My New FRN Delica

K

kyoung05

Joined
Oct 24, 2003
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29
Just recently I somewhat broke my mini-AFCK (see thread in general blade forum), and wanted a "beater" replacement knife while I sent it in to Benchmade to get it repaired. Since it was going to be a beater, I didn't want to spend too much, and wanted something smallish but still good quality. I looked at Kershaws, but the lower grade steels and some negative experiences turned me off from them. The lower-grade Benchmades didn't seem to spark my interest much, so I took a look at Spydercos. After about a days worth of research, I decided the Delica with VG10 blade would meet my needs. I wasn't particularly care for the looks of them (to me, Benchmades look better), but they seemed very utilitarian, and to me, that adds a certain charm (kind of like Glocks). Anyways, I wasn't expecting much, since it was only $40, and thought my mini-afck would be superior in every way because of the higher price tag and better steel (154cm). Well, I recieved the knife today, and...WOW. I am kind of blown away by this little knife, even after all of the positive reviews I read about it. Seriously, I thought my mini-afck was sharp, it even shaved hair albeit with some effort, but man, it simply pales in comparison to this sypdie. I mean, it's like night and day. Granted, I bought my benchmade used and the edge probably had been used when I got it, and although I paid some guy at a gun shop to sharpen it for me on his Sharpmaker which I thought made it really sharp, he must have mucked it up or put a wire edge on it since it seemed to dull really fast. Now, while I'm sure the benchmade can be made as sharp as the spydie, it isn't now, nor has it ever been. I mean seriously, it showed me the meaning of "hair-popping" sharp. Now, as for the rest of the knife, while the handle isn't as bulky, it serves its purpose well, and the lockup is really good. It doesn't feel as weighty or as bulky as my benchmade, but that isn't a bad thing. This thing is so well made that I would basically say it's just as good a knife as the mini-afck, just different. In fact, it doesn't seem to be lacking in anything. Only thing is, I was able to flip open my benchmade from a completely closed position with a flick of the wrist, something I am unable to do with my spydie, be it because the blade isn't as heavy or because it hasn't been broken in as much. Opening with the hole though, much more feasible and easily done on the spydie...I swear, the hole on the benchmade is almost entirely for aesthetic appeal since it serves almost no function, to me anyways. Also, the spydie is much more lightweight, making it easier to carry around. The spydie is also tip-up carry, which is a bit of a change, but that would allow me to do the "zip-tie wave trick", which I am eager to try. As for the looks, even that is starting to grow on me. I am just really impressed with this knife, and it certainly won't be my last spydie. In fact, I am thinking of ordering up a calypso jr. and a karambit in the next week or two, along with a sharpmaker. Now, this isn't to say that I'll not buy anymore Benchmades, on the contrary my girlfriend is going to get me a 630 for Christmas which I am readily expecting, but it's nice to know that you don't need to spend a lot of money for a high-quality knife.
 
Uhhhhhhhhh one quick point the steel in the Delica VG10 is probably considered a superior steel to 154CM.

The spydercos are pretty wel known as coming very sharp from the box. I have a few Spydercos and a few Benchmades. I like the knives from each. The Benchmades have been hit and miss on sharpness some are shaving shapr from the box and others have not been close.
 
Welcome Kyoung05! Both BM and Spyderco make great knives but FRN spydies are hard to beat for value. Spydies are sharpest out of the box too. I think VG10 is more comparable to 154cm than you indicate. I have to sharpen my Ares more often than EDC spydies. If you plan to use the Karambit, I would however look elsewhere. I have one for my collection but IMO, ergonomics are poor. There is a thread about it here somewhere. The Caly Jr though is supposed to be a gem -- I have two on the way to my door. Fortunately Spyderco makes lots of better knives than the Karambit for about the same price or less. Look at the Kiwi, Dodo, Military, Stretch, Persian, etc. A new model, the Kopa will be out soon too. Pics elsewhere on this site. Looks like blade geometry similar to Caly but in a fancier package. Price on the Kopa will start out a little high but will drift down a little I think. Enjoy your Delica!
 
Hi KYoung05, Welcome to the Spyderco forum.

Congrats on your new Delica, thanx for the support and kind words.

FYI, VG-10 tested better than 154CM in edge retention, corrosion resistance and toughness. 154CM takes a nicer polish (VG-10 has a sort of "mottled" finish). 154CM is more cost effective.

I think you will find the knife will grow on you and perform reliably.

sal
 
If you are considering the Calypso Jr. I will reinforce your choice. I love my Calypso Jr. so much. I like the overall color scheme and clip. It is super light, small enough to not scare too many of my co-workers, but best of all it is the best slicer I've seen. The finger coil helps a lot. You talked about "flipping" it open, I can flip my Calypso Jr. pretty easy, but I can also flip my Delica easy. I think you just need to break it in some, maybe give it a warm bath and oil it some. Hope that helps in decision making ;)
 
Sorry about the long post. Sometimes I just write away with little regard to how it will look to everyone else. Also, it is hard to gauge just how long a paragraph will be before posting it. I will use sentance breaks in the future.

As for VG-10 being a better steel than 154cm, that is news to me. Not that I don't believe it, I wholeheartedly do, but it is surprising nonetheless. I am even more impressed by the Spydie if they can use better quality steel and keep the price at less than 1/2.

Also, I am very impressed with the company. It is not everyday that the CEO or president of a company personally thanks you for the support of their product. Thanks Sal, and I definitely will be buying more Spydies in the future.

I will try and "break-in" my Delica a little more be flicking it and giving it some lube. There is nothing wrong with it out of the box, but rather just something I need to get used to.

As for the Karambit having bad ergos, I read a post earlier about the differences between the Spydie Karambit and something like an Emerson combat Karambit. It seems the Spydie one is ONLY meant to be used in reverse grip, staying true to the purpose built fighting style it is meant for, versus the Emerson one with its finger grips which is more general purpose. If I were to get it, I would only be using it in reverse grip as well, and I wouldn't fault it for not being as comfy in a position it wasn't meant to be used in. I will try and look into it further, but as of now, it is sitll on my list of "must-haves". In fact, the Gunting may also make the list. :)
 
On their bread and butter line, spyderco does NOT cheap on their blade steel. Even their AUS 6 and 8 are heat treated to their prime. The handle may seem flimsy, but it'll hold up. =]
 
Have fun with your delica. I know you will like it a lot. That said, if you move up the price range, you are going to be even more impressed.

I understand what you mean with the "Glock factor", it is just the plain beauty of design following function. No frills :D

btw I am happy someone besides hotwriter read my post on the karambit and got the message :D

Ookami
 
Thanks for the advice guys and recommendations on the different models I should check out. I like to mix things up a bit and didn't want to get too many styles that were similiar to eachother, so I thought something like a Karambit would be a cool style to own, as well as perhaps a Gunting or a Chinook, although I guess my BM 630 could serve the role as a "big" folder. The Calypso jr. seems too good to pass up though, and I'll probably get it even though it would serve a similar funciton to the Delica.

Anyone have experiences with Spyderco's fixed blades? I'll see if I can dig up some reviews on them using the search function also. I've always wanted a nice fixed blade, and I was considering something like a Kabar but it seems too "blah" to me. Although I don't doubt it usefulnesss, I think something from Spyderco would be at least, if not more, impressive. The Perrin and Temprance seem to fill the role of defensive knife quite nicely due to the blade size.

What about recommendations for a small folder? I was looking at the Cricket, but it seems like it'd be hard to hold onto and that "S" shaped blade seems like it'd present a challene to sharpen, seeing as how I've never sharpened anything before (I plan on picking up a Sharpmaker along with the ultra find stones sometime real soon). It just seems like the perfect little knife to stick in some shorts when carrying anything bigger would be a hassle. I sometimes wear shorts without any pockets, and find clipping a knife around 4" closed into my waistband is uncomfortable because the end digs into my body. The Dodo looks cool too, but the handle seems kind of big for the blade, so I don't know if I'd really pick carrying that over something like the Delica. Although, the "little-big" knife is intriguing....kind of like the "Reno" of knives. The Lil-Temprance seems to fit that category too.

Man, I am really getting a kick out of these things. I am hooked! Now I need to work on getting good at sharpening these things so that I can have a scary sharp edge on everything I own. This is the first time I've looked at knife collecting as owning what I want versus owning just what I meed. Like someone said earlier, these things are akin to artwork in a sense.
 
Meerkat is heavy for size (FRN scales on SS liners) but can be had for $25 shipped on Ebay. It is AUS-6 and has a fun/unique lock. A sleeper bargain.

Kiwi is an awesome and ergonomic little knife with a wharncliff VG-10 blade but no clip. The bone-handled model fills the hand a little better than the SS does IMO.

I like the Perrin over the Temperance but they are both knice. The SPOT is a sweet little FB neck knife.


BTW, Ookami, I too read your post and got the message too. I just think the Karambit is not for me a practical user. I love every Spycerco I lay my hands on but this one was different. It does not seem to be well designed or executed IMO. I have neither the need nor the patience to make it useful to me. It is a unique Spydie that I like to have in my collection
 
kyoung05,
for a small knife consider the salsa. Wide handle and blade. Short blade to accomidate many length limits. Alum. or Ti (my version) scales. And don't forget the wire clip. a low profile blade in an office environment. Many are discontinued in '05.
Welcome to the forum.
Chris
 
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