Blade length?

[mrknife]

After receiving this disappointment on wednesday,

i was wondering, what knife has a good closed length? I mean more length? or a better closed ratio? not such a big gap? reasonably closer to the bolster? cause i sure felt S&M couldve made a slightly longer blade there

 

[Cory Hess]

There are an almost infinite number of knives that are going to give you a larger ratio of blade to handle than that Heritage. Can I ask why this is important to you? Would the knife be more acceptable if the handle was shorter so that the blade ran all the way to the end or do you need a longer blade for the work that that knife is planned for?

I find that I prefer a 3 3/4" or longer handle, but can do just about everything I need with a 2" blade. I understand that there are people that feel the desire to have as long a blade as possible in any given pattern, but I don't really understand the thinking behind that.

 

[jc57]

Doesn't look to be dramatically different than many other knives in my knife drawer. You may be noticing it more because the spring doesn't wrap around very far and that is a bare-ended knife with no bolster.

 

[mrknife]

There are an almost infinite number of knives that are going to give you a larger ratio of blade to handle than that Heritage. Can I ask why this is important to you? Would the knife be more acceptable if the handle was shorter so that the blade ran all the way to the end or do you need a longer blade for the work that that knife is planned for?

I find that I prefer a 3 3/4" or longer handle, but can do just about everything I need with a 2" blade. I understand that there are people that feel the desire to have as long a blade as possible in any given pattern, but I don't really understand the thinking behind that.

i just felt it would be better if that came closer to the bolster. if i had the tools id shave down the bolster it bit. i suppose its my OCD. i get nit picky over small details. like the shape of that clip, and how the kick was done on this. currently in the bids for the spearpoint which i hope is better, as the pics on the schatt & morgan thread i started some much more promising.

i also equate length of blade, thickness, to blade life which i suppose is a flawed way to look at it, since i barely use/sharpen my knives and have plans for a future GAW so that I can move some of my edc knives that have barely any use out. That way I can enjoy my GEC users that I bought from the for sale. Same reason why I think i started a post asking to see peoples most sharpened knives. its amazing how some people have used their knives so much that it looks like the pointy thing on the harness jacks!

 

[mrknife]

Doesn't look to be dramatically different than many other knives in my knife drawer. You may be noticing it more because the spring doesn't wrap around very far and that is a bare-ended knife with no bolster.

could be, you do know how I like my end caps and bolsters lol

 

[Mort Canard]

Some have pointed out that the blade length is within norms for a traditional folder even it is a bit on the short side of normal. The issue is one of form and proportion. We buy traditional knives because of our appreciation of these classic patterns and their beauty. Some knives just speak to us because everything is just right. The shape, materials, color, proportion and size are all in combination that endear them to us. Looking at the picture provided, I think I would find the blade just a bit on the short side for ideal form.

 

[Cory Hess]

i just felt it would be better if that came closer to the bolster. if i had the tools id shave down the bolster it bit. i suppose its my OCD. i get nit picky over small details. like the shape of that clip, and how the kick was done on this. currently in the bids for the spearpoint which i hope is better, as the pics on the schatt & morgan thread i started some much more promising.

Fair enough. Aesthetics is a valid concern. It's pretty much the only reason I prefer traditionals over moderns. Sometimes form > function.

 

[mrknife]

Fair enough. Aesthetics is a valid concern. It's pretty much the only reason I prefer traditionals over moderns. Sometimes form > function.

yeah, i think im back to traditionals for good. traditionals were the knives of my childhood, and are very accepted in society especially in a city such as where i live, frame lock all metal construction? arrest that man officer! hes a thug! stag bone slipjoint? o how nice, my grandpa had something like that, very nice knife.

 

[jc57]

It's OK to like what you like, and not like what you don't like. People have different tastes.

One of my complaints with the Case Tear Drop Jack that came out a year or so ago was that the main blade seemed way too short for the handle size. Tony Bose himself replied to my comment to that effect that the blade length was exactly what it was supposed to be for that knife (he designed it, after all). The Tear Drop main blade still looks too short to me.

It's hard to judge from your picture there - I'd need to see a similar picture showing the full knife length, and maybe to see what it looks like opened, to see if I share your opinion that the blade is too short for the frame, aesthetically speaking.

But in general I don't think it's a flaw per se, just a design choice.

 

[mrknife]

there are more pictures in the schatt and morgan thread, but i dont have a ruler up to it. i was 50/50 on getting and the love for clip blades won me over on this. gonna have to wait to the next credit card cycle before i get the spear points from CK

 

[black mamba]

The GEC (or Tidioute or Northfield) #48 pattern traditional trapper has a great blade to handle ratio. It is 3⅞" closed, and uses the exact same clip blade as the 4" #12 toothpick and the 4⅛" #53 Cuban stockman. I only have the two-blade, this one in elk stag, but they also made single blade versions.

If Trand (2dead) sees this, he can give you the exact measurements of the single blade versions.

 

[mrknife]

The GEC (or Tidioute or Northfield) #48 pattern traditional trapper has a great blade to handle ratio. It is 3⅞" closed, and uses the exact same clip blade as the 4" #12 toothpick and the 4⅛" #53 Cuban stockman. I only have the two-blade, this one in elk stag, but they also made single blade versions.

If Trand (2dead) sees this, he can give you the exact measurements of the single blade versions.

ah, a favorite of mine, i do love that 48 big clip! almost had to ask glenn to remove a blade again, since someone was trying to sell a tidioute seconds? or errors with the spey and big clip on the for sale

 

[knarfeng]

Doesn't look to be dramatically different than many other knives in my knife drawer. You may be noticing it more because the spring doesn't wrap around very far and that is a bare-ended knife with no bolster.

What JC said.

 

[Fanglekai]

After receiving this disappointment on wednesday,

i was wondering, what knife has a good closed length? I mean more length? or a better closed ratio? not such a big gap? reasonably closer to the bolster? cause i sure felt S&M couldve made a slightly longer blade there

I wouldn't mind the length if the spring wrapped around. For me that gap isn't very nice to look at. I think a slightly longer blade or spring that wrapped around a little closer to the blade would have improved the aesthetics.

For example on my GEC #85 EZ Open Jack, the spearpoint blade doesn't go all the way to the end of the channel, but the spring wraps around just a little bit to close the gap and it looks really nice.

Does that gap affect anything? Nope. But I wouldn't like it too much only because of how it looks. I know that's incredibly superficial but I purchase maybe 2 knives per year, so I'm very picky when it comes to my own preferences.

 

[mrknife]

I wouldn't mind the length if the spring wrapped around. For me that gap isn't very nice to look at. I think a slightly longer blade or spring that wrapped around a little closer to the blade would have improved the aesthetics.

For example on my GEC #85 EZ Open Jack, the spearpoint blade doesn't go all the way to the end of the channel, but the spring wraps around just a little bit to close the gap and it looks really nice.

Does that gap affect anything? Nope. But I wouldn't like it too much only because of how it looks. I know that's incredibly superficial but I purchase maybe 2 knives per year, so I'm very picky when it comes to my own preferences.

the only thing that has stopped me from returning it to CK knives is that blade stock, its thicker then a lot of my other traditionals

 

[LastRodeo]

There is nothing wrong with this knife accept you don't care for the aesthetics, please don't return it to CK. What is Mike going to do with a used knife? If you don't like it, sell it yourself.

 

[mrknife]

There is nothing wrong with this knife accept you don't care for the aesthetics, please don't return it to CK. What is Mike going to do with a used knife? If you don't like it, sell it yourself.

i havent used it at all actually, ive been wrapping it back up in the tissue paper and putting it back in that plastic slip and back in the box everyday after i look at it. i actually noticed the crack in the wood scale on thursday tho. That picture might be in the schatt and morgan thread. and i am keeping it, im already considering how to modify the kick so that blade tip doesnt catch the finger.

Edit: thank you Last Rodeo for inspiring me to use the knife. I have thrown the box away and modified the kick so the blade sits better :thumbup: new edc!

Edit 2: also i dont really sell my knives, i do give them away. stay tuned, give away coming soon!

 

[Will Power]

It's OK to like what you like, and not like what you don't like. People have different tastes.

One of my complaints with the Case Tear Drop Jack that came out a year or so ago was that the main blade seemed way too short for the handle size. Tony Bose himself replied to my comment to that effect that the blade length was exactly what it was supposed to be for that knife (he designed it, after all). The Tear Drop main blade still looks too short to me.

It's hard to judge from your picture there - I'd need to see a similar picture showing the full knife length, and maybe to see what it looks like opened, to see if I share your opinion that the blade is too short for the frame, aesthetically speaking.

But in general I don't think it's a flaw per se, just a design choice.

I agree particularly about that CASE Teardrop, which despite its illustrious designer, does have a puny sized blade compared to the frame. Shame as it's very nicely made and a looker.

But then, for me at least a big factor in Traditional knife allure is the aesthetic one. Fortunately, the huge range in styles of Traditionals does cover most tastes and quirks in interpretation I think blade handle ratio is a very important factor most particularly on single-blade patterns. I believe Ken Erickson has stated that he tries to achieve the maximum blade length to handle, I agree with this. Wrap around springs are a quality touch but they usually only appear on secondary blades on Jacks. If you look at a GEC 77 or 15 they have an excellent blade/handle ratio notably in Spear. Queen's Heritage, of which I have three, fall down in my view because they have a long handle and a blade which looks suspiciously like a parts bin job, not made for the frame. The blades are thick, they have large tangs which reduce the cutting edge and they just look too short for the handle. Put one next to a GEC 15 and you'll see my point. A smaller. lighter knife with more blade.

Nevertheless, Heritage are knives with character and some people evidently don't get bothered by the visuals.

Thanks, Will

 

[mrknife]

Agreed!! i think i saw the blade in a different pattern and they just thought of something to quickly get rid of spare parts