I got one of those "same as Spyderco" type knives that look like a FRN Delica. The one I had was CE. It actually looked pretty good and in the morning before work, I thought to myself that it could pretty much do the same thing as a CE Delica. A Delica is not a brute of a blade so I fooled myself into think that it was less knife than it really is.
Here is what happened. I used the El Cheapo Delica look-a-like on a few items at work like cable ties and opening boxes. It wasn't as sharp as a real Delica but for $2.00 I was kind of happy. I thought, if I lose it it is no big deal and at least I am not paying $40 for it. Well, I needee to cut a hole in a piece drywall. I knew it was not a Sebenza so I decided to take it easy. I started just scoring the drywall to cut through the paper and then I was going to cut through the main part of the drywall once I was through the paper covering. It didn't make it that far. The blade actually snapped compleatly off the handle and the lock and other parts just crumbled into my hand.
I had to laugh. I have many Spydercos and Benchmades and some custom knives to choose from but for work I used to use cheap knives. I have started using my good knives for work because that is where I use my knives the most and that is where I can really tell which knives are best.
The point of the story is, even though a Delica looks like a cheap knife, it is actually very well made. The cheap knives would cost you more than a Delica if you had to replace them every time they broke. At $2.00 each, and only lasting about half a day, you would be spending the same as if you bought a new Delica every month!
People alway talk about how such and such a knife is not worth the money because there is another knife that is almost as good for half the price. I normally agree with them. It depends on what we are talking about though. I think a Sebenza is not worth the money because a Manix or a Para will do just about every as well or better than a Sebenza at about 1/3 the cost. The Delica cost 20 times as much as the cheap knock off but the funny thing is, it is actually worth it. The Delica is at least 20 times more knife than those made in China knock offs and it is actually a good deal.
I have no particular love of the Delica, I like my Calypso Jr. better than the Delica but most Spydercos even the ones that look cheap like the FRN handle models are actually good bargins. Spyderco is one of those companies that make good knives at good prices from their low range up to their high range. Most makers have a dead zone where either the quality goes down or the price goes up to the point where you should avoid certain knives but Spyderco delivers good quality at good prices across the board.
Very few of Spyderco knives are the best out there. They are mostly priced to give you the best knife for the dollar but that is the great thing about Spyderco. You never really go wrong with a Spyderco because you tend to get great steal and a great design along with a good grind and blade geometry. Most Spydercos will cut just as well as the most expensive knives in the class but you don't get all the other features. You got to give something up to make a product that retail so little. Most Spydercos are $50-$100 and at that price they deliver on cutting ability.
Here is what happened. I used the El Cheapo Delica look-a-like on a few items at work like cable ties and opening boxes. It wasn't as sharp as a real Delica but for $2.00 I was kind of happy. I thought, if I lose it it is no big deal and at least I am not paying $40 for it. Well, I needee to cut a hole in a piece drywall. I knew it was not a Sebenza so I decided to take it easy. I started just scoring the drywall to cut through the paper and then I was going to cut through the main part of the drywall once I was through the paper covering. It didn't make it that far. The blade actually snapped compleatly off the handle and the lock and other parts just crumbled into my hand.
I had to laugh. I have many Spydercos and Benchmades and some custom knives to choose from but for work I used to use cheap knives. I have started using my good knives for work because that is where I use my knives the most and that is where I can really tell which knives are best.
The point of the story is, even though a Delica looks like a cheap knife, it is actually very well made. The cheap knives would cost you more than a Delica if you had to replace them every time they broke. At $2.00 each, and only lasting about half a day, you would be spending the same as if you bought a new Delica every month!
People alway talk about how such and such a knife is not worth the money because there is another knife that is almost as good for half the price. I normally agree with them. It depends on what we are talking about though. I think a Sebenza is not worth the money because a Manix or a Para will do just about every as well or better than a Sebenza at about 1/3 the cost. The Delica cost 20 times as much as the cheap knock off but the funny thing is, it is actually worth it. The Delica is at least 20 times more knife than those made in China knock offs and it is actually a good deal.
I have no particular love of the Delica, I like my Calypso Jr. better than the Delica but most Spydercos even the ones that look cheap like the FRN handle models are actually good bargins. Spyderco is one of those companies that make good knives at good prices from their low range up to their high range. Most makers have a dead zone where either the quality goes down or the price goes up to the point where you should avoid certain knives but Spyderco delivers good quality at good prices across the board.
Very few of Spyderco knives are the best out there. They are mostly priced to give you the best knife for the dollar but that is the great thing about Spyderco. You never really go wrong with a Spyderco because you tend to get great steal and a great design along with a good grind and blade geometry. Most Spydercos will cut just as well as the most expensive knives in the class but you don't get all the other features. You got to give something up to make a product that retail so little. Most Spydercos are $50-$100 and at that price they deliver on cutting ability.
