[bracket] Favorite?: Serpentine Jacks (includes peanuts) or Camper/Scout/SAK

P

pinnah

Joined
Jul 28, 2011
Messages
5,782
What is your favorite style of knife and why:
The Serpentine Jack (includes the Peanuts) or
Scout/Camper/Swiss Army Knife (particularly the 3-5 blade versions)?

We're in the semi-finals now.

The criteria for "favorite" is entirely up to you. All I ask beyond telling us which is your favorite is that you explain your own thinking. Pictures of your favorites and stories describing why they're your favorite are strongly encouraged. It's really the point, actually.

This question is a part of a summer "bracket" discussion series. I took nominations for patterns in a related thread but in the end, I selected 8 finalist based on whim and bias. Sort of like the NCAA tournament.

Below is the bracket for the final four. The results from the quarter final round are below that (winners in bold).

Make your "vote" clear and I'll work to tally the results. Voting on this round will end in about a week. It's summer and I'm not going to be punctual.


SEMI-FINAL HEATS
------------------
QUARTER FINALS - MATCH 1. <--- vote on this one
Serpentine Jack (includes the peanut)
Scout/Camper/Swiss Army Knife (particularly the 3-5 blade versions)

QUARTER FINALS - MATCH 2 <--- don't vote: will be held next week
Stockman
Friction folding peasants knife (includes the Opinel)



QUARTER FINAL RESULTS (winners in bold)
-----------------------------------------
QUARTER FINALS - MATCH 1.
Bowie/Ka-Bar fixed blade (particularly with 5"-9" blades)
Serpentine Jack (includes the peanut)

QUARTER FINALS - MATCH 2
Lockback folding hunter (e.g. Buck 110, GEC #72)
Scout/Camper/Swiss Army Knife (particularly the 3-5 blade versions)

QUARTER FINALS - MATCH 3
Stockman
Finnish/Swedish Puukko (includes the Mora)

QUARTER FINALS - MATCH 4
Friction folding peasants knife (includes the Opinel)
German Hippekniep (aka Sod Buster)
 
This one is like asking a mother which of her children she loves most.

The Victorinox Fieldmaster in the lower left has been with me for over 25 years, but one of the jacks is almost always in my pocket. I'm going to need some time to ponder this.

Vicsvsjacks.jpg
 
For me the Serpentine Jack is my favorite. Including the Peanut Pattern. Both make a very good EDC for any cutting tasks. Some kind of minimalistic, but I like the way it goes. The Serpentine Jack / Peanut always gets its ways in my pocket. Next to the nice variation of handle types.

An SAK is a nice knife (I don´t own any Camper/Scout knives yet). But the whole pattern sometimes seems a little overbuilt for my personal EDC-tasks. Mostly I need a knife for cutting tasks. (Never used the can-opener on an SAK for example)

I like them both, but the Serpentine Jack is more my personal style.

IMG_1562.jpg


Kind regards
Andi
 
I have thought about this, and as useful as my four layer Victorinox knives are (and I almost always have one with me -- book bag, computer bag, glove box of car), I'm going to have to settle on the jack.

For two reasons.

First, the multi-blade SAKs are too big for me to comfortably pocket carry.

Second, can be stated in one word: Peanut.

peanutJuly5.jpg
 
This question hasn't been asked in at least two weeks. I'll have to think on it.
 
Last edited:
This is sort of a curious bracket for me.

I carry a Peanut in my pocket quite often (in addition to another knife), but don't use it as much as my 'other' EDC. When at home though, I often find myself reaching for my Vic SAK for certain chores, though I don't usually carry it in-pocket. Interestingly, the SAK seldom gets used for cutting alone; almost never use the blades, but frequently use either the pliers or the screwdriver. Since we are talking 'knives' here, I'd have to vote for the Peanut (or jack, as defined for this poll). It has a certain aesthetic advantage, in that I carry it mainly just because it's nice to have/hold in-hand. The SAK serves a much more utilitarian need for me, but that's not something I couldn't get by using any other multi-tool (I keep a couple or three Leatherman tools at hand, for the same reason).

I'd have a much harder time giving up the Peanut, or replacing it (1970 'Ten-dot' Case in stag) . So, I guess that one has to be my 'favorite', for the sake of this poll. :)
 
Last edited:
Certainly not a Camper/Scout/SAK . I have several but hardly ever use one of them.

I don't have a Peanut - never have. I guess as far as a Jack, I'd have to say "Texas Jack".

1986case6292texasjack3.jpg


Nice looking knives so far guys.
 
Last edited:
Modoc ED said:
Certainly not a Camper/Scout/SAK . Those are what the Leatherman Juice (in it's many variations) is meant to replace.
Click to expand...

What the Leatherman's (men?) can't replace is the wonderful fully belly of the US style campers. Heck, not even the Swiss SAK's can touch that.

I generally don't care for slip joints compared to lock backs but the one that will move me is the US style camper. Something about that blade style just feels super right in my hand. When I hold narrower blades, I ask, where's my blade?

It's much worse with multi tools. With all that weight and complexity and then pffft... that's the blade? Really?

This is my core problem with slip joints with a clip blade. I find slip joints carry worse than thinner single blade lock backs. My Camillus Serpentine Jack is smaller than any other knife I own but, as with all slip joints, the girth is chunky and noticeable. And the benefit of that when I deploy the blade? The blade feels like it's MIA. At least when I carry my Ulster camper, when I deploy the blade I feel like I have something in my hands.

Besides, the Ulster camper does a better job with peanut butter and nutella on my morning bagel!!
 
pinnah said:
Besides, the Ulster camper does a better job with peanut butter and nutella on my morning bagel!!
Click to expand...

I have never cared for large spear blades, but you may have just given me a reason to reconsider. A spreader, of course!
 
Serpentine Jack... I want a real knife and real tools separated please. I don't even like the screwdrivers with Phillips and flat inserts etc. give me the real thing.
 
A fuller response (my immediate, no-need-to-[over]-think vote for the Jack stands): I love SAKs, but to me they are tools with knives. Cool, compact tools indeed, but : tools.

A jack knife is a knife.

Even more, for my whole borned life until recently (when I learned of other patterns), pocket knife = jackknife, not just the moniker but the pattern.

I understand that there are non-serpentine Jacks, but the serpentine is very familiar to me, and is the only Jack still represented.

In fact, I can predict my vote from here on out; there's no way I can vote for anything over "jack knife," if the result is its elimination.

Jack.

~ P.
 
After carrying for a few years an alox sak, finding out it was really all i needed, perhaps even a bit more, i can appreciate it, but i must say i really love the options i get in a more old fashion traditional knife, options like carbon steel, bone...you know..and for that reason alone, be it form over function if you will, or maybe beauty over (extra) options, i choose the serpentine jack. It cuts, it looks good, and feels like it has a soul.
I know this is a more of a general response to your poll, but being the reason i choose the jack, i thought i might mention it. The sak may be a better edc, but i sure like to carry a serpentine jack instead. After all, a knife is supposed to cut, and no more.
 
I cannot go out into the wood with out both,with that said the scout or SAK I have on board only for the tools which are poor at best as tools so I'll have to go with a serpentine JACK..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top