3.1" Knives What's the Appeal?

I prefer longer blades. My best "small" knife is an Emerson micro-Commander. It's blade measures 2.9" but the way the Commander blade scales down to that size it retains its mass to appear larger than it is both in physical size and what it will do. It looks and works like at least a 3.25" blade. Probably the only sub-3" blade I'll own. Really a winner.
 
Why do people like such big knives ?? New Mora Eldris , 2.2" blade !!
 
I don't carry locking folders unless they are running about 3.5" and over. Smaller than that it is going to be a slip joint. I live about 90% of my life in Oregon, where we don't have any length limitations legitimately on any law books.

Out of my jurisdiction? I don't care what your local knife laws are either. I shipped a BM AFCK in seperately packaged pieces to my brother's house in the UK and carried it there while on vacation, clipped into the chest pocket of my suits and sport coats. I ain't asking for a by-your-leave from anyone.
 
Niddler1 said:
There is something to be said for 3.2-3.4 inch blades they're just so perfect! If i see a decent knife in that size I WAN IT
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Boats said:
I don't carry locking folders unless they are running about 3.5" and over. Smaller than that it is going to be a slip joint. I live about 90% of my life in Oregon, where we don't have any length limitations legitimately on any law books.

Out of my jurisdiction? I don't care what your local knife laws are either. I shipped a BM AFCK in seperately packaged pieces to my brother's house in the UK and carried it there while on vacation, clipped into the chest pocket of my suits and sport coats. I ain't asking for a by-your-leave from anyone.
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Three years in prison over a knife is enough to make me care! That is a standard punishment for illegal knives in the UK.
 
When I buy a knife, I pay no attention to the length of the blade. Same when I carry one. All knives are verboten where I work, so I might as well be hanged for a sheep as for a goat.
 
anthony cheeseboro said:
Three years in prison over a knife is enough to make me care! That is a standard punishment for illegal knives in the UK.
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I get into moderator trouble for openly saying what I think of sheeple pens like the UK, so I'll leave it at this: Cops don't harass middle aged men who look like upstanding citizens—ANYWHERE.
 
Henry Beige said:
When I buy a knife, I pay no attention to the length of the blade. Same when I carry one. All knives are verboten where I work, so I might as well be hanged for a sheep as for a goat.
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That's the right spirit. Anti-gun and knife laws (and policies) should be civilly violated.
 
Niddler1 said:
There is something to be said for 3.2-3.4 inch blades they're just so perfect! If i see a decent knife in that size I WAN IT
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Boats said:
I get into moderator trouble for openly saying what I think of sheeple pens like the UK, so I'll leave it at this: Cops don't harass middle aged men who look like upstanding citizens—ANYWHERE.
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I may get into trouble myself for saying it, I am an upstanding citizen too, however, to the wrong cop, I just might "fit the description simply because of my color." I have never had any trouble, in fifty years of pocket knife carry, but it only takes one jerk to ruin things. That is why I would take care to be legal in a place with draconian punishment for knives, like the UK, or a place like NYC, which is big on stop and frisk.
 
Iowa has NO length limits for EDC.. hell walk around with a machette... but if you commit a crime while wearing such a knife?

It goes 3'+-5"... 5"+ and you get a whole lot of extra time tacked on to serve for your crime. I confirmed this thru local police chief and Iowa statutes.

God help us in Iowa... we almost get to finally have suppressors!!!!
 
720 ILCS 5/24-1 (2013) Unlawful Use of Weapons

(a) A person commits the offense of unlawful use of weapons when he knowingly:

(1) Sells, manufactures, purchases, possesses or carries any […] metal knuckles or other knuckle weapon regardless of its composition, throwing star, or any knife, commonly referred to as a switchblade knife, which has a blade that opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring or other device in the handle of the knife, or a ballistic knife, which is a device that propels a knifelike blade as a projectile by means of a coil spring, elastic material or compressed gas; or

(2) Carries or possesses with intent to use the same unlawfully against another, a dagger, dirk, billy, dangerous knife, razor, stiletto, broken bottle or other piece of glass, stun gun or taser or any other dangerous or deadly weapon or instrument of like character; or

(9) Carries or possesses in a vehicle or on or about his person any pistol, revolver, stun gun or taser or firearm or ballistic knife, when he is hooded, robed or masked in such manner as to conceal his identity;

(b) Sentence. A person convicted of a violation of subsection 24-1(a)(1) through (5) […] commits a Class A misdemeanor. A person convicted of a violation of subsection […] 24-1(a)(9) commits a Class 4 felony; […] A person convicted of a second or subsequent violation of subsection […] 24-1(a)(9) commits a Class 3 felony. The possession of each weapon in violation of this Section constitutes a single and separate violation.

720 ILCS 5/33A-1 (2013) Legislative intent and definitions

(a) Legislative findings. The legislature finds and declares the following:

(1) The use of a dangerous weapon in the commission of a felony offense poses a much greater threat to the public health, safety, and general welfare, than when a weapon is not used in the commission of the offense.

[…]
(1) “Armed with a dangerous weapon”. A person is considered armed with a dangerous weapon for purposes of this Article, when he or she carries on or about his or her person or is otherwise armed with a Category I, Category II, or Category III weapon.

(2) A Category I weapon is a handgun, sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle, any other firearm small enough to be concealed upon the person, semiautomatic firearm, or machine gun. A Category II weapon is any other rifle, shotgun, spring gun, other firearm, stun gun or taser as defined in paragraph (a) of Section 24-1 of this Code [720 ILCS 5/24-1], knife with a blade of at least 3 inches in length, dagger, dirk, switchblade knife, stiletto, axe, hatchet, or other deadly or dangerous weapon or instrument of like character.

(3) A Category III weapon is a bludgeon, black-jack, slungshot, sand-bag, sand-club, metal knuckles, billy, or other dangerous weapon of like character.



I read it as such: In Illinois (unless in a public school or unless other municipality laws intercede) there are no limits on blade length. Intent to cause someone else harm with a knife is considered an Unlawful Use of a Weapon. However, intent has to be proven. Just carrying a knife is not enough to prove intent. During the commission of a crime, carrying a blade over 3 inches in length is considered "Armed with a Dangerous Weapon" which carries a separate charge.
 
I feel that these size knives simply have a proportions that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
 
This got me thinking....if I liked a knife and it was available with 2.99" or 3.1" I'm grabbing 3.1. Why??? No idea, but true.
Joe
 
anthony cheeseboro said:
I confess that I love knives that are just a smidge over 3". That extra .1" or .2" probably makes no real difference, but being just a tiny bit over the 3" limit is just kind of neat. I am pretty sure knife companies know this or they would not make so many knives just a tiny bit over 3". In Illinois, there is no real law against knives over 3", but a knife over 3" cannot be carried as a weapon, so at least a knife like a Kershaw Skyline, ZT 0450, or Kizer Gemini is not actually illegal.
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Here's what I think. You know you don't need a small knife so 3 inches will work. But three inches sounds small. 3.1 sounds bigger than just three and adding another number just like to some, 3.25 sounds much larger than 3.2.
 
anthony cheeseboro said:
I confess that I love knives that are just a smidge over 3". That extra .1" or .2" probably makes no real difference, but being just a tiny bit over the 3" limit is just kind of neat. I am pretty sure knife companies know this or they would not make so many knives just a tiny bit over 3". In Illinois, there is no real law against knives over 3", but a knife over 3" cannot be carried as a weapon, so at least a knife like a Kershaw Skyline, ZT 0450, or Kizer Gemini is not actually illegal.
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Actually in Illinois anything can be considered a weapon. Even a knife under 3". Intent is not determined by the person carrying the item in question. It Is determined by the arresting officer. Whether they are right or wrong is up to a judge to decide. And in their eyes anything over 3" is a crime. This is a direct quote from Illinois law. Unfortunately most people never really understand what the law actually means until like me they are arrested for them.

A person is considered armed with a
dangerous weapon... when he carries on or about his person
or is otherwise armed with a category I or category II
weapon. (b) A category I weapon is a [firearm or] a knife
with a blade at least 3 inches in length, dagger, dirk,
switchblade knife, stiletto, or any other deadly or
dangerous weapon of like character.

A deadly weapon can be a pillow if they think you were at risk of snuffing someone out with it.

EDITED TO ADD: And from how I understand it most knives just over 3" are mostly designed to be within the regulations of a lot of states that have a 3.5" blade length limit. Not to push the limits of what is acceptable in a state that only allows 3".
 
My first thought is the odd blade lengths might result from the fact that a lot of knives are produced outside of the US and its easier (or more logical) for 3rd party/affliated/contracted manufactures to use metric units as opposed to our 'standard units'. 64mm gives you 2.51", 76mm gives you your 2.99" blade, 78mm=3.07"... 80mm=3.14"... 92mm=3.62" etc. I'd imagine a lot of tooling/machines used in American production aren't produced in the US and therefore 'default' to metric figures. Semi-related: The ease of metric unit conversions is pretty undeniable.

I have also read in a couple different places that, depending on the agency and jurisdiction, LE agents/agencies can vary significantly in the methods they use for blade measurement...ie. one source I read stated that the measurement can be from the tip to the pivot. That reality would make the actual blade length a pretty moot point.
 
PURPLEDC said:
Actually in Illinois anything can be considered a weapon. Even a knife under 3". Intent is not determined by the person carrying the item in question. It Is determined by the arresting officer. Whether they are right or wrong is up to a judge to decide. And in their eyes anything over 3" is a crime. This is a direct quote from Illinois law. Unfortunately most people never really understand what the law actually means until like me they are arrested for them.

A person is considered armed with a
dangerous weapon... when he carries on or about his person
or is otherwise armed with a category I or category II
weapon. (b) A category I weapon is a [firearm or] a knife
with a blade at least 3 inches in length, dagger, dirk,
switchblade knife, stiletto, or any other deadly or
dangerous weapon of like character.

A deadly weapon can be a pillow if they think you were at risk of snuffing someone out with it.

EDITED TO ADD: And from how I understand it most knives just over 3" are mostly designed to be within the regulations of a lot of states that have a 3.5" blade length limit. Not to push the limits of what is acceptable in a state that only allows 3".
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The thing to remember is that I imagine that it is rare for anyone to be arrested solely over a knife. Avoiding bad situations is key to avoiding legal trouble over a knife.
 
anthony cheeseboro said:
The thing to remember is that I imagine that it is rare for anyone to be arrested solely over a knife. Avoiding bad situations is key to avoiding legal trouble over a knife.
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It actually happens all the time. In Illinois a knife clipped to your pocket is a concealed weapon. It's not as common as in NYC but it still happens. Mistaken identity, wrong place wrong time etc. Now will it guaranteed lead to a conviction? Not always. But being arrested? Yes it can and does happen. You don't have to be committing a crime toy be suspected and accused of one.
 
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