Ok, if you get it for under $160 it is still an ok purchase. Anything over $160 I feel I am overpaying, it is made in Taiwan it has a nice finish and I do like the locking mechanism, it has a s35vn blade steel an entry level premium steel. The action needs to be broken in but does not take long if you open and close it through out the day it has that fidget factor. It has an open pilar construction with steel liners. It is a sturdy knife, really good edc size. The ergos are good you get a good purchase on the handle. It came perfectly sharp out of the box. It is a good design, Demko designed great knives with Cold steel in the past. This one feels more upscale than many offerings from cold steel at present time. Read more
Came wicked sharp! Love the shark lock,but takes a little getting used to,but as soon as you figure it out it's a fidget magnet. Hint lift up a tiny bit while pulling back perfect function every time. G10 nice and grippy,and the s35vn great heat treat for a long lasting durable edge. One of my favorite daily carries now. Read more
This is a first-class knife that just feels perfect in the hand. The balance and blade shape make it a breeze to use since it is razor sharp. Flipping it open is easy and the Shark Lock system does a tremendous job of keeping it safe. AD knows his stuff and this is a great knife to have in your possession. Read more
This is a very fine tool! I have collected knives for a long time and this one hands down has become my favorite edc! Top tier materials, the slim profile makes it virtually unnoticeable in the pocket! I do believe that the Demko Shark lock is even stronger than the triad lock, I can’t speak on the cold steel atlas because I don’t own one, with that being said the Shark Lock when open is as strong as a fixed blade no blade play whatsoever! This knife without a doubt is the sharpest knife from the factory I have ever purchased! I highly recommend this fine tool! Read more
I did not expect to love this knife as much as I do. First off it is one of the most fun knives I’ve owned to fidget with. I like fidgety knives, and I like knives with different locking mechanisms. I finally decided to give the ad20.5 a try when the Digi Camo version dropped to $170. But it’s not just a shiny toy, this thing is a rock solid tool. The blade is scary sharp right out of the box. I mean super slicey. Considering the blade stock is not overly thin, I did not think it would perform the way it does. It’s a laser beam. The action is fun, very similar to an axis lock knife. Mine had a little squeak at first but a drop of KPL made it go away. The lock engagement has a great audible “clack” to it. Sometimes I have to double check that my Benchmades are locked out because they’re so muted. You’ll never wonder if the Shark lock is engaged unless you are extremely hard of hearing. Be warned though, if you like to sit on the couch and fiddle with your knives you might drive your wife crazy with this one. Disengagement is very easy and this is a truly ambidextrous, one hand knife. The lock up is very solid, no blade play at all. Ergonomics are great. It’s a full four finger grip for my larger hands and while it has a thin profile it feels solid in the hand. I was most surprised by how well it fits in the pocket. I generally carry slimmer knives in my work slacks but the ad20.5 is very comfortable to carry. I’m not a fan of the digital camo but the g10 has a very good texture, almost identical to what Spyderco uses on their knives. The pocket clip is ok. I prefer deep carry clips and will change this one out. One issue with the action was the shark lock had a tendency to hit my index finger when opening the blade so I had to modify my grip slightly. I would say this knife is on par with a Spyderco PM2 or Para 3 as far as build quality and materials. It carries better in the pocket than either of those knives and has a better fidget factor. If you can pick one up for $175 or less it’s a great deal. The PM2 and Para3 are USA made and usually sell for $225-260. I don’t think the ad20.5 is a bad deal at $250 but I would expect a knife manufactured in Taiwan to be slightly less. That being said, I sold my PM2 and PM3 because I didn’t like carrying them but I’ll be hanging on to the ad20.5. I gave this knife 4 stars because it’s not quite a 5 star knife in my opinion but I’d say it’s 4.8 stars. Read more
Mannnnn...I love this knife. This is my second Demko. First one is the titanium frame Demko Shark Cub. Also an excellent knife. But this one? The "sharkfoot" blade came very sharp from the factory. Love the blade hole deployment. I was worried about the G10 handles feeling cheap, but they don't. This knife has a fidget factor that is next level. Would 100 percent buy it again. Oh, and I ordered some Micarta scales to put on it, just to see how I like it. If you're looking for an EDC that you're not afraid to use, this is a great choice. Oh - I don't like the pocket clip. My only complaint about this knife. I will be ordering a replacement that is "deep carry." The factory clip leaves about 3/4" sticking out of the top of the pocket. Not a deal breaker for some, I just don't like it. Read more
If you need a big strong knife. This is a great choice. Very sharp from the box. You can literally cut a tree with this knife. Comfortable for big hands. Little heavy. The lock mechanism is difficult to release. But overall great knife made in US Read more
