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James Brand Carter XL Scales up the Fall 2019 Hit

September 8, 2021

James Brand dropped a new folder this week – or rather, they brought out a bigger version of a fan favorite. The Carter XL is a bigger version of the knife that James Brand says is among their most popular releases.

The original Carter was a late 2019 release for James. Following the Duval front flipper release in October, it was a trendy-looking EDC folder in the same tradition as the Folsom and Chapter, with very clean lines and a slide lock that was James’s take on an Axis Lock-style mechanism. As we often see with popular knife releases, fans clamored for the design in a different size. Now James delivering with this Carter XL model and, as it usually goes with such things, the XL increases the dimensions without making any fundamental changes to the knife design itself.

In that sense, the XL moniker makes sense, but in the grander scheme of the knife world, the Carter XL isn’t very XL at all: its 3.3-inch blade it is still a thoroughly manageable EDC for just about anyone. However, that’s more than half an inch of extra cutting edge compared to the 2.8 inch-bladed regular Carter, so what we’re seeing here is a version of the Carter that can probably flex into bigger chores beyond the original’s capabilities without losing much in the way of delicate cutting capacity. Users will open the Carter XL in the same way they do the original, with an ambidextrous thumb disk anodized a vivid moss green; the VG-10 blade steel on the original Carter is retained too, offering good edge retention and excellent stain resistance.

A comparison between the two Carters

For many, the biggest change may be the ergonomics rather than the blade. The elongated cutting edge necessitates a bigger handle, and the Carter XL adds more than an inch of overall length. This means more ergonomic breathing room for users with larger hands or anyone with a preference for bigger handles. And even with all the extra blade and handle material, the Carter XL weighs just .3 oz. more than its little brother, with a weight of 3.3 oz. It comes with the same deep carry pocket clip as the standard Carter as well.

The Carter XL is available now.

Knife in Featured Image: James Brand Carter XL

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