Over at TTAK, I recently asked the readers to give us their “Go-To Knife Recommendations.” They came up with a lot of good options so I would encourage you follow the link and check out their suggestions. My personal recommendation is the Spyderco Delica4 FFG. It has features that both knife enthusiasts and knife newbies can appreciate, and best of all it is affordable. Here are 10 reasons the Spyderco Delica makes a great EDC knife.

1. Price: Available at online retailers around the $60 mark, the Delica may not be cheap, but it is certainly affordable.

2. Ideal Size: The blade is a perfect size for EDC. It is unassisted and less than 3” long, making it legal to carry almost anywhere (caveat: I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. Know your local regulations).

3. Safety Lock: The safety provided by a strong lock is essential. The Delica uses the proven lockback mechanism. The Boye-dent that they include only improves upon this classic design. As a bonus, the lock makes the blade biased toward closure, making it less likely to come open if carried in a backpack or a purse.

4. Blade Shape and Grind: The blade of the Delica is a slicing machine! Whether breaking down boxes, opening blister packs, or doing a bit of food prep, the full flat grind of this blade is ideally suited for EDC tasks. The overall shape of the blade is unconventional, but the leading edge behaves much like a modified wharncliffe design, with only a slight amount of belly. Another win for EDC.

5. Ergonomics: The Delica may be slim but the handle shape is easy to grasp and the light jimping on the thumb ramp provides just enough traction with bare hands without feeling aggressive. The textured handle means that, even when wet, you are unlikely to lose your grip.

6. Handle Colors: While the overall shape might look aggressive to some, Spyderco offers the knife in a range of brightly colored handle options (Yes, you can still have it in black if you want) which can make the knife more palatable. Whereas black might scream weapon, friendlier colors such as blue or green soften that impression, making the knife more more likely to be seen as what it is–a tool.

7. Ambidextrous: Righties or lefties will have no problem opening the blade with one hand, and the four-position clip allows for any carry preference, whether you like tip-up or down, and right or left side carry.

8. Easy To Carry: The Delica is lightweight and very slim, making it easy to slip into a pocket, and more likely to be carried.

9. Construction: The blade pivot is adjustable with a torx screwdriver which will allow you to correct any blade play that develops over time, and the screw construction allows the knife to be fully disassembled for cleaning should the need arise.

10. VG10 Steel: This is the ingredient that really puts the Delica over the top. The dollar to performance ratio is excellent. Importantly, it is easier to sharpen than most of the supersteels out there. S30V may be great, but not everyone has the experience needed to maintain it. VG10 is a steel that performs very well, and is still easy to keep sharp.