This pattern (or, rather, set of patterns) is fascinating to look at and talk about. However, a lot of these knives' owners neglect to look into what is arguably the most important thing to know about the Sunfish/Elephant Toenail/English Rope Knife...etc. I.e. what is it like to carry these big beauties and how well do they perform? FWIW, IMHO:
1. Carry;
This can vary according to a given knife's size and handle materials. "Small" versions (i.e. 3 7/8" to about 4" closed) tend to be relatively easy to carry. They have a pocket feel that is a bit like "a Canoe on steroids". Not bad at all, even with natural materials like bone or pearl. With other materials, like celluloid, for example, knife weight can be less than that which is possible with more natural materials. While I have never had an opportunity to handle and use wood-handled specimens (and they are not all that common) I suspect that these knives would "split the difference" between bone/pearl/ivory(?) and synthetic materials.
On the other hand, "large" versions (i.e. 4 1/4" closed and larger) can be a real chore to carry in a pants pocket. For a lot of us these knives can be an inducement to wear suspenders and a belt, esp. when "natural" handle materials are used. It seems to me to be no accident that many of these knives were most often carried in the pockets of vests, coats, mackinaws, and bibbed overalls.
2. Use;
If examples of this pattern type is put together well with high-quality materials these knives can be cutting machines! Their large size and unique handle cross-section provide for an extremely secure and hand-filling grip. One can really "bear down" on these knives.
In addition, these knives tend to have extremely robust constructions that almost invite their owners to use them hard. These knives tend to have very thick liners and pretty "stiff" springs, for example. Their broad master blades and relatively large "pen" blades (which can be at least as large as many patterns' master blades) really put "beef" into cuts. The common "high tipped" master blades that many of these knives have can make them pretty useless as "piercers" ( that job is usually done with the knives' "pen" blades) but it helps to make them pretty fair "slicers" and, for all I know, "skinners". It also makes it pretty difficult to break these big blades. Except for examples that obviously were egregiously abused most of the damaged examples of these knives that I have seen had most of the damage done to their "pen" blades.
For myself, I very often carry a bone handled 4" equal-end Winchester Sunfish (my favorite term) made by Queen. While this knife may be a tad bigger than I absolutely need it is a joy to use and it is no big problem to carry. I have also carried Sunfish that were of other sizes and had other handle materials.
I must say that I have truly enjoyed my forays into "Sunfishland". I have also learned a lot from carrying and using these "friendly monsters" that I would have learned in no other way.
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