Changing perspectives re: size

It's odd that you say the Viper feels big because it does to me also. I have a bunch of 15 that I carry and a 38 Grinling Whittler and they don't feel to big at all. I just can't warm up to the Viper. It feels big in my pocket.
 
The swayback wharncliff/lambfoot is one of my favourite patterns, but the viper is too big and heavy for an edc pocket knife for my taste.
I agree that if the handle is tall, a bit goes a long way in terms of percieved dimensions...infact actual dimensions. The same for the thickness
 
Then you discover the Peanut.... small in size, but that thin scalpel sharp blade makes short work of most any daily typical task. It just slices through an apple and opens that blister pack as well or better than most other thicker bladed knives.... then slips discreetly into that watch pocket.

I generally carry two traditional pocket knives (just for fun really), one large (like a Case 6375 or GEC 54) and one Peanut sized (often a Case Peanut). I generally pull that little nut out more often than the bigger knife.
 
Size of typical edc pocketknives I used to carry;
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More typical of knives I edc now;
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Interesting topic. For what it's worth, it parallels what we see in general -- as we get older, we tend to (with apologies to George Carlin) get small. ;) We see lots of folks move from SAKs and stockmans and even Barlows to pens and whittlers.

Naturally, I'm an exception. :rolleyes: I'm a tall guy with big paws, and I've always liked a fair bit of "heft" in my slipjoints (and my motorcycles, and my cars/trucks, and my guitars). I've tried to love delicate whittlers and elegant penknives, but I just can't. I always seem to go back to a (relatively) large two-blader like a GEC #54 Big Moose or #72 Cody Scout, or a Farmer.

IMG_1282a.jpg

Tom @ KnivesShipFree
 
I stuck the Viper in my pocket before leaving the house today; and, as expected, the size was a non issue. I still don't really understand my initial reaction to it, other than my eariler concern that it might not disappear in my pocket like the other traditionals I've been carrying. I might not be my choice if I'm wearing a suit; but, for my casual needs, I don't think it will be a problem.
Here's a picture that offers a different perspective on its size.

That Case is actually longer (closed, blade, and OAL) than the modern folder I referenced earlier - but I knew as soon as I saw it that it was "too big".




mrknife said:
yeah as my 7th 15 comes in, i ponder if i over did it. the 15 does fit nicely in my hand. but lately ive been considering the 77 which is a smidge bigger. i believe 2dead provided the measurements on a few and other patterns that were similar but slightly bigger. and 77 or 85 was the ways to go about it
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In my initial post, the gold bone handled knife in the center is a 77...the green bone right below it is a 15.
 
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Will Power said:
That's an outlandish Clasp Knife :D:cool: Would fill a tool-box:eek::eek:
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It isn't a tool box; but it does fill it pretty well



I just took a ruler to it: 9.75" overall, approx 5.5" closed, and the blade is between 4 1/4 - 4 3/8"
 
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For me the perfect length is 3 3/4" closed. I don't need it any bigger and I wouldn't want it any smaller. That being said, I will carry a knife as small as 3.5" and as big as 4" but I think that's my limit now. I do think a small, thin, wickedly sharp knife is thousand times more useful than a larger knife, especially if that small blade is a very utilitarian shape such as a sheepsfoot. A lot of times there can be more useful blade edge on a smaller sheepsfoot than on a larger blade with recurves and giant upset bellies.
 
Will Power said:
Actually, Traditionals are influenced by size differences in that just a small increase in size makes a lot of difference between patterns. For me it's handle:blade ratio that's key. Longer the better, I dislike small blades with a relatively long handle, seems a waste, doesn't look too good either..... The forthcoming Spear 77 shows a lotta blade in that handle, that's what I'm talking about:D
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For me, it depends on use. For whittling, I need a short blade with a longer handle for controlled fine work. If I'm going to be working in the yard, or preparing food, a longer blade is handier. This gives me an excuse to carry more knives. :D
 
r8shell said:
For me, it depends on use. For whittling, I need a short blade with a longer handle for controlled fine work. If I'm going to be working in the yard, or preparing food, a longer blade is handier. This gives me an excuse to carry more knives. :D
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Come one, we're knife nuts. Do we reeeealy need an excuse to carry another knife or three?
:D
 
jackknife said:
Come one, we're knife nuts. Do we reeeealy need an excuse to carry another knife or three?
:D
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I don't know...I routinely carry two knives, sometimes three. Beyond that, (unless we're including packs and/or jackets,) carrying more just gets weird.
 
jc57 said:
Thought you recently came to the realization that all you need is a SAK? Are relapsing? ;)
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Of course I'm relapsing!! I'm a knife nut, do you think I'm really gonna stay on the wagon???:eek:
:D

If I let pure logic dictate, I would drop a SAK or small Letherman in my pocket and just go on with life. But I'm one of the afflicted and obsessed. The knife knuts. We're hopeless!
 
Ahhhh - perspectives....how they change.
The day my GEC 47 (Viper) arrived, my initial reaction was that it was too big.
Having carried and used it for the last week and a half, I can't imagine WHY I thought that. I really like this knife. My only disappointment is that, when I had to wash pear juice off the scales, my hand and the towel I used to dry it turned red from the dye.
I even got a new 15 yesterday, and it hasn't made it into my pocket because the 47 is there. (I did clean and use it to cut some fruit for breakfast this morning, though; so I don't feel too bad about not carrying it.)
 
I think width is the bigger factor for me instead of length. Something thin and long is much less noticeable in my pocket than something thick and short.

Don't read too much into that. Just talking about pocket knives gentlemen.
 
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