12 reasons why the Delica is better than the Native

[Evil D]

The Delica is a better overall design than the Native. I think the Native was originally designed for Walmart or something.

1] The Delica is slimmer.
2] The Delica has a thinner blade and is a much better slicer.
3] The Delica has a skinning/hunting style blade and excels at that. The Native, not so much.
4] The Delica has a full length grip. The Native has a half grip that requires the use of a choil.
5] The Delica has no choil to snag on things that are being cut.
6] The Delica has a proper finger guard.
7] The Delica's FRN feels better in hand than the Native's FRCP.
8] The Delica is more contoured vs the blockiness of the Native.
9] The Delica fits the hand better when using a saber/hammer grip for hard cuts.
10] The Delica is generally cheaper.
11] The Delica has a better variety of steel choices and more to come.
12] The Delica comes in more colors.

Everything is subjective I guess.

1. Slimmer yes but for a guy with large hands that's not always a good thing.

2. Definitely true, I'll give ya this one. The Native 5 blade needs to be ground thinner.

3. They both lack the amount of belly I would want for skinning.

4. Again, the Delica just doesn't work for my hand size. The points on the grip need to go. Make the handle like the Harpy and it would be vastly better.

5. No choil, just a huge ricasso that catches everything and keeps your grip tok far from the edge.

6. Yeah I guess so.

7. I wasn't aware the Native 5 wasn't FRN? They are a bit blocky though.

8. See above.

9. I guess for smaller hands and if I ignore the points not matching my fingers. Honestly neither one works for harder use IMO.

10. Cheaper doesn't make a better knife, otherwise we'd be talking about how the Tenacious is 12 ways better than a Delica.

11. That's definitely true, the Delica has enjoyed lots of variety.

12. See above.


Delica is a fine knife but nothing is perfect for everyone.

[Sumdumguy]

Maybe if the handle ergos weren't as awful, I'd agree. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of either anymore.

The Rockjumper is going to beat them both by MILES, in my book.

[cycleguy]

I don't dislike the Native; I just like the Delica more.

CG

[pantagana23]

My first Delica is on the way, so this thread got me anxious of getting it faster.

I do have a couple of Sekis, so Native has a couple of points going in its favour:

- fit and finish from Golden is at least 1 class above Seki, if not better
- Natives blade shape allows you to put your index finger over the blade for fine work
- Native is built like a little tank (depends on preference).

Can't wait to get the Delica in the hand.

[JuPaul]

Wow, you picked a controversial topic, Doc! I, too, prefer the Delica, but I really do like the Native as well, especially the g10 Native. I can't add much that hasn't already been said, but I think they both have a good place in the lineup and in my collection.

[ugaarguy]

Dan, quit trolling and give it a rest.

[Doc Dan]

One more thing...the opening hole on the Delica is spot on for me. The thumb hole on the Native is just a little off for my hand.

I wear 2XL gloves and the Delica fits better.

I’m not saying the Native 5 is not a great knife. It is. I just think the Delica is overall the better design.

[ugaarguy]

We get it. You love the Delica. It fits your hand better so it's obviously the better knife. The Native fits my hand better, so I must be defective since the inferior design works better for me. All hail Doc Dan's superior genetics.

[jdw]

I like both but I prefer other models.

[zhyla]

The Native 5 LW went backwards in ergonomics in my opinion. Great lockup and nice looking knife, but it sucks in the hand compared to previous gen.

Chaparral blows away the Delica and Native IMO.

[blues]

I don't own either one. I'll go stand in the corner now.

[mb1]

The Native LW “FRN”...eh, it might as well be called FRCP.

The Delica is an icon and proven winner no doubt. But for me, it just has no sexiness, and intangibles are part of the whole package. The Native lines and shapes have always been far more appealing to me, and I’ve therefore owned more of them than Delicas. This latest Cruwear/OD release was as hot as it gets in Delica-land...and I still was able to resist! Lol

[Donut]

I'm glad I have both. Sometimes I prefer a smaller knife, sometimes I prefer a more comfortable knife. It probably depends on how much cutting and how tough of cutting you're doing to find out which of these two will work better for you.

Native has a flat spine. The hump helps with controlled cuts, flat spine helps with difficult cuts. I think you can put your thumb on top of the hump, but it would be less comfortable.

A couple of years ago, before the Super Blue run, there were very limited options for steel on the Delica. Just VG-10 or ZDP or maybe H1.

[Sharp Guy]

I have several of each because I like them both despite their differences. They both fit my hand well and both cut whatever I need them too. I try not to overthink a lot of this stuff. If for some reason a knife doesn't work for me I won't buy it. I have no real issues with the Delica or the Native so I enjoy owning and using both.

[Burton Knut]

I wanted to like the Native as I think it looks great, but it just doesn’t feel as good in hand and now we’ve got the Chief with similar sleek eye appeal and much better (for me) ergos and more functional blade length.
As for the Delica, it’s not my smallest knife, but it’s my smallest knife I’d feel comfortable as my primary blade for any given day. I’ve got 8 in my collection if you include the SE Salt Wharnie and the Tasman Salt. I usually carry larger blades, but at least 6 of those Delicas have a “permanent” home in my collection.

[Abyss_Fish]

well...

I fully disagree about how slicey the native is. While it's not as good as the delica for sure it's still well ground, and cuts on par with the spydiechef. As well as having an extremely sturdy tip. And then as far as handle ergos and action go. frn to frn ? absolutely the delica wins. But the Native g10 is the most comfortable and easiest to manipulate knives in the entire lineup. ESPECIALLY the lock, the wider flatter bar with lighter tension makes engaging and disengaging way more comfortable. If I had to sell off my entire collection my native g10 bladeswap would be the one I'd keep.

Plus I mean, the native comes in lc200n. Come on.

Now I absolutely agree the delica is a good knife. I mean I love the entire seki lineup, especially since seki's frn is so wonderful. But when you've got the native g10... There's just no contest.

[bbturbodad]

I like the Delica for it's balde variants. The wharncliffe and the reverse S of the Lil Matriarch being some of my used knifes.

When it comes to build quality the Native IMHO is in a different league, it feels like driving a modern car vs. and old classic. That being said I much prefer Seki FRN to whatever it is that Golden uses on their LW models. When I received my Para 3 LW, a generous gift from Spyderco for last year's calender entry, I was shocked how cheap the scales felt. For some reason, while I still don't love it on the Native LW, it doesn't bother me as much on the Native.

The Delica and the Native are most carried knifes so I like them both.

I'd love to see a wharncliffe Native.

Today's carry


*Yes I know it's strange that I like Seki FRN but have changed the scales on most of my Delicas :p

[ladybug93]

the ergos on the native are far better for my hand. it's a more neutral design and fills my hand much better. i don't mind having to use the choil on smaller knives like the native and dragonfly. the construction is much more solid than the delica and has the least amount of play of all my lockbacks. and i don't really care, but some prefer their knives to be made in america.

the only thing i prefer about the delica is the thinner blade. the native cuts just fine, but it's no slicer. i think i may need to try the chaparral someday. it seems like the best compromise of the things i like between the dragonfly and native while having better ergonomics than the delica. also, xhp is good to go.

[Halfneck]

Another big fan of the Delica, but I think the Native is a good design too. Pretty much just comes down to personal preference.

[JD Spydo]

Well Doc I've just got to respectfully disagree with you on this one. Actually it might be a case of "preference" more than a case of "disagreement". Because I've got what many might call a "beater" Native model. It is an older 440V full SE NATIVE that I have used for some pretty brutal and demanding jobs and I seriously doubt if a Delica could have taken the horrible punishment that I put that NATIVE through on at least three occasions.

Also the NATIVE fits my hand a lot better than the Delica does. And this is coming from a guy who has owned and used both models over the years. Also I've noticed that most of the GOLDEN, CO models tend to have a much more rigid construction than some of the Japan made models do.

Oh the Delica and Endura both are decent folders but if I'm doing any job that requires a well built, solid built folder I'll go with the GOLDEN,CO made units any day of the week.