[The Tourist]

Over the years the length of my knives has gotten shorter and shorter.

As a teenager, I carried a five inch stiletto and yearned to find one in six inch. Not that the silly inch would improve my chances of safety, but it seemed like you should be 'improving yourself.'

As a biker, my EDC was a Buck 110, and I still carry a custom version of the Buck when riding.

But as knives became tools instead of show-off items, I began to look for more useful examples. Even though I sharpen for a living, one of the knives I use the most is a SuperKnife with a one inch blade.

With traditional pocketknives, the handle is about as long as the blade, and sometimes I want a firm grip.

To that end, I now carry a Li'l Temerance, a knife with a three inch blade and a full size handle. I can do simple, precise repairs, or gut a deer.

(I notice that Emerson has a mini-CQC-7 in that same style.)

Manufacturers try to pack as much blade into the available handle they have, in fact, many buyers seek out the optimum 'blade ratio.'

After all these years, I think it's misguided

Would you like more knives with full size handles and shorter blades?

 

[Bumper]

I have a Benchmade Stryker with a 3.5" blade length. The handle 4.68" long so it is a little longer. I thought the blade was a little closer to the handle length than that but it is about the ratio I prefer. I should probably say that I don't have a lot of knives, just a couple (and have a couple more I want) so haven't given this alot of thought. It's mostly just what "seems right" in my hand. I probably would not go to a much larger blade.

 

[APachon]

knives canbe viewed in two manners as expressed above. 1. Utensil and 2. offensive/defense weapon. I guess it depends on the role you want your knife to be on your carry rig.

I have a Spyderco Delica that is a Utensil even though it can transition should the need arise. I also carry a Spyderco Matriarch/Civilian that I view more as a defensive weapon moreso than a utensil.

Does that make sense??

As far as ratio, for me the ability to go from a traditional grasp to an ice pick with relative ease is what I look for in a grip in terms of length.

~A

 

[Guest]

I consider mine a tool that in a pinch can be used defensively. I am just not very confident in my ability to fight with a knife. I will if I must, but threatened with a knife I will draw my weapon and shoot.

 

[Betty]

Luckily, because I have small hands I don't have to worry about handles being too short for me (most of the time).

There was that MOD Scorpion that I almost cut my fingers off with because even after I cord wrapped the handle, it was still too small and ungrippable. Too compact can be a bad thing.

I carried my BM AFCK for a long time, but stopped when it started wearing holes in my jeans. It did make a nice impact weapon while closed, though. It extended past my grip just enough and was pointy.

I find a 3 - 3.5" blade to be a more practical length for me.