The ever shrinking pocket knife.

It's my humble and honest opinion that knives shorter than 3-1/2'' in length are basically toys. They are just too small for anybody with normal sized hands to grip and actually use. 3-1/2'' to 4-1/4'' range is perfect, and that encompasses medium, regular and large stockmans, trappers, the mid sized SAK's, sodbusters, mini trappers (NOT tiny trappers), canoes, most barlows, medium jack knives, pruners, hawkbills, whittlers, and many many other of the most used knives. Stuff like peanuts and tuxedos are for dress pants and cleaning your fingernails and maybe opening mail, because they are too tiny to hold with any strength or comfort and the blades are too tiny to use with much effect at all. Practically ALL the "working" knives are in the range of 3-1/2'' to 4-1/4" for a reason.

Three basic classes of "pocket" knives to my way of thinking, "dress knives", which look pretty but aren't required to do much, intended for light usage and fancy dress clothing, slim, light and below 3'' in length; "working knives", in the range mentioned above, for common usages of all sorts, and "special purpose" knives, such as folding hunters, which are intended and sized and bladed specifically for singlular purposes, such as hunters, jumbo "bullet knife" trappers, or fighters like large toothpicks, ranging from 4-1/2'' and up in length to the 5-1/4'' folding hunters. Any larger, forget it and get a fixed blade.

There's a simple reason why the stockman and trapper patterns are so popular, they are the most practical sized, shaped, and bulk knives for actual usage. Big enough to grip and work with, but small enough for pocket carry without discomfort.
 
If the peanut is too small, try a barehead, slimline trapper in yellow handle and CV. Slim, but plenty of handle and a slim, long blade.

I've also had good luck carrying the mini-trapper, single blade jacks, and trim canoes. All have carried easily in the pocket of my work slacks and offer a bit more grip in the hand.
 
I do appreciate a slim knife, but prefer a longer handle. Case 06247 Pen is a great mixture of both The old one were very slim - single spring. I like Canoes for the same reason - slim.
 
I'll second a Slimline Trapper. Mine's the red bone/CV one, and the blade is both slim and thin. Very nice knife with a good sized handle to grip. The large clip blade is a bit much for office use, but those are the tradeoffs.

re: Wilgoy - If you only trust a lockback, try a Copperlock. One of the more pocketable/carryable locking knives out there, IMO. See the recent thread on them.

-- Sam
 
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