When and why would you need a folder bigger than a Rat-2 ?

[marrenmiller]

My backup justification for defending my pocket knife as a tool and not a weapon is almost always that I'm carrying an actual weapon (e.g. a Walther PPS M2 today) as well. I mean, why would I use that cute little Southard as a weapon when I have eight 9mm hollow points on tap for that purpose?

Our crummy knife laws do make for some weird situations, though. I'll be in Chicago later today, where my concealed handgun is legal but the Spyderco Southard I'm currently carrying is not (the adult blade length limit is 2.5"). It's truly bizarre.

You're a CCL holder carrying a double stack nine and pockets full of backup mags? No problem, citizen, carry on. You also have a Benchmade Mini Griptilian? Why do you have that deadly weapon unless it's to go on a murder death kill spree? Off to jail with you.

Note: Don't worry about that weapon of mass destruction Southard folks. To maintain the safety of the residents of Chicago (such a safe place, lol) I'll leave the Southard at home and grab my Olamic Busker instead when I head in to the city (with my handgun of course) later today.

Of course, then you have certain major population centers where it is easier to legally carry a knife than any sort of firearm.... sigh...

 

[marrenmiller]

Lots of reasons:

• Larger folders are way more comfortable in hand while in use. I find smaller knives, like the native 5, to be uncomfortable in hand when cutting for any significant length of time.
• Larger folders offer more cutting edge so you might be able to get more cut with a given knife before needing sharpening.
• Some jobs, like cutting thick insulation/foam/food/etc benefit from a longer knife. Have you ever seen how big honeycrisp apples can get? Some small knives can't even get all the way through them.
• I don't like small knives.

 

[Tommy-Chi]

I try to ask myself about everything I carry, how useful would this be in a zombie apocalypse? Of course a fixed blade would be better for zombie head-shanking, but in a pinch I'd rather have something like my Olamic Rainmaker pocket sword than a Dragonfly:

I'm a pragmatist, though. Others may carry based on some fanciful cherry-picked extreme scenarios like "I may open a package or two", but not me. When the zompocalypse comes I hope they enjoy trying to penetrate rotted craniums with their impractical little Dragonfly-type knives.

I think you've posted that Olamic before and I looked for it online to no avail. All of the Olamics that I find have holes in the blade or the grip.

Which model Olamic is that and how long ago did you buy it? Where can I get one?

Thanks!!!

 

[Quiet]

I think you've posted that Olamic before and I looked for it online to no avail. All of the Olamics that I find have holes in the blade or the grip.

Which model Olamic is that and how long ago did you buy it? Where can I get one?

Thanks!!!

It's the Rainmaker. They are usually limited run and they are...they're not inexpensive. You've been warned.

Disclosure: I have one

 

[evilgreg]

It's the Rainmaker. They are usually limited run and they are...they're not inexpensive. You've been warned.

Disclosure: I have one

This is true. That said, I don't have any buyer's remorse at all.

 

[Quiet]

This is true. That said, I don't have any buyer's remorse at all.

Me either, not a bit!!

 

[Boxer .45]

Ive carried an ESEE 3 a lot and its more than handy at work. I enjoy the capability and utility it provides. fine with people carrying whatever they want wherever they want just because they want to, whether they "need to" or not. You don't need a reason.

 

[Chapp]

Yes, world view or life experience. Or lack of. Take your pick. I've been holding this back but the OP comes off like an angry 15-year old. Yawn.

Don't insult people over internet, it's as childish as it can get, especially over trivial subjects. You probably have a shitty life and had a shitty education, but you don't need to let us know.

Clearly a case of a logical fallacy, commonly referred to as the "No true Scotsman" fallacy.

If the OP opens with a seemingly neutral position but then moves the mark such that he regards every opinion that favors a large folder as stupid, and the opinions of those who corroborate his preconceived notion as being wise, his position is supported and he calls it a victory.

Also influenced deeply by the ye olde concept of confirmation bias.

Possibly. It seems to me that the OP began the thread feeling that there isn’t a legitimate use for a larger folder, because he doesn’t personally need one. Therefore, only admissions that chime with his own world view, “I only have larger folders because of my inner mall ninja” are regarded as valid, with any other case summarily dismissed as bogus. Now that this has become blatantly obvious, the thread has definitely lost any potential it may have had other than for satire.

We're speaking about knives, not 9/11. You're both overthinking it and that's quite ridiculous.

 

[fjblair]

I don't need a reason, other than they don't feel right in my hand. I don't like itsy bitsy teenie weenie knives.

 

[marchone]

I see. A case of arrested development.

Now you're on Ignore, kid.

 

[22-rimfire]

There is no question that there are some tasks that I would favor a larger folder than what I carry. But how often do these situations happen? Is it impossible to use a smaller knife for a larger task? If it is, go big and don't look back! If it is just a little uncomfortable, then again, how often do you do this sort of thing that requires the larger blade?

I think in most cases, the larger knife simply feels like a knife to you and you like it. No other reason is necessary.

I think the small Vic SAKs like the Classic feel a bit weak in the blade. But they are useful... just not for me. I own one tiny SAK (believe it's a Wenger version).... it does not get carried but I use it around my desk for small tasks.

I don't plan my life around SHTF situations, but I do have knives that would be useful if everything went to hell.

 

[19-3ben]

We're speaking about knives, not 9/11. You're both overthinking it and that's quite ridiculous.

Yup. That's me. Mr. Ridiculous over here. Doing things like considering opposing points of view, only making assertions I can back up, etc...

I'm totally unhinged.

 

[knarfeng]

Talk about why you need or like big knives, instead of each other.
This is a knife forum, not Facebook.

 

[DocJD]

Last summer , I was out in my woods with my dogs when I noticed my very old and half crippled German Shepard had gotten caught up in a patch of thorny vines .

He had been hit by a car when just a pup and needed extensive repairs on both rear legs . Always was sensitive about getting those legs hurt again . So he looked about ready to panic , with the "concertina wire" vines wrapped around one of his hind legs .

Cold Steel XL Talwar , fully serrated with wave opener to the rescue ! I was able to rapidly slash and chop my way into the thorny tangle and cut my faithful friend free .

With any lesser folder , the story would not be so happy ending !

 

[Pilsner]

Don't insult people over internet, it's as childish as it can get, especially over trivial subjects. You probably have a shitty life and had a shitty education, but you don't need to let us know.





We're speaking about knives, not 9/11. You're both overthinking it and that's quite ridiculous.

I think you didn’t like my summary of this thread. However, many others seem to see the same phenomenon. You’ve been given plenty of solid reasons that other people, who lead different lives from the one you do, favour larger folders, so the case has been proved beyond any sensible objection.

 

[22-rimfire]

Last summer , I was out in my woods with my dogs when I noticed my very old and half crippled German Shepard had gotten caught up in a patch of thorny vines .

He had been hit by a car when just a pup and needed extensive repairs on both rear legs . Always was sensitive about getting those legs hurt again . So he looked about ready to panic , with the "concertina wire" vines wrapped around one of his hind legs .

Cold Steel XL Talwar , fully serrated with wave opener to the rescue ! I was able to rapidly slash and chop my way into the thorny tangle and cut my faithful friend free .

With any lesser folder , the story would not be so happy ending !

I had a similar experience but one a bit more tenuous for my safety. We were working at a house and the next door neighbor had a large dog that barked and growled at me if I was in sight. They never seemed to be home. Anyway, he was on a chain and had gotten tangled up in in vines attached to a chain link fence. He was just hanging there; sad even if he wasn't friendly at all to me. Anyway, I decided to get closer and take a look. He apparently had been in that situation a fairly good while.... He didn't growl at me when I got close this time and I proceed to use my knife to cut the vines and other debris that had him all tangled up. Even had to lift his chain where it had snagged on the fence (Remember his weight was on that chain; it was not just loose dangling.). Dog made no move toward me and I got him free. He could easily have bite and he was BIG. He never barked at me again....

 

[19-3ben]

I had a similar experience but one a bit more tenuous for my safety. We were working at a house and the next door neighbor had a large dog that barked and growled at me if I was in sight. They never seemed to be home. Anyway, he was on a chain and had gotten tangled up in in vines attached to a chain link fence. He was just hanging there; sad even if he wasn't friendly at all to me. Anyway, I decided to get closer and take a look. He apparently had been in that situation a fairly good while.... He didn't growl at me when I got close this time and I proceed to use my knife to cut the vines and other debris that had him all tangled up. Even had to lift his chain where it had snagged on the fence (Remember his weight was on that chain; it was not just loose dangling.). Dog made no move toward me and I got him free. He could easily have bite and he was BIG. He never barked at me again....

You're a hell of a good guy. That's a boss move right there.

 

[pinnah]

My story to add to the mix with a bit of background.

Two quick points of background before my recent story....

First, I modify all of my pants by sewing a seam up the side of my right rear pocket. This allows me to carry folders with 3" blade and folders with 3.5" blades or bigger. I find this rear pocket carry much easier and more discrete than pocket clip or holster carry. YMMV, but this approach really opens up the possibility of carry larger folders in a very comfortable and discrete manner.

Second, I keep a knife roll in closet and knife bowl on my fridge. My daily carry gets pulled from the knife bowl and knives that don't get used regularly get relegated to the knife roll over time. And occasionally, I promote a knife from my roll to my bowl to see if it can earn its keep in my pocket. This approach allows me to revisit my preferences over time. Premier League for knives.

What I find is that for me (and not for anybody else), I find some knives to be just too big. The Schrade 6OT and 51OT and the Opinel 10 are just a bit too big and usually end up back in the roll. And the smaller knives like the Buck 500 and Case Large Sodbuster, also get demoted regularly. The Buck 110 and Opinel 9 seem to hit the Goldilocks middle ground for me. My hand. My day to day uses.

A story... My wife and I recently drove across town to work at our church's work day to clear leaves. We went armed with leaf blower and rakes and to my surprise, I was asked to clear vines and saplings out of a length of chain link fence. I didn't have gardening clippers, a machete, a hatchet or shears - tools I would normally use for that sort of task - and neither did anybody else. Disorganization is not uncommon in a church work day so you just roll with it.

I was carrying my Leatherman Juice instead of my Micra anticipating something like this and had a Case Large Sodbuster in my rear pocket. I often end up clearing brush with a knife like this on my property, so I felt completely comfortable tackling the job with a knife. But, I found I tired quickly with the Sodbuster. The handle is just too small in girth for me to get a good solid power grip with. I found myself really longing for my Buck 110 or Opinel 9, both of which give much better grips.

 

[Smaug]

Sure is a lot of macho bullshit in this thread. "Because I can." "Because that's what I prefer."

^ Entitlement doesn't answer need.

 

[Pilsner]

Sure is a lot of macho bullshit in this thread. "Because I can." "Because that's what I prefer."

^ Entitlement doesn't answer need.

Hmmmmm

Well, I guess all the meals I cook every week, from fresh ingredients, could be achieved with a small pairing knife. Technically I don't need even a chef's utility knife, let alone a 10" chef knife.

No, actually, I think in any reasonable terms I do 'need' the larger knives, because otherwise it would be far more time consuming, irritating and inefficient. We don't need much of anything the modern world offers, in the most absolute sense of the word. However, semantics aside, let's just go with what most if not all of us define as 'need' in the context of knives and other flummery.