This Stout Spyderco Is Poised to Become an Ultra-Rare EDC Collector’s Grail Knife

The recent upheaval at Crucible Industries means that this knife’s blade steel is about to become a highly sought-after and scarce commodity.

Close-up of a Spyderco CPM 15V folding knife blade with a brown textured handle on a pink background.

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By Sean Tirman

Published 2 hours ago

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There are many reasons a knife might ascend to grail or collector-worthy status. Sometimes, it’s because of the designer who penned it. Others, it’s a unique combination of design elements and materials.

However, in the case of Spyderco’s Lil Native 15V Sprint Run knives — which come in a back lock or Compression Lock versions — it’s a question of twofold scarcity.

Two brown-handled Spyderco folding knives with stonewashed CPM 15V blades on a pink background, one open and one closed. — The knife comes in either a back lock or a Compression Lock version, with a few differences therein.

Crucial crucible

At the beginning of this year, there was a major upheaval in the everyday carry world. Crucible Industries — the company responsible for CPM (Crucible Powder Metallurgy) steels, like MagnaCut and numerous others — sold to Erasteel after declaring bankruptcy a few months earlier.

While Erasteel saved the brand overall, it came at a cost. For instance, the brand’s primary steel plant in Geddes, New York, was shuttered entirely in March 2025.

These knives are likely among the last the brand will ever produce with 15V steel.

This facility was the only one capable of producing 15V steel — an extremely high-end, high-vanadium-content material renowned for its exceptional edge retention. As such, this steel has since been completely discontinued.

However, Spyderco still has the material in stock and, in working through what remains, has utilized it in these two sprint run models. There’s no telling how long the brand’s stock will last, and these knives are likely among the last the brand will ever produce with 15V steel.

Two brown folding knives with textured handles and metal clips, shown closed on a pink background. — Along with the differing locks, the pocket clips are also different (and the back lock version has a lanyard hole).

Lil’ Native, two ways

While they share numerous features, these versions of the Lil’ Native also differ in some crucial ways. Let’s start with the similarities.

Both have 15V steel blades measuring 2.42 inches and featuring Spyderco’s signature Round Hole for manual deployment. That’s the banner feature — the one that will likely make these a hot commodity for EDC collectors around the world.

They also both have dark brown G-10 handle scales, as well as handles measuring 3.47 inches (the knives measure 5.89 inches overall). Overall, the knives have very similar vibes.

As for the differences, the biggest difference is that one has a back lock (the oldest “true” locking mechanism in the EDC knife world) and the other has Spyderco’s signature Compression Lock. The former also has a beefier pocket clip and a lanyard hole, while the latter has a wire pocket clip and no lanyard hole.

Whichever you choose, these knives are already rare (due to the 15V steel situation) and are likely to sell out quickly.

Close-up of a Spyderco CPM 15V stainless steel knife blade with a brown textured handle. — Both knives have a 2.42-inch 15V steel blade, which is the element that could make these collector’s knives.

Now available

Both versions of Spyderco’s Lil’ Native 15V Sprint Run knives — the back lock and Compression Lock configurations — are now available on the brand’s site for $245 and $250, respectively.

However, you can also get them both on Blade HQ for cheaper. The back lock version is $184 and the Compression Lock edition is $188.

Folding knife with stonewashed CPM 15V steel blade and textured brown handle.

Spyderco Lil’ Native Mid Back Lock Brown G-10 CPM 15V Sprint Run

$245 at Spyderco
$184 at Blade HQ

$245 (25% off)

About the Author: Sean Tirman is an associate editor at Gear Patrol who specializes in EDC, cannabis and outdoor gear.

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