I'm just waiting for Demko's company to be successful enough (shipping higher volumes) so their products are more competitively priced. Love the designs, but avoiding the poor value for the price.
Considering the titanium knives that reate,maxace and other Chinese production knives the demko 20.5 which is Taiwan made the prices are competitive.. I mean a maxace slip joint is $300
100% agree. The D2 models are especially hard to justify price-wise, considering you can get reliable, usable D2 knives for under $50, and Demko wants $100 on top of that
@@jpolhamus71 I don't need titanium scales. If anything, I'd prefer micarta. Anyways, the more important desire is for a version with steel like Magnacut for a sub-$200USD price. I can wait till the hype dies down (e.g. other makers come up with other advanced locks).
I guess for me the gap between knife and handle is a spot where things can get into and get hooked on. That is the only rational I can think of and even then may not be that rational.
Thank you for the review. I purchased the Demko 20.5 carbon scales $260 at Knife Center. It’s a lighter and balance point nearer the pivot. The scales are smooth so no tearing up the pockets. I have agree about sharp edges on the shark lock. The 1st thing I did was soften the edges, keep up the good job my friend.
I was about to write exactly the same, so of course I do agree with you. I think for know it is the most interesting model of the Demko 20.5 lineup, price wise and quality wise.
@@jakeganey7032 my sharkfoot 3V Ti AD20.5 is by far my best performing knife. A little surprising actually. It doesn't hold an edge as long as my M4 spyderco PM2 but the edge gets scary sharp... like cut paper curls so fine that they are as thin as hair. I have sharpened it once since I got it and it wasn't hard to get it back to where it was and honing it keeps it easily sharp.
Why’s that? 3v is every bit as worthy a steel as magnacut. In fact, aside from stainlessness, they perform rather similarly as well. Easy to sharpen, easy to maintain, similar in the edge retention department if processed correctly. I understand that magnacut is the new thing that everyone wants but that doesn’t detract from older steels
3V isn’t the problem, just the price is. It should be in at $275-$300 coming from Taiwan. At the current price I’d just pay 50 extra bucks for a full size in G10 and say screw the .5
Love the AD20.5. What I don't get is why the textured Ti version is $60 more than the smooth Ti version, when everything else is identical. Looke at Quiet Carry, for example. The smooth Ti drift is $300, while the gnarled Ti version is $305. The textured AD20.5 at $320 would be a lot more tempting than it is at $375.
The Demkos said that the factory that makes these for them has to go through an extra step to texture the scales, so it costs more to have that extra step/work added during the manufacturing process. It's definitely annoying but I guess it makes sense.
Eh. I'm struggling with the value proposition. I paid like $150 for the original grivory version with AUS10A (and I thought that was a lot), and you can get a really nice set of smooth ti scales for $110 that won't tear apart your pocket from Rockscale. I'd probably be willing to pay that. That means I need to believe the upgrade from AUS10 to 3v is worth another $115. Maaaaaybe? If I had the D2 version I'd be even more hard pressed to justify it in my head. That being said, you're still cheaper than an XM18, and I'd be more inclined to actually use this from an ergos/lock type perspective anywhere that a "hard use" knife would be warranted. Cool that it exists I guess. Hope the Demkos can figure out how to make the price seem like it's coming from Taiwan. I'd like to see another design with this lock at some point.
I have the D2 version, and honestly from the tests Pete (Cedric and Ada Gear) did, I kind of wish I had gone with the AUS10, as it seems to hold up pretty darn well and is a lot more corrosion resistant. Not sure why they picked 3V, another easy rust steel.
Just picked this up in CPMS35VN with natural G10 scales. Definitely overpriced for what it is but it’s a beautiful thing and unique from an engineering perspective.
You never could resist a titanium step up. It's still too big for you, and Irma doesn't need to see it. When are you going to admit that you should be carrying a Kizer d'Orme? It's called a Shark lock because it's a wallet killer.
This is a really great knife. The MG AD20S with titanium scales is going for $650 new and they still sell out in minutes so this is the compromise. As soon as I handled it I stopped carrying anything else. I just got lucky and found an AD20s in Magnacut, leftover stock from Blade Show Atlanta I assume. I could seriously stop collecting at this point.
I just got a slightly different version, with textured ti and the tumbled shark foot blade. Nick, you’re on the fence about the sharp texturing of the scales and the shark lock piece. I think both are sharp, but the lock piece on the back is TOO sharp. You didn’t mention it in your review, (I think?) but the hole in the blade is also sharp.
Just ordered one in S35VN with black G10 because I’m a simple man. I was going to pull the trigger on the 3V with titanium scales but over here in Ontario Canada the only retailer I could get one from wanted 2 arms and 2 legs for it. $600CAD is just jaw dropping insane if you ask me. Not to mention all of my knives with titanium scales get less pocket time than anything with G10 so I’m happy with what I got.
The years of Cold Steel shaming came back to roost... Demko isn't a slow man... he gave you a half a knife with a bigger brand and two countries... you pinky in the air noodle slurpers got what you asked for and you're paying handsomely for it. That's all!
Bingo. The lock is a bigger issue than the scales for me. I have a different one than Nick, with a stonewashed blade and the blade hole is still sharp as well.
Nick, I love your knife review videos - informative and humorous. I just ordered an AD20.5 with the “shark foot blade”, polymer scales and AUS steel. Something about it just called out to me to buy it. I couldn’t resist.
I really enjoy your content especially these knives that I don’t think I would of heard about otherwise. I’ll probably just stick to spyderco but still love hearing about these other brands.
Boy that's a nice knife, but I'm waiting on a Kunwu Pulsar in textured titanium, with a gorgeous Elmax blade. It was also made in Taiwan to exacting standards, and set me back $239. Could have that and another good knife for the price of this Demko.
Short answer, yes. But i don't ever pry with folding knives. I carry an esee izula in 1095 for a beater knife, and I'll open paint cans etc with it without a second thought
Reate are made in China. I don't understand how so many people are brainwashed into wanting to pay hundreds and hundreds for a Chinese made knife? Reate makes those 375 dollar knives for 20 dollars.
I will never understand using non-stainless tool steels (and charging more for them) when there are stainless steels with similar edge retention that are actually made for pocket knives, If this were offered in s35vn, I'd have bought one the day that they dropped instead of the g10 and s35vn version that I'll probably end up buying.
I wish they could mill out the Ti versions a bit to get the weight down. Not sure if it would make a big difference, but 4.3 oz seems heavy to me compared to the 3.5 oz grivory or my g10 version.
@@edrader Yeah, it looks nicely milled inside too. Maybe with the space the shark lock needs, the weight difference wouldn't be worth the cost of milling. 3.6 would be great, though.
I can't wait for the day they make a production AD20 compact and especially an AD22. Then I'll probably have to wait a year or two after that before I'm lucky enough to get one since they'll all sell out in 30 seconds.
Nicolás, great video as usual and absolutely agree on the price and size. Nonetheless, the model really doesn't speak to me, perhaps if I have one in hand it'll change my mind. Time will tell. Gracias por el video, hope you guys are doing well.😁👍
I liked my Ti sharkfoot right out of the shell but the clip was not doing it for me. So the first time ever for any knife I purchased a lynch clip for it. Now granted i would have preferred to keep a little of the knife sticking out of the pocket (personal preference) but even though it now has a deep carry clip, the clip made me love the knife so much more because i can actually get it in and out of my reinforced cargo pamts pocket easily now. This knife is also by far the easiest to get a ridiculous edge on (like hair thin paper feathers sharp) not even my Case knives or old Schrade USA can do that and they are some of my sharpest in my collection. Sure it wont hold an edge as long as something like my M4 Spyderco PM2 or ZT 0562ti and 0095bw but they also take forever to get sharp from dull and still dont get as sharp.
I sadly bought a grivory 20.5. I was planning on replacing the grivory scales. Lucky for me blade HQ allowed me to return it. My problems were with some wrist it could fling open with out using any push on the thumb stud, thumb hole, or releasing the lock. I also didn't like how the lock wasn't consistent on the release point of the lock I also didn't like how the spring made the knife feel with opening and closing the knife. My last complaint will bug a lot of people, but I hated the clip it seemed awkward to me; in addition, I am a tip down carry guy so it lost points there. I may have got one that had some quality control issues, but I didn't like the knife. I'm sure a lot of people will like it. I just want to address the issues I had with the platform that I didn't like for anyone it may help.
Definitely did not know it was smaller. Much more appealing to me. With it being made overseas I’d want to get it second hand, but I really want a $800 all usa made version of it.
Friend has the smooth titanium 20.5. We were going to sharpen it on a worksharp precision adjust but we have noticed the edge bevel is 7 degrees difference from one side to the other! 22 degrees vs 15. Go figure, we’re trying to decide how to tackle this one.
I'd still like to see a lock strength test between the Triad lock, Shark Lock and CS's titan lock just to see which is the strongest Lock in the world. ...Not that it means anything, but I'd love to know the results
I always thought the draw of this knife was the thumb stud deployment and opening slot plus the shark lock. i finally got to handle one and loved the shark lock but the stud and slot deployment felt unnatural due to the spring… just was not a fan… am i crazy?
I love everything about this knife except the price point. If that's not a problem for you, you have a one knife collection type of knife here (for EDC, I'd always have a fixed blade for the woods). This thing is a work of art.
