What are the practical reasons to get large folders versus fixed knives?

Army of Nobunaga said:
Thanks for the suggestion. sorry people take such insult so easily, I will definitely go back to reading more and posting less. I understand my post count weighs heavily on my life experience on knives and well frankly.. how dare me.


gl to the op in his quest... and the real answer is probably "Buy many and see what works for you"

adios gang. logging out for thecount.
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Hey, if you're gone you're gone ... but if you might like to stay around a while, don't be so thin-skinned yourself. The idea of a low-post-count meaning anything, it can mean you aren't familiar with the way people address each other here. When in Rome and all that. Relax, remember everyone is a tough guy, we don't impress real easy just because someone we don't know tells us what to think.
 
Nternal said:
Yeah I understand your question but what exactly do you use your knives for in the outdoors? That's my question.
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For car camping, hunting, or backpacking, with my fixed 4" Ritter Mk3 knife:
* Cut rope, string.
* Pound in tent begs with the butt.
* Fire prep (delimb branches, feathersticks, baton larger pieces cut with my Silky Topgun saw)
* Food prep
* Opening cans (a few times, when I forgot the leatherman) and packages
* Field-dressed a deer
* Cutting myself (not on purpose, I'm not THAT sick yet :))
* Cleaned fish, next time I'm taking a fillet knife
* Cut branches to clear a line of sight for shooting

I can't chop well with the Ritter, but I usually take a saw as above for dealing with larger pieces, plus I recently got a machete that I want to try out. I also got a Swamp Rat Ratmandu that's a bit larger than the Ritter and may be a better tool for me. In any case, I don't see a folder (for me), doing as well at a lot of these outdoor tasks. And for EDC tasks in a suburban software company, I usually don't NEED a big folder. So again, I'm still interested to hear the practical uses that others are putting large folders to.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Any reasonably well-made folder is strong enough for "survival" in the sense of getting around in the wilds under familiar conditions.
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This is really interesting. You're probably right, and I suppose many (myself included) probably fall into the occasional error of thinking that only an overbuilt fixed blade--one that you can baton or hammer into a tree and jump up and down on--is really good enough for hard use. But you can do a HECK of a lot of work with a knife, including a folder, that doesn't involve batoning or jumping up and down on the blade. Probably most of the cutting activities that one does, including most of those I listed above, wouldn't even stress an average folder that much.
 
maximus83 said:
For car camping, hunting, or backpacking, with my fixed 4" Ritter Mk3 knife:
* Cut rope, string.
* Pound in tent begs with the butt.
* Fire prep (delimb branches, feathersticks, baton larger pieces cut with my Silky Topgun saw)
* Food prep
* Opening cans (a few times, when I forgot the leatherman) and packages
* Field-dressed a deer
* Cutting myself (not on purpose, I'm not THAT sick yet :))
* Cleaned fish, next time I'm taking a fillet knife
* Cut branches to clear a line of sight for shooting

I can't chop well with the Ritter, but I usually take a saw as above for dealing with larger pieces, plus I recently got a machete that I want to try out. I also got a Swamp Rat Ratmandu that's a bit larger than the Ritter and may be a better tool for me. In any case, I don't see a folder (for me), doing as well at a lot of these outdoor tasks. And for EDC tasks in a suburban software company, I usually don't NEED a big folder. So again, I'm still interested to hear the practical uses that others are putting large folders to.
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Yeah I got you man but honestly, again, I am sure a coldsteel spartan( the cheapest folder I would say is up to it) can accomplish all those things.
 
Ankerson said:
I really can't think of anything that a folder does better than a FB other than fold.
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Hahaha. :-)

And conceal. A folder can conceal a good-sized (= 4" or more) blade in a pocket or other small space better than an equivalent-sized fixed blade. Usually. I can't stand fixed knives with full blades and skimpy, sub 4.5" handles, so if you have even a 4" fixed blade with an average-sized handle, it's not going to be as compact as a 4" folder, for purposes of pocketing/concealing.

I'm totally with you on fixed blade advantages (hence my original post), but I think the main advantages of folders are concealment and portability.
 
maximus83 said:
Hahaha. :-)

And conceal. A folder can conceal a good-sized (= 4" or more) blade in a pocket or other small space better than an equivalent-sized fixed blade. Usually. I can't stand fixed knives with full blades and skimpy, sub 4.5" handles, so if you have even a 4" fixed blade with an average-sized handle, it's not going to be as compact as a 4" folder, for purposes of pocketing/concealing.

I'm totally with you on fixed blade advantages (hence my original post), but I think the main advantages of folders are concealment and portability.
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Yes, this.
 
It might be minimum, but there is cost and weight to the sheath for a fixed blade. In KY, we are pretty knife friendly, especially in the county. I carry a 4" fixed blade everyday, when I go to Federal buildings, I take the blade out of the sheath or off the belt.
I do prefer a fixed blade, for it's strength and general lower cost. There are a few smaller fixed blades with pocket sheaths, but they may not be suitable for tight pants or small pockets.
 
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If one has an appreciation for sheer mechanical craftsmanship, one just might prefer a well made folder to a premium fixed-blade. I find folders more beautiful in this regard. I look at my fixed-blades the same way I look at a socket set or a hammer, to be honest. A folder can be just a little more special.

ETA: For the same reason, I much prefer analog watches to digital...
 
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timberweasel said:
If one has an appreciation for sheer mechanical craftsmanship, one just might prefer a well made folder to a premium fixed-blade. I find folders more beautiful in this regard. I look at my fixed-blades the same way I look at a socket set or a hammer, to be honest. A folder can be just a little more special.
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Oh yes! I agree. I like the "gadgetness" of folders. You just verbalized it for me.
 
Agree, the craftsmanship is a good point. I understand liking something just because it's a well-made machine. A lot of guns are like that, for instance, I own a couple of nice 1911's and they are not the most "practical" or "cost-effective" weapons out there. But when done right, they are a beautiful piece of craftsmanship and fun to shoot.
 
I would love to carry a fixed all the time, but it's not practical or socially acceptable. Therefore I can carry a much more heavy duty and longer knife if it folds and conceals than a fixed that takes up more space. In the two original examples the spec that was left out was how much space each take up. With a fixed you need a sheath and usually a belt or rig. With my 0300 I just clip it in my pocket and go. A wise old knifemaker told me he could do any job a knife needs doin' with a buck 110.
 
My biggest deal is space and weight. My largest/heaviest folder, an SmF, weighs around 5.5 oz. where my lightest/smallest fixed blade, an ESEE-3 w/ sheath, weighs around 6.5 oz. Carrying considered, the SmF also takes up less than half the space of the ESEE-3.

A larger blade can just do more such as food prep. A larger blade's sharpness lasts longer since there is more edge. I can use different parts of the blade for different tasks. I like my workin' knives to have around a 4" blade, folder or fixed!

I find a folding knife easier to take out and put away. Blindly poking at your belt area with a fixed blade is not a good idea. Usually I take a small pause, look at the empty sheath and insert my fixed blade. There is no danger in blindly/hastily inserting a folded knife into a pocket. There are a plethora of potential situations where a folder is safer than a fixed in this way.

Like some, I really do appreciate a good fixed blade. I carry one all day a few days every week. That said, It would take a fairly far fetched emergency to break my preferred folders: CRK Lg Seb 21 (4.5 oz.), Strider SmF (5.5 oz.) & many more like 'em.
 
...because opening a folder with a 4"+ blade brings about a smile...sometimes practicality has to just take a seat back and enjoy the ride...
 
Now that it appears Mr."Somebody P!$$ed in my Cheerios" has shut his pie hole...... I have never met a fixed Blade that I could carry (safely) without a sheath. That means I am neck carrying, belt carrying or strapping it to my leg (or gear).
Folders can be carried in many many ways; sheathed and in all the ways a FB can be carried but also simply clipped in ones pocket. Weight nor lack of function is an issue with a properly selected folder.
They are the perfect knife for many folks and most uses.
Are there examples of tasks that a large FB is "The Tool"? Yes, and for those times - have one.
The rest of the time - carry a folder:thumbup:
 
The bottom line is I prefer a fixed blade for anything approaching "hard use." But in an urban environment, I don't use my knives "hard" very often. And modern well built folders are so strong, really, that I don't carry a fixed blade day to day. My preference is for folders under 4" in blade length, however, as any real life "need" for a larger blade shifts my preference to a fixed blade.

So, in short, I keep a fixed blade or two in my car and usually carry a folder <4" unless I'm outdoors or working hard.
 
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