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[benplaut]

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[kimjune01]

I think you will grow into the Delica more than the Tenacious. If it is to be loose in the pocket, then you will also need to consider the weight and thickness of the knife when closed. In that aspect, I'd say that the Delica is more pocketable than the Tenacious. On a second note: if you can swallow the extra price, you may want to go for a G-10 Delica that was released a month or two ago, Expect to pay 40-ish dollars more for the colored G-10.


Also, you shouldn't ever worry about Spyderco's knives having accidentally open in the pocket. The magicians(engineers?) at the great Spyderco Factory do an excellent job at designing and manufacturing the excellent knives.

For reference,
http://www.spydie.nl/resized.html
should give you lots of information to digest.

[MANIXWORLD]

Bro,IMO you cant go wrong with either,but personally il go for the D4.
Ive got 2 Delica4's/one combo edge and the other full Spyderedge.
they are lovely knives.the D4 will grow on you.
it still is one of the best Spyderco designs to me/Delica4.
the VG10 bladesteel will kick AUS-8 and equivalent to AUS-8 bladesteels, out the ballpark,WRT corrosion resistance,edgeholding and ease of sharpening to a hair splitting sharp edge.
the Tenacious gets a second choice for me.

[The Deacon]

There is a very positive ball detent.

I would rate the chances of any properly maintained Spyderco liner lock carried loose in the pocket opening accidentally as pretty slim, since the handle and blade are free to move together in the event your body suddenly decelerates (as when one jumps off the tailgate of a pickup). Whereas, in that same situation, the handle of a clipped knife is restrained, but the blade is not, which is why most are set up for tip down carry.

Both are good knives, I'd rate the quality of the Delica as higher than the Tenacious. That's really not surprising considering their respective price points. On the other hand, the Tenacious gives you a considerable amount more edge in an only marginally larger package. Since you prefer screw construction, if you are also someone who likes to tinker, the Tenacious is probably the easier of the two to reassemble properly.

But all of that is coming from someone who would take the Native over both of them. Lighter, more compact, and no screws to fall out. (I've got enough loose ones already) :D

[THG]

I have the Delica, and it's my favorite knife. FRN seems cheap in pictures. I thought the same thing until I saw it in person. This is tough stuff.

[benplaut]

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[MAT888]

I see you live on the big island Hawaii. (you lucky guy

If rust in combination to a sulferic/ salt water environment is a concern you could also opt for a Salt 1 in H1 steel that won't rust.

The salt 1 is simular to a delica however it is a pinned construction and not screwed. They come in black or yellow FRN.

pictures by Wouter; from post #23 onward.

http://spyderco.com/forums/showthread.p ... alt&page=2

[dalefuller]

Personally, I'd pay more attention to blade steel than handle material. IMAO, VG10 is the best all-around stainless for a general use pocket sized folder. Some steels are better in certain categories than VG10, but I haven't found one that's as high in all areas as VG10. It's tough enough to roll before it chips, it's easy to sharpen to a razor+ edge, it holds the edge for a good while, and it's very corrosion resistant.

I've had VG10 Delicas for several years now and they've never given me any kind of problem. One of my D3s even went to the Atlantic with me and was submerged a few times to see if it would develop any problems... none found. I just made sure to coat the blade with Mili-Tec and rinse the knife in fresh water each evening.

And as far as FRN being cheap... I carry an FRN scaled EDC because of the FRN. I work in a warehouse and I've banged the scales into steel posts, dropped a D4 from about 10 feet in the air, and gotten all kinds of liquid crap on the scales. They don't even know they've been dropped or soaked. Just clean 'em off and they're like new. I did manage to dent a G10 scale on a non-Spyderco knife that I dropped on my patio a year or so back. FRN wouldn't have had any problems at all.

[benplaut]

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[catamount]

If you're going to carry it loose in your pocket, get the Delica. I wouldn't trust the Tenacious not to open in my pocket.

That's not a comment on the quality of the Tenacious, but liner locks in general. I wouldn't carry my Military or Sage loose in my pocket either.

[Jenner 515]

I do not have a D4, so there I cannot give an opinion. I do have the E4 in FG G10 and a Tenacious...

My preference is the Tenacious. If it's going to be a User or Beater then definitely the Tenacious, Mine has become my EDC recently, it is easy to sharpen easy to maintain and keep clean due to the open construction, I really like the blade geometry, more so than the E4 or my Delica in ZDP. And at the price point I am not afraid to perhaps use it more strenuously than the E4 or D3. The Tenacious has never given me trouble opening in the pocket, I've carried it loose in pocket, clipped to pocket, IWB, OWB...never a problem with opening unexpectedly nor have I had a problem with the lock.

my $.02

[stap2211]

It's a more robust knife with more edge and better edge geometry (flat ground).

A lighter and slightly more compact knife to consider is the G10 Raven. It sounds like it would suit your preferences even more.

[stap2211]

With blades open ... they seem to belong to different size classes. The Tenacious is a step up in both weight and blade length.

[RIOT]

Delica = japan

Tenacious = china


buy the Delica, youll be happier

[markg]

I would consider the Tenacious to be a big on the large side for loose pocket carry. That would, in the end, depend on how large you are to begin with, I guess.

I would go with the Delica, I prefer VG-10 to the alphabet soup named Chinese steel. VG-10 is one of the best steels to work with IMHO. And if you want to spend a bit more, you can get the Delica in ZDP-189.

As for FRN...

It is in one of the most durable handle materials made. I have run over the stuff from another maker with an SUV and it not only survived, it showed no signs of being run over (can't say the same for the clip). It can be dropped on hard surfaces, it does not scratch, it provides good grip, and will look almost new in 10 years.

G-10 does give warmth and an advanced techy look to the knife. It is good stuff too.

As Paul (Deacon) pointed out, disassembly and reassembly of a liner lock will be easier, if you need to do that. Not that the lock back will be impossible, just a bit more complicated.

I would still get the Delica.

[Doc Pyres]

My FG Delica is one of the best knives I have. It fits my hand like a glove, cuts like a demon, is light and small enough that I often forget I have it lose in my pocket (that's how I most often carry it), it washes up fine (I don't think sand will gunk it up if you use a dry lube like Tuf-Glide, etc.) and the foliage green G-10 is a nice step up from the black FRN, IMHO. I realize it's a bit pricy for a first :spyder: , but if it's the main EDC knife you plan on keeping for 3 or 4 years, you won't regret it.

I've never tried a Tenacious but it looks too big/heavy to be comfortable loose in pocket. Remember, we're talking 4 oz. to the Delica's 3.25 oz. or just 2.5 oz. for the FRN.

Another idea to consider would be a UKPK. My Orange G-10 just arrived and it's a real beauty! :)

[Kev-Man]

Hey man, great to see someone else that lives on this rock (Big Island) on here. I understand how hard it is to choose a knife when you cannot handle it. Afaik there is only a couple places on the Big Island that sells :spyder: 's I'm not sure which side of the island you are on but if you check them out atleast you can have a reference to compare to.

I would have to go for the Delica but my reason would be mainly because of the steel and size since you're not going to clipit. I have an old Caly Jr. Aus8 and it tends to dull faster than the VG10 IMO.

Kev

[emann]

I'd choose the Delica, in fact I did.

[ozspyder]

If carrying loose in pocket I would recommend:

1) Delica 4
2) Salt I
3) Native I or III

If clipped, then you could go for the Tenacious.

I carry and use my Delica, Tenacious, Native and Salt. For abuse I would go for the Salt range. Being on the big island you might consider the Salt as a very viable option. I know that if I am going to the beach or if I think I'll be going bush etc. the Salt comes for the ride. Usually accompanied with something else.

Betweem Delica and Tenacious I would go for the Delica. But I would highly recommend you go for one of these (as well) :p

[benplaut]

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