So, what are the modern uses of the pen blade?

Like most here, I also use the pen blade to 'save' my main blade edge for clean slicing jobs. The pen blade is my tool for dealing with accursed plastic blister packages, twine, box opening, and small jobs. I think I may use the pen blade as much if not more, than the main clip blade. And it certainly is more low key in public.

Carl.
 
Modoc ED said:
I guess I'm different (no wise-cracks guys) but I tend to keep my pen blade in reserve and sharp for when I need something sharp - i.e., I don't think I've ever used the pen blade on my Powderhorns
I just keep them sharp for emergencies and use the main blade for everything.
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+1 :thumbup:

That about sums it up for me.
 
DeadFall27 said:
+1 :thumbup:

That about sums it up for me.
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+2 for me on two bladed knives. My stockmen however I do the opposite and use both my smaller blades all the time saving the main blade for special use. Guess its a size thing for me and I personally dont care for the pen blade. Can not really say why exactly, I guess it doesnt offer any difference in task completion for my chores then the usual clip main blade. I prefer to have one blade with belly and one without.
 
I use the main blade for heavy or dirty cutting tasks and the pen blade as a marking knife and for cutting leather.
 
I dont realy have a need for such small blades as penblades but as they sometimes follows a good pattern as my Swayback jack or case 32 stockman I invent my needs. I want my pen sharp and with low angles on the edge and use it for work around people that maybe dissagre with knifes being carried at daily basis. I also ise it on cuts I know will ruin the edge as for ex nylon electric fense with copperthread or cardboard. Low angles and dirty work dont realy maid well but thats one of the contradictions in life I just live with.

Bosse
 
Peanut is only knife with pen blade,it is in pocket,but rarely used(i also have small Case Gunstock,with pen blade,but it's just not my cup of tea),if there is work to do,first one that comes out of pocket is usually GEC 25 Wharncliffe.
 
I won’t buy a Jr. Stockman with a spay blade. It is always clip, sheepfoot, and pen.

I use the clip blade the least. It’s good when a longer blade is needed. Except…I always carry a full sized pocket knife. For anything but delicate work, I want a usable handle. In practice the clip blade on the Small Stockman defaults to a special use, left-sharp blade.

The sheepfoot is my rough use blade. Cleaning waffle stomper boot soles. Cutting tape in the car’s engine. If I want a knife to scribe on wood, (not often, I usually have better tools,) this is the blade I use.

The pen is my splinter picker. Used for precision cuts, minor operations, clearing fingernails, detail carving, releasing fishhooks, cutting moleskin, scraping beestings loose, and yes, removing splinters.
 
I do just about all my carving with a pen blade.

bic.jpg
 
Raymond1000 said:
I won’t buy a Jr. Stockman with a spay blade. It is always clip, sheepfoot, and pen.

I use the clip blade the least. It’s good when a longer blade is needed. Except…I always carry a full sized pocket knife. For anything but delicate work, I want a usable handle. In practice the clip blade on the Small Stockman defaults to a special use, left-sharp blade.

The sheepfoot is my rough use blade. Cleaning waffle stomper boot soles. Cutting tape in the car’s engine. If I want a knife to scribe on wood, (not often, I usually have better tools,) this is the blade I use.

The pen is my splinter picker. Used for precision cuts, minor operations, clearing fingernails, detail carving, releasing fishhooks, cutting moleskin, scraping beestings loose, and yes, removing splinters.
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That's actually a good thought. I have a medium tracker and a little spey blade ain't very useful except neutering squirrels which I don't do. A more pointy blade would be more useful. Now, I like a spey on a trapper as the blade is great for slicing apples, tomatoes, or spreading peanut butter.
 
I tend to use my pen blade for most task, like Steve it is the blade I use most for carving, short blade close to what you are working on for control, strong tip and some belly. I use it to sharpen pencils, as a scribe ( unless I have a awl ) cutting string, fishing line, scraping, pretty much what everyone has stated above, but I keep both blades sharp, just a slightly steeper angle to the edge.
 
I used to use the small blade to cut out splinters... then i started carrying an SAK with tweezers :)
 
black mamba said:
Great for reaming out pipes (the smoking kind), trimming fingernails and whenever a really thin precise cut is needed.
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I prefer to use a spey blade for such use, but am wondering if a coping blade would work better for the walls. I use pen blades for dirty work like cutting tape and packages open.

Cheers,
Connor
 
ConBon said:
I prefer to use a spey blade for such use, but am wondering if a coping blade would work better for the walls. I use pen blades for dirty work like cutting tape and packages open.

Cheers,
Connor
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Better still is the adjustable reamer for the purpose that is sold in most pipe stores. Less chance of damaging the carefully built up cake in the bowl, and the reamer keeps the cake shaped right. A slight taper from bottom to top. Too many pipes been ruined by a careless ream with a knife and the bottom of the bowl gets damaged and you get a burn through happening.

Carl.
 
Woodrow, my experience is the same. The only time I had someone "shocked" by my knife was when I used the flipper to open my 4" Buck Vantage Pro. I have opened larger traditional slipjoints without ever having someone look at me funny.
 
Woodrow F Call said:
I've seen lots of folks mention something similar. Here, I don't think anyone would bat an eye at any blade less than 4" as long as the blade was opened for legitimate use.
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My own family members (dad, and my sisters especially) get all wide-eyed at times, if I open up anything bigger than a typical traditional (up to ~3" blades or so). A while back, Dad & I were observing a work crew that was resurfacing a portion of his asphalt driveway. One of the crew whipped out a Buck 110 to cut open a bag of 'cold' asphalt patch, and I turned to look at Dad, who was shaking his head and rolling his eyes. I'm sure part of his reaction was due to the flourish & lack of discretion with which the Buck was 'whipped out'. Dad carries & uses a Victorinox SAK exclusively, so he tends to think anything larger is unneccessary, for EDC purposes especially.

My sisters' reactions are based mainly on their knowledge of how I like to keep my blades really, really sharp (they've seen me tree-top hairs from my forearm). They're used to working in the kitchen with knives that wouldn't slice a tomato on their best day, and they're perfectly fine with that. :D


David
 
black mamba said:
Great for reaming out pipes (the smoking kind), trimming fingernails and whenever a really thin precise cut is needed.
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I've got an old pen knife that my great-grandfather used all day to clean out his pipes.

I never use it because I wouldn't want anything to happen to it. He's been dead for over thirty years, but I can still smell the burnt tobacco on it.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
My own family members (dad, and my sisters especially) get all wide-eyed at times, if I open up anything bigger than a typical traditional (up to ~3" blades or so). A while back, Dad & I were observing a work crew that was resurfacing a portion of his asphalt driveway. One of the crew whipped out a Buck 110 to cut open a bag of 'cold' asphalt patch, and I turned to look at Dad, who was shaking his head and rolling his eyes. I'm sure part of his reaction was due to the flourish & lack of discretion with which the Buck was 'whipped out'. Dad carries & uses a Victorinox SAK exclusively, so he tends to think anything larger is unneccessary, for EDC purposes especially.

David
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That sums up my Grandfather pretty well. He understands that I collect and use all of my knives because they are of great interest of me (he always throws me his SAK for me to sharpen for him because I am free labor, and he doesn't know how to), but he gives me grief all of the time.



"Why would you ever need that?"
"Try and tell me how that knife is in any way more useful than this."
"You paid WHAT for that?"
"I have used nothing more than Swiss Army Knives in all my years at work, and never needed any fancy folder or anything like that. I have never paid any more than maybe $20 for any of my knives; I do not get why anyone would spend more than that on a knife."



He did carry a Cadet for a number of years up until Christmas when I gave him a SAK I made; that's all he needs for EDC and doing inspections (retired engineer)......Apparently, he hasn't put it down since he pulled it out of the box.

He has, however, changed my philosophies about how I use my knives and what I really need in a knife over the years. I always used to baby my knives until he reminded me that knives are tools and should be used for anything you need them for. Now, I use mine pretty hard, but I do not baton my knives through dowel rods with rocks atop concrete like grandad, hehe. That's why I save my pen blades though, I use my master blade hard, but can cut delicately if I need it...that's something that grandad can't say though, hehe :p
 
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