How small can you go ? ( a fun experiment)

Medium stockman & Barlows are about as small as I go. Although I like to carry a variety, the Churchill seems just about perfect for me.
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Carrying this little GEC 83 a lot. Blade is plenty for most of my cutting chores and it hides in the pocket. The lock is standard GEC fare, not great, but provides a little extra security.

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Have cut serious junk with this little fixed blade sheath knife. Small straight blade / large grip provides excellent leverage slicing open phone cable.

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Will Power said:
Been brooding about this thread for some time, think it's an important one as making a small CREDIBLE i.e. useable knife is no mean feat. A lot of small knives end up as irritants, too toy-like and being an exercise in whimsy :rolleyes:

To an extent, hand-size plays a role, but dexterity is more important in actual fact. I have a small hand with long thin fingers (can't do much about that:D) but have a powerful grip & believe dexterity is there too, also ambidextrous more or less. The reason I'm not so keen on big knives is not because of hand size but just dislike heavy bulky knives in the pocket-even if the pattern is interesting&has a long pedigree. Conversely, small knives can be annoying if they are fiddly, lack ergonomic feel and are awkward to open, then there's blade length....no good if you can't cut up an average apple or orange with it.;)

Well, this unusual sized 8cm Laguiole has just arrived and it's immediately struck the right note, in fact, I cannot find fault with how it behaves and how it's made-rare is that knife etc. Most Lags are large knives, 11, 12 or even 13cm but they are remarkable knives in the hand, plus you get a LOT of blade for your handle-an admirable quality. The handle looks unpromising, narrow and curved but often they have thick scale slabs and are just right to use. Thinking a 'toy' might arrive I had low expectations, not that expensive either so not holding my breath as it were. Delivery from France was slow but this is due to the Covid hysteria, I contacted the manufacturer and they were very pleasant, helpful and chased down the tracking. Stuff leaves most countries quick at the moment but once it's out of the country of origin the current impasse leads to very slow snail like delivery. I have a knife that was being rehandled in the US by a Forum artisan, it seems to have left or made ready to leave Chicago 29th March but I've yet to see it and rather fear I won't...

Anyway, G.David is a firm that's been making knives since 1810 in France and the 8cm Laguiole came with all stainless construction-matte- stamped blade, Sandvik steel and Juniper scales and firework. Was delighted that this is no toy or bauble but a really nicely finished and unusual version, it's rather sexist named feminin, due no doubt to its small size ;) Pull is 7.5 and it's quite tough to close as most French knives are- and ALL knives should be, you can pinch it open. Scale slabs are thick and properly radiused, no liners sticking above the scales as some American knives (including a couple of GECs..) and most English knives sport:thumbsdown: smooth feeling when you handle the whole knife. Zero blade play. But the blade is not/is centred as is often the case in French knives- in that the blade can move slightly when shut but not when open. Arrived sharp enough to shave arm hair with no problem, so that's my particular benchmark reached, would not let it snap shut as it has a fearsome spring and this could damage the edge, but it's hardly a problem.

Paired here with a CASE Peanut, another benchmark for many but not I'm afraid for me. The Peanut is an old revered pattern and has an understandably large pool of admirers but I've never really been able to make a connexion with it, too fiddly and I've come to move away from Jack patterns anyway with side by side blades off the same end, I much prefer double end single spring knives for in the hand use. This G.David Lag is a little bit bigger than a Peanut but you get a lot more blade and I think, better in hand use.

This then is how small I can go. Plus fragrant Juniper handles :cool: Think I'll be getting an 11cm version too, they have really impressed me with quality, value and customer care.

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Thanks for the very informative review and photos. That is indeed a large blade for a small knife!:thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
I don't see what doing this would accomplish but based on many other similar threads it seems like it is a popular concept for some. Making myself stop carrying some of my knives because of an arbitrary size limit doesn't seem like fun to me.
 
Stelth said:
I don't see what doing this would accomplish but based on many other similar threads it seems like it is a popular concept for some. Making myself stop carrying some of my knives because of an arbitrary size limit doesn't seem like fun to me.
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The idea is just a personal experience to see how small of a knife you can happily get by with, just because it's nice to know.
Not that one would be expected to quit carrying larger knives, but I personally have found comfort in knowing my needs.
I'm still a knife nut and utmost needs and practicality are not really a primary concern , but I have learned where I'm headed and I'm happy to know.
 
I carried the Case Little Jack 6227 at 2 3/4 when I was a kid. One of my first pocket knives. The Schrade Old Timer 180OT a hair longer at around 2 13/16 I picked up on a fishing trip (forgot my knife) and ended up carrying it for years through my twenties. The locking blade adds a lot of confidence on a knife this small, but it was still typically a backup to another knife. I won't be testing with these knives, too many memories to risk losing one, plus they already passed the test. I'll find something else.

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Stelth said:
I don't see what doing this would accomplish but based on many other similar threads it seems like it is a popular concept for some. Making myself stop carrying some of my knives because of an arbitrary size limit doesn't seem like fun to me.
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Its a learning experience. A chance to try another approach to things and maybe push the envelope a little to see what you can do with less, if you have to. Knowledge is power, and experience gives you more base to pull from.
 
jackknife said:
Its a learning experience. A chance to try another approach to things and maybe push the envelope a little to see what you can do with less, if you have to. Knowledge is power, and experience gives you more base to pull from.
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Exactly.
It's a great thing to learn now where your knife journey Is headed.
I already know I carry more stuff than I truly need and I have a good idea of where I'm headed and that makes the now more enjoyable.
 
Stanley 10-049 and the 34OT. Love em both but they will not replace mt Western 854 that I've carried for 45 years or so.
 
jackknife said:
Its a learning experience. A chance to try another approach to things and maybe push the envelope a little to see what you can do with less, if you have to. Knowledge is power, and experience gives you more base to pull from.
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Couldn't agree more such ideas give you the chance to experiment

It was just such an idea that made me settle on a 3" closed barehead boys knife as my idea of perfection

It still doesn't stop me looking though :D
 
Will Power said:
Hickory n steel Hickory n steel and a very nice example too:cool: Amber Bone is a dependable.:thumbsup:
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Ove the past year and a half it has become one of my favorites, I bet something else will come along but hasn't so far.

It didn't come very sharp, but beyond that everything is spot on.
A lot of people talk like you have to inspect every single Case knife in person to get a good one, but I have not ordered a single bad Case knife sight unseen.

The worst I've gotten had been sitting at the local hardware for a few years, and even those were great.
 
I have a 305 Lancer and a 375 Deuce. The deuce is essentially the same knife but made in China. Both of them do anything I need to do. Peanuts look big by comparison.
 
Bigbobg said:
I have a 305 Lancer and a 375 Deuce. The deuce is essentially the same knife but made in China. Both of them do anything I need to do. Peanuts look big by comparison.
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That's it.
I was trying to remember the knife I bought my uncle a couple years ago for Christmas, with the 305 out of production I picked up a Chinese equivalent from Walmart knowing he wouldn't care about the COO.
I know the Lancer / Deuce is right up his alley, but I don't actually know if he's carrying it or one of the previous years knives that he liked.

The little 305 sure is a dandy.
 
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