When it comes to finding the best knife for everyday carry, smaller knives often dominate the discussion. That's because a smaller knife can work well when pocket space and local laws restrict what you can carry. But it doesn't mean they're always the best tool for the job, especially when the task at hand calls for a bit more grip and blade to work with.
Larger blades over 3” give you more of a cutting edge as well as a more secure and comfortable grip during heavy duty cutting. In colder weather, when you've got bigger coat pockets and you're wearing gloves, a bigger blade is both easier to carry and to use with control and confidence. It's that confidence that makes many people EDC larger knives a part of their normal carry, no matter the season.
It also helps that with modern design, larger knives don't have to come with cumbersome heft. There are plenty of knives with blades over 3" with designs that are friendly for EDC. In this guide, we'll introduce you to some of your best options for making a large knife a part of your everyday carry.
This is a popular grail knife for a reason: innovation as well as performance. CPM-S35VN was developed for use in this knife and the titanium Reeve Integral Lock is better known nowadays as the frame lock.
This Kershaw x Emerson collaboration provides the public with signature Emerson tactical design and that unique wave-shaped opening at an accessible price point. With the wave-shaped opening, the blade deploys as you draw the blade because it catches on your pocket in one smooth motion.
Based on Les George's custom Harpy knife, the ZT 0920 is a full-size knife designed to do serious work. It features a modified clip-point flipper blade made of CPM-20CV super steel. Its recurve edge enhances the slicing experience, but it also retains a tip for ease of use in piercing. The 3D-machined titanium handle is a nice touch, affording a solid frame lock while the blade is in use.
Rick Hinderer’s XM-18 is an iconic full-size tactical knife design, and the 3.5“ harpoon "spanto" variant is perhaps the best. As its name implies, this knife features a sort of cross between a traditional tanto blade shape and a more useful clip-point design. The top swedge is reminiscent of a harpoon, and it cuts an aggressive shape that’s fitting for how sharp this knife can get.
The Hunter Pro Alox features a large blade and a durable aluminum handle that’s far more versatile than what you find in a standard keychain-sized Swiss Army Knife. It’s 3.75“ with a drop-point shape and an ambidextrous thumb-hole opening that makes it great whether you use it for its intended hunting purpose or for everyday carry closer to home.
Just because you want to carry a full-sized knife doesn't mean that you have to settle for something a bit too heavy for your pockets. The Bailout weighs in at a barely there 2.05 ounces in hand thanks to its lightweight Grivory handles. It still packs a premium 3.38" CPM-3V tanto blade that'll make short work out of your everyday tasks.
Spyderco modernized their time-tested Native design by giving it premium S30V steel and textured G10 handles. They also extended the blade length to a more capable 4.08“ while keeping the overall design slim, pocketable, and lightweight at just 3.9 oz. The design is linerless, and the blade is held in place during operation using a precision-machined lockback mechanism.
The Baklash proves that you don’t have to spend a pretty penny to get modern EDC design in your hands. And compared to other knives at its price point, CIVIVI fitted this knife with a harder steel that’ll last longer in everyday use. This lets you put its 3.5“ spear-point hollow-grind blade right to work with confidence.
True to its name, the Jumbones is a sized-up version of the Crossbones, which won Import Knife of the Year at SHOT Show back in 2017. And aside from the more full-size and capable 4.845“ AUS-8 blade, there isn’t a lot of change from the original formula. Despite the blade size the Jumbones’s slim design makes it extremely pocketable while also adding to its classy look. The thinness of the knife (4.01mm) makes it suitable for delicate work as well.
While the Malware’s styling is anything but subtle, its design isn’t just for looks. Made in collaboration with Tood Knife and Tool, this high-performance design is surprisingly light weight at 3.68oz. That 3.875“ CPM-S375VN flat-ground flipper blade sports a thin Wharncliffe-style shape that’s great for utility work. It retains a sharp, pointy tip for piercing tasks as well. The satin finish complements the ergonomic stonewashed and 3D-milled titanium handles, while ball bearings in the pivot make getting this full-sized knife open an easy, one-handed task.
The 110 Folding Hunter is one of the most iconic vintage everyday carry knife designs, and Buck’s "Pro" model brings that design into the modern era by bringing premium materials into the mix. Aside from the harder S30V blade steel and the more durable G10 scaling in the handle, everything else that made this iconic model great remains the same: manual clip-point blade, lockback operation, and a lifetime warranty.
To get a knife with a Scandi grind, you usually have to settle for a big and bulky fixed blade knife. Luckily, TOPS has managed to emulate one of their popular fixed models in the frame of a folding knife with a 3.25“ N690Co blade that’s far more convenient for everyday carry. The canvas micarta handles offers resistance against the elements, which is useful if you take the Mini Scandi outdoors. It also offers a great ergonomic grip that really lets you get to work with it in hand.
The RAT 1A is a perennial EDC-community favorite, and with its affordable combination of great ergonomics, capable materials, and lightning-quick assisted-opening technology, it's easy to see why. It's available in a multitude of colorways and blade finishes, but each variant provides you an easily-maintained 3.5“ AUS-8 stainless steel drop point blade with a full-flat taper that'll cut through what you need on a daily basis.
Cold Steel is at the top of the list when visualizing full-size (and even larger) folding knives for everyday carry. Their American Lawman straddles a happy middle ground, being big enough for large tasks without being so big that it can't fit in your pockets. And while it retains a decidedly tactical bent in both design and materials with its premium S35VN blade, it's subtle enough to not draw unwanted attention.
With how affordable the Opinel is, it’s easy to leave it out of the conversation. But it’s been a venerable everyday carry knife for generations now, and for good reason. The No 8 features an extremely thin, razor-sharp 3.35“ high carbon steel blade that’ll cut through just about anything especially when you lock the blade in place using the iconic Opinel Virobloc safety ring. Its classic design and two-handed manual nail-nick operation also won’t raise eyebrows in public.
Do you prefer more compact blades, or knives on the larger side? Let us know your favorite EDC in the comments below!
Jonathan Tayag is secretly an information technology and corporate security expert who prefers to moonlight as a creative event and commercial photographer whenever possible. His varied experience and substantial travels have led him to seek, without even thinking about it at first, the best gear for the best use at the best price available. Before the concept of EDC (everyday carry) firmly took hold, Jonathan already spent untold amounts of time optimizing for the best-in-slot pieces of gear, from cameras and lenses to pocket knives, pens, and bags and packs. In November 2015, Jonathan joined EverydayCarry.com and has since written numerous articles and guides to help impart his knowledge to the community as a whole.
Jonathan's photographic works have appeared on numerous online websites, print, video, and television outlets for over a decade. Jonathan's previous clients include Blizzard Entertainment, Red Bull, ESL, Razer, and several other endemic and non-endemic esports sponsors and brands. His work also features heavily in online competitive gaming communities, especially those of the StarCraft and Fighting Game genres. You've likely seen his work if you've spent time in a stream or in-game chat over the years.
Bernard Capulong is an everyday carry (EDC) gear expert, entrepreneur, all-around nerd, and the founder and editor-in-chief of EverydayCarry.com—the largest online community for EDC gear enthusiasts. Since founding Everyday Carry in 2009, he’s built over a decade of experience in the industry, reviewing and highlighting brands and products, including pocket knives, flashlights, wallets, watches, bags, pens, and much more.
Bernard is known for bringing everyday carry out of obscurity and into the mainstream, having been published or featured in various publications such as GQ, TIME Magazine, The New York Times, VICE, HYPEBEAST, and many others. He has also played a part in curating, designing, and developing digital and physical products, resulting in successful crowdfunding projects or limited edition collaboration products with established softgoods brands. He stays on the pulse of the EDC industry by attending trade shows, participating in online interest communities, and actively engaging with fellow gear enthusiasts on social media.
In addition to being the editor-in-chief and main social media personality for EverydayCarry.com, Bernard is an avid gearhead and collector in general. His personal collections span technical bags, fountain pens, digital cameras, retro gaming hardware, personal hi-fi audio gear, and mechanical wristwatches, to name a few. Bernard Capulong is a prominent figure and trusted authority in the everyday carry industry with a career dedicated to helping people discover this hobby and stay prepared with quality gear.
WOW! I'm really digging this new layout for the "Top 10 ____ List" type articles! The specs and features of each knife are in a nice little chart right under the image, and there's a 2-3 sentence write-up at underneath that gives us the familiar, supplemental info. I'm looking forward to future articles in the same format. GREAT JOB!
The link provided for the Kershaw x Emerson CQC-4KXL (D2) opens an Amazon page for the older and less costly version of this knife with the lesser 8Cr14MoV steel.
I think the code4 by coldsteel would beat out a lot of these but coldsteel is by far the best most dependable tuff knife for price. I’ll take a strong lock over fancy stuff anyway but I had a liner lock fail twice. Once doing line work on a pole 20 feet off the ground an another time in a shop cut me really good. So lock stength matters to me
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