Okay first of all lets assume that for the purposes of this conversation we are talking about fixed blade knives . The pros and cons of folder vs fixed blade have been discussed enough as it is already IMHO so lets keep it simple and assume all knives in question (for the purposes of this thread) are fixed blade. Besides, the reason I'm asking is because I recently purchased and am waiting on shipment of a full tang 2" fixed blade right now.

Just a little background info. This August I will be taking on a new job where I can have absolutely no knife on my person that is longer than 2" in the blade. Actually this is pushing it as it is. It would be best if I have no knife at all but I'm not about to concede to that degree. However an extremely well concealed 2" knife is the absolute most I can carry. Since I prefer strong knives I ruled out small 2" folders immediately (I love my BM310 but it's just not that tuff). Not to mention that a recent post by Molf got me interested in finding a knife and fire starter that I can truely carry 24/7... even in the shower.

Okay so there's the background info, now here's the question.

Aside from chopping and/or battoning wood what do you feel are the limitations of a 2" fixed blade when compared to a 4" fixed blade of relatively the same thickness and general durability? Other than chopping and battoning (because those are obvious) does the 4" blade have any advantages over the 2" blade strictly due to its length?

I almost always carry a short fixed blade knife. I find it very handy and while I suppose it would be a bit less capable than a 4" knife in many applications, I have not found it to be much of an issue at all.

I can carry up to a 4" knife here, but usually currently carry a pocket fixed that is just under 3" (Ingram Lacer), but some days choose one of the below.

My exact 2" fixed is this pocket wharncliffe from Gene Ingram. This can be had in a droppoint configuration also, but I like this wharncliffe very much.



Another that is just a quarter inch over 2" is this Gene Ingram SLK that I had done up in a neck sheath. Again handy and can be worn under my shirt.



Here they are together with a small Sebenza and #4 Ingram DropPoint (2.5" blade).



I find these small fixed blades to be especially useful on a daily basis and "acceptable" in my work environment.



BTW, I braided the neck thong for this SLK.

I'm also a big fan of Gene Ingram knives, and often carry an SLK or Naked Pocket knife.

I find that for slicing, the long cutting edge of a big belly offsets the shorter blade quite nicely. It requires only minimal adjustment to your motor skills.

Purely armchair b.s. but they say it takes 4 inches to reach vital organs in a thrust. So, if you're practicing to use the 2-inch blade defensively, you'd want to emphasize slashes.

Finally, you might investigate keeping a longer, serrated, plastic-handled, obviously kitchen knife knife at your desk for cutting fruit or cake that won't succumb to your 2-inch blade.

Bear

Here is my Pocket Ingram, just over one inch but with scales not naked. The naked version like dchinell has is particularily easy to carry.



I think these are much better than a utility knife.

I have reveiwed Gene's site many time though I have yet to make a purchase from him. I really like those Pocket Ingrams, especially the naked ones because they seem like they would be easy to conceal.

The kitchen knife idea would be a good on save that where I would be working that would be unacceptable. To give a little more background info, security is such an issue that having an exposed pair of pointed scissors would be grounds for dismissal if not worse. Safety scissors only. It's not me that my employer is worried about having the knife. The concern would be that the knife would "fall in to the wrong hands". This is why it's technically okay to carry a small knife if it is 110% concealed and secure but I would never be able to present it except in the most extreme situations (tornado takes out half the building, etc). As far as defense goes, sure it is a consideration but I am thinking almost entirely from a survival prosective rather than a defensive prospective since I would not be allowed to present the knife in a defensive situation except perhaps the most extreme types such as multiple armed suspects take control of the building (a la Columbine High School) in which case the knife probably wouldn't be the best weapon at hand since I could most likely improvise a better one.

Sounds like so far I have heard from two people that feel a 2" fixed blade is adequate for most survival situations although I know from reading your EDC articals that you also carry larger knives on a regula basis also, at least if I am remebering you artical correctly.

A quality two inch blade could do about 95% of what I ask my big-game hunting knives to do in the field: open up the animal, remove internal organs, and cut the animal in half for easier transport. I'm sure it could do a lot of butchering as well, with some difficulty. Depending on the blade shape it could probably do most of the skinning I typically do as well. ( I don't skin by hand very often.) It would be my ideal choice for rabbits, gamebirds, and fish (the "survival menu" in my neck of the woods.)

Those Ingram knives sure are sweet--pure function. What kind of 2" blade did you order? Any pics/links?

Regards, Vince

When I worked at a Toyota dealership as a salesman, they hired a mechanic who came to work on his first day, started unloading his tools, lit a cigarette, was told there was no smoking in the facility, loaded his tools back on his truck and left.

When I went to work at a Native American casino here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, they supplied us with uniforms that had all the pockets sewn up. I slit all the pockets open, told my boss I was a HVAC-R technician that depended on his pockets regularly and was not going to wear uniforms with sewn pockets. I was allowed to keep my job and all subsequent maintenance mechanics (Not the slot and gambling machine repairmen.) were allowed to use their pockets or not.

It was not my stand alone (The great Frenchman Charles DeGaulle was quoted as saying that "Graveyards are full of indispensible individuals".) that allowed a variance in policy, but the fact that it made sense to my boss who sided with my view.

It all depends on what you will put up with. An employer that does not trust me with a reasonable (3" minimum.) knife on my person is not worried about it falling into the wrong hands, he just does not trust me.

As for cutting fruit and cake with a 2" bladed knife, having a knife that small is a good reason to give the fruit to the other guy and eat the whole cake while apologizing for not being able to cut and share the cake because your knife is too small. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Bountyhunter

Sick to death of folding knives that failed, I, too, carry a sub 2" fixed blade every day. Typically, it's one of the following ...







A 2" +/- fixed blade is tough, handy, and very concealable. I've used mine for every task that a pocketknife could be called upon to perform and have not felt lacking for another blade at all.

The only problem that I have encountered with such a small fixed blade is that they don't reach into the bottom of a large jar of peanut butter very well. THAT task gets messy...

M <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />