The Older I Get...

I always carry in a nylon belt pouch
From my Schatt and Morgan Heritage Woodsman stockman in black ebony 4"
To my 3 1/2 " S&M Red jigged boned series 17 in SS
With the Queen wooden and delrin handled carbon steel Economy knives at 3 5/8" in the middle, fine fine knives.

Once in a while I will carry the 3 1/4" Queen Stockmans or Jack
 
When I was much, much younger I had a 4 inch folder in my pocket and in case I wanted to use it, I could not take it out, because - for me - it was not sheeple-friendly. And this did not make any sense.
So it had to shrink to 2 3/4 to 3 1/8 inch size closed and it became a peanut folder: what a surprise !
 
Experience teaches that a small, well sharpened blade will do 90% of the jobs that require a blade. Now, on the other hand, if you have to clean and bone out a moose, a Case peanut might not be the best choice.
 
I'm fairly young, but I find smaller is usually better. My eye is often caught by the big, pretty knives, but the knife that finds its way into my pocket most, almost by reluctant default, is the venerable Peanut. And in use, I have never yet found a job it would not handle with aplomb.
 
Worshipping at the alter of Maximum Minimalism!

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I've learned hard way that little knives are great for pocket carry but next to useless when there is real work to be done. I always end up regretting carrying anything under 3-inches in blade length around the homestead or in the woods.
 
I like some small knives, but I've found that in general, the smallest knife I EDC is my Victorinox Executive, which I've carried and used for around 17 years so far. I don't have large hands, but I feel a bit awkward using a peanut, and only a little less awkward using a Classic-sized SAK. I know full well how to use a small knife for everyday cutting, but for me it's a matter of comfort and feeling natural enough in the hand. I don't like feeling like I have to 'pinch' a little knife to hold onto it. I understand the trend for many people to go minimalist, but I don't feel it's a must. The knife laws in most states do not limit anyone to Classic or peanut-sized folders, and I won't limit myself. I carry what I like and use whatever I feel most comfortable with.

I would only limit myself to such smaller-sized knives if I carried a knife in a check-in bag for air travel, or was going to a place with extremely strict knive laws that still allowed some knife carry.

Jim
 
I used to like to carry larger tacticool knives and a Large Sebenza 25 was my go to knife. But as I have progressed in this hobby they have lost their appeal to me. I think that was more of a show and tell attitude thinking it was cool to carry a pocket tank that cost so much. I rarely ever carry a large knife anymore unless it's in a sheath and I have it with me for a specific purpose like camping. Nowadays I like a slipjoint in my pocket that is less than 4 inches closed. For quite some time a Case medium Jackknife has fit the bill for me but just a few days ago I bought an old USA made Schrade Old Timer 50t that I have fallen in love with and I'm sure it will be my EDC for a long time to come.
 
I'm experiencing the same thing, though I think it's a combo effect. Age and career. As a younger person working in the trades, a Buck 110, or something along those lines, on my belt was normal, and used frequently. Now I spend my days in cubicle world. Not as much knife needed, just cutting an apple or something like that. Plus, dress attire limits my knife choices significantly. Usually just a Case Peanut or Vic Classic SAK. I do carry a belt knife - like the good old days - when hunting or outdoorsy stuff, but unfortunately most of my bigger blades are enjoying retirement.
 
Hello picturerock, please have a look at "The beloved peanut does have it's limits", page 1, the text off Codger_64 about skinning with a 1 3/8 blade and tell us what you think: True or joke :confused: ?

Stefan
 
Full circle for me.

My dad gave me the Buck in the 80's when I was in high school. Cool little pre thumb stud...never thought about it at the time other than it being cool.

Went on the tactical ride in my 20's and early 30's.

Then back to traditionals in the mid 30's and 40's but I thought the perfect size when closed was 3.5".

I just received the small swayback from a forum member and it's 3.3" closed. Bigger than a peanut but smaller than many. I think it might be the perfect size for my needs at this time in life.

Enjoy the ride.
Dave

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The Menefee looks very pretty. I guess I have not seen such small swayback-wharncliffe before. The weight is around 1,6 oz ?? - Where do you get such blade-opener as by the Buck ?

Stefan
 
stefanschlaegel said:
Hello picturerock, please have a look at "The beloved peanut does have it's limits", page 1, the text off Codger_64 about skinning with a 1 3/8 blade and tell us what you think: True or joke :confused: ?

Stefan
Click to expand...

After watching a park ranger skin out and slice meat from a rear haunch of road killed antelope with a flake of obsisan, and do as neat a job as a sharp steel blade, it reaffirmed my belief. The flaked obsidian blade he was using was about the size of a peanut blade. About an index finger worth of blade. It went through the hide and ,meat like a hot knife through butter. It was a demonstration of the stone age culture of the Indians in cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde. Years earlier I had watched a friend and co-worker field dress a nice opening day buck with a little Buck 303 cadet. Andy dressed out that deer very neatly with a blade just a tad over 2 inches.

I believe codger. I've seen it done.
 
I've always liked small knives. I carried a small stockman for years. Most days now it's either a peanut or a GEC #6.
 
The small knife thing has really taken hold. A lot of times I find that my bigger 'weekend' carry knives will not get carried on the weekends and I end up grabbing my regular small Mon through Friday edc's instead.
 
The small knife thing and age may be related on another level.

I was just discussing this with Bosse on another forum, and I was telling him that as a senior citizen I don't do the things that Iused to do. I can't. But I can say I've been there and done that on what I wanted to do back then, but now I actually don't want to. As a young man full of vinegar, I trekked the wilderness and backpacked the A.T. The P.C. and a lot of places in between. Now Karen and I take the bus tour with all the other social security cane wielding old farts. I don't actually need a knife that I can survive the great wilderness with, or some knife that can fight off Chinese paratroopers. But…we are doing the bus tours, andy taking part in more events in a "civilized" surrounding, so a more discreet pocket knife may be needed. Finding ourselves in more genteel surroundings, a Case peanut or small SAK gets by slicing up a nice cheese to go on the sliced up baguette than a large knife.

Plus, the peanut size knife leaves room for the RONCO pocket defibrillator in case of the big vapor lock!:eek:

Hey, ya gotta think about things like that when you get to a certain point!!
:D
 
I will admit that, as a kid back in 1977, the first knife I ever bought was a Schrade large stockman. It was a beautiful knife, and I remember it costing $13. I think I ended up carrying it less than 5 times total. It felt like a big lump in my pocket. I remember walking to school and sitting in class, feeling that big uncomfortable lump. After trying out a few other knives, I ended up settling on a Buck 303 Cadet that I alternated with a Schrade "razor blade stainless" medium stockman. I felt the medium size felt right. Those two knives were my go-to choices for about 5 years.

Even though I've bought some other large stockmans, two in the past year or so, I find I never carry them. Generally, the largest traditional I'll carry is my yellow Case medium stockman in SS. It's small enough to go unnoticed, yet sizable enough to easily find in my pocket. Also, as far as SAKs go, I only carry models under 3 layers thick. For me, thickness and weight are bigger factors than length in terms of 'too big' to comfortably carry. I'm 52 now, but am still very fit and feel (and am always mistaken for) much younger. So I think in general, my choices in what I'll carry size-wise haven't changed all that much over the years.

Jim
 
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