Optimum blade length ; What's YOUR'S?

[AllenETreat]

To : ALL -

MORE REDUNDANCY! O.K., what's YOUR

"optimum" blade length? I can "squeak"

by with a Cricket -or- Toad's ( under

2"<img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>) but, as I'm with these wolves in

"The spitshine State" I gotta "up the

ante"& carry the SE Merlin ( under 3"<img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>)

What say the augerers?


-AET





Edited by - AllenETreat on 2/27/2003 2:48:04 PM

[vampyrewolf]

It depends on my intended use. 5" for kitchen, 4" for daily use, 2" for whittling and trimming toys.

I get enough odd looks carrying a 4" fixed, that I make 4" work.

My Word, My Honour, is my Life.

[Blade Santa Cruz]

Optimum? For What??

The 7" blade on my Simonich MidTech Raven is ideal for camp use; the 1.5 in blade on my Spyderco Kiwi is perfect as a gent's knife.

[4 s ter]

Allen

Since "optimum", according to Webster is "the amount or degree of something that is most favorable to some end" I would have to say that the optimum length depends upon the end to which I wish to put it. For fine carving the optimum would be short (i.e. <2&quot<img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>, for chopping firewood the optimum would be much longer (i.e. >6&quot<img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>. However, if I didn't want to be constantly changing knives or had to make do with only one, I would have to choose the length of the blade on my favorite EDC - the blue G-10 BladeForums Native with a blade length of slightly over 3". I guess you could call this my "optimum" for EDC <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

David

"Not all who wander are lost"

[Buzzbait]

Optimum blade length for me, for everyday carry, is somewhere between 3 1/2" and 4”. A few of my jobs and hobbies require a much smaller blade, but not many. If a job requires a longer blade, it usually means that I need to grab my axe.

I really like the Military, because I can choke up one the blade. Being able to choke up on a blade is almost like having two knives of different lengths.

[AllenETreat]

I guess I meant "optimum for general

use" as a blade for each individual

task seems to put Us in the league of

knife, bread knife, butter knife,

spoon, teaspoon, sugar spoon, fork,

etc. Only makes things more complicated

than they already are! Got it down to

small "paring" knife, fork & spoon, and

SE Merlin ( though you may critize me).

-AET

[Jeff/1911]

Allen,

Since receiving my Howard Viele in a recent trade I realixe that it is precisely the size I've always wanted in an EDC folder. Bigger than a Delica or Rookie, smaller than a Police, etc..another that (just about) fits into this category for me is the large Wegner.

Jeff/1911

[sven]

4+" for me. like the endura, millie, police, i'm looking at getting(someday) one of camillus' CUDA MAXX 5.5's. that would be sweet! take care all


grace and peace
sven

steel is unforgiving... sharp steel even more so

[ramlanrafie]

for me, plus minus 4 inch such as endura, military, police, bill moran etc

[street soldier]

I prefer smaller blades, in the 3" range, although for work I do carry a Military SE. I just got a Merlin PE, and I just love it. Perfect size and shaving sharp, right out of the box (as if that was a surprise). IMHO, a three inch blade doesn't draw the stares from sheeple as a longer one does, and seems to be more genuinely accepted without question. Just my opinion.

[ken]

Blade length huh!

Well being an upstanding citizen of California I wouldn't want to be in violation of any state law-

pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of, or Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of, the Government Code,) blah-blah-blah Any knife with a blade length in excess of four inches, the blade of which is fixed or is capable of being fixed in an unguarded position by the use of one or two hands.

bigger is better!!!!

ken

[Alan2112]

3 3/4" or 4" either one is best for me! RKBA!

[glockman99]

For a "utility folder", I like my Delica(s) with their around 3 inch-long blade.

For a "defensive/offensive folder", I like my SS Police model(s), with their 4&1/4 inch-long blade.

For a non-Spydie "defensive/offensive folder", I REALLY like my Cold Steel Vaquero Grande, as it has a 6 inch-long, fully serrated blade, and is 13 inches-long when open.

Dann Fassnacht Aberdeen, WA glockman99@hotmail.com ICQ: 53675663

[leroys_45]

For me, it's between 3 and 4". On a working knife (I used to do landscaping) 4" is great. But for the daily, mundane tasks of life I find about 3" to be very practical i.e. Native, Lil' Temp.

[J D Wijbenga]

To me for edc the optimum length is around "3.25. Like the Lum Chineese, my current and brilliant, edc.

[CKE]

Optimum would have to be three to four inches for EDC. The three inch gets less stares/glares from non-knife folk but sometimes four inches just covers more ground. I agree with Buzzbait on the Millie because you can choke up on it.

"everything else is just a jeep"

[bquinlan]

This obviously depends on the environment it will be used in and the tasks that are anticipated, but my optimum compromise for daily life falls into the 5" to 6" range. A blade that long, with a well-designed grip, can handle fine work with precision while providing enough length and strength for whatever heavy jobs come along.

My EDC is a Camillus CUDA Maxx 5.5" Bowie. I have yet to find a task too small for it and there are very few too large that don't reallyt call for power tools. <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

--Bob Q

http://www.october.com/knives/bob/

[dialex]

I frst read "optimum length; what's yours" and I thought it's off topic, so I prepared detailed descriptions and even a couple close pics <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0> but then I read "blade length" so I'll just tell that the optimal blade for me, considering the length and the thickness, which also is important IMO, is the Delica's. The perfect companion for me.

<marquee loop=infinite ><a href="http://users.pcnet.ro/dialex"><font color=blue>(my page)</font></a></marquee>

[Sword and Shield]

I like 3+, around a Trapper/Lrg. Stockman length. For Uni-carry, I stick with a Mouse as my requisite <img src="spyder.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>, then a SAK or Case as backup.

Never underestimate the impossible.