Para 3 LW Spy27 vs. Delica 4 K390

[Tazzerboy]

Hello everyone,

I would like to get some recommendations regarding my next purchase. Some back ground info: My first Spyderco was a Delica 4 in M4. The grip felt like it was made from a mold of my personal hand! Ami! It was extremely slicy which I liked. I worried that the blade stock was too for tough enough for some heavier duty tasks. What I didn't like was the grind from the factory was crap. One side was really tall/long and the other was way shorter. It also developed some rust spots over the 3 or so months that I had it. I daily carried it in Georgia (USA). Unfortunately, I ended up losing it. I thought about getting something in K390 since (according to the interwebs) develops a better patina.

I bought a Leaf Jumper thinking it would check a lot of boxes. It just didn't feel comfortable in the hand. Plus, I thought the blade size was too big that it would get negative attention from bystanders if I whipped it out in public. I wondered if there was a Para 3 in K390. I found one for $245. Ouch! The cheapest P3 I could find, with steal that I liked, was a P3 LW in SPY27 for around $150. Then, I thought about getting another Delica 4 in K390. Found one for around $120.

So, those are the two I'm trying to decide between. Is the K390 D4 tough enough to handle some harder tasks? Or is the thicker P3 be better? Is the corrosion resistance of SPY27 that better that tips the scales? How do they both feel in a medium-large size hand? The D4 felt like a glove. I don't care about the locking mechanism; unless one is a lot more stronger (it's a tool, not a toy to fiddle with). Any recommendations? Words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

[sal]

Hi Tazzerboy,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

[Wartstein]

Welcome Tazzerboy!

I won't and can't really talk about the steels, since I did not try either of those two.
I am sure you know the basics anyway: K390 will have a lot better edge holding, but be less corrosion resistant and so on...

Concerning the two models (keep in mind: Just my personal, subjective thoughts!!)

- Delica for me, without any doubt - and since you are one who likes its handle (like I, with my larger-than-yours hands do too) even more so.

- The Delica can easily handle "some harder tasks".
The Para 3 has a (overly...) thick blade indeed, but a rather fine tip: It is thus less slicey in my experience, more force has to be applied in "harder tasks".
The Delica blade is strong enough to handle any "hard" folder task, and its tip is a bit reinforced.
So if one invented some unrealistic blade strength tests: Its very likely that the fine Para 3 tip would snap before its fat blade stock could ever come into play.

- The Delica is a light, slim carry that still offers a lot of space on the actual handle and a ricasso to choke up on.
While the Para 3 is imo quite the opposite: A "small knife that carries big". Even the unlined Para 3 LW is a tad "heavier" than a Delica with its solid liners and a pretty bulky package that still offers not much grip space behind the choil due to the handle shape.

- And I'd take a backlock over a comp lock: Imo makes for better ergos, safer in pocket, safer for the fingers, completely ambidextrous... and concerning "lock strength": Both comp.lock and backlock are more than strong enough.

- A thing that speaks for the Para 3 in your case:
You could try something really different to the Delica (also a different lock).
But for that I personally would go with a Sage 5 (LW) over a Para 3.

Again: Just my two cents, many who know their stuff do love the Para 3! (And it is not a bad knife, no doubt, for me just no match for a Delica)

[JSumm]

Depending on what part of Georgia you are in, you should try to get to a dealer to get some in hand. Going Gear and Olde Towne Cutlery on the north side of Atlanta. That may help you decide. In that size range, I really like the Sage series. Feel better in hand to me.

However, if you really like the Delica, may want to stick with that. Knife Joy has some great exclusives. One in 20CV that has great corrosion resistance and great wear resistance.
https://www.knifejoy.com/products/copys ... 20cv-knife

[Wandering_About]

K390 will resist corrosion a bit better than M4, but the difference isn't anything to write home about. That said I'd recommend the K390 Delica over the Para 3 lightweight, the Delica is to me a much more ergonomic knife. Another potential option would be a KnifeJoy exclusive Delica in 20CV blade steel, if you'd prefer stainless but would prefer something other than VG-10.

[hambone56rx]

K390 and back lock , “This is the way.” In my Spydie journey, this is where I have landed. I have thought about starting a forum called, “Seki City Back Locks FTW!”

I initially got the PM2 as my first Spydie as I thought that having the comp lock would be superior by not putting my fingers in the path of the blade while closing. Then on a hard, prolonged job, developed a hot spot when using the Comp Lock on the PM2. I picked up several other Spydies over the next 6-7 years, then last summer while in CO for vacation, made my 2nd pilgrimage to the SFO!

I picked up a Whackiffe Endela in k390, a Delica for my oldest son and a DF2 for my youngest son. This allowed me to deeply appreciate the back lock, my love for a Wharncliffe in EDC tasks and how amazing k390 is. Since then, I picked up a Wharncliffe Delica in k390 and a Rockjumper. Vivi is quoted to say that “The Backlock is the Best lock.” That might sound somewhat bold…. But he has a great argument. Warnstein is also highly outspoken on the subject and did good reason. After using them, I get it. If you wanted the Para 3 LW since it’s made in the USA, that’s not a wrong reason. But both k390 and backlocks are amazing. It sounds like the Delica is your answer. You will be happy with it!

But just get both! The journey in your experience is the fun part!

Hamilton

[Pokey]

Welcome Tazzerboy,

I'm going off on a tangent here, but do you qualify for the Spyderco OpFocus program? There are discounts on nearly all Spyderco stuff under the OpFocus program.

Here's a bit of info on the OpFocus program from the OpFocus page and the link to that page on spyderco.com below that.

"The online OpFocus Professional Purchase Program is offered through our website for the following personnel in the United States.

Active Duty Military
Reservist / National Guard
Military Veteran / Retiree
Law Enforcement Officer
Paramedic / Fire Rescue
EMT
Medical Professionals"

https://www.spyderco.com/resources/op-focus/

[elena86]

Para3 in SPY27 would be your best bet.The compression lock is superior to the backlock, especially to the Seki backlock and SPY27 is an awesome allaround steel, stainless, easy to maintain and a dream to sharpen. I own both and my advice is : go with the Para3 and don’t look back.

[R100]

I am a backlock and K390 fan and have both these knives. I use the Spy27 Para 3 a lot more than the Delica. I find the Para 3 LW handle much more ergonomic and it is an all round more robust feeling knife. I do like thin blade stock but the Para 3 actually cuts really well. Not as well as a Delica but close enough for most uses. The Para 3 blade is thick but also tall so the primary grind angle is still quite acute. Many here say the thick blade stock works better in the PM2 but I think they overlook 2 factors: the angle of the blade's clip is greater on the Para 3 than the PM2. This is the angle of the spine from above the spyder hole to the tip and it means that the tip is down lower in a thinner part of the blade grind than a PM2 and it makes it a better slicer. Secondly, if you look at how far down the grind comes relative to the nub at the front of the choil you will see the blade is a bit wider than a PM2 which makes the primary grind a little more acute and it consequently slices a bit better.

Spy27 doesn't keep an edge as long as K390 but it does OK and is an absolute pleasure to sharpen. Very quick and easy to return to hair whittling sharp - probably my very favourite steel to sharpen. If you live and work in a hot and sometimes humid climate like I do then K390 will give you trouble with corrosion. For me it's not just patina but red rust and unfortunately affects the area around the pivot as well as the exposed part of the blade. On the other hand, Spy27 has been completely stainless for me.

Finally, the clip. The deep carry wire clip on the Para3 makes it much more discreet to carry than a Delica. Carrying a clipped Delica is so obvious that to me you may as well carry an Endura K390 and have a properly useful knife. A deep carry clip doesn't help much because it has to be so enormously long to hit the smooth patch on the frn that it looks ridiculous on a small knife like the Delica and is obvious in the pocket anyway. In fact I only ever carry the Delica clipless and loose in the pocket.

People here all have different opinions but for me the the Para 3 LW is one of Spyderco's great edc designs. If I'm going to carry a small discreet knife it's often the one.

Dan

[Scandi Grind]

It's hard to know how a knife will feel in your hand without being able to handle it yourself, and since you know the Delica feels good that is a good argument in it's favor. K390 is well thought of, if edge retention is your goal it delivers quite well in that department, but if you want something stainless, Spy 27 is basically the powdered metallurgy version of Vg-10, which means it will tend to be just a bit better in all performance factors compared to Vg-10. I haven't owned Spy 27 but what I have heard is that it has well balanced characteristics, fair edge retention, with it's particular strong point being that it sharpens and de-burrs very well and can take refined edges easily.

As far as hard use, that depends on what you define as hard use. Lock Backs are generally regarded as being stronger than the Comp Lock, but most tasks that would be a concern for either of these locks is perhaps more likely to break the blade than the lock. The Para 3 has a thicker blade, so yes it would be tougher, but personally for any task I would take on, either of these would have no trouble. What is a "hard use" task you would expect to encounter?

[Coastal]

Both good steels, but picking between the two, I'd take K390.

If you like the feel of the Delica, and don't have a chance to hold the Para, and have to order online, for sure choose the Delica.

If corrosion resistance is important to you, and you never want to worry about it again, the Salt (in either H2 or LC200N) is essentially a lightweight rustproof Delica, though without the edge holding of the Delica's K390.

If I get to choose between a compression lock and a backlock, I'll take the backlock unless the compression lock comes on a really compelling knife. To me, the Para 3 is not compelling. If I get to choose between a thin blade (Delica/Salt) and a thick blade (Para 3), I'll take the thin one every time.

[spydergoat]

I much prefer the Delica. Recommend a stainless steel if you don't want to deal with corrosion. 20CV is nice for this IMO. https://www.knifejoy.com/products/copys ... 20cv-knife