SE delica or SE salt?

S

shnome

Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
6
Hi,

I'm not a knife nut, but I own plain and partially serrated delicas and have had good experiences using both. I was thinking about getting a gift of a SE 3" folder for someone who wouldn't necessarily wash or clean the knife after use or sharpen it for a while, but might put it through some fairly demanding cutting occasionally. Does anyone who has owned both the SE delica and SE salt have any thoughts on which is superior (or if they're about the same)? What's the difference between the vg-10 and the h1? I've left my vg-10 delicas unwashed for a while after cutting vegetables and they don't show any rust after almost a year. A bit of practical advice would be helpful :)
 
I bought the SE salt just to try out the H1. It seems to me that it does get harden after a few sharpening sessions. I also wanted a yellow handle, hence I ended up with the Salt 1 instead of D4. The D4 has liners, the salt doesn't, if it matters to you.

As for VG-10, I had a centofente 3 that a had a few small rust spots after in sat around for a few years, nothing major, just so you know that it CAN rust, but not very likely. I also have a old native that I leave in the car with CPM 440V blade that also has signs of rust. I'm hoping to see if H1 is what it hypes up to be as far as corrosion resistances go.
 
I had a Delica, just received a Salt today.

With the Delica you get a knife made with great build quality, an adjustable pivot, torx screw construction, a clip that doesn't eat jeans, and a good blade shape.

With the Salt you get none of the above, but it won't rust.
 
i have both, and for some reason i always pick the salt1 over my d4. its simpler, lighter.
 
thanks for the replies - i have one more question: are there any models of the salt without the big lettered "H1" on the side in italics? it's a bit of a turn off, i prefer nothing or the spyderco symbol.
 
Hey, I have both...tough choice. They serve different needs for me. The salt rides with me running, hiking, and biking. Anywhere it will get dirty and sweaty. D4 = EDC I think the H1 on the blade is cool looking.
 
The older models don't have the big H1 on the blade. I ordered an Atlantic salt a few eeks ago from Knifecenter.com and got the one without the big lettering. They are out there.
 
The first Salt knives had nothing on the blade (these also had regular steel clips, not the current titanium). Then later they added the model name so that it actually said 'Salt I' in small letters on the blade. Now it says the larger H-1 logo. I bet you can still find the older versions.

I have a SE Salt 1 and Delica and I love them both. SE and H-1 steel go together very well. If you want a light and maintenance-free knife the Salt is the best out there. The Delica is a little bigger and heavier and feels more solid - they are both excellent and 2 of my fav knives.
 
Nobody has really touched on the edge retention factor, just the fact that H1 won't rust. Maybe VG-10 would be a better choice for someone who won't really be sharpening the knife on a regular basis after do "demanding cutting chores."

I haven't compared the edge holding abilities of the two steels, but I have heard on this forum that H1 isn't quite as good in that regard as VG-10.
 
VG-10 would need sharpening after "demanding cutting chores" like s30v, like H1 and every other steel. VG-10 don't sharpen any easier than H1.
 
Zatx said:
I had a Delica, just received a Salt today.

With the Delica you get a knife made with great build quality, an adjustable pivot, torx screw construction, a clip that doesn't eat jeans, and a good blade shape.

With the Salt you get none of the above, but it won't rust.
Click to expand...
I have to disagree on three items in your list...

The Salt definitely has great build quality, a good blade shape (in fact I think it's superior to the Delica's), and a clip that does not eat jeans (if it's too tight you can easily adjust it...and it's titanium to boot!).

Overall, I've got to say that the Salt is better than the Delica in many respects:

It is as maintenance free as you get in a folder.
No rust ever.
Lighter in weight (liners are not really needed on a knife this small IMO).
No need to ever tighten screws or use Loc-tite (and no lost screws or stripped screws either).
It's very easy to sharpen and it gets extremely sharp.
The thumbhole is larger.
The jimping on the spine is better IMO.
And you can get it in high-visibility yellow too.
 
I too prefers rivets. These torx works themselves loose, and with loctite, you lose the ability to "adjust" anyways. Never really liked it.
 
sherlockbonez said:
VG-10 would need sharpening after "demanding cutting chores" like s30v, like H1 and every other steel. VG-10 don't sharpen any easier than H1.
Click to expand...

I wasn't talking about ease of sharpening. I was talking about edge retention and the length of time between sharpenings that the knife is likely to endure. Original poster said that his friend probably wouldn't clean or sharpen the knife on a regular basis.
 
I carry a Delica Wave and a Tasman Salt everyday. I like them both.
But if I was giving one as a gift, or knew that the knife may not be maintained regularly, Id go with H1.

charge
 
I've been carrying my SE Salt I for over 9 months now, and it is ridiculously easy to re-sharpen with the Sharpmaker.

No matter how much I use it at work, a couple of passes on the corners of the white stones gets it sharp.

However I have noticed that if it gets just a little past hair-popping sharp, I can strop it on a piece of cardboard at work and the edge comes right back. And this is after cutting up several cardboard boxes!

As far as edge retention goes, it seems to be on par with Aus-8a. But, since I like to keep a sharp edge on my knife, I never let it get completely dull.

Just my two cents.:D

Flinx
 
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