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.