Small knife guys, please help me understand...

[ChiefTJS]

I carry a little SAK more for the nail file than anything but it is nice to pull it out amongst the fearful that would truly lose their minds if I were to snap open a Spyderco anything.

 

[ShaiHulud]

One thing I've noticed as I age is that wants rarely factor into my knife buying now, it's all about needs. I use to buy knives based heavily on wants but I never needed them, or used them much and they mostly ended up just sitting around, I have also noticed that smaller knives were used constantly throughout the day, like a sak classic or a smaller slipjoint knife. Last couple days I had an opinel 8 and a classic on me, and the classic was pulled out more, just easier to take out, and make a small knick-cut on whatever i needed a knife for, and the opinel knife standing at 3" was a bit tall for what i needed but thats just me (and others I've been reading)

 

[JBoone]

I am fine with smaller knives but smaller to me is a bit shy of 3 inches.
Most of my folders are 3 inch or only slightly longer. Nothing to do with the local laws, I just prefer this size for my needs. My longer folders, while more capable, just don’t get carried much.

Preference plays a huge role - rational or not, in what size knife a person decides to carry.

 

[DangerZone98]

Years ago now I tried carrying the small keychain SAK and just couldn't get used to the tiny thin blade. Did it cut? Of course, but when it went dull it was a little booger to get back sharp. I upped to one of the 84mm models and never looked back. So much more functional (for me) and the taller blades were much easier to sharpen.

Fast forward to today, I recently tried to force myself to carry a medium stockman only to find that I faced very close to the same problem again. Skinny short little blades make it harder to slice or cut in general and trying to gut those stubby short little blades nice and sharp was a chore. Bump up to a Case 47 and suddenly the blades had some height and length again making my life easier.

But I also know plenty of people that have the small SAK and the various two and three blade model slip joint knives and make do with them just fine. What is my mental block? I know we aren't all the same, but what am I missing here?

I guess we’re in the same boat, I’m not the biggest fan of small folding knives, grandpa knives, etc. But I’m a big fan of small fixed blades.

 

[garnet spurs]

I mostly carry a Spiderco Para 3, a Benchmade Bugout, or a Benchmade Mini Griptilian. But I do own some a little smaller. I have different sized knives for different occasions.

 

[The Zieg]

Another small blast from the past that I failed to love:

One of the first knives that made me question the chisel grind.

I received one of these as a groomsman's gift. I carried it as a money clip for a few years until the screws started loosening up and the knife came apart. I have it somewhere, I think.

 

[DavidABQ]

I think what a person does for a living plays into their EDC choice. If I worked someplace like a warehouse where I am breaking down boxes, cutting plastic straps, etc. then I would certainly carry a larger knife than what I normally do. I am a simple office worker with simple a d light duty cutting chores. I typically use either a limited edition Buck model 501 or a CRK Mnandi. They are both the same size and just disappear into my pocket. They are more than enough to handle my light duty cutting chores. I think most people probably carry more knife than they really need, but what do I know. I could be WAAAYYYYY offbase.

 

[Taz]

I've had Leatherman Micra and Gerber Dime's before and they were just too small to really do anything. They just added weight to my key chain. Yes, they work and can open a box, but it was a PITA to get all of my keys out to just use the tool. If I want a multi tool, I just carry a normal sized one.

I tried a Gerber Ultralight LST, but it kept getting lost in my pocket and was a PITA to dig out to use. Benchmade bugout and mini bug out are just as easy to carry and more accessible. Kershaw Chive was another small one that worked well, too. Small blades work, but they need to be accessible!

 

[Railsplitter]

My lifestyle and my part time job only require a small knife but there was one incident about 4 years ago that I was glad I had a bigger knife in my pocket than I usually need.

I went to pick up a recliner that we ordered and I didn’t realize that it would be in a huge box. I couldn’t fit the box into our SUV but the chair itself would fit if I took it out of the box. I just happened to have a Buck 112 in my pocket that day and it was the perfect knife for cutting the box down so I didn’t have to lift the chair up and out of the box.

Some of the small knives that I carry would have made that chore a lot more difficult but the 112 made it a breeze.

I haven’t needed a larger knife since that day but I sure was glad I had one that day.

 

[Stelth]

OP: I get what you're saying about the keychain sized SAKs. I had an alox mini champ that I ended up giving to my daughter. It was much to fiddly.

 

[Henry Beige]

I carry a Micra daily, not for the kife, but mainly for the scissors which I prefer to Victorinox scissors.
For a while, the peanut was a thing around here. I bought a few and carried one exclusively for a while. It did all the cutting I needed, but just was not satisfying to carry.
The Opinel 6 is just big enough. If I want one, I have a pile of pocket-sized fixed blades to turn to.

 

[HwangJino]

For me, it's more about the handle size.

My leatherman ps4 has a tiny blade, but I can get it to cut, just not comfortable with the small handle/body.
Same with my small sebenza 21, I actually need a lanyard to help me grip it.

 

[ShaiHulud]

Hand size is a variable, that's why they came out with knives like the Griffin Medic

 

[The Grendels]

I tend to favour small fixed blades over small folders.

 

[jaseman]

Generally speaking, my preferred EDCs will be in the 3.25-3.75” range. It just works for me. But, I’ve come to appreciate smaller knives for what they are, and their places in my rotation.

Left to right (3.75” blade Launch 6 for comparison):
Grerber Dime (1.4” blade) - Great little multi tool. Carry it almost daily. But honestly, I almost never use the blade because I always have an actual knife on me.

Cold Steel Mini Pal (1” fully serrated) - OK, this is, admittedly, more of a novelty than truly very functional. But I have a few of them that I use as zipper pulls on my motorcycle jackets. Cuts through zip ties, rubber hose/tube, and thinner rope/cordage great, and I’ve used it out of necessity on the side of the road, which is exactly why I have them as pulls. But punch daggers are always a bit awkward to use for any real cutting.

Brouse Silent Soldier (2.5” blade) - I absolutely love the little fixed blade. Sure, it’s designed more as a CQB knife, and is a chunky little thing, but damn if it isn’t versatile as sin. Super sharp for being 3/16” thick. About 6 or 8 different ways to hold it. And super small and discreet as a knecker, or worn cross draw on my belt. It really makes a great, hard use, small utility knife.

Spyderco Dragonfly (2.5”) - This is the quintessential small folder. Seems like almost everyone has one, and for good reason. It’s just an almost perfect size and shape for small tasks. It’s really that typical Spyderco leaf blade that makes it so versatile and cut almost like a larger than it is. It’s also my most carried knife these days, as I work from home, so I’m in sweats, sleep pants, or shorts all day, everyday. So being small and light make it perfect for around the house. On the occasion that I need something bigger, there are plenty of other things at hand.

I still prefer 3-4” for my daily drivers. But find the right smaller one, and you’ll find they can be just as capable, comfortable, and easy to use and something larger.

 

[junglefighter]

These are my small fixed blades that I carry in a more politically correct environment.. the Polkowski is carried in my right front pocket with a lanyard hooked to my belt and the copy of the Bill Loveless New York special is carried IWB strong side when rotated out with my larger customs