Well, I have been a long-time Spyderco forum watcher, but haven’t contributed much (and only officially joined the forum several months ago). Since I have been fortunate enough to get the Forum Native 5, I feel it is time to make some contributions. :cool: To accomplish this, I am going to spend a little time (hopefully each week, but we’ll see…) describing each of my Spydercos, (in chronological order), to briefly discuss what I like/dislike, and where they fit into my usage scheme. The intent is to provide some additional feedback to others who might be considering these knives. Aside from the Forum Native, none are rare or particularly hard to acquire (ok, the PM2s do require more effort than the others). This will just be some thoughts on the knives from my perspective and in comparison to the other knives in my collection. I do not have an all-time favorite – I usually like the one I most recently carried or the one(s) I selected for the day.
For reference, my current Spydercos are: Delica 4 FFG, PM2, Dragonfly 2, Manix 2 (S30V), Sage 1, Sage 2, Native 5 (forum), and the K390 Mule. Aside from the Forum Native 5 and the Mule, all are the standard production versions. I also have a selection of knives from other production companies, but Spydercos make up the vast majority of my knives and also are the most carried. I don't have any safe queens. All are users (although light - as discussed below). If I can't justify a use for a knife, then I won't buy it. The functionality inherent in the Spyderco designs, plus Spyderco’s continual usage of advanced steels really appeals to me. I consider Spydercos to have a very high value relative to other manufacturers. In all honesty, my knives are way better and more advanced than they need to be. My typical uses are opening mail, opening packages, breaking down cardboard boxes, cutting up food for my kids, and some minor cutting of cords, removal of tags, that type of things - basically a bunch of stuff that isn’t too tough on knives or edges. I do find myself looking for opportunities to use my knives more. In all honesty, the knife I am going to discussing today, my Delica 4 FFG, is all the knife I need – but that doesn’t seem to stop me from acquiring more!
In general, I appreciate well engineered and well thought out tools with clear design intent. I will nearly always purchase a higher quality tool over a lower quality tool under the mindset that I’d rather spend more up-front and buy something right once than have to do it twice. To me, this is right in Spyderco's wheelhouse! :)
Thoughts on my Delica 4 FFG:
Carry: I love how this knife carries! I carry mine tip down on my RH side, nearly always in the front pocket of my jeans. Tip down is definitely my preferred carry orientation, but I do appreciate this knife’s 4 position pocket clip. I love how thin this knife is and also how not wide it is. Yes, the Spydie holes make for wider blades in general, but at least relative to my other Spydercos, this one is not very wide. And we all know the advantages inherent in the Spydie hole vs other opening mechanisms. I also like the grey color of my knife because between the grey FRN handles and the black clip together blend in pretty well into my jeans. While I don’t require deep carry pocket clips, I do appreciate a more discrete carry. I would say that when I carry this knife floating in slacks pockets or jeans, the length of the knife is a bit longer than others and is slightly more obtrusive. Therefore, this knife is far more likely to be carried clipped than free floating in my pocket. (In fact, if carrying free floating, I will almost always pick another.)
Use: I use this knife for everything and it does it all very well. The only time I wish I had the added length of my PM2 or Manix 2 is when I am cutting food that is wider than this blade is long. As I stated previously, this is probably all of the knife that I would ever need. My experience with VG-10 seems to match the majority opinion – it gets awful sharp on my Sharpmaker relatively easily, but it loses it somewhat quickly too – at least faster than my S30V blades do. In my use, VG-10 is roughly equivalent to 154CM and 14C28N blades in terms of edge holding ability and ease of sharpening and I am a big fan. Back locks are probably not my favorite locking mechanism, BUT in use, this one works awful well. It is secure and there is no blade play in any direction. I can close it one handed by a little flick of the wrist while holding the lock down with my thumb, which will get the blade closed about 20%. Then it can be closed the rest of the way with the thumb. I definitely like the other lock styles for their easier one-handed use, but in practice, this one is fine. I prefer the blade shape of the Delica 4 and PM2 more than I do the blade shape of the Manix 2, mostly because of the resultant thin carry of the Delica 4 and PM2. The blade is a bit short compared to the relatively long handle, but I find this as a benefit most of the time as the handle provides plenty of length to grip on. The contours on the Delica 4 fit my hand pretty well. I recently acquired a Pacific Salt, but its contours did not fit my hand well and I sold it as soon as I handled it. I have never handled a Delica 3, but if it is similar to the Pacific Salt (which has a similar handle to an Endura 3), then I definitely like the changes they made from the Delica 3 to the Delica 4. I really (really) like the Delica 4’s FRN ‘Bi-Directional’ texture, as well as the exceptional thumb ramp jimping. To me, the FRN is more grippy than G-10 (although G-10 does look better to me). The scales, in combination with the thumb ramp, make a good and secure grip in my hand – whether wet or dry. I do not miss the choil from my other models too much.
Summary/Value: For about $50, I feel this is an exceptional value and is one I would definitely recommend to a friend. When I got this knife, I also got a Persistence, which I ended up returning due to the lower quality steel, added weight, and non-ideal contours for my fingers. I have never regretted picking this one. Even though I have fancier knives now, I still regularly carry my Delica and really do enjoy it (perhaps because it is less expensive and does sharpen up so easily). If weight were a major consideration for a day, I would carry either this knife or my PM2 (depending on how much length I felt was needed).
Ok, that’s it. :eek: Hope you enjoyed it and found it somewhat useful. Comments/suggestions are always welcome. I know, I know, pics or it didn't happen. I will try to add some later (perhaps to this one, and certainly in future discussions).
:spyder:
The Capt's Review Series - Delica 4 FFG
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Capt'n Boatsalot
- Member
- Posts: 660
- Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2013 10:50 pm
- Location: Iowa
Nice to have another Salish Sea mate on board. Keep 'em coming.
Our reason is quite satisfied, in 999 cases out of every 1000 of us, if we can find a few arguments that will do to recite in case our credulity is criticized by someone else. Our faith is faith in someone else's faith, and in the greatest matters this is most the case.
- William James, from The Will to Believe, a guest lecture at Yale University in 1897
- William James, from The Will to Believe, a guest lecture at Yale University in 1897
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Capt'n Boatsalot
- Member
- Posts: 660
- Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2013 10:50 pm
- Location: Iowa
