Spyderco for EDC

A

Avik0

Joined
Jan 18, 2010
Messages
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I have a Spyderco Endura 4 that I have purchased 2 months ago and wow I dont have anything bad to say about this knife. Its a great knife but the profile is to large and heavy to be an EDC. I was looking to purchase my second EDC. My first being a leatherman that I received a year ago from a close friend. The metal is not great and it is a liner lock which is not secure.

I am considering 3 different options all under the $60 (CDN) price tag.
Spyderco

Dragon Fly with stainless steel handle - because I hear a lot of negative reviews about that clip where the stainless steel handle comes with the standard clip that i have on my Endura 4.

Cat - this nice is really cheap but its a liner lock and has a cheap g10 texture from what i have been reading.

Delica 4 - only issue with this knife is, well is the profile to large for an edc?

anyone thoughts opinions?
 
The delica is tiny, really, there shouldn't be a problem with that for EDC. If you really want something small, I'd go with the Cat. It's really nice.

Nice to see another Canadian around :).
 
Avik0 said:
I have a Spyderco Endura 4 that I have purchased 2 months ago and wow I dont have anything bad to say about this knife. Its a great knife but the profile is to large and heavy to be an EDC. I was looking to purchase my second EDC. My first being a leatherman that I received a year ago from a close friend. The metal is not great and it is a liner lock which is not secure.

I am considering 3 different options all under the $60 (CDN) price tag.
Spyderco

Dragon Fly with stainless steel handle - because I hear a lot of negative reviews about that clip where the stainless steel handle comes with the standard clip that i have on my Endura 4.

Cat - this nice is really cheap but its a liner lock and has a cheap g10 texture from what i have been reading.

Delica 4 - only issue with this knife is, well is the profile to large for an edc?

anyone thoughts opinions?
Click to expand...

A Delica isn't big at all unless you just want a super small knife. The Cat has carbon fiber so I don't know what you mean by 'cheap G10 texture.' G10 is a great material and is put on a lot of higher end knives. I'm pretty sure the Cat comes with smooth carbon fiber.
 
Delica is a great size for edc. I down sized to that after my first Endura 4 and Spyderco.

D4 is super light and slim...oh and sharp and easy to sharpen!
 
You"re confusing the FRN handle material on many cheaper Spydercos with G10. The Delica G10 is a more upmarket variant. The Cat has Carbon fiber which is a pretty luxurious material!
Anyway the Delica is a great workhorse.
I do have an alternative to consider though: the Spyderco Centofante 3. It looks more elegant, and it has a thinner blade which allows for great slicing.
I don't have a Cat so I can't really comment on it. It's probably more than ok!
 
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I would recommend the new full flat ground Delica 4. It's still at the $60 price point and offers a better grind which enables better slicing ability. You really can't beat the quality for the price.
 
I didn't set out to nor mean to give an antagonistic, contradictory opinion, so please accept my post as my personal experience - take it for what it cost (nothing)!!!

I have an older Delica that's been my EDC for close to 12 years. It has a mostly serrated edge blade - not good and i'll never buy one like this again. I bought it to carry when climbing/mountaineering to remove old, tatty (dangerously weak) runners and serve double-duty as an EDC when i started out in law enforcement.

OK, onto the knife. It's been decent overall, but if i were shopping again, i'd choose something different. I love the ergonomics, wicked fast one-hand opening and overall ease of use. The size really is about perfect for an EDC and i love it's light weight. The edge holds up reasonably well (says 'ATS-55' on the blade), but nothing spectacular.

What i really don't like and is potentially dangerous (i've nearly cut myself multiple times) and ultimately causing me to look around is it's poorly secured lock-up and release. It's come unlocked under use a couple times and i simply don't feel confident using it hard ever again. This has happened when cutting through climbing ropes (i learned to cut one strand at a time), for some stabbing applications (like when opening cans), and when cutting some hard to cut material (leather, etc).

It's still my EDC (i've been too cheap/lazy to fund/find another), but i'll go another route soon. I need something i'm *certain* won't unlock, but still has the other great qualities of the Delica.

Maybe others' use/experience is different than mine, but i won't go the Delica route again.
 
I love the variability you see posted here. I can not carry (or comfortably use) anything smaller than the Endura 4.

What aspect of the Delica do you think is too large? If it is the thickness of the blade (spine to edge) perhaps the appearance of the waved Delica will be more to your preference? I find that the removal of the material for a wave results in a MUCH smaller looking knife (even though the length does not change).

Probably sounds like a silly suggestion, but if you have not looked into one, may be it is worth a look. The wave is not just a tactical thing IMO. I find that I can deploy a waved knife very slowly and controlled if I like.
 
Personally, I like something smaller than the Delica for edc. I generally prefer something the size of the Rookie or smaller. It is 3.7" closed, and that is a perfect size. The blade is actually slightly longer than the Delica's.
But - the increased cost of the Rookie's compact size puts it over your limit.
 
I really dont understand the logic behind a knife for edc that doesnt have

a Handle Big Enough For You Hand:confused:

There are Lots of bigger knives that would be Much More Versatile.;)
 
fmajor007 said:
I didn't set out to nor mean to give an antagonistic, contradictory opinion, so please accept my post as my personal experience - take it for what it cost (nothing)!!!

I have an older Delica that's been my EDC for close to 12 years. It has a mostly serrated edge blade - not good and i'll never buy one like this again. I bought it to carry when climbing/mountaineering to remove old, tatty (dangerously weak) runners and serve double-duty as an EDC when i started out in law enforcement.

OK, onto the knife. It's been decent overall, but if i were shopping again, i'd choose something different. I love the ergonomics, wicked fast one-hand opening and overall ease of use. The size really is about perfect for an EDC and i love it's light weight. The edge holds up reasonably well (says 'ATS-55' on the blade), but nothing spectacular.

What i really don't like and is potentially dangerous (i've nearly cut myself multiple times) and ultimately causing me to look around is it's poorly secured lock-up and release. It's come unlocked under use a couple times and i simply don't feel confident using it hard ever again. This has happened when cutting through climbing ropes (i learned to cut one strand at a time), for some stabbing applications (like when opening cans), and when cutting some hard to cut material (leather, etc).

It's still my EDC (i've been too cheap/lazy to fund/find another), but i'll go another route soon. I need something i'm *certain* won't unlock, but still has the other great qualities of the Delica.

Maybe others' use/experience is different than mine, but i won't go the Delica route again.
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Well it sounds like that little knife has been to hell and back and performed it's duty for most of the 12 years. Sounds like you got your $50 worth.

I would suggest getting something with a different lock. Back locks are not known to take abuse well and then live a long life. I would suggest a knife with an AXIS lock. It is arguably the best engineered lock to be put on a knife. If you want something the same size and price range as the delica check out the Benchmade mini griptilian. If you would like an upgraded handle then the small Bone Collector is worth a look.
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
Well it sounds like that little knife has been to hell and back and performed it's duty for most of the 12 years. Sounds like you got your $50 worth.

I would suggest getting something with a different lock. Back locks are not known to take abuse well and then live a long life. I would suggest a knife with an AXIS lock. It is arguably the best engineered lock to be put on a knife. If you want something the same size and price range as the delica check out the Benchmade mini griptilian. If you would like an upgraded handle then the small Bone Collector is worth a look.
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I disagree. I think he needs a pry bar and/or can opener to open cans. Come on, a knife isn't designed for that.

If he's worried about lock up, he should really invest in a small fixed blade.
 
I love the Delicas I think they are a bit small for me.
Endura FFG is near perfect for me.

I can do the small jobs with a big knife, but trying to do the big jobs with a small knife is much different.
 
Thank you all, but I stumbled on another knife that is similar priced to the delica 4 and caught my attention.

The spyderco centofante 3, this knife is light and looks like it can also pass for a gentlemen's knife.

Does anyone own this knife? Any Thoughts?

Also the reason that I am looking for the knife to be a smaller profile is because I live in Toronto which is an Urban City. Thats why I use my Endura 4 when i go hiking or camping , which if I go camping i also bring my fixed blade as well which is a D2 steel.

If Anyone has had the spyderco centofante 3 please give me a review NuthinFancy gives it a great review online
 
Avik0 said:
I am considering 3 different options all under the $60 (CDN) price tag.
Click to expand...
I think these are all great knives, and well suited for EDC. It really comes down to which looks better to you and/or which size meets you needs better. The Delica is probably my favorite EDC knife and one of them has been a frequent resident of my pocket for years. I find it a perfect size for EDC. Large enough for most jobs and with a good sized handle for a secure grip. Rugged enough for occasional tough jobs but not too heavy to be a bother in the pocket all day.

Avik0 said:
The spyderco centofante 3, this knife is light and looks like it can also pass for a gentlemen's knife.
Click to expand...
I don't have a C3 but I do have the Centrofante 4 (similar knife with a Wharncliffe blade). Its a nice knife, a bit lighter than the Delica. Not really sure its any more "gentlemanly" than the Delica, though.
 
Anyone has had the spyderco centofante 3 please give me a review NuthinFancy gives it a great review online
Click to expand...

The Centofante 3 is splendid, I recommended it earlier in this thread. I prefer it over the Delica as I like thinner blades, but that's a matter of taste, it also looks posh.
I actually made a review video about it - you'll see that mine has a few rust spots but that is not typical (it was carried in humid seaside air and I didn't check it for 2 days) and it should not deter you. Check my video #28 on my video reviews list page.
 
arty said:
Personally, I like something smaller than the Delica for edc. I generally prefer something the size of the Rookie or smaller. It is 3.7" closed, and that is a perfect size. The blade is actually slightly longer than the Delica's.
But - the increased cost of the Rookie's compact size puts it over your limit.
Click to expand...
Yes, the Rookie gives you a blade that has practically the same length as the Delica, but in a smaller package. It's a great EDC small knife that I carry often. I think it's way under-rated.
 
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