Probaly impossible to answer but...

I

iBlade

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Jul 24, 2008
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What is the perfect blade length? or at least what do people consider a useable, realsitic kinfe length overall?
Assume knife is carried without restrictions, no LEO etc

Knife has to: cut boxes, slice and dice food, prepare kindling, chop the odd BIG branch-poss with batoning, skin and prepare game, anything from fish to boar to deer to birds, be used to push the odd burning stick (quickly) back into the fire, have the ability to keep the bad guy either at bay or put the bad guy down, no doubt occasioanly pry open something, cut/open tins, srap paint glue occsioanally too, be able to be sharpened...

Oh, and here is the other thing...be the right size so that it is actually carried when the s h t f...
What do you guys think?

Is there folder that would do all that, a fixed blade? Are we taling a little sak or a gfreat big machete/kukri?

What do you guys think - I assume this has been discussed before but, hey, i am new!
 
you could find a knife that could do all those things, but it would likely do none of them really well.

jack of all trades, master of none.

the tasks you mention require different thicknesses, blade lengths, blade widths, edge angles, handle sizes, etc, to make any one knife excel at a particular task.

for example, for skinning one would probably prefer a thin fixed blade, 4-5" blade, acute edge, and hard steel. that same person would likely not pry with this knife unless absolutely necessary.


and when the shtf, think firearm, not knife, for defensive/hunting purposes.
 
I prefer a blade of approximately 4-inches for general purposes. 1/10 to 1/8 inch thick.

Ain't the best at any particular task, but that length blade has stuck with me over the years.
 
iBlade said:
What is the perfect blade length? or at least what do people consider a useable, realsitic kinfe length overall?

Knife has to: cut boxes, slice and dice food, prepare kindling, chop the odd BIG branch-poss with batoning, skin and prepare game, anything from fish to boar to deer to birds, be used to push the odd burning stick (quickly) back into the fire, have the ability to keep the bad guy either at bay or put the bad guy down, no doubt occasioanly pry open something, cut/open tins, srap paint glue occsioanally too, be able to be sharpened...

Oh, and here is the other thing...be the right size so that it is actually carried when the s h t f...
Click to expand...

Welcome to Bladeforums! :)

Too much! Do it all and do it poorly. Let's start with a folder OR fixed blade with a 3" to 4" blade. That's your best carry option for keeping with you, not consigned to a pack.

Now think about chopping. Folders aren't great for that and even a small fixed blade won't chop well, although either will baton, you really have to know how. You may want to supplement the knife with a decent folding saw for this.

A fixed blade is better for preparing game but a folder will do it if you're willing to work harder to clean it ou afterwards. Lock type is important here: nonlocking slipjoints or backlocks leave an unobstructed blade channel which cleans out easier.

Prying, cutting open tins, and scraping anything, border on abuse, so you want to limit this, but if you need to do it, get a slightly thicker blade than you might have wanted for the pure cutting/slicing tasks.

Bad guys. Ahh ... put the knife away and hit 'em with a stick. :p

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Suggestions. We have many forums here -- it takes a while to browse and find what each can offer. Your question looks to me like a good fit for the Wilderness & Survival Skills forum. I suggest you do some reading there, which may lead you to choose your own knife.

Focus on threads mentioning "bushcraft". That's a general term for much of what you want to do, and a specific term for a style of knife developed to do it, mostly adapted from the Scandinavian.

Bad guys? Practical Tactical forum. Frequent concensus? The knife is not a primary defensive weapon. Experience or knowledge or training trumps equipment.

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As an unpaid member here, you don't have access to our search feature, but ... you can go to any search engine like Google and enter your terms followed by site:Bladeforums.com instead.
 
3.5" - 4.5" I'm also thinking folders, cuz that's what I carry.

Perhaps a Strider?
 
A basic all purpose knife could be a straight fixed blade with a 5 inch stainless steel blade 1/8th inch thick and with a decent belt sheath.
 
between three and four inches is the perfect bladelength for me on a folder. on a fixed blade i would say between 5 and 7.
 
One knife fits all ! ? !

Closest I can think of: Mora Clipper or Triflex, 4" blade, tough as hell, cheap, not intimidating to the innocent bystanders.
Comes in Swedish SS ( 12C27 ?) or hi-carbon.

JMH
 
Hello iBlade & welcome!

Esav gave you some good suggestions/advice. There is not one knife that is going to do all that you mentioned well. A positive thing about this is that you will have to own a variety of knives! You will have a great time learning about knives, selecting them and using them. I wish you the best!

Take care!
 
4.25" is the correct blade length for a NEW knife. When 0.25" has been sharpened from the tip, it should be replaced by another new knife with a 4.25" blade. I have spoken.:D Regards, ss.

EDIT: How is the blade length measured on a knife with a sloped handle top... with a finger-notched ricasso... or a trailing point profile? Now I'm confused.:confused:
 
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There is a very amusing post from local Scandi guys, on the use and abuse of Moras as the most multi-function knife.
Mora,frosts Any Opinions From First Hand Users?
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=572443

You are looking for three knives.
A small 'tool' knife like a SAK that will open bottles, cans, and punch holes with an awl
A folder multi blade, multi sized blades like a stockman that will skin, and prepare food
And a fixed blade sheath knife for camp use and larger skinning.

You could go down to a good 'scout' knife and a folding saw.
 
You need a different knife for every one of those tasks. ;)

But in reality a folder or small fixed blade and a mid to good sized chopper will cover most things needing done with a knife. something like a SAK or multi tool is always a handy thing to have as well. :thumbup:
 
When it comes to "perfect", realistic and useable LENGTH I'd go with 3.75" min to 4" optimum.

Traditional Scandi knives reflect what is necessary when carrying only one blade and having to make do. Most of them are in the range mentioned above.

I've done almost everything you listed with either a 3.75 Scandi or a 4" Spyderco Millie.
4" knives are a luxury after skinning/processing blesbok and wildebeest with a tiny SAK!
 
Purely my opinion,

Ideal fixed blade length 4"-7"

Ideal folder length 3.5"-4.25"

There is no perfect length IMO.These are just my own preferences.

Everybody's different.


Take Care,
 
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