machined fluted sunburst pattern accentuates the layered construction of each solid carbon fiber scale to offer a stunningly beautiful appearance and a subtle non-slip texture. Like the Native 5 Lightweight, the scales of this knife are fitted with four sets of threaded stainless steel inserts to allow attachment of a four-position hourglass pocket clip. The flanged inserts are installed from the interior side of each scale for maximum strength, ensuring sturdy support for left or right-side tip-up or tip-down carry.
To further strengthen the handle and fine tune the knife’s balance, it includes a solid stainless steel backspacer. A generously sized lanyard hole through both scales aligns perfectly with a hole in the pocket clip (when positioned for tip-up carry) to allow the easy, secure attachment of fobs and lanyards. Like all other Native 5’s, this version boasts the highly evolved back lock mechanism that is a defining characteristic of the design. Machined to tolerances of less than a thousandth of an inch, this lock offers outstanding strength and ease of operation with either hand.
Not to be outdone, the blade of this unique Native 5 is crafted from premium CPM® S90V® stainless steel. This advanced particle metallurgy steel is enriched with a high vanadium content that favors the formation of hard vanadium carbides instead of chromium carbides. This enhances the steel’s wear resistance and edge retention, leaving more free chromium available to provide superior corrosion resistance. The result is a blade that takes an incredibly sharp edge, holds it extremely well, and is highly resistant to rust and corrosion.
The PlainEdge™ blade of the Fluted Carbon Fiber Native 5 is full-flat ground for low-friction cutting performance and includes a fully accessible Trademark Round Hole™ for swift, ambidextrous, one-handed opening. An index-finger choil (finger groove) at the base of the blade allows a forward “choked-up” grip for maximum control and, like the thumb ramp above it, features crisp jimping (textured grooves) for added traction.
Proudly manufactured in our factory in Golden, Colorado, the Fluted Carbon Fiber Native 5 combines reliable high performance, state-of-the-art materials, and exceptional craftsmanship into truly extraordinary everyday cutting tool.
Overall: 6.95in / 177mm
Blade: 2.95in / 75mm
Edge: 2.45in / 62mm
Weight: 2.8oz / 79g
Grind: Full-Flat
Origin: USA
PMA11
Carpenter® Technology Corporation's Micro-Melt® A11 is a particle metallurgy version of A11 tool steel. Also known as AISI A11, K294 (Böhler-Uddeholm), CPM® 10V (Crucible®), and a variety of other names, it is commonly referred to “in-house” as simply PMA11 (“particle metallurgy” A11). No matter what you call it, this material is something that should be on every knife lover’s radar.
PMA11 is an extremely wear-resistant tool steel that is capable of achieving a high working hardness. One of the first high-vanadium particle metallurgy steels, it was developed to provide superior wear resistance while maintaining toughness and machining characteristics comparable to D2 and M2. In industrial applications, it rapidly set the standard for highly wear-resistant tooling and it is often used instead of carbide in cold work tooling applications.
In the world of knives, PMA11 (in its CPM 10V form) is one of the favorite steels of renowned custom knifemaker and Spyderco collaborator Phil Wilson. An avid student of metallurgy and an accomplished outdoorsman, Wilson eagerly experiments with new and different blade steels and heat-treating protocols and personally tests all his wares in the field. His meticulously crafted knives feature thin, flat grinds and distal tapers that produce excellent edge geometry and balance, but also demand the most out of his steels. The fact that PMA11/CPM 10V is one of his favorites therefore speaks volumes about its performance as a blade material.
PMA11's advanced alloy composition includes: Carbon: 2.45%, Manganese: 0.50%, Silicon: 0.90%, Chromium: 5.30%, Molybdenum: 1.30%, Vanadium: 9.50%, Sulfur 0.08%. Its large volume of hard vanadium carbides provides substantially better wear resistance than typical high-carbon, high-chromium die steels such as D2 and D7. The particle metallurgy process further enhances these properties by greatly minimizing alloy segregation and ensuring a fine, homogenous microstructure. In knife blades, these qualities translate to outstanding edge retention and good toughness, especially in shorter knives. Note, however, that PMA11 is a tool steel and must be maintained properly to safeguard it against corrosion.
Based on demand from our customers and glowing reviews of Phil Wilson’s custom knives in CPM 10V, Spyderco has decided to use PMA11 (or more precisely, Carpenter's Micro-Melt A11 expression of it) as the steel for our 26th Mule Team blade. We are confident that Spyderco fans will enjoy testing and using this high-performance material and can’t wait to hear about your personal experiences with it.
Insider: Spyderco Summer Picnic
Spyderco’s annual summer picnic is a longstanding company tradition and the perfect opportunity to celebrate our amazing Crew and their families. This year we literally made a day of it by combining the picnic with a “Bring Your Kid to Work” day. In addition to arts and crafts projects, knife safety lessons, soap carving, and lots of other fun activities, our crewmember’s children got to learn about what their parents do at work and how their skills contribute to making Spyderco the best in the business.
As you can see from these photos, we thoroughly enjoyed taking a day to celebrate summer with our Crew and their families! Thanks to all who participated for making it an unforgettable day!
