Regular or small(mini?)

[conan11]

I had voted smaller. But the best answer is all of them!

 

[ToddM]

Full size every time over the decades I've learned that for me and my hand usually the sweet spot is about 3.5" for a folder, to get a good handle ratio. For me it's not even really the blade length, it's that once you approach 3" and smaller blades, the handle shrink so much they don't feel right. I'd happily carry a 2.75-3" blade if it came with a normal sized handle instead of a tiny stump of one. Hate the para 3 handle, hate the small CRK handles, hate the 945 handle, the list goes on. The only time I'd carry/buy a knife under say 3.25" or so would be if I had to in order to comply with the law. On the same side I've found most 4" folders have way too much handle, probably because they have to in order to contain the larger blade, and I typically avoid them.

 

[Therom]

I usually prefer the full size (CRK, Spartan, etc.)
Only on a few occasions did I enjoy the small better
I like knives with blade length between 3.25” and 3.75” and most full knives are in this range…. I guess it is why I usually go for the full size.

 

[calm]

Opinel is very good for that, having basically the same model in various sizes.
Whereas the No8 is the most popular I find the No9 more suitable for my hands

 

[madcap_magician]

I prefer larges.

That said, if you want a medium version, check out the Arno Bernard iMamba. Available on bearings or washers, with or without a flipper tab.

Oh I've been looking at them for a while. The Orca 2.0 looks exactly like the flipper CRK never made. I'd have been on an iMamba before, but they do RWL34 at RC59 and are comfortable with that. The Orca 2.0 is M390 at RC63, which I can get more behind.

 

[Venice]

Small.
Now retired and my SAK EXECUTIVE is all I need/carry.
I mostly use the scissors anyway.

 

[BladeCommander]

Of course it depends on the knife, but the vat majority of the time if a knife is large enough to get a "mini" version, then I'm probably going for the mini. My sweet spot is 2.9-3.3" blade lengths, so anything at 3.5-4" blade that gets a mini probably falls into that Goldilocks zone.

mini griptillian
mini crooked river (don't own, but would)
mini barrage
mini skirmish
mini contego (I wish)
Delica over Endura (most times), I don't own either right now. Haven't tried the endela.
Native over Native Chief
Cally 3 over Cally 3.5 (though I haven't tried the 3.5.)
ZT 350 over 303, the 303 is just a tank
ZT 566 over 560 (should have kept)

Bugout full size, it wan't very "big" to start at only 3.25" blade.
BM 940 full size, again, pretty slim and not overly large to start. The mini just looks stubby on this knife.

Sebenza = Both since the large is pretty slim

 

[Weiss]

I tend to go big.

Small knives are niche categories in my preference and usage. I have them. I like them. But I still get a kick out of the bigger buggers.

Maybe I'm just overcompensating.

 

[tltt]

Most of the time, full sized or even a bit bigger. I hate the miniaturization of knives that has happened in the industry. Anything I can do with a smaller version, I can do with a bigger. And let's be honest, most folks don't carry overtly large knives to being with. I also find that the miniaturization throws off the original handling characteristics i enjoyed of the knife.

Also aesthetically, the miniaturization can ruin the look of many knives, you see this in traditionals quite a bit.

 

[pokey074]

Full size. I’ve had a few small/big combos like the Sebenza and the PM2/Para 3. The smaller knife is too small for my taste, and I don’t even have big hands.

 

[Danny Linguini]

For me it just depends on how big full-size is. Between 3”-3 1/2” blade length is about the sweet spot (for folders, anyway). If full size is close to 4” or more, I’ll look for a mini version that’s closer to 3”, or I’ll just pass altogether.

 

[Unicorn161]

What knife? What sizes? What are the laws?

My daily carry folder is a little under 4 inches. But when I go to Seattle it's 3.5, and if I have to go to Everett or Yelm it's 3 inches because of those cities' laws.
Or are we talking fixed blades or camp knives? If I'm in the woods and will be doing a lot of chopping, I'll take a Terrava Skrama 240 over the smaller 200 or the even smaller version. For whittling or carving (which I do suck at so this opinion is nearly meaningless), I like smaller blades.
Or are we talking potential combat blades? The full sized Ka-bar all day over the mini. Or a full sized Randall 14 over the smaller versions. Assuming leadership is ok with that. I've been to a place where we couldn't have fixed knives at all since it apparently imtimidated some of the locals and TCNs.

So a combination of both and it depends on the knife. But also depends on the use.

 

[scorpnsnake]

 

[norcalAF]

View attachment 2947630

That's ok for formal wear, for work I'll need something bigger.

 

[Sonnydaze]

I was once heavy with CRK Sebbies, and after twenty-some decided that the smalls with wood were the
prettiest, but the large models fit my hand.
If/when I closed a small, it wanted to fall out of my hand... Try it; you'll see what I mean...

 

[sgt1372]

Depending on the knife, I usually buy the larger one in the 3.5-4" range &, if there is a smaller version, I'll sometimes buy both but I once chose neither, instead choosing the medium sized one.

This was the Hinderer XM18-3.5 which I acquired after buying/selling the XM18- 3.0 which I considered too small & after buying/selling the XM24 which I considered too big.

This was a "Goldilocks" moment because I knew when I 1st held it that the XM18-3.5 was "just right."

LOL!

 

[Ozmose]

I always go with larger knives these days. 3.5"- 4" is the sweet spot. I used to carry smaller knives years ago when I was working in the office, but now that I don't need to worry about some Karen reporting me to HR, I carry whatever the hell I want. I still use the small knives for little household stuff, but there's little outside of that where I'm not happy to have a bit more blade to work with.

 

[navman]

I actually prefer smaller blades between 3-3.5 inches for daily carry, because the best knife is the one you have on you. A larger knife is more likely to be left at home or in a vehicle. It is the reason why I make the knife designs that I usually do. Occasionally I will make a larger version, but not often. I have received feedback from many hunters who tell me that a smaller blade is easier for them to maneuver inside a carcass.

For guys I used to work with that wanted a fixed blade for their gear, many wanted something smaller (3.2 inch blade length, 7 inch OAL) so as to take up the least amount of real estate on their kit.