Why bother with folders at all?

Originally posted by bquinlan

For just a second I honestly tried to picture a 7' 8-1/2" neck knife! :)

Yeah I got a very long neck, and I do have a 200' katana on order with Alan Foltz. ;)

That should read 2 1/2" OAL
 
Folders are just better, unless you want survival as a priority.
Shat, I can wear my heaviest folder (Sere 2000) on the lightest shorts (Columbia nylon cargo) and not be hindered at all. My Fallkniven A1, a relatively small survival fixed blade (only 6"), I can't wear concealed unless I am wearing a freakin coat.
Folders are just more fun to play with, also. There is more to them.
My 710HSSR or Sere 2000 will take any abuse I give them. If I want to go camping or head into the woods, I'll take the A1.
 
Despite this strange, growing thing called PC, I do think that there is to some extent a carry over from teh days when virtually every American male carried some form of pocketknife. I believe that in that era, pocketknives were perceived strictly as tools.

I think that the reason so many tactical folders offend the PC types, and the FBs do much more, is that in comparison with the size of the typical slip joint, or even many folding hunters, so many of the tactical folders are so big. That width of the blades looks excessive to people who's idea of a knife/pocketknife are based on 3.5" stockmen, with 3 blades crammed into that comparatively little space.

I, personally, lean towards the larger tactical folders. A knife with a 3" blade seems kind of small to me. But, I don't have too many illusions about why those who look askance at my primary self defense knives do so.
 
Well, lots of great opinions here, that's for sure.

I also think it's kinda funny/weird to see someone with a fixed blade on the belt. This is part of what kept me away from them all these years.
I however wear mine concealed, for this very reason.

The convenience thing is also a big deal, but a good neck knife goes a long way to alleviating the problem, and nice sheath also helps a great deal in this department...at least for me.

As for the PC end of things, well, maybe people just need to get used to it again, after all these years. Fixed blades used to be common, and then gradually they have become very un-pc

Hell, a blade is a blade after all. So what if you don't need to flick it open to use it. So what if you can't fold it up and hide the blade. If you don't like my knife that's just too bad.

I do kinda feel like some wannabe though, toting this 5" blade around on my hip. What kind of wannabe be I don't really know exactly...
 
To summarize:

Folders offer...

A generally smaller and lighter knife, through elimination of a sheath.

Friendlier responses from fellow citizens including law enforcement officers.

I find that one place that a folder shines is in the size range of the Delica, where there are not many fixed blade offerings of elegant proportion.

But, fixed blades offer...

A generally stronger and safer knife.

A generally more ergonomic knife. And this is one of my pet peeves, I find most folders to be severely lacking in this area.

So, for me, whenever I can, I carry a fixed blade.
 
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