SchradeDelta Class Divergent 7.4in with 3in AUS-8 Steel Blade and G10 Handle for EDC,Black

My dad was a huge Schrade fan that carried a stockman type Schrade every day for about the last 50 years of his life. He had other Schrade knife for hunting and utility work, and those old Schrade's were very well made knives. So, I've always been a knife-guy that has a soft spot for Schrade. I've carried some sort of Benchmade or Spyderco in my pocket for the past 25 years. I'm a huge fan of the Benchmade Axis lock, so I was curious to check out some knives from other makers with a similar locking mechanism after Benchmade's patent expired.In all honesty - the Divergent is a huge home run for Schrade! Comparing the Divergent side-by-side with my Benchmade that cost almost 5x the price of the Schrade, it's hard to understand why the Divergent doesn't cost at least twice as much as it does. The Benchmade does have better blade steel, and slightly better ergonomics. The Divergent is very nice, but not in the same league as the Benchmade (and you shouldn't expect it to be.)The action of the knife is surprisingly smooth. It locks up tight. The G10 scales are very nice. The fit and finish of the entire knife is excellent. The hole pattern for the clip appears to be the same as Benchmade, so you could swap out the clip for a different style if you wish.The only "negative" is the blade steel (AUS-8), which is a good blade steel for a knife at this price point. The knife wasn't quite as sharp as I hoped for right out of the package, but it does sharpen easily. I predict that Schrade will sell a ton of these. Also, the packaging is a "blister pack" type.The Divergent is an excellent knife for a bargain price!Update after using for several weeks - I'm still a big fan of this knife! In my initial review, I mentioned that the hole pattern for the pocket clip appears to match Benchmade. The Schrade pocket clip is a bit shorter and stiffer than most other pocket clips, so I attempted to replace it with a factory Benchmade pocket clip. I discovered that the hole pattern does match Benchmade, however the screw size is a bit larger (the screw head uses the same driver, but the shaft of the screw is larger than what is used on a Benchmade Griptilian). Maybe that will be helpful to someone.

So I was looking for an inexpensive EDC to supplement the venerable CRKT M16-13Z I've carried for around 25 years now. It's been a great knife. Little to complain about, all things considered. But that knife has been well-used and is now showing its age. So I've bought several EDC folders recently, sticking mainly to the flipper or thumb stud with liner or frame lock layout, but differing in size from very small, handy, and lightweight; to a nearly 4" blade that, quite honestly, is reasonable to consider a bit much for EDC use. Fun to look at and fidget with. Perhaps even a better option for camping or ranch work. But not the most practical option for EDC.What I've discovered is that being left handed presents some minor challenges to using these types that I really hadn't considered much prior to this whole endeavor. That using a liner lock with the left thumb is a little awkward (the design is slightly biased to right hand use), resulting in the occasional thumb knuckle whacked by a sharp blade. Generally nothing more than a very minor but annoying split in the skin results with little bleeding, and it heals within days. The other problem with a frame lock is that a lefty tends to want to put thumb pressure right where the lock happens to be, presenting more friction when opening the blade. This can certainly be gotten around with some attention to training with that style of lock. But are these minor problems entirely avoidable with thoughtful design?Yes, they are. And the answer is the ambidextrous cross lock as found right here on the Shrade Divergent. Extremely easy to open and close, very positive lock, fingers never in the path of the blade when opening or closing. On the surface, what's not to like about this knife? The 3-inch blade is arguably the perfect size for EDC use, it's the same grade of blade steel as my M16-13Z (AUS-8 possessing an admirable combination of values for an EDC blade between price, toughness, edge retention, and ease of sharpening), thick blade stock, razor sharp out of the box, cool-looking harpoon point shape with fuller and hollow grind (functionally identical to the popular drop point), sturdy construction with G10 handles and a reversible tip-up pocket clip. Could it be made of better steel? Yes. Would it cost more? Also yes. Will it do what the vast majority of people need an EDC to do? Definitely. And by all indications, loyally, with little back talk, for little investment.If you are on the fence about the Schrade Divergent as an EDC knife, my honest advice is not to hesitate. While I certainly have not possessed it for long, I have the best feeling about this one than any of the EDC folders I've bought recently, some well more than twice the price. I expect to be carrying the Divergent more often than the others. It simply screams "low investment, high value."

I like everything about this knife, definite competitor for the Ontario Rat. Cross bar lock is solid, easy to flick open, decent steel. Good grips, good size.***Update, the thumb studs have a slight wobble that doesn’t affect function but feels a tad sloppy, not able to tighten them using pliers, -1 star

Could be the best value folding pocket knife on all of Amazon! I've purchased a few different knives recently and this Schrade is equal to some in the $100 range. Great action, good size for pocket carry, arrived sharp. Good action w/ the crossbar lock and feels stable. G10 is grippy enough and has good feel in the hand. My only note and it's minor is the pocket clip, good clip just prefer a true deep -carry pocket clip.Can't recommend this highly enough. If I would have found this sooner I wouldn't have bought some of my more expensive knives. Unbelievable knife and extreme value! Saw this on a knife youtube review of best budget knives.