Big Ole Knives by Doug Growitz
We’ve all heard the expression “bigger is better,” and so it applies to knives as well – in the general sense, at least, to the value of knives in the collector field. This expression may not apply, however, to the intended use for the knife. Sure, big knives can be imposing “hunting knives” or weapons but don’t serve well for small cutting chores like making writing quills; conversely, quill knives and other small knives don’t make very practical knives for heavy duty uses. Aside from their size, many of the “Big Ole Folders” I have seen and collected over the years have cosmetic and construction features, “touches of class,” I call them and they serve only one purpose – to make a fully functional knife more impressive and attractive to own and use.
What is large? The answer to this is subjective, of course. I have always considered folders of about 5 inches closed (about 9 inches open) to be large. But, the knives featured here start at 6¼ inches and top off at 11¾ inches in the CLOSED position – now, that’s large by anyone’s standard!
This article appears in the July 2023 issue of KNIFE Magazine. Premium Members can read the whole thing by clicking the flip book below.