ukpk vs. delica

R

REM1

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May 7, 2014
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I'm in that situation that many knife guys know too well: I need a knife, but I don't have a lot of money. I've narrowed it down to the ukpk and the delica and want to hear some opinions from people who own these knives before choosing which one to buy. If you had a budget and were slightly obsessed with the choil on your only spyderco (a spyderco stretch) which would you buy?

ukpk pros and cons:
+ very light
+ deep carry wire pocket clip
+ choil
+ $10-$15 cheaper
- BD-1
- no lock

delica pros and cons:
+ vg-10
+ has a lock
- no choil
-similar design to my other spyderco
 
Delica. Once we start working into such light weight knives, the weight difference isn't going to be appreciable without instruments to measure. Coupled with the steel and the lock, I think its hands down a better choice, unless you live in an area with legal restrictions.
 
I have owned and used both. I traded away the UKPK and kept the Delica. I love the Delica for edc stuff.

Jim
 
Well, your Stretch is barely, and I mean barely longer in closed-length than the Delica, and packing a whole lot more edge, as you know. THat UKPK, while being a slippie, allows deaper carry, wire clip, and besides, u kneed a little slippie in thee accumulation. U already know how useful a choil is.
 
I say UKPK, you already have a stretch which is basically a better delica :-), the UKPK is different in enough ways to keep it intersting.

With that said, I have two delicas, both are great knives and make awesome edc's.
 



I like my ukpk, its practical and I'm a big fan of finger choils! Downsides, the CTS bd1 steel is crap. Gets blunt waaay too fast, but there are various blade styles and materials available.

Also check out the pingu by spyderco!
 
I'm gonna go a different route and say get a manix 2. Honestly the price difference isn't that big if you are patient. Plus, you are getting a much more solid knife, a better lock, and better steel. And it has a choil.

If I bought a delica, I could go get gas and a burger and by then, I already spent the same amount of cash as the manix costs. Just look around, they are cheaper than you think...
 
Love my UKPK! Gave the delica away.

I'm not sure why BD-1 is a negative. Do you have prior experience with it? I put a 20 DPS micro bevel on my BD-1 flavored knives and they hold a nice edge
 
I haven't had a UKPK, but I really like the Delica. It may not have a choil, but if you really need to choke up on the blade, there's certainly enough space to shift your grip. The Delica is my favorite Spyderco knife behind only the Caly3. Speaking of which, if you really want one with a choil, the Caly3 is definitely worth a look. Going by your pros/cons, the Caly3 would be:

+ very light
+ deep carry wire pocket clip
+ choil
+ vg-10 (or zdp-189 if you spring for the CF version)
+ has a lock
- costs a bit more than the UKPK or Delica
 
flarp said:
I haven't had a UKPK, but I really like the Delica. It may not have a choil, but if you really need to choke up on the blade, there's certainly enough space to shift your grip. The Delica is my favorite Spyderco knife behind only the Caly3. Speaking of which, if you really want one with a choil, the Caly3 is definitely worth a look. Going by your pros/cons, the Caly3 would be:

+ very light
+ deep carry wire pocket clip
+ choil
+ vg-10 (or zdp-189 if you spring for the CF version)
+ has a lock
- costs a bit more than the UKPK or Delica
Click to expand...

I second this... I have a few delicas and while they are awesome, the Caly 3 really is just that much better, especially with the carbon fiber.... my favorite is actually the Caly 3.5. Just has a bit more blade real estate. The only drawback is that the Caly series are pinned construction, aside from the pivot and pocket clip. Shouldn't be an issue unless you want to re-scale it though.

If it's still the UKPK vs the Delica, I would say hands down Delica, it doesn't have a choil, but there is plenty of room to put your index finger just behind the edge of the blade and I have large hands. If you're not restricted by law, why would anyone go with a slipjoint on this type of knife?
 
BTW, here's the Delica and Caly3 next to the Stretch, for reference. Looking at the specs for the UKPK, it looks like it is about 0.1" shorter than the Caly3. If you're looking at the leaf-shape UKPK, it looks very similar in design to the Caly3 as well.

Stretch_Delica_Caly3_800x468.jpg
 
I would go another way. The Byrd Tern offers a similar size knife with G10 handles and a slipjoint full flat ground blade. It's made for Spyderco in China, and is 8Cr13MoV so not the best steel, but it is inexpensive.

Of course there's the G10 Meadowlark, if you really need a lock.
 
I've had and let go several Delicas over the years. I really want to like it, since it is arguably THE quintessential Spyderco. Like you, I really like a choil. My midweek EDC is a CF Caly 3. As a big Caly 3 fan, I've been intrigued by the various small Slip-Its like the UKPK. But the half-stop annoys the heck out of me for one-handed opening and closing.

If you're into the choil, on a budget, and looking for a smaller alternative to your Stretch, have you considered the Dragonfly 2 in whatever steel strikes your fancy? I have a Dragonfly Salt and end up carrying it a lot more than I expected (I work in a tropical environment).

C28YL2_L.jpg
 
If it is the finger choil that you like, I say get the UKPK. it is a great little knife. The BD-1 holds up fine for me and the ergos on the UKPK are awesome.
 
I currently have both they are my two favorite Spydercos. I had grateful's drop point. Traded it. Missed it so much I bought a leaf blade version flat out.

They are both similar, the biggest difference ready is that for edc, the UKPK is supremely pocketable and easy to open and close due to no lock. That said I carry them both and think of them interchangeably by and large.
 
I use the choil on the Delica all the time. It just isn't rounded; it doesn't hurt your finger or create a hotspot.
 
Bought my Delica around 20 years ago and it's my in car and around the house knife. Has held up quite well

DON
 
I recently got a Byrd Tern (see post #14 from Freeman Bloodgaive). Nice knife. With the Byrd thumb hole I can open it one handed. Good way to see if you like carrying a slippie. I think got mine for a little under $25.

The Tern is getting more pocket time than I thought it would. The an odd thing is that it is a similar size to my Spyderco Cat, so i often find my self trying to depress the phantom lock to close the knife:rolleyes:.

Ric
 
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