Here are pictures of my ZDP-189 Delica (pen on the bottom is a standard Pilot G2 for size comparison):
Here is a link to Blade HQ's video review of the Delica 4. It is a good visual reference point, and always, a fairly nice, concise review in and of itself.
Short Form: I don't think the Delica 4 is perfect (nothing is), but it is a really, really nice blade, especially for the price point. Its merits (many) outweigh its flaws (few). Not the most discrete knife in the world, though.
Size: Medium
The knife is 7.125" open, 4.25" closed. The blade itself is 2.875", but the cutting edge is only 2.563". This puts it in the medium category, creeping up on what I'd call large for an EDC blade. Some people complain that there's a lot of handle for not much knife here, and I think that's valid. You can get a lot more cutting edge in a smaller package with something like a Benchmade Mini-griptilian. That said, I think the increased size does pay dividends in ergonomics, but we'll get to that in a second.
Usage Rating: Medium
Unlike the Kershaw Leek, which seems downright dainty, this is a knife I would (and have) taken into the woods. Like most Spyderco knives, it has a rock solid lock-up that has stayed with absolutely zero play after a year of solid use (abuse) at my hands. The grip is solid from an ergonomic stand point and is appropriate for heavy chores. Between the thumb ramp and the bi-directional texturing on the handle scales, you're just not going to accidentally let go of this knife... ever. Great for fishing and light bushcraft.
The only reason I don't rate this as hard use is because of the thin blade-stock and fairly steep secondary bevel.
Blade Steel Quality: Moderate / Superior
The VG 10 on the regular model is one of the best all-around steels I can think of. Notably better edge retention than the "budget" steels like 8Cr13Mov and 420HC. It is also crazy-easy to sharpen and polish. It takes a great mirror edge and resists rust quite well. I feel like this particular steel really hits that "sweet spot" where it performs well, but isn't so expensive that you would baby it and keep it from being really used hard.
I put the "superior" tag on there for those that want to fork out $30 extra for the ZDP-189 steel. I have both versions of the Delica 4, so I figured I'd throw this information in. ZDP-189 really is in a league of its own. I don't think I've ever seen steel (even s30v or D2) come close to the edge retention properties of ZDP-189. It will take and hold an extremely steep (less than 30 degree inclusive) edge for months at a time. I am a sharpness freak with my blades, and I have gone three or four months without sharpening my ZDP-189 Delica because it can still shave hair.
I will place a few warnings on this steel, though.
1. Higher price point = greater fear: I do find that I "baby" this one more than my regular Delica. It has that wonderfully ground, super-hard blade and I'd hate to screw it up, especially since it is so damn expensive for an everyday use knife. As a result, it sees less actual use than some of my cheaper "workhorses".
2. Corrosion prone: a whopping amount of carbon is to blame for that wonderful edge retention. The trade off is that it is more rust prone than most high end knife steels. You really can't let this thing get wet, and even handling it regularly with your hands creates a noticeable "patina" over time (although this doesn't affect the performance of the blade in the slightest).
3. Chips: Because this steel is so hard, it is more prone to chipping at the edge than rolling like softer steels do. This matters because this steel is, frankly, a royal pain in the ass to re-profile and polish. The hardness which lends to its performance adds challenge to the maintenance.
Deployment Method: One-Handed Ambidextrous
Ahh... the truly ambidextrous knife. Lefties and righties can open and close this thing with equal ease. And "ease" is the operative term here. The 14 mm Spyderhole is about the easiest opening method on the market, as far as I'm concerned. I've never met anyone that didn't quickly fall in love with this method and start grousing about thumb studs in short order. No matter your hand size or position, wet or dry, gloved or no, you'll be able to get this knife open easily.
I should point out, though, that the deployment on this one isn't lightning fast. The sturdy back lock, which makes for a thin knife and makes it truly ambidextrous, does slow deployment a bit. The reason is because of the tension that the back-spring puts on the blade as it rotates out into the open position. Don't be expecting that explosively fast opening that you get on a Kershaw assisted opener or even a really well-designed liner-lock knife. Not a deal breaker for me, but I know it bothers some people.
Performance Aspects:
1. Slicing - The Delica is a decent slicer, but not spectacular. The lack of curvature in the blade means it doesn't perform quite as well as a Mini-Griptilian or even the Delica's cheaper cousin, the Persistence. That said, the extremely thin blade-stock and steep secondary bevel do make up some of that lost ground. The extremely ergonomic grip also helps. I've never been aggravated with this knife's slicing performance, but I've never really been blow away by it, either.
2. Piercing - The Delica is a decent piercing knife. This iteration has a stronger tip than previous incarnations. You used to read about older versions losing their tip when dropped. That isn't an issue here, but that stockier tip costs the knife some of its piercing power. It doesn't pierce nearly as well as a clip-point knife or something with a needle-fine tip, like a Kershaw Leek. That said, I'd be much more comfortable driving this into a hard material.
3. Push-Cutting - The Delica is a pretty good push-cutting knife. The fairly straight blade, which hurts slicing, seems to help in this aspect. Further, the thin blade stock and steep bevel help here, too. Again, I can't stress how much the good grip on this thing makes all its uses easier.
Reading the three evaluations, you get the impression that the performance on this blade is kind of "meh". Let me try and disabuse you of that notion. While it doesn't do any one thing spectacularly, it does just about everything well. The more you use one, the more you'll appreciate the value of this. For an EDC blade, I think you really need something like that.
Retention Method:
1. Functionality - Like most things Spyderco, this is the focus. This hourglass pocket clip isn't pretty or discreet, but by God, it does its job. It will hold the knife in the pockets of about any pants (jeans to light slacks) securely, based on the broad surface area "pinching" the fabric. Also, the fact that the bow of the clip contacts the smooth logo panel (regardless of configuration) means that your pants won't get torn to shreds on this one.
2. Discretion Factor - Fail. This is a large clip, but in tip-up carry (which is the preferred option for most folks), a large portion of knife sticks out of your pocket. Some people like this for the ease of drawing it out (again - Spyderco cares about function), but I can't say as I've ever had any serious problems pulling out blades with deep carry pocket clips (which I greatly prefer).
3. Versatility - As versatile as it gets. Four way carry plus lanyard plus wave capacity with a zip tie means you can carry this thing however you like to carry knives and it will work quite well.
Fit and Finish:
The Spyderco knifes from Seki in Japan are good, but not mind-blowing. Everything was clean and functional. No gaps, stripped screws, or overtly sloppy bits of work. On closer inspection, though, two of the three Delicas I own have centering issues. Two also suffer an uneven grind at the tip, like the person grinding it just nodded off. It doesn't affect the performance noticeably, but for perfectionists, I might be irksome.
I will point out that the ZDP-189 Delica had significantly better fit and finish. Immaculate grind and perfect centering to supplement an already great knife.
Ease of Maintenance:
Generally pretty good. A monthly touch-up on the Sharpmaker will keep the VG-10 shaving sharp. It takes a fine edge easily. The more I use and evaluate knives, the more I start to appreciate how much ease of sharpening matters. The ZDP-189 stays crazy sharp so long as it gets touched up bi-monthly, but God help you if you put a nick in it or really trash the edge. Getting it back to razor sharpness is a certifiable nightmare.
Because of the closed, lock-back design, these things are definitely lint magnets. Invest in pipe-cleaners and compressed air to keep the mechanism free of debris. If you're not finicky about keeping grime out, the action on these knives does get gritty.
For reasons I don't know, my ZDP-189 Delica attracts grime way more than the VG-10. Perhaps the tighter tolerances make it more noticeable when something is out of whack?
The phosphor bronze bushings make the knife open smoothly, but I've also found that these blades need a dab of mineral oil or teflon spray to keep their peak performance.
Conclusion:
It is really easy to see why this blade is in the pantheon. It is one of the most quintessential examples of the qualities that makes Spyderco a great company. If you need a small-medium size folder to keep you company for a half decade or so of regular use, and still be a fantastic tool at the end, this one is for you. I really can't think of a more versatile lock-bladed folding knife.
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