New appreciation for small blades

M

mdsmith

Joined
Jan 7, 2009
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I was doing some work around the house this weekend, installing a duct humidifier. This gave me the opportunity to do a lot more cutting than I usually do in my day to day life, sitting behind a computer. I was doing things like cutting open packages, srtipping wire, cutting electrical tape and poly tube, ect. When I started out, I was using a modern one hander with about a 3 in blade. It did a good job cutting the tubing, and some cardboard, but as soon as it came time to strip wire, remove electrical tape from something that I didn't want to be cut, ect, the larger blade began to feel a little unwieldy, so I decided to grab my peanut. Man did having a smaller blade make these thing much easier, and even though it was much smaller than the one hander, is still zipped through the cardboard and poly tubing. My usual daily knife use consist of things like cutting open blister packs, and to be honest, I never really saw an advantage or disadvantage either way regarding blade size, but this little project really helped me appreciate just how useful a small blade can be, and for me, even more so than a larger one.
 
I've noticed myself doing the same. I used to get a lot of larger blades but recently have been going for more pocket knives and even some toothpicks. I've also gotton a lot of traditional lately.
 
Same over here.
Actually I've always liked the smaller blade.
Even in my Spyderco period I hardly carried a bigger blade than an old school Delica. Most of the time it was the Cricket.
Now I've been converted to traditionals my most carried knife is the Peanut or Tiny Toothpick.
My modified Opi 6 or small Douk Douk are as big as I want to go. Heck, even my modified 3 inch Opi 8 feels like a machete LOL.
Just so much more dexterity with a small knife IMO ;)
 
My relatively new CV Peanut has been getting a whole lot of use. So much use that it's getting some nice patina.

 
It took me a long time to understand the old guys with the "pen knife" thing. I was a young man full of vinegar and sure of myself and my choices. Only with years of experience of life I gained the knowledge that sometimes, less is more. Thinking back, even when I carried a full size stockman, it was the secondary blades that I used the most. The 2 inch sheepsfoot was my number 1 user. Now I carry a pocket knife with a 2 inch blade, and aside from cutting a large sub sandwich in half, it does very well. Opening all kinds of packages, trimming a snack off of something in the fridge, trimming off a nice firm bit of chicken liver for catfish bait, all works well with a small blade.

I view small knives as similar to pocket pistols. Yes, my K frame revolver is more accurate and easier to shoot than my little J frames. Especially the alloy J frame that have some real recoil. But carrying is far easier with the smaller revolver, as a peanut carries easier than a full size stockman. But it will open a UPS box or cut a piece of twine just as well, and leave room in the pocket for other stuff that comes in handy now and then.

Carl.
 
I, too, have found a certain love for small blades. My revelation came in the parking lot of a local Target store. I had purchased a Chugginton video for my son and when he wanted to watch it on the way home I pulled out my knife to open it. Standing there using a Douk Douk to open that video made me stop and re-think what I carry on a regular basis. Although I love the Douk Douk I have and use it often, something smaller would have handled that job and most of my others without a second thought. Everything is a matter of preference and what feels right to you, but honestly, I felt a little silly that day. Some would argue you cannot have "too much" knife, but I did. So, after arriving home and unloading the van, my first order of business was to order a peanut. Most days now I carry a peanut, pemberton, trapper nut and throw an Opinel No. 6 in my bag. Haven't needed anything else.
 
jone said:
I, too, have found a certain love for small blades. My revelation came in the parking lot of a local Target store. I had purchased a Chugginton video for my son and when he wanted to watch it on the way home I pulled out my knife to open it. Standing there using a Douk Douk to open that video made me stop and re-think what I carry on a regular basis. Although I love the Douk Douk I have and use it often, something smaller would have handled that job and most of my others without a second thought. Everything is a matter of preference and what feels right to you, but honestly, I felt a little silly that day. Some would argue you cannot have "too much" knife, but I did. So, after arriving home and unloading the van, my first order of business was to order a peanut. Most days now I carry a peanut, pemberton, trapper nut and throw an Opinel No. 6 in my bag. Haven't needed anything else.
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Well said... In reality a small pocket knife is up to well over 90% of what most folks need a pocket knife for.
 
I have had a pretty varied group of employment choices. Starting out in the trades I carried a CASE 4" folder, either stockman or a copperhead jack. Tried wagging around a large Browning folder the size of a 110, but it was too much. Carried the 4 inchers for about 15 years.

Went into banking for about 10 years and switched to smaller knives. Carried an EYE brand mini canoe, a Kershaw DWO, a Buck Prince, and a Gerber Silver Knight all in rotation for about 10 years. As an office guy, that was plenty of knife for all tasks that presented themselves.

Got back to the trades and for the last 20 years or so carry two knives, a traditional of some sort and a large clip on beater as seen on that great thread of traditional and modern pairings. When I am not at work though, I still carry a small knife as I don't like the feel of a piece of rebar in my pocket that I get from a large folder. I don't know why that didn't bother me as a youngster, but it does now. I would rather my knives disappear into my pocket.

Robert
 
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jone said:
I had purchased a Chugginton video for my son and ... on the way home I pulled out my knife to open it. Standing there using a Douk Douk to open that video made me stop and re-think what I carry on a regular basis. Although I love the Douk Douk I have and use it often, something smaller would have handled that job and most of my others without a second thought. ... I felt a little silly that day.
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I have soooo been there. Pulling out a full-sized trapper to nip a string off my little girl's sweater as we were standing on a quiet city sidewalk, next to our station wagon? Just felt a little too drugstore cowboy for me. I never get that feeling with my peanut or 33OT or Rambler or Buck 55.

-- Mark
 
But, what happens if you are at a railroad crossing and a car stalls out and then you run up and the door is stuck so you have to pry the door off its hinges and then the dashboard somehow got rolled onto her lap and then you have to pry it loose and then cut her seat belt because of course its stuck amd then you have to hack your way through a bunch of 4" trees amidst blackberry brambles to get away from the train and then you fall head long into a swamp amd have to fight your way through aligators for miles only to be washed up on the banks of a hermit who takes you hostage then you have to fight your way free hand to hand style and then pry the front door open then hike 40 miles where they impounded your car after you left it on the crossing and then you have to cut through the lock to get your car back so you can go home and cut up hot dogs for you and your child to eat whilst watching Chuggington? What then!?

I just carry a pony jack. It does just fine. :)
 
medicevans said:
But, what happens if you are at a railroad crossing and a car stalls out and then you run up and the door is stuck so you have to pry the door off its hinges and then the dashboard somehow got rolled onto her lap and then you have to pry it loose and then cut her seat belt because of course its stuck amd then you have to hack your way through a bunch of 4" trees amidst blackberry brambles to get away from the train and then you fall head long into a swamp amd have to fight your way through aligators for miles only to be washed up on the banks of a hermit who takes you hostage then you have to fight your way free hand to hand style and then pry the front door open then hike 40 miles where they impounded your car after you left it on the crossing and then you have to cut through the lock to get your car back so you can go home and cut up hot dogs for you and your child to eat whilst watching Chuggington? What then!?

I just carry a pony jack. It does just fine. :)
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Oh well, if you're going to have Indiana Jones type of adventures, then a peanut is just not enough. You need a small Texas Jack! In CV!

Carl, Grand High Muckba of high adventure 'nuts.
 
As someone who tends to choose larger knives to fill my hands, a small blade would seem like an unlikely choice. But, that's why I usually have two pocketknives. And, I would say that my usage is pretty evenly spread between whatever large blade I'm toting, and the small one. There are undoubtedly chores that are much more readily accomplished with a small blade, and when I'm working out on a boat and it's rockin' & rollin' a little bit, a small blade is often safer to use.

For example:

246269a4-5dde-4adf-bca0-dfce3c5df5a1.jpg
 
Much of the time, a small blade is not only 'enough' blade for the job, but the better blade for the job. I do a lot of tiny detail work, and I want something more like a scalpel or x-acto for that.

Some of my favorites:
small004_zpse54ac6b2.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
medicevans said:
But, what happens if you are at a railroad crossing and a car stalls out and then you run up and the door is stuck so you have to pry the door off its hinges and then the dashboard somehow got rolled onto her lap and then you have to pry it loose and then cut her seat belt because of course its stuck amd then you have to hack your way through a bunch of 4" trees amidst blackberry brambles to get away from the train and then you fall head long into a swamp amd have to fight your way through aligators for miles only to be washed up on the banks of a hermit who takes you hostage then you have to fight your way free hand to hand style and then pry the front door open then hike 40 miles where they impounded your car after you left it on the crossing and then you have to cut through the lock to get your car back so you can go home and cut up hot dogs for you and your child to eat whilst watching Chuggington? What then!?

I just carry a pony jack. It does just fine. :)
Click to expand...

Not a problem if you carry a #55 :)

 
r8shell said:
Much of the time, a small blade is not only 'enough' blade for the job, but the better blade for the job. I do a lot of tiny detail work, and I want something more like a scalpel or x-acto for that.

Some of my favorites:
small004_zpse54ac6b2.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
Click to expand...

Is that yellow one a Case TinyTrapper? Nice!
 
It's weird but even though I know a peanut would be enough for most of my needs, I tend to carry larger, multi blade knives. And more often than not, I have two knives on me and sometimes a modern folder (often a Spyderco P'kal) for potential "defensive" use. No I have not had to pull a knife for defense and yes I do train with them. Traditional knives of all shapes and sizes being my favorites though.
 
My problem isn't with the small blade, but rather the handle that usually accompanies said blade. For everyday use I could probably live with a blade the size of the Norfolk's wharnliffe main, but its handle is too small. I prefer something the size of the #73. Perhaps it's my prior experience with modern folders, but I have no issues with slipjoints this large (medium?). IMO knives 3 3/4" are the perfect combination of portability and utility. Not too big. Not too little. Just right.

- Christian
 
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