Pen in front or behind...?

[avoidspam]

Thanks for everyone's responses so far, it has been an enlightening thread for me and I have learned things too!

P - Special thanks for your well considered contributions, funnily enough I had you in mind when I started the thread. Thanks for offering your thoughts on the #77/78 patterns as well, it's good to know

P.S. Your opening method won't work for us guitar players!

Sam

 

[pertinux]

P - Special thanks for your well considered contributions, funnily enough I had you in mind when I started the thread. Thanks for offering your thoughts on the #77/78 patterns as well, it's good to know

Aw. Thanks!

I think you have the Best Ever® #78. #77s are wonderful knives, and I'm grateful to have mine, but you're not actually missing out on anything, with that primitive bone beauty in hand.

P.S. Your opening method won't work for us guitar players!

This here guitar player does just fine, thankyouverymuch.

[My fretting fingernails are of course relatively short, as are the nails on my pick hand just because. I rely more on leverage than length/strength of nail.]



~ P.

 

[Baldy McBalders]

I think being a lefty has a lot to do with this, but I prefer the pen (or any secondary other than a caplifter) to be pile side. I can actually pinch open most blades (especially with a crescent nick, even though I am not a fan visually) with the side of my right index finger first knuckle if the kick makes it possible. The Tidioute 77 Yankee Jack is a perfect case in point. On my 15 crown lifter, I can do the same thing, even though the caplifter blade is mark side. It is just short enough to allow pinching the spear. I am a big fan of pinch openers.
Thanks,
B.

 

[cchu518]

I like it in front myself easier to grab and I use it more often than the main blade tbh. It's smaller and less noticeable in public. Also great for zipping open a cardboard box.

 

[Dr. Scott]

I'm right handed. There is nothing I hate worse than a nail nick or blade pull that is inaccessible. It makes me crazy!!! :stupid: I also like the main blade to sit as low in the knife as possible when closed. I've always preferred the secondary pen blade to be behind the main blade. I want easy access to the main blade. I don't want a little pen blade getting in the way.

So if pushed to choose sides, I go with a single blade.

But likewise, I need to study this issue a little more. A new GEC #15 or TC Barlow, or one of those newfangled #77s, with a pile side secondary pen, would really make it a lot easier to know for sure.

 

[Raymond1000]

I had a really long post typed out but it vanished into the void when BF suddenly turned to the dark side as it is prone to do from time to time. I'm tired and can't be doing with typing it all out again so I'll just say this;

Great thread Sam, I'm loving this discussion.

Jack's post, along with Will's and Sarah's had been quoted with comments highlighted and responded to - but you'll have to use your imagination. The long and the short of it was this; I only have peanuts with a pen behind main so have nothing other to compare, else-wise I would have typed out a more straight forward response. I shall have to hunt down one of those lovely 2011 *25s like those Sarah posted above so that I can have a series investigation.

Paul

Paul,

I write Bladeforums entries on my word processer.

When the site gets uppity, I don’t have to rewrite. I return to the original, make another copy, and paste again.

 

[pmew]

Paul,

I write Bladeforums entries on my word processer.

When the site gets uppity, I don’t have to rewrite. I return to the original, make another copy, and paste again.

A good plan. I think I'll start doing something along those lines when I have a larger post to update in the future.

 

[Half/Stop]

Pen on the front, at least on this one

~ Ron

 

[Will Power]

Here's where it can get tricky....in fairness, the master blade (Sheepfoot) on this old Schatt has been sharpened down so I assume this contributes to the vanishing nick...It's OK if you angle your thumb in and like me have strong nails, otherwise:grumpy: