Cut off too much....

Paradiggum

Paradiggum

Joined
Jul 4, 2001
Messages
1,662
of my thumb nail that is. I can hardly get my peanut open. Anyone else ever do that?
Forget about the spey blade on my stockman. It's not happening.
I know it will be fine in a couple of days but it's annoying. I went to open some mail with my peanut after trimming my finger nails and when I couldn't get the blade out...@&#*$!!!!!!
There's just enough at the edge of my thumbnail to get the job done. But barely.

Guess I'll have to toss something else in my pocket for a few days. The peanut will still come along since I almost feel naked without it. But it's almost too inconvenient to use it at the moment.

I can't be the only one that's done this. Heh.
 
I've been there. I have to avoid certain knives when I cut my nails short. You could buy another peanut and put an easy open notch in it with a Dremel.
It really isn't too hard.
 
trey999 said:
I've been there. I have to avoid certain knives when I cut my nails short. You could buy another peanut and put an easy open notch in it with a Dremel.
It really isn't too hard.
Click to expand...

Oddly enough I just ordered another peanut this evening. Along with some others. :) A site I frequent has some stuff for really good prices.
But I'll be carrying my Medium Jack for a few days. I can catch the nail nick on it just fine.
When I first cut them tonight it was fine. But when the thumb nail was a little rough I snipped of just a little more. That little more was too much.
Thanks for the suggestion.
 
I've done that to a couple of knives that were too hard to open even with nails. It's cool if you aren't worried about keeping the knife original.
Bear makes some single blade peanuts that could be nice with an EO notch. Unlike most people here, I'm a fan of Bear.
 
trey999 said:
I've done that to a couple of knives that were too hard to open even with nails. It's cool if you aren't worried about keeping the knife original.
Bear makes some single blade peanuts that could be nice with an EO notch. Unlike most people here, I'm a fan of Bear.
Click to expand...

So far, the only knife I've done any modding to is an Opinel #6. Which I just tried and can also open just fine. The problem with ordering a knife to modify is that by the time it arrived and I modded it my thumbnail should have grown out enough.
I also have plenty of non-traditional knives that will work.
I haven't tried Bear. If it holds and edge and feels good in the hand, then I'll probably like it. :)
 
All the time, though the cutting off for me would read bit off.

I have one particular knife where it really matters. The middle spear blade on a Queen/Pardue canoe pattern (or gun boat?)
 
One word; nail file.

Out of lifelong habit of carrying slip joint pocket knives, I always keep the thumb nail a tiny bit longer, and file it smooth, with the nail file on my Vic classic of course. Rule one of slip jointdom, never, but never, cut your thumb nail too short to open your knife. Sometimes if it gets a little rough, I'll use one of those white blocks Karen has for her nails. Hey, it works!

:D

Carl.
 
jackknife said:
One word; nail file.

Out of lifelong habit of carrying slip joint pocket knives, I always keep the thumb nail a tiny bit longer, and file it smooth, with the nail file on my Vic classic of course. Rule one of slip jointdom, never, but never, cut your thumb nail too short to open your knife. Sometimes if it gets a little rough, I'll use one of those white blocks Karen has for her nails. Hey, it works!

:D

Carl.
Click to expand...

Those who call us girly men can struggle opening their knife while we charge with ours already opened :D.
 
You could use a penny or a dime to hook the nail notch-- I've had to do that a few times.
 
jackknife said:
One word; nail file.

Out of lifelong habit of carrying slip joint pocket knives, I always keep the thumb nail a tiny bit longer, and file it smooth, with the nail file on my Vic classic of course. Rule one of slip jointdom, never, but never, cut your thumb nail too short to open your knife. Sometimes if it gets a little rough, I'll use one of those white blocks Karen has for her nails. Hey, it works!

:D

Carl.
Click to expand...

:thumbup:
Allowing my thumbnails to grow a bit longer, and not cutting them as short as my other nails, has been part of my 'evolution' into a true traditional knife user. Up until just a few years ago, I'd always cut my nails down to the quick. Sometimes even painfully 'too short'. Not anymore.

I've even found some extra usefulness in a longer thumbnail for burr-checking too.

BTW, I always used to notice some very long thumbnails on the hands of a lot of the old timers sitting at tables (with knives) at the local gun/knife shows. I think I'm beginning to understand why... :)
 
Could be worse--I have to cut my nails short or they tear. That's one reason I've given up on the idea of a Case as an EDC for utility. The blades bury too deeply and the springs are too stiff. I'm moving to the Buck 300 series instead for better access, weaker springs, and--I'm sure I'll draw flak for this--I hate the idea of carrying something as pretty as a Case being as fumble-fingered as I am.
 
average gimp said:
Could be worse--I have to cut my nails short or they tear. That's one reason I've given up on the idea of a Case as an EDC for utility. The blades bury too deeply and the springs are too stiff. I'm moving to the Buck 300 series instead for better access, weaker springs, and--I'm sure I'll draw flak for this--I hate the idea of carrying something as pretty as a Case being as fumble-fingered as I am.
Click to expand...

Nails tear when stress works on a fault or tiny fractures caused by the stress of cutting. It's like a knife edge, the edge needs to be stropped to get rid of the wire edge or burr. This is why all nail clippers come with a file- to smooth out the edge after the clipping. A piece of 500 grit paper will work as will a piece of scotch brite. But just make sure the edge of the nail is smooth and free of the stress cracks from the clipper. Nail clippers are very hard on nails, really. If you look at how they function, a clipper actually pinches and breaks the nail. It has to be 'finished off' with a file or those white pumace blacks the gals use. Those old guys at the knife shows with the thumbnails often file and smooth the nail. As a traditional knife knut, the thumbnail is a carefully cultivated thing, needed to fully enjoy our obsession with the knives that granddad used everyday of his life.

Wow, this is weird, we have to modify a body part to fully enjoy our knives! How dedicated is that to an obsession?

Carl.
 
I usually pinch open the blade main blade on my peanut. There's just enough of a hump to latch on to, and the spring tension I low enough to make it pretty easy.
 
Man I have been there and done that Paradiggum.

I stopped carrying my beloved Queen mini trapper (a beautiful Cozy Glen model) because the nail nick was so shallow. Combine this shallow nail nick with my usually very short nails and opening it was a real chore. After carrying it every day for 6 years it went into the drawer only to be carried once in a while.

I replaced it with a GEC owl and bullwinkle. GEC has nail nicks that are very well done. In fact they are recessed upwards to really grab your nail and facilitate opening. I suppose I got lucky as I had no idea how well done their nail nicks were I just knew I had had enough of having my knife slam shut time and again while tearing up my thumb nail. To me it just got too aggravating to ignore any longer. :)

Will
 
I had my right thumbnail break pretty deep in the middle the other day,while taking off the the lid(with holes)on a spice bottle.Had to cut the nail really short.That made opening my Peanut alot more difficult:eek:,but it's managable,barely.Thanks for the tip on the nail file Carl,I'll remember that one.:)-Jim
 
jackknife said:
Nails tear when stress works on a fault or tiny fractures caused by the stress of cutting. It's like a knife edge, the edge needs to be stropped to get rid of the wire edge or burr. This is why all nail clippers come with a file- to smooth out the edge after the clipping. A piece of 500 grit paper will work as will a piece of scotch brite. But just make sure the edge of the nail is smooth and free of the stress cracks from the clipper. Nail clippers are very hard on nails, really. If you look at how they function, a clipper actually pinches and breaks the nail. It has to be 'finished off' with a file or those white pumace blacks the gals use. Those old guys at the knife shows with the thumbnails often file and smooth the nail. As a traditional knife knut, the thumbnail is a carefully cultivated thing, needed to fully enjoy our obsession with the knives that granddad used everyday of his life.

Wow, this is weird, we have to modify a body part to fully enjoy our knives! How dedicated is that to an obsession?

Carl.
Click to expand...

Ever since I was young, I had a habit of biting my nails. Until recently, I could never break the habit. When I got into slip joints, I realized I couldn't open my favorite knives if I bite my nails. My love of knives won out over my habit of biting my nails. Now, I use a knife or nail clippers followed my smoothing it out with some scrap wetordry sandpaper. Using a knife leaves a less ragged edge but if your not careful, you can take off more than you want.

I'm beginning to think that this forum is the only place where people understand me :D
 
Found that today I can already open the main blade on my peanut. Not so much the pen yet. Probably tomorrow.
I figured I wasn't the only one. :)
 
jackknife said:
Nails tear when stress works on a fault or tiny fractures caused by the stress of cutting. It's like a knife edge, the edge needs to be stropped to get rid of the wire edge or burr. This is why all nail clippers come with a file- to smooth out the edge after the clipping. A piece of 500 grit paper will work as will a piece of scotch brite. But just make sure the edge of the nail is smooth and free of the stress cracks from the clipper. Nail clippers are very hard on nails, really. If you look at how they function, a clipper actually pinches and breaks the nail. It has to be 'finished off' with a file or those white pumace blacks the gals use. Those old guys at the knife shows with the thumbnails often file and smooth the nail. As a traditional knife knut, the thumbnail is a carefully cultivated thing, needed to fully enjoy our obsession with the knives that granddad used everyday of his life.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, Carl; I'll have to try this.
 
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