How blade-to-handle impacts the action of folders ?

C

Chapp

Joined
Mar 28, 2018
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190
I was playing with my rat-2 and I was wondering about how blade to handle ratio impacts the action of folders.

Is it even related in the first place ? Is there a perfect ratio ? Is it easy to screw up for folder-knife makers ? Does blade shape factors too ?

I thought it would be an interesting discussion.
 
This has come up before, and the consensus is that no 2 people have the same idea in mind when they take about the "perfect" ratio. Some folks reject all knives with too much handle for the blade, or the blade is X fraction of an inch too long to be ideal..... There's no science, no rationality behind any of it, a similar question would be what is the perfect ration of milk and sugar to coffee in a cup. I figure if I want a blade of whatever size I want a handle that will cover it if it's a folder, and in any case I want enough handle to use it comfortably. My Flexcut knives have full size handles and itty bitty blades, but it's the right tool and the right size for what I need it to do. I often have a Boker Subcom in my coin pocket, small blade, small handle, but it is a functional tool.

And there is no true coffee but black coffee. The rest of those people clogging up my coffee queue for those frou frou milkshakes just make me shake my head.
 
I think that too much is made of blade to handle ratio. A good blade will cut effectively and a good handle will perform ergonomically. There's no magic ratio that guarantees success.

I think people who get hung up on blade/handle ratio are actually thinking about the balance center of the knife and don't know a better way to express it. Center of balance can have a huge impact on performance, blade/handle ratio; not so much. (other than aesthetics)
 
I've seen pictures of folders so long the blade protrudes from the handle when closed, so it has to be carried in a sheath. I guess the ratio on that one would affect the action.
 
I have folders where the blade is so much shorter than the handle (when closed) that I just must shake my head : "Why isn't this blade 1.4" longer ? Why ?"
 
:) If you want the blade (plus the pivot) to be fully enclosed , the handle must be longer . It's just physics !

This makes some of those really huge folders have VERY long handles .

Takes some getting used to . Can look weird compared to fixed blade proportions .

 
Physics of folders... Please tell me more. If the handle has room for a good 1/4" more blade, why is the blade shorter ? Look at the closed folder, thanks.
 
herisson said:
I have folders where the blade is so much shorter than the handle (when closed) that I just must shake my head : "Why isn't this blade 1.4" longer ? Why ?"
Click to expand...

I'd guess it's about ergonomic. I saw a Nick Shabazz video on it :
.

In short, the video was about the half-breed Protech and how longer handle allow for very good ergo. I didn't test it myself, so I'll take his words for it.

BitingSarcasm said:
This has come up before, and the consensus is that no 2 people have the same idea in mind when they take about the "perfect" ratio. Some folks reject all knives with too much handle for the blade, or the blade is X fraction of an inch too long to be ideal..... There's no science, no rationality behind any of it, a similar question would be what is the perfect ration of milk and sugar to coffee in a cup. I figure if I want a blade of whatever size I want a handle that will cover it if it's a folder, and in any case I want enough handle to use it comfortably. My Flexcut knives have full size handles and itty bitty blades, but it's the right tool and the right size for what I need it to do. I often have a Boker Subcom in my coin pocket, small blade, small handle, but it is a functional tool.

And there is no true coffee but black coffee. The rest of those people clogging up my coffee queue for those frou frou milkshakes just make me shake my head.
Click to expand...

I take my milk with a touch of cofee. That's probably something that will make you vomit.
 
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