Does your pen blade do anything your other blades don't?

Macchina

Macchina

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Apr 7, 2006
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Just ordered my first traditional with a pen blade (2 blade #15) and I used to avoid knives with them but I'm going to try to embrace this one. That tiny blade takes up the same space (width) as another full size blade: what have I been missing?
 
Being a single blade enthusiast I get along just fine with the main blade on pens and jacks. Most of the time I don't even bother sharpening them to the same level as the main. That makes them a handy scraper, something I never do with the main blade.

- Christian
 
Actually, the pen blades on GEC's jacks are usually slightly thinner stock than the main blade... Not really a whole lot but they are :) I use my pen blades for stuff like opening packages and boxes. The blade doesn't go that far, less likely to inadvertently cut something.

Not much they really can't do unless you need a longer blade, but in a jack, you get one too :)
 
My pen blade is on my butterfly style Micra, which rides in my LFP (the Opinel is in my RFP).

EDC Pair by Pinnah, on Flickr


The Micra opens up full length and when sharpened, it's sort of like carrying a folding Xacto knife. The pen blade (I reground mine to almost a wharncliff) works well for whittling.
Micra whittling by Pinnah, on Flickr

It's also nice for opening packaging as it's easier to control the cut depth. Perfect for the "can I borrow your knife" requests.
 
Yes. On each knife I have with a pen blade, it is smaller than the main blade. This is useful to me and it makes me happy. Math tha.

:)
 
Yes.

On my smaller jacks like peanuts, and the Case jacks in general, the pen blade is just as thick a stick as the main blade, so it's capable of real work. My pen blade was always the designated opener of the infernal plastic blister packages as well as the UPS and FEDEX boxes that have the packing tape that loves to mess up a nice edge. If I have to strip any wire making a electrical repair, I'd rather do it with my pen blade than the hair popping sharp hollow ground clip.

On Case medium and large jacks, the pen blade is a good size blade in it's own right, and is a very nice blade to have on hand.
 
Macchina said:
Just ordered my first traditional with a pen blade (2 blade #15) and I used to avoid knives with them but I'm going to try to embrace this one. That tiny blade takes up the same space (width) as another full size blade: what have I been missing?
Click to expand...

Actually the particular knife you have has a very usable pen blade....nice and long. On many knives they are too small but for nail cleaning. I use the pen a lot....probably more than the main. I like the size and it proves very useful for opening boxes and packages, which is what I do most with a pocket knife.
 
I like a pen blade, especially the long pen on the 78 pattern, but the 15 is pretty nice too. Like others, I find it useful for nail care and letter/package opening. Things where a larger blade just isn't necessary and the shorter length of the pen allows for a little more precision.
 
As a disclaimer: the only reason the pen really appealed to me was the knife is an Easy Open and the short pen blade fits in there perfectly.
 
jackknife said:
My pen blade was always the designated opener of the infernal plastic blister packages as well as the UPS and FEDEX boxes that have the packing tape that loves to mess up a nice edge.
Click to expand...

Same here. I find the shorter, stiffer blade to offer more control and it also works well for cutting sections out of cardboard boxes. The narrow profile offers slightly less resistance when cutting and it keeps the master blade from getting dulled quickly by the abrasive nature of the cardboard.
 
I usually "sharpen" a pen blade on a buffing wheel which gives it a very convex edge, basically radiused. I use them for scraping, deburring metal, and such. Main blade is the cutter.
 
I like to re-profile the pen blade to a flat grind for whittling. A short and very sharp blade is needed for whittling. I always carry something to whittle with me when I go out with the family, and often sit on a bench outside and whittle while they frolic about.

2014-08-09%2022.44.02_zpsbmjbcnhg.jpg
 
I keep the edge on the pen blade on my knives just a little thinner and sharper than the other blades. I tend to need a scalpel for minor surgeries on my hands quite often and pen blades work perfectly for this.
 
Great working blade with good control. I generally use the pen for real work and save the other blade for food stuff.
 
Use my Buck canoe's pen blade for packages and the occasional envelope. The Vic Classic also has what amounts to a pen blade, being so small. Same uses.

(If I whittled at all, I'd be a real aficionado of pen blades.)
 
Same as many above. The Pen takes care of opening mail, packages, boxes, etc. basically any misc or tedious work.

The main blade does food duty - slicing the morning apple, cutting my steak at dinner, etc.
 
Macchina said:
Just ordered my first traditional with a pen blade (2 blade #15) and I used to avoid knives with them but I'm going to try to embrace this one. That tiny blade takes up the same space (width) as another full size blade: what have I been missing?
Click to expand...

I use the pen blade when there is not room to reach the surface which requires cutting with the larger main blade. The configuration of such cutting jobs usually limits cutting motions, so I normally keep the pen blade very sharp. As others have said, the thinness of the normal pen blade lends itself to being kept very sharp.
 
Macchina said:
Just ordered my first traditional with a pen blade (2 blade #15) and I used to avoid knives with them but I'm going to try to embrace this one. That tiny blade takes up the same space (width) as another full size blade: what have I been missing?
Click to expand...

I use the pen blade when there is not room to reach the surface which requires cutting with the larger main blade. The configuration of such cutting jobs usually limits cutting motions, so I normally keep the pen blade very sharp. As others have said, the thinness of the normal pen blade lends itself to being kept very sharp.
 
I keep my pen blades scalpel sharp, they come in handy every once in a while when you're in a tight area or using the main would be overkill (i.e. Opening a letter with a trapper blade vs pen blade on my diamond jack)
 
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