My (second) first impression of the Delica 4 was almost completely positive.
I feel like the knife is a good size for an EDC. Just large enough to offer a full grip, and enough blade to practically handle typical day to day knife work. While I prefer larger knives, I can understand the appeal of one sized like the Delica.
In the pocket I find it very slim and out of the way compared to some knives I'm used to. I generally EDC a Pacific Salt, Manix XL or Police 4, and all of those are much bulkier in my pocket. I generally carry them clipped to a cell phone pocket on the side of my pant leg, which makes it easier to grab my phone out of my right front pocket. The Delica is so compact clipped to my right front pocket that it really doesn't get in the way of pulling out my phone.
While I find it very compact, I was a bit surprised at the weight. It's heavier than I remember. Certainly not
too heavy for an EDC, it's still very light, but I can't help but notice my larger Pacific Salt is lighter.
I was pleased to note cutting performance is higher than I recalled. My first few days with the knife I cut up some cardboard boxes and plastic jugs for recycling, cut up some apples and sliced some salami and cheese. While the saber grind version will lag behind the FFG in this respect, I think the thin blade stock keeps cutting efficiency pretty high. I'm sure if I reprofile the edge the way I generally do my knives, the slicing performance will be very good.
Looking back, when I bought my first Delica, the only sharpening tool I had was a cheap grooved steel rod from a kitchen knife set. I remember trying to sharpen my Delica and making it duller. With this Delica I used my sharpmaker at 20 DPS using the brown rods and got it sharp enough to scrape off arm hairs in about 2 minutes. Having a keener apex is certainly giving me a more favorable impression of the knife.
I remembered the tip being thicker than it is. It's not as rounded off as the Pacific Salt. In fact the rounding is subtle enough I doubt I'll ever flatten it out like I do to Pacific Salts before I pocket them.
One thing that is interesting to me is how long the lock release bar is. It's longer than a Pacific Salt. I feel like one handed unlocking would be a bit more comfortable if it were shortened, like the length of the lock release on my Tasman Salt 1.
The ergonomics are a little better than I remember. I find the Delica very comfortable in hammer grip. It feels very natural to use in this grip. The curved top half of the handle is very comfortable as it pushes into my palm during heavy cutting tasks. The finger grooves lock my hand into place, placing the blade at a slight negative angle. The handle shape gives me good grip security during draw cuts, and there is enough of a forward guard that I don't feel unsafe while stabbing materials to initiate cuts.
With cutting performance better than I remember, and full flat ground runs of the Delica improving the geometry considerably, that leaves me with only one hang-up with the Delica 4 model. The thumb ramp placement.
Something I've come to understand about how my hand interacts with knives ergonomically, is I generally need about 1" between the tip of my thumb and my index finger for a handle to work for me. A lot of Spydercos fail my grip due to the prominent thumb ramp and small handle. I've got two photos that will illustrate:
This is where my thumb wants to go. That's what feels comfortable for my grip.
This is where the Delica 4's ergonomics forces my thumb.
I've tried adjusting my grip in different ways. Shifting my thumb around. Scooting the knife forward in my grip. Tilting it down more. Sliding my fingers are far back as the grooves allow. No matter what I do with my grip, that thumb ramp just feels terrible for my XL-XXL hands.
For comparison, here is my favorite Spyderco folder. Note the distance between my thumb and index finger.
One thing that the Delica 4 has impressed upon me, is that it is a design that needs to be used to be understood. The first time I bought one, I didn't feel like it was "a lot of knife for the money." Back then one could easily find stouter, flashier knives for half the price - just like you can today.
Some of the features might even seem quaint, especially in 2019, but after carrying and using the knife you can understand why it was made the way it was. Lockbacks might seem old fashioned, but they do their job of keeping the knife open or closed securely, reliably. Opening holes might not be as cool as flippers, but they operate with less fuss and a higher success rate. The handles might feel "cheap" and "plastic," but that plastic handle cuts down on weight. The Delica is meant to be a workhorse, and it shows.
