"Minimum viable"

3 - 4" will do everything I need from an EDC. Out camping or just hanging in the woods I probably will want something bigger for bushcraft.
 
Realistically, 99.9% of my EDC needs are covered by the Izula. Blade length in the 3” neighborhood sounds about right.
 
I don't need much. I've owned and carried plenty of 4" blade knives - Spyderco Military, Benchmade 710M2HS & AFCK, Microtech SOCOM, Severtech - and own nothing that large anymore. My EDCs the last several years have been a Caly 3, BM940, Kershaw Leek, and recently the Kershaw M390 Bareknuckle. The Bareknuckle feels like it's bordering on a pocket machete, and it's only a 3.5" blade. But compared to a Leek or a 940, it's fairly substantial. Keep in mind that I live in Arizona and can carry whatever the heck I want. And I used to. I know the axiom is that it's better to have too much rather than not enough (I'm talking specifically about knives here), but I honestly can't ever see myself needing "more" in my daily urban life. My most used knife is my G.Sakai Preppy. 2.5" blade, thinner overall than many of the blades of the knives some of y'all carry, weighs 6/10ths of an ounce.
 
The older I get and more arthritic my hands get, I appreciate a knife handle that fills the hand. I don't own too many knives with under a 3" blade. My "small" knife is a Delica 4 FFG with 2.88" blade and 2.56" cutting edge. Pretty comfy to hold for 2.56" blade.

My SAK classic blade (2.3"ish) is for food only unless I have no other blade on me (which rarely happens).

My ideal is 3.4-4".
 
I really like the 2.75 ish blade length on the MiniGrip, but usually just carry anything tiny, because I don't like stuff in my pocket. My work carry is a Classic and EAB, cuz I occasionally open boxes. At home carry lately is a a Mini Buck, or some off brand floral knife. Nothing special.
 
I think the 2.2” blade of my TRM Atlas Is my lower limit

the 2.75” of the inkosi is great, and from this point if the ergos of the knife are good it can works for me

i think 3.2" is my favoured blade length.
 
Arathol said:
I think that would depend heavily on what your needs actually are....If you are working at an airport screening passengers, do you really need a 4" blade? I can see where such a thing might be intimidating to some, and if you got into a confrontation and somebody took it off you and attacked you or others with it that would be a problem.
If you know how to use a knife a 2" blade will work just as well unless you are hunting Zombies or somesuch thing...3" is fine for me.

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If I were to offer to slice a zombie's apple in half, I would want a blade longer than 2".
 
Like everyone else has said, the minimum amount of blade length I need is dependent on what tasks I'm doing. I could probably get away with doing 95% of EDC chores with the Victorinox rambler on my keychain.

I think the handle length is slightly more important, I need about 3 3/4" of handle to comfortably hold a knife with all four fingers. For EDC folders I usually gravitate towards knives with 3 1/4" blades and up, because I know they'll have comfortable enough handles for me.
 
A 3 to 3.25 inch blade seems to be the sweet spot but I have plenty of larger blades and unless there is a metal detector or pat down I will carry whatever I please. I also carry a regular size swiss army knife that I use around sensitive people, I have yet to have anyone object to a SAK or multitool.

Work might have some rule but who cares now that I work from home for the foreseeable future. We were told we might be allowed back onsite sometime in 2021...
 
2.5-3.5" for me for primary carry. I also keep a Vic Super Tinker in my med bag.
 
All right!

Of course I was asking out of more than just simple curiosity! All I know is my little corner of the EDC world, so I'm interested in learning about other people's.

Thank you!
 
GatorMedic said:
3.25” is my definite sweet spot. 3” is too small and 3.5” is too big. 3.25” is just right :)
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A 3.5" blade or larger feels like a pocket sword to me. I'm pretty uncomfortable with this size in urban areas. It is also interesting to point out that 3" was a common size limit where the knife/blade has state or local length restrictions. Glad we're past that in TN, but it was 3.5" prior to Knife Rights' efforts.
 
craytab said:
3.5" and up for me. As I recently said in another thread, if I can't cut a large burrito in half comfortably, the blade is not for me. I call it the "Burrito Measure". :D
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Ever cut one while driving? ...talk about distractions. :D
 
I can get by with almost anything, but my preference for minimum size is 3” blade with a 4” handle. Traditionals are fine much smaller than that.
 
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