SOG and Kershaw, I am disappointed...

You've obviously never held one. I'd rather have a Zing then a Leek, honestly. It a very solid knife with ergos that gives the Delica a run for it's money.


:thumbup::thumbup: I agree, I like both the Leek and the Zing, but to me the zing fits in the hand better, and I love the flipper on it!
 
You can take the springs out in either the leek or Aegis to make it a manual folder.
 
I think the OP has a point, in that most knife manufacturers do seem to favor the 3" and change blade length models. There aren't as many options in the 3" and sub 3" range before you get into very small folders. It may seem a little silly to demand more options near 3", but I've often wondered myself why most manufacturers will produce so many models that are just a hair or more over the 3" mark.
 
I think the OP has a point, in that most knife manufacturers do seem to favor the 3" and change blade length models. There aren't as many options in the 3" and sub 3" range before you get into very small folders. It may seem a little silly to demand more options near 3", but I've often wondered myself why most manufacturers will produce so many models that are just a hair or more over the 3" mark.

Spyderco, Kershaw, Boker, and a few other companies have tons of choices in the <3.0-3.25" range. I've noticed that most companies actually produce more knives with <3.50 blades than 3.75+. The problem I think manufacturers face is balancing design quality & material/manufacturing costs against something that will sell to the largest audience and hopefully become a staple knife in a collection. There are markets out there for 4" folders, but few manufacturers that are really comfortable offering more than a couple of models in that range. The state I live in has no blade length restrictions.
 
I have held a zing, and to me the plastic handles felt kinda cheap. Of course, for $30, it is a cheap knife, so no real disappointment there.

I guess I don't have the aversion to polymers that a lot of folk do. To me the material Kershaw used for the Zing doesn't feel too different then G10 to me.
 
The problem I think manufacturers face is balancing design quality & material/manufacturing costs against something that will sell to the largest audience and hopefully become a staple knife in a collection.

You're right that there are many options out there, and prior to this thread I didn't realize that the Leek was legal for me...I just ordered one :) But balancing materials and manufacturing costs has nothing to do with blade length. Maybe design quality, but that's in the eye of the beholder.
 
Just so you know, carrying a blade that isn't "legal" is fine, as long as you aren't doing something stupid, you have a good reason to have it and you don't piss off mr. police officer ;). I live in California and i'm 15, and cops like to harrass me because I fit the "juvenile delinquent" profile, and I carry large Benchmades(710, Manual Bedlam etc..) and I still don't have any problems :D. Just use common sense and you should be good to go, always worked for me :thumbup:
 
Just so you know, carrying a blade that isn't "legal" is fine, as long as you aren't doing something stupid, you have a good reason to have it and you don't piss off mr. police officer ;). I live in California and i'm 15, and cops like to harrass me because I fit the "juvenile delinquent" profile, and I carry large Benchmades(710, Manual Bedlam etc..) and I still don't have any problems :D. Just use common sense and you should be good to go, always worked for me :thumbup:


I wouldn't go as far as calling it "fine" as it is still illegal. A better way to say it is, you're making the choice to break the law, you're taking the risk. So as long as you don't give a police officer a reason to pay attention to you, the risk will be very low for getting caught. It's a victimless crime, so I don't believe it to be much of a moral issue. But keep in mind that you would be in violation of the law, if the risk is worth it to you, go for it.
 
I wouldn't go as far as calling it "fine" as it is still illegal. A better way to say it is, you're making the choice to break the law, you're taking the risk. So as long as you don't give a police officer a reason to pay attention to you, the risk will be very low for getting caught. It's a victimless crime, so I don't believe it to be much of a moral issue. But keep in mind that you would be in violation of the law, if the risk is worth it to you, go for it.

I have had plenty of prior legal trouble, I used to be a very troubled teen. I've been 100% sober for the past 1.5 years though. I'd prefer not to take the chance. If a cop looked at my record they would probably make some assumptions about me even though I have more than cleaned up my act.
 
I have had plenty of prior legal trouble, I used to be a very troubled teen. I've been 100% sober for the past 1.5 years though. I'd prefer not to take the chance. If a cop looked at my record they would probably make some assumptions about me even though I have more than cleaned up my act.

My suggestion to you, given what you just wrote, is that you take NO chances in this regard. It's simply not worth it. And by no chances, I mean if the blade on a knife you carry can conceivably be measured in a court of law and be found to be .1 inch over the legal limit, don't do it. People have gone to jail for such seemingly insignificant details. If the law says 3 inches is the maximum length, and I were in your situation, I'd have nothing over 2 3/4 inches on me. Also, I'd not go the modified blade length route. You want stock. You want the manufacturer's stated blade length to be under the legal limit, and you want the actual knife you have to be under the legal limit too. You want to be able to say you did your homework and are complying with the law. My 2 cents worth.
 
This is highly speculative, but I wonder if the manufacturers like to make so many knives in the "just over 3 inch) blade lengths as a deliberate affront to overly restrictive knife laws, in solidarity with knife-rights advocates...? Sort of like deliberately driving 5 MPH over the posted speed limit...
 
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