New Peanut Impressions

S

sixgunner455

Joined
Feb 21, 2007
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sm2 (Steve) and jackknife: This is all your fault. ElCuchillo's alligator story didn't help me any, either.

Peanuts have been discussed a lot here. I have resisted buying a Case Peanut for a long time. Just couldn't see the utility. Then last fall, I got a Victorinox Executive, started carrying it every day beside my wallet, and realized that a knife that length does actually have utility beyond light duty, unlike the penknives I like to pick up occassionally are basically suited to, if it is built right for it.

The constant "You'll be surprised, old guys know, the Peanut can do anything, yada yada" wore me down, and I started actually looking at them. Anyway, I bid on 4 or 5 of them until I finally won an Ebay auction at a price I could live with. Been sitting on the mailbox for days now, just like I always do when I get a new knife.

It arrived this afternoon.

First impression on opening the box at the mailbox: "You've got to be kidding me!" Not a negative, just... I was giggling. It's just so tiny. It's a giggle. And there are places that won't let you carry a knife this size, because it's somehow too big!! Can't imagine.

This is a very small knife. Yellow Delrin, CV steel. Comparisons are inevitable, so I'm going to throw a few of them in here. It is 1/8" shorter than my Vic Executive. Even so, the main blades are similar in length. The main blade on my Vic Pocket Pal, which has about half inch of handle length on both the Peanut and Executive, is only 1/8" longer. The blade steel stock of the main blade on the Executive is thicker -- even thicker than on the Pocket Pal. The handles on all three are very similar in thickness, but the Executive is much, much wider than the Peanut, by about X2, which gives the fingers a bit more to hold onto. The Pocket Pal, while not quite as wide, has more length for the same purpose.

The Case Peanut is very nicely put together. Smooth action, half-stops -- who puts half-stops on a sub-three inch bitty little knife? Yet, there they are. I have one jackknife this size -- a very old Imperial that I bought to replace the first knife I ever had. It's a serpentine handle, instead of a peanut style. I've never even bothered to sharpen it. It was a cheap knife when my dad bought me my first, it was cheap when they made it, and it was cheap when I bought the replacement for nostalgia. If my old one had had the half-stops that are on this Case, I probably wouldn't have a scar on the knuckle of my right index finger... Anyway.

The construction of the Peanut lives up to the bigger Case knives I have, and to their claim of producing premium pocket cutlery. Just because it is small, doesn't mean that it is weak, wimpy, or worthless. It is solid, just small. Weighs about twice as much as the Vic Pocket Pal, or any true penknife I have, and just about as much as the Vic Executive.

Just as I had previously thought, it feels miniscule in my hand. I wouldn't want to try to use anything smaller in a serious way. Even this, is pushing things. Looks like "scalpel hold" will be the order of things when I put it to use. In other words, it will force finesse by the size of its handle instead of allowing force or leverage to accomplish a task.

I don't mind small blades. What concerns me in my future use of this little knife is the length and width of the handle. I have a medium-sized Case jackknife, I think they call the Texas Jack, that has a broken pen blade. I reshaped the end of it, and its cutting edge is now about 1/2" long. It's very useful, but it has a handle behind it. Leverage is part of finesse, sometimes, and that stubby blade with the longer handle allows plenty of leverage. It's very usefull for ripping open boxes, or woodcarving. The little Peanut is going to be limited in the amount of leverage available, and I think that is probably a good thing considering the thin blade steel. Too much leverage might do bad things to that thin stuff.

Width, like on my Executive, can make up for a lack of length in some cases.

As I look at it, I think I will probably carry and use it. It is just too cute not to. But I am not going to carry it alone, I think. Though it is built much more stoutly than any of my nice little penknives, I'll be much more confident doing some things with a longer, more heavily built knife that I can use some leverage on.

My dad told me that he bought a couple of Tiny Trappers at a knife show over the weekend, because they were cute, but he can't hardly even open one of them. He gave them to my mother for her trapper collection. I can't see me ever getting a Tiny Trapper, except as a curio. 1/2" shorter? Wow. There may be such a thing as "too cute". :D Don't nobody start pushing the Tiny Trappers, now. I do have some self control. I do.

Steve, Jackknife, this is all your fault.

Steve gets solo responsibility for my Barehead Trapper, though. And you were right, Steve. They seem to be getting along just fine.
 
I looked at the Tiny Trapper last Blade show. I like little knives and the Tiny Trapper was cute, but was too small.

I think Mike Alsdorf's Doctor pattern is an ideal size for a slipjoint and won't raise an eyebrow if used in public. The Doctor has always been one of my favorite patterns over the years, a very elegant knife. A bit larger than a Peanut, measures 3 1/8" closed.
 
The peanut is a cute knife.. By appearance one might think that it would not be a very useful knife. It is kind of amazing though when you really start to look at it. I too like the halfstops. There is no doubt in my mind that I could do just about everything needed with a peanut, but as you mentioned, the size is just to small for me because I have big hands..
The tiny trapper is definetely in the same catagory. I am actually very fond of the mini trapper, small but still big enough to use comfortably.
My wife ordered a tiny trapper a couple years ago for her collection, and I was really surprised when I saw just how tiny it really was..
 
sixgunner455 said:
The little Peanut is going to be limited in the amount of leverage available, and I think that is probably a good thing considering the thin blade steel. Too much leverage might do bad things to that thin stuff.
Click to expand...

You may find that, because of the thin blade stock, you won't need as much leverage.
 
Congrats on the new knife, the honymoon is about to begin.

Go ahead and give it a stropping to get it really sharp, and go breakdown a cardboard box. Open some mail, slice open a big bag of dog food or a 40 pound heavy plastic bag of wild bird seed or something similar. You're going to be very peasently surprised at how that flat ground little blade glides through stuff. I find that with my peanut, I mostly use a good three finger hold and it's enough for 98 to 99% of what I cut.

It's going to take some metal adjustment to get used to a peanut and to see what it really is; a mighty mite of pocket knifes. It's like a tiny pen knife, but is built better than the typical penknife, and is really a good cutter.

Carry it for the next two weeks, and no matter what else you are carrying, try to use the peanut first as an experiment. Then let us know what you think.
 
The peanut really is a neat little knife. Can handle most of the tasks a bigger knife can, and whatever it cant do, a small sheath knife will.
Give it some pocket time, and tell us what you think of it.
Which reminds me, I should carry mine more often. ;)

Peter
 
I really think you will be surprised at how useful the peanut is. I really didn't take them serious until I had carried one for awhile. They are great little pocket knives.
 
sixgunner455 said:
Steve, Jackknife, this is all your fault.
Click to expand...

No problemo, I've been held responcible for worse.

I've had some thoughts that may help to put it in metal perspective. Remember all those sheet metal handle pen knives back in the 6o's that were made by nail clipper companies? Names like Trim come to mind. They had a single piece sheet metal handle folded over and a narrow sheepsfoot blade. The more delux one had a second blade that was a combo screwdriver, cap lifter. Look at how many people got by with those and the old advertising key chain knives.

Heck, look at how many people get by with a Vic classic. Of the 35 million knives a year that Victorinox churns out, 9 million are classics. Thats 9 million classics per year. Modern large companies are not really fond of making things that don't sell well to a ready market. At the present time it is the most confiscated knife on the TSA list. Of course they are all carried by non-knife knuts, who are just bright enough to know they need a cutting tool, but don't want a serious knife either. Not being knife knuts, "they" don't realize that "they" are underknifed with such a miniscule blade. Instead, "they" go thru life coming upon some cutting chores, like a box to be opened, a string or rope to be cut, mail opened, and "they" take out thier little tiny knife and cut right thru whatever it is they are trying to open. 99% of the time it works just fine, because as non-knife knuts, "they" don't realize that they should have a 3 7/8 stockman, or a 3 1/2 inch barlow, or any other larger knife. In fact, for most of our cutting chores, a small sharp little pen knife is perfectly fine. It's all about how you look at it.

I think if you just carry a peanut, and don't compare it to any other knife, you'll love it. Use it for what it is, and don't worry about what it ain't. In a day to day life, it will do most all you need to do with a knife, and it's soo darn cute doing it. And when you get used to the 'nut, and all those other knives then seem too big, look how many variations there are. You can get a bone stag peanut, a ...
 
Glad to know the "peanut cult" remains strong.

As usual, one's in my pocket right now. Best slicer I own.
 
sixgunner455,

Congratulations my friend.

You and I have shared a lot over the years, passing forward to not only each other, also others.
Some things just "are" and the Peanut is one.

My hands fit into size 7 surgical gloves, and the last time I wore a ring on left hand ring finger it was size 8 1/2 if I recall.

I grew up using hand tools, like you did.
So we both know a handle being bigger in relationship to blade allows control and precision.

Also, don't forget, having a handle small, that fits into palm, also afford one control and precision.

i.e.
fixed whittling or carving knives have long handles with small blades, some not even 1 1/2" long.
Hand engravers, like gun engravers, use gravers with small handles, some round , some oval, some like the shape of a Peanut handle.

Both steels are sharp!
This means less force is needed to control the precise cuts, and not slip.

A Peanut, with its thin, sharp blades, allow one this same thing.

Now a fella I know hangs drywall, and his wedding band is a size 10,and best recall when he put on some surgical gloves, they were a size 9 or 9.5.
Paws.
He has rough paws.

His wife got him the Red Bone Peanut, with CV.
Before he could fuss, I reminded him of the old saw:

Don't go to the work, bring the work to you.
He and his wife mess with her costume jlry stuff.

Get that item you are working on, near you and brace yourself.

Take a kids toy in that $#@% plastic clamshell.
That toy brought to you, and that Peanut with a sharp thin blade, in the palm, will slice that clamshell so easy!

With a Slimline Trapper, you "ooch" up on the knife, to use the end of blade and the handle is akin to the whittler and his /her knife.

Open the mind, and use the Peanut.

This knife has as you shared, almost the same size blade as a Pocket Pal for the main blade.
In a restrictive workplace or campus the Pocket Pal is too long, being over 3" closed length, the Peanut is not.

Manners, forget political correct, or those against knives, just old fashioned manners.
The Peanut fits in settings, to cut a thread, or slice a lime for ladies drink, or cut a chocolate into to keep a lady from messing up lipstick, or opening a toy for a kid.

Slimline might not be as appropriate, nor would a black tactical knife whipped out, even a small one.

Peanut is a proven, traditional sleeper.
It has done what it does since before 1915 according to Case, referring to pattern 20.

I mean folks keep trying to re-invent the Peanut wheel, but we have had one since before 1915.
*smirk*

What folks don't get is, traditional knives like the Peanut, are not "cults" or "fanboys", just a darn tool that is proven.

Just like a real wood Number 2 pencil.

Enjoy...
 
Right now I am carrying a CV Medium Stockman, and I absolutely love it. Might become my new favorite pattern. However, when I first got it, it felt HUGE to me, and anyone who has had this thin, small knife knows it is far from big. However, after having carried a Peanut for ever and a day, it seemed so big to me. The Peanut grows on you the more you use it. By that I mean it stops being this small cute knife and becomes a very capable working cutter. The thin sharp blades handle cutting chores so well that you no longer need to lean into a cut, or push hard for a cut. It is the ultimate little big knife.
 
Well, thanks all for the congratulations. I was busy at work today, but did just finish putting a better edge on the Peanut. It is scary sharp now, as it should be.

I haven't cut anything with it yet. But I guess since it's dinner time, I'll have to see what the Peanut does with an orange, some cheese, and such.

Steve, I just noticed the other day that I'm scooching down the blade on the Slimline Trapper when I need to use the point. Just naturally doing it, like I did when I was growing up on smaller knives -- because my hands were smaller. Don't even think about it, just cup the fingers around the blade and hook the pinky and ring finger around the handle, and put it to work. If I can adapt to the use of the bigger knife to do smaller work, then I guess I can do the adaptation to the smaller knife. Like I said with the Executive, I've figured out ways to use it. Just have to get past my reservations, use it, and see how things go.

I'll let you know.
 
I love my Peanuts!

The thin flat ground blades cut like lazers. :D

Plus they are just plan fun to use. Real men carry Peanuts. :D
 
I carry my peanut (Case, amber bone) five days a week at work because it is comfortable to carry in the pocket of dress pants, and unlikely to upset people in my overly sensitive work environment (although there was once actually a minor "incident" over it). Normally I like an edc that is a bit bigger and with more implements like a SAK or multitool, but for dress clothes the peanut is perfect and I have become quite attached to it.
 
As I predicted, when I use it for an extended amount of time (whittling, etc) I feel it in the muscles and joints of my fingers. For just snipping something, pull it out, cut, put it away, it's perfect. I may have to figure out some other methods of holding the knife for whittling, so I can keep using it. It is really a nicely put together piece. I'm liking it a lot.

Pulled out a Vic Classic -- my wife's keyring knife -- today to compare the pen blades. They are exactly the same length, but the Peanut's steel is thicker, about twice as thick. Little blade does do some work.
 
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