Is there a trend towards smaller knives?

Sal Glesser · Apr 8, 2001

At Spyderco, we began making more smaller models in recent years. Cricket, Pegasus, Navigator, etc. with several new ones in the works.

We felt that Political Correctness, laws (in the wake of gun laws) and Knife nuts that wanted to be less noticable with their EDC would drive the trend.

We noticed at this years SHOT show that many knife companies are beginning to make smaller models. "Gentlemans" models are certainly smaller more discrete.

sal

bad4u · Apr 8, 2001

My personal trend is toward larger blades, with purchases of Spyderco Military and Outdoor Edge Magna, both with nominal 4" blades.

I carry the Magna for work, and the Military otherwise. Both I consider general utility knives. Typically, the Magna would cut cardboard or packaging materials and the Military would slice apples, cheese or pepperoni.

As to defensive purposes, if I felt I must go into a dangerous area, I'd be wearing my Para P12. The P12 has much better 'reach' than any blade, and the 'tip strength' of a .45acp is tremendous.

DeLightsabor · Apr 9, 2001

I always carry a 3" liner lock with me every where I go. the biggest Ive ever carried was 4" long. It just feels comfortable.

The General · Apr 8, 2001

When I traded my 800 in M2, and realised I wanted another AFCK, I got a M2 812 from Mike! It was the run in I had from a customer in the workplace that made me go for a smaller model. Sad but true. It is my daily carry until I get my DR EDC 154CM model

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Wayne.
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
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matthew rapaport · Apr 8, 2001

All my folders are under 4". None are too large (IMHO) for every day use, but the larger of the group, those over 2 7/8" roughly, do get to large for wearing on thinner, city-work style pants, and that's where the smaller knives (for me anything under 2 7/8") come into their own. To go even smaller, under 2", means I'm even dressier than usual, or I'm traveling by air.

I've never encountered a job that wanted anything larger than 3 1/2" that wouldn't also justify carrying some fixed blade.

RKnight · Apr 9, 2001

I doubt it.

Perhaps there was, but I think it's run it's course.

Still viable for edc, and it has it's place. Shirt pocket carry is unabtrusive and usefull for minor everday tasks.

But it's not a trend. Simply a preference for some.

PC is not a subject of importance to those with a passion for knives.

A small easy to carry folder has it's place and advantages.

But, if you really like knives, you will probably come to want some thing else in due course.

[This message has been edited by RKnight (edited 04-09-2001).]

Peter Atwood · Apr 9, 2001

I think all knives of any length have their places. While it may be true that in more recent times a lot of knives have grown larger, people are still interested in traditional knives in small sizes. I usually carry a 4" SERE, a small folder Umfaan or penknife, and lately to round it out, Mad Max. All have their place and purpose.

I find I use the small knife often for cleaning my fingernails, digging for splinters, etc. The larger piece comes out for opening boxes or any task requiring one hand opening convenience, and the Max for pure flicking pleasure.

Is there a trend towards smaller? Not that I've seen. But I must say my needs in the large department are pretty taken care of. I'm thinking my next purchases will be a traditional Case Russlock folder and a small custom Terezuola with mammoth handles if I can find one and when I can afford it.

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Peter Atwood

email: fountainman@hotmail.com

Bugs3x · Apr 10, 2001

I think that Dark Nemesis touched on something quite significant, that wasn't really recognised: "Never thought about the . . . smaller versions of popular customers, thats a good point. Guess that does help people with those restrictions."

The customers are smaller! Older customers are shrinking! Apparently, more and more customers are women. Smaller people want smaller knives. I don't blame the manufacturers and custom makers for making smaller knives for smaller people.

Political correctness isn't confined to anti-guns or anti-knives. PC weilds a lot of power on size comparison. You just can no longer compare the size of your tool, be it knife or whatever, with someone else's without pissing off the PC-types. So, since bigger is no longer better, smaller has become okay again.

One other politically sensitive subject is involved here. More and more people are overweight. This has the practical effect of making pockets smaller from front to back. Bigger knives are simply harder to get out of pockets quickly, reliably, easily. So, another reason to buy smaller knives.

This is a very deep subject. Once again, I'm indebted to Dark Nemesis for providing such a great straight line.

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Asi es la vida

Bugs

knifenerd · Apr 10, 2001

Hey, Bugs. Watch out. I'm one of those guys too.! Sometimes smaller can be better.

Dick

Roger Blake · Apr 10, 2001

I find for most cutting I do a 3" or even under is more useful. They are easier to control the cut than with a larger knife.

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Roger Blake

tw · Apr 12, 2001

It's not about "PC". Check out this piece
from this month's Blade Magazine regarding
the "down-sizing" trend in Military circles:

http://www.krause.com/knives/bl/articlepage/articlepage_2.html

Sometimes, a smaller knife is just better.

T.

Apr 12, 2001

Some people carry larger pocket knives just to feel macho. I don't. I just need to trim paper, loose thread on my clothes, open envelopes, and cut duct tape. I don't like carrying anything over 3.5" because it's heavy and uncomfortable to have in my pocket.

Usually, my BM 940 or my 2.5" blade Opinel pocket knife is fine for the chores I need to do.

Chang

anthony cheeseboro · Apr 12, 2001

I love all knives small, medium, and large. Like many knife lovers, I love big blades but to honest, I almost never need a knife larger that 3" or so. Sometimes, I think carrying a small knife is good discipline because a big knife can sometimes be a sort of security blanket.

matthew rapaport · Apr 14, 2001

I've recently ordered two customs (not real expensive ones), fixed blades, and relatively small. Most of my fixed blades are in the small-survival category at 5"-6", but the last two I've ordered have had blades of 3.5" and 2 5/8" respectively. Both will be used in traditional hunting-knife like sheaths.

I have a mixed existence. I work in a city (San Francisco) 5 days a week, but live in the rural country side of sonoma county. We are something of a petting zoo here at my house with stock (the four legged kind) and foul to maintain. I've been carrying a 5" survival/camp knife around with me for general purpose cutting for years, but it turns out I don't seem to need it for survival or even camp type chores, at least none that wouldn't be handled very well by a blade around 3".

I've discovered another plus to smaller blades... Higher end knives are less expensive in small sizes... For example Bob Dozier's "survival knives" are almost double what his smaller hunting knives go for. Same is true with a few other custom makers I've checked into.

anthony cheeseboro · Apr 14, 2001

Matthew, I understand what you mean about small fixed blades. They are far more useful fay in and day out that larger (4+") fixed blades. I have recently fallen in love with the REKAT Pikuni which has a blade just under 3" and an OAL of 6.6".