What Do You Think of BIG Folding Knives?

C

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Cold Steel seems to be the only one making them and I'm quite fond of mine. The question is, why isn't there greater demand for large knives? Or is there a demand for such, and CS is the only one meeting it? Local laws in my area prohibit the carrying of fixed blade knives, but there are no restrictions on larger knives as long as a person isn't carrying it as a weapon.

My thoughts are that a folding knife should have a blade at least three inches and 4-5 inches is about right for most things. A 5-6 inch CS Voyager or Vaquero Grande is what I generally prefer. (I was accosted by two dogs a couple of years ago and didn't have anything on me that I could use to defend myself. That's when I began carrying the Vaquero Grande and the huge Voyager.) A larger folder also makes sense as an outdoor knife.

So what gives? Why don't other companies produce them?


Knives_1.jpg


From top to bottom: Spyderco Native, 3-inch; Cold Steel Voyager,
6-inch; Voyager plain 5-inch; and Vaquero Grande 6-inch.


Knives_2.jpg


Cold Steel Voyager, 5-inch plain and a Voyager 5-inch tanto
with serrated blade.


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A 5.0" blade is about as large as I would want to go. I think that one of the best "large folders" available is the Ontario Hossom Retribution. For the materials you get and the excellent construction, the price can't be beat. I have handled some of the Cold Steel knives in the 5.0" blade and for what it is worth, I found them to be really solid knives.:thumbup::D
 
I dont mind to carry a big folder either from time to time but in some areas that size may not be legal. Most companies have a few big folders. Benchmade has the Rukus and Skirmish just to name a couple. Some people may not have big enough pockets to carry that big of a knife clipped on. Some may not carry that big of a knife because if they pulled it out at work they may scare everyone away! It also just depends on what you are carrying it for. Those BIG Cold Steel knives are nice and do carry very well for their size! Enjoy them! Kevin :thumbup:
 
If you're packing a folding knife longer than 5" while strolling around town you'll be pushing the limits of credulity when you claim it's not for weapony purposes. Just my $0.02...


If you like huge folders, however, have a look at Benchmade's Skirmish and Rukus models, both are over 4". :thumbup:

There was also the CUDA MAXX (or something, might be misremembering) which came in sizes up to 5.5". I believe those are discontinued now, however.
 
Honestly? I think big folders are rather pointless. They don't really fit and are uncomfortable in my pocket, and attract far too much of the wrong kind of attention. This is, of course, just my opinion, and if you like big-assed folding knives, have at it, but I prefer smaller folding knives of no greater than 4" length.
 
A folder that's so big that it becomes funny is the Opinel #13.
On photo it looks essentially like any other Opinel, but the blade is an enormous 22cm. That's a whopping 8.66 inches. I cannot imagine any use for it except simply as a collector's thingie.

A-OPINEL-122136-0002.jpg
 
Dagon said:
A folder that's so big that it becomes funny is the Opinel #13.
On photo it looks essentially like any other Opinel, but the blade is an enormous 22cm. That's a whopping 8.66 inches. I cannot imagine any use for it except simply as a collector's thingie.

A-OPINEL-122136-0002.jpg
Click to expand...

foldeing fillet knife?:D
 
I think it is irresponsible to carry such unfriendly knives. Might as well just grow a beard and ride a loud Harley. Just kidding, I like the big ones, too. I have a Vaquero, a Skirmish, and several 4" models (my favorite carry size). I have a CS Black Rhino on back order. My EDC is a Swamp Rat Trap or my BM Dejavoo, both good sized folders.
 
The biggest knife I will carry has a 4 inch blade. They two that are my avatar.
 
Big knives are cool, but not too practical for my lifestyle. There are enough people who freak out when you carry a 3" blade and a 3" blade has enough cutting power where I really don't need anything that much bigger. That being said, if I had extra cash I'd have no problem buying them. I think it's just a smaller market, otherwise businesses would jump on servicing that market.

You might want to check out the Rajah II, seems like a great folder.
 
I carry a Spyderco folding filet knife when fishing. That is my biggest folder. Being a filet knife it has to have a long blade.
 
My first "real" knife I ever bout was the CRKT m16-04. That is one big knife. I carried it for about a year before i replaced it with my Buck Strider. its smaller and handier.
 
About the biggest folder I've got is the BM Rukus. I do have the 13" CS tanto, tho.
 
Well, I carry two or three knives, the 5- and 6-inchers being for emergencies. Yes, they can easily be construed as weapons, but discretion is such a virtue. I keep my big knives tucked away so that even a seasoned cop wouldn't know I was carrying it. If I'm around other people, I have a small Spyderco Native or CS Super Edge, a tiny fixed blade knife about the size of one of those little carnival knives.

I know that if my state had its way, no one would be able to carry anything for defense. About it being more important to know how to wield it, true, but if one knows how to wield both, having a large blade certainly helps.

The only downside to carrying big is if the knife's strength won't back up its blade size. In the case of the Cold Steel knives, this is certainly not a problem. I, too, am very fond of the 4-inchers and the Native, though small, is configured in such a way that it can easily pull more duty than one would think. The grip is designed to make the knife act as a virtual part of the user. Against a dog, you would sustain some damage, especially if it was a pit bull. The large CS knives would give a person a complete advantage.

The entire Voyager line is one of the more impressive knives for EDC, going all the way from 3 to 6 inches. The serrations also don't annoy me like the big, bumpy serrations used by many other knife makers and manufacturers. I can use a CS serrated knife to cleanly slice a piece of paper, and for defense, the serrations can't be beat.
 
The largest folder I have carried in the past has been a Spyderco Police. I don't remember its blade length, but it got plenty of looks which I ignored.

Now I work and move in an environment where I can pretty much wear whatever I want, so I usually carry fixed blades. But if I had to go back to an office environment, I'd go back to the large folder.

It would, of course, be paired with something a little smaller for open use. The large folder would be for SD only, not for everyday use.

Andy
 
I don't really care for folders larger than a Buck 110 or Schrade Golden Bear (or comparable). There may be an exception or two, but that's my general opinion./
 
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