If you buy a new knife, Would the blade be 3" or 3 1/2"?

Hi Mr. Russell -

I would say 3" - and I agree with Tony -

I love my Acies and carry it constantly, but when I go in to Chicago I can only have a 3" blade - so I have to take one of my smaller blades with me in those cases.

best regards -

mqqn
 
I like them both, and I own plenty of knives in both sizes. That goes for both modern and traditional folders.
 
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TheFlash said:
As was said in a post above, it's more about HANDLE size than blade size.
Some folders have a great blade-to-handle size ratio: Benchmade Mini-Skirmish
Some folders have a very large handle with a smaller blade: most Emerson knives

Personal preference is to have the blade-to-handle ratio be as close to 1:1 as possible.
If the handle length is 3.5"-4.0" and the blade is close to that, then in my opinion, it's darn near perfect...

Thank you AG!

Regards,
Mike
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Mike,

well, 1:1 is just not possible, it is my goal but I have not found the secret of defying the laws of physics.

The Trapper I completed the design for today is 3.5 closed with blades 3 inches long. If you compare it to a Case trapper then the handle is 5/8" shorter and the blades are only 3/16" shorter and 40% wider.

My passion is to fill the handle with as much blade as will look good. I have a hard time with small handles and tiny blades. Just look at the knives we have done this past year.

I cannot get more than a 4" blade into a 4 1/2" handle. This is a great discussion and I am getting lots out of it.
 
Depends on what I want, but I think 3.2"-3.4" is about perfect depending on the handle. For example, I have knives with a 3.3" blade that has the same size handle as a 3" handle. To me, I find handle fit to be really important. In my opinion, minimizing the distance between handle length and blade length is very appreciated to me.
 
A. G. Russell said:
Mike,

well, 1:1 is just not possible, it is my goal but I have not found the secret of defying the laws of physics.

The Trapper I completed the design for today is 3.5 closed with blades 3 inches long. If you compare it to a Case trapper then the handle is 5/8" shorter and the blades are only 3/16" shorter and 40% wider.

My passion is to fill the handle with as much blade as will look good. I have a hard time with small handles and tiny blades. Just look at the knives we have done this past year.

I cannot get more than a 4" blade into a 4 1/2" handle. This is a great discussion and I am getting lots out of it.
Click to expand...

FWIW, the knife that immediately came to mind, when I was thinking about 'what's ideal?', was one of your own A.G. Russell 'Brute' folders. Linerless Micarta handle at just over 4", blade of ATS-34 just under 3" (and STOUT at 3/16" thick). It's a terrific combination, feels great in the hand, is lightweight for it's size. And the ATS-34 blade responded exceedingly well when I took my Lansky to it. I love that knife. :D :thumbup:

Edited to add:
The other thing I like about that knife, is the deep/wide nail-nicks on BOTH sides of the thick, high hollow-grind blade. Makes it fairly easy to flick it open with my thumb. Very nice.
 
I prefer larger blades, and a majority of my EDC knives are 3.5" or greater. (several are 4" or more) This is the ideal length for me.

That's not to say that I don't appreciate a smaller knife. I understand the need to keep it at or below 3" for legal reasons, so that might make a better seller, in general. I just find the longer length gets more things done with less effort, like, as said before, with cutting an apple, slicing a bagel, chopping veggies in the kitchen, or other food prep.

I'm loving my 2009 Texas Ranger Lockback, BTW! Awesome hand-filling piece of beauty! And the "Beak" is still impressing me, each time I handle it.

Thanks for taking time to consult with the "experts":D
 
Considering I spend most of my time in an office environment, I only buy knives with a blade length of 3" or less. When I see a knife that looks interesting, that's the first spec I look for. If its over3", I stop looking.
 
If I can carry only one knife, it would be 3.5".
I can take 3" as second
 
I like knives with 3.5-4" blades. 3" bladed knives usually don't have enough handle to be comfortable, for me anyway. Handles at least 4 1/4", but 4.5 inches and even a bit over 5" is fine with me.
 
and it was the first knife I ordered since joining. I bought it from you so you know the blade is 3 7/8 inch. Just opened it and believe I will really like it. A 3 inch blade would be better for me I believe but this knife is so nice.
 
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