When is a folder too big to pocket carry?

S

Stainz

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Jun 24, 2007
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This isn't as simple a question as you'd think. I carried either a SAK or a Buck 301 Stockman for years in my front pocket - and a 110 Folding Hunter (left below) in my back pocket. That knife was considered so large, it came with a leather sheath (Or, now, maybe a nylon sheath.) so it could be belt carried. My jeans often had it's outline worn in them in the LH rear pocket. I recently replaced it there with a similar sized, but thinner and lighter, Benchmade 710 D2. The other two shown below, the Benchmade 610 Rukus and 630 Skirmish, are physically even larger - they fit canted in the back pocket.

The other problem... presenting one in public... or, in my case, 'Publix' (The local grocery chain store.). Last week, I was trying to tear a poorly pre-perforated check from my checkbook - obviously about to rip. The lady cashier said, "Honey, you're going to hurt yourself with that big old knife - let me get it for you!". I guess there is a reason for small slippies, although mine likely wouldn't have been much help with that check.

Even in a small group of 'good old boys' and their families, a big pocket knife can bring comments. I had received my new Buck 419 Kalinga Pro (S30V) Folding Hunter earlier that day - then, into the pocket - forgotten, until I was at the in-law's in-law's half sister's (Figure that out...) double-wide for a Christmas party. That home was much nicer than my home - the guys were all local FD or EMTs. There we sat - styrofoam plates with ham slices. Out with the K-P, and I didn't have to eat the fat - but everyone commented on how the retired college prof carried a folding sword. It's larger than the 110 and smaller than the 630 Skirmish below.

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Okay, I started with the 635 'mini' Skirmish - an obviously better choice to tote. I'm waiting for a 615 mini-Skirmish - it may get carried. For now, the 610 is considered a woods carry folding 'bushcraft' knife - not in my EDC rotation. Of course, smaller variants of the 110 exist.

What do you consider too large to pocket carry, especially 'in public' (... or, in 'Publix'!)?

Stainz
 
Everything I carry has a 4" blade or bigger. :D

Any bigger than 5" I want a fixed blade.
 
In my EDC travels around the warehouse and homesite, I've never found a need for a blade bigger than 3", so it's a small Seb or a UKPK for me. No problems in public so far (55 years of public use) and nothing I couldn't cut with it.

In the woods for whatever reason I add a 4" FB and everything I've needed to do is pretty well covered.
 
Depends on the knife. Some carry better than others. I carried a Camillus Maxx 5.5" a few times. Not too bad because it was very flat. On the other hand, I rarely carried my Benchmade Rukus 4.5" because it was thick and took up too much space in my back pocket. Eventually sold it.

These days, I mainly go with smaller (sub 4") knives like the Endura, Caly III, etc. Just more comfortable in an office/classroom environment when I'm wearing dress pants or slacks.
 
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When you need to tighten your belt enough that you have trouble breathing to keep it from pulling your trousers down! :p
 
I think Kerhsaw Lahar and Spyderco Tenacious are at the border of being comfortably carrying in pocket... They almost need a sheaths.
 
I've started carrying my CS Voyager X2 as much as possible. Life is too short to use a puny blade.
It still fits nice and snug in my pocket, most jeans have pockets at least 6" deep. The Zytel handle is nice and light so the whole thing doesn't even weigh as much as my ZT 0200, and the VG-1 steel in the blade is pretty good for edge retention.
I wouldn't go much longer than 6" though. 5" is just about right.
 
It depends on where you and what you're wearing. In the summer I wear khaki shorts a lot, so anything over 4 oz. or seems to weigh down my shorts a little. When I'm wearing jeans there really hasn't been a folder that I felt was too big to carry clipped in the front pocket, that includes a ZT 0300.

Now porking out a BM Skirmish at the register of a supermarket is probably not the most practical thing you can do. That's where I'd opt for a small SAK in the front pocket or on the keychain. I once flicked open a little Kershaw Scallion (2.5 inch blade) at work to open a box and it caused a few co-workers to take notice, and that's on a military installation. When I need something bigger I check around first to see if there is anyone I know might be squeamish. Sucks it has to be that way, but it is what it is.
 
For me personally, I hate hate hate things in my pockets that are uncomfortable and bulky - no keys, wallet, or knives that I can feel. AND I like nice slipjoint folders.

So, again for my tastes, I set the limit on pocket carry to about 3" and 1.5 oz. I have a couple of small Case and Queen knives that fit the bill and carry nicely in dress slacks.

Also, and unlike a lot of people, I have no problem with pocket clips. Usually, I'll hang the knife on the inside the beltine of my slacks with the clip partially hidden by my belt. I've got a Benchmade 440 hiding right now ;)
 
Weight is more of a factor than size, at least with me.

I often carry a Cold Steel Gunsite with a 5-inch blade, and I LOVE it; also, a Vaquero Grande and, at times, a Ti-Lite 6-incher. When walking and sitting, I can't tell it's in my right pocket (clipped), but when I pick up my pants in the morning, yep, I can definitely tell it's there. One of my favorite knives is the Cold Steel Voyager 5-inch plain edge with the clip that's part of the Zytel knife frame. Very nice, though lots of people like the metal clip modern ones better.

I consider larger knives to be strictly emergency knives. Either for self defense or cutting someone out of a seatbelt or any one of a dozen or more other applications. A knife with a 3-inch blade or under is almost too small except as a tool for opening packages and mail.

It's one reason I really like Cold Steel knives. They make them good and they make them strong and BIG (yeah, I know they don't actually make them themselves, but they have full control over their products, most of which are astoundingly good).

Although I know there are some good linerlocks out there, I just don't buy them any more (unless they have LAWKS). In my car glove compartment, I keep an el crapo Maxam 5-incher linerlock, but that's just there in the event I don't have anything else. I've used it to get ice off the windshield and to remove snow and ice from around stuck tires in the winter. In the trunk, I have a twelve dollar fixed knife made by Frost that is great for chipping away ice and sometimes dirt.

My point is that all knives have their purposes. I'm six feel tall, so I can comfortably carry larger folders providing they're light.

I'm impressed by Cold Steel's new Spartan, but have avoided buying one because I just don't need that kind of strength and weight. It's a great outdoor knife, and probably strong enough to be considered a virtual fixed blade; however, it's not a good EDC for me. For me, a 4-inch blade is nearly ideal as an overall EDC for most purposes. My preference, though, is to carry a larger knife and a smaller one, usually my little Spyderco Native. It doesn't usually freak out people that would find a larger knife intimidating.
 
A folder is too big to pocket carry, when it becomes uncomfortable to do so.
 
A folder is to big when it becomes a pain in the A$$ to cary, IE hooking up in crap as you move about, or when it becomes an issue with others.
 
I usually carry something "convenient" in the pocket.

However, that could be anything from a large Jack or Stockman, to a Sunfish or a Jumbo Trapper. I always make a leather slip-sheath for every new pattern. That way the knife doesn't print in the pocket, and the (short) lanyard keeps the sheath from wedging sideways.

Everytime I've carried a small knife, I've always needed a larger one, but I can do without sowing anti-knife seeds by flashing a large blade. So, now I carry a small "public" knife in the pocket, regardless of whatever else I'm carrying.
 
I don't like carrying anything more than 4'' because it gets in the way, and I don't like carrying much more than 3'' if I can help it because having a larger knife draws more attention.
 
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