The Delica problem

[mikey177]

To answer the OP's original question: I was able to break the cycle by managing my fear of missing out, and acknowledging that it would serve no practical purpose to acquire every variant that catches my interest.

This allowed me to be more discerning with my purchases, as I kept in mind that there would never be a shortage of new models released by the company.

Below are the Delica and Deli-kin variants that I bought over a ten year period. It may still seem like a lot to some, but considering that Spyderco released many more Delica sprints and exclusives during this timeframe, I consider it a well-curated collection.

[Skywalker]

This is the way.




How to break the cycle? Expand to other Seki FRN goodness.

[Brock O Lee]

Stick with what you like! ... The fewer models you feel the need to buy the better, trust me.

Listen to this man. This is sound advice.

How to break the cycle? Get the best one first and call it a day. For me that was the K390 wharnie.

[Bill1170]

Hello again,

after purchasing my first two Spyderco knives - the Lil' Native and the Urban - my third one roughly half a year ago was the Delica 4, VG-10, saber grind.

And then it all began.

I've been interested in the Native 5, but then I thought to better get the Delica K390 before it gets discontinued. Received it, loved it - bought a second one as a backup, just in case, you know?

But what if something breaks or I ruin something when cleaning it? I'll better get me a basic Delica as a parts carrier - finally, peace of mind. And the option to create a Frankenstein K390 with black scales, maybe...

Yes, the Native 5, and I'm really, really looking forward to the Lil' Native lightweight. I'm gonna get me a Native 5 now... but better get the Delica Wharncliffe first, in case it gets discontinued - I've been late to the party and already missed out on the K390 Wharncliffe, so at least get the regular one.

Now I can't leave the house without one of these two...

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And now I still dont have a Native 5, and in the back of my head I'm thinking about serrated Delicas...

How do I break this cycle?

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It’s a good problem to have.

[RustyIron]

and in the back of my head I'm thinking about serrated Delicas...

The K390 serrated Delica has been discontinued and is being offered at smokin' good prices. You really need to buy one. Or maybe you should get two, just in case. I'm glad I could be of help.

[Doc Dan]

For me, after owning several Delicas, the Native was a let down. Just FYI. The Delica is my favorite knife with a 3" blade, by far. Nothing comes close.

[Wartstein]

For me, after owning several Delicas, the Native was a let down. Just FYI. The Delica is my favorite knife with a 3" blade, by far. Nothing comes close.

Agree 100 %.

Though in my case "let down" for the Native 5 would perhaps be a bit harshly worded, I still think it is a very cool little knife, but the Delica works way better for me (in actual cutting and ergos).
This is subjective of course, but comes from directly and quite extensively comparing the two models in real use.

[270ultimate]

Did somebody say “titanium”?

https://www.knivesplus.com/spydercodeli ... 1tipd.html

[Wartstein]

My first Delica and also my very first Spyderco. Sabre grind combo edge - not bad for really hard work, but these days I´d prefer ffg comboedge (so a "thin line") or even better ffg full SE.

[aicolainen]

I have yet to own a proper Delica,
but with a Salt 2 PE H1, Salt 2 PE LC200N, Salt 2 WC SE LC200N, Tasman Salt SE and a Salt 1 PE H1 in my drawer I'm not totally opposed to the Delica pattern.

It should be pretty obvious what I recommend to look for in your next "Delica" purchase, and maybe just as obvious; I can't guarantee it will cure anything

Edit: and follow Wartsteins advice and get the Thin Line FFG CE. That's a very rare configuration for the Delica, and when they're gone they're gone.

[cycleguy]

Stick with what you like! ... The fewer models you feel the need to buy the better, trust me.

How to break the cycle? Get the best one first and call it a day. For me that was the K390 wharnie.

Excellent choice!

CG

[cycleguy]

Live with it… most people have worse problems.

[Mrj]

Live with it… most people have worse problems.

[Palestrina]

Haha...

Thank you guys for your clever, cruel, funny and informative responses and overall suggestions.

I can't quote each one of you, so I'll summarize what I've learned from here:

@abbazaba - that Pakkawood Delica looks fantastic, and it would gap the bridge from my traditional folders to the more modern Spydercos perfectly. Sadly, it's out of production, so - thank you for pouring salt into a wound I didN#t even have before reading your post :D

@mikey177 - I'm here in Europe, I might have to check how shipping and pricing changes for me, but the Salt 2 looks interesting, and I really like sheepsfoot style blades.

@mushroom - it is indeed a great pocket knife, I just thought I would try out different models :D Second Salt recommendation...

@p_atrick - seems difficult here in Europe, but a full linered Delica would probably be my highest priority.

@Mrj - is that a red G10 Delica HAP40/SUS410? Looks fantastic!

@adv23 - seems so, the Delica platform is great for EDC use.

@benben - it's highly likely, but I'm afraid it will be two Lil Natives, one Urban and 27 Delicas :D

@riclaw - it's funny, I've already thought about the Matriarch 2, I have no use for it, but it's quite an intriguing knife.

@ladybug93 - third Salt recommendation, I'm getting really interested.

@Fastidiotus @aicolainen - luckily I've dodged this bullet, the burgundy scales look great, the steel is interesting BUT, I don't like coated blades :D

@Manifestgtr - awesome knife! I'm a bit jealous.

@Wartstein - as always, thank you! Yes, I like the sabre grind, and you also slipped in the fourth Salt recommendation here, I guess there must bes somthing about the Salt series.

@Mrj - the blue damascus looks great, the Emerson Wave seems interesting, . Four Salts? I mean, it get's quite foggy where I live sometimes...

@ladybug93 - Emerson Wave as a favourite? Does the opening mechanism really work as good as shown on the Internet?

@elena86 - see, the Native 5 SPY27 was the one I wanted :D Thank you for the good news :D

@Manixguy@1994 -thanks. You seem to like the Spyderco Manix, it's been a model I've thought about buying quite a few times.

@mikey177 - that's good advice, I usually don't buy on impulse anyways. Also... I think I can identify at least two Salts in this picture, if I'm not mistaken this is the fifth time they show up in this thread.

@Skywalker - M 390, S30V and ? on the first picture? I'm not sure if I need to go bigger, as I live in a semi-urban environment, and I don't want to scare people away. K390 is really awesome, I love it.

@Brock O Lee - I really feel I've missed out on the K390 wharnie. K390 is my favourite steel as of now, and the Wharnie is great even with VG-10.

@Bill1170 - on a serious note - I'm really glad I have these "problems". Food in is the table, roof is over the head - which Spyderco to get next?

@RustyIron - they have been discontinued as well? I hope K390 stays in the line-up for much longer, it's such a great steel. Maybe I'll look out for a serrated K390, I think Knives and Tools had them on stock here in Europe.

@Doc Dan - The Native was a let down? That's interesting, it looks fantastic ergonomically, and all the reviews I've read have been quite positive. Great quote by John Adams by the way.

@270ultimate - Titanium!

@aicolainen - Salt, Salt, Salt... you seem to enjoy them. Are they really rust "proof"? Not that I need it, but my wife would surely understand such a purchase - I might get soaked in water in the Alps. Happens all the time...

@cycleguy - I think you've posted this picture in my first Delica thread. Now that I look at it again, I seems like there are some Salts in there as well. The three grreen scaled ones? One in the middle and two on the bottom left?

[ladybug93]

@ladybug93 - third Salt recommendation, I'm getting really interested.

@ladybug93 - Emerson Wave as a favourite? Does the opening mechanism really work as good as shown on the Internet?

if you don't have a salt, you should get one. personally, i prefer the pacific or stretch xl salts with spyderedge as a backup knife in my waistband that i carry always for emergencies. perfect for working out, swimming, or just the random time during the day where serrations are better for a job. i carry it in my waistband so that it's always in the same spot, regardless of what pants or shorts i'm wearing. consistency helps in emergency situations.

i put a wisemen signet ring on my waved delica. typically, if i carry it, i carry it in my back pocket on my weak side for defensive purposes. main edc knife in my front pocket for daily cutting tasks, pacific salt in my waistband for emergencies and times i end up sweaty or wet (i live in fl), and the waved delica in the back pocket for sd. if someone gets the jump on me and my strong side is tied up in defensive maneuvering, i can easily draw the delica, if necessary, to gain some distance. it works great in conjunction with the signet ring for this application.

that said, i do sometimes use it for regular cutting tasks as well because it's a cool little blade and is quite handy. it's a great knife and perfect if you love the delica, but are looking for something a little different.

[Palestrina]

So, now that I've processed all the information I've learned a few things.

- even thoug I feel like the PM3 and PM3 are the most mentioned knives when searching for Spyderco, the Delica seems to have quite a following.

- I need to get a serrated or at least partly serrated Delica.

- sometimes living in Europe makes purchasing special editions more challenging.

- the Salt series seems to be really popular. It's been mentioned like 8 or 9 times, I have to check them out.

- if I had a "problem" in the beginning, you guys only made it worse


I've started my thread as a bit of a joke, but there's some truth behind it as well. When I started out with the Lil' Native I thought I would work my way up through the Native line and then maybe something like a Manix or PM2.

If it wasn't for Sal Glesser himself recommending the Delica to me here on the forum it might have turned out that way, but then I just ordered a Delica out of curiosity, and it blew me away.

Up until then I thought the best knife you could buy for money was the Opinel No. 8 - which I own a ton of - it's been and will always be one of my favourite designs. Simple, cheap and with all the different handles quite a collectable design.

The Delica is the first modern knife I own where my initial thought was "Yes, that's a keeper, that's something I can work with for the rest of my life". I can't praise the Lil' Native enough, and I for sure will get the LW as soon as it is available, and the Urban will always be my choice for, yeah, urban environments. But the Delica really hits the sweet spot, and basically killed my interest in all the other - probably fantastic - designs I thought about getting in the first place.

I'm planning on gifting a small EDC knife to my wife, and I'm not quite sure if it should be the Squeak or the Dragonfly.

[Palestrina]

i put a wisemen signet ring on my waved delica. typically, if i carry it, i carry it in my back pocket on my weak side for defensive purposes. main edc knife in my front pocket for daily cutting tasks, pacific salt in my waistband for emergencies and times i end up sweaty or wet (i live in fl), and the waved delica in the back pocket for sd. if someone gets the jump on me and my strong side is tied up in defensive maneuvering, i can easily draw the delica, if necessary, to gain some distance. it works great in conjunction with the signet ring for this application.

that said, i do sometimes use it for regular cutting tasks as well because it's a cool little blade and is quite handy. it's a great knife and perfect if you love the delica, but are looking for something a little different.

I usually think of knives as tools, not defensive weapons, but times are changing, even here in Europe. I think I could check out the waved Delica, it's not that expensive and the worst case would be a funny looking blade on a great handle.

I've watched quite a few videos on the Yojimbo, as well as the Civilian/Matriarch. Two different knives basically designed for self defence. It's an interesting topic, and that's where the Emerson wave first caught my attention on the Matriarch 2. I usually wear jeans, so I think it can word. I just don't get how the deployment would work on soft fabrics, I mean, as said - I don't know anything about it.

[Palestrina]

i put a wisemen signet ring on my waved delica. typically, if i carry it, i carry it in my back pocket on my weak side for defensive purposes. main edc knife in my front pocket for daily cutting tasks, pacific salt in my waistband for emergencies and times i end up sweaty or wet (i live in fl), and the waved delica in the back pocket for sd. if someone gets the jump on me and my strong side is tied up in defensive maneuvering, i can easily draw the delica, if necessary, to gain some distance. it works great in conjunction with the signet ring for this application.

that said, i do sometimes use it for regular cutting tasks as well because it's a cool little blade and is quite handy. it's a great knife and perfect if you love the delica, but are looking for something a little different.

I usually think of knives as tools, not defensive weapons. But times are changing, even here in Europe. I think I could check out the waved Delica, it's not that expensive and the worst case would be a funny looking blade on a great handle.

I've watched quite a few videos on the Yojimbo, as well as the Civilian/Matriarch. Two different knives basically designed for self defence. It's an interesting topic, and that's where the Emerson wave first caught my attention on the Matriarch 2. I usually wear jeans, so I think it can word. I just don't get how the deployment would work on soft fabrics, I mean, as said - I don't know anything about it.

[Wartstein]

- even thoug I feel like the PM3 and PM3 are the most mentioned knives when searching for Spyderco, the Delica seems to have quite a following.
- the Salt series seems to be really popular. It's been mentioned like 8 or 9 times, I have to check them out.

- I really think you should kill two birds with one stone and just get a serrated Salt 2... It is a Delia, but... not

I´ve listed the main differences already before (linerless, thus lighter; longer, more handle filling blade; larger opening hole,thus an a bit taller blade and a steeper thumb ramp; more sheepsfooty, stronger tip; thicker, more hand filling handle; superhigh corrosion resistance)

You can SEE some of those differences in that old pic below (from when my Salt 2 was still brand new and shiny) - and yes, conveniently there happens to be a Chap in there also, I´ll come to that one

For me Spydercos serrations work better than PE in almost any folder task anyway, plus have the benefit of holding a "cutting" edge much longer and are a bit easier and quicker to sharpen. (Though the particular Salt 2 serrations are not my favorite out of the box, they get better (less "snaggy") with some sharpening processes)

One thing to know though, since you like traditional folders: The Salt 2 is pretty far from that... (a "traditional" folder), rather a prime example of the modern art of knife making: Superlight, but still really strong, as little parts and material as possible,

[ladybug93]

i put a wisemen signet ring on my waved delica. typically, if i carry it, i carry it in my back pocket on my weak side for defensive purposes. main edc knife in my front pocket for daily cutting tasks, pacific salt in my waistband for emergencies and times i end up sweaty or wet (i live in fl), and the waved delica in the back pocket for sd. if someone gets the jump on me and my strong side is tied up in defensive maneuvering, i can easily draw the delica, if necessary, to gain some distance. it works great in conjunction with the signet ring for this application.

that said, i do sometimes use it for regular cutting tasks as well because it's a cool little blade and is quite handy. it's a great knife and perfect if you love the delica, but are looking for something a little different.

I usually think of knives as tools, not defensive weapons, but times are changing, even here in Europe. I think I could check out the waved Delica, it's not that expensive and the worst case would be a funny looking blade on a great handle.

I've watched quite a few videos on the Yojimbo, as well as the Civilian/Matriarch. Two different knives basically designed for self defence. It's an interesting topic, and that's where the Emerson wave first caught my attention on the Matriarch 2. I usually wear jeans, so I think it can word. I just don't get how the deployment would work on soft fabrics, I mean, as said - I don't know anything about it.

i'm certainly not looking for a fight, and definitely not for a knife fight. like i said, it's for creating space to get away.

some people carry them without the signet ring just because it deploys quicker for them with they're working on something. can't hurt to try it out either way.

i really wanted a matriarch at one point for going for runs in the dark part of the morning or night. i would've put a signet ring on that too, but that's when i realized it wouldn't make sense for that knife. there would be too much space between my hand and the blade and the blade shape isn't as versatile. it would still be good for regular grip slashing, but not as effective in reverse grip and not good for stabbing. i don't plan on doing either, but i don't want to have to think about what i am limited to in the moment.

i also put a 5x5 pickpocket on my yojimbo. i like it for the quick draw and for ergonomic reasons as well. i have a whole writeup on it here on the forum if you're interested.

i don't want a wave on every knife, but i don't like them for certain purposes.