No Longer a Spyderco Virgin

[Rebel]

This mini review is tongue-in-cheek so don’t go getting offended guys.

Here she is

I’m no longer a Spyderco virgin. The Delica looked so beguiling on my monitor and you lot have been pushing me and egging me on so I took the plunge. My conscience was pricking me but the Mrs was out, the kids were in bed and I couldn’t resist the urge so I went for it.

Now that I’ve done it what can I say? I should have listened to my elders when they warned me that my first time might be a disappointment and I have to say they were right.

I bought the Delica FRN model with a plain edge in VG-10 steel. This is made in Japan. I opened the beguiling box with its dark shades and mysterious web design to behold the knife.

My hands were trembling as I prepared for my first experience and I couldn’t open the bubble wrap fast enough. Finally I held her in my hands. I felt disappointed when I saw the plastic handle but I knew this was the real thing so I opened her up.

The blade opened stiffly but it looked good, shiny and sharp, ready to take a few hairs off my arm and it did. I stared closely at the plastic handle, it’s not reinforced or lined with metal, it’s just . . . plastic. “Well at least it’s light,” I thought to myself, about half the weight of a metal handled folder.

After getting over the shock of owning a plastic handled knife I gripped the handle in my hand and found it wasn’t as comfortable as I’d hoped. It hasn’t been rounded off where the blade goes in so it’s a bit sharp on the fingers and the strangely designed end bit feels uncomfortable on my little finger.

The blade, as you can see in the picture, doesn’t sit perfectly flush with the locking mechanism which I thought was a bit unprofessional.



Having the blade hanging up from the clip takes a bit of getting used to but it’s just as well because if it hung the other way the bit of the blade that sticks out from the handle could scratch your hand. Not sure why they made it like that.



There doesn’t seem to be a way to dismantle the knife for cleaning, repair or slackening the blade.

It is sharp though. So now I’m wondering, should I cut something with it or try and sell it?

I tried to hide her from the Mrs who’d told me “no more knives” but she found her on my desk. “Oh that old knife,” I said but she knew better. The plastic handle had her fooled and she thought it was some cheap Chinese blade I’d picked up but then I confessed to its true origin. “It’s cute,” she said. So maybe I’ll keep it after all.

[Basemetal]

Ugly little so and sos aren't they.
I just can't appreciate the lines from blade onto the handle (either with it closed as you show on your third photo or open like your first). I used to post regularly that I didn't like Delicas or Enduras. Then I thought I'd just carry it and see how we got on.
Now I've really come to like it -it has proved itself a very versatile and reliable pocket knife and that plastic handle is so very much better than you'd think. The knife is tough as old boots and needs no special treatment. In fact if you try to abuse it it just comes back for more grinning. Like an ill-favoured dog it just loves you whatever you do to it and doesn't complain. You forget it's VG10 because it looks like a Chinese knock-off. Mongrel it might be -but it has quite a gene pool.

So go on, let into your heart. it belongs there.

[Basemetal]

Oh and they do slacken off a bit with use. And you can tighten them by tapping the rivet.

[Simon G]

Ugly little so and sos aren't they.
I just can't appreciate the lines from blade onto the handle (either with it closed as you show on your third photo or open like your first). I used to post regularly that I didn't like Delicas or Enduras. Then I thought I'd just carry it and see how we got on.
Now I've really come to like it -it has proved itself a very versatile and reliable pocket knife and that plastic handle is so very much better than you'd think. The knife is tough as old boots and needs no special treatment. In fact if you try to abuse it it just comes back for more grinning. Like an ill-favoured dog it just loves you whatever you do to it and doesn't complain. You forget it's VG10 because it looks like a Chinese knock-off. Mongrel it might be -but it has quite a gene pool.

So go on, let into your heart. it belongs there.

'nuff said!

[Jerseyman]

The FRN Spydercos are dog-ugly, but they work.
There will always be one of them in my fire jacket and my dry suit.

I need a knife that I can open safely and quickly while wearing thick fire gloves or neoprene boat gloves.
I need a knife that I will not cry over if I have to lend it to someone and it gets damaged or lost.

For me these knives are the plain edged Delica, Endura and Pacific Salt.

[sal]

Hi Rebel, Thanx for the input and the review. We always appreciate hearing from our customers.

"It is sharp though. So now I’m wondering, should I cut something with it or try and sell it?"

I find it a little surprizing that you can critique a knife without cutting something. Kinda like commenting on the flavor of an apple without biting into it?

sal

[MotorbikeMan]

Sal's got a point Rebel, stick it in your pocket for a couple of weeks and just give it a chance to grow on you I've found mine to be a great little edc and it excels at everything i need an edc to do but it did take a little while for me to appreciate the frn handles, they really are bullet proof

[Anarcus]

Oops, there I was saying he'd like it

[Fraser]

Re the FRN handles- a guy I know on another forum decided to see how strong they were. He stuck the blade in a vice and tried to snap the handle. *Note: DON'T try this at home kids*
His impression was that the blade would probably break before the FRN did.


I've got both the Delica and Endura, and next to my Leatherman they're my most carried knives. Simple, practical, reliable. You really can't go wrong with them.

[MotorbikeMan]

Here's a thought Rebel, if you don't fancy carrying it for a bit, send it to me I'll carry it for a few......well, a while and then I'll tell you how it compares to the part serrated version I have

[Stuart Ackerman]

I have a friend who is a plastics specialist.
She says motor vehicle bumpers have to absorb a lot of force, but are designed to break at a high enough load...

FRN or Zytel cannot be used, as it has a tremendously high fracture resistance.

Says it all to me

[999]

For the money, I don't think you can do better. Use it and see if you can break it! Bulletproof as MBM said.

[Sim-0]

'nuff said!

Same as.

I just received one the same yesterday but have only used it to make cheddar sarnies so far.

Cutting the cheese is no real test.

[Rebel]

Thanks for all the feedback.

I am going to keep the knife and do some cutting with it. I do like the slim profile and discreet nature of it. I also like the shape of the blade and, being a lefty (southpaw) I like the ambidextrous nature of it. (Although I've learned to open blades with my index finger out of necessity.)

Like Basemetal mentioned it might grow on me and I think it will. I just couldn't resist having a little dig . I think my points are reasonably valid though, but after a few months I might have decided that the few niggles I have with it are small in comparison to the good points.

Of course, as Sal mentioned, a knife is made for cutting just as an apple is made for eating. If I don't cut with it how can I know how good it really is? I just thought that if I'm generally not pleased with the design and feel then if I still had it boxed and unused I could sell it on for around the same price I bought it for. I won't be doing that though.

I bought the Delica for EDC use and I plan to use it a lot.

Which one is the most discreet?

Thanks again for all the interesting pointers you brought up.

[ElThomsono]

Which one is the most discreet?

The third one?

Couple of points: How strong (springy) is the pocket clip, and I quite like the look of the one on the right, what is it?