Spyderco Shaman Salt Blackout MagnaCut C229GMCBKP
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Here is another addition to Spyderco's USA-made product line, the Shaman is an extremely capable folding knife with an equally impressive lineage.
In simple terms, the Shaman's hand-filling, no-nonsense design is Spyderco's best-selling Native model—on steroids. Originally released in 1997, the Native blazed a trail as an affordable, extremely ergonomic, lightweight folder. It was also instrumental in introducing Spyderco's patented reversible pocket clip, which was a revolutionary feature for its time. Although stainless steel and carbon fiber versions were briefly produced in Japan, the Native Lightweight distinguished itself as a flagship of Spyderco's American-made product line, offering superior quality and made-in-USA craftsmanship at an extremely affordable price.
In the years since then, the Native has steadily evolved through five generations and spawned a wide range of variations, including a number of models specifically geared toward the needs of military, law enforcement, and tactical users. With countless thousands of Natives in daily use around the globe, it's not surprising that Spyderco gets a lot of feedback from their owners. And one of the most common requests they get—especially from duty-bound end users—is for a larger, beefier expression of the same basic design. The Shaman is Spyderco's response to that demand.
At 8.25-inches overall, the Shaman is about 20 percent larger than the Native, making it ideal for folks with larger hands and those who need or prefer a bigger blade. Its design offers the same refined ergonomics and proven qualities of the Native, as well as a few significant differences.
CPM-MagnaCut steel is one of the hottest blade materials in the knife world. Although Spyderco explored its history and remarkable qualities at length in previous editions of the byte, in case you missed them, here's a quick overview: MagnaCut was conceived by Larrin Thomas, a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering and son of renowned Damascus steel maker Devin Thomas. Developed specifically for use in the cutlery industry, its finely balanced alloy composition challenges the logic of conventional stainless steel chemistry by reducing the amount of chromium in the steel to a precise range. At the same time, the addition of vanadium and niobium promotes the formation of carbides that achieve a superior balance of wear resistance and toughness. This prevents the formation of chromium carbides and leaves the steel's chromium “in solution” to provide exceptional corrosion resistance. The result is a material that offers an incredible fusion of all the most desirable properties of a blade steel.
Although MagnaCut's impressive corrosion resistance does not quite match that of Spyderco's other ultra-corrosion-resistant steels—LC200N and H-2—based on their rigorous in-house testing, they determined it was worthy of inclusion in their Salt Series. In the process, they also launched the current knife-industry trend to showcase MagnaCut in knives specifically designed for use in and around the water.
Although the Shaman's handle shape and ergonomics follow the spirit of the Native, its handle construction and lock mechanism are distinctly different. The handle's scales are 3D machined from G10, thoughtfully contoured to provide a comfortable, secure grip, and feature Spyderco's signature Caribbean Bi-Directional Texture pattern. Skeletonized stainless steel liners nested within the scales reinforce the handle's structural strength and form the basis of the knife's patented Compression Lock. This high-strength mechanism is located in the spine of the handle, where it contacts the web of the thumb during normal use and is well protected from accidental release. Its location also allows the blade to be closed safely and easily with one hand without placing your fingers in the path of the edge. To ensure convenient carry and keep the knife poised for immediate access, the handle includes a four-position pocket clip that offers a choice of left or right-side, tip-up or tip-down carry.
The Shaman Salt is a powerhouse cutting tool that is deeply rooted in the success of one of Spyderco's most iconic designs and the feedback of their loyal customers.
Specifications
Blade Length: 3.58" (91 mm)
Closed Length: 4.67" (119 mm)
Overall Length: 8.25" (210 mm)
Cutting Edge: 3.12" (79 mm)
Blade Thickness: 0.145" (3.7 mm)
Blade Material: CPM-MagnaCut Stainless Steel
Blade Style: Spear Point
Blade Grind: Full-Flat
Blade Finish: Black DLC
Blade Edge: Plain
Handle Material: G10
Handle Color: Black
Locking Mechanism: Compression
Pocket Clip: Tip-Up/Down, Right/Left Carry
Model Number: C229GMCBKP
Model Name: Shaman Salt Black G10
Weight: 5.19 oz. (147 g)
Designer: Sal Glesser
Made in the USA
In simple terms, the Shaman's hand-filling, no-nonsense design is Spyderco's best-selling Native model—on steroids. Originally released in 1997, the Native blazed a trail as an affordable, extremely ergonomic, lightweight folder. It was also instrumental in introducing Spyderco's patented reversible pocket clip, which was a revolutionary feature for its time. Although stainless steel and carbon fiber versions were briefly produced in Japan, the Native Lightweight distinguished itself as a flagship of Spyderco's American-made product line, offering superior quality and made-in-USA craftsmanship at an extremely affordable price.
In the years since then, the Native has steadily evolved through five generations and spawned a wide range of variations, including a number of models specifically geared toward the needs of military, law enforcement, and tactical users. With countless thousands of Natives in daily use around the globe, it's not surprising that Spyderco gets a lot of feedback from their owners. And one of the most common requests they get—especially from duty-bound end users—is for a larger, beefier expression of the same basic design. The Shaman is Spyderco's response to that demand.
At 8.25-inches overall, the Shaman is about 20 percent larger than the Native, making it ideal for folks with larger hands and those who need or prefer a bigger blade. Its design offers the same refined ergonomics and proven qualities of the Native, as well as a few significant differences.
CPM-MagnaCut steel is one of the hottest blade materials in the knife world. Although Spyderco explored its history and remarkable qualities at length in previous editions of the byte, in case you missed them, here's a quick overview: MagnaCut was conceived by Larrin Thomas, a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering and son of renowned Damascus steel maker Devin Thomas. Developed specifically for use in the cutlery industry, its finely balanced alloy composition challenges the logic of conventional stainless steel chemistry by reducing the amount of chromium in the steel to a precise range. At the same time, the addition of vanadium and niobium promotes the formation of carbides that achieve a superior balance of wear resistance and toughness. This prevents the formation of chromium carbides and leaves the steel's chromium “in solution” to provide exceptional corrosion resistance. The result is a material that offers an incredible fusion of all the most desirable properties of a blade steel.
Although MagnaCut's impressive corrosion resistance does not quite match that of Spyderco's other ultra-corrosion-resistant steels—LC200N and H-2—based on their rigorous in-house testing, they determined it was worthy of inclusion in their Salt Series. In the process, they also launched the current knife-industry trend to showcase MagnaCut in knives specifically designed for use in and around the water.
Although the Shaman's handle shape and ergonomics follow the spirit of the Native, its handle construction and lock mechanism are distinctly different. The handle's scales are 3D machined from G10, thoughtfully contoured to provide a comfortable, secure grip, and feature Spyderco's signature Caribbean Bi-Directional Texture pattern. Skeletonized stainless steel liners nested within the scales reinforce the handle's structural strength and form the basis of the knife's patented Compression Lock. This high-strength mechanism is located in the spine of the handle, where it contacts the web of the thumb during normal use and is well protected from accidental release. Its location also allows the blade to be closed safely and easily with one hand without placing your fingers in the path of the edge. To ensure convenient carry and keep the knife poised for immediate access, the handle includes a four-position pocket clip that offers a choice of left or right-side, tip-up or tip-down carry.
The Shaman Salt is a powerhouse cutting tool that is deeply rooted in the success of one of Spyderco's most iconic designs and the feedback of their loyal customers.
Specifications
Blade Length: 3.58" (91 mm)
Closed Length: 4.67" (119 mm)
Overall Length: 8.25" (210 mm)
Cutting Edge: 3.12" (79 mm)
Blade Thickness: 0.145" (3.7 mm)
Blade Material: CPM-MagnaCut Stainless Steel
Blade Style: Spear Point
Blade Grind: Full-Flat
Blade Finish: Black DLC
Blade Edge: Plain
Handle Material: G10
Handle Color: Black
Locking Mechanism: Compression
Pocket Clip: Tip-Up/Down, Right/Left Carry
Model Number: C229GMCBKP
Model Name: Shaman Salt Black G10
Weight: 5.19 oz. (147 g)
Designer: Sal Glesser
Made in the USA
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