My Spyderco Delica 4 FFG

Humint said:
The Delica is a TRUE EDC KNIFE. It also, as one other BF Member put it, is the smallest knife that can act like a big knife..
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Nice EDC for sure but the D-fly is the smallest acting big knife I've handled.
 
Humint said:
That is the exact experience I had with my Para3 (now sold). Guess what is in the pocket today?...My ZDP-189 Delica. In a funny way, I wish I continued my knife snobbery attitude and not picked up a Delica due to the FRN, steel and price point. I was very happy with my higher-end Spydercos, CRKs and Striders (and a little Cold Steel in there just because of the "fun factor"). Now that I have been carrying a Delica for well over 6 months straight, everytime I pick up a new knife and after using it a while, I just ask myself "is this a better EDC" than the Delica? The answer is always "no" The Delica is a TRUE EDC KNIFE. It also, as one other BF Member put it, is the smallest knife that can act like a big knife. I truly haven't met a task where I really needed something bigger. Yes if I need to baton through logs I would not pick a Delica, nor would I pick any folding knife or even fixed blade (that is what an axe is for, although I have done it many times with a Cold Steel just because it is so damn fun). There truly has not been one instance in over 6 months, where I needed a different knife. I am looking at my ZDP-Delica right now and shaking my laughing on the inside as this little bastard makes me question all forthcoming knife purchases. It truly is a great knife and honestly if I HAD to pick one folding knife for the rest of my life the Delica would be it. Will it stop me from buying other knives? No but once I get other knives use them a while I end up selling them as they can't kick out the Delica from my pocket. Even if I am carrying another knife throughout the day, I miss the Delica.
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That's how Mark Twain would describe the Delica! That could be a great sigline!!
 
Sadly, I had to remove the RGT clip from my Delica. The screws it came with were just a touch too long and pressed against the backspacer causing a gap in the liners. If I were so inclined I am sure I could grind them down a tiny bit. The stock screws are just a touch too short.

It's a good thing that the stock clip is still a great clip so I am not too disappointed:
 
MostMenAreRuthless said:
Sadly, I had to remove the RGT clip from my Delica. The screws it came with were just a touch too long and pressed against the backspacer causing a gap in the liners. If I were so inclined I am sure I could grind them down a tiny bit. The stock screws are just a touch too short.

It's a good thing that the stock clip is still a great clip so I am not too disappointed:
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So....is that RGT clip for sale?
 
Yet another challenger bites the dust .

The Winner and Still Champion of the Woooooooooorld .............. the Delica .


Ken
 
Will be interesting to see how the FRN Chaparral stacks up against the Delica!
 
I'm thinking a carbon fiber Delica, would be a nice alternative, for those up town days. 🔪 Of course we would keep the work horse frn model, for edc as well
 
MostMenAreRuthless said:
I am going to hang onto it. It will fit a PM2 or a Para 3 with the thicker scales. Or, I will eventually get to grinding down the screws a bit so it will fit on the Delica.
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All you need is a piece of sandpaper. It is super easy to do. I have done this on numerous screws. I actually use endura clip screws on my delicas because I don't like how the stock screws do not fully screw all the way through the liners. I just run them over some 400 grit sandpaper a few times and sand a very small amount off and then they fit completely flush with the liners. Its only the difference in a couple of threads of engagement but it makes me feel like the clip is a little more secure. Anyway super easy to do. If you like the clip then you might as well. Takes less than 5 minutes. Or you could maybe use some endura screws. They may be long enough.
 
ejames13 said:
Will be interesting to see how the FRN Chaparral stacks up against the Delica!
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I didn't know there was an FRN Chap coming out--that sounds sweet!

dc50 said:
I'm thinking a carbon fiber Delica, would be a nice alternative, for those up town days. 🔪 Of course we would keep the work horse frn model, for edc as well
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That would be cool to see!

luke86 said:
All you need is a piece of sandpaper. It is super easy to do. I have done this on numerous screws. I actually use endura clip screws on my delicas because I don't like how the stock screws do not fully screw all the way through the liners. I just run them over some 400 grit sandpaper a few times and sand a very small amount off and then they fit completely flush with the liners. Its only the difference in a couple of threads of engagement but it makes me feel like the clip is a little more secure. Anyway super easy to do. If you like the clip then you might as well. Takes less than 5 minutes. Or you could maybe use some endura screws. They may be long enough.
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Thanks for the tip!
 
There is another thread in the Spyderco Room that is very similar to this thread regarding the Native 5. I would very much like to get a Native 5 and try it out, but I am curious to hear from a few of my fellow Delica fanatics regarding their opinions on the Native 5 and how it stacks up against our beloved Delica.

Which version(s) of the Native 5 do you have?
Pros and cons vs Delica?
Size comparisons (pics would help)? In particular, how wide is it compared to the Delica?
 
Go for it. I just got a G10 Native 5 and I'm liking it a lot. I will say though in no way am I trying to replace or better my Delica. The Native is a completely different design and I enjoy both for how they're presented - I don't want a G10 Delica with a finger choil nor a Native with a hump. The biggest difference for me are the finger choil and blade shape. I was attracted to the Native 5 design because of how good the Sage 2 feels for me, and in that it did not disappoint. I wear a size large glove but have narrow fingers and I can fit a full comfortable grip behind the finger choil. That said, for me the N5 really shines choked up using the finger choil. Just like the Sage 2 this is how I feel it's meant to be used. The Native was also the last of all the Spyderco "flagship" models for me to try. I've only had the Native a couple of weeks, and the blade shape seems plenty good for edc, I am however quite used to that beautiful low and slow belly of the Delica. The lock on the Native is very impressive in that there is quite literally zero blade movement when the lock is engaged. I'm not really a lock guy though so from a functional standpoint it's no better than a Seki lock back. My N5 free drops when the lock bar is depressed which I like, and it came like this without any adjustment necessary. This is the G10 variant and its density is substantial. It doesn't feel heavy in the pocket, just dense if that makes sense. It carries well and I believed it to be a really narrow package but it's really only about 1/32" less wide than a Delica at their widest points. I really like the S35vn and have always had favourable sharpening with S30v. They both respond better than VG10 for me but I'm sure that has more to do with the operator than the alloys. One interesting characteristic of the Native is how easy I find it to "track" on the Sharpmaker, I think it has to do with the weight and relatively short blade. I do wish the N5 had an 1/8th" more blade length. All in all the N5 is a great package. I would say take one for a test drive especially if you're interested in that finger choil. So far I've only had three Spyderco models that I've bought without previously handling and have felt just right immediately out of the box: Chaparral, Delica, and Native 5. I do own three Delicas mind you...

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knifeneasy said:
Go for it. I just got a G10 Native 5 and I'm liking it a lot. I will say though in no way am I trying to replace or better my Delica. The Native is a completely different design and I enjoy both for how they're presented - I don't want a G10 Delica with a finger choil nor a Native with a hump. The biggest difference for me are the finger choil and blade shape. I was attracted to the Native 5 design because of how good the Sage 2 feels for me, and in that it did not disappoint. I wear a size large glove but have narrow fingers and I can fit a full comfortable grip behind the finger choil. That said, for me the N5 really shines choked up using the finger choil. Just like the Sage 2 this is how I feel it's meant to be used. The Native was also the last of all the Spyderco "flagship" models for me to try. I've only had the Native a couple of weeks, and the blade shape seems plenty good for edc, I am however quite used to that beautiful low and slow belly of the Delica. The lock on the Native is very impressive in that there is quite literally zero blade movement when the lock is engaged. I'm not really a lock guy though so from a functional standpoint it's no better than a Seki lock back. My N5 free drops when the lock bar is depressed which I like, and it came like this without any adjustment necessary. This is the G10 variant and its density is substantial. It doesn't feel heavy in the pocket, just dense if that makes sense. It carries well and I believed it to be a really narrow package but it's really only about 1/32" less wide than a Delica at their widest points. I really like the S35vn and have always had favourable sharpening with S30v. They both respond better than VG10 for me but I'm sure that has more to do with the operator than the alloys. One interesting characteristic of the Native is how easy I find it to "track" on the Sharpmaker, I think it has to do with the weight and relatively short blade. I do wish the N5 had an 1/8th" more blade length. All in all the N5 is a great package. I would say take one for a test drive especially if you're interested in that finger choil. So far I've only had three Spyderco models that I've bought without previously handling and have felt just right immediately out of the box: Chaparral, Delica, and Native 5. I do own three Delicas mind you...
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Thank you for the great write-up and the excellent pics!

I think if I were looking at the Native 5 as something to replace the Delica I would definitely pass, but looking at it as simply another sweet Spyderco to own--looks like a great choice.

One area of concern for me on the Native 5--the scales and handle in general look quite thick--is that just the photos? Or, is it almost 1.5 times as thick as the Delica?
 
MostMenAreRuthless said:
One area of concern for me on the Native 5--the scales and handle in general look quite thick--is that just the photos? Or, is it almost 1.5 times as thick as the Delica?
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Mostly it's the photos. The angle the thickness comparison photo was taken on is distorting the difference somewhat. The real world difference in thickness between the two is +/- 1/16". A quick measure on a tape puts the Delica at 3/8" and the N5 at 7/16". My finer measuring tools aren't on hand right now but I believe that's close enough for a pocket! The large steel backspacer also contributes to the Native's chunky appearance. I'll try and get some more accurate comparison shots for you.
 
MostMenAreRuthless said:
There is another thread in the Spyderco Room that is very similar to this thread regarding the Native 5. I would very much like to get a Native 5 and try it out, but I am curious to hear from a few of my fellow Delica fanatics regarding their opinions on the Native 5 and how it stacks up against our beloved Delica.

Which version(s) of the Native 5 do you have?
Pros and cons vs Delica?
Size comparisons (pics would help)? In particular, how wide is it compared to the Delica?
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I'm the wrong person to ask about how Delica compares to Native from a personal preference perspective, but I have both handy and I found my digital calipers. Sorry for the shaky hand blurriness in some of the photos. :eek:

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G-10 Native
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FRN Native
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FRN Delica
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I like the ergonomics of the Native more than the Delica, but I'm pro choil and anti gap between the scales and tang, so Native automatically wins out over out-of-the-box Delica for me.

I have average sized hands for a woman and the Native is perfectly comfy. My boyfriend has average to large-ish hands for a man and he also finds the Native perfectly comfy. I tend to like 3" blade length or smaller knives the most, and he generally prefers Endura sized knives or bigger. We find common ground in the Native, apparently.

I don't have a problem with the thumb ramp over the hole on the Delica, but I really like the lower profile of the Native's spine. The gentle curve makes it feel like the tip of the Native's blade is lower so you don't have to angle your wrist as much. Could be that's just an optical illusion making me think there's a functional difference, though.

My biased opinion is Native is worth trying out, not necessarily as a Delica replacement, but as another Spyderco EDC option to add to the rotation.
 
AlwaysTomboy said:
I'm the wrong person to ask about how Delica compares to Native from a personal preference perspective, but I have both handy and I found my digital calipers. Sorry for the shaky hand blurriness in some of the photos. :eek:



I like the ergonomics of the Native more than the Delica, but I'm pro choil and anti gap between the scales and tang, so Native automatically wins out over out-of-the-box Delica for me.

I have average sized hands for a woman and the Native is perfectly comfy. My boyfriend has average to large-ish hands for a man and he also finds the Native perfectly comfy. I tend to like 3" blade length or smaller knives the most, and he generally prefers Endura sized knives or bigger. We find common ground in the Native, apparently.

I don't have a problem with the thumb ramp over the hole on the Delica, but I really like the lower profile of the Native's spine. The gentle curve makes it feel like the tip of the Native's blade is lower so you don't have to angle your wrist as much. Could be that's just an optical illusion making me think there's a functional difference, though.

My biased opinion is Native is worth trying out, not necessarily as a Delica replacement, but as another Spyderco EDC option to add to the rotation.
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Excellent pics and measurements--thank you! The Spyderco Room is full of very kind and helpful people--just another reason to be a Spyderco fan!
 
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