Blade Length, What do YOU Prefer?

[5KNIVES]

Well, we all use folders, so that usually limits us to 3-4 inch blades, just to keep them "pocket size" for a lot of everyday use.

Probably most of us have somthing "Bowie" like, with a 9 inch or longer blade, that we truthfully don't use all that often.

And everypne who doesn't own a Ka-Bar or something like it with a 7" blade, will someday. That's been a viable tool for 50 years or thereabouts.

But the question is this;

What one blade length do YOU reaslly prefer?

I'll start of by saying that while I'm deeply impressed by the Nordic style knives with no or minimal guard (in preference to any folder), and use them in the 3 1/4 to 4 1/4 blade length more than any thing else (except SAK, of course).

I really prefer a knife blade in the 5 to 6 inch range. I can choke up enough for "fine" work, and with a 5" or longer blade I can slice bread AND I can reach to the bottom of the Peanut butter jar. Both features are important to me!

Longer than that and they start to get awkward to carry.

What do YOU prefer?

[Flinter]

I own 3 knives that I use for most chores. All 3 are hand made, one from an old sawmill blade, one from an old file and the other from 1095 (I think) steel. The sawmill blade is about 3 inches, the file around 5 and the other is 8. All in all I'd say the 5 incher gets used the most, but when I set off into the woods I always carry at least 2 of them, or one and a tomahawk. A man who sets off with only one knife is a fool.

[8dDUCE]

5 to 7inch. I do like to have alittle extra reach, especially around watermelons, muskmelons, and various hard to reach snacks. KABAR's are the orignial multitool.;) 8dDUCE.

[Optimus Prime]

I would have to say 4" to 7" blade lengths.

Anything under 4" is usually too short and after 7" they get ackward.

:cents:

[LHS]

If I could only bring one blade with me, I'd honestly give serious consideration to my 10" SpecPlus bolo knife. It's got plenty of belly for skinning, plenty of reach for chopping, and it's light enough to carry all day without noticing it. A large knife can often do the chores of a small blade, but a small knife can't chop.

[HDR]

http://www.gunsnet.net/album/data//3072/2320knife-med.jpg

Modified FFL fighting edge (edit: edge = knife] works real well.

[Rew]

7" AKA the ka-bar. In a folding knife I like a 2"-2.5" blade.;)

[blobman]

it dont matter as long as it says COLD STEEL on it...... this has been a message from a cold steel affiliate............... no for true they are the shit

[HDR]

CS makes a great edge, but so do others..

[mike3acr]

My "woods/hunting" knife is a 5" Case classic hunter, and I'm also a real fan of the 3-4" knives like the Shrade "Sharpfinger". In my experience unless you are chopping or fighting anything longer is just hard to work with, and I find a hatchet 100% better for chopping work. I do have three M7 bayonets around that I picked up for $5.95ea back when Cheaper Than Dirt had them on sale, and for having a 6 1/2" blade they are pretty handy for all kinds of general "camp" stuff. They are the longest knives I own that ever get carried.

[ponder]

The fixed blade knives that i use most are in the 6 or 7 inch range, although i also like to us my 12 inch kukri.:)

[RedDevil]

I would prefer a 4" fixed blade. I think it would be a happy medium. Right now I carry a Spyderco Fred Perrin bowie everyday and it had a 5" blade length. I find it conceals rather well, though and will conceal even better when I get a better sheath.

[sd1023x]

A few weeks back I went to the Cold Steel Parking Lot sale and had an oppurtunity to Lynn Thompson. He's an expert when it comes to using/fighting with blade he personally carries a six inch folding voyager because he feels that there is a significant cutting power advantage to the 6 incher.

And for all you non-believers, request a copy of the COLD STEEL PROOF video and it shall set you right.

[gi_janearng]

Right now in the field, my 3 1/4 in. folder does my jobs...opening boxes, cutting threads off my uniform, the like.

[LHS]

Lynn Thompson is a nut, but he makes damn good knives. At the SHOT show a few years back, they had video of him taking a Cape Buffalo with one of their Samburu spears!

[SniperZ]

For a woods knife I carry the old stand by 7" Ka-Bar. For my daily carry knives I have a Spyderco Endura serrated in my left pocket and a Spyderco Spyderhawk in my right pocket. Both have 4" blades which is what I prefer for my folders. Any bigger and they are just to awkward for everyday carry IMO.