Has anyone ever DISLIKED their Delica?

I've got a G2 stainless endura that's been used pretty hard, it's ~10 years old or so, don't remember it's been so long. It's not bad, but mine was 50/50 combo edge, and my serrations had a tendency to bend at the tips if I was cutting through thick plastic sheeting or sawing through a small branch while pruning trees. Basically not the worlds best performing steel. The tip bends readily (yes I used it to pry something once with the tip, don't remember what it was though, it wasn't anything that hard, I think it was one of those heavy duty staples on a cardboard box), it bent back just fine, but I've never had that happen with any of my other folders (spydercos inlcluded) that have even thinner tips.
 
Never owned a Delica, but I've played with several. Coincidentally, or perhaps not, all had broken tips. I'm nicer on my knives than these people were, but seeing so many with broken tips was a bit disconcerting, so I never got one. I do love my Pacific Salt and Rescue 93mm, which are similar.

There are some things that I'd like to see done to make it "better", but this would also make it more expensive.
 
I have trouble opening my Delica one handed, just a little small for me to manipulate with arthritic fingers.
Gene
 
The beauty and success of the delica is it has wide spread appeal. Everyone can use this knife. It is nice enough for us knife knuts, and cheap enough for big market mass retailers to sell. It is hard to think of another knife that is as good for the money. When you factor materials and fit/finish, there aren't many that make as good of a product.

When we all want to see changes made to the delica, it is because we are outgrowing it in terms of "quality" taste.

If all delicas were G10, ZDP189, etc, the general public wouldn't touch a $120 knife.

IMHO of course.

Robb
 
I just purchased my FRN Delica/VG-10 last weekend and not had a chance to use it a whole bunch, but so far, appears to be a great value :D One of the sharpest NIB I've purchased. I've never really looked at Spyderco that closely, but now......... :)

- gord
 
Jeez, I'm learning more and more.

Are you all saying that the Delica had a plastic CLIP?

Mine is steel. I don't use it as I don't care for clips on many knives, but maybe I should have restated this thread to include only NEW Delicas.

The clip used to be plastic?????

I started with a Native III but my arthritis wouldn't handle the angle where the Delica is a pure pleasure to open and use. The Native ...felt...better AFTER it was open, but now the thinness of the Delica has it in my pocket as my only EDC.

C'mon.....the clip wasn't PLASTIC was it?

:eek:
 
Lavan said:
Jeez, I'm learning more and more.

Are you all saying that the Delica had a plastic CLIP?

Mine is steel. I don't use it as I don't care for clips on many knives, but maybe I should have restated this thread to include only NEW Delicas.

The clip used to be plastic?????

I started with a Native III but my arthritis wouldn't handle the angle where the Delica is a pure pleasure to open and use. The Native ...felt...better AFTER it was open, but now the thinness of the Delica has it in my pocket as my only EDC.

C'mon.....the clip wasn't PLASTIC was it?

:eek:
Click to expand...

Yep! The clip used to be plastic! Just kinda molded into the handle. Mine Delica is the old one with the plastic clip.
Gene
:D
 
I like mine -- it's good for bicycling because it's small and light.

Having said that, Spyderco has other designs I like a lot better. And in general, I'm willing to carry something larger and heavier for an EDC.
 
I've nothing but respect for Sal and Spyderco, but I've yet to find a Spyderco that I'm willing to carry for more than a day or two, including the Delica. I've had maybe six or seven different models and not a single one them has inspired enough confidence in them for me to use them to any great extent, even as a beater. If someone asked me about recommending a Spyderco, I'd tell them to handle one and if they liked it, I'd definitely tell them to go for it as Spyderco does make a quality knife and they do back it up. But for me, they just don't fill any of my knife needs.
 
I bought one of the first Delicas with plastic clip and fully serrated blade to try out serrations, I carried it for a while and did not like it, I took it to a carborundum hone and some elbow grease and made it a plain edge, then I really liked it.

I lost that one and don't carry knives clipped on pants pocket since, I replaced it with a new one FRN VG10 plain blade which I think is even better.

Luis
 
ive used and carried the delica in the past. Personally? i preferred the FRN clip and heres my thoughts. It doesnt tear up your pockets and it provides a bit more beef to the handle as well. Given, the problems with it breaking and tension that cant be adjusted as the drawbacks. Also, there seemed to be less play in the lock with the G-2 steel models. The new models seem to have a lot more up down play which in lockbacks, i just dont like. i like my pika much better. much stiffer lock.
 
My first Spyderco knife was a Delica, back in the plastic clip days, when the combo edge was more like 60%, not 50%. It had a little blade wobble, so I did an ugly job of tightening it up by pounding the pivot with a punch and a hammer. (Trust me, it was plenty tight after that! LOL!)

Only lately have I come to really demand that any knife worth me liking has to have a handle that I can disassemble and adjust/tighten if need be. I don't like a riveted knife that is always gonna be the way it came from the factory like-it-or-not, for-better-or-worse. So the numerous Delicas I accumulated over about a decade are kinda unused lately. Not that they're not great users, I just don't prefer them now anymore.

Also, on Delicas that are not combo edged, I do not like the way the edge bevel goes all the way to the tang. I much prefer a crescent cutout like many Benchmade knives have. I went so far as to Dremel-out such a cutout on my ParaMilitary. NOW it's a great knife! :p

I forgot what the term is for that cutout... I asked about it in another thread some months ago... Anyone refresh my memory?

-Jeffrey
 
gordonk said:
I just purchased my FRN Delica/VG-10 last weekend and not had a chance to use it a whole bunch, but so far, appears to be a great value :D One of the sharpest NIB I've purchased. I've never really looked at Spyderco that closely, but now......... :)

- gord
Click to expand...

If you want NIB sharp... check out the Bill Moran fixed blade Spyderco!

Mine is without question the sharpest NIB knife I've ever bought. The thing has a feel like a straight-edged disposable razor, it's that sharp! I guess it owes that to having a very narrow edge bevel angle, and VG-10 stainless steel.

-Jeffrey
 
yoda4561 said:
The word for the cutout is "choil".
Click to expand...

Thank you, that seems to be the one I remember.

I guess there are choils that are big enough for fingers to safely reside in, and choils that are just that little cutout portion of blade edge that make sharpening easier.

Yes, I don't like that the plain edge Delicas have no choil. Same with the p.e. ParaMilitary. Since my Military is a combo edge, I don't know what the p.e. would be like. I suspect it would be another knife I'd have to use my Dremel to make a choil on...

-Jeffrey
 
frank k said:
Nope, but I do like the Calypso Jr. better :D
Click to expand...


I agree! I love my Calypso Jr VG-10.

The only thing I didn't like about my first Delica was the plastic pocket clip, but that problem was fixed. The Delica is a great little knife, and my wife loves hers. When the Delica is released in VG10, I will have to have one.
 
Hi All-

Back in 1994 a Spyderco Delica was my first "real" one-handed knife. It had the molded FRN grips and clip along with a half-serrated blade. The knife went everywhere with me until it was stolen by cabin staff on a Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines ship.

While I've since upgraded to better knives, that knife still has a special place in my heart because it is what got me to where I am today. In its pricepoint, it is still a spectacular model. Everyone should own a Delica or two at some point in their knife collecting life.

~ Blue Jays ~
 
Only the damned FRN clips on both the Delica and the Endura. I lost 2-3 Delicas as result of those damned thingsa.
 
If I could do it over again, I would not have spent the money on my FRN Delica. Not that there is anything wrong with it, just seems a little pricey for what you get and the blade sharpness is nothing special. Although it's more expensive, I thing a mini-griptilian is more knife for the money.
 
FullerH said:
Only the damned FRN clips on both the Delica and the Endura. I lost 2-3 Delicas as result of those damned thingsa.
Click to expand...

My memory may be faulty -
wasn't the plastic called "Zytel" back then?

I know it definitely was not called "FRN" then
(is it the same material?)

DelicaBkCls.jpg


--
Vincent

http://UnknownVT2005.cjb.net
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net
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