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Spyderco endura or delica?

Boogsawaste

Boogsawaste

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Well I’ve been toting around a cheap S&w folder for a few years. It’s some newer stainless one (probably made of high quality chinesium metal), and have been wanting to upgrade to a better quality one. I really like the looks of spyderco knives and after handling a police model a while back am hooked.

Now, I love the police (in stainless), but think for all around every day carry it is a little large and I’ve heard about people breaking off the tips on occasion using them for “normal” daily needs.

Now the use for my new knife would be typical things like opening boxes and cutting zip ties etc. Would take it fishing and such. Normal stuff. However I would also like to have it in case of needing to use it for defense. Would be a great back up.

The police looks like a menacing tool and here in PA there are no restrictions about size as long as there is a “common lawful use” for said knife. However I’m concerned about the tip and let’s be honest, it has a pretty large blade on it so saying I use it to cut my orange peels off might sound like a load...even if I am telling the truth!

This leads me to the Endura and Delica. Wish I could get both but for now I’ll have to choose just one. I can tell you that I definitely want stainless (I know they’re smooth and that’s ok with me), and a plain edge. At most I would look for the half plain, half serrated. I’m just not sure if the Endura is that much smaller than the police but I don’t want to lose too much blade going with the Delica.

My S&w blade measures like 3 1/8” with slightly less cutting edge and the whole knife is a little longer than the Delica. Wish I had a local place to handle both of them!

Any opinions?
 
I've owned both. The Delica for me is better pocket knife. I prefer the smaller size for general use. If I were carrying one for a defensive knife, I'd choose the larger Endura. I'd say handle them both and pick the one that you prefer.
 
I've been carrying a Delica for several years now. Personally, I think for the type of tasks you're talking about the Delica would serve well. I currently have three, all of them Delica 4 FFG (full-flat grind), plain edge. One has the blue handle, one has the purple handle, and one has the grey handle (which I will, hopefully, be sending off to be shortened/reprofiled soon). I use mine for simple, every day tasks (opening letters/packages, cutting apples, etc.).

The Delica's blade is just under 3", while the Endura's blade is 3.75", IIRC. I don't know off the top of my head how long the Police model's blade is. I would like to get an Endura at some point, but the Delica pretty much fills all my requirements for an EDC pocket knife.

The nice thing about either the Delica or Endura is that they're available with different handle colors to make them look less "menacing." Every once in a while I try to track down the limited run pink-handled Delica that Spyderco made some years ago. No luck yet.

While I don't carry my Delica for self-defense, look up Michael Janich of Martial Blade Concepts. He's got some articles out there talking about how effective the Delica can be as a defensive tool.
 
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For me the Delica is a day to day knife. The Endura is carried when a big blade is needed. I do not have a Sterech, but if you can only pick one of the two you mentioned, go out of the box with a Stretch 2.
 
I have a police model and it's a dandy knife. But for everyday carry and use, I prefer the smaller knives. For that reason, I'd probably recommend the Delica. I have no use for serrated blades, and most especially the half serrated blades. I use that portion of the blade closest to the knife frame as much or more than I use the tip end. I want a plain edge. I've never had a bad Spyderco knife. But the blade just shy of 3" is for me plenty long to do all I need to do with it, and it's just short enough that I can choke up on the open knife and control that tip for some chores that arise where I need the tip. The longer blades make that near impossible. Being less than 3", that Delica blade will be acceptable about any place where any knife is acceptable. If you can only have one, I'd choose the Delica. My police model hasn't been out of my knife box in a very long time! Since I use the smaller sizes, when I am looking through my box, I am surprised at just how large that police model is! That's my recommendation, FWIW.
 
A most generous member of this forum gave me a full-flat-ground, plain-edge Endura with brown scales. I love it, and use it for everything. But I recently acquired a Kershaw OSO Sweet that is approximately the size of the Delica. It's also super useful and rides nicely in a pocket. I might consider a Delica one day. Not letting go of the Endura, though.
 
Given the choice, I will usually pick the smaller knife for EDC. In the course of my day, I never encounter anything that a three-inch blade can’t handle. In fact, there’s not much a Case Peanut can’t handle, but I prefer a slightly larger knife in hand.

I do not consider a knife as useful for self-defense, except perhaps against a dog.
 
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#1 EDC knife on Google is paramilitary 2, for good reason. How come your not including this knife in your list of consideration?
 
Thanks every one. I’m leaning more towards the Delica. Ideally I’d like to have all 3 but of course money doesn’t grow on trees. ;)

I looked at the para 2 but no stainless that I could see. I’m stuck on the smooth stainless as it just feels right in my hands. Grew up using buck 110’s and Swiss Army knives and enjoy the smooth feel. I also prefer “professional” handled wrenches with their smooth narrow handles. I just don’t like the feel of the others. Maybe it would grow on me? Don’t want to spend $100+ to find out it doesn’t!
 
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The para 2 comes in a variety of steels, all are a form of stainless. Also , the g10 grips are nicer than the plastic ones. I think if you handled all 3, you would see that the para 3 is higher quality knife. My problem is that it is the first spyderco I bought. Now when I look at the other models , they are not as nice to me, so no reason to buy another folder. My ZT's just sit in a drawer now. They are supposed to do a sprint run of a orange handled para 2 with maximelt steel, I'll try to get one of those.
 
Ribwizzard said:
The para 2 comes in a variety of steels, all are a form of stainless. Also , the g10 grips are nicer than the plastic ones. I think if you handled all 3, you would see that the para 3 is higher quality knife. My problem is that it is the first spyderco I bought. Now when I look at the other models , they are not as nice to me, so no reason to buy another folder. My ZT's just sit in a drawer now. They are supposed to do a sprint run of a orange handled para 2 with maximelt steel, I'll try to get one of those.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I meant the non textured steel. I’ll check their site again though because maybe I missed it.
 
Not on your list, but my all time favorite is the Native. I carried the black handle one for years till I switched to a OTF auto.

i-FLDtbzz-XL.jpg
 
I HAVE SEVERAL SPYDERCO KNIVES, LOOKED FOR A WHILE, THEN STARTED WITH THE TENACIOUS FROM WALMART FOR UNDER $40.00, STILL CARRY THIS EVERY DAY AT WORK BECAUSE IF I DAMAGE IT I AM ONLY OUT THE $40.00, IT STAYS SHARP AND EASY TO SHARPEN, TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, AND THEN YOU CAN MOVE ON TO MORE AFTER THAT, THEY ADDICTING. CARRY THE NATIVE 5 WHEN NOT AT WORK, IT IS SMALLER IN SIZE.
 
9 times out of 10 Im carrying an Endura Wave with a Wise Men Company Signet Ring I put on it. Basically turns it into a karambit style knife. I also swapped the pocket clip to the spider side of the knife so when I deploy it, its already in the reverse grip:cool:
You cant go wrong with a Spyderco knife. I have a handful of their knifes and love them all to death.
 
I have a plain edge Delica that gets carried daily and a Endura wave that stays in the drawer mostly. Either is fine but the Delica fits in my pocket a little easier.
 
Been toting a vtoku2 Delica lately. Perfect size for EDC but the clip makes it ride a bit high. Can't go wrong with Delica, Endura, or Sttetch. Or a PM2 if wanting something stouter. . .
 
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