Is heavy better?

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cutter17

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May 16, 2006
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I just answered a thread asking between a Spyderco Military and a BM Rukus, and this came to mind.

I recently read an article about heavy vs light in the eyes of the consumer. Companies found out that customers equate quality with weight. Two similar cell phones, one weighs ~2 oz, and the other ~4 oz, the majority of people picked the latter, stating that the heavier feel instilled more confidence in them.

I guess I have fallen prey to this as I certaintly love a heavy folder! With the exception of my slippies, and SAK, all my edc's weigh in at 6 ounces or heavier. An average weight would be ~7 ounces.

I'm just wondering how others would "weigh in" on this question (yes, pun intended:D). Do you equate quality with a heavier weight, or do you look for the lightest knive available, and what is your "weight limit" ( yes, again intended) when it comes to your folders?
 
I'm more inclined to carry something that doesn't weigh down my pockets (weight) or make a large print (thickness). What good is a knife if it's sitting in a drawer at home because it's too bulky to carry?
 
Well my weight limit would be around 4-5oz, depending on the knife of course, and yes, I like my knives to be as light as possible.

I really don' t see any reason why a folding knife should be exceptionally heavy, since it doesn' t need the weight in my opinion.
 
If you enjoy having a weight tugging on your pants steadily as you walk heavy is a huge advantage.
 
That's funny, my boss was always listening to one guy at work and would never even consider my opinion. He ordered about 250 electric motors based on weight because the other guy said "these are much better, feel how heavy they are?" Of course I was against buying these because they were crap and you could tell by the way they were made and sounded while running and lousy tolerances on the shaft, wiggling and bearings failing right out of the box! Instead of of buying a few and testing them he bought the heavier ones and saved $30 each. Within 1 year ALL were burned out and had to be changed out. He ended up losing tens of thousands of dollars! Of course there was nobody to return them to, the place he bought them from went under. After this long winded story I'd say no, heavier isn't necessarily better quality unless you're buying lead. Oh, yeah, I forgot the question, my limit is about 5 ounces, 4 would be good unless I'm camping or hiking, then I take a heavier knife.
 
love heavy knives. Just cant get used to ultralight knives, they feel flimsy to me, even if they are well made, custom or megabuck etc etc etc. I just like heavy knives, they feel right in the hand. Have never noticed the knife weight when i'm walking, standard belt holds up the jeans just fine.

heck, i'm going to make some 1/4" thick hand filed /tooled steel scales for one of my larger folders (probably my Super Commander)
 
I like some weight to my knives. Right now I'm carrying a German Eye large stockman in carbon. It just feels like it can handle whatever life throws at it. Heaviest slipjoint I own.
 
cutter17 said:
I recently read an article about heavy vs light in the eyes of the consumer. Companies found out that customers equate quality with weight. Two similar cell phones, one weighs ~2 oz, and the other ~4 oz, the majority of people picked the latter, stating that the heavier feel instilled more confidence in them.
Click to expand...

I think weight comes into play as either a positive or a negative depending on what type of item, how you intend on using it, and how strong or sturdy you hope for it to be.

low weight = :D
Running shoes
paintball marker
almost any clothing item.

heavy = :D
tools
Work boots
plates of food :D

So for me if I have to EDC it or carry it for long periods of time I prefer it on the lighter side, but if I use it for a work tool or for hard use then I like a little weight.
 
Heavy weight for farmwork, ranchwork. (ZT's come in play)

Medium weight for mountain biking. (Spec Bump, ZT auto, anything around 5 oz)

Running--light weight slicers. (3 oz or less, thin and light)
 
Weight is pretty far down my list of priorities. Blade and handle material, ergos, blade and handle shape, shape/positioning of pocketclip, type of lock, lockup, fit and finish, etc are more important. I weigh 280 lbs, I can't tell the difference between a 4 oz and 6 oz knife in my pocket.
 
I like heavy when I am going into the woods, as I feel more secure. Although I definately wouldn't not carry a high-quality knife just because of its' weight.
 
I have a very heavy Strider folder that I've read is used by Marine Recon. The knife is built like a tank retriever ! If I’m ever going to go behind enemy lines for six months’ then I’m going to take the Strider! However, when I go to teach I take my light weight SOG Sculptura. It doesn’t freak people out like the Strider would! :D
 
I see a lot of people with this mentality. I used to have it myself. I joined this forum looking for my first nice EDC, and remember specifically stating I don't want plastic handles that bend when I grip them hard.

I still like the feeling of more rigid handle material than unlined FRN, but I know the latter is plenty tough for my needs. I've also learned weight does not equal strength, that solid engineering will matter much more in the long run.

I actually prefer a lighter folder these days, whereas I used to be a Manix / Buck 110 kind of guy. Weighs my pants down less, it feels easier to control and maneuver the knife during cuts and I feel like I have a slightly reduced chance of dropping the knife. In the particular case of Millie VS Rukus, I see no benefit for my particular uses of the extra weight. If the Rukus weighed what the Military did and was equally as thin, I'd probably have it in my collection.
 
Weight never comes into factor for me.... First the lock, blade shape/materials, and ergo's...
But sometimes heavy does mean more strength..
I feel there is no right answer to this question.. There are too many knives out there....

As far as the rukus/mini rukus v/s military... Both are great IMO.. Military is a better slicer.. But I know that the axis lock would take a hell of alot more beating's than the mili..
 
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When I was more inexpirienced with knives I felt like heavier was tougher then I was exposed to some very high quality knives and realized that this wasn't necessarily the case. I will admit when woodsbumming I tend to be drawn to my Buck 110s or Spyderco manix. It is really just a matter of personal preference, I edc'd a Blade-Tech Pro-Hunter for a long time and never felt like it was lacking in toughness because of its weight, and on the other side I carried a Spyderco Manix for 2 years and never felt weighed down by it.
 
I used to buy stainless steel Spydercos exclusively, because the weight made them feel like quality, but I realized the pointlessness of feeling that way, and these days I really prefer full G-10, Ti or Carbon. As long as the materials are up to spec, lighter = better.
 
I don't care about weight (as long as the handle isn't cast lead). When it comes to weight, "It is what it is."

I do care about the steel, the design, the blade size and shape, the fit and finish, and the ergonomics.

The weight is just a result of the other design factors. Never seen two identical knives with significantly different weights.
 
For the record,

liking heavy knives does not = inexperienced

liking light knives does not = experienced

and vice versa

its personal choice, really, and using the right tool for the task at hand. I have some great custom light bushcrafters, that would FAIL if i used them for some tasks. However i have some beefy heavy blades that excel at both worlds,hence my preference for heavy blades. I like choppers, Khuks, machetes.
 
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