Peanut Size

S

sodak

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Mar 26, 2004
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Say that slowly or you'll get it wrong. ;) I should have named this thread "Curse you jackknife", in my best Snoopy imitation of "Curse you Red Baron!" :D

Ok, I broke down and got a Case peanut in CV (6220) in red bone, at least it looks like red bone. I didn't look closely at the sizes, this guy is about 2 and 3/4 in. total, with the clip blade right at 2 in. Is that right, or did I get a mini? I know these aren't big, but dang... It's going to take some getting used to. But you all have motivated me to give it a try...

I gotta quit reading Carl's threads.... :D
 
Yep, that's the correct size, and why I'm not really into them, as pretty as they may be. Before 1940 there existed a class of patterns (made by a lot of companies) that were scaled down doglegs and reverse doglegs - 3" to 3 1/8" closed - heavier construction, thicker blades -- looked identical to the larger versions, swedging and all, yet really sweet in the hand and pocket. Essentially a peanut on steroids. Sadly they were never reintroduced after WWII.
 
@zerogee: have you seen these? vendor link removed per forum guidelines
It sounds a lot like your description
 
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Mustang11 said:
@zerogee: have you seen these?
It sounds a lot like your description
Click to expand...

It's not quite it, but that's a great pattern itself - the older bone and CV steel versions were numbered 62087 (which is confusing, because the same pattern today in a yeller penknife (blades on opposite ends) is 32087 - a very nice pattern also).

Here's a Baker Hamilton & Pacific Co version of the 3" dogleg -- as you can see, it's a dead ringer for the standard size versions, and the feel in the hand is very different from the much more lightly built 2 3/4" peanut patterns:

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BakerHamiltonAndPacificCo-1.JPGBakerHamiltonAndPacificCo-3.JPG
 
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We need to contact GEC about those. They're already making superb 3" traditionals, adding dogleg 3" would suit well on their line up... :D
 
thejamppa said:
We need to contact GEC about those. They're already making superb 3" traditionals, adding dogleg 3" would suit well on their line up... :D
Click to expand...

I'd be all over them if they did. There were also versions that curved the way the Case peanut does (reverse doglegs), but had the more rounded bolsters and deeper handle of the usual dogleg -- in fact, Case made a 3" reverse dogleg in the Tested era (along with the 2 3/4" peanut - which was much as you see it today) though I don't remember the pattern number offhand.
 
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sodak said:
Say that slowly or you'll get it wrong. ;) I should have named this thread "Curse you jackknife", in my best Snoopy imitation of "Curse you Red Baron!" :D

Ok, I broke down and got a Case peanut in CV (6220) in red bone, at least it looks like red bone. I didn't look closely at the sizes, this guy is about 2 and 3/4 in. total, with the clip blade right at 2 in. Is that right, or did I get a mini? I know these aren't big, but dang... It's going to take some getting used to. But you all have motivated me to give it a try...

I gotta quit reading Carl's threads.... :D
Click to expand...

Yes, they do take some getting used to.

It's a different animal, and it's not until you really spend some time carrying it, that you start to get it. It's like the J frame vs K frame S&W revolvers. For many years, I just didn't get why someone would get a little J frame kit gun like a model 63, when the K frame model 18 was sooo much better a shooter. I was finally convinced to try one, and I had the light bulb go on. If one is very careful with the trigger pull, the smaller J frame is quite capable of target grade accuracy. You just have to adjust to the smaller lighter revolver.

The peanut is like that. It's quite able to do the same work as many other 2 to 2 1/2 inch bladed pocket knives, but you have to use it, get used to it, to have the light bulb go on. It'll open any UPS or Fed Ex box, cut most cordage with ease, open mail, open those accursed plastic blister packages, or whatever else you may use a small pocket knife for. Yet the true beauty is in having a much smaller closed dimension that leaves room in the pocket for other stuff. Like Chapstick, Bic lighter, mini bottle of Purrel Hand sanitizer, pipe tool, mini flashlight, golf pencil, cell phone, tobacco pouch, aluminum capsule with Ibuprofin/aspirin for arthritis, and in summer eye drops for allergies, and a few other odds and ends when the grandkids are with me. Like a lot of suburbanites, sometimes my knife is my least used item during the day.

If I go off in the woods or camping, canoeing, fishing, or working around the club property, I have either my old mora number 1 or Buck woodsman on my hip. Those will handle what my pocket knife won't. My little peanut is my town knife that gets carried a lot, but used a little here and there. Not to mention that it's looks and small size don't attract any attention, unless somebody is commenting on how cute it is. It rarely alarms anyone, even timid lady librarians who are having trouble opening a box of new arrival books. The nice lady remarked "Oh my, what a pretty little pocket knife!" Rarely hear that anymore, let alone from a Montgomery county Maryland government female employee. She was especially curious about the raindrop pattern damascus blade.

The peanut is a strange little knife, and it may not be for everyone. Some people like cream in their coffee, some like it black. Personally, if it's good coffee, I can't see polluting it with anything, but that's just my own opinion. Other people may disagree.:)

But somethings have to tasted, or tried before a judgement can be made.

Carl.
 
I usually carry my peanut along with a little bit bigger knife at work. The other day I needed to lift up the tiny plastic tab on an electronic connector to pull the wire out. I always use the clip blade on the peanut for this since its nice pointy shape is perfect for the job, but dang if I didn't forget to slip that little guy into my pocket that morning! So I ended up using the bigger knife (my A. G. Russell lockback) but it took many tries before I could get that little tab lifted. The lockback is not a monster, either, just a friendly little 3-inch drop point with a reasonably pointy tip. There are quite a few tasks in the lab for which the peanut turns out the be the best knife for the job, and not just a compromise on size. I still l carry a larger knife as well just for the pleasure of it (and in case the lab is invaded by a pack of dingoes. An electrical engineer is always prepared!)
 
I recently have been carrying a peanut, coming from a stockman and trapper it felt pretty small to me, but I kept carrying it, and I realized that a peanut is the perfect size for EDC. It has enough blade to cut pretty much everything I need it to. So lately, the old stockman and trapper have been collecting dust.
 
jackknife said:
It'll open any UPS or Fed Ex box, cut most cordage with ease, open mail, open those accursed plastic blister packages, or whatever else you may use a small pocket knife for.
Click to expand...

Heck, I've even broken down large-sized boxes with my peanut, the boxes from my office chair and from our new TV. Thin and sharp is the ticket, baby!

-- Mark
 
jackknife said:
The peanut is like that. It's quite able to do the same work as many other 2 to 2 1/2 inch bladed pocket knives, but you have to use it, get used to it, to have the light bulb go on. It'll open any UPS or Fed Ex box, cut most cordage with ease, open mail, open those accursed plastic blister packages, or whatever else you may use a small pocket knife for. Yet the true beauty is in having a much smaller closed dimension that leaves room in the pocket for other stuff.
Click to expand...

So true, Carl. I've found that having a smaller blade allows for better control ..... more finesse, more precision ..... when doing 98% of the tasks I call upon a knife to do.
 
Yup that is the little guy. Like JK said it will do just about anything you need a sharp little knife for and just about anything a bigger knife will do also. The down fall for me is if a knife is needed to do alot of cutting. The little handle gets to be a pain after alot of knife work. however for a edc pocket knife that is used for just this and that, meaning pull it out cut something and put it back, it is a great knife. I've carried one alot and really have never thought to myself darn wish I had a bigger knife on me.
 
I broke down a load of boxes with my peanut yesterday.
I'm still in the 'getting used to it' stage myself, and I had a bit of an epiphany when breaking the boxes down.
I'm not used to such a thin blade, but the way it zipped through the heavy corrugated cardboard brought a smile to my face.
I actually ended up cutting the boxes down to 6"x6" squares just for fun :D

I have reasonably large hands, and found that the small handle is just fine, as you can put your thumb on the back for better application of force.
The only slight negative was the fact that the slender blade could curve off to the side easier than a wider blade, but that just requires a slight change in technique.
 
All right, I'm going to try the month long challenge and see how it goes. you all are very convincing!
 
I almost can't stand the thought of carrying any other pocket knife since I got my Damascus Peanut 2 months ago.I have to physically check my pocket to make sure it's still there.I don't use it for prolonged cutting chores.But for pulling out and cutting something and returning in my jeans pocket it can't be beat,just my 2 cents.-Jim
 
When I got my first Peanut I carried it faithfully for several weeks -- well over a month.

A while later, after my wife got me my first full-sized Case Folding Hunter, I stumbled on a Case Pocket Hunter.

It's the Folding Hunter, done in the Peanut's size. If you lay the Peanut and the Pocket Hunter side-by-side you'll see that the Pocket Hunter is just a hair thicker, but otherwise the same size.

I carried the Pocket Hunter for a week and was completely sold. The main blade is the same as the Peanut, but the secondary blade -- the "skinner" profile blade -- is the same size as the main (clip point) blade. Also both blades have the nail nick on the same side, so either blade may be opened without having to change your grip on the knife.

The only issue I have with the Pocket Hunter is that it's not available in CV.

 
I've had peanuts but never a genuine case. Ordered a yellow CV to celebrate finding a job.
 
jackknife said:
...carried a lot, but used a little here and there. ...rarely alarms anyone
Click to expand...
I think those are perfect descriptions of an EDC knife for a city person.
My EDC is a Leatherman Micra and the phrases describe my use of it perfectly.
Another good thing about smal packages - they can fit in a fob pocket (and therefore not get scratched to heck by the keys in the main pocket).
 
zerogee said:
I'd be all over them if they did. There were also versions that curved the way the Case peanut does (reverse doglegs), but had the more rounded bolsters and deeper handle of the usual dogleg -- in fact, Case made a 3" reverse dogleg in the Tested era (along with the 2 3/4" peanut - which was much as you see it today) though I don't remember the pattern number offhand.
Click to expand...

Schrade Cut Co made that 3" pattern too, with either a clip or spear blade. They kept a Butter & Molasses handled version with a clip into the early 1950's, numbering it as a 295K.

2953.jpg


It looks a lot like a dogleg pattern. I wonder if anyone has an example of one of these. I'd like to see one up against a peanut.
 
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