Best size knife for EDC. Your opinion

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Killtation

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Apr 3, 2013
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My opinion is that a medium to large folder is the best for EDC. My reasoning for this is:
Large blade can handle big tasks as well as small ones.
Harder to lose if you were to drop it/misplace it. If it were to fall out of your pocket, you would definitely notice.
Usually have larger handles, meaning a better, more firm grip.
More cutting edge so your whole blade won't get as dull as with a shorter blade with less cutting edge.
Generally more beefy construction. (in most cases)
Better for self-defense purposes, if necessary.

Some people much prefer smaller knives for EDC. They say:
"It does everything a bigger one does in a lighter, smaller package." Not quite, as noted above.
"It just disappears in your pocket" I don't my knife to be lost in my pocket or hard to draw from my pocket.
"You forget you even have it." I NEVER want to forget i have my knife. What if i assume I have it and I actually don't in a time of need?

I'm not criticizing anybody on what they carry. I have respect for every knife enthusiast. Whether they carry a 5 dollar flea market knife or a Zero Tolerance. (The former may get some friendly heckling, though.)

I am seriously curious as to what you guys think is the best size for an EDC knife and why? Blade length, handle size, weight, and overall size?

-Killtation
 
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I always found 3 inches to be too small and 4 to be decent but just a bit too large. 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 is perfect for me. My current EDC has a 3 1/8 inch modified tanto blade and I find it to be very good so maybe i should reconsider the 3 inchers.
 
Lately I've been going back and forth between a Sage1, PM2, and BM 710. One of them is my ideal size EDC. Maybe someday I'll figure out which. Maybe.
 
When I first started this hobby I was always looking at and purchasing 4 inch black blades. Now I've changed my ways, now I've been into 3 to 3 1/2 blades in satin or stonewashed, that seems to work for me.
 
3.25 - 3.5 inches for me.

I don't carry my knife for self defense, but if I had to defend myself, I'll be glad I have it.
 
For EDC anything from 2.5 to 3.25 is perfect.
My normal routine rarely includes self defense , Zombie killing, or outdoor tasks.
I see the larger blades as being more "recreational"
 
It depends on your goal(kinda). I like bigger folders because of the heftiness at hand plus when I pull out my knife I wanna make an impression that I like blades.
 
Veracious Coyote said:
When I first started this hobby I was always looking at and purchasing 4 inch black blades. Now I've changed my ways, now I've been into 3 to 3 1/2 blades in satin or stonewashed, that seems to work for me.
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Same here. My first "real" knife (Not a 1 dollar cheapie from Wal-mart) Was the Cold Steel Scimitar.
Beast of a folder. 4 inch VG-1 blade, titanium linerlock, thick Zy-Ex handles, and crazy sharp. Could shave with this knive, stab it through a car hood several times, do heavy cutting for a few days, and shave with it again. (I know from experience... yes.. i actually stabbed a car hood about a dozen times. Never lost a bit of sharpness in the tip)

Sadly it's now in an evidence locker at the local police station. (cries a single tear) Moved on to more reasonably sized blades after that.
 
I've used a slim premium stockman for well over thirty years as a literal every day carry, not just a figure of speech. It rides unobtrusively in the bottom of my pocket until I need it, and can be fished out by fingering it from the outside of my pocket without having to stick a dirty or wet hand in there. It is 3 9/16" closed length. I have found it capable of doing most any chore, including those I would prefer a fixed blade for, in a pinch. But to each his own I say.

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2.75 to 3.00 is the perfect range for me. It handles all of the cutting I need to do while out and about and doesn't weigh my pockets down. If I am working in the yard I will carry a larger folder or fixed blade with about a 4" blade, but I found that to be excessive out from the house.
 
I have blades ranging from 2-3.75 but i generally tend to carry 3-3.5. Works well for me and I don't ever feel like it's lacking.
 
Codger_64 said:
I've used a slim premium stockman for well over thirty years as a literal every day carry, not just a figure of speech. It rides unobtrusively in the bottom of my pocket until I need it, and can be fished out by fingering it from the outside of my pocket without having to stick a dirty or wet hand in there. It is 3 9/16" closed length. I have found it capable of doing most any chore, including those I would prefer a fixed blade for, in a pinch. But to each his own I say.

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I was never a fan of 3-blade knives like this. (Probably because i bite my nails down to the skin and have to open them with my teeth or another knife.) I do however EDC a cheapie in my back right pocket as a backup for my backup. You're absolutely right about it being unobtrusive. It fits perfectly below my wallet, is small, light, and i usually forget that i even have it. It's the only 3-blade i own but even though it's a few years old and a cheapie from Wal-mart, it was the first knife my father ever gave me. So it has some sentimental value to it. The fit and finish is perfection.

 
3 to 3.5", 7 to 8" overall works for me but I do have a few larger knives like the Millie that I love and carry regularly. That said I just ordered a Dragonfly so that I can have a small knife in my pocket as well as my regular EDC for those times when I am worried about I sending the NKP running for cover.

Knives that I find I EDC the most:

- CRK Sebenza 21 Large and Small Regular or Insingo
- Military all varieties but the G10 versions are pretty sweet
- ZT0550
- Domino
- Caly 3
- Benchmade 14205
- Native 5
- Manix 2
- Para2
 
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Found a picture of all of my old EDCs in my photobucket. I don't own any of these anymore, unfortunately. As you can see, i used that Scimitar HEAVILY, I beat the crap out of it. Stripped out the pocket clip screws, lost the thumb studs, stabbed so much stuff that i made a huge dent in the Titanium liner lock, wore ALL of the coating off the blade. It NEVER failed me, though. Disregard the Fixed-blade. Didn't EDC that, was more of eye-candy. Gave that one to my best friend on his birthday. We cut the cake with it.

 
I have a few backups of my favorite knife too if I should lose one, though I seldom do.
This display rack holds two dozen.
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Depends on what I'm wearing and where I'm going. In jeans, I tend to carry one larger folder with a 4-5" blade like my Emerson Super CQC-8 or Fox Deimos and pair it with a Spyderco Dragonfly. At work I'm stuck wearing scrubs and in those weight becomes a much more pressing issue, so I typically go with a somewhat lightweight 3.5-4" blade and pair it with a Vic Tourist, though I want to pick up a G Sakai Trekkerman as my companion knife at work.
 
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