- Demko AD20.5 · Clip Point3.125″ blade · 0.126″ spine · 3.6 oz · ~1″ tall
Demko AD20.5
The Demko AD20.5 is a 3.125" clip point folder in CPM-20CV, flat ground. The handle is Carbon Fiber, secured by a shark-lock. It is one of just two knives here in CPM-20CV, so there is little to compare it against on steel alone.
- Blade
- 3.125″
- Weight
- 3.6 oz
- Steel
- CPM-20CV
- Price band
- Premium
Everyday carry and general utility
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Specifications
Manufacturer-published figures, cross-checked against demkoknives.com.
- Blade length
- 3.125″
- Spine thickness
- 0.126″
- Blade shape
- Clip Point
- Grind
- Flat
- Steel
- CPM-20CV
- Overall length
- 7.75″
- Closed length
- 4.5″
- Weight
- 3.6 oz
- Lock
- Shark-Lock
- Deployment
- Manual
- Handle material
- Carbon Fiber
- Country of origin
- Taiwan
Why a clip point
The front third of the spine is 'clipped' away in a concave sweep, dropping the point below the spine line and putting it out in front. That makes a finer, more controllable tip than a drop point — better for piercing, slightly weaker under load. The Buck 110 pattern is the archetype.
Every clip point here →About CPM-20CV
Crucible's answer to M390 and chemically near-identical to it. Superb edge retention and corrosion resistance, slow to sharpen.
1-5 is a relative ranking drawn from published composition and hardness, not a lab measurement. Higher is better on every axis, and no steel is a 5 across the board — edge retention and toughness pull against each other. All CPM-20CV knives
What owners say
Drawn from 922 owner discussions of the Demko AD20.5 since 2024. The opinions are theirs. The specifications above come from the maker.
What owners like
- The Shark-Lock wins people over who have tried the alternatives: one owner who picked it up in a buy-one-get-one sale preferred its lock and action to the Civivi Vision FG they already liked and kept it, and another who paid $94 for a D2 version rated it better than the Civivi super lock.
- As a fidget knife it is a favorite: one S35VN owner calls it a fidgeter's dream, a grivory D2 owner calls it the most fidget-friendly knife they have had, another credits the ceramic bearings and several ways to open it, and another owner says no video prepared them for how good the Shark-Lock feels in hand, with almost no break-in.
- Thick blade stock rides in a slim package at 3.6 oz: one S35VN owner says the thin handle makes it easy to carry despite the heavy blade, a carbon fiber owner says it disappears in the pocket, and a 20CV Slicer owner was surprised how thin the body is.
- People who work with their knives trust it: one owner counts it among their solid work knives, another keeps it as their work carry under a 3 in blade limit, and another backpacks with an AUS-10A version because it feels rock solid.
- The aftermarket is deep: owners report fitting RGT micarta, Original Goat aluminum, Rockscale titanium and AWT scales, $50 Berkshire Forge titanium scales, Lynch deep carry clips, Skiff bearings and even a MagnaCut reblade from Transparent Knives.
- Sale prices draw buyers in: one paid $119 for a 20CV and G10 version in 2024 and called it a steal, another about $130 for 20CV, and another under $190 for titanium and 20CV with retailer coupons in late 2025.
- Hand fit covers a wide range in owner reports: one owner with XL hands calls the ergonomics perfect, and a titanium owner with slim medium hands says it fits perfectly where the full-size AD20 would be too big and bulky.
What owners flag
- Edge geometry is thick for slicing: a 20CV owner measured about 0.025 in behind the edge, another 20CV owner says the edge rolls just breaking down produce boxes, and two others found it too thick and went looking for slicier knives.
- Blade play shows up in several owner reports: one 3V titanium knife developed vertical play a few months in that could not be fixed, a grivory D2 owner noticed play and moved to a Vision FG, and a K110 owner could not find a pivot setting that was neither stiff nor loose.
- Value is argued over: one owner who paid near $300 for a carbon fiber 3V version calls it way overpriced and short on premium feel, another regrets buying too many Demkos and thinks the AD20.5 is overpriced, and a buyer weighing a Bel Air XL says they would never consider it at full price.
- The handle is thin: one owner always disliked how thin the carbon fiber scales were, a three-year titanium owner calls the scales slick and the knife thin, and a big-handed G10 owner calls thinness the only downside.
- Two pivot sizes catch modders out: one owner bought a backspacer and another bought titanium scales made for the small pivot, then found their knives were big pivot models, and a big pivot owner notes that most aftermarket scales are for the small pivot.
- Scale swaps can be fiddly: one owner had to open up scale holes and then shot the Shark-Lock spring across the room, another fought blade centering with aftermarket standoffs, and another got a rattling lock and vertical play after fitting Rockscale scales.
- Factory finish varies: one owner received an off-center blade, a 20CV owner found an uneven factory bevel with a wave on one side, a 3V owner's knife squeaked on every opening, and a D2 owner found it the least sharp of three new knives.
- The lock takes getting used to: one owner's finger was sore at first, another found it awkward at first and says the reverse flick needs some wrist, and another disliked the aggressive jimping on the lock slider.
Work carry is a job owners give the AD20.5, including one who carries it under a 3 in blade limit. It carries a 3.125 in blade at 3.6 oz, and owners describe a work knife, a backpacking knife with an AUS-10A blade, and a daily carry that sees packages, string and splinters. The draw for many is the Shark-Lock: one owner says they cannot get enough of the action, and others call it one of the most fidget-friendly knives they own.
Thick edge geometry drives the main complaint, and one owner measured about 0.025 in behind the edge. Owners who come from Spyderco slicers find it a poor cutter, and one 20CV owner says their edge rolls on cardboard. Blade play is the other recurring issue, from a 3V titanium knife that loosened after a few months to a K110 owner who cannot set the pivot free without wiggle. Owners rebuild it with aftermarket scales, clips and bearings, and the big pivot and small pivot frames take different parts.
The Civivi Vision FG is the rival owners mention most: one owner of both prefers the Demko lock and action, while another went back to the Vision FG over blade play. Others carry it alongside a Spyderco Manix 2, weigh it against the smaller Shark Cub, or compare it with the US-made AD20 Compact, which one owner who paid about $130 for a 20CV AD20.5 says is a much thicker knife at several times the price.
Which AD20.5 steel should I pick?
Owners split by use. One owner says the budget AUS-10A and grivory versions are better than people give them credit for, while a 20CV owner says their edge rolls just breaking down produce boxes and blames the poor geometry, or maybe the heat treat. A 3V owner found small black dots, possibly rust, after three months unused in a laptop bag, and an S35VN owner says theirs does not rust or darken.
What is the difference between the big pivot and small pivot AD20.5?
Two frame versions exist, and aftermarket scales and backspacers are made for one or the other. Two owners only found out after buying parts that did not fit. One owner reports that a big pivot knife can take small pivot scales if you also buy a small pivot hardware set.
Is the AD20.5 a good slicer?
Several owners say no. One found the sharpening choil snagging on cardboard and plastic, and two others found it too thick and want something slicier like a Spyderco Dragonfly or a TRM. One 3V owner was surprised to find it light and slicey, so expectations vary.
Does the AD20.5 develop blade play?
Some do. One owner's 3V titanium knife developed vertical play a few months in, and a K110 owner could only remove play by tightening the pivot until it needed two hands to close. A grivory D2 owner found minimal play out of the box.
How do you open and close the Shark-Lock one-handed?
One owner says it thumb flicks well but the reverse flick needs some wrist. A used-knife buyer found the detent very light and the lock only released fully when pulled away from the handle, and asked whether that was normal. One owner new to it had a sore finger at first, and another found it awkward at first and now loves it.
Should I get the AD20.5 or the Shark Cub?
A titanium AD20.5 owner says the AD20.5 fits their slim medium hand perfectly but likes the Cub's smaller blade and more open grip. One person who modifies these knives complains that the Cub's handle wastes about a quarter inch of possible blade length. A buyer comparing the two in September 2026 saw the Cub at about $90 and the AD20.5 at $130 to $140 on sale.
Features
- Shark-Lock
- Flat grind
- Made in Taiwan
- Stainless blade
