james terrio
Sharpest Knife in the Light Socket
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2010
- Messages
- 22,618
Let's discuss when and why to use Large, Medium or Small knives. For the sake of clarity, I'll define them as follows:
Small - blade 4" or less
Medium - blade 4.5"-8"
Large - blade 8" or greater
SMALL
Generally speaking, I find myself using small blades much more often than any other, and most of the knife-using public does as well. They're just so darn handy... lightweight, easy to carry, and agile in the hand. You can lay your forefinger right down the spine for precise work, and it feels like you just have a very sharp finger. They don't attract a lot of attention, and
in most places in the USA (please consult your local laws/regulations/policies), knives with blades 4" or less are legal to carry as long as they're not concealed or double-edged.
Small knives don't get in the way when cleaning fish and game, doing most food-prep or whittling.
They don't chop very well, obviously - they simply don't have the length to generate good leverage and tip-speed. But by utilizing efficient snap-cuts you can clear the twigs and small branches off a limb quite quickly. A well-constructed small fixed-blade can also handle much larger jobs than we might think. With a bit of care, you can baton a small knife either across-grain or along the grain to process wood.
A client recently asked me for tips on batonning with a small-medium knife, and I simply said, "Don't try to baton a section that's wider than the blade is long. It'll get stuck "
For instance, if you need to split down a 6" diameter log into kindling with a 4" blade, there's no need to cut straight across the middle of it. Just work around the perimeter, turning a circle into a stop sign... then work on those "corners" and so forth. Same goes for cutting thick wood to length - just cut around the circumference until you have a notch all the way around and the core is small enough to break.
It's my firm belief that everyone should have at least one good 3-4" fixed-blade knife. They're just so handy and useful that I would hate to ever be without one.
MEDIUM
Mid-size knives are a bit trickier, but still extremely popular. While they aren't quite as handy as small knives, and certainly not as powerful as large ones, they do offer a great deal of versatility. This is especially important to many survivalists, outdoorspeople, and other folks who prefer to carry one do-it-all cutting implement on their person, and leave more cumbersome tools like axes and saws in their vehicle or at the cabin or campsite.
I find that 5-7" blades are a tiny bit cumbersome for tasks like making a sandwich or letting the insides out of a fish. But they certainly work! Likewise, they don't have the power of a large blade, but they offer increased reach and leverage for rougher jobs like wood processing or clearing brush. Medium knives do heavy work better than small knives, and light work better than large knives.
Medium knives are still quite comfortable for most people to carry. Some folks like "dangler" style sheaths for medium knives, so the knife can pivot out of the way when they sit down.
LARGE
When you need to do some serious chopping or slashing, there's really no substitute for a large blade. You just don't get the leverage and tip speed required for real efficiency with blades less than 8". 9" is much better and a 10" or 11" blade can be remarkably powerful - sometimes out-performing much heavier hatchets and axes.
Big knives do not have to be cumbersome or heavy! With smart design and attention paid to balance, a 9" or 10" blade can be impressively nimble - far more so than any hatchet or axe. Tapered blades and tangs really become important on big knives, removing a good deal of weight and more importantly, improving balance. A big knife that's balanced too far forward quickly becomes tiresome to use, while one that's balanced properly is easier to control, much more comfortable over long periods, and makes up for any loss of inertia/power with greater speed.
With a little forethought and good sheath design, even a small person can comfortably carry a big knife. Danglers are a popular choice again, and some folks simply carry them the way people have for centuries - tucked inside their belt instead of hanging from it.
The big knife may be the true Queen of the ChessBoard when it comes to across-the-board versatility, especially in a survival situation. As has often been said, "a big knife can do anything a small one can do, and can do things small and medium knives can't".
I like, own, use and enjoy knives in all three basic sizes. I carry a 4" SideKick pretty much constantly, and when heading out to the yard or woods I add a large knife for more strenuous work. But I also restrict myself to only a medium knife sometimes, because they're fun and useful, too
Small - blade 4" or less
Medium - blade 4.5"-8"
Large - blade 8" or greater
SMALL
Generally speaking, I find myself using small blades much more often than any other, and most of the knife-using public does as well. They're just so darn handy... lightweight, easy to carry, and agile in the hand. You can lay your forefinger right down the spine for precise work, and it feels like you just have a very sharp finger. They don't attract a lot of attention, and
in most places in the USA (please consult your local laws/regulations/policies), knives with blades 4" or less are legal to carry as long as they're not concealed or double-edged.
Small knives don't get in the way when cleaning fish and game, doing most food-prep or whittling.
They don't chop very well, obviously - they simply don't have the length to generate good leverage and tip-speed. But by utilizing efficient snap-cuts you can clear the twigs and small branches off a limb quite quickly. A well-constructed small fixed-blade can also handle much larger jobs than we might think. With a bit of care, you can baton a small knife either across-grain or along the grain to process wood.
A client recently asked me for tips on batonning with a small-medium knife, and I simply said, "Don't try to baton a section that's wider than the blade is long. It'll get stuck "
For instance, if you need to split down a 6" diameter log into kindling with a 4" blade, there's no need to cut straight across the middle of it. Just work around the perimeter, turning a circle into a stop sign... then work on those "corners" and so forth. Same goes for cutting thick wood to length - just cut around the circumference until you have a notch all the way around and the core is small enough to break.
It's my firm belief that everyone should have at least one good 3-4" fixed-blade knife. They're just so handy and useful that I would hate to ever be without one.
MEDIUM
Mid-size knives are a bit trickier, but still extremely popular. While they aren't quite as handy as small knives, and certainly not as powerful as large ones, they do offer a great deal of versatility. This is especially important to many survivalists, outdoorspeople, and other folks who prefer to carry one do-it-all cutting implement on their person, and leave more cumbersome tools like axes and saws in their vehicle or at the cabin or campsite.
I find that 5-7" blades are a tiny bit cumbersome for tasks like making a sandwich or letting the insides out of a fish. But they certainly work! Likewise, they don't have the power of a large blade, but they offer increased reach and leverage for rougher jobs like wood processing or clearing brush. Medium knives do heavy work better than small knives, and light work better than large knives.
Medium knives are still quite comfortable for most people to carry. Some folks like "dangler" style sheaths for medium knives, so the knife can pivot out of the way when they sit down.
LARGE
When you need to do some serious chopping or slashing, there's really no substitute for a large blade. You just don't get the leverage and tip speed required for real efficiency with blades less than 8". 9" is much better and a 10" or 11" blade can be remarkably powerful - sometimes out-performing much heavier hatchets and axes.
Big knives do not have to be cumbersome or heavy! With smart design and attention paid to balance, a 9" or 10" blade can be impressively nimble - far more so than any hatchet or axe. Tapered blades and tangs really become important on big knives, removing a good deal of weight and more importantly, improving balance. A big knife that's balanced too far forward quickly becomes tiresome to use, while one that's balanced properly is easier to control, much more comfortable over long periods, and makes up for any loss of inertia/power with greater speed.
With a little forethought and good sheath design, even a small person can comfortably carry a big knife. Danglers are a popular choice again, and some folks simply carry them the way people have for centuries - tucked inside their belt instead of hanging from it.
The big knife may be the true Queen of the ChessBoard when it comes to across-the-board versatility, especially in a survival situation. As has often been said, "a big knife can do anything a small one can do, and can do things small and medium knives can't".
I like, own, use and enjoy knives in all three basic sizes. I carry a 4" SideKick pretty much constantly, and when heading out to the yard or woods I add a large knife for more strenuous work. But I also restrict myself to only a medium knife sometimes, because they're fun and useful, too
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