Who likes a small blade?

[Samon]

Do you like small knife blades on your fixed or folding knife?

My question is mainly aimed at folding pocket knives, to be precise the ones that fall into our legal EDC line of knives.

Now what I've seen for a long time with many peoples favoured EDC knives is the main blade/cutting edge being as close to the 3 inche length as possible.. why is this?

Do we not find small blades usefull?

I know not everyone is bothered but it does seem alot of us really want to carry a knife with the largest legal blade possible and some even going to great lengths/costs to aquire such a knife.

I personally carry a swiss army knife with me everyday and actually find the smaller blade more usefull for my day to day needs and even when out in the wilds the small blade gets more use when whittling/carving etc. The big blade comes into it action for the big slicing jobs like food/cord but that's about it...

Do any of you carry small bladed folders as your EDC or even when out camping?

And why do you think people like to carry a knife with the larger legal blade?

Thanks for reading!

 

[Highbinder]

I own a BRK Imp, has a blade length of 2 1/2", that's about the shortest I would consider! Although I can do almost everything with it that I can with a larger blade I find that you definately feel the lack of 'sliceability' with such a short blade. There are some things like food prep a short blade just won't handle as well.

 

[Samon]

that's a fixed blade right?

In the UK the law regarding carrying knives means we can only carry a non locking folding knife with a cutting edge of 3 inches or under (unless with good reason blah blah blah) so if that were the laws in your area would you choose the longest blade you could legally carry?

I think it's worth mentioning we are not permitted to carry any form of weapon or article for self defence, so the knife is only for chores.

With this in mind it seems to me that the practical reason is due to the better slicing abilities of longer blades.

 

[Stirling3749]

I EDC a Victorinox executive. http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Executive+74mm

It's 74mm total length and doing some quick measurements here at my desk it looks like the main blade is about 47mm and the small blade is about 33mm.
Most folks would shy away from a knife with 2 spear point blades of such similar length, especially on such a small knife but my logic is that the big one gets used for all every day cutting tasks while the small one is left alone, razor sharp, just waiting for that moment when a really sharp edge is needed.
This way I don't have to sharpen every day, I just pretend the small blade isn't there on a day to day basis and use the larger one most of the time.

As for the great outdoors I use a 91mm, the most common of the Victorinox offerings and probably what you use yourself.
I do some whittling and carving so the smaller blade obviously covers most of that while the bigger blade is more for food prep and eating, it's the same size as a good paring knife after all.

 

[salad]

Hi

My everyday folder that I carry at the moment has a blade which is just over 3 inches, for me the length on that feels right, it is a lot easier to prep food with that extra half inch in my opinion, At the moment I am looking after my 14 month year old daughter and I am constantly cutting up fruit from pineapples to pears and this length it just about right for all these tasks.
However that said if I fly back home to the UK then I put a folder in my check in baggage which is Uk legal carry but given the choice I would rather bring a folder that is just slightly longer as for me this feels more practical .

 

[santaman2000]

When I was still working on the flightline my EDC was a SAK in my pocket, a Leatherman on my belt, and a Buck 110 also on my belt. Not in rotation but rather all 3 together. When I worked as a patrol deputy I dropped the Leatherman. Now that I'm retired, my EDC is a SAK in my pocket, a Khukri under the back seat of the truck, and the Buck 110 in the center console.

No, none of these are for defense. That role is reserved for a rotation of firearms.

 

[Ivan...]

Since a young boy , i have carried my dads small bone handled pocket knife , it just seems natural for everyday stuff, but since getting into bushcraft its a mora on my belt, in a sheath worth 3 times more than the knife ! but you feel uncomfortable when you forget , nipping to our local shop etc, something that never happens with a small folder in your pocket.
I tried an opinel for a while , but since the law change , locking and all that jazz, its now confined to the drawer.

A funny sight , Mayobushcraft, came with me to our local co/op , and forgot himself for a moment , head to toe in real tree, with a big knife hanging from his belt , stinking of fire smoke, also he is a big fella, and American, caused quite a stir with customers and staff alike , but to put the silenced ensemble at ease as he left the shop , he turned around and said " Ya all have a nice day now! " you had to be there !!

 

[Thenihilist]

I've got a SAK Huntsman which i think is the same as you Samon but i primarily use the larger blade, a knife is primarily a slicing tool so i feel the longer blade works better, if the small blade locked however i would probably use it more.

Also it's easier to pull the big blade out with your teeth which helps when you need to hold something.

 

[Soundmixer]

My Case Peanut in CV is with me every time I leave the house. That and my Victorinox Rally on my keyring.
Even in the woods with either my Alox Farmer, Mora, or some other fixed blade, I still carry the Peanut and use it for most tasks. With practise you can pinch the blade and
open it one handed. The main blade gets most use with the wee blade kept as a scalpel.

My Alox Farmer is my next go to knife, not because the blade is right at the legal limit, but because it is just so damned handy. The blade is just superb, thicker than standard
and takes a great edge. Add the saw and the awl and we have a winner.

I very rarely carry a fixed blade these days and seem more reliant on good folders. My toolbox for work has a Huntsman as it's main blade. The saw is great for plasterboard!

Cheers

 

[spandit]

Still waiting for my GIOT Spyderco Bug so can't say how useful it is yet...

 

[sasquatch]

I like small blades. A bit of knowledge goes a long way when using them.

 

[Highbinder]

that's a fixed blade right?

Yes, it's my hiking knife. AFAIU the law here I should be able to carry it legally but theres' really no point in the city so I just carry my UKPK like in the UK,,

 

[pauljm116]

I've got a spyderco grasshopper on my keyring, the blade is a bit over 2" and I find it gets more use than my other edc blades (fallkniven u1 and occasionally sak huntsman or leatherman wave), I find smaller blades safer and easier to use and having one on my keys means its usually the first one I reach for.

 

[Samon]

That's interesting because after reading several threads on britishblades regarding peoples choices on EDC knives it certainly seems like the biggest blade legally possible was very important to some.

Maybe it's due to the nature of the site being specifically knife orientated.

It seems here that alot don't actually mind being close or far from the 3" mark.

 

[3bears]

shameless ESSE Izula carrier here, it's small ant practical, probably my favourite knife

 

[Soundmixer]

That's interesting because after reading several threads on britishblades regarding peoples choices on EDC knives it certainly seems like the biggest blade legally possible was very important to some.

Maybe it's due to the nature of the site being specifically knife orientated.

It seems here that alot don't actually mind being close or far from the 3" mark.

One blade just under 2" and the other just over 1 1/4" do me just fine. It was never about it being a weapon, or having something to show off as I whipped it out, or looking
tacki-cool, it was all about having something REALLY sharp that did the job and didn't wear holes in your pockets.

I'm old, set in my ways and brought up right. It also raises less eyebrows which is never a bad thing.
I do love a good slipjoint!

 

[bdshim]

i carry and leatherman wave with me everyday and find it very usefull,

 

[Samon]

One blade just under 2" and the other just over 1 1/4" do me just fine. It was never about it being a weapon, or having something to show off as I whipped it out, or looking
tacki-cool, it was all about having something REALLY sharp that did the job and didn't wear holes in your pockets.

I'm old, set in my ways and brought up right. It also raises less eyebrows which is never a bad thing.
I do love a good slipjoint!

I feel the same way!

and guess my question is only really relevant when talking about folding legal edc knives and not fixed or locking blades.

 

[Magentus]

Like you Samon, my EDC at the mo is a SAK Huntsman. I like the longer blade for food prep (I use it both at home and at work where the knives are dangerously dull). I use the screw drivers, saw, scissors, tin opener and toothpick every day, and am using the small blade more and more for unpicking stitching for clothes/boot repairs for which it's very useful.

I love the Huntsman - the only improvement would be a chunkier Alox version, with a proper awl (like on the Soldier/Farmer) but you can't have everything can you?

 

[Harvestman]

I like small blades, especially stubby fixed blades. Got a few skinner types used a neck knives, but only used when on a clear 'camping' trip, so that I have a good reason for carrying it. I use a Raikey necker as a short blade for carving off the stubs on woodturned bowls.

I'm now considering a spyderco Honeybee as a keyring knife.