Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

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SC_PATRIOT
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Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#1

Post by SC_PATRIOT »

Someone had posted this comment here a few months ago regarding the movement to smaller knives for general use and EDC. I believe that is definitely happening. Several years ago I was a ZT guy and lugged around 6.4 ozs everyday. I came back around to Spyderco and that is all I have but it isn't just because of my needs. It is my wants. I want a lighter knife in the pocket with a good blade steel. Guess my Para 3 purchase a few days ago confirmed these thoughts hence I said I would never buy a para 3.
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#2

Post by SC_PATRIOT »

I agree with you on your comments completely. I also boast 4+ Manix XLs and 8 PM2s in my inventory. At work is where I tend to sport the smaller blades as well.
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#3

Post by The Meat man »

SC_PATRIOT wrote:
Tue Apr 03, 2018 5:37 pm
Someone had posted this comment here a few months ago regarding the movement to smaller knives for general use and EDC. I believe that is definitely happening. Several years ago I was a ZT guy and lugged around 6.4 ozs everyday. I came back around to Spyderco and that is all I have but it isn't just because of my needs. It is my wants. I want a lighter knife in the pocket with a good blade steel. Guess my Para 3 purchase a few days ago confirmed these thoughts hence I said I would never buy a para 3.

For me, a 3" blade is good enough for my uses. More important than blade length, to me, is a slim profile and design so that it can slip into my pocket and not be noticed. I also appreciate the lightweight knives.

Did you get one of the Maxamet PM3's?
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#4

Post by bdblue »

I migrated the other way- from 3" blade to 3.5" minimum (4" maximum).
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#5

Post by SC_PATRIOT »

The Meat man wrote:
Tue Apr 03, 2018 5:56 pm
SC_PATRIOT wrote:
Tue Apr 03, 2018 5:37 pm
Someone had posted this comment here a few months ago regarding the movement to smaller knives for general use and EDC. I believe that is definitely happening. Several years ago I was a ZT guy and lugged around 6.4 ozs everyday. I came back around to Spyderco and that is all I have but it isn't just because of my needs. It is my wants. I want a lighter knife in the pocket with a good blade steel. Guess my Para 3 purchase a few days ago confirmed these thoughts hence I said I would never buy a para 3.

For me, a 3" blade is good enough for my uses. More important than blade length, to me, is a slim profile and design so that it can slip into my pocket and not be noticed. I also appreciate the lightweight knives.

Did you get one of the Maxamet PM3's?
Yes. National Knives had some on Monday. Snagged one up and it'll be my first para 3.
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#6

Post by JaseRicco »

The Meat man wrote:
Tue Apr 03, 2018 5:56 pm
SC_PATRIOT wrote:
Tue Apr 03, 2018 5:37 pm
Someone had posted this comment here a few months ago regarding the movement to smaller knives for general use and EDC. I believe that is definitely happening. Several years ago I was a ZT guy and lugged around 6.4 ozs everyday. I came back around to Spyderco and that is all I have but it isn't just because of my needs. It is my wants. I want a lighter knife in the pocket with a good blade steel. Guess my Para 3 purchase a few days ago confirmed these thoughts hence I said I would never buy a para 3.
For me, a 3" blade is good enough for my uses. More important than blade length, to me, is a slim profile and design so that it can slip into my pocket and not be noticed. I also appreciate the lightweight knives.
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#7

Post by Eli Chaps »

clovehitch wrote:
Tue Apr 03, 2018 5:43 pm
It looks like most people these days want a very small, lightweight knife with a thin blade.

I'll be sticking with my militaries. I'm also fine with a manix 2 XL, Police, Endura, or shaman. Pm2 is too small, Tatanka is too big.
I don't know if it is accurate to say "these days". I get your sentiment and am not poking at ya at all but just saying that I grew up with small thin folders. When I was a kid you more or less had traditional folder "pocket" knives and Buck 110's (and the various knockoffs). Swiss Army Knives were around but next to no one I knew had one. I grew up with outdoorsmen and blue collar folks so there wasn't a lack of knives. If you said "pocket knife" everyone knew you meant a one, two, or three bladed slip joint knife. These were by and large, thin, slicey knives that cut apples, rooted out slivers and scraped battery posts when necessary. For "serious" work, you had a 110 or more likely, a fixed blade. That's just how it was. Steel choices and such all played a role in the design selection for a task.

Today we are in a knife-world that offers amazing choices. From construction to steels, this is an incredible time to be a knife nut. And there's been quite an explosion of options and design concepts as this wave has swept over us. These advancements came almost right in line with the internet so that has played a big part in the diversity too. It is all awesome!

All that said, I think for day-in and day-out tasks, aka EDC, smaller thinner knives still win the day for a lot of people. I think many of us like thinner blades for the slicing as that is so much of what we do with our EDC. I like a handy, smaller blade for a lot of reasons, but sadly, these days, one of them is all too often, the work environment. I freaking love my M2LW but when I pull it out it raises eyebrows. So I find myself carrying the Chap LW because it is more "approachable" I reckon. But it handles all the EDC tasks I need of it.

There will always be those with more task-specific requirements but I have never understood the thick blade pocket knife allure. It might look cool but knives are for slicing.

Anyway, just my opinion and worth just as much as that is worth. :)
Last edited by Eli Chaps on Wed Apr 04, 2018 7:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#8

Post by Bdubs808 »

My first Spyderco was a Dragonfly 2, amazing ergonomic smaller knife that just rules. The Ladybug and Manbug somehow work in my large hands as well. The Chaparral and Delica are about as small as I go these days though. I live in a State with reasonable knife laws, so even though I like the smaller blades, I actually prefer to carry a PM2 or Millie, or even a Szabo on occasion.
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#9

Post by Eli Chaps »

clovehitch wrote:
Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:40 pm
Admittedly, I have specific atypical uses I subject my knives to which adjusts my expectations. Is a military really a thick blade to you? I prefer a blade long enough to cut thick rope effectively. It doesn't matter how good your blade geometry is, a small blade will not excel at cutting thick rope. I also like blade length simply because thats more edge to work with. Generally speaking, it will take longer for a longer blade to dull (I also value high edge retention steel).
Please understand, in no way was I meaning to be judgmental of any of our knife preferences! I think the Military is a great example of a thin-bladed knife that is meant to slice.

I was just pointing out that I think there is a long history of preferring thin, and in a lot of cases, small, pocket knives so it isn't surprising to see it resurfacing. They just work well for general EDC. But by all means, I love long slicey blades and if I could carry mine more I would. But that's quite a bit different from the thick-spined offerings so prevalent out there.
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#10

Post by vivi »

I have no interest in folding knives smaller than an Endura / Pacific Salt. Between that and the Police is my favorite size range for folders.

With fixed blades I like small blades because they carry better, but due to the folding nature of a folder, carrying a large blade is really easy. Never had any raised eyebrows in my years of carrying Millies, Police, etc.

Built to be light and thin, I find them plenty easy to carry. Pacific Salts in FFG should be around 2.8oz I'd imagine, real excited for those. I'd also like to try a Catcherman for EDC.
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#11

Post by sal »

Hi Schpyder,

Welcome to our forum.

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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#12

Post by kitanis »


All that said, I think for day-in and day-out tasks, aka EDC, smaller thinner knives still win the day for a lot of people. I think many of us like thinner blades for the slicing as that is so much of what we do with our EDC. I like handy, smaller blade for a lot of reasons, but sadly, these days, one of them is all too often, the work environment. I freaking love my M2LW but when I pull it out it raises eyebrows. So I find myself carrying the Chap LW because it is more "approachable" I reckon. But it handles all the EDC tasks I need of it.

Never had anyone go nuts around me when I pull out my Manix2 LW's..

But I do have a Native5 LW and an Efficient or a Byrd Crow2 for those times when I think a "smaller is better" blade is needed. I guess it is all in perspective. :)
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#13

Post by elena86 »

I was conditioned to carry small blades mostly because of my urban life style but little by little they grew in me and I learned that some 2.5 inchers can punch way above their size if you know what you’re doing. Until 2-3 years ago I totally overlooked the Urban and now, it’s one of my most treasured edc. I also learned that the lack of a lock doesn’t bother me at all. My beloved K390 Urban and the LW Chaparral are all I need for my city mundane tasks. They’re compact, lw, with slicey thin behind the edge blades, a joy to carry and use. As a side note, I allways carry some teeth in my LRP just in case, and those teeth are sometimes in a hawkbill shape :D
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#14

Post by Evil D »

I do think we're slowly moving away from the sharpened pry bar folder craze, even the companies who were more or less built around those knives are moving over to better slicing knives. Size wise though I seem to have gone from 2.5-3 inch to 3.5-4 inch. Once you really adjust to carrying and using a Military, a Native feels down right stubby.
Last edited by Evil D on Wed Apr 04, 2018 9:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#15

Post by MichaelScott »

I don’t think “we” are moving toward any one kind or design of knife. Look at the Spyderco catalog for example. Are there predominantly small knives with thin blades? I’d say no. I’d say there is a plethora of knives, large, medium, small, thick, thin and some “bubble butts” as the Deacon said. This is as it should be because the buying public supports that wide variety of knives. I like my Chaparral FRN, but if I was setting out to butcher a hog, it wouldn’t be my first, second or third choice. Going into a dangerous place where I may need a knife to protect myself, I’m going for a Yojimbo not a Manbug. Do I want a Military in my blood-soaked kayak? Probably not.

Need (requirements of the job) drives the design for most of us. Our son is going to work in downtown San Francisco. Do I go visit him with my PM2 clipped to my back pocket? Probably not. I will likely have my Roadie and Chaparral in my pockets.
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#16

Post by soulspy »

The Lil Native with the compression lock has become my new favorite. Someone else mentioned it might be actually closer to a Lil Shaman because it is actually a stout little blade with full steel liners. It's very capable for a small knife. Also just picked up a Vrango, so you could say I'm favoring small knives right now too.
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#17

Post by Evil D »

MichaelScott wrote:
Wed Apr 04, 2018 8:37 am
I don’t think “we” are moving toward any one kind or design of knife. Look at the Spyderco catalog for example. Are there predominantly small knives with thin blades? I’d say no. I’d say there is a plethora of knives, large, medium, small, thick, thin and some “bubble butts” as the Deacon said. This is as it should be because the buying public supports that wide variety of knives. I like my Chaparral FRN, but if I was setting out to butcher a hog, it wouldn’t be my first, second or third choice. Going into a dangerous place where I may need a knife to protect myself, I’m going for a Yojimbo not a Manbug. Do I want a Military in my blood-soaked kayak? Probably not.

Need (requirements of the job) drives the design for most of us. Our son is going to work in downtown San Francisco. Do I go visit him with my PM2 clipped to my back pocket? Probably not. I will likely have my Roadie and Chaparral in my pockets.
Of course not all, but look at some popular second generation knives...the Techo 2 is coming with a thinner better slicing blade, the Chinook is slimmed down with a much more slicer oriented blade grind. Look at the average ZT knife from 5 years ago vs what they sell today. Companies will always try to cater to everyone but the trends are moving towards better performing blades.
Last edited by Evil D on Wed Apr 04, 2018 10:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#18

Post by bearfacedkiller »

When I was a kid my father and grandfather mostly carried small traditional knives. They had their Buck 110s for field use but day in and day out it was a SAK or a Stockman pattern pocket knife and I seem to remember that was the norm for most people. Then the modern folder was invented and many moved to larger pocket knives. I do agree that there is a trend towards smaller knives in current times but I would suggest that in many ways it is a migration back to smaller knives.

I myself mostly carry larger folders but often carry a smaller companion blade as well. If I can only carry one I carry the larger one.
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#19

Post by Calicoast »

California: pretty much EDC any knife that I want to, and never run in to any issues. My usual rotation being between my PM2's and my Pacific Salt.

But lately I have been giving this more thought, and don't need any problems. I have now switched over to a Para 3 as my EDC.

If I plan on going hiking, etc. I will bring a PM2 with me. If I am going to the beach or fishing in Mexico, I will bring my Pacific Salt. Last time I went camping to the Kern River, I used my SAK the entire time and didnt need a bigger knife.

I received my first PM3 in M390 last week. At first I didn't like it at all, seemed small to the PM2, and I overall prefer a longer blade. But having carried this for a week with a deep carry lynch clip, its growing on me, and really enjoying the smaller "big" knife. Little different blade shape, but sort of like a folding ESEE Izula 2.
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Re: Migration to smaller knives....didn't realize

#20

Post by wrdwrght »

Since joining this forum some six years ago, I have acquired a fair range of the sizes in which Spydie folders come (Tatanka down to several Ladybugs).

Curiosity (not always rational) drives my acquisitions, so I have been on the smaller side of my happy place (Manix2s and PM2s) from time to time, but with the arrival of a Police4 last September, I now spend much of the time using/fondling it, or my newer 204P Millie, or my older S90V Manix2 XL.

This sliding scale has me looking at my Manix2s and PM2s as smallish. :eek:
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