Demko AD20.5 vs Spyderco Military

88 facts in comparison

Based on 78 Reddit opinions. Close race—Demko AD20.5 edges ahead.

78 opinions
Demko AD20.5 leads by 5pts
Reddit's Pick
Demko AD20.5
89%
A-
Based on
444 Redditors
Winner

Demko AD20.5

~$119.99
60 opinions

tldr; Reddit highly regards the Demko AD20.5, particularly for its robust Shark Lock mechanism and availability in premium steels like 20CV and Magnacut.

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VS
Spyderco Military
84%
B+
Based on
99 Redditors

Spyderco Military

Limited Data
~$199.11
18 opinions

tldr; Reddit highly regards the Spyderco Military, with one user calling it their favorite, and it's noted for being available in various premium steels and materials.

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Steel QualityAction & DeploymentBuild QualityLockErgonomics
🔧STE
ACT
BUI
LOC
ERG
67
Points
81
Points

Score by Category

Steel Quality
50%50%
Action & Deployment
100%
Build Quality
100%75%
Lock
50%100%
Ergonomics
50%

Why is Spyderco Military better than Demko AD20.5?

  • Better value (100% vs 50%)
  • Better lock (100% vs 50%)
  • Considered a favorite knife by a user
  • Available in S30VN steel with "spydie edge"
  • Offered in S90V Carbon Fiber
Based on 543 Reddit opinions
Slight Edge

Reddit prefers the Demko AD20.5

Winning by 5 points (89% vs 84%)

Better build quality
Features reliable & strong Shark Lock mechanism.
Available in premium steels like 20CV &
High confidence (543 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 543 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Demko AD20.5
8.9/10
444 mentions
Spyderco Military
8.4/10
99 mentions
BUILD QUALITY
Demko AD20.510.0/10
Spyderco Military7.5/10
VALUE
Demko AD20.55.0/10
Spyderco Military10.0/10
ACTION
Demko AD20.510.0/10
Spyderco MilitaryN/A
LOCK
Demko AD20.55.0/10
Spyderco Military10.0/10
STEEL
Demko AD20.55.0/10
Spyderco Military5.0/10
ERGONOMICS
Demko AD20.55.0/10
Spyderco MilitaryN/A
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Demko AD20.5: 3|Spyderco Military: 2
Build QualityDemko AD20.5
Demko AD20.5100%
Spyderco Military75%
ValueSpyderco Military
Demko AD20.550%
Spyderco Military100%
ActionDemko AD20.5
Demko AD20.5100%
Spyderco MilitaryN/A
LockSpyderco Military
Demko AD20.550%
Spyderco Military100%
Steel
Demko AD20.550%
Spyderco Military50%
ErgonomicsDemko AD20.5
Demko AD20.550%
Spyderco MilitaryN/A
Demko AD20.589%
Spyderco Military84%
Demko AD20.5 wins by 5 points

Key Specs

SpecDemko AD20.5Spyderco Military
Blade Length
3.0 to 3.25 inches
4.00 inch
Blade Steel
Various (e.g., CPM 20CV, CPM 3V, S35VN, AUS-10A, D2)
CPM S30V
Handle Material
Various (e.g., Titanium, G10, Grivory, Carbon Fiber)
G-10
Locking Mechanism
Shark-Lock
Blade Thickness
Around 3.2mm / 0.125 inches

Key Highlights

Demko AD20.5Winner
🔒 Features reliable & strong Shark Lock mechanism.
🔪 Available in premium steels like 20CV &
💪 Considered a solid and capable knife.
Spyderco Military
✨ Considered a favorite knife by a user
🔪 Available in S30VN steel with "spydie edge"
✋ Offered in S90V Carbon Fiber
🔪 Available in a Salt Magnacut version

Topic Battles

Demko AD20.5: 3|Tied: 1|Spyderco Military: 1
🔧Steel Quality
Demko AD20.5
50%
Spyderco Military
50%
Action & Deployment
Demko AD20.5 wins
Demko AD20.5
100%
Spyderco Military
Build Quality
Demko AD20.5 wins
Demko AD20.5
100%
Spyderco Military
75%
Lock
Spyderco Military wins
Demko AD20.5
50%
Spyderco Military
100%
Ergonomics
Demko AD20.5 wins
Demko AD20.5
50%
Spyderco Military

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Demko AD20.5

Best Praise
+4 pts
Your price is very fair. The exact AD20.5 config you have is retailing for $250 most places. Amazon has it in s35vn for $179 and the SR1 lite for $50, so you’re still $40 under that (and I prefer 3V). Great price. 👊🏼
r/Knife_Swap
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Top Criticism
+1 pts
Prolly just design preference. Ive owned all of them and still have a PM3, Arcade, and an ad20.5. Dont like the scales on the Demko tho, pocket eaters, but im sure if I got some aluminum aftermarket scales on it Id like it a bit more
r/Knife_Swap
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2 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Spyderco Military

Best Praise
+5 pts
One of the best looking militarys I've seen!
r/Knife_Swap
View
No negative quotes found
1 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

Demko AD20.5
Spyderco Military
$120$160$200Apr '25May '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Sep '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Mar '26Low: $109.99Low: $166.82Current: $119.99Current: $185.83
Demko AD20.5
All-time low: $109.99(2024-12)
Spyderco Military
All-time low: $165.95(2025-12)

Which is Better?

Demko AD20.5 Wins
89%
AD20.5
vs
84%
Military

Close race, but Demko AD20.5 edges ahead by 5 points based on 543 Reddit opinions.

Why Demko AD20.5Winner
  • 🔒 Features reliable & strong Shark Lock mechanism.
  • 🔪 Available in premium steels like 20CV &
  • 💪 Considered a solid and capable knife.
  • More discussed (444 vs 99)
Why Spyderco Military
  • Better Value for Money (100% vs 50%)

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

13%Positive
Positive
13%
Neutral
87%
Negative
0%
Based on 444 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

18%Positive
Positive
18%
Neutral
82%
Negative
0%
Based on 99 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Demko AD20.5 or Spyderco Military?
Based on 543 Reddit comments, Demko AD20.5 has a slight edge with 89% positive sentiment vs Spyderco Military's 84%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy Demko AD20.5 or Spyderco Military?
Both have similar approval ratings (89% vs 84%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about Demko AD20.5?
Reddit users highlight: Features reliable & strong Shark Lock mechanism.. Available in premium steels like 20CV &. Considered a solid and capable knife.. With 444 mentions and 89% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Spyderco Military?
Reddit users highlight: Considered a favorite knife by a user. Available in S30VN steel with "spydie edge". Offered in S90V Carbon Fiber. With 99 mentions and 84% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 543 Reddit comments: 444 about Demko AD20.5 and 99 about Spyderco Military. Data was sourced from Pocket Knives community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

78 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 4/15/2026