Are we trending towards bigger knives again?

Are your knives getting bigger?

  • My knives are getting bigger and better

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Small knives are the smarter way to go

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I have not changed my buying habits

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
not2sharp

not2sharp

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Jun 29, 1999
Messages
20,453
We are coming up on the anniversary of 9/11 and we have had to adopt to the many new restictions and security proceedures. Many of us use to buy smaller folders specifically for air travel, but, that is not a reality right now. Are we still buying smaller knives, or, have we decided to just buy larger ones since it really doesn't make as much of a difference these days?

n2s
 
I haven't changed my buying habits. I have always preferred larger knives. What has changed is that knives are coming under more scrutiny from sheeple. If anything there is a trend towards smaller knives because larger ones are frowned upon by the general public.
 
Since there are new restrictions concerning butterflies, switchblades, gravity knives and push daggers but not against normal big blades over here, it´s just that I prefer bigger blades now.
 
I like fixed blades of from 4" to 4 1/2" for everyday utility and have for as long as I have been purchasing knives. So I guess my buying habits haven't changed.
 
Since I started out buying antique MOP penknives and my latest trade is an MT LCC, I guess you'd have to say bigger, and if the LCC doesn't convince you maybe the TOPS Anaconda, Dalton M9 and SOG Tec II will. At least that's whats happening this week, now if someone has a bunch of WH's for trade I just might go smaller...
 
The only change in my knife buying habits is a tendency toward small fixed blades. Whether this is a result of being perfectly happy with my Sebenza, or just an honest preference for fixed blades, I'm not sure. But 90% of my purchases this year have been fixed blades, and all but one of the folders have been slipjoints. Maybe I'm just turning traditional, and getting tired of "tactical".
 
I buy what I really like. If I really like this big bowie, so be it... If I really like a smaller knife, so be it.
 
The change has not been in the blade, but in the overall potential of the knife. I'll now choose to carry one that can be used as a karembit over one that cannot, or one that has a better grip, while avoiding slippery scales, or one with better thumb protection or thrusting capability or...you get the picture.
 
Putting aside "sheeple concerns" for moment I think knives in every size range are becoming more distinct, or may be we as knife nut community we are more discriminating. Small knifes by Spyderco (and some others) really redefine and optimise performance to size ratio, medium folder & fixed blades now becoming optimised with more reasonable stock thickness and cutting efficiency, bigger knifes improve chopping ability but also give greater attention to cutting performance (hence more big knifes with durable thinner edges). Still the Busses and Beckers approach small knife design as if they are midget big knifes, however there is growing trend to make designs more specific to size category, not "one size fits all"
Martin
 
I tend to buy small blades 3" or less however; I just picked up the Cuda Madd Maxx 5.5. Since we have no blade length limit its ok to carry. I hope they come out with a production 3" mini version

P.S. Warning if you flick it open in public be prepared for a few people to stare !!!!!
 
My buying habits revolve around whether or not I can carry the knife. To me at least, 3" carry limits are pretty common. Therefore, I try to stay under 3 1/8" for most of my purchases(unless a person is really being ignorant, I don't think the 1/8" will make any difference). The other limiting factor is that I am faculty at a university and many people are not knife friendly. Most of the knives I actually use at work are keychain size knives. People who know me know that I carry a pocket knife but I'm not whipping out fullsize tacticals around everyone.

That said, I still like full size knives but I really have very little use for them in my work environment. Even at home, knives like my Obenauf model 2, kit Carson model 4, or my Sawby Combat Utility, which are all around 3" get the job done for me. When i need a really big knife for limbs or trimming bushes, I get really big and take out my ontario machete with about a 14" blade.
 
No changes here, and I still carry the bigest knife that I can carry; Cold Steel Vaquero Grande, Spyderco PE Chinook, or Spyderco SE (Massad) Ayoob for a folder, and either my Camillus Cuda CQB-1 or my new SOG Trident as my fixed-blade.
However, I also a carry a (smaller) Spyderco PE FRN Delica to handle my more mundane cutting tasks.
 
Originally posted by shootist16
I haven't changed my buying habits. I have always preferred larger knives.
Click to expand...

Ditto!
I like big folders. I guess I'm just not that frightened of the law (but then, maybe it's because I've never been bitten) but I LOOK like an upstanding citizen. I work in an office and hang out with other respectible-looking people. I don't think a cop is going to cart me off to jail because my pocket knife is 4" long. (or because I have 4 more smaller ones on me. he-he) It seems to me that knife-length laws are there to help cops book bad guys. (Now, don't go crazy on me! I don't condone those laws!)
I honestly believe that, during a traffic stop, I could explain to a cop (Denver) that I'm a collector and an enthusiest and not a trouble maker. I think I could get off with a "Leave those at home, buddy!" Seriously.

I LIKE 4" (or better) folders! They WORK well. (I also prefer 44 Magnums if that tells you anything about me.) I wish there were MORE large folders out there but, it turns out, manufacturers look for market share. And MANY people in the market ARE afraid of the law.

Here's a question: Suppose you work in a place where it's OK to have a knife or a place where you actually NEED one most of the time. Suppose you work on a ranch? Knife manufacturers need to consider that sometimes it's OK to have a knife and design knives for THOSE people too. Forget about this discreet-low-in-the-pocket B.S...

I want a quick-draw, big-blade KAAAWAAACK!!! ready-to-do-some-work knife!:eek:

The big-blade knives I have and like are:
Timberline Large Wor-tac
SOG Pentagon Elite 5-inch blade
Cold Steel Pro Lite
CRKT Summit (one of the big ones)
Benchmade McHenry Williams
Benchmade AFCK
CRKT Blitz/Monty

If anyone has any SUGGESTIONS for other 4" or better production folders PLEASE, I want to know.
 
Glockman99 and fulloflead,

When are you guys going to stop screwing around and get yourselves some Cuda Maxxes??? By far the king of the big folders, with a great 5.5 in. D2 blade, titanium framelock construction and amazing QC for its price point. (Which is under $120.00 on the web these days, by the way.):D :D
 
Glockman99 and fulloflead,

When are you guys going to stop screwing around and get yourselves some Cuda Maxxes??? By far the king of the big factory folders, with a great 5.5 in. D2 blade, titanium framelock construction and amazing QC for its price point. (Which is under $120.00 on the web these days, by the way.)
 
Originally posted by Blade Santa Cruz
When are you guys going to stop screwing around and get yourselves some Cuda Maxxes??? By far the king...
Click to expand...

HUH? WAAA?
A big, "King" quality folder I've never heard of? Is there a review on this forum? Is it called a Cuda Max or Maxx or Maxxe?

I'm QUIVERING here! Please hook me up with a dealer and a review before I explode!

8 ) 0===3

-F.O. Lead
 
Originally posted by Blade Santa Cruz
...amazing...):D :D
Click to expand...

Hey, Blade Santa Cruz (WARNING: Heavy scarcasm ahead)
I found you CUDA. It's tip-down carry.

TIP DOWN CARRY FOR CRYING-OUT-LOUD!

I don't have ALL DAY to get my knife out of my pocket and open!:(

Do you think people are just going to stand there and WATCH as the box just SITS there for the extra 2 seconds it takes to get my TIP-DOWN knife out of my pocket... open it up... and use it to open the box?:rolleyes:

Do you live in the Stone Age or something? I bet you hold your pants up with a rope! ;)

Does anyone know of any good TIP-UP knives with 4-inch or larger blades?

Let's all pass the hat around to buy Blade Santa Cruz a Axis AFCK to turn his world upside down!:p


He-he. That was fun!:D
 
I bought two of them; one is in heavy use, and handles it well. The other is on the shelf :D I followed that up with a custom DDR Madd Maxx 5'5" dagger. The Camillus is impressively close to custom quality.

Click the link for a pic:

2002 Camillus Cutlery Cuda MAXX 5.5, Design by knifemaker Darrel Ralph. Features a 5.5" Crucible AIRDI-150 D-2 semi-stainless steel polished 5 1/2" blade. The handle is made out of anodized 6AL4V Titanium with integral frame lock. Stainless steel pocket clip.

A few comments:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=214116&highlight=CUDA+Maxx+5.5

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=199616&highlight=CUDA+Maxx+5.5

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=198808&highlight=CUDA+Maxx+5.5
 
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