How to disassemble and maintain the Demko Knives AD20.5 in Titanium

[@NickShabazz]

Update: This is apparently not a KnifeCenter exclusive, instead, it's launching first at Knifecenter, and will become available elsewhere later.

[@Fly2kill1]

And now they bring the carbon fiber!

[@ItzSlushie]

This knife is now available at dlt

[@regularguyknifechannel5753]

Yup just picked up the exact knife from DLT.

[@ItzSlushie]

@@regularguyknifechannel5753 Me too

[@savvysavage1857]

@@regularguyknifechannel5753 me 3

[@gmoorach]

I just picked up this knife last week. I was worried the caged ball bearings were riding on the titanium handle scales and would lead to wear in the titanium. But, through this video, I was happy to learn that there are nested stainless steel washers that act as the bearing surface for the ball bearings. Thanks, Nick! My only complaint of this knife is the choice of blade steel. CPM-3V is a good steel for a hard use knife. However, this is an EDC-sized knife. I think most knife enthusiasts would prioritize edge retention over toughness for this size. S45VN would have been nice.

[@kevinwilliams0214]

Good point

[@gtrul3s387]

I love my fixed blades in 3v. Not sure how i’ll like it for a folder. Mine is in the mail. We’ll see!

[@_itsjustBrad]

These videos are the reason why we all have a wonderful rest of our day. Thank you Nick

[@brettbick4581]

Great to hear your sweet voice speaking on knives again, Nick! We will take what we can get given your time constraints and all of the content is greatly appreciated. Keep up the great work, on and off the (KZbin) field!

[@jagpilotohio]

I’ve been patiently waiting for this drop but I’m terribly disappointed at price. $375 + tax is a hard no go for me. Bummer because the 20.5 is my favorite knife.

[@XxCrankyMoosexX]

Yeah, I agree. I really like the locking system, and I really like the "sharksfoot" blade, but near $400 is greatly overpriced imo

[@tincansailor9437]

I've been very pleased with my D2 version modded with RGT micarta scales and backspacer. One very nice thing about this mod is the scales cover up all the standoff pins so cleans up the look a whole lot. I feel like this is a happy stopping point for me. But if I want to go Ti, I can get aftermarket Ti scales and still have well short of $375 invested in it. Yeah, won't have the texturing and the cool pivot but I'm ok with that.

[@XxCrankyMoosexX]

@@tincansailor9437 I was considering getting that or the cpm-3v with the plastic scales for $199. Then swapping to micarta or textured aluminum.

[@edrader]

@@XxCrankyMoosexX then you end up with an expensive knife that is not quite what you want

[@bloozepicker]

Picked up one of the Knife Center exclusive versions of this in carbon fiber and 3v. What a great knife. Quickly one of my very favorites in my collection.

[@mikelmoore8256]

Nick I think your a really cool guy and I appreciate your existence on this planet.

[@MrASM78]

Just ordered one in titanium and 3V. I already have one in aus 10/G-10 scales. Best knife design EVER.

[@CupofTea3]

I ordered it the minute I saw it in stock and the knife is almost perfect. Only knock I have is that the texture is incredibly pocket shreddy.

[@victornishimoto6029]

Finally, a decent AD20.5!! No longer looking cheap!! A proper Andrew Demnko production knife!!!

[@schreiber6220]

Your videos and humour are greatly appreciated. ✌️

[@zachstuff]

I am happy to see the “Nick Sized” option coming in this model! Happy Friday!!

[@nnnickkk]

You know it's gonna be a good day when Nick Shabazzzzzzzzz drops a video.

[@LeadMunitions]

Just ordered!! Can’t wait

[@thejonathandoan]

I’d love to own an AD20 but that’s just not in the cards right now. I did buy the AD20.5 with orange grivory scales, which I recently upgraded to a pair of cerakoated aluminum thick scales from Original Goat. The knife is MUCH better now! I love the thicker width, & the cerakote aluminum should last a lifetime. Great knife, with superb action!

[@thekeystonekid8687]

It's crazy how insane the demand for Ti scales is that people would pay $375 for this. Demko is my favorite brand and I have an AD20s in S45VN that I put grivory scales on. I'd take grivory and G10 over Ti any day, they're both lighter and cheaper.

[@vincentedgeworks]

I’ve been waiting for more reviews of this little guy. Mine is on the way!

[@sinister_knife]

Have had great luck with my 3v 20.5s so far. Grivory, smooth ti, and the bladeshow 22 exclusive. Carrying the utterly ridiculous exclusive today. Breaking down some card board as I listen 😂

[@tgonzalez1983]

I ordered one as soon as I saw it. $400 is way too expensive but I still love it.

[@JJ-lu6mg]

These textured versions are definitely a little to pricey IMO. So that’s why I’m glad I grabbed the plain Ti ones when they were available for $315, which seems like a much better deal. Especially if you add up the prices of the aftermarket Ti scale options OG scales with backspacer is $200 and the base model of the 20.5 is $149. If you did get a grivey version with the 3V blade steel they were $189, which puts you at just under $400. If I was to buy another one I would just go with this version for $375 and they are done extremely well, on top of that you get the better looking pivot. After looking at the other options it’s actually no that bad of a deal. I would definitely like to see some other blade steels and possibly the drop point version of this world be awesome, preferably in the plain Ti over the textured Ti tho.

[@mattzee6287]

I REALLY like the grip.

[@knoxknifemods]

Thanks for talking about this one Nick. Man, this feels like a rip off to me, considering WE is offering a full ti Snecx Vision R with (in my opinion) better looks and a better implemented version of the same style lock in 20CV for $270. I love Demko designs, 3V, and ti but $400 is insane. Also worth noting that Snecx was the first maker to conceive this style of lock.

[@NickShabazz]

This is very different from the Snecx lock internally, but it's a fair comparison in terms of price.

[@knoxknifemods]

@@NickShabazz Thanks for the clarification!

[@ATAR1]

I’m actually opting for the Vision and $100 over the Ti20.5 too

[@knoxknifemods]

@@ATAR1 My Vision finally came in yesterday and comparing it to my 20.5... it just blows it out of the water. And that's coming from someone who was a fanboy of the 20.5 until mine started having vertical play issues (documented in a video on my channel called The Hoplite Mod if anyone wants to see exactly what it was doing). Of course I do need to give the Vision some time to see how it holds up but initially it just has a higher quality feel.

[@gtrul3s387]

I have both too and in my opinion the vision r is a better knife for the price. But i personally prefer the ad 20.5 only because i have a preference for tougher blades in general. The vision r is a REALLY good utilitarian blade but a littlebit to delicate to be the only one i carry. A perfect secondary to pair with my xm-18 tho!:)

[@davidinghram2494]

If the people who buy this knife will take the time to break it in and learn how to use it, they will understand the genius behind it`s design. Mine started out as a jade frn, then it got GOAT plain ti skinny scales, a GOAT jimped brass backspacer, a Lynch ti clip, and Skiff bearings. All of these aftermarket products fit the knife perfectly without any kind of fiddling. Sure, I may have sacrificed some with regard to the blade steel, but I`m never going to know it. I already have box cutters, letter openers, and kitchen knives, so it`s just going to get carried and enjoyed a lot. I wouldn`t trade it for one of the new ones, even as nice as they are.

[@SinjiKazama]

It sounds like you're trying to convince yourself that the purchase was worth it. Just saying.

[@mickeypopa]

Thanks for the patronizing lecture, knife guru master. 🙏

[@wc4201]

Not going to lie… knives are getting absolutely insanely too expensive. I was ashamed to look at myself in the mirror after dropping $250 on an M4 Shaman which is essentially $100 overpriced. I’m obviously not the only one who thinks this cuz they’re still sitting there at BladeHQ unsold. I’m done buying overpriced knives.

[@GeertSawek]

I don't regret mine, but that's probably the ceiling for me when it comes to $

[@alexsomeing8192]

please more budget friendly knives

[@NickShabazz]

Got some of those on the table too!

[@obirato]

+1 good suggestion!

[@noddy2912]

Just got mine last week.Nice knife.My first shark lock.The shark lock mechanism came very sharp,painful to actuate.Maybe its my soft doctors skin.

[@bep357]

Is it with upgrading those bearings? My spyderco smock at 220 has better bearings then the 360 I spent on my flat ti 20.5 demko??

[@xoxxox5352]

Hi Nick, Thanks for the overview and disassembly, as well as all that you do for the knife nuts out there. I have multiples of the 3V Grivory knives, both plain and textured titanium, the new carbon fiber, and the very expensive Timascus. Obviously, I’m a fan of these. Let me know if you’re interested in borrowing any of them for review.

[@gustafari6241]

I’d love to see this in s45vn and g10, for $225.

[@manifestgtr]

I went a slightly different route for this knife…I waited for the 3v grivory version (~$150 IIRC) then made it full micarta…now I have the tool steel variant I *really* wanted in the first place (titanium is hit or miss for me) for roughly $200 🤷‍♂️

[@josephcantor481]

Very sad that we did not get a 'YEET' across the room of that spring - you are slipping Nick... 🙂

[@Marc-Vickers]

Where would you get different scales for these seeing they have the larger pivot screw?

[@leecranmer3250]

So just curious… If you close your eyes and grab the 20 and 20.5 does it feel like the same knife/quality, or can you feel a quality difference?

[@mrmcbeth]

It looks like the pivot screws are different on this model and the carbon fiber one. This is going to cause a bit of a dichotomy in the aftermarket.

[@JC-bg5dd]

what do you call the rod you used to chamfer

[@BladeLabMiami]

Very happy with my smooth Ti version. Not sure why, but the action is more finger-friendly than my K110 version. It's possible that the spring is a little weaker on the Ti version.

[@john0270]

So what's everyones thoughts on the 3v in this knife. My gso 3.5 from survive knives is mint, but 3v knife from kizer.... may as well have been 1050 or 5160.... just crap.

[@dextermomarte77]

Thoughts on the drop point vs the sharks foot?

[@dnkknives890]

beautiful piece of artwork

[@Mazeingpower]

I am on the fence. I love the smaller build but to pay 400$+ and it says Taiwan on it kinda gets me. For 400+I think we could get a USA made one. The design seems pretty simple to machine. Maybe in the future we will see a 20.5 USA made version. :) it does look sick

[@kenryno5797]

I've got to agree with scott h, I actually love this knife and I have two of the 3v ad 20.5s in the grivory wich I have put a set of the Original GOAT ceracote aluminum scales on, but I can't justify the $375. just to get these unimpressive TI scales, that is foolish and outrageous.

[@tob12g]

Hi Nick , have you reviewed the elementum button lock ?

[@themahones]

Price insane!

[@jonahjonah000]

0:55 It's a beautiful thing

[@mikegold1396]

Good fast job. Thanks, Mike

[@everydaycarry1328]

I'm confused with the comments some are 5 or 6 days ago and others are hours? Nothing in between ??? Also there is a Knifecenter exclusive and it's the recently released carbon fiber model in 3V

[@NickShabazz]

Patreon Patrons often see videos sooner.

[@reednash5412]

Please test the Gaintmouse Nazca

[@SimonRiley115]

Glad I got the smooth ti when I could, discontinued now

[@jackmarkham1516]

I like it. The more knife reviews the better.

[@Epic_Tim]

You can get a smooth titanium version for 315 with no tax at dlt trading

[@mikereese15]

Yikes is right. Nice review

[@chrisspanks7750]

Does anyone know when the CKF EVO 3 is coming out ?

[@TheCrunchyCrouton]

This is an excellent idea

[@cloudcleaver23]

If they would actually reliably stock the blasted thing, I'd love the sheepsfoot version of this.

[@daver6564]

Should be USA made for that price. You can buy a Chinese made QSP Penguin in titanium and 390 for $130, which is probably every bit as good.

[@Youtube-Censorship-Police]

100% agreed. i have a frag-ti penguin, it was $50 cheaper than the cheapo 20.5 and is far superior in terms of fit'n'finish and materials. i doubt that this thing will come remotely close to a chris reeve, yet it is almost in sebenza-territory price wise. completely nuts if you ask me, greedy move from demko, not cool.

[@stephenbarone4053]

The carbon fiber version is under $300. Not sure how good the cf is but seems like a more reasonable price.

[@edrader]

and weight

[@uwo5786]

had to flex the 20 then was like oh i also have the 20.5

[@Cry42]

Personally, I'd rather buy the grivory version so I can still use the wide range of aftermarket scales.

[@savvysavage1857]

Just got mine in. Nice knife but definitely not a $375 knife. I would say it feels like it should be about $250

[@williamray693]

Is it cpm 3v?

[@wupwop]

Heck yeah

[@bigdadgigachad3042]

Gorgeous knife buuut a bit out of my price range.. which is okay, gives me something to hopefully one day feel okay with buying.

[@Robs_Nerdy_Knives]

Mine should be coming in this week or early next week!!

[@Mntoyaz]

👍🏼👍🏼

[@definitelylukadoncic]

the shark lock seems a lot like the axis lock.

[@NJasperSmith]

Although functionally similar, the shark lock is better, stronger, and uses a coil spring, instead of omega springs, for increased reliability. 🍻

[@SinjiKazama]

How?

[@hfuffvnjvnijd8989]

why do you say, youre time left on the channel? are you sick?

[@NickShabazz]

See my recent video about scaling things back. Not sick, just busy!

[@kraakvmaar1505]

That was one of the nerdiest things I have ever seen when you took that fine little file and started to "smoothen" out these "edges" so your little baby fingers dont get hurt😂🤣

[@NickShabazz]

I stand in awe of your manly, resilient fingers. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXTMnWt-jbl3l6s

[@noddy2912]

@@NickShabazz I just purchased one and the shark lock came in very sharp to the point of being painful to actuate.I do have very soft doctors hands though.Hello from Sydney Australia.

[@SpaceDave3000]

3V is my favorite knife steel because it's stupidly tough to the point where you can pry with it or whack the spine with a hammer without worrying, but it doesn't make a lot of sense in a folding knife, especially the 20.5 which has a stupid amount of side to side play unless you tighten it up to the point where you can barely open it.

[@CNYKnifeNerd]

3v makes a ton of sense in a folder. Toughness applies to the edge, too. When the edge doesn't take all the micro-damage that other steels take then it strops back really well. That's 3v's specialty, in my experience, and isn't something that only fixed blades benefit from.

[@tgonzalez1983]

I have two that deploy perfectly without blade play. You should exchange yours if you’re experiencing that

[@Gambit33]

What a dumb comment. Tough steels aren't reserved for fixed blades only. Tons of knife makers use tough blade steels on folding knives and tons of users love using tough blades on folders. I've bought several different AD20.5s and none of them had blade play.

[@SpaceDave3000]

@@Gambit33 Show me a few other folding knives with 3V. It's for bragging rights only.

[@SpaceDave3000]

@@CNYKnifeNerd Is that what there are so many folders made with 3V? Oh wait, there aren't.

[@Corbs627]

Tanks for the video, could have used more puns though.

[@bScout.mtb.dt.4555]

I rather have this than the unnecessary medfords.

[@DangRoss]

Dejavu

[@mickeypopa]

This is an overhyped knife, to put it mildly. Average design with an ok steel and an overpriced fancy locking mechanism. Probably belongs in the same category as Microtech Sigil MK6. If you're looking to spend $300 on a great pocket knife, TRM Atom/Neutron 2 or Quiet Carry Drift 2.0 are much better choices. Plus, Drift 2.0 is fully rust-proof.

[@ronfry5851]

It's still not worth 400 bucks though

[@werner134897]

The bearings are WAY too small. It's a toy, looks strong but can't be with such small bearings.

[@Youtube-Censorship-Police]

$400 for a taiwanese ti-knife? wow..mr. demko is really getting cocky😂 anyway, bought a 20.5 a while back and the lock started to develop vertical play after only 2 days. sent it back and guess what? nr. 2 had even worse blade play right ootb and a super ugly grind (borderline recurve). sent it back again and bought a new kizer in ti and m390 for the same price (even had 10 bucks left), in my opinion the shark lock is just a flashy failure and the 20.5 is a overpriced & overhyped pos.

[@knoxknifemods]

I had the same issue with my 20.5. Sent it back to Demko and it was fixed for a bit, then the vertical play returned in about a week. Took it apart and replaced the lock spring and now the play is gone, but… how long til that spring tension wears out enough that the play comes back? It’s a cool blade that has some problems, but there’s a lot of folks drinking the kool-aid for that knife.

[@nonammmmme]

@@knoxknifemods I wonder if the same issue happens to 20S or 20 considering they are made in the USA not Taiwan

[@knoxknifemods]

@@nonammmmme I've wondered that myself, actually I'm gonna run back to Nick's disassembly vid on the regular 20 to see how different the lock spring is

[@Youtube-Censorship-Police]

@@knoxknifemods sorry to hear that bud but good you were able to fix it for now, hope it doesn't return! just the fact that you have to fix something yourself on a knife in this price range is unacceptable. always wanted a "real demko", but this was kind of an eye opener for me, also the fact that demko himself wasn't able to solve the problem on something he designed and developed..nah man.

[@Youtube-Censorship-Police]

@@nonammmmme maybe they have better springs, at least they most definitely have better tolerances. still too risky for me, especially since i live in switzerland and our import fees and shipping prices are nuts.

[@randallkelley3599]

AUS steel, at $400, that's a steal! You cash is being stolen. I mean M-4 is fairly inexpensive and is way better than any AUS. Just my opinion, which is like anything free, not of much value...

[@NickShabazz]

This is 3V.

[@abc456f]

Did you watch the video?

[@bladesnchill]

You guys should also check out ROLLSHAMBO EDC on KZbin.