The Spyderco Endela Pocketknife: The Full Nick Shabazz Review
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- Опубликовано: 4 фев 2022
- Today, we'll finally take a look at a knife that's not quite an Endura, but not quite a Delica either, and shows Spyderco's search for a happy knifemaking medium.
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In VG10's defense, I gave my VG10 Endura to my son who is a chef in a country club. I wasn't a fan of VG10 for its lack of edge holding characteristics, but for kitchen use, it shines. My son is very willing to trade some edge holding for corrosion resistance and toughness. He is merciless with it and uses it primarily on breaking down boxes and cutting open bags of food, both fresh and frozen. The size is perfect for his use and the grip on the handles serves him well. Granted this is a limited application that may not represent an average user but all in all, it works well for him. He tells me that on occasion, it's even used to get into a metal can. It loses a bit of the edge but it holds up. And it sharpens back up easily, something a chef knows how to do without thinking about it. So, not my favorite steel, but it has its followers. He'd replace it with the same if anything ever catastrophically happened to it. And the bright blue color is easy to find in a busy kitchen if he sets it down. Win.
I'm glad you pointed out that when the blade is off center when you get it, no amount of "adjusting" is likely to fix the problem. I've read too many articles claiming to tell you how to fix a blade that is off center, and then when you try the recommended fix, the knifes end up being off center when you're done anyway. Usually, a knife that arrives in your mailbox off center is going to stay that way for as long as you own it.
One thing seki city does tend to be better than the other factories at, that I didnt hear mentioned is heat treatment. They seem to on average send out their steels with a higher HRC which, if you aren't as concerned with your knife looking perfect, and more concerned with pure performance. It's a good thing.
K390 is ridiculous, especially after a sharpening or two of the factory edge. It holds an edge almost as good as Maxamet but is way tougher. It’s easily my favorite steel.
By comparison: Hogue Deka 3.25" blade in MagnaCut is coming soon for $150. So yeah, this is a tougher sell than it used to be.
It's sad to see that their Seki City factory keeps slipping up in their manufacturing and QC. Not that many years ago getting a knife from Japan Seki or Sakai usually meant that you got something of quality that they took pride in making. And of course we know they are definitely still capable of producing very high quality stuff. So with the continuously increases in price, I hope we can start seeing the same increase in their quality.
This is not slipping its what everyone else already knew. Spyderco sucked 20 years ago when they were "good". They were never good. I've never seen a not fucked up Spyderco. There was always better options it's just super clear these days.
this particular factory was never a good one, other seki manufacturers like moki or mcusta are still making great knives.
Everyone is entitled to there opinion but, no one else is putting K390 and many other premium steels “with a decent heat treat” in there stuff at this price point. I mean if you don’t like them you don’t have to buy them.
@@Jezus42 : I bought an original Endura in Aus8 back in the 90s and used it extensively. I still have it today. No blade play, no lock rock, still in great shape. Not sure what your definition of “good” is.
There is hope. I recently bought a stainless handle police 4, and it was impeccable. Absolutely great fit and finish, handle is satin rubbed so good you can't find the rivet seams even if you tried under a light. Maybe the price hike correlated to wage increase?
Perfect review for someone curious about its size and place in the Delica family…
Thank you my friend!!
I've got the K390 Endela and a big set of mits, and it works perfectly for my large paws. Great knife, and I personally love the colour too.
The K390 Endela and the Stretch 2 are *nearly* perfect knives, imo…yeah, the corners need to be knocked down a bit and maybe get rid of that awkward looking black on the clip. But after that, they’re almost as good as it gets for practical, no frills, EDC. Some might have a different experience but my Endela came such that one minor tweak gave it perfect centering and otherworldly smoothness. I dunno man…they’re expensive but they’re really, REALLY good if you get the right specimen (as apparently I have with all of mine 🤷♂️).
msnifestgtr :- Pricey though!
There are some exclusives out there that maintain that good value just by upgrading the steel without upping the price too much. For example the dlt trading one comes in 20cv for slightly over $100
Yeah. It’s weird when their biggest competitor is themselves.
What he said. Just got my Endela in 20CV. A much better value a quality. Perfectly centered
I think that's part of why they keep these models around, they know everyone is going to buy up the various exclusives & sprint runs.
Personally, I think you let spyderco off the hook too easily, here. There are 5-6 details (including QC) that people have asked for years to be tended to and all spyderco has done is ignore them and raise prices. Where the hell is the cqc thing?! Why continue to require ppl buy a different clip? Why (as wealthy, wealthy Spyderco, with the resources and infrastructure) has this quality been tolerated?! Etc? Etc? Etc? I don’t want to dislike anything they do, either, but they have earned that.
What's wrong with the clip?
Hey Nick!! Great to see you back recommend!!! Kinda faded away for a bit....tube jail? Glad to hear you again!!!
Waiting for your review Nick on this knife ! Thanks ! 😀
I agree with a lot of your assesment but it's funny how so many other performance/steel oriented reviewers are calling this the best value for performance blade at the moment. It's difficult to find another knife in k390 (or similar) that is heat treated well and has reasonably good geometry at this price point. So for that niche of the market this is a great model.
Perfect size, perfect ergos, thin in the pocket, best overall clip designs for real work carry, backlock is effortless to operate one handed with thick gloves, super grippy handle, very lightweight, it's phenomenal.
Bought this knife in early 2021 - it’s still on of my favourite knives
Love your reviews, you are indeed a unique individual...
Nick, thanks for the honest review. I love the size and I think the 20CV version at $108 is a decent value at DLT Trading.
I saw it on DLT, that is honestly a heluva deal. I’m holding onto my cash for a magna-cut sprint run though.
@@nandayane if they drop it in magnacut I guess I'll "need" another one
@@scottd1221 my wife just got me the 20cv Endela, I think that a manga-cut release is inevitable. It beats so many steels in so many ways.
Got my 20CV Endela. Perfectly centered blade and sharp as hell. It can use a disassembly, cleaning/lubing, pivot dial-in. But it has a great hand feel, blade length and balance. It’s a keeper.
I've got the Police 4 in K390, and I love it. It's so ridiculously sharp, and holds an edge incredibly well. I also don't hate the FRN scales. They wouldn't be my first choice, but I got the knife because of the blade, and I haven't been let down in that aspect.
I’ve carried a endura for the longest time and honestly it fit much much better than a delica (which for me was a bit small). Looking at the endura a little more ive realized it’s a smidge big so perhaps i may make the purchase. Yet another knife Nick had reviewed that makes me wanna make an unnecessary purchase😂
I picked up the KC sprint Endela with HAP40/SUS410 a few months ago on sale for around $130. It was my first Spyderco. It has beautiful pakkawood handles, full steel liners and a scary sharp edge. Like so sharp you don't know you cut yourself. I now own 5 Spyderco's and my HAP40 Endela still makes it into my pocket regularly. I did just get the PM2 Elmax with marbled carbon fiber from Fradon. That ends up in my pocket more, but I still love my Endela!
The 20cv Endela sprint is flipping fantastic.
Best working EDC knife value around in my opinion
I’ve a blaze orange Delica 4 . I keep it edged and in my surf shorts on the inside of the belt line. Very nice ! Like an Ace in a hand of cards- security or safety when you least expect it! Nice metal !
Nice video. I love my VG10 Endela, but I got it (slightly used) from that big auction site for just over $50.
Great review Nick... do you think you could get your hands on, and review, the Benchmade Bugout M390 Aluminum?... it would be most appreciated to get your take
What do you think about the dlt exclusive with red zomb color handle and 20cv blade ?
“extra medium”
Love it!
That k390 is no joke. I got the Police 4 and it’s an absolute beast in edge retention
I’m looking forward to my 20CV arriving. Should be a winner.
Warm up the handle in boiling water, twist it just a bit, hold it, and run it under cold. That will cure the blade centering. May take a couple tries, but its easy to do. GLOVES RECOMMENDED.
The k390 endela is one of, if not my absolute favorite knife of all time. I cant really say anything bad about it. I personally havent handled one with really bad centering like the one shown here and it wouldnt really bother me if it did. For the knifes intended purpose i dont really think there is much out there exactly like it. If we consider the value of the knife, it makes sense to me. Secondary market prices of these have consistently stayed high
I would suggest checking DLT Trading to see if they still have the 20CV Endela for $108. I got mine thinking it was the Delica. I may have had a few in me at the time. By may, I mean I had more than a few at the time. That being said, I love mine and would recommend a non VG10 version before the PM2.
I believe the industry standard is for Endela reviews to contain potato content.
My endela is my favorite knife.
It's perfect.
Even when in the Vaseline factory. Lmfao.
My K390 Endura is my #1 work knife/box cutter at home. Destroyed all the amazon boxes during the holidays. I totally can see if the Endura is too big that the Endela is your play - thanks for the review!
K390 endura represent!
VG10 is fine on this knife up to about the $75 mark. At its present price of $92 it should have a minimum steel of BD1N. That said, I just bought one a couple of hours ago :)
Their BD1N is worse than their VG10. But that is mainly due to their VG10 being treated really well .
Me and my friends tested their blades for edge stability (wood carving test) and their VG10 punch way above its weight
@@CKshouta BD1 isn't all that great but from what I've seen BD1N is markedly better than VG10. IDK your mileage may vary I guess.
Thanks for the review. Love what you do. Wish you had commented on the blade shape (as compared to the Delica and Endura). Why does yours say "012V" on the blade? (Mine does not.)
I believe that is the Spyderco Collector Club mark. If you pledge buy one of everything they make, then they sell you them at msrp with your number on the blade
It is sad that I paid about the same for my Delica 4 in ZDP-189 as the standard models now cost. It is my most carried knife but at the current price and with the other options in the price range, I don't know if I would replace it if I lost it. I own an endura 4 (VG-10) as well and I agree its on the large side, I don't think the Endela is for me though. I have plenty of other knives in the size range and the Delica is more of a fit for me.
Is this worth it for cru ware blade? DLT just came out with one today
If spyderco isn’t careful they will find themselves buried by the competition, despite making quality tools. I think that their Bryd knives offer good value to the point where there is no point in the VG10 models at their current price point.
That being said, they are one of the few (perhaps the only) production company that I know of offering knives in steels like Maxamet, K390, and ZDP-189 as standard models. I think they may lean on this logic to justify price hikes.
And to be fair they also have excellent heat treat so that when you buy a knife in a steel you know that you are getting the performance associated with that steel. As opposed to many brands that run 20CV or M390 too soft to get any performance advantage out of it.
If they are going to charge a lot, I think that they need to roll out new models of knife, or make fit and finish revisions to existing models. Updating everything to Magna-Cut would be nice.
@TimBo I think it comes down to Brand Loyalty/Familarity, HT and steel, I’d buy a K390 endura again if I lost or broke mine. I have tried many models including the PM2, and a TRM atom, and some from civivi and nothing feels as good to my hand as the endura. I suppose that is the benefit of having the model as a “user” for years, many people are familiar and comfortable with the design.
There also aren’t really production competitors that I know of making knives in crazy steels like K390, ZDP-189, maxamet, or LC200N (With Magna-Cut hitting the market LC200N may become irrelevant). They also dial in the HT really well too, I think that they run their K390 around 65 RHC for seki, the maxamet is run at around 67, to get anything approaching that you would need to pay twice or three times as much to a custom maker. For good reason too, harder steels take longer to grind (more time per work piece) and wear our tooling faster. There is a reason besides “durability” that most makers run their steel at around 59-61 RHC.
That being said, when magna-cut proliferates in the market it is going to make entire families of steel obsolete so the “sprint run” model in different steels may no longer work, I can see WE Knife, and cold steel eating their lunch switching from S35VN to Magna-Cut. Both companies are very good with their heat treats.
Hopefully this motivates them to actually innovate and take on more custom designers, the stovepipe is underwhelming at $400. If not things are looking bleak, you can only sell so many “user” knives at $140 no matter how crazy the steel is, despite FRN being my favorite handle material (it’s lightweight, stiff, nearly indestructible, and usually contoured for comfort) I don’t think that it is an enjoyable one to most collectors, and at the price point most folks who would appreciate it are priced out, and those who don’t have better options elsewhere for cheaper.
Nailed it. Well said.
That Spydie tax stamp is a killer.
reports of Seki City slipping seem a little overblown. My new Endela k390 is, thank goodness, centered straight down the middle, Nick got unlucky here it seems (it does happen. I have gotten a badly centered Delica before and returned it immediately).
So far it has been by favorite carry knife
I have the dlt trading version in the red and black zome color scheme with 20cv steel (I need the stainless in my line of work also 110$) and I love it fits great in my big hands I still love my delica as well but this one a little more it feels more special I guess.
What is up guys! Oh. My bad Nick. Anywho, I love the Ben Blue color on that handle as well. It's a nice knife but if you own a P-2, you're going to be disappointed. They're about the same length and have a similar feel about them however, the P-2 is faster and sleeker than the Endela. Price wise, I would go with the P-2. I find the Delica more useful for every day tasks and it won't intimidate the Schmucks around the water cooler! Boy, I went retro with the water cooler comment. Again, great video Nick. Thank you.
I woke up on my desk to the greatest reviewer in the history of youtube Lol
There are so many high and costume made knives but are there also costume made multitools?
Vg10, priceless being able to sharpen it on your car window.
Fwiw, I carried a fully serrated vg10 endura for 14 years and never sharpened it accept for the very tip. Lost that knife and still miss it.
I would argue that in 2022, Spyderco products are overpriced in general.
BtW, if you don't like the price you need the Harrier 2, also works well in the Vasrline factory.
The K390 Dragonfly is the biggest in this line that I dare to go here in the U.K., but I love that and I’d love this. Oh well!
This does seem like the perfect size. My first good pocket knife was an OG Delica and I've owned one of every version, but they always seemed just a touch small. I never understood the black painted clip. They have silver/unpainted clips on most of their G-10 knives, why not just use those. Speaking of G-10, unless you love maximum "gription" I think G-10 is still preferable to FRN.
VG-10 is a great steel for value kitchen knives but it just doesn't excel in pocket knives. I haven't used K390 yet. It is supposedly capable of being very hard so it should hold an edge pretty well, but it isn't very rust-resistant at all. I imagine it is a pain to sharpen as well.
I wish they'd make Delica/Endela/Endura updates with a proper forward finger choil. The Byrd versions have it.
And, yes, I know I can buy a Native, Pm2, etc. Or a Byrd.
I think most of the folks ponying up $80-$110 for a base VG-10 Spyderco with FRN handles would absolutely *love* the value of a Byrd. 9/10ths the knife at 1/3rd the price point.
I've come around on the black painted clips. These are users, so scuffs on the clip add personality rather than detracting.
Woooooh! What the hell just dropped in on your Mat at 8:42!!???!! Holly Bat Guano Robin, you're not Breaking Bad on us are you Nick? Or should I now refer to you as "Juan Cabeza De Pan Valdez" Then you proceed to talk about lines! Do we need an intervention here Nick? We love you man. Talk to us! I'll continue the video in the hopes you'll explain the little white booger that fell on the Mat and almost landed on Knife!
Great rewiev, did you see boker plus nebula it looks great i hope you can rewiev it one day.
I always considered the Stretch in between the Delica and Endura.
The Stretch 2 K390 wins over it for me. It IS a backlock FRN PM2 basically. It has all the benfits of this but slightly better ergos and contours and a real forward choil, slightly taller blade, etc. I put a titanium RGT clip on it and its my most used knife (not necessarily most carried.)
yeah there was a time that I would of killed for an Endura or any knife in their line up really. Now the only one I'm super interested in is the Spydychef
The best EDC spyderco knife!
These K390 series of the classic Spydercos became my exit knives. After about a decade and tens of thousands deep. Best edge holding with high end toughness. Plus if you know… you know: These Spyderco’s are not mall cop gimmicks. They are tools for everyday USE.
Hey Nick could you get your hands on a Benchmade Bugout M390 Aluminum pleeeease!!
I wasn't going to go with both an Endela and a Stretch. If the Stretch was not available in K390, I would have bought the Endela. I am happy with the Stretch. K390 is an amazing steel.
I've recently gone full circle, and I've ditched the "one trick pony" single blade, high end knives, in favour of a Victorinox Hiker, and for rough /heavy use, (around the house /yard) I'll grab a Mora,,, both are so easy, (and satisfying) to re-sharpen...
Also, I'm totally legal, carrying the SAK, and I'm not risking spending time in jail, for carrying a PM2/Endura, etc...
I know you have a love for the Dekica 4. But its so small in my hands I gave mine to my wife. I know Spyderco makes the Manix 2 and Para 2. They need to consider larger knives for bigger hands
You would be delighted to know spyderco has plenty of big blades too. Endura, police, military, Manix XL. All current production .
I would love to see a PM2 lightweight, no not the Stretch. Love the Para3 lightweight.
I definitely agree with the value assessment, without the k390 these just aren't good knives for the price, especially when you consider the China factory knives like the Tenacious etc. 8cr13mov at 60 HRC (which is what they're running them at) at a $50-$60 price point will perform nearly the same as VG-10 for a half the cost, not to mention options like G10.
My thoughts exactly. Competition is getting too fierce from within Spyderco alone, not to mention other manufacturers who are putting out blades of the same quality at more competitive pricing. Even with the K390 this seems a bit pricey considering the rest of the knife is just plastic and some skeletonized liners. Ontario would probably sell something like this for $75.
I nearly pulled the trigger on this one but I've opted for the Manix 2 s110v in dark blue G10
I have both, the manix 2 is horribly designed in comparison, occupies way too much pocket space, like it totally takes over your pocket to where it can't really carry anything else comfortably, then the rounded butt makes operating the lock awkward, it's too heavy, blade tip too fragile, it's a beautifuly well made knife, but for practical function as an edc, it's useless compared to the endela.
Seki using vg10 at these prices is my big problem. It’s also long in the tooth but cost is the biggest issue imo
Thanks Nick! I now stay away from all of Spyderco’s Seki stuff. I don’t own a single Seki knife with decent build quality and finish…meanwhile other makers are giving me titanium, premium steel, perfect action and finish for the same money. Seeya Seki!
Is vg10 steel still good in 2023?
I agree Nick. The price hikes have gotten out of control. They are gonna price hike themselves out of business. Cmon Spyderco!!!
I kidd you not everybody ....if you file down the front finger guard and sand it smooth with sandpaper , it turns the (OK ergo's) into a absolutely fantastic knife
Wants a more subtle deep carry clip but sands the black off to make it shiny and noticeable lol
$140 and they couldn't even replace the frn backspacer, which is a known problem by this time.
thanks spyderco, but no thanks.
maybe it's time to think about your price politics and remember where you came from.
My old favorite the boker urban trapper in vg10 comes in at $90.
Blacktion; another classic addition to the dictionary of Shabazz.
Yeah I think Spyderco is resting on their laurels! Haven't seen anything new and exciting from them lately.
They had one already. It’s called the Stretch and it’s better in every way.
I’ve always been curious why some Spyderco back-locks have a Boye dent while others don’t
Love the Endura, have no problem sharpening harder steels like M390, love the blackened clip but don't care for its design wholly, hate the dumb price hikes when QC has stayed mediocre for the last few years.
I have to agree that any decent knife at those prices needs to have a centered blade. My SPY27 Lightweight PM3 has the off centered blade, too.
All the lightweights are off centered. They only have one side with a PB washer and liner. Unfortunate, yes, but it does not affect the action at all. The Manix 2 lightweights are centered and a better value. Still, you can buy a standard PM3 with G10 scales and switch out the blade with your higher end lightweight steels and put the S30V or S45VN on the lightweight. That is the one bright spot with the lightweights, the blade will fit on the standard models. SPY 27 and S30V are pretty comparable but the lightweights come in S90, M4, Rex 45 and 20CV. All great steels and cheaper to buy in the lightweights.
The lightweight PM3's are designed to be light in the pocket. They do that well. I take mine apart, change the hardware to titanium plus change the pocket clip to Lynch clips and use KPL to break them in better. By adjusting the body hardware and pivot, the centering is slightly better. It will never be 100% because of the one sided way they are built.
Glad I got the zdp version back in the day for $90
G'day Nick, it's one thing to offer choices, but how many flavors of what are essentially the same design are necessary. Each to their own, I s'pose. Cheers Duke.
I don't think the k390 versions are overpriced. The original VG10 version most definitely is.
I have a k390 dragon fly.. blade centering is off a little but it doesn't effect the knives performance just my OCD 😀
Your right Spydercos become very expensive, here in Austria they want 127 Euro for a simple Delica, crazy.
Spyderco needs to step it up. It feels like just prices rising with less expensive plastic scale material and using the "light weight " gimmick. They haven't impressed me since the Shaman which was a killer.
Greet knife.
Don't know how new this knife is, but manufacturing seems to be going through hard times everywhere. That being said, I've seen multiple ppl complain about Seki-built spyderco knives for a few years.
I have to disagree with your opinion of VG10 steel. VG10 is a premium steel with excellent corrosion resistance, good cutting qualities and relatively easily sharpened to a razor edge. It still maintains a good cutting edge even when not sharpened to its optimum, which makes it a good choice for less experienced knife owners and users. My favourite kitchen knife is made from VG10 Damascus steel. The price overall may be high for what you get but the steel is premium!
Wow,that off center blade sucks if it can't be rectified. It's one thing if it's able to be adjusted to center but... damn.
I just don't know why we needed this when we already had the straight spine stretch 2 which is better.
Cool what’s up man how’s it going today
Deladura?
My old Manix2 is the last Spyderco I'll likely ever buy unless they wake up.
Guess it's a good thing DLT has their 20cv Endelas for like $80-90
As a lefty the endura 4 was a nice knife but spyderco has rediculous prices. My ganzo (a axislock rat knockoff)has almost the same quality and costs 1/4 of that.
The K340 version of the Delica is the same price as the Chaparral frn. The Chaparral is an extremely well made knife with a good steel and great geometry.
That plastic stick in the lockback system is not acceptable anymore.
This Endela is a good knife but can't be a gem until it gets a choil so we can get closer to the blade and much improved fit and finishing.
If that were the case this would get my cash over the PM2. I like the grippy frn handles and the lockback much better than heavier handles and the awful leftie adverse compression lock.
Can we put the Spydie wire clips on these?
No
@@hiboucanne5662 That's a shame I really like their wire clips. Thanks for the answer
The wire clip sucks. It moves everytime you grip the knife.
With recent year after year price hikes, I’ve been wondering who is still buying base vg10 models from Seki.. Unfortunately I also think that even the upgraded specialty steel versions are also nearly priced out of the market. There will always be a portion of spyderco fans who will pay no matter what price and then those who buy one every few years as a trusted tool. Even with the recent boom in knife popularity I have to imagine sales have begun to slow on this line and as with all Spyderco’s when sales consistently drop below the line it gets the discontinued axe. Which would be a shame for a design that is great performer and new user friendly to go in that direction. We shall see but one thing is for sure, that black clip does not belong.