Ideal size?

[magentus]

Sorting through my fave blades tonight it became obvious that they are all around the same size, both folding and fixed blades. I guess I've found the ideal size of knife for my hands and use.

Anyone else noticed the same or do you have a wildly different size variation of your fave knives?

[RF52]

I vary very much in size, from a CRKT minimalist (5 cm/2 inch) to a Brusletto Villmann (22.5 cm/9 inch)
Depends on what I'm doing

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[Wspeed]

For me it depends on where I am going
If going out in public I keep it to smaller
legal sized knives but if I am at home or
hunting I will normally have a larger blade 

But it does depend on what I am doing on the day

[Fuzzbucket]

,.. snigger, snort...

[Rapidray]

111mm is just right. Up to 5 inches when closed. Thats about it for me. Then we talking fixie size 

[Don Pablo]

Sorting through my fave blades tonight it became obvious that they are all around the same size, both folding and fixed blades. I guess I've found the ideal size of knife for my hands and use.

Anyone else noticed the same or do you have a wildly different size variation of your fave knives?

I think mine tend to be smaller than yours:
-58mm Rambler
-84mm Cadet
-93mm Soldier
While you've got 93mm and up.

[magentus]

I think mine tend to be smaller than yours:
-Rambler
-Cadet
-Soldier

The Soldier is the same size as most of mine. I would've sworn it was smaller though

[Don Pablo]

The Soldier is the same size as most of mine. I would've sworn it was smaller though

It does look slightly smaller.
In any case, with the two smaller SAKs in my EDC rotation, I think I do prefer smaller blades.

[spudley112]

Mine vary greatly in size, but I have noticed that there seems to be certain blade lengths that get used more than others. I find the 91mm SAK blades so all around useful, it has become the blade I judge others by.

[Sos24]

As far as single blade folders, I definitely have a preference not just in size, but also angle

Here are my three favorite


With SAKs my preference is 91mm 3-4 layer.

With other knives it varies depending on what else I have on me, what I’m going to be doing and where I am going.

[BadMechanic]

Mine are all roughly same size...at least within an inch of each other...

Except my Cold Steel Voyager XL
That thing just dwarfs anything else I have in the folding arena.

[Old Boy]

I gravitate to the 3-3.5 inches but will use smaller blades as the situation fits.

What I don’t get is some folks who buy the sub inch blade and tout it as an all around carry. Seems like it can only do so so much.

[Rapidray]

As far as single blade folders, I definitely have a preference not just in size, but also angle

Here are my three favorite
(Image removed from quote.)

With SAKs my preference is 91mm 3-4 layer.

With other knives it varies depending on what else I have on me, what I’m going to be doing and where I am going.

Very nice ZT there! 

[Rapidray]

I gravitate to the 3-3.5 inches but will use smaller blades as the situation fits.

What I don’t get is some folks who buy the sub inch blade and tout it as an all around carry. Seems like it can only do so so much.

When a person carries only one given item, they probably know how to use it very well.

[Sos24]

Very nice ZT there! 

Thanks.  USAMadeBlade does beautiful anodizing. 

It was my favorite knife until the Shirogorov, because it just fits my hand so nicely.

[nate j]

There's some variation in mine, though I don't regularly use anything smaller than a 91mm SAK.  From there, my regular carry knives go up through 4" - 5" locking folders to 4" - 7" fixed blades.

[Don Pablo]

When a person carries only one given item, they probably know how to use it very well.

I like to think I know what I'm doing when I only EDC a 58mm SAK.

[comis]

Mags, great topic.

I have three principles to govern how I evaluate a blade: purpose, balance, aesthetics; and from that, I've gotten used to a set of magic numbers I try to adhere to for folding knives, namely: 3, 4 and 5.

So most of the folding knives I choose, ideally I would prefer them to have roughly a 3" blade, with a 4 inch+ handle, while trying to achieve 50/50 weight balance around my index finger(or just shortly behind it):

3" is legal in most countries and suffice to my urban use, while drawing less attention in public. 

4"+ handle because most knives handle area are often restricted by pivot/guard/lanyard, so even a 4" handle might not offer a full hand purchase

50/50 balance, this is where it gets tricky, and it does require good design and careful selection of material to say the least.  Front heavy the knife will fall out of your hand when opened, handle heavy knife felt more 'sluggish' to use and fatigue my hand faster.

A good example will be comparing Buck 112 Ranger to Strider SMG, they both have similar weight, but due to their different COG and design/choice of material, Strider will feel much lighter in hand to use(especially when you chock up on that choil, which the knife weight just 'disappear')






 

[Gerhard Gerber]

Anyone else noticed the same or do you have a wildly different size variation of your fave knives?

Just sticking to folders because that's all I carry.....

The way I see it you have Delica-people and Endura-people 

I'm a Delica-people as it seems you are Mags......

There is one exception, and I know it's slightly ridiculous because of what I said above, but my Pacific Salt is also a pleasure to carry.

That brings me to the conclusion that weight is a huge factor for me, all the more funny considering my own substantial size & weight 

I don't have other large & light knives to test that theory, but as far as my daily cutting requirements are concerned a 3"-ish blade is enough.

[jaya_man]

Actually have a preference for blades 3 inches and under

[Aloha]

For SAKs I like them all.  If the 84mm had more flavors that'd be my preferred choice.  I do like Wengers 85mm a lot.   I can do a lot with the 74mm and the 65mm from Wenger.  What I am currently carrying however is 91mm.

For folders GG said it well ^^^ so I am a Delica person.  I prefer smaller blades these days more and more.  My Dragonfly is phenomenal.  I rarely feel like I "need" more blade.  My mini grip is also a excellent size. 

For fixed blades I like 4-5 inch blades.  I do have a couple that feel a lot larger.  My Contego and JM2 both feel a lot larger. 

Comfort and size need to be very balanced for my fixed blades.  Folders need to carry well.   

[Nix]

I run the full gamut.

I might carry just a SAK Classic, I might carry a 130mm. In general, I prefer a knife in the 3.5-4.5" range. 4" is pretty ideal in my view, but a 91mm SAK typically fills 90% of my needs.   

[AimlessWanderer]

For pocket knives, 60mm +/-5mm is around the sweet spot for me. The Byrd Tern is 57mm edge length, slightly shorter than on a 91mm Victorinox, and just feels right for an everyday folder. I do sometimes carry smaller ones, but mainly when I don't expect to need a knife at all. If I do expect that I might need one, the smallest I'd carry is a 84mm/85mm Swiss knife.

 I tend to go larger on fixed blades, and tend to reach for one around 100mm-ish, although I have got others I can reach for varying from around 50mm to 170mm, depending on the task.

[ElevenBlade]

Folder - 3.25 inches is my preference.  In actuality, I've whittled my collection down to the point where I might only have one.  I bring it when I go camping but if I'm honest, I've never needed to use it.    The folder that I use outdoors has a 5 inch blade.  Its not the ideal length, but the handle and the spine thickness are better for that sort of thing.

SAK - I'd probably carry an 84mm if it had scissors.  Since I don't have any, I go with a 91mm or 93mm depending on the plans for the day.  I EDC a SAK

[ezdog]

I have found that for some reason I cut the crap out if myself with the smaller blades?

I am fine with a Grip but not with a Mini Grip?

I don’t know why really?

So I tend to carry something bigger if I can.


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[Barry Rowland]

Same as Nix.  I'm finding that the older I get the smaller my carry tends to be.

I run the full gamut.

I might carry just a SAK Classic, I might carry a 130mm. In general, I prefer a knife in the 3.5-4.5" range. 4" is pretty ideal in my view, but a 91mm SAK typically fills 90% of my needs.   

[cbl51]

Over the years as I got older, my pocket knife size has gone down. Used to carry a Buck 301 stickman at 3 7/8th closed, then it went down to the 84mm SAK's, now I carry a 74mm executive. If have a 2 inch blade I'm happy. I find in my suruburan American lifestyle of a retired old fart that goes fishing a lot, I just don't need that much knife.

I've never been a fan of the big single blade lock blade knives. Just too limited. some sort of SAK and mulitblade slip joint has always been my favorite knife. If I need bigger, theres a 12 inch Ontario machete in my car trunk, and a Fiskars sliding blade saw in my daypack.

A 2 inch blade n a trim watch pocket size package does me fine. I've carried just a classic and got by just fine.

[cody6268]

I like a knife with between a 2" and 3" main blade, and perhaps a pen blade or sheepsfoot/spey combination.   Around 3" to 4" closed is a perfect handle. Fixed blades--I can't decide. My 7' Kabar is too big for most smaller jobs, yet my little 2" Eldris too small for a lot of the Kabar's work. My two favorites--the 4"  Mora Companion and the USN Mark I (Camillus, post-WWII production using WWII blades) Deck Knife with a 5' blade.

[Dean51]

Ideal size is 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 closed and carried in the right front pocket. Smaller and I will only carry it if i'm in slacks.
Any thing bigger up to 4 1/4" is a second or field knife and gets carried in a belt sheath.

[Marcellus]

Regarding traditional folders:

In 60 years of carrying.... I've  found that...

For every day pocket knife carry I find 3 1/4" to 3 5/8" closed size is perfectly adequate for most tasks.

Other occasions may require a larger carry or even a smaller pattern of peanut size may be just fine.

But that's  just my take on the subject.