XL knives to look forward to

[Naperville]

The topic at hand is, "XL knives to look forward to" not sub 3 inch blades and I an defending the XL blades with reasons why an XL blade is important and highly desirable.

a self defense blade becomes way more effective the longer/larger the blade is(to the extent). But doesn’t necessarily mean a knife design with a blade over 4 inches is always better than a knife design with sub 3” blade for self defense purposes, or sub 3” blades can’t be designed for self defense. Not everybody wants or can carry knives that large but still are mindful of a tactical self defense blade as an option.

First, I'm willing to hand you a 1 inch to sub 3 inch wooden dowel and then spar with you to prove my point. In every case where a a 4 to 5 inch wooden dowel is used in sparring I'll stand father back. This is common sense but YOU NEED THE DRILL TO PROVE IT.

I'll punch you in the face and kick you in the knee as you try to stick me with a smaller wooden dowel.

What do you think is going to happen when we exchange the wooden dowel with a knife? SAME EXACT THING. You need the longer blade. How long? Well we are assuming combatives here not true escrima ranges which are 18 to 24 inch ranges. So yes there is a maximum and it might be around a 6 to 7 inch blade.

Sub 3 inch? ForgetAboutIt! You will be taken apart and lose the battle.

Second, I'm not Neo in the Matrix or John Wick. This is real life. DO THE DRILL and you will see. A 4 to 5 inch FOLDER is what we are talking about and in self defense, everywhere that I can think of the larger knife blade is better than a sub 3 inch blade.

[Tristan_david2001]

The topic at hand is, "XL knives to look forward to" not sub 3 inch blades and I an defending the XL blades with reasons why an XL blade is important and highly desirable.

a self defense blade becomes way more effective the longer/larger the blade is(to the extent). But doesn’t necessarily mean a knife design with a blade over 4 inches is always better than a knife design with sub 3” blade for self defense purposes, or sub 3” blades can’t be designed for self defense. Not everybody wants or can carry knives that large but still are mindful of a tactical self defense blade as an option.

First, I'm willing to hand you a 1 inch to sub 3 inch wooden dowel and then spar with you to prove my point. In every case where a a 4 to 5 inch wooden dowel is used in sparring I'll stand father back. This is common sense but YOU NEED THE DRILL TO PROVE IT.

I'll punch you in the face and kick you in the knee as you try to stick me with a smaller wooden dowel.

What do you think is going to happen when we exchange the wooden dowel with a knife? SAME EXACT THING. You need the longer blade. How long? Well we are assuming combatives here not true escrima ranges which are 18 to 24 inch ranges. So yes there is a maximum and it might be around a 6 to 7 inch blade.

Sub 3 inch? ForgetAboutIt! You will be taken apart and lose the battle.

Second, I'm not Neo in the Matrix or John Wick. This is real life. DO THE DRILL and you will see. A 4 to 5 inch FOLDER is what we are talking about and in self defense, everywhere that I can think of the larger knife blade is better than a sub 3 inch blade.

There’s no sparring match required, maybe try rereading what I wrote to you. I said a self defense blade becomes more effective the larger it is. but I’m saying not every knife is tied to size and effectiveness to self defense the same way. There’s several factors in the design that make a knife specialized for self defense or specialize in any other kinds of cutting work. This xl knives thread isn’ talking about knives that specifically are designed In mind for self defense and that’s not the only reason to carry a larger knife

[Stas]

I heard you can even chop up an apple with one of those XL knives, man!

[Naperville]

... This xl knives thread isn’ talking about knives that specifically are designed In mind for self defense and that’s not the only reason to carry a larger knife

I agree 100%! But you will note that he said nobody needed a knife over 3 inches in blade length for self defense. That is what I was responding to.

[derangedhermit]

I’ve been off the coal face a bit when it comes to new models from Spyderco. Are there any XL (~4 inch or larger) models on the horizon?

If "on the horizon" means Spyderco has publicly committed to produce, I think the answer is "no". Several possibilities have been discussed. I would very much like to be corrected if I am mistaken.

[HawkinsID]

As far as deadly knife use is concerned, knife vs. knife is extremely rare. Most knife use is a sewing machine style surprise attack. A knife is an assassination weapon.

The need for a larger knife so you can out distance the smaller knife just doesn't happen in the real world.

[vivi]

I like big folding knives because my hands are big and small folding knives are small.

How bout you?

[Cycletroll]

I like big folding knives because my hands are big and small folding knives are small.

How bout you?

I'm 6'3" tall with large hands. A 4" blade feels like an appropriate sized pocket knife to me.

[Stas]

I like big folding knives because my hands are big and small folding knives are small.

How bout you?

Medium hands here. I like big folding knives because they fit my use better (cut some apple for a kid etc)

[James Y]

I’m only 5’ 9” in my bare feet (5’ 10” to 5’ 11” in my walking shoes), and large folders fit me just fine. I like ‘em all…2.5”, 3”, 3.5”, 4” blade lengths. I prefer Spyderco’s large folders over those from another company(s), that feel clunky to me in comparison to the Spydercos.

Jim

[derangedhermit]

I like big folding knives because my hands are big and small folding knives are small.

How bout you?

Me too. XXL gloves. Not thick hands, just large. Opening, using, and closing most knives is tedious, requires the use of fine motions, and is less sure.

When trying to use most folding knives I feel like a giant Shriner on one of the little scooters they (used to) ride in parade patterns. It's just ridiculously out of proportion.

Spyderco is actually among the best in offering a variety of sizes, and the opening hole is a blessing to big hands, especially when on the larger side and clear of the handle.

[Naperville]

As far as deadly knife use is concerned, knife vs. knife is extremely rare. Most knife use is a sewing machine style surprise attack. A knife is an assassination weapon.

The need for a larger knife so you can out distance the smaller knife just doesn't happen in the real world.

[EDITED] I have used a knife twice for self defense; a crowbar, a bat and a SHARPENED PENCIL each once. I have lived on the South Side of Chicago on and off for 25+ years. I have had to deal with several gangs, Latin Kings, 29th Street Bishops, 42 Boyz, and 43rd Street Boys, and they are serious gangs that use handguns, are involved in drug dealing/consumption, grand theft auto, burglary, you name it they probably do it.

I never said anything about knife vs knife duels, or larger vs smaller knife. I carry a knife because I am trained to use a knife and it is my weapon of choice.

Most prison attacks are sewing machine style, and it is because the weapon they are using is shaped like an ice-pick. Most large cities in the USA follow a prison culture so it follows that they use sewing machine style attacks. All of the guys that I studied escrima, arnis and kali with and that were serious students continuously study anatomy charts and target major blood vessels in the human body, and they do not do sewing machine style attacks....and that is how the coroner is going to find you, and determine that you were taken out by an expert and not an amateur.

A knife is handier than a baseball bat with spikes on the barrel of the bat, that is why I carry a knife. I do not think knives are designed or used explicitly for assassination.

This forum reaches a global audience. I am in the USA and I refuse to live somewhere where I am unable to apply deadly force to save my life.

[wrdwrght]

you must be new here

If this comment was directed at me, know that I laughed out loud.

[Naperville]

I’m only 5’ 9” in my bare feet (5’ 10” to 5’ 11” in my walking shoes), and large folders fit me just fine. I like ‘em all…2.5”, 3”, 3.5”, 4” blade lengths. I prefer Spyderco’s large folders over those from another company(s), that feel clunky to me in comparison to the Spydercos.

Jim

I have many smaller knives too, but I don't carry them and I never sold any of them off. I carried them mostly when I worked in Chicago in the evenings (5PM to 5AM) installing computers. Are they useful? They are better than nothing.

Gets kind of lonely walking around Downtown Chicago at 2AM, and I am really glad that I stopped that job in 2017/2018. It is more dangerous in Downtown Chicago now than it has been in quite a while and the bangers are very dangerous. You might be walking down the sidewalk in broad daylight and 2 to 4 armed guys jump out of a car and demand everything you've got. I'd give them everything, but you may still be shot.

I left Chicago and was taking the Metra Train to Downtown Chicago for a year or more. I left Chicago in 2016 after my large Chevrolet Express Cargo Van was sideswiped at 40MPH and 60MPH, and then I was threatened to be shot by a gang of 5 guys for walking on a sidewalk to my Drs office at 47th and Halsted.

Life can be very unpleasant, and I have enough to deal with so I left Chicago. My family has had $650,000 tied up in 2 properties, paying taxes and water bills, and at times looking for renters....going on 5 years now and they have been empty so we are selling ASAP.

[wrdwrght]

The topic at hand is, "XL knives to look forward to" not sub 3 inch blades and I an defending the XL blades with reasons why an XL blade is important and highly desirable.

C’mon man, you don’t see that your comments derailed the conversation?

[JoviAl]

I like big folding knives because my hands are big and small folding knives are small.

How bout you?

I love that photo!

I wear a size large glove so I generally find the handles on larger folders a bit big and clunky, but I prefer/need a larger blade for cutting up larger objects. I prefer a 5-6inch (or larger) fixed blade with a relatively small handle, but walking around with one is an exercise in inventive discreet storage solutions. I’ve often wondered if a cam could be integrated into the blade pivot, facilitating a shorter handle on a longer blade (with the lock contact surface protruding a bit out of the end of the knife whilst closed)

Funnily enough I was preparing some big pineapples with my Caribbean Leaf SE yesterday to roast on an open fire with some kids, and found myself wishing it was an inch longer in the blade. It did the job eventually, but it was a bit of a mess having to pry it open and cut deeper repeatedly. In hindsight a chef’s knife would be preferable but I didn’t have one at work with me

[HawkinsID]

Hello Naperville. I am not trying to be argumentative. You sound like you have lived in some tough areas. I have done a little Sayok Kali. I agree that trained people target vital areas. My point is that a blade on blade fight by trained fighters is as rare as being abducted by aliens. Most knife attacks are surprise attacks by an untrained attacker against a victim who does not have a weapon deployed.

That being said, a regular guys best hope is to have the hand to hand skills to delay or stop the ambush so that he can produce a superior weapon (Handgun). BYW - a very very hard thing to do.

I have 15 years of karate and 20 years of BJJ and I am not confident I can stop a determined knife attacker that caught me by surprise.

P.S.

[Steeltoez83]

At bladeshow this year I spent a few minutes checking out the prototype case. There was a decent amount of xl prototypes to view. All of them looked nice but the 4 inch caly stood out to me. I decided that would be my next xl spydie when it launches.

[Naperville]

>> >> XL knives to look forward to

Sal said he would draw up 3.5" and 4" versions, over in the LT3LW thread.

Can you supply the link to Sal’s mention of larger LT3LWs? I haven’t found the reference.

If it help you with visualization:)
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=93427&start=80#p1670204

Thanks. Now I remember Sal saying what he did.

I inferred that larger LT3LWs would be years away, not simply because he had yet to picture them, but also because his chosen maker had found the existing LT3/LT3LWs a challenge to make and might not welcome larger versions.

In short, I found little reason to hold my breath.

Indeed, Sal’s idea for a sub-3” SD-capable knife first shipped over two decades ago. It took the shape it did partly for legal carry in restricted jurisdictions and partly to offer particular martial arts with a compact tool of considerable strength.

In short, with the LT1-3’s use-case so well-researched and tightly-tailored, I wonder who besides us forumites is looking for larger versions. I’m actually quite content with LTs as they are, but my curiosity always gets the better of me.

...

The topic at hand is, "XL knives to look forward to" not sub 3 inch blades and I an defending the XL blades with reasons why an XL blade is important and highly desirable.

C’mon man, you don’t see that your comments derailed the conversation?

You started the derailment, and I made it worse but I stayed on the topic of XL knives.

Glad the discussion happened in General because so few read the martial arts threads in Off Topic. There are a lot more educated people now regarding XL knives and why 4 to 5 inch blades rock in self defense scenarios.

[aicolainen]

I like big folding knives because my hands are big and small folding knives are small.

How bout you?

I wear large sized gloves, but only because I have longish fingers. My grip footprint is more like a medium size, maybe even in the lower end of that.
For my typical use (EDC) I like small folding knives that carries easy and offer great precision and tip control, so luckily that preference pairs well with my hand size.
There are some use cases where more blade is useful, so I've become more openminded with regards to larger folding knives over the years.
When you need more blade, excess handle is part of the deal and it's a worthwhile tradeoff in those situations.
I can't say that all of the mid size to larger Spydercos work really well for me ergonomically and I often find that e.g. BM has more neutral handles that works better for me in the 3"+ range, but I still choose Spyderco 99% of the time for all the other things they get right.
And there are some shining exceptions, e.g. the S2XL (that I still only have in G-10). It could definitely fit a larger hand, but the curves are so gentle and placed such that it feels just right, even in my smallish grip. I never thought I could like a large folding knife this much.