Lock Knife

Pocket Knife vs Folding Knife – What’s The Difference?

So you want to buy a knife but you are not sure if you want to buy a pocketknife or a folding knife.  What is the difference anyway – don’t they both fold??  Well, yes – that is true, but there are differences.  So, who cares – well, there are a reasons for knowing the difference – not the least of which is to ensure you are buying the type knife you really want when purchasing online.

Pocket Knife – According to Wikipedia, “a pocketknife is a folding knife with a blade that fits inside the handle and that is small enough to fit in a pocket.”  Most modern pocketknives are for light duty – and are a convenient tool for those many little tasks you might run into when other knives are not handy. Pocket knives have blades that are held in place – open or shut – by a spring mechanism, allowing the user to open and shut the blade easily.  Pocketknives come with single or multiple blades and some have additional tools and even forks and spoons – many options depending on your purpose.  One drawback to this type of pocketknife – since the blade does not lock open, it can be closed inadvertently – of course, if you use the knife properly, there is little danger of this happening.  But I must say, it has happened to me once or twice.

A Folding Knife, on the other hand, is usually a little bigger, stronger, and has some sort of locking mechanism to hold the blade open. Because of this added strength, they can handle heavier duty tasks.  But since they are bigger, they are normally carried in sheaths, not in the pocket.  This locking mechanism makes the folding knives a little safer because the lock prevents the blade from accidentally being closed.  These knives come in many styles and usually have only one blade.  My Buck folding hunter is my favorite all round knife – I have used it for camp duties, as well as field dressing all kinds of game from squirrels and ducks to wild boars and Alaskan Brown Bear.

Before you buy a knife, you should check local knife carry laws, especially if you want to carry it routinely.  Most pocketknives are legal to carry (except in places like courthouses, schools, etc).  Whether a knife is “legal” to carry is usually determined by blade length – from my limited research, knives with blades of less than 3 ½ – 4 inches are usually legal – but do check your local laws.

IN SUMMARY – A small personal knife is a valuable tool that has many uses – I actually carry two most of the time – no matter what purpose you have for a knife I know there is a knife just for that purpose – whether it is a small pocket knife or larger folding knife, the choice is virtually endless – enjoy the shopping – find the right knife for you –

About the Author

Larry Clark is President of Clark Unlimited, Inc, a Florida based family owned internet marketing firm which focuses on providing quality products and world-class service at highly competitive discount prices. He is the founder of the website www.PocketKnivesPro.com – providing a wide variety of pocketknives, folding and fixed blade knives, as well as multi-purpose tools and sharpening tools from major manufacturers such as Buck, Case, Gerber, Leatherman and Victorinox.

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