Name: Spyderco Delica 4 Emerson Opener Folding Knife 2-7/8" VG10 Satin Plain Blade with Wave, Gray FRN Handles
Brand: Spyderco Knives
SKU: SP11PGYW
Price: 111.75 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.808 (26 reviews)

Nolan
Ohio

Jul 21, 2015

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

nice quality as expected from Spyderco

Great EDC, the wave is a cool feature and works as it should. Can't go wrong with Spyderco.

Adam
Hellertown, Pa

Nov 22, 2017

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Overall Quality

Cons: None

Love it

I was interested in a knife with the Emerson wave opener that wouldn't break the bank and as I have been interested in spyderco knives this was a great first spyderco for me. The opener works fantastically and is smooth as butter. The knife is lightweight and fights in your pocket well. Overall I love the knife and will be buying more spyderco knives in the future. Side note the spyder hole opening takes a little bit to get used to it, but once you do it is amazing.

Tanner
Seekonk,MA

Nov 06, 2011

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Lock Ease of Use

Not for the clumsy

This knife functions beautifully as an edc for a number ofreasons. Its light weight sharp and very sturdy. This specific model has the wave opening feature. This can be a little Annoying when you just want to pull the knife out without producing a blade because you have to make sure the hook doesnt snag on your pants. Getting the wave opening right takes some practice too. I would only reccomend thhis knife if you have a reason to have the blade out that fast.. I personally dont carry for sd so im indifferent to it. But trust me it works well and that blade is out before you see your knife

Jimmy
Florida

Jun 18, 2014

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Bang for you buck!

This knife is awesome! An Emerson opener for under $80 is an extremely hard thing to find. Spyderco quality and value are hard to beat. P.S. it opens beer bottles too!

Josh
California

Jun 04, 2026

Pros: Blade Material, Blade Sharpness, Ease of Opening, Handle Feel, Handle Material, Lock Ease of Use, Lock Type, Overall Quality, Pocket Clip, Weight

Cons: None

Like a mini Emerson

Great little knife, not too small, not too big or heavy, like an ultra light weight Emerson knife. Wish Emerson would make something as compact as this!

Dave
Bakersfield

Dec 08, 2012

Pros: Weight, Blade Material

Cons: None

to cut things

David
San Pablo,Ca

Aug 05, 2016

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Right on

Any time I need a sharp blade. Easy carry,quick handling

Shannon
Las Vegas

Aug 26, 2013

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Pocket Clip

Great EDC Knife!

I just received the knife today. It was super sharp and smooth. The knife is a little stiff and needs broken in. Now as for quality the handle feels good in your hand and the steel being V8-10 should hold a good edge. The wave feature is awesome makes the knife ready to use at a moments notice. I actually bought this knife for personal defense for my wife, and this knife will be exactly what I am looking for her. The knife is also light weight so that she won't mind carring it. The only thing that I would like to see upgraded on the knife is the black clip. I think with it being black instead of polished chrome makes it seem a little cheap. Other then that great knife. Also Knife Center did a great job on delivering the knife that I ordered and within 4 day. I will be making more purchase's in the near future.

Kevin
USA, Earth

Jul 28, 2023

Pros: None

Cons: None

Long term edc

I carried a delica with wave over a decade ago because of its fast deployment. My thought was, if things hit the fan, no folder can be deployed quicker. Thankfully, I've never had to pull the delica out in self defense, but I've become so used to having the wave opener that not having it on a knife feels like a disadvantage. Imo, it carries great in the pocket, comes out of the pocket open and ready to go like a fixed blade, with the advantage of not having to carry a sheath or worry about the stigma that could be associated with carrying a fixed blade. Yes, the wave can tear up your pocket. If you are wearing suit pants or some more delicate fabric, I wouldn't carry a knife with a wave opener. Every so often I'll carry something else just to change it up, but the delica is always my go to. The endura with wave is fantastic as well, just a little large for me to carry as frequently as the delica. Interested in trying the endela with wave as a "goldilocks."

Romeo Charlie
Dixie Forestland

Jan 26, 2012

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

As good as I expected ...

I use this as an EDC. The size is perfect for that application at my workplace. I have used the endura for quite a while, but have become hesitant to use it in front of customers. The delica fixes this issue, as it is very non-threatening. That being stated, spydie quality is always at the standard level: exceptional. This knife was sharp, clean, and while slightly stiff, that is a break-in issue. The wave feature is nice, even if it is a small knife that I wouldn't worry about using for selfdefence. But for the crazy one handed situations, needing to draw and slice on a ladder with masses of cat5 all around, helpful! Glad I have it. KC, great service as always!

Sam
Upstate NY

Jun 06, 2014

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Nice knife!

The Delica4 is an excellent EDC knife. Lightweight, four way adjustable clip, grippy in the hand, sturdy lockup with steel liners, and out of the box one of the sharpest knives I've owned. The Emerson Wave is a nice add on - takes a little practice, and ease of use differs depending on the style of your pocket - jeans type pockets seem to do better with it than slash type pockets. I would highly recommend this knife to anyone looking for a high quality EDC folder.

S9
Las Vegas

Nov 30, 2013

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Follow up Review

Just wanted to write a follow up after having the knife for 3 months. The knife is still a super sharp knife and I use it. It is very handy especially with the Emerson wave feature on it. You just can't go wrong with it. If you don't want to carry the Endura due to its size this is the knife for you. Plus the price on this knife is fair. I do wish this knife came with a few more handle choices. At either rate this knife has been in my pocket since and been used almost daily for any sort of cutting duties I may have. This knife is worth it.

Ken Z
ideho

May 29, 2012

Pros: Ease of Opening, Pocket Clip

Cons: Pocket Clip

delica

Great for edc. left or right handed.I'd like a deep carry clip.

Viking
NW

Apr 23, 2015

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Pocket Clip, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Great knife!

This is a perfect Everyday Carry knife- light & convenient, and with a little practice the "Wave" hook allows very quick deployment! I like them so much I ordered a second. The KC service is always excellent.

Waruironin
northeast TN

May 15, 2010

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

great little edc!!!

just like the big brother version, the endura wave, the delica has all the great same features,.... perfect for almost everything from opening a package to defending you life. sounds silly, yet very true. lock back blade makes sure it stays open while the wave feature makes opening easy and fun!!! and this is a fun knife to carry. extremely sharp like most spydies and very well made. if you don't have one, get one now, you'll love it. if you want a bigger version, then get the endura wave,... i got both just in case!!!

David
San Pablo,Ca

Aug 05, 2016

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Right on

Any time I need a sharp blade. Easy carry,quick handling

J. P
Missouri

Feb 17, 2013

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Lock Ease of Use, Lock Type

Best EDC I Own

I've owned this knife for about a year, and carried it every day since I made the purchase. It's the perfect combination of weight, blade steel, utility and ease of use. The Emerson "Wave" opener works extraordinarily well once you get the hang of it, much better than the DIY zip-tie solution you see on so many Spyderco EDCs. The VG-10 blade steel takes the sharpest edge of any knife I own, right up there with S30V. Simply put, the Delica is the best value in pocket knives, and this model's Wave feature sets it apart from the millions of other Spyderco's out there. My biggest complaint with this knife (and many other Spyderco's) is the locking mechanism. The lock-up is good, and there's no blade play at all, but the back-lock mechanism is frustratingly difficult to close one-handed. This is exacerbated by the fact that the knife is stupidly easy to open with one hand. If I'd had the choice, I would have preferred a liner lock or paid an extra $30-50 for a Benchmade-style bar lock. If you don't mind closing the knife with two hands, however, it's just as well-made and useful as a mini-griptillian at 2/3 the price. One last thing: If you plan to EDC this, learn how to pinch the blade to remove it from your pocket *without* actuating the Emerson opener. As fun as it is to have folks ask me how I manage to carry an open knife in my pocket, some people just go wide-eyed and start to back away when you produce one of these. And don't try to use the Wave cutout as a bottle opener unless you're wearing some pretty thick gloves.

Jc
VIRGINIA

Aug 31, 2017

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Pocket Clip, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Handle Feel

Great for every day carry

Quickly became my every day carry first thing I it came out of the box. My previous knife (which truthfully felt better in my hand) took up more room in my pocket than I was comfortable with. The Delica 4 fits nicely in my pocket and takes up little room. The blade is sharp and holds an edge well. The wave feature works every time. It's an attractive knife and meets all of my needs. I hesitate to call it a drawback but the handle doesn't feel as natural in my hand as my previous every day carry. It's to be expected when you change from a massive knife that hardly leaves room for a phone though. The benefits far outweigh the sole "con" which isn't really a con at all. It feels fine.. just not as natural as what I've grown used to. I would cheerfully put my credibility on the line and recommend to anyone looking for an every day carry.

Jeff
FPO, AP

Sep 01, 2018

Pros: Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Blade Material, Overall Quality

Cons: Pocket Clip

Great EDC

Just moved due to mil orders. Limited blade length and no autos in new location. Delica has always been a great small EDC option. Prefer autos so I wanted something faster. The wave feature works like a charm and VG10 really improves the Delica. Minor concerns: Spydie could have made the hook a little shorter. The beaver tail clip works fine but an MXG Ti deep carry clip really improves the package. I'd give it 10 stars if the wave feature was available on a FFG Delica. Overall you will begin to wonder why all your other blades don't "wave".

Croc Dundee
gaithersburg, md

Oct 13, 2010

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

best knife

This knife, and really any of the spydercos with the wave, is the best all around knife that I own. Very sleek and useful. Made of durable material and reliable.Very light and still heavy enough to know that it is in my pocket. The knife was also extremely sharp right out of the box. Very happy with this purchase.

Paul B.
Pennsylvania

Feb 05, 2012

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Pocket Clip

Exceded expectations

This is my EDC. It is hands down my most used knife. I use it for anything from utility tasks to cutting apples. The VG-10 steel is easy to sharpen and holds a nice edge. the grind is nice. The lock hook up is strong and dent in the release is a nice feature to help prevent unlocking the blade under heavy use. The Clip is the best holding and easiest to use of any knife i'v ever had. The option to put the clip in 4 positions is nice, but really makes the most sense in the tip up position to use the wave feature. I absolutely love the wave feature. Most times i have something already in my hand when i realize that i could use a knife to cut it. That makes the wave the perfect choice. The traction on the scales are excellent. They have opposite facing tread for both pushing and pulling through a cut. The knife is easy to clean and has stayed rust free for over a year. The only small complaints that I could possibly raise (these would not affect me purchasing another Delica W/ Emerson wave, or Spyderco for that matter.) are: The jimping on the top side of the blade could be deeper for more traction. The paint on the clip rubs off with regular use. I remedied this by sanding off the paint with the exception of the Spyder logo. My only other suggestion would be to the Spyderco company to warranty there knives without a fee for repairs. I haven't needed service yet, but when it does I won't be happy. This is especially true when I know that I can send any of my Kershaws in for any reason and it is handled no questions asked for only the shipping to the company.

Mike L
Yorktown, VA

Dec 30, 2013

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Met all expectations

I purchased the knife for my son who was returning home for Christmas on military leave. He's owned many knives over the years and specifically singled out this one on his wish list. It met all his expectations with regard to the weight, size, quality and blade sharpness. The Knife Center shipped my order the day it was placed. I would recommend Spyderco Knives and Knifecenter.com to others.

Butterfingers
Los Angeles, CA

Feb 07, 2010

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Pocket Clip

Sturdy Little Knife

This knife is excellent in fit and finish and it's great for the price. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 though because personally, I don't think it's very attractive looking. I purchased it primarily for the wave feature and also because it is small enough to meet my local carry laws. What this knife lacks in looks, it makes up for in function, 10 fold! The blade wasn't quite as sharp as all the other spyderco's I have, but a few passes on the sharpmaker, and it's shaving sharp! The lock up is rock solid, and considering that scales are FRN over thin skeletonized stainless, that's saying a lot! The wave feature works really well too. Check out a video if you want to see it in action. One thing I found though, is that you can add the wave feature to any spyderco knife that has tip up carry. Just put a zip tie on the spyder hole and cut off the excess! It works like a charm! One thing about the wave on this knife though is that you can use it as a bottle opener too! Sweet! I read a review about spyderco back locks by someone who said that they are two handed closers only. Not True. Placing your forefinger at the farthest edge of the handle towards the blade, depress the lock with your thumb and slowly jerk the knife in a downward. The un-sharpened tang of the blade will hit your finger and then you can close it in the reverse motion of opening. Of course, check the position of your fingers and blade on your knife before trying this! The only thing, besides its looks, that I don't like is that the pocket clip, while the tension is just right, sits too darn low on the handle so that about 3/4" sticks out above the pocket. I really wish spyderco would start making clips that allow the knife to sit all the way down in the pocket. I don't like to advertise that I have a knife! All in all, a great purchase and an excellent EDC. I barely notice it in my pocket.

Ken
idaho

Apr 18, 2013

Pros: Ease of Opening

Cons: Pocket Clip

great edc

opens as intended .Easy , quick to deploy one handed less flashy clip would be preferred.

Lucas
Buffalo, NY

Oct 11, 2013

Pros: Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Pocket Clip

Great EDC knife!

Knife is very sharp out of the box(VG10). Lockup is perfect, I love hearing that solid click. The emerson opener works great as well. Blade is strong all the way to tip. Very comfortable in hand. The knife is just on the border of being too big for EDC and there is a bit of unnecessary space in the handle. FRN Feels great. Clip finish could be better as well.

Ken
People's Republic of Massachusetts

May 16, 2011

Pros: None

Cons: Lock Ease of Use

Not for me

I thought I'd finally give the wave a try. I find that I just don't like it. But, YMMV. Also, I found the action on this particular knife was not smooth and was rather stiff. I've never had this problem with other Spyderco knives. I'm disappointed with this model.