The Story behind the Kahr, Michael Janich and Spyderco Kahr Delica4
OutdoorHub 06.18.14
– In early January of this year, Kahr Firearms Group introduced the Kahr Spyderco Delica4, a distinctive variation of one of Spyderco’s most popular folding knives available exclusively through Kahr. But, the story of the knife’s inception deserves to be told.
Created by self-defense authority Michael Janich, the Kahr signature Delica4 offers Kahr its own unique design by combining a full-length handle with a compact 2.5” blade. The shorter blade makes it legal in jurisdictions with strict blade-length limitations without sacrificing leverage, control, or cutting power.
Janich first conceived the idea in the late 1980s but the concept didn’t go into early design stages until about 10 years ago. Janich was approached by one of his Martial Blade Concepts (MBC) students who asked him to design a knife with the standard longer handle but only a 2.5” blade so that he could legally carry it into knife restricted federal buildings where he worked. Janich ground down a Spyderco Delica4 3” blade to the legal length of 2.5” and presented it to his student who immediately favored the new design.
Several years later, Janich was teaching a seminar and was once again approached by one of his students and asked if he could develop a knife with a legal blade length. Janich showed the student photos of the knife he had ground just a couple years earlier and the student also requested the knife. Soon he had developed a devoted following among dedicated knife users who wanted to carry the most potent cutting tool legally permitted in their own jurisdictions.
Sometime later, Janich was approached by Mark Galli, Kahr’s Eastern U.S. Sales Manager asking if Janich would develop a knife that really complemented the spirit of Kahr’s popular pistol line. Janich shared the story of his custom-ground Delica4 and soon he was meeting with Kahr owner, Justin Moon and other senior members of Kahr’s management team. The custom design was widely received and soon it became part of the Kahr product line.
The Kahr Delica4 features a stonewashed VG-10 stainless steel blade with a smooth thumb ramp. The sturdy back lock mechanism locks the blade in place when open, and includes a Boye Dent relief cut to prevent unintentional lock release. The Trademark Round Hole™ found on all Spyderco blades ensures quick, positive, one-handed opening. Other features include the Bi-Directional Textured™ handle scales injection molded from fiberglass-reinforced nylon and skeletonized stainless steel liners that reduce the overall weight of the knife to just 2.5 ounces.
The perfect companion to Kahr’s compact pistols, the Kahr Delica4 is also designed to maximize its concealment properties. It is offered in three discreet handle colors – black, khaki, and denim-blue – to blend discreetly with common pant colors. In addition, the blade, four-position pocket clip, and all other hardware feature a non-reflective stonewashed finish.
“Ultimately, the Kahr Delica4 faithfully captures all the detailed features of the knives I customized for my students, but offers the additional advantages of discreet urban camouflage handle colors and subdued clips, blades, and hardware,” states Michael Janich. “Perfect is a high standard and one that tempts people to stop trying, so I won’t say these knives are perfect. However, like my Kahr pistol, I will trust my life to them.”
The Kahr Spyderco Delica4 is available through Kahr Arms at www.kahr.com and select Kahr dealers and distributors. The MSRP is $99.
