Best size knife for EDC. Your opinion

I don't work in an office or even around sheeple at all so being people friendly has nothing to do with it but I just prefer 3" blades. They are large enough to do most tasks I ask of my EDC (I do however also carry a 3.9" BM710 and sometimes a 4"mora) while still allowing my use of my pocket. Also they usually fit my size XL glove hand well, especially ones with taller handles (the Sage 3 is my current favorite, and pretty much exclusive EDC).
There are some 3" knives that I find to small, the Spyderco Caly 3/ UKPK (same knife minus lock) is one of those, I just found the handle to "short" for my grip, like I had to squeeze it to hard to hang onto it. Also I notice a big different between 2.9" knives to 3" knives.

I carried a 4" folder (a spyderco military) as my only knife for a week awhile back and I just felt uncomfy having it out in public, it just felt to large. Even 3.5" is usually to large for me however my kershaw Shallot has a narrow blade shape so its one I don't mind.
 
Killtation said:
I highly prefer knives with flippers so i'm not too much of a Spyderco fan. I want to own a C03 again. My father carried his for 25 years before he quit carrying a knife. I had it for a month before i lost it in the woods. If it had a pocket clip i never would have but that still sucks. I'd like one for sentimental purposes, basically.
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Do you have either of the Spyderco flippers? They're pretty dang nice.
 
At work I limit my EDC to 3". I have to go through metal screening and a bigger knife seems a bit much to be carrying around. Otherwise, i like a bigger knife, but I typically lean toward the 3.5" - 3.75" range. I do think other factors like width and depth of carry make a big difference in preference for EDC.
 
Ernie1980 said:
2.75 to 3.00 is the perfect range for me. It handles all of the cutting I need to do while out and about and doesn't weigh my pockets down. If I am working in the yard I will carry a larger folder or fixed blade with about a 4" blade, but I found that to be excessive out from the house.
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Same here. 2.75" to 3.00" is what I carry in my pocket daily.
 
Something about this size is good for me. Opens any UPS package and my mail with no problem, and doesn't take much room in the pocket. Most of all, it fits my suburbia life style.
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2" - 2½" is perfect for my EDC, although I've carried 4" tactical folders in the past.

My EDC these days are a Spyderco SS Dragonfly and a wharncliffe Brous Blades Silent Soldier. Both handle any routine cutting chores I need.
 
All of my EDCs are between 3.25" and 3.5", be they fixed blade or folder. My biggest EDC is a CRKT M16-14DSFG (3.875"). Normally I carry a BK14 (3.25") and a Griptilian (3.45") I would carry a 4", if I could, but that isn't legal here in NY.
 
Prefer 3" or less.
Prefer 4" or less closed length.
Prefer 4 ounces or less.

The Benchmade 940 is my exception.
 
I think the width of the tdc is just as important to me as the length. I like my tdc to not get in the way of other things in my pocket. I don't edc. I rotate my knives. So I really like my delica and caly 3.5 because they offer enough blade and handle for comfortable use while not demanding a dedicated pocket. I prefer a bigger and more stout blade when I am hiking and outdoorsing not only because of the added abilities but also because they seem to lock in whatever is sharing the pocket with them.
 
3 1/2" to 4 1/8" closed for a slippie.


This one at 4 1/8" is the beez kneez for me:D Nothing it can't handle!

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Killtation said:
What are your guys favorite locking mechanisms for EDC folders?
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Liner lock is still my favorite for one-hand operation. Although I've grown kinda fond of the compression lock on my PM2. Still seems kinda backwards though.

While I like the Axis lock for dependability I'm not a huge fan when it comes to operation. It's not a big deal though. They're OK.

Back locks are my least favorite. They require two separate steps to close one-handed. I've got to really like the knife otherwise in order to forgive the back lock. The Native is one such knife.
 
This is a loaded question simply because everyone that answers will most likely answer differently one year down the road.

I think that we go through cycles of size just as we do via our rotation list to carry. It simply depends on which way the wind is blowing!!! I started out being adament that a 3.0" knife was more than adequate and anything else was too large. I then graduated to 3.25-3.5" knives. As of late I am carrying a 3.8" Shirogorov Hati and I love it. It acts like a much smaller knife in your pocket and handles any task that I need it to out of pocket. It is slim line and lite weight which makes it very comfortable to carry even in dress pants.

Depending on where I am going to be I might carry a smaller blade along with this knife just to avoid freaking those around me out but I really like having the larger blade with me even if I do not pull it out.

I really think that I have drawn the line at 4.0" or under though. Anything larger should be a fixed blade being used during camping, hiking or any other fixed and specific task.

If I did not love the Shirogorov as much as I do I would most likely fall into line with the 3.35-3.50" blade range.
 
A strider SNG, because i like 3 inch knives. The cutting length on the SNG is around 3 inches, when you go back on the handle you get more reach though. The choil makes it really comfortable to use too. I like the Para 2 also, but prefer a deeper choil. The 3 inch mark is where i feel i have most control of a knife.
 
One blade size doesn't really work for me which is why I carry a small slip joint to complement my large Sebenza 21.
 
Anywhere from 3.25" to 3.75" with 3 5/8 optimum for my tastes but i agree with whitedog3322 that the shiro's carry much smaller than you would think, wonderful knife!
But the blade has got to have a narrow profile.
 
I'm knife bi-polar.

Some days a want a Recon 1 or full size Griptilian. Some days I want a Benchmade Aphid or Spyderco Chaparral. It really depends on my mood and where I'm going to be for the day.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
Depends on what I'm wearing and where I'm going. In jeans, I tend to carry one larger folder with a 4-5" blade like my Emerson Super CQC-8 or Fox Deimos and pair it with a Spyderco Dragonfly. At work I'm stuck wearing scrubs and in those weight becomes a much more pressing issue, so I typically go with a somewhat lightweight 3.5-4" blade and pair it with a Vic Tourist, though I want to pick up a G Sakai Trekkerman as my companion knife at work.
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+1 on this. When im in jeans, double ti 4" folder. Athletic shorts, 3.5"< and no thick handles
 
I'm a bigger guy with fairly XL sized hands, so I always prefer a larger knife. As an example, I love EDCing my RAT 1, even though it seems the general consensus is that the RAT II is the better EDC knife. I recently purchased a RAT II to see what everyone is talking about, and while I can see how it would make a fantastic slacks pocket knife, I'm still carrying my RAT 1 (and other larger folders) in my standard rotation.
 
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