I got the idea from a thread over in General called "Small Knife Carriers". With all the discussion of Peanuts, Lobster Knives and Sheffield Pen knives, I thought it would be interesting to explore the topic over here.
My EDC is an Al Warren Mini T: a wharncliffe trapper with stag handle -- 2.5" handle and 2" wharncliffe blade. It pretty much handles everything I need in an EDC knife.
Who carries a small traditional or fixed blade as their EDC? Pictures if you can.
I've always carried a nominal size knife, but in my later years my taste has run to smaller. Up untill middle age, my regular edc was a 3/12 scout knife or a 3 7/8th stockman. I had some 3 1/2 inch sodbusters I carried a lot. After about age 50 I started to carry more compact knives. Case peaunts, sak recruit, 3 1/4 size stockman like the Buck 303 cadet, pen knife size knives. I found that for most of what I did, I really didn't need much in the way of size. A 2 inch blade was plenty for me and my lifestyle. Slowly I found out what all those old guys I grew up around knew; a nice lightweight little knife in the pocket that is un-noticed till needed is a nice thing. Knives like peanuts, texas jacks, butterbeans, mini trappers, and a host of others will do 99% of what you have to do with a pocket knife. Maybe I'm suffering from a form of extreme pragmaticizim that comes with age, but I never did want to lug something around that was more than what I needed. I'm probably the only knife person in America who never owned a Buck 110. At the time they were selling like hot cakes, I went for the three blade stockman, which I still consider one of the best edc knives on the face of the planet. 3 or 4 or so onces of weight, three different blades to choose from. The smaller stockmen are near penknife size, but pack a very great deal of use in a very small package. Knives like Schrade's Old Timer and Uncle Henry small stockman or junior stockman as they called it, can go anywhere. Not a small thing in todays world.
Before 9-11, a lot of people thought they couldn't take a knife on an airplane. Actually, if it was a small penknife size, it went through security. I used to fly with a Vic classic on my keyring, and a sak tinker in my carry on bag. They looked very briefly at it, and let it pass. 9-11 changed all that of course. But here in Washington D.C. its very tight security.
My better half Karen, and I, go 'downtown' very often and in the museums like the Smithsonian, the National Gallery Of Art, and federal buildings, there seems to be a limit on cutlery. About 2 inches of blade seems to be the tilt mark. Sak classics, Buck cadets and companions, Case peanuts or similar size knives don't seem to get the uniforms upset. In fact, the only comment I've gotten on my knives was, at a government building one young guard looked at my red bone peanut and said his granddad carried one just like it. That's okay, I don't mind being associated with a grandad since I am one.
Yes, I like small knives. They'er lightweight, and take up very little room in the pocket. Of course, that means if you wish, you can carry more of them. My old Uncle Paul carried those little two blade jacks abut 3 inches in size. One in each front pocket and a spare one rolled up in his tobacco pouch. Not a bad idea to have a spare knife around.
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