Kershaw Dividend vs Spyderco Native 5

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emjay

Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Messages
171
Good day all.

Can't decide on which one to get. The dimensions, opening and locking method of the Kershaw Dividend is more my preference for an EDC knife, and theoretically has better edge retention steel compared to the Native (CPM-20CV for the Dividend vs S30V for the Native), but I've heard of hit and miss heat treatment with Kershaw. I'm looking at upgrading from my 14C28N Ruike, which has been a fantastic knife and the steel has been tough and can get frighteningly sharp with ease, but I'm just tired of having to touch it up so often. So I want a noticeable upgrade in edge retention. I have a Lansky diamond sharpening system, so I am able to deal with harder steels. Daily chores for me are cutting open blister packs, cutting open and breaking down cardboard boxes, minor food prep, cutting zip ties, etc. Standard daily random cutting tasks.

Which knife of the two is of better quality? (Heat treatment, materials, durability)
 


Both have their pluses and minuses. I like the holding ability of the Spyderco and the flat grind, but I could live with the steel on either.
 
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The native is one of my favorite all time EDC. I recommend it to anyone wanting a quality folder. Lots of variety of blade steel out there and spyderco has great HT

No disrespect to kershaw but I think Spyderco is a step up in every regard. (Including resale if it’s not for you)
 
Sagandavis said:
The native is one of my favorite all time EDC. I recommend it to anyone wanting a quality folder. Lots of variety of blade steel out there and spyderco has great HT

No disrespect to kershaw but I think Spyderco is a step up in every regard. (Including resale if it’s not for you)
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Agree. s30v will be a fine steel.
 
I'm also in for the Native. But I'd prob go with S35vn unless you get a good deal on s30v. I just like the S35vn a bit better.
 
Native 5 in S30V has been my daily carry since I got it.
I wasn't sure about the backlock at first, but have had no issues adjusting. I just used my lansky turnbox to touch it up over the weekend, just a couple minutes and it was ready to go.

no experience with the Dividend
 
Heat treat on the Kershaw will be just about as good as any other. I wouldn’t factor that into your decision.
A while back they used to run their Elmax and S35VN around 59, until everyone started testing and complaining it should be a point or 2 higher. Now they list their 20CV at 60-62, and I believe the S35VN is the same, maybe 60-61. I have this chart from a while back when the M390/20CV Links and Dividends came out..
9F4BF7AE-1216-4F63-860B-9434ADBA0AA2.jpeg
 
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While flipper tabs are my preferred method, there are a few reasons to go with Spyderco here. American Spyderco knives generally get a better heat treatment. Aside from that, I've fallen out of love with both aluminum as a scale material and assisted opening. The latter made sense back when good manual actions were rare or expensive but now they're a dime a dozen.

emjay said:
Thank you all. I'll be getting the Spyderco.
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Be sure to check back and let us know how you like it!
 
Don't have a Dividend. But I have the slightly larger Kershaw Link in 20CV and I have a Native 5 in CPM S35VN, with full liners and G10.

No problems with any Kershaw heat treat. I have three US-made Kershaws with CPM alloys and have had no issues with the heat treat on any of them. Plus, the machining on all of them has been just absolutely top notch.

I prefer the ergonomics of the Link to those of the Native 5, even though I normally prefer lock backs, and assisted open is not a major draw.

The handle shape of the Link and the finish of the aluminum make it very secure in the hand. So I don't find the aluminum to be an issue. The handle of the Link is more hand filling than the flat handle of the Native. The balance is excellent and despite the fuller handle it tucks into a pocket very nicely.

I find the flat handle of the Native, combined with the finger choil make it less comfortable in the hand in use. And the choil placement is such that gripping the Native without using the choil makes the knife feel unbalanced to me.
Also, the opening hole is partially blocked by the handle. (I bought one right after they first came out, so maybe that's been fixed. But I find it annoying.)

I find the blade shape of both knives good and very easy to sharpen, but I like the blade shape of the Link a bit better.

So my Link gets carried much more frequently than my Native 5.

But they are very different knives. And YMMV.
 
knarfeng said:
Don't have a Dividend. But I have the slightly larger Kershaw Link in 20CV and I have a Native 5 in CPM S35VN, with full liners and G10.

No problems with any Kershaw heat treat. I have three US-made Kershaws with CPM alloys and have had no issues with the heat treat on any of them. Plus, the machining on all of them has been just absolutely top notch.

I prefer the ergonomics of the Link to those of the Native 5, even though I normally prefer lock backs, and assisted open is not a major draw.

The handle shape of the Link and the finish of the aluminum make it very secure in the hand. So I don't find the aluminum to be an issue. The handle of the Link is more hand filling than the flat handle of the Native. The balance is excellent and despite the fuller handle it tucks into a pocket very nicely.

I find the flat handle of the Native, combined with the finger choil make it less comfortable in the hand in use. And the choil placement is such that gripping the Native without using the choil makes the knife feel unbalanced to me.
Also, the opening hole is partially blocked by the handle. (I bought one right after they first came out, so maybe that's been fixed. But I find it annoying.)

I find the blade shape of both knives good and very easy to sharpen, but I like the blade shape of the Link a bit better.

So my Link gets carried much more frequently than my Native 5.

But they are very different knives. And YMMV.
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Thanks for the comprehensive input. I ordered the Native 5 online just before I saw your reply. Maybe if I saw it before I would've gone with the Dividend, and maybe even the Link after reading what you've said, but the Native has been ordered now, and I'm not intending on turning back. This will be my first real Spyderco. I was kindly given a Spyderco by my brother inlaw that I suspect is a fake. I've kept it though, because it has huge symbolic meaning to me. I've wanted a real Spyderco for years, but just couldn't get past how (in my opinion) overpriced they seem, until I spotted this Native 5 going for a better price than other retailers.
 
knarfeng said:
Don't have a Dividend. But I have the slightly larger Kershaw Link in 20CV...
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The Link always looked good to me. Unfortunately, it just feels weird in my hand. Something about that shape doesn't match my hand properly. I remember it coming out around the same as the Dividend and I think I only tried the Dividend because I whiffed on the Link.

Coincidentally, the Dividend retired my Leek back then and has managed to hang on ever since. It is now the only assisted knife in my EDC rotation. Unfortunately, carrying it always reminds me of why I abandoned assisted knives. :(

The main reason it has held on is that it remains my best choice for clipped shirt-pocket carry. It is relatively flat, relatively light, and the perfect length for my canvas shirt pockets. It looks like a pen with the free deep-carry loop-over I got from Kershaw. It can also be carried tip down, which is ideal for shirt-pocket carry with a flipper tab. I keep hoping to find a good manual replacement but this seems to be a rare combination.
 
All this talk of the Dividend earlier inspired me to carry it today. Yeah, I'm still cold on aluminum and assisted action but gotta love that thin blade.

Z8wLQ3t.jpg
 
emjay said:
Thanks for the comprehensive input. I ordered the Native 5 online just before I saw your reply. Maybe if I saw it before I would've gone with the Dividend, and maybe even the Link after reading what you've said, but the Native has been ordered now, and I'm not intending on turning back. This will be my first real Spyderco. I was kindly given a Spyderco by my brother inlaw that I suspect is a fake. I've kept it though, because it has huge symbolic meaning to me. I've wanted a real Spyderco for years, but just couldn't get past how (in my opinion) overpriced they seem, until I spotted this Native 5 going for a better price than other retailers.
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I'm certain you will be satisfied with it. It's a good knife.
 
Chronovore said:
The Link always looked good to me. Unfortunately, it just feels weird in my hand. Something about that shape doesn't match my hand properly.
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What fits well for one person's hand may not fit well for someone else's. I have medium sized hands, judging by glove size. If I had larger hands I think the Link would not fit. I know a lot of folks love the feel of the Native 5 in hand, but it's never felt quite right to me. So it just depends.
 
Received the Native 5 today after ordering it yesterday.

First impressions:
It's a little bit bigger than I thought, but not overly so. Came shaving sharp along the whole edge. No chips in the edge either. Factory edge grinds are pretty good. Fit and finish is good. Blade centering is perfect. Lockup is solid. No up and down play. Very smooth opening and closing. Easy to open and close one-handed. Feels quite good in the hand. I like the texturing on the FRN. Feels like it will make a good work knife.

I don't think this will be my last Spyderco.
 
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