Surprised By New FFG Delica

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me2
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Surprised By New FFG Delica

#1

Post by me2 »

I’ve carried a rather abused old saber ground Delica for years now. I’ve reground the tip and blade kick to lower the point back into the handle. I’ve reground the bevels to thin it enough to be useful again.

Alas I finally lost it and had to replace it. To lessen the chances of future loss, I got an orange handled FFG Delica from the local gun shop. The FFG profile is very refreshing and even more streamlined than my reground edge. It still has the factory edge so I cannot comment on sharpening yet, but cutting some cardboard for target stands was surprisingly easy. (I was testing reloads for a 357 Mag Blackhawk. I shot my target stand.:O )

For reference here is a video of my old Delica. If anyone finds it, tell it to come back. There is no mistaking it.

https://youtube.com/shorts/Yqo7Hb_kmCg?feature=share
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#2

Post by Wartstein »

Great choice!

For me the ffg Delica still is the best small Spydie out there (with stiff competition by the Chap)

Roomy handle, still a ricasso to choke up on and first and foremost a strong enough, but reasonably thin blade.
The a bit reenforced tip (by that "drop") is also nice.

When testing the Delica side by side with knives like a Native, let alone a Para 3 (I did that with both), to me it is a a bit of a headscratcher why the two latter have such thick blade stock - especially the pretty thick Para 3.

Never came even close to breaking a ffg Delica or Salt 2, despite using them pretty hard.

/ Ah, and your reground sg Delica looks good, man!!
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#3

Post by Doc Dan »

I agree. The Delica is the best 3" bladed folder anywhere. I love this knife. It has a longer handle than the blade, which is a very good thing. It is ergonomic, and cuts like nobody's business. This is my favorite 3" folder.

Gernot, I think the Delica is a better all around knife than the Para3 and the Native.
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Wartstein
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#4

Post by Wartstein »

Doc Dan wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 8:26 am
....
Gernot, I think the Delica is a better all around knife than the Para3 and the Native.

For me it certainly is too, Doc!

... and for those who care for lightweight: The FRN Delica with its solid steel liners is even a tad lighter (or at least as light, depending on where one gets the specs from) than both the linerless Para 3 LW and Narive 5 LW.

In its linerless version(= Salt 2) it even comes in under 2 oz...
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#5

Post by jmj3esq »

I gotta get this lingo down. Sorry, what does FFG stand for?

In any event, I too agree that the Delica is the ultimate carry knife. I personally own 3. I have the Ti Dmascus, a wharncliffe in K390 and a regular blade in M390. I switched out the FRN for micarta on the latter two. They are beautiful and very useful knives. If I could only pick 1 EDC it would likely be some form of a Delica.
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#6

Post by me2 »

My old Delica is around here somewhere. I just haven't found it yet. Once I have to sharpen the new Delica, hopefully it will be a similar experience to my Wharncliffe Endura. The factory bevel was low enough I could sharpen at 17 degrees, microbevel at 20 degrees on the Sharpmaker, and that edge lasted for months of daily carry. When I sharpened the Endura, I put the Delica up for sharpening later to rotate back into carry when the Endura was dull. Sometime during carrying the Endura, the Delica grew legs. All that said, I'm considering an orange handle Endura to match, and a Wharncliffe Delica to make two complete pairs. I have a Cold Steel Voyager for more strenuous work. The Delica and Endura are daily carry knives for work. The Voyager is a home carry garage knife.
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#7

Post by me2 »

jmj3esq wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 8:44 am
I gotta get this lingo down. Sorry, what does FFG stand for?

In any event, I too agree that the Delica is the ultimate carry knife. I personally own 3. I have the Ti Dmascus, a wharncliffe in K390 and a regular blade in M390. I switched out the FRN for micarta on the latter two. They are beautiful and very useful knives. If I could only pick 1 EDC it would likely be some form of a Delica.
FFG = Full Flat Grind. The older Delicas were saber ground, with a flat at the top of the blade and an edge bevel somewhere in the 6 or 7 degree per side (dps) range. I know that from regrinding mine at 5 dps and finding it slightly shallower than the original.
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#8

Post by SaltyCaribbeanDfly »

Wartstein wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 8:34 am
Doc Dan wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 8:26 am
....
Gernot, I think the Delica is a better all around knife than the Para3 and the Native.

For me it certainly is too, Doc!

... and for those who care for lightweight: The FRN Delica with its solid steel liners is even a tad lighter (or at least as light, depending on where one gets the specs from) than both the linerless Para 3 LW and Narive 5 LW.

In its linerless version(= Salt 2) it even comes in under 2 oz...
Don’t ever doubt Gernot’s specs 👊

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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#9

Post by BeggarSo »

Wartstein wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 7:47 am
Great choice!

For me the ffg Delica still is the best small Spydie out there (with stiff competition by the Chap)

Roomy handle, still a ricasso to choke up on and first and foremost a strong enough, but reasonably thin blade.
The a bit reenforced tip (by that "drop") is also nice.

When testing the Delica side by side with knives like a Native, let alone a Para 3 (I did that with both), to me it is a a bit of a headscratcher why the two latter have such thick blade stock - especially the pretty thick Para 3.

Never came even close to breaking a ffg Delica or Salt 2, despite using them pretty hard.

/ Ah, and your reground sg Delica looks good, man!!
This is something like the 4th time I have read you going on about the Para3 in a less than favorable light recently.

Looking at the sprint run Delicas now available this morning I decided to pull out my Cruwear Delica and to be honest even after sharpening it up a bit I am not as impressed with it by a long shot as I am with the Para3 fully serrated.

Have you tried a properly sharpened fully serrated Para3 in S30V?

I guarantee it will outperform a Delica or a Chap in each and every way. Not to mention no annoying typical Spyderco lock rock when pushing down on a cutting board to slice something with the mid and back lock knives.

If you have not tried a Para3 fully serrated you really do owe it to yourself to give it a try.

I think you will be very surprised by what you will discover. I for one have no use for a Para3 in Plain Edge even though I own a few in different steels, but the serrated version is a slicing masterpiece just catch a piece of cardboard or anything else for that matter in one of those scallops and it sings right through it, darn near feels like magic.

Lol I recently compared it in cutting against my Cruwear Ayoob and thought dang this is still better, wow really something else! Such huge cutting ability in such a small package.
:bug-red-white Those who are wise sharpen their steel to it's chemistry not their beliefs. "BeggarSo" :fortune-cookie
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#10

Post by Wartstein »

BeggarSo wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 1:09 pm
Wartstein wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 7:47 am
Great choice!

For me the ffg Delica still is the best small Spydie out there (with stiff competition by the Chap)

Roomy handle, still a ricasso to choke up on and first and foremost a strong enough, but reasonably thin blade.
The a bit reenforced tip (by that "drop") is also nice.

When testing the Delica side by side with knives like a Native, let alone a Para 3 (I did that with both), to me it is a a bit of a headscratcher why the two latter have such thick blade stock - especially the pretty thick Para 3.

Never came even close to breaking a ffg Delica or Salt 2, despite using them pretty hard.

/ Ah, and your reground sg Delica looks good, man!!
This is something like the 4th time I have read you going on about the Para3 in a less than favorable light recently.

Looking at the sprint run Delicas now available this morning I decided to pull out my Cruwear Delica and to be honest even after sharpening it up a bit I am not as impressed with it by a long shot as I am with the Para3 fully serrated.

Have you tried a properly sharpened fully serrated Para3 in S30V?


I guarantee it will outperform a Delica or a Chap in each and every way. Not to mention no annoying typical Spyderco lock rock when pushing down on a cutting board to slice something with the mid and back lock knives.

If you have not tried a Para3 fully serrated you really do owe it to yourself to give it a try.

I think you will be very surprised by what you will discover. I for one have no use for a Para3 in Plain Edge even though I own a few in different steels, but the serrated version is a slicing masterpiece just catch a piece of cardboard or anything else for that matter in one of those scallops and it sings right through it, darn near feels like magic.

Lol I recently compared it in cutting against my Cruwear Ayoob and thought dang this is still better, wow really something else! Such huge cutting ability in such a small package.

I actually have tried an SE Para 3 - though not in S30V, but in BD1N (so the lightweight version)

It is not that I have anything against the Para 3! It is a cool little knife, also, but not only, cool in its style as a "baby PM2".

I am just a bit surprised that it is that much of a success - since for me it has some features not ideal for a performance oriented small folder, and some of those features are what they are right BECAUSE it was designed as a "Lil PM2" and not as a performer right from scratch in my humble opinion. One concerns the handle ergonomics, that "pinky hook" is nice on the PM2, but on the smaller Para 3 it unnecessarily restricts the available handle space for larger hands imo

Related to your point though: You can read in this recent thread about "what [people] don´t like about Spyderco" (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=94422) that I am really not alone in thinking that the Para 3 has a (too) thick blade, actually because it has the same blade stock as a Millie (but of course less tapering going on due to the shorter blade)

The SERRATED Para 3 might outperform PLAIN EDGED Delica and Chap (I am actually totally into SE myself!), but when both come in PE or both come in SE it just is hindered by its comparably fatter blade, regardless of tapering, blade height and grind.
I DID test this with a Salt 2 SE and the Para 3 SE - just by geometry the Para 3 can´t compete with the Salt (essentially a linerless Delica) when really cutting trough material with larger diameter - it is more of a "wedge" and less of a "slicer"

So when you find your Para 3 outperforms your Delica, I personally am pretty sure it is actually the serrations (with their steep chisel grind!) that beat the (V grind) plain edge

And of course the ffg Para 3 will still outcut the low sabre grind Massad Ayob in many tasks - also just by geometry

In the linked thread you can also read that there are people who do prefer a backlock over a comp.lock (and vice versa of course).

I personally never understood why people are bothered by a bit lock rock - but respect that it is an issue for some. For me it does not hinder performance by any means, honestly.

And my Chap has no blade play in any direction at all anyway. And certainly no lock rock, due to its internal stop pin (lock rock is "a thing" with Seki back locks, not Taichung or Golden in my experience)
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#11

Post by BeggarSo »

It might be the BD1N I have the para 3 in lightweight BD1N and after that I am not buying anymore of that steel. I know people like BD1N so I usually try to refrain form saying anything about it. I also much prefer the G10 full liner version of the Para3 as well.

When It comes to handles I actually prefer the Para3 over the PM2 in fact I like it better then the Ayoob which is quite a bit bigger as the Ayoob purposely locks the hand in and it is a bit cramped for my hands. I mean I get it the Ayoob is meant for tactical uses so yeah lock it in for certain.

Oh well to each their own, I just hope people don't get turned off on a really good knife, I have yet to try the Para3 in S45VN Full SE as the Ayoob, the Manix XL from Knifecenter and the recent 15V PM2 ate into the budget pretty good in the last month.

As for lock rock It does not keep me from buying knives but I could honestly do without it and am surprised it has not been CQI'd out of the company by now.

Speaking for myself when I press down and feel the blade move at the pivot it is an unwelcome sensation which I find tends to be more pronounced on the smaller knives due to spring tension being much less, yes it is present on the Ayoob as well but takes greater force to feel it. In all cases though I only notice it on the cutting board or on rare occasions when I need to slice something on a table.

It may not be possible to eliminate lock rock with the way Spyderco does its designs.
:bug-red-white Those who are wise sharpen their steel to it's chemistry not their beliefs. "BeggarSo" :fortune-cookie
me2
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#12

Post by me2 »

Wartstein wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 7:47 am
Great choice!

/ Ah, and your reground sg Delica looks good, man!!
Just don’t hold it up to a new one. It doesn’t even look like the same knife anymore.
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#13

Post by TomAiello »

jmj3esq wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 8:44 am
I gotta get this lingo down. Sorry, what does FFG stand for?
Good basic article here: https://www.protoolreviews.com/knife-bl ... nds-edges/
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#14

Post by Ryder »

I’ve had a Delica 4 FFG for over a year now and there is nothing else that compares. It is truly the highest performance mobile knife in its class. Mine weighs in at 2.3 ounces. It affords multiple comfortable grips that I can’t find elsewhere yet it is very sleek and tucks away unnoticed while right at hand. I recently acquired one in K390 and am gobsmacked by the entire package.

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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#15

Post by Wartstein »

Ryder wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 2:55 pm
I’ve had a Delica 4 FFG for over a year now and there is nothing else that compares. It is truly the highest performance mobile knife in its class. Mine weighs in at 2.3 ounces. It affords multiple comfortable grips that I can’t find elsewhere yet it is very sleek and tucks away unnoticed while right at hand. I recently acquired one in K390 and am gobsmacked by the entire package.


I think I agree. Again, makes me wonder why other small Spydies come with such thick blade stock. Sure this can be tempered by thinning out behind the edge, acute grind angles, tapering, blade height... but why start with such thick bladestock in the first place, an aspect that is really hard to modify by the end user.
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#16

Post by Wartstein »

BeggarSo wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 1:55 pm
It might be the BD1N I have the para 3 in lightweight BD1N and after that I am not buying anymore of that steel. I know people like BD1N so I usually try to refrain form saying anything about it. I also much prefer the G10 full liner version of the Para3 as well.

When It comes to handles I actually prefer the Para3 over the PM2 in fact I like it better then the Ayoob which is quite a bit bigger as the Ayoob purposely locks the hand in and it is a bit cramped for my hands. I mean I get it the Ayoob is meant for tactical uses so yeah lock it in for certain.

Oh well to each their own, I just hope people don't get turned off on a really good knife, I have yet to try the Para3 in S45VN Full SE as the Ayoob, the Manix XL from Knifecenter and the recent 15V PM2 ate into the budget pretty good in the last month.

As for lock rock It does not keep me from buying knives but I could honestly do without it and am surprised it has not been CQI'd out of the company by now.

Speaking for myself when I press down and feel the blade move at the pivot it is an unwelcome sensation which I find tends to be more pronounced on the smaller knives due to spring tension being much less, yes it is present on the Ayoob as well but takes greater force to feel it. In all cases though I only notice it on the cutting board or on rare occasions when I need to slice something on a table.

It may not be possible to eliminate lock rock with the way Spyderco does its designs.

All good, I am glad you found "your" small Spydie and it sure is a good one indeed! :smlling-eyes

I just happen to find most other small Spydies even better.

For me the Para 3 also carries pretty big (bulky, "heavy" for an LW, handle end "blocks" the pocket and is not well suited for letting the hand pass by compared to other designs) for the short edge one gets. So - for a Spyderco - kind of a "small knife that carries big" for me.

I actually don´t think that it makes a real difference in cutting performance when one compares the BD1N SE and S30V SE Para 3 - except in edge retention. I happen to like BD1N a lot, both in PE and in SE (though in SE I only have one month experience with that Para 3 LW SE).

I get and respect that lock rock can feel awkward to some / many. For whatever reason it never bothered me personally though.
As said, Spyderco could eliminate it - they completely do with the Chap (internal stop pin) and as far as I recall my Native also had an extremely refined backlock with no "rock" at all.

And: I am not afraid that "people could get turned off on a really good knife" just cause in my personal knife journey I came to like other design features over those of the Para 3 and am sharing this ;).
Look how very popular it really is, there actually was a time when it seemed to me that the Para 3 got most of the exclusives / cool steel variants and so on.
For me what I am finding and saying is just food for thought, from a guy who is enthusiastic about Spydercos but there are many who know a lot more than me.
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#17

Post by Wartstein »

Ryder wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 2:55 pm
I’ve had a Delica 4 FFG for over a year now and there is nothing else that compares. It is truly the highest performance mobile knife in its class. Mine weighs in at 2.3 ounces. It affords multiple comfortable grips that I can’t find elsewhere yet it is very sleek and tucks away unnoticed while right at hand. I recently acquired one in K390 and am gobsmacked by the entire package.


Great pic, btw...
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#18

Post by jmj3esq »

Thanks guys. I know what a Full Flat Grind is. For some reason I couldn't put the abbreviation with it.
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#19

Post by twinboysdad »

Para 3 had a comp lock, therefore in my consideration Backlock > comp lock so Delica wins
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Re: Surprised By New FFG Delica

#20

Post by Bill1170 »

When the FFG Delica first came out I bought one. I was astonished by how much better it went through corrugated cardboard than my SG Delica. Thin wins.
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