Blade length and use.

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DaveHb

Joined
Oct 18, 2021
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106
Searched the forum and didn’t find a topic on it.

How many use, and how often is a knife with a cutting edge over 5 inches actually used? What can it be used for other than chopping?

It appears most production long length hunting knives are designed for looks, and off old style combat knives, and aren’t really compatible, nor designed for, multi-tasking in the field.

I’ve processed many a different animal start to finish, and knives with blades over 5 inches (4inch for me), quillions, extended ricassos, etc just hinder/slow the job at hand.

Thoughts from the other knife people?

I like knives. Like the functional looking design of many over 4 inches, just never bought one cause don’t know where it would serve me better than what I have.
Some I wouldn’t mind having if I could see where it would be of use.
 
The ones I have are either choppers or I'll use them as a general outdoors/camping/survival knife. Generally around 5.5 to 5.5 inches. Chopper is 11 inches.
 
I have a few longer blades (+ 5") that I've used to process big game (Cold Steel SRK, Red River Elk Skinner), but they really don't offer much advantage over shorter blades like the Master Hunter, Marble's Campcraft, Canadian Belt Knife.
 
Longer blades sometimes add weight when chopping through a ribcage, or when you want to cut through a large portion of meat with a single slice, rather than many. This applies to fish as well.

The added length also gives you more real estate to tap down a length of material with a stick or baton.

A longer blade is needed when dispatching a hog to reach the heart.

Also handy when scraping a hog after pouring boiling water over its hide. That extra length lets you cover more surface area when removing outer skin/hair.

For defensive reasons...more reach could be useful.

At the end of the day having options is nice. But there are going to be those that may not need a longer blade, and that's totally fine.
 
MolokaiRider said:
Longer blades sometimes add weight when chopping through a ribcage, or when you want to cut through a large portion of meat with a single slice, rather than many. This applies to fish as well.

The added length also gives you more real estate to tap down a length of material with a stick or baton.

A longer blade is needed when dispatching a hog to reach the heart.

Also handy when scraping a hog after pouring boiling water over its hide. That extra length lets you cover more surface area when removing outer skin/hair.

For defensive reasons...more reach could be useful.

At the end of the day having options is nice. But there are going to be those that may not need a longer blade, and that's totally fine.
Click to expand...
I think it’s about 6inch for a sticker knife on a hog isn’t it? That’s the length Dexter Russell’s has for their “sticker” knife.
 
I remember my grandfather liked to use an 8 inch for cutting heads off animals on killing day. Only time he ever used it.
I didn’t get to learn the technique from him.
 
4" is a good optimal length for me, for most things.

That said, I have used a SAK to dress deer a couple times, and I have used a Becker BK9 (9") to fillet fish.

All things being equal, I would rather err on the side of having a knife that is too large, than too small.

Moral of the story? Any length knife will do just about anything (short of heavy chopping), but obviously the right tool is more effective and efficient.
 
I carry my A2 TGM most weekends and the better question would be “what isn’t it used for”. The thing does everything. Cuts whatever needs cut, breaks down boxes, splits wood for BBQ, slices meat, whatever.

I carry it in a kydex sheath IWB with an Ulticlip at about 4 o’clock. Easy to pack and can handle anything. Always have a small traditional in my folder just in case I want to whittle or do something “small”.
 
A 5+ long blade is nice when you’re processing large cuts of meat and for camp cooking tasks. A shorter blade will work but a longer blade makes for efficiency in those tasks. And in desert areas with cactus and other prickly stuff a long blade is very appreciated. It might not be as often that a long blade is needed but they can be a blessing when needed.

I don’t carry a long blade regularly but I keep one in my pack that stays in my pickup. It’s there when the need arises.
 
My favorite deer-guttin' knife is the Buck 112 (3.25" blade)
For skinning: a longer blade helps: but isn't necessary.
The "Big Guns" are for chopping stuff up!
 
most short blades just aren't built hefty
and aren't going to chop efficiently.
having said that,
the only 5" blade i would hack with.
personally fine with any length
for as long as the knife is balanced just right; as in not blade tip heavy or too handle heavy for general
slicing and cutting task.
 
I'm trying to make up my mind about appropriate length for a camp knife. I just pre-ordered a Bark River Bravo 1.25. That has a 5-in. blade. We shall see.
 
DaveHb said:
I think it’s about 6inch for a sticker knife on a hog isn’t it? That’s the length Dexter Russell’s has for their “sticker” knife.
Click to expand...
Six inches is still a bit short for me. I like a good guard and sharp tip. To be honest a well built chefs knife in the 10 inch range is very effective. You basically just firmly and deliberately push the blade in and work it around trying to cause severe internal bleeding.
 
The knives I've used the most in the bush were a Ka-Bar Utility and Buck 119, which were both over 5", but I've only used them the most because I owned them the longest and didn't have as many options as I do now. Then I switched over to a Morakniv Bushcraft (4.25") for backpacking. Then after a while I went kind of knife crazy and nowadays have all sorts of options available to me.

The knives I have now for the bush are mostly 4-5" blades. I'm unlikely to carry anything bigger that isn't an axe or saw (I won't carry the axe unless I'm planning on using it), because it's generally traveling long distance via backpack and not car camping. Unless I have a need for something bigger, I'm backpacking with fixed blades that are 4-4.5". Car camping means an axe, big knife, smaller knife, and not caring as much about weight. A lot of times, just a Benchmade Altitude and Bugout (as a utility backup) would be more than enough to meet my knife needs while doing ultralight backpacking.
 
If you need some "clean"pee: I know a good source...
But don't answer ANY questions about the Kentucky Derby!
 
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