Modern equivalent to Case Peanut

J

jsg71

Joined
Sep 17, 2013
Messages
125
I like both modern and traditional knives and because I spend most of my time around town or in my office I gravitate toward smaller knives.

I think it is safe to say the Peanut has a cult following (there is a cult thread) so what is the modern equivalent?

My vote is for the Spyderco Dragonfly. It is small by most standards but big enough for almost anything I do in a typical day.

What are your thoughts?
 
For around the office I love my carbon steel Case Peanut. It does everything that I need it to do. People think that it's cute. And it disappears into my pocket.
 
I have Chaparrals in birdseye maple and raffir noble, plus a Victorinox Cadet, but the closest is a small traditional stag and brass Hungarian slipjoint.
 
I'd say a Spyderco Ladybug or Manbug is the modern equivalent to a peanut. At least it is for me.
 
Benchmade 3150, Ferrum Forge Mini-Archbishop, or my Civivi Odium.
 
For me it's the A.G. Russell lockbacks. Hard to find though (Japan made ones, don't bother with the Chinese made ones). The carbon fiber ones weigh next to nothing, the titanium ones weigh only a tad more, and they're all thin as a coin.

hvWaxIE.jpg


Close second would be a Spyderco Ladybug. Blade isn't quite as thin as the AGRs (or the Case Peanut, but few blades are), but is still very thin.
 
I think Planterz got as close are you're going to get. One reason the Peanut-pattern endures is that there isn't anything quite like it.

Two blades
Non-locking
Sub-three-inch closed length

The "pen knife" seems to have gotten folded into "gentleman's knives", or simply put in with "everyday carry", except places where we draw brighter lines around knife categories.

Now, part of the problem is putting a smaller fence around the word "modern". My assumption is that a "modern" pen knife would essentially be a two-blade slipjoint, made of 154 or "better', with Micarta, G10, or ABS for the slabs. The shape and size wouldn't be too much different from Case's standard.

If that's what you're thinking of, then there doesn't seem to be much coming out of factories, which could be a niche market for somebody like Lionsteel or We/Civivi, who seem to want to explore this space. Boker is doing some pen-knife-adjacent blades, but they're using wood and Delrin, which aren't very "modern" materials. Other than that, I think you're looking at having something made to your specs, or finding something that's 90%, and getting some customizing done.

Edit: for me personally, my Alox Electrician is a more useful choice than a pen knife. I don't need to sharpen quills, hardly ever, and if I did, this jacket splitting blade would do an adequate job.

sNymDXS.jpg
 
Last edited:
Shorttime said:
I think Planterz got as close are you're going to get. One reason the Peanut-pattern endures is that there isn't anything quite like it.

Two blades
Non-locking
Sub-three-inch closed length

The "pen knife" seems to have gotten folded into "gentleman's knives", or simply put in with "everyday carry", except places where we draw brighter lines around knife categories.

Now, part of the problem is putting a smaller fence around the word "modern". My assumption is that a "modern" pen knife would essentially be a two-blade slipjoint, made of 154 or "better', with Micarta, G10, or ABS for the slabs. The shape and size wouldn't be too much different from Case's standard.

If that's what you're thinking of, then there doesn't seem to be much coming out of factories, which could be a niche market for somebody like Lionsteel or We/Civivi, who seem to want to explore this space. Boker is doing some pen-knife-adjacent blades, but they're using wood and Delrin, which aren't very "modern" materials. Other than that, I think you're looking at having something made to your specs, or finding something that's 90%, and getting some customizing done.

Edit: for me personally, my Alox Electrician is a more useful choice than a pen knife. I don't need to sharpen quills, hardly ever, and if I did, this jacket splitting blade would do an adequate job.

sNymDXS.jpg
Click to expand...
I see the peanut as the minimalist before that was a practice. It is just enough to do most of what you need without more than that.

In looking for a modern equivalent I was looking at upgraded steel for edge retention and corrosion resistance. I am enjoying the more modern traditional knives because of this. I just picked up a Lionsteel Dom and am really enjoying it.

I like slip joints but see them as the norm for their time. I do not see that as a necessity for the modern equivalent but it is a possibility. I do not “need” a lock or one hand opening day to day but recognize it is a norm for what is being developed today.

I’m enjoying reading the post so I appreciate all who have replied so far.
 
Lee D said:
That’s dedication lol
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I mean, I did some dishes and other things in between, too. I don't like coming up empty, because it's hard to believe that there are sizes and shapes of knife that are left untouched in this saturated market: everybody is looking for an "edge" when it comes to advertising, and offering something that others don't is an easy answer. It took a little longer than usual to find it, because if you image search for "pen knife", you get lots of optimistic products which attempt to put a blade on a pen,
 
jsg71 said:
I see the peanut as the minimalist before that was a practice. It is just enough to do most of what you need without more than that.

In looking for a modern equivalent I was looking at upgraded steel for edge retention and corrosion resistance. I am enjoying the more modern traditional knives because of this. I just picked up a Lionsteel Dom and am really enjoying it.

I like slip joints but see them as the norm for their time. I do not see that as a necessity for the modern equivalent but it is a possibility. I do not “need” a lock or one hand opening day to day but recognize it is a norm for what is being developed today.

I’m enjoying reading the post so I appreciate all who have replied so far.
Click to expand...

I think you're onto the whole jist of the thing. I love the peanut, but my love of it was from my dad, who was an old Great Depression guy and WW2 guy. He was also a minimalist long before the term came about. To him, the peanut was the minimal knife he cold get away with in his suit wearing world in Washington D.C.. He wasn't a hunter, but did love to fish and camp. For that, he'd bring along a bigger knife more suitable for the activity. But day to day, he carried a Case Peanut, until he retired it and just carried a Christy knife day to day. But that was the 1950's.

If dad were around today, would his choice been different? I think so. Dad was a realist, and looked at pro's and con's, and I think the men of his generation would pick what worked well for the job and hand. If that job at hand was a minimal pocket knife, that was small enough to drop in a pocket and forget about until you needed something sharp, they would pick from what was available on the market. I don't think they would have turned their noses up at a Spyderco ladybug, a little Buck mini Buck, Gerber LST, or a Russell ultimate penknife. To these guys who went off and fought a world war then came home to sell insurance or run a car repair garage, or a dry cleaning plant, they just wanted a little cutting tool that they could actually forget about until needed. They were not 'knife guys' and didn't really care about knives at all. But they did know that sometimes you just need to cut something. Opening mail, a package, some twine, whatever.

BUT...I think there is a modern peanut. Its the Victorinox classic. I see these things on keyring's all over being carried by a wide variety of people, ranging from young 20 year old college co-ed's to restaurant managers, to old farts fly fishing on the river. They even sell then at Walmart for all of 11.95. Thats about the price of a lunch at a chain restaurant like Denny's or Bob Evans. From production numbers, its easy the worlds most mass produced pocket knife, and one of the knife magazines some years back made it the cover photo and deemed it the most TSA confiscated knife post 9-11. They even put company logos on them and give them away for promotions.

Modern peanut? It's the Victorinox classic.
 
jackknife said:
I think you're onto the whole jist of the thing. I love the peanut, but my love of it was from my dad, who was an old Great Depression guy and WW2 guy. He was also a minimalist long before the term came about. To him, the peanut was the minimal knife he cold get away with in his suit wearing world in Washington D.C.. He wasn't a hunter, but did love to fish and camp. For that, he'd bring along a bigger knife more suitable for the activity. But day to day, he carried a Case Peanut, until he retired it and just carried a Christy knife day to day. But that was the 1950's.

If dad were around today, would his choice been different? I think so. Dad was a realist, and looked at pro's and con's, and I think the men of his generation would pick what worked well for the job and hand. If that job at hand was a minimal pocket knife, that was small enough to drop in a pocket and forget about until you needed something sharp, they would pick from what was available on the market. I don't think they would have turned their noses up at a Spyderco ladybug, a little Buck mini Buck, Gerber LST, or a Russell ultimate penknife. To these guys who went off and fought a world war then came home to sell insurance or run a car repair garage, or a dry cleaning plant, they just wanted a little cutting tool that they could actually forget about until needed. They were not 'knife guys' and didn't really care about knives at all. But they did know that sometimes you just need to cut something. Opening mail, a package, some twine, whatever.

BUT...I think there is a modern peanut. Its the Victorinox classic. I see these things on keyring's all over being carried by a wide variety of people, ranging from young 20 year old college co-ed's to restaurant managers, to old farts fly fishing on the river. They even sell then at Walmart for all of 11.95. Thats about the price of a lunch at a chain restaurant like Denny's or Bob Evans. From production numbers, its easy the worlds most mass produced pocket knife, and one of the knife magazines some years back made it the cover photo and deemed it the most TSA confiscated knife post 9-11. They even put company logos on them and give them away for promotions.

Modern peanut? It's the Victorinox classic.
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Great story

There are many excellent candidates for a modern Case peanut but the Victorinox Classic is certainly at the top.

Your dad was among other great minds.

FYI General Chuck Yeager carried a Victorinox Classic from his WWII service to his recent death.
 
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