How small can you go ? ( a fun experiment)

[Headwinds]

99% of the time I rotate smalls in my watch pocket and I usually carry 1 or 2 more knives along with it. I would say that the smalls see 75% of the use. My smalls consist of Peanuts, Small Folding Hunter, Pen and a GEC 06.
View attachment 1333643

I've been looking at ads for the 06 and wondering how it compared size-wise to a Peanut. Thanks for the excellent comparison shot.

 

[Hickory n steel]

This is one of my favorite knives and I have carried it on it's own a number of times, I just often forget about it when the topic of peanut class knives comes up because it's frame is slightly larger.
It's a small one that doesn't know it's small and I often forget it is as well.



They may be a tad thicker and a touch wider, but for all intents and purposes they're the same blades.

If anyone likes the blade size of the peanut but has found the handle a bit too small, check out the 6208 half whittler.
My only complaint would be the lack of a CV option in this pattern.
If they ever do offer them in CV I'll jump right on it, the only problem is it would probably be my perfect knife and I'd have trouble carrying any of my others

 

[jackknife]

I’ve grown to prefer a pocket knife that is not noticed until needed.

You would have got along with my dad just fine.

 

[Old Hunter]

When I was a youngster I EDC’d bigger knives - starting about 1963 it was my Cub Scout knife until around 1966 when I got an Official BSA Scout Knife, which I carried until my Senior year in HS - went to a Buck 301 Stockman then. When I became a sales rep in the late 1970’s I started carrying a lighter pocketknife, something that wore well in dress slacks, I bought a Schrade 108OT (and an identical pattern Uncle Henry). I carried those two penknives for a good 18 to 20 years for work (still carried bigger knives when on ARNG duty and when hunting, fishing, etc). I still like and carry penknives today but for the last 15 years I prefer a bigger knife for EDC, something in the 3-3/8” to 3-9/16th range. I will carry a penknife when dressed for church, wedding, or funeral but that’s the only time I carry one exclusively any longer. OH

 

[Duper]

I started this experiment a long time ago. I’ve carried smalls (2 5/8” - 2 7/8”) almost exclusively for over 30 years, since I discovered the 108OT and 12OT - more recently the Case small stockman and Peanut. (Occasionally a mini copperhead at 3 1/8”.) For day-to-day use I’ve never felt under-knifed.

I do occasionally carry a larger knife like a Vic Spartan or Wenger SI, but just for specific jobs.

Very nice. Is that bone red or is it chestnut?

,,,Mike in Canada

 

[Corso]

These are two of my most carried - both under 3" closed

 

[Headwinds]

Very nice. Is that bone red or is it chestnut?

,,,Mike in Canada

Thank you. It's "Pocket Worn Old Red Bone" (Name's longer than the knife.)

 

[CHNeal]

Oh what the heck. My EDC is soaking in mineral oil today so I remembered this thread so instead of unboxing a new backup ( I gave my user backup to the kid that bagged my groceries last night) I figured I’d unleash the peanut and give it a run. This knife was a gift from @Woodrow F Call a few years back and it’s been my pajama pocket/around the house knife since. It hasn’t seen a lot of work day carry but here we go.View attachment 1334532

 

[Lee D]

I jumped on board yesterday, I’m a bit of a minimalist, so I know I can do this, but I’m gonna use 2 knives. The Alox minichamp and a manbug in ZDP-189.

I know the second isn’t a traditional, but I’ve always looked at it as a modern version of the peanut. If I had a peanut it’s what I’d be using, but the idea is to go small, and I’m definitely doing that. I only have a couple small traditionals, a case mini trapper being the smallest, and it felt too big for this challenge. Good luck everyone, this is a fun idea Hickory

 

[Hickory n steel]

If theres ever been a good reason to have a small secondary blade like this it's packages, especially when theres a risk of cutting the contents like these USGI boonies I ordered.

And with a small knife like this it means the smaller secondary is even more suited for this task.

 

[Cutfinger]

I'm getting a Schrade #33, at 3 3/8" put together for me out of NOS parts, with scales you don't find on a 33.
I hope I like the knife, enjoy using it, I mean. I gave away a GEC 14 I found too small, at 3 1/8" (?)

I halfheartedly tried to get my hands on one of the Case brown sawcut bone Barlows, thinking the 3 5/16" size could work for me, because of the fat handle. I remember being surprised when I first found out just how small Case and many other Barlows are.

 

[mrknife]

Ive carried a gec 14 for some time before almost losing it once in a taxi ride. It had slipped out of the watch pocket. It is either that or the 66 slim thats been modded, that is my smallest knife. Id consider an 06 pemberton if i ever got my hands on one. The schatt and morgan small coke bottle was just a tad bigger if I recall as well.

 

[Lee D]

Aside from cutting a sandwich with my Vic Adventurer at supper (forgot how much I love that big Vic), I’m still going strong.
I was at a buddy’s house last night, and he was getting frustrated trying to open a fishing reel (stupid clam shells) for his 13 year old daughter, so he tells her ”take it to woody, he’s got a knife”...you should have seen the puzzled look on his face when i pulled a tiny little knife and it zipped right thru the plastic with zero effort

I will admit, it was the locking model, them thick clam shells can be a little tricky.

 

[Hickory n steel]

The other knife arrived today, a knife I had never actually seen in person before.

Wouldn't ya know it, this Buck 160 is the same blade length as the little 305.

I didn't look at any specs because they're discontinued , and based on the assumption that it was a little larger I planned to carry it but still only use the 305.
Well seeing as the blade lengths are the same, I'm going to use both.

 

[Corso]

This has been my EDC for almost a year

just under 3" closed - I carry other bladed but they never take this one slot in my pocket

 

[Hickory n steel]

The little 160 smidgen has proven a pretty useful little knife as well.

 

[sceva]

I like the GEC 09 Esquires; I also always carry a Victorinox Companion

 

[BuckShack]

This stays on my fishing vest, so I carry it when I'm fishing. That counts right?
Buck 860 Harsook

 

[Will Power]

Been brooding about this thread for some time, think it's an important one as making a small CREDIBLE i.e. useable knife is no mean feat. A lot of small knives end up as irritants, too toy-like and being an exercise in whimsy

To an extent, hand-size plays a role, but dexterity is more important in actual fact. I have a small hand with long thin fingers (can't do much about that) but have a powerful grip & believe dexterity is there too, also ambidextrous more or less. The reason I'm not so keen on big knives is not because of hand size but just dislike heavy bulky knives in the pocket-even if the pattern is interesting&has a long pedigree. Conversely, small knives can be annoying if they are fiddly, lack ergonomic feel and are awkward to open, then there's blade length....no good if you can't cut up an average apple or orange with it.

Well, this unusual sized 8cm Laguiole has just arrived and it's immediately struck the right note, in fact, I cannot find fault with how it behaves and how it's made-rare is that knife etc. Most Lags are large knives, 11, 12 or even 13cm but they are remarkable knives in the hand, plus you get a LOT of blade for your handle-an admirable quality. The handle looks unpromising, narrow and curved but often they have thick scale slabs and are just right to use. Thinking a 'toy' might arrive I had low expectations, not that expensive either so not holding my breath as it were. Delivery from France was slow but this is due to the Covid hysteria, I contacted the manufacturer and they were very pleasant, helpful and chased down the tracking. Stuff leaves most countries quick at the moment but once it's out of the country of origin the current impasse leads to very slow snail like delivery. I have a knife that was being rehandled in the US by a Forum artisan, it seems to have left or made ready to leave Chicago 29th March but I've yet to see it and rather fear I won't...

Anyway, G.David is a firm that's been making knives since 1810 in France and the 8cm Laguiole came with all stainless construction-matte- stamped blade, Sandvik steel and Juniper scales and firework. Was delighted that this is no toy or bauble but a really nicely finished and unusual version, it's rather sexist named feminin, due no doubt to its small size Pull is 7.5 and it's quite tough to close as most French knives are- and ALL knives should be, you can pinch it open. Scale slabs are thick and properly radiused, no liners sticking above the scales as some American knives (including a couple of GECs..) and most English knives sport smooth feeling when you handle the whole knife. Zero blade play. But the blade is not/is centred as is often the case in French knives- in that the blade can move slightly when shut but not when open. Arrived sharp enough to shave arm hair with no problem, so that's my particular benchmark reached, would not let it snap shut as it has a fearsome spring and this could damage the edge, but it's hardly a problem.

Paired here with a CASE Peanut, another benchmark for many but not I'm afraid for me. The Peanut is an old revered pattern and has an understandably large pool of admirers but I've never really been able to make a connexion with it, too fiddly and I've come to move away from Jack patterns anyway with side by side blades off the same end, I much prefer double end single spring knives for in the hand use. This G.David Lag is a little bit bigger than a Peanut but you get a lot more blade and I think, better in hand use.

This then is how small I can go. Plus fragrant Juniper handles Think I'll be getting an 11cm version too, they have really impressed me with quality, value and customer care.

 

[JohnDF]

My interest is piqued... seems like a good size.