What Size You Packin'?

jideta

jideta

Joined
Apr 8, 2020
Messages
2,099
I want at least 3.5" of blade.
OAL less than 9" though I'll make an exception.
My theory has been that you may as well make it count; no sissy blades here.
Transitioning to all fixed has me rethinking this.
I mean it's not like I can walk around with a Bowie strapped to my belt (well, technically I think I can, but you know what I mean).
On the other hand, I just can't see myself whipping out some two incher.

What length are you comfortable with and why?
 
Since I EDC a SAK daily, if I want a dedicated blade, I too would want at least 3.5"+ blade, and 4-4.5" for a full comfortable grip.
 
2.75" - 3.25" because knives with blades around that length tend to fit my hand well and I rarely need more blade than that when going about my day. When a job comes up that requires more blade I typically have more than a few fixed blade knives nearby that I can use for the task.

edit*
oops, I missed that you were talking about fixed blades specifically.
 
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Are you asking about fixed or folders?
Since you referenced transitioning to all fixed, I'll answer accordingly. I have a fondness for 6-8" fixed blades... but they aren't exactly practical in my world. I've got a number of fixed blades in the 3.5-4 inch range that I carry often. I don't shy away from the 4-4.5" range... but I seldom carry larger (there are a select few 5-5.5" blades that I carry).
Over the past few years, though, I've looked past my preconceptions regarding smaller knives... realizing that there's a lot of utility in the 2.75-3.25" range. I've gotten over my notion that 3" (or a little less) is simply too small...but that size range requires a good handle. I wear XL gloves, and a small knife can sometimes be awkward in my hands.
 
For folders, I’m more of a 3.5” to 4” blade man. Sometimes 5.5” blade if I want to take out the Voyager for a walk. For fixies, the only one I can carry discreetly via pocket dump is the Izula, which is just under 3” of blade. Anything larger than that has to be a belt knife.
 
I pocket carry with an ulticlip, for work, a dpx hest original or a tops shadow rider. They are about a 3.15-3.25 blade length with pretty much a full size handle. On the smaller end, I carry horizontal at my 10/11 o’clock on my belt a white river backpacker, knucklehead or a cold steel mini tac. Blade length is about 3-3.25 but with smaller handles.
 
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3" folder does 90% of my stuff around the truck. For the rest I have 3 fixed at 4" and the Inyoni at just short of 3 1/2. Then of course I have the Umnumzaan which is the biggest folder with me.
 
2.4-3" edge. Anything smaller doesn't meet my needs, anything bigger is superfluous for my EDC.
 
For a modern folder, 3.5" is my usual minimum with very few exceptions.
For an EDC fixed blade it is in the 3"-5.5" range, leaning towards the 5.5". Out and about town, anything larger feels out of place and more length than is needed.
Camping, hiking, in the woods, or around the yard, all the way up to about 7" goes easily on my belt. I don't belt carry the TGLB or my Junglas. Just too much on the hip.
 
Fixed or folder. No matter.
Most of my folders are DTR but my shortest was my Benchmade Emissary.
Looks like I'm pretty normal.
Forgot to mention the reason I ask is because I see a lot of 'EDC' knives with blades just a bit too short. When in my hand, 3-3.25" just seems small.
 
The 2 1/2” blades on my small Anzas are usually more than enough blade for my uses. I may carry instead a mimi Skrama or a BK14. The longest blades I will carry are Moras, at 4.1 inches. That makes for a pretty long knife in the pocket, but they are so light that the length is not bothersome.
 
Most of my daily carries are 3.45" blade or more. My CS Ultimate Hunter and Ontario Rat 1 D2 are ideal size blades for me.

If I head into the city, I usually carry a Delica 4 FFG to avoid any potential hassle.
 
I'm currently carrying one of my Paisano models in 26C3 steel at 64RC. Kind of a test drive deal. I've carried it for several months now and like it fine. 2.5" blade and 6.5"oal. Carried in a horizontal crossdraw sheath.

ar7Oj7W.jpg


This is actually a pretty large knife for me. I normally carry one of my Vaqueros (5 7/8" oal) or a Gordo (5.25" oal). I've used my knives a lot as a maker (every day in the shop is like Christmas). Packages to open, boxes to breakdown etc but also as a rancher I use em a lot, hay bales to open, feed sacks, calves to castrate and so on. I've never found a smaller blade wanting and they are handy and out of the way until you need em whether on foot or horseback. I've related this story before in a similar thread but it probably bears repeating.

My son was working for this large ranch nearby. He was riding heifers for them. This means assisting with the heifers calving for the first time. This batch of 300 heifers that the ranch had bought had been bred to the wrong bulls and had very large calves. A first time heifer should be bred to a bull thats gonna give a small calf the first time. There were so many problems in this group of heifers that he was riding them every 2 hours. He ended up pulling about one out of every three. Many of the calves were so large that they were dead inside and to get em out he would have to cut the calves body into pieces while still inside and pull out the parts, trying to save the heifer. He'd found one that had broken a back leg and looked like it was gonna calve in a week or so. He called his boss the ranch manager who came out with some pvc pipe and duct tape and they were gonna try and splint it. However the break proved to be right at the top next to the pelvis and so there was no way to splint it. So the boos called the big boss the owner to see what he wanted them to do. He said to shoot the heifer and do a cesarean and try to save the calf. They did. Ya got about 3 minutes to get that calf out before it will die. They got em out but the poor little guy only lived a few hours. Meanwhile the manager on the phone with the butcher. He's tied up and can't come and process the carcass but can take it if they decapitate the heifer and then quarter it and bring him the quarters. So they did. Now this heifer probably weighed 1,000 to 1100 lbs. What did they use for all this cutting, both the surgery and the butchering? The manager has one of my Buckaroo models he keeps in his truck. 2 5/8 inch blade, and 6.5" oal with a high carbon damascus blade at 60 RC. Got er done. Mostly don't need a real big knife.

A Buckaroo model:

jd7bJN3.jpg
 
I generally carry a folder with approx 3" blade. I have 3.5" to 4" if needed.
Bigger blades seem to make other people nervous. Especially at work.
 
In the bottom of my RF pocket this week:
Small: (BTI) Old Timer 280OT Barlow. 3.25 inch closed. Clip Point and Pen blades.

"Medium": Marbles MR278 4 blade "Demo" knife. 3 5/8 inch closed. Spear Point, Cap lifter/Flat Screwdriver, Can Opener, and Punch/Awl blades.

"Large": MAM "Operario" friction folder, 4 inch closed. Single Sheepsfoot blade.

I have not decided yet what will be going on my pocket when I change my weekly selection. The Marbles MR278 will stay in my pocket, I know that much. I'll probably replace the Barlow with a large 4 inch plus stockman; unless the new Marbles MR431 D2 with black canvas micarta covers sowbelly stockman I ordered today (kinda tiny at only 3.75 inches closed) arrives sooner than expected. If it does, then I'll probably drop it into my pocket.
 
You need to work on your phrasing OP! No one wants to hear about your 2 incher! lol
Seriously though, a full size trapper or the like is pretty much an ideal size for me. If Im carrying a fixed blade, I like a 3-4 inch knife. I dont really have a preference though to be honest, I just carry whatever I want to that day (though the exception is small knives, I dont like really small knives like peanuts).
 
Somewhere around 3.25" seems like my sweet spot for folders. I'm not sure why, because I almost never find myself wishing I had more blade, but I like fixed blades closer to 4".
 
CVamberbonehead said:
You need to work on your phrasing OP! No one wants to hear about your 2 incher! lol
Seriously though, a full size trapper or the like is pretty much an ideal size for me. If Im carrying a fixed blade, I like a 3-4 inch knife. I dont really have a preference though to be honest, I just carry whatever I want to that day (though the exception is small knives, I dont like really small knives like peanuts).
Click to expand...

You may have something there.
Maybe my need for a longer blade is my way of compensating for lack of...AHEM! No lack of anything here. Nosirree!
 
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