The "Little" Pocketknives in My Life

R

Ron53

Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
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When I wrote about Grandpa's Pocketknife the other day, it got me to thinking about a what has been written a lot here in this part of the Forum lately. That is, the daily use of the "little" pocketknives in our lives, like the peanut, pen knife, and small stockman. A lot of us have spoken about how our fathers and grandfathers got along just fine on a daily basis carrying and using one these little gems.

When I was home in Texas from my last rotation, I found myself more and more being drawn to carrying one of my "little" pocketknives. In my case that would be the old Case greenbone XX penknife, the old Keen Kutter small stockman with the yellow celluloid handles, or the slightly larger, but very pocketable old Remington with a well-worn spearpoint master blade (about 40% gone, but still sharp and useful!), a spey blade and a leather punch/awl. They all fit in my pocket just right, are all very sharp, with good steel in them, and they are incredibly handy! I find that I am drawn more and more to them, as they ride comfortably, are quite light in weight, and handle just about any daily cutting chore I can find to use them on.

I believe my friend jackknife has a good point: downsizing and carrying one of the "little" knives on a daily basis. It seems to have worked for my Grandpa Clark...and my Dad. Why shouldn't it work for me?

So when I get home in early November, I believe I will begin carrying one of these "little" knives on a day-to-day basis, and see if they fulfill all my cutting needs.

Ron
 
It took me most of a lifetime to come to the realization of one very important fact. That is, that our fathers and grandfather knew what they were doing. Period.

They had to deal with everyday life, 10 years of the great depression, they had no money left over for collection stuff, let alone knives. To them a pocket knife was a everyday tool. They were not knife knuts like us, who just loved knives so much we had huge collections. For some of our familys it was enough of a chore to put a loaf of bread and something to go with it on the dinner table.

As a result, you had a whole gneration of men from 1900 to WW2 who learned to carry just what was really essential to every day life. If they picked a tool, it had to get the job done. And these men learned how to get the job done with vey little. I think thier minimalist use of small pocket knives had a lot to do with the fact that pre-WW2 life in general was minimalist. One bought just what was needed. A very stark contrast of life today in America. By our fathers and grandfathers standards we're pretty spoiled. Now the kids all have their own TV's and sterios and computers in their rooms, they get a new car when they get to high school, and they demand the lastest and greatest new techno-toy that comes down the road.

We can learn a very important lesson from the old ones who had one gun, one knife, and got by very nicely.
 
Both my Dad and my Uncle(was my surrogate Dad whenever Dad wasn't there)carried small knives.Those knives seemed to be capable of doing many different jobs.But their was one other thing that lay beside that knife in their pocket.An 8 or 12 penny nail.Always seemed to find a need for that nail,usually on a fence insulator.Dale (that knife also dug out a lot of spilnters in my hands)
 
Guess I'm an outcast...I like & carry large pockerknives....never really carried any small stuff.
Jim Clifton
 
I strayed away from small knives for a while but thanks to jackknife's stories, and the dependability of my little peanut I have seen the light. I often carry trappers, large sod busters, and folding hunters still but my peanuts get way more pocket time. 75% of the time the peanut is all the blade I need. I have used it for cleaning fish, squirrels, peeling apples, and cutting my steak. It opens my mail and packages, picks my splinters, and trims my nails.

I was using it this week while splicing a piece of rope for a class I am taking for work. The older gentleman that teaches the class was in the navy after WWII and grew up on a farm, he reminds me of John Wayne. He smiled and asked to see my knife, I handed it to him and he produced a medium case Jack knife that he has had for 40 years and carried every day. He was proud when he said " yep, thats all the knife I need". I will always carry a small knife. Joe
 
I carried a Victorinox Huntsman most of my life, and my preference has been for carrying a multitool for the past decade or so. However, I find traditional knives much more aesthetically pleasing and also much better for pocket carry at my "white collar" job.

The Boker Copperhead I got a few months back has proved to be a bit much for the pockets of my dress pants (unless a deep watch pocket is available), so I want a sub-3 inch knife like a peanut or something similar. I could get one now, but I thought I'd wait and propose it as a Christmas suggestion to my wife.
 
Kukri4302 said:
Guess I'm an outcast...I like & carry large pockerknives....never really carried any small stuff.
Jim Clifton
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Funny, niether did I till I got "older".

My idea of a pocket knife used to be an almost 5 inch closed Eye-Brand sodbuster. At the least my old Buck 301 stockman. But then I used to carry a Randall model 14 for a fixed blade there for a while. My appreatiation of the smaller knives came about slowly over the course of many years. Although I started out learning from some good mentors, there was a time the last couple years I was in the service, and about five years after, I got kind of wild with the knife collecting thing. Then I went hunting with an old co-worker down by Mt. Rodgers Virginia, and he tought me about back to basics. After watching him neatly take apart a white tail with a Buck cadet, I had to do some serious self examination. That started me on a downsizing jag that took me back to my beginings, and re-discovering what I had learned from my dad, Mr. Van, and a staff sargent Kohler.

I think it was the Japanese, that had a saying that a man has to travel a full circle in his life to learn the truth of things. Like an epiphany, I saw something that made me really think about what I was doing. Now I look back on alot of things I was doing in the past, and I can only think "what the heck was I thinking?" Our perspectives change with time, and where we are in the travel around the circle.

But then everyone travels their own circle, and for each one of us the trip may take us to a different place. Kind of like in the movie "City Slickers" where Jack Palance's charater hold up the one finger and tells the guy that the one thing is for each of us to figure out. Lots of truth there.
 
Foilist said:
I carried a Victorinox Huntsman most of my life, and my preference has been for carrying a multitool for the past decade or so. However, I find traditional knives much more aesthetically pleasing and also much better for pocket carry at my "white collar" job.

The Boker Copperhead I got a few months back has proved to be a bit much for the pockets of my dress pants (unless a deep watch pocket is available), so I want a sub-3 inch knife like a peanut or something similar. I could get one now, but I thought I'd wait and propose it as a Christmas suggestion to my wife.
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I know what you mean about the heft of that Böker Copperhead, fine knife though, but better suited to overalls or gillet wear.

Good IDEA about a Peanut for under the Christmas tree:thumbup: Only problem is which scales to opt for:D Maybe several little gifts..... Another small knife that deserves more consideration is the CASE Half Whittler, very slim but well useful.
 
willgoy said:
I know what you mean about the heft of that Böker Copperhead, fine knife though, but better suited to overalls or gillet wear.

Good IDEA about a Peanut for under the Christmas tree:thumbup: Only problem is which scales to opt for:D Maybe several little gifts..... Another small knife that deserves more consideration is the CASE Half Whittler, very slim but well useful.
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A couple others that caught my eye from Case were the mini wharncliff trapper and mini gunstock. Both were under 3 inches. I'm unfamiliar with the half whittler - I'll be checking that out before I log off.

As for scales, I'm interested in the amber bone, stage bone, or maybe real stag for this knife.
 
I wear denim carpenter shorts about 99% of the time so knife size isn't much of an issue for me. The beauty of being a college art professor in Florida is you only have to wear "big boy" pants two or three times each year.:D My EDC knives range in size from very large (Spyderco full-size Manix, Marbles Large Sunfish) medium(Boker Copperheads, Schatt & Morgan Harness Jack, Queen Congress, Case Texas Jack, Moore Maker and Bulldog stockman ) to small(Case Peanuts, Case tiny toothpick, Boker USA small Stockman). I like them all for a variety of reasons. The smaller knives offer more versatility, but sometimes I prefer something with more backbone and heft. I used my Marbles Large fluted bone Sunfish(yes I own one cheap Chinese knife:o) to cut a house-full of carpet into 5' wide strips for transport to the dump last weekend. The blade is a little scratched but it held a shaving sharp edge for quite a while. I doubt my peanuts would've been up to the task. I'd really hate to ruin those little gems anyway.
 
Foilist,
I think you must mean the Wharncliffe TINY Trapper as the Mini is about 9cms 3.5" Baby Butterbean could be another candidate too
.
The Half Whittler is around 8cm 3.25" but very slim and light.

Never owned a Tiny Trapper, wonder if it is viable? Could be nice though.
 
I would definately recommend a tiny trapper. I work in an office and that little beauty just disappears in your pocket until you need it.
 
Hi all, just a lurker and enjoyer of the pics around here! I've been eyeing a Case tiny trapper for a while, and should just pull the trigger here shortly. I can't decide between green or red (maybe both :rolleyes: ). Anyhow, I've done some thinking before about what my grandpa carried; a well-used imperial with metal "jigged" scales. I was lucky enough to get it out of his stuff when I was young after he passed on. :) It was simple, useful, and fairly inexpensive, a good commentary on his life. Along those lines though, I've wondered what he would have carried if modern tools/knives had always been available. I'm a multi-tool guy, so I'm guessing maybe a Leatherman Kick :D since it fits the qualities of his knife choice.

Anyhow, back on topic: I agree that small knives have their place. For me, if I carry somthing larger it will probably have more tools on it, but a small slippy just can't be replaced :)
 
Yes, willgoy - TINY trapper is what I meant, since I'm looking for the under 3" size range.

I've eyed the baby butterbean too, but it looks bulky for its size, and double spear points seem redundant. I'm not saying no, but I'd rather see one in person first.

Speaking of examining Case products in person, has anyone gone to the Case/Zippo factory in Bradford, PA? I might be around there at Thanksgiving time, and I wonder if it would be worth a visit.
 
Foilist said:
Speaking of examining Case products in person, has anyone gone to the Case/Zippo factory in Bradford, PA? I might be around there at Thanksgiving time, and I wonder if it would be worth a visit.
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No,but I and a couple of friend were discussing that not too long ago. It's quite a haul from down here, but we would like to tour both the Case and Zippo factory. Both my friend Hoppy and I have carried a Zippo for 40 years, as both of us are pipe smokers. Both of us have been known to carry a Case as well.

After talking to a very nice lady named Shirley and having them do such a good job on refurbishing dad's peanut, I'd like to take it home for visit.
 
Jack,I'll still take my large pocketknife over your RUNT...it cuts apples ,rope & anything else faster & better!
Jim
 
I find myself letting this little guy ride along from time to time. It's small enough that sometimes I forget it's in my pocket.
Greg

orig.jpg
 
say -greg i have a eka made in sweden thats identical to your knife and your right its a sweet carry knife.
 
Kukri4302 said:
Jack,I'll still take my large pocketknife over your RUNT...it cuts apples ,rope & anything else faster & better!
Jim
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My Peanut handled cutting chores at work WAY better then my co-workers' bigger, badder blades, and with a FRACTION of the effort. I've cut rope, netting, cardboard, denim, fruits and vegetables, all kinds of things, and I got through everything faster and better. As a matter of fact, as the ULTIMATE test for the cutting ability of a knife, my knife out cut anything but a utility razor when we had to skin a big, 10 foot alligator. Yes, my PEANUT skinned an alligator better then much bigger trappers, tacticools, and fixed blades. While they were pushing and pulling on their knives to penetrate and cut, my knife devoured the tough, leathery skin and all I had to do was strop it a few times and the razor-sharp shaving edge was back. Remember, a knife doesn't have to be BIG to work well. It needs to be thin and sharp, and most smaller knives can get like that WAY better then the bigger blades. Not that big knives don't have their place, but when push comes to shove, in a straight up cutting competition? I'd have to give it to the little guys.
 
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