Favorite Length For EDC

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okBookGuy

Joined
Dec 29, 2005
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I used to EDC a Peanut and then went to a 3 1/4" Stockman. I was feeling like this was not enough knife due to some chores I wasn't able to do well enough with those and so went up to 3 1/2" or maybe 3 5/8" Stockman (Case 6318 and Case 62032 Texas Jack). I've got an old Camco (New Britain blade etch) 3 7/8" Stockman that I polished up and got working again and carried it to work the other day. . .just for fun.
Well it struck me that that is a lot of knife for just office (i"m an engineer)
work (opening mail and small pkgs) and cutting elec tape so I thought I had reached my optimum EDC length (3 1/2 or 3 5/8").

QUESTION: What is your favorite length for EDC? Do you find the 3 7/8 to 4 1/4" range to be too big? I sorta feel awkward pulling out a large Stockman for just opening a letter . . .you know? An old retired machinist at my church pulled out a 4 1/8" Trapper to open a small wrapped candy that a nice lady was passing out. There were all these little children around him opening up their candy no problem (and no knife) but there was this friend of mine goin tactical at it with his over 4" long knife :D.

I dunno but it did get me to thinkin that I wanted to find my optimum length for EDC. What do you think?
 
I'm an office guy too, and I tend to carry 3.5 to 3.75 inch knives to work. That's closed length of course. I agree, 4" is a little too much knife for opening mail, pulling staples and sharpening pencils.

Some of my favorite office EDC's are:

Case CV sodbuster Jr.
Case CV mini copperlock
Queen 3 1/2" whittler
Case CV 3 5/8" stockman
Spyderco Kiwi
Case CV Canoe
Weidmannsheil "Little Buddy" lockback
Shapleigh's 3 5/8 punch blade cattle knife

I'm sure there are others but I'm blanking
 
I work in an office environment also. My EDCs for work are 3.5" and vary between gents folders to slipjoints. It seems that anything larger is just not comfortable to carry in the pocket and is overkill for my needs at work.

Evenings and weekends I wear a 7" to 9" (OAL) fixed blade also.
 
My last couple of EDCs had 3 inch blades. I'm starting to think that a 2.0 to 2.5 inch blade is an ideal blade length for me.
 
Most of my daily cutting needs are very well served with a 3" blade or even a little less. ;)
 
I spent most of my working life as a blue collar tradesman. First the Engineers in the army on construction work, then after my medical discharge, as a machinist. Most of my co-workers used a knife 2 to 2 1/2 inches. Things like Buck Cadets, Victorinox tinkers, Schrade Old Timer Middlemen, were the common knifes to see on a job site or in the shop.

Being a knife knut, I was a little different, and had all sorts of knives over the years. The 70's was my experimentation decade where I carried everything from a Randall model 14, to a Boker automatic. Eventually I got rid of most of it and just went back to carrying a stockman or such.

I have not found much I can't deal with using a 2 1/2 inch blade. For the last decade or so I've used pretty much one of these;

Buck stockman (old one)
Victorinox settler
Victorinox soldier or tinker
Opinel #7
Eye brand Jr. yellow sodbuster
 
For me, it looks like 3 inches is about max and about usual. I usually carry a combo of two knives. Common combos would be:

Case 31048 CV Barehead Trapper (3 " slim blade) & Case CV Sodbuster Jr.

Old Timer 194OT single blade, liner lock trapper (also 3") & Remington single blade micro-trapper as I call it. It's peanut size.

Currently trying a muskrat w/3" blades and a small Boker Whittler.

Sometimes the combinations shift around a little.

At home I carry similar and in a belt sheath a Remington Daddy Barlow. Much too big for general pocket carry.

The slim trapper and the Sodbuster Jr. are a great combo giving me two blade types and lengths, but by carrying two single blade knives I get to distribute the weight and bulk between my back and my front pocket. Most multi-blades are just heavy enough that I notice them, especially in dress slacks. The 3 inch slim trapper and muskrat clip blades work great for skinning fruit and veggies at work or home.
 
Most of my knives are around 3 1/4"- 3 1/2" in handle length, but I'm 5'6" and my hands are not very big. Many people that I know that are over six feet tall that kinda need to use handles over 4" to have control of the blade. I've seen some taller older guys with old Texas jacks (like a big regular jack with a clip and pen blade) using the pen blade more often than not. Small blade but big handle. I think it is all a matter of personal proportion.
 
Peregrin said:
I work in an office environment also. My EDCs for work are 3.5" and vary between gents folders to slipjoints. It seems that anything larger is just not comfortable to carry in the pocket and is overkill for my needs at work.
Click to expand...

I agree with Peregrin..........3.5" works well in an office setting.

Chris D. :D
 
It's an odd situation that needs more than a 3" blade. Usually less will do IMO. I carry a CV sodbuster, for when sheeple are around (some think the yellow handles are "cute"), and I use an S30V Leek for it's convenient opening and incredibly durable steel, when no fearful types are nearby. And I carry one of those little SAKs for the scissors, toothpick, tweezers, nailfile, and its totally non-threatening appearance! A truly great little multi-tool!
 
Most of my knives are roughly 3.5" closed, the perfect size for an EDC pocket knife. ;) My favorite is my red Vic Spartan.
 
waynorth said:
And I carry one of those little SAKs for the scissors, toothpick, tweezers, nailfile, and its totally non-threatening appearance! A truly great little multi-tool!
Click to expand...

Which one do you carry. . .the basic classic?
 
Although I have sizes ranging from 2.5" to 5.25" my favorite pocket size is 3.75" to 4.25" and is typically what I carry the most. Many times I will toss a sub 3" in my right pocket for fun & balance.

I have found that with slip joints almost any size blade under 3.5" is pretty sheeple friendly. Not that I care about that in the least.

Today I'm carrying a 4 1/8" Cripple Creek 2nd Ed. Knife World and wouldn't think twice about using it around co-workers, and I work in a hyper "pc" sensative company in a very liberal industry.
 
cpirtle said:
my favorite pocket size is 3.75" to 4.25" and is typically what I carry the most.
Today I'm carrying a 4 1/8" Cripple Creek 2nd Ed. Knife World and wouldn't think twice about using it around co-workers, and I work in a hyper "pc" sensative company in a very liberal industry.
Click to expand...

I see. . .and you don't have any trouble pocket carrying a 4.25"?
 
2.5 inches. They fit perfectly into that little watch pocket/utility pocket that most pairs of jeans have.
 
I personally like a 3" blade for my EDC, any thing longer get in the way for my day-to-day cutting applications
 
okBookGuy said:
I see. . .and you don't have any trouble pocket carrying a 4.25"?
Click to expand...

Nope. They take some practice but after several years I don't even know they're there. You just have to make the commitment to do it, then try it out for a few weeks. I think anyone could adjust.

One of my favorite EDC's is a custom Sodbuster that's about 4 7/8".

If I'm wearing jeans I even carry a Buck 110 in the front left pocket from time to time.
 
I use to always have my BM 806D-2 on me. I hardly noticed it after a little while. But found that it was a bit of over-kill. I still love it dearly, but Now mostly :SAK
Leatherman super tool
small sebbie
Native
NOT ALWAYS IN THAT ORDER
 
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