Reality Check

OP, l love the analysis and thought process. I bet my "numbers" are similar to yours for carry and use.

In my "regular" EDC rotation, I'm often grabbing the knives that carry best and feel the best in my pocket (clip, weight, etc.) regardless of steel or lock type or handle material or brand.


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jazzz said:
What are you carrying that you need so much room? Let's be honest, part of owning knives is fondling/looking at/admiring - not just carrying and cutting. Otherwise, they could be ugly as sin. I agree to a small point - I don't like crazy wide knives, but pockets are pretty big. Now, really heavy knives, I don't like.
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Exactly.
If it weren't for a certain aesthetic value driving the market we'd all be carrying Stanley utility knives that are marketed and priced as the tools that they are.
 
I carry a boat load of stuff around with me and I don't mind. Some people are sensitive to it and some aren't. Years ago I learned that with a high quality belt and pants that fit that weight is not much of an issue. I front pocket carry a handgun most of the time so a pocket knife doesn't really bother me and I always have two of them plus a flashlight and some other gear.

We carry a knife so we have one when we need it, not because we need it all the time. If we applied your logic to CCW then nobody would carry but we still do because it is about being prepared, not about needing it all the time. The same goes for my flashlight. I don't use it all the time but I sure glad I have it when I need it. I carry tweezers on my key ring. I might use them once a month but I more than happy to have them when I need them. I guess it is just two different ways to look at it.

I also think that I use my knife quite a bit more than you. It must be my line of work which is, hiding in the woods...
 
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I think this is a valid issue to raise as many people probably have had this experience. I do not like overly wide knives, as a general rule (but not an exclusive rule). It is not only the pocket issue, there are times when a wide blade is simply the wrong tool. A narrow blade with a good geometry is a lot more practical for an actual pocket knife in most cases. The new Baby Jess Horn should address this problem quite nicely.
 
In regards to how much a knife gets used.

Over the last year, I have been on a knife purchasing bender. Due to this, I am eating healthier. Thanks Spyderco. Let me explain.

Had a knife in my pocket since an early age. Didn't think twice about it. Used it when needed... very little. But always there.

So, as with anything new, I want to use my new toys/tools... as much as possible... all the time. Yes, playing with them takes up most of the use time. But I want to cut. Especially at work, since I tend to spend a lot of time there. There are only so many boxes I can shred; only so many pieces of paper I can test the edge on.

Food prep! Used to eat an apple, pear, etc. now and then, peel an orange once in a while. Not anymore! Everything gets cut into pieces. No fruit is off limits. And as such, I am bringing more fruit to work, and eating a lot more of it. And, cutting more.

Go figure...
 
I'd just carry at 4 o'clock or so IWB and forget all about pocket space concerns. I rarely, if ever, even notice the knife from the urban to a GB1 with this carry style.
 
I usually carry a Michael Walker in carbon fiber or one of the Technos in my watch pocket when I don't have a day where I'll be expecting to cut much. Other days I'll carry a mid sized folder. If I'm away from the city I'll carry a Military or a fixed blade.

Some knives don't carry well and get little daily use (wide, heavy etc.)
 
Design is about picking and choosing the best trade-offs for the intended purpose.

I'm sure some operators appreciate the larger Spyderhole for no-look indexing, and the better slicing that comes from a taller blade, and carry enough other equipment that a fatter folding knife is negligible.

Personally, my preferences are similar to the OP's realization. This will be different for others, but I'm willing to absorb trade-offs in grip length, ease of closing for the sake of slimmer carry. I've found I really just want a modernized traditional patterned knife that uses the South African lip opener or front flipper with a liner or compression lock for daily carry. A subtly nest Spyderhole would be icing.
 
Recently, I have found myself thinking along the same lines as the OP in terms of overly wide closed folders. I've gravitated more toward slimmer and Mnandi- or gentleman's-style folders for EDC. It works fine for me here in southern CA where there's a 3" carry limit. I mainly carry a Dragonfly during daytime, switching to an original Kiwi or Air at night. I just prefer the thinner profile in my front pocket. I've thought about simply carrying a Manbug, but I already have a micarta Jester on my keychain and there's not much difference between the two. I just got the new Nishijin Lil Lum, which went right into the daytime rotation, as will the sprint Jess Horn, as soon as it's available.
 
grownstar said:
Interesting thread, Ken. I appreciate your insight on the subject.

My first Spydies were a Tenacious and Manix so I got used to the real estate needed to carry wider folders.

I've had my jazzz Delica in right front pocket all week. It doesn't take up as much space as I thought it would.
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same hear,love this wharncliff blade,vary useful for me.
 
Its interesting to see that while the views in my original post are probably in the minority there is still a reasonable number of respondants who like me have begun to gravitate to slimmer more portable folders .
I thought my views and preferences were mine and mine alone , its nice to know your not a lone wolf sometimes .
Thanks to all who have replied .

Ken
 
I think this one thing that makes the knife world so complex and so fascinating. There are so many different people with different tastes and different needs and knives overlap so many other hobbies and jobs. we are all "into" knives in such different ways.
 
I carry a Vic pioneer x and a gb1 as my work edc, I'm a finish carpenter. The gb1 gets used extensively.
 
Good discussion. If I'm going to drop a knife in my pocket, it has to be small, like Dfly or Manbug small. I hate the big ass sideways thing going on. I'll take any trade offs for the sureness of opening with the large hole. I also used to think Spydies looked weird, now I like their looks, and a knife now feels weird to me with no hump.

The comment about Yoda was awesome. :D
 
Consider an old proverb:
a man without a knife,
is a man without a life ...

as far as folder are concerned, I typically carry 3 and enjoy my life without worrying about needless carry of a tool(s) (as they do get used).

I have daily carried a pocket knife of some variation since about the age of four (Old Timer Stockman, then 1st-gen SAK's, then early locking designs, etc., etc.). After many decades of carrying and using, I still find great appreciation in simple things like sharpening a pencil with a keen edged tool and more-so as the intricacies of use increase. For me, it's about the appreciation of using a well engineered tool that is kept in fine condition through regular use and maintenance. Finding new uses, and applications is an interest keeper for me.

Quote Lycosa:
"Knife options are many. Find your favorite(s)."
and consider the features that are most useful to your potential tasks at hand.
 
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Spyderco has plenty of models that are great in pocket and many of the wide blades are negated by just carrying tip up so its tucked to the side of the pocket.

In my opinion, thick slab pocket bricks from other companies like ZT, midtechs, Cold Steel etc etc are worse offenders.

My Credibility: Pocket space has always been a top priority for me especially since I wear jeans on the slimmer scale. I didnt need a recent epiphany like the OP to always take slim and light into consideration. .
 
My bank won't cash a Reality Check ;)

But I hear you, one of the reasons I left the Manix, just ate up too much pocket space.

But the Urban was pretty nice, I carried that in my left hip back pocket and that worked well, as I don't much use that pocket for anything so it just hung out there, so to speak.

G2
 
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