Only jumped on board the small knife train to "Enlightenment" in the last couple of years, but I finally got it. My pocket choice over the holidays has been out of the Buck family. I bought myself an early gift of a model 305 and a 303 in the Rosewood/Brass dress, cleaned them up and stuck them in my pocket. It turns out, I use the little 305 the most in my daily task. I do prefer the Peanut's jack blade configuration and I wish Buck made a small knife with similar properties. I keep my 3 Peanuts and my little Bucks on the nightstand, sharp and ready for action. Sorry, no pictures, but all are just run-of-the-mill, buy'em anywhere knives. Easy to pocket and ready for service. Folks are missing out not trying this little category of knives.
Good morning J.Buck! Your post contained a though provoking line. I wonder if the little knives, like the smaller guns and other stuff are just underestimated. I went through most of my life thinking the little knives were not for me, and it wasn't until my dad had passed away, and his old peanut was sitting on top of my dresser that I actually dropped it in my pocket one morning on an impulse. I had always been a fan of larger knives like stockmen, large sodbusters, and a number 9 Opinel. I just had no need of a tiny knife, or so I thought.
Once I used my dad's knife, I ended up buying a Case peanut of my own, and the disease was in motion. Then my better half came home from work one day with one of those tiny Victorinox Classic's that her company had got with their logo on them to handout to clients. I ended up "experimenting" with that one as well. I found out that for 98% of what I had to cut, a small sharp blade did just as well as a bigger one, and sometimes it was even better for getting into tight corners.
I remember all the pocketknives in use when I was growing up, and they all were similar in size to the Buck 309 and 305's. My old friend Wayne is a life long devotee of the 309. We worked together for many years, and his wit had given him a little 309 one year and it was his pride and joy. Used it for everything, and I mean everything. Fishing knife, hunting knife, (Upland game and squirrel) hobby knife, household projects knife. I personally witnessed him jumping into the water off a crabbing pier in Maryland one night after his knife fell off the railing. Took him a few dives to find it with the aid of a minimag in a ziplock bag, but he got his knife back. After 20 years or so, it was worn down to a two blades that looked like little ice picks, so his wife bought him another one in yellow. He's still carrying it. Wayne is not a knife nut, and thinks I'm crazy, but he's one of those guys who knows he needs a knife, but doesn't want to be burdened by one. So he likes a small knife that the can forget he's actually got on him, until he needs a knife.
"Easy to pocket and ready for service."
Kind of the same thought of my dad's saying that a pocket knife is something that is carried a lot and used one in a while. The easy to pocket thing is important and I don't think non knife people want a knife that is bulky, or heavy, or large. The popularity of the little Victorinox classic as the worlds most popular selling pocket knife proves a point there. And in this day and age of the mighty tactical knife, they are still selling tons of Buck 309's and 305's as well as the 303's at generic sporting goods places like Dick's, Academy, Bass Pro, and others, not to mention Walmart and Target.
Most people don't carry a knife these days. Of the people who carry a knife, it seems like the small inconspicuous knife is still a popular item. I don't have any proof or statistics, but I'd be willing to bet a BBQ dinner that the sales of the tactical hot lick knives are to repeat buyers of knife nuts. That Victorinox makes and sells more classic's than any other three knife models by any other three knife companies is remarkable. That Buck is selling as many of the small 300 series pen knives says something.
I remember when my better half's company gave out these gifts to clients and it could be a nice Parker pen, Maglight AA Minimag, or a Victorinox Classic. All with the logo the firm on them. People loved the little SAK, and overwhelmingly preferred them over a pen pr flashlight. So much so, they had to re-order them in large quantities over any of the other give aways.
Just some random thoughts.
