Should I join the cult OR.....

[popedandy]

With all due respect to the peanut crowd, I carried one for a while and could never adjust to the small size. I think it would be a mistake to spend money on a tiny knife just because the purchase would be a romantic-sounding ending to a tough spot in your life. Sure, you can make the peanut work for you, as so many people have pointed out, but since money will still be tight for a while when anew job shows up, why not start with the SBJ since it is big enough to do the job comfortably?

Good luck getting another job offer. Being out of work can be tough.

I probably should clarify this a bit since I tend to be critical of the Peanut. I pulled mine out tonight to see if there was something specific I didn't like, or if it was just a dislike of sub-compact knives in general. It turns out that part of it is just a general bias ungainst "tiny" knives, but a good part of it is discomfort with the peanut's handle size, which is narrow and 2 7/8" long. For me that translates into a two-finger grip, and not a very substantial one. I prefer a handle that gives me a more substantial grip, preferrably three fingers. As you could see in the comparison photos of the Swayback Jack and the Peanut, the SBJ has more handle to hold on to. I no longer have one so I don't know if it will give you a full three finger grip or just a good, solid two finger grip, but it is enough more that it feels better to me. If I am going to carry a small knife, I prefer the Medium Jack with a closed (handle) length of 3 3/8". The blade length is no more than 1/4" longer than the Peanut, but the handle is enough longer to give me a good three-finger grip. The 3 3/8" pen is similar - blade length is maybe 1/4" longer then the Peanut, but the handle is enough longer than I can get a better grip on it.

I'm glad you got your old job back, and best of luck with new job offers in the future.

 

[tomsch]

I would vote 100% for a SBJ. Mine has seen quite a bit of use and it does all the typical cutting very well. My CV peanut has suffered a little. I used it to cut tough material and it developed some pretty bad blade wobble. My SBJ has been leaned on pretty hard for cutting and is still as solid as the day I picked it up.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

If you don't mind my asking, what is it that you do?

As long as I'm gonna toss a request into the Celestial Mail Tube, I'd like to employ as much precision as I can. If we're gonna lobby for a good job for you, it'll help if we have some idea what a "good job" for you actually is.

Don't seem right that a man be deprived of a traditional slippie just because of the vagaries of employment.

You have any objections to my suggesting (hey, this is my prayer here) something in a nice medium stockman? Very useful, wide range of applications. My first "resurrection" slip joint was an old beat-up Schrade Uncle Henry stockman pattern that I bought just to familiarize myself with sharpening that genre. It's now part of my regular carry rotation.

Case makes some nice ones.

I was feeling down for a day but all in all I'm good. I still have my family, food on the table, and a roof over my head and my few knives. Which is a lot more than I REALLY need.

I'm happy you have what's important. I know what it is to have less. I know what it is to pull yourself up by your bootstraps into a better life. There's real value in an experience like that. Not "fun" necessarily, but completely worth it.

My old boss took me back in and I still got a job (which I can put my knives to work at) so I'm happy.

Good for him. And good for you.

I just spent two months in freefall, knitting my parachute on the way down. I was laid off on the 16th of January. I started work at my new job on the 16th of March. I won't pretend I did anything to particularly "deserve" that bit of good fortune. But I did celebrate the event with a new knife (in my case, it was a Buck 503 Prince).


Do what you have to do, get that better job (provided that's still a desirable goal), and let us know when that's been accomplished.

For myself, I find that kind of thing worth celebrating.

Just sayin'.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Swayback Jack...and if you like it, you can get a peanut at a later time.

 

[Art_Vandeley]

I`d take the `nut. I do not own a SBJ, but have been carrying that damned little peanut every day since I got it. Used and sharpened, used and sharpened. It amazes me what that little knife can do. I am even thinking about buying a second one in case (pun) I loose mine. Then I don`t have to wait to get another one.

A small video I made:
http://youtu.be/aMtT32ZTuG0

 

[uchinanchukg]

If you don't mind my asking, what is it that you do?

Hey ArfinGreebly,

I used to work as a Registered Nurse in a hospital but it is difficult to work in that environment due to my medical conditions.
The new job was supposed to be in a clinic which I would have been able to work at just fine even with my circumstances.

Anyways as soon as I'm back on track I have a whole list of patterns to try out.

P'nut
SBJ
Medium Stockman
Soddie Jr.
Tiny Toothpick

etc etc Yes I am drawn to the smaller blades...it must be a rebound from all the large tactical knives that I used to purchase (not that there is anything wrong with those)