Shaman
The Shaman is Spyderco’s reincarnation of an old favorite, the original Native. That inspiration carries over to the Shaman in its construction, blade shape, and ergonomics – now in a beefy, durable, redesigned package.
Taking on feedback from owners of the original Native model, the Shaman fulfills the demand for a heavier model that retained the same basic design and reliability. In this way, the Shaman delivers in spades.
The grip follows the Native closely in spirit, but departs from it in manufacturing methods, materials, and technology. The G10 handle is 3D machined and is contoured to provide a more ergonomic grip. Stainless steel liners are embedded within the matte-finished scales, adding integral strength to the handle and providing a sure and stable grip to its users even under pressure or in wet weather.
The handle also houses Spyderco’s patented compression lock system. This powerful locking mechanism provides ample strength and stability to the blade in the open position, allowing no chance for unwanted wobble. It provides security to the user as well by preventing any accidental release of the blade.
The handle features Spyderco’s four-position pocket clip so that you have every carry option available to you: right or left side, tip-up or tip-down position.
The star of the show here is the stout 3.58” blade of CPM S30V steel. With a full flat grind, sharp edge, and centered point, the blade is extremely utilitarian and performs perfectly.
Of course being a Spyderco blade, it has the trademark thumbhole allowing for ambidextrous, one-handed deployment with minimal effort. Thanks to tight manufacturing tolerances, the blade travels smoothly all the way to the locked position, and you can flick it open as quickly as you want to without any unexpected resistance.
The Shaman has a screw-together construction that allows for easy dismantling for cleaning and adjustments. The stonewash finishing is not only aesthetically pleasing, but offers the bonus of low maintenance, which was requested by customers that needed a knife that could take a beating and wouldn’t require constant maintenance in the field. The Shaman does just that, it can take a beating and a mud bath and still perform as advertised.
The Shaman is the result of an effective design and quality improvement by Spyderco. By taking a successful design platform and implementing the perfect tweaks, they were able to create a sturdy, high-performing folding knife that was an instant classic.