How Big is YOUR Pocket?
Apr 16, 2011 19:58:32 GMT
Post by randomnobody on Apr 16, 2011 19:58:32 GMT
The Cold Steel Spartan thread, as well as some comments by other members in the carraca threads, has brought me to wonder, just how big of a knife is the average person comfortable carrying in their pocket, every day, everywhere?
Over the years, I have pocketed a number of knives, some clipped, many not, and they run a fair range of lengths and thicknesses. I have compiled some of my favorites here and taken some measurements.
Here they are, sorted roughly by their lengths closed:
To give a general idea, here are the longest and the shortest, on either side of a tape measure:
Here's everybody open:
Starting with the biggun on the far left of the first picture, my "folding bowie knife thingy" referenced in the Spartan thread, and moving right, here are some of the measurements:
Bowie thingy
- Opening: unassisted
- Carry: open in sheath; foldable, no clip
- 7.5" closed
- .5" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 5" cutting edge
- 10 1/4 OAL open
- 8.5 oz
Butterfly/Balisong (depends who you ask, eh?)
- Opening: ...obvious, no?
- Carry: pocket, no clip
- 6 3/4" closed
- 9/16" thick grip...s?
- 1/8" thick blade
- 4 1/2" cutting edge
- 11 1/2" OAL open
- 8.5 oz
Imitation stag scale spring-assist folder thingy
- Opening: button-operated spring, lockable
- Carry: pocket, no clip
- 5 1/4" closed
- 7/8" thick grip (Yep, almost an inch thick)
- 3/16" thick blade
- 4" cutting edge
- 9" OAL open
- 6.6 oz
Paratrooper (the name given by the manufactuer I've forgotten)
- Opening: Complicated as crap. :x
- Carry: pocket, no clip
- 5" closed
- 3/8" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 2 3/4" cutting edge
- 6 3/4" OAL open
- 3 oz
Gerber Paraframe
- Opening: Thumb stud assist
- Carry: pocket, clip
- 5" closed
- 3/8" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 3.5" cutting edge (including serrations)
- 8 3/8" OAL open
- 4.1 oz
Unknown void-opener with finger guard
- Opening: void, though I use finger guard extending through the rear as a lever assist
- Carry: pocket, clip
- 4 3/8" closed
- 21/32" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 3 1/4" cutting edge (including serrations)
- 7 3/4" OAL open
- 6.1 oz
(I skipped the three new kids, their lengths etc. can be found in my review of them in the "Other Weapons Reviews" section; time is short, and I'm lazy)
Unknown textured recurve thingy
- Opening: thumb stud assit
- Carry: pocket, clip
- 4.5" closed
- 1/2" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 3 1/8" cutting edge (approximate; tip broke off ages ago, but I drew an imaginary line from the pre-established taper to finish off the "tip")
- 7 3/4" OAL open
- 4 oz
Unknown wood scale knife
- Opening: Single thumb stud
- Carry: pocket, no clip
- 4.5" closed
- 11/16" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 3 1/8" cutting length (including serrations)
- 7 3/4 OAL open
- 4.1 oz
Gerber Obsidian
- Opening: thumb stud assist, lockable
- Carry: pocket, clip
- 4 1/4" closed
- 9/16" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 2 3/4" cutting edge (including serrations)
- 7" OAL open
- 4.3 oz
Random Winchester 1 ($5 Wal Mart Christmas Special, 20...05?)
- Opening: thumb stud assist
- Carry: pocket, clip
- 4 3/8" closed
- 1/2" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 3" cutting edge (including serrations)
- 7 1/4" OAL open
- 5.1 oz
Random Winchester 2 ($5 Wal Mart Christmas Special 20...08/9?)
- Opening: thumb stud assist
- Carry: pocket, clip
- 3 3/4" closed
- 5/8" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 2 3/8" cutting edge (including serrations)
- 6.5" OAL open
- 3.8 oz
The skipped three are all in-pocket, no-clip, unassisted opening.
Each and every one of these knives fits my average pocket with ease and satisfactory comfort. Then again, I'm 6'2-4" tall, weigh 220 pounds, and only wear jeans with REAL POCKETS.
For comparison sake, my cell phone is the HTC EVO 4G, manufacturer says:
- Dimensions/weight 4.8 x 2.6 x 0.5 inches; 6 oz with battery
I cannot say this phone is uncomfortable in my pocket, but my Treo 700wx (4.4" x 2.3" x 0.9", 6oz) took some getting used to.
So, how 'bout you kids? How big is your typical folder, and how big could you comfortably go? This is ignoring legal restrictions, mind, and for theoretical purposes only. I'm not asking you to strut about town with 10 inches of folded steel in your pocket just to see if it's comfy, since that might just get one arrested, and that would be bad. Where I live, the maximum blade length permissible by law is 3.5", but I tend to push that one a little. Not much, mind.
There. Now, INDULGE MY CURIOSITY!
Over the years, I have pocketed a number of knives, some clipped, many not, and they run a fair range of lengths and thicknesses. I have compiled some of my favorites here and taken some measurements.
Here they are, sorted roughly by their lengths closed:
To give a general idea, here are the longest and the shortest, on either side of a tape measure:
Here's everybody open:
Starting with the biggun on the far left of the first picture, my "folding bowie knife thingy" referenced in the Spartan thread, and moving right, here are some of the measurements:
Bowie thingy
- Opening: unassisted
- Carry: open in sheath; foldable, no clip
- 7.5" closed
- .5" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 5" cutting edge
- 10 1/4 OAL open
- 8.5 oz
Butterfly/Balisong (depends who you ask, eh?)
- Opening: ...obvious, no?
- Carry: pocket, no clip
- 6 3/4" closed
- 9/16" thick grip...s?
- 1/8" thick blade
- 4 1/2" cutting edge
- 11 1/2" OAL open
- 8.5 oz
Imitation stag scale spring-assist folder thingy
- Opening: button-operated spring, lockable
- Carry: pocket, no clip
- 5 1/4" closed
- 7/8" thick grip (Yep, almost an inch thick)
- 3/16" thick blade
- 4" cutting edge
- 9" OAL open
- 6.6 oz
Paratrooper (the name given by the manufactuer I've forgotten)
- Opening: Complicated as crap. :x
- Carry: pocket, no clip
- 5" closed
- 3/8" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 2 3/4" cutting edge
- 6 3/4" OAL open
- 3 oz
Gerber Paraframe
- Opening: Thumb stud assist
- Carry: pocket, clip
- 5" closed
- 3/8" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 3.5" cutting edge (including serrations)
- 8 3/8" OAL open
- 4.1 oz
Unknown void-opener with finger guard
- Opening: void, though I use finger guard extending through the rear as a lever assist
- Carry: pocket, clip
- 4 3/8" closed
- 21/32" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 3 1/4" cutting edge (including serrations)
- 7 3/4" OAL open
- 6.1 oz
(I skipped the three new kids, their lengths etc. can be found in my review of them in the "Other Weapons Reviews" section; time is short, and I'm lazy)
Unknown textured recurve thingy
- Opening: thumb stud assit
- Carry: pocket, clip
- 4.5" closed
- 1/2" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 3 1/8" cutting edge (approximate; tip broke off ages ago, but I drew an imaginary line from the pre-established taper to finish off the "tip")
- 7 3/4" OAL open
- 4 oz
Unknown wood scale knife
- Opening: Single thumb stud
- Carry: pocket, no clip
- 4.5" closed
- 11/16" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 3 1/8" cutting length (including serrations)
- 7 3/4 OAL open
- 4.1 oz
Gerber Obsidian
- Opening: thumb stud assist, lockable
- Carry: pocket, clip
- 4 1/4" closed
- 9/16" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 2 3/4" cutting edge (including serrations)
- 7" OAL open
- 4.3 oz
Random Winchester 1 ($5 Wal Mart Christmas Special, 20...05?)
- Opening: thumb stud assist
- Carry: pocket, clip
- 4 3/8" closed
- 1/2" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 3" cutting edge (including serrations)
- 7 1/4" OAL open
- 5.1 oz
Random Winchester 2 ($5 Wal Mart Christmas Special 20...08/9?)
- Opening: thumb stud assist
- Carry: pocket, clip
- 3 3/4" closed
- 5/8" thick grip
- 1/8" thick blade
- 2 3/8" cutting edge (including serrations)
- 6.5" OAL open
- 3.8 oz
The skipped three are all in-pocket, no-clip, unassisted opening.
Each and every one of these knives fits my average pocket with ease and satisfactory comfort. Then again, I'm 6'2-4" tall, weigh 220 pounds, and only wear jeans with REAL POCKETS.
For comparison sake, my cell phone is the HTC EVO 4G, manufacturer says:
- Dimensions/weight 4.8 x 2.6 x 0.5 inches; 6 oz with battery
I cannot say this phone is uncomfortable in my pocket, but my Treo 700wx (4.4" x 2.3" x 0.9", 6oz) took some getting used to.
So, how 'bout you kids? How big is your typical folder, and how big could you comfortably go? This is ignoring legal restrictions, mind, and for theoretical purposes only. I'm not asking you to strut about town with 10 inches of folded steel in your pocket just to see if it's comfy, since that might just get one arrested, and that would be bad. Where I live, the maximum blade length permissible by law is 3.5", but I tend to push that one a little. Not much, mind.
There. Now, INDULGE MY CURIOSITY!