The Unassuming Penknife

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Great thread, Pete! Rates a five thumbs up.

As a very wise man once told me: "it doesn't have to be big, just sharp."

Oh, and that's a beautiful little pen knife too!:D
 
I've got a few. The Case and KA-BAR I inherited. I still have to clean them up as you can tell. They were in a box in the shed for over 20 years! And the Parker I got from an old girlfriend for my 19th birthday way way back when...(wife doesn't like this one at all!!!...haha)



 
Thank you very much!!! This post ought to be the MANIFESTO of the traditional slipjoints world :)
Your pen knife is a very lucky little guy...every slipjoint dreams about having such a owner!!
 
Thanks for the replies, I almost didn't post this thread because I thought, wow when I kept a log of what I was using my knife for last week it was really on the boring side, I wasn't building anything or fixing anything (this really was a surprise, a week that my wife and my girls managed to not break a single thing?) I didn't go hiking or back to my river, just run of the mill stuff. But then I thought about it, it is what it is, a pretty sterile litmus test that I didn't try and force more exciting task, I figure this is probably closer to the majority of my weeks cutting task these days.

This wasn't so much a review of the 63 pattern (Eisenhower), but more of a exercise, in use what you have, adaptability, maybe a tribute in a way to that guy we've all heard about or known that had carried the same worn out penknife for the last 20-30+ years, never needed anything else because he learned how to use it and manipulate what he had, he didn't have a box full of disposable income or knives. We live in a time of convenience, a new knife is a click away on our phones, and most of our purchases are based on a want not a need, myself included, although I try and get everything on a deal no matter what I purchase, but especially with knives as I recognize that new knives are a want not a need, paid only $19 for the stag Eisenhower last year. Until about 5 or 6 years ago I maybe bought a new knife every 10 years if that, now I could run a cutlery store with what I've acquired most for less than $10 at flea markets. I wish I could be the penknife guy (although my true small knife love is with my chestnut peanut) but I like to be prepared for the what if, which made sense when I lived out of a backpack and was always on the go, but now I don't leave my property except for about once a month and less in the winter, I have all my tools at my disposal a rifle or shotgun is usually within a few paces at best, so I really use a knife as a convenience tool these days, the last 3 months a fixed blade has been part of my outdoors kit, never really carried one much outdoors but find it to be convenient now, I don't see myself only carrying my peanut or penknife as my only knives, mainly because I like knives and find my taste change in a cynical and cyclical way, I go through phases of what my "perfect" knife is, the truth is there is no perfect and at the same time they are all perfect, when I think about all the different patterns I own, be it jacks, stockman, congress, whittler, the blades that get used the most are the secondary blades on multi-bladed knives. I admittedly enjoy the treasure trove of knives I've accumulated, I have something for every type of task, I carry my peanut always and generally rotate a second knife every two weeks, sometimes daily depending on my mood or chores.

Pete

PS James Y, unfortunately it is SS I don't own many knives in stainless, I've been trying to get a carbon 63 for a few years they are far and few, I literally missed one last night a XX era 1940-1964 green bone, after '64 I believe they all were stainless.
 
I'm a little late to the party but I gotta say this is a great thread. :thumbup:

Thanks for posting Pete.

Jim
 
Ya know, Pete, the very term "penknife" is kind of a catch all phrase for the non knife folks for any small pocket knife. I've had my Case damascus peanut referred to as a "mighty pretty pen knife" and even my Christy knife as a unusual "Sliding blade penknife." The state of Maryland even has a 'penknife law' that classifies any folding knife that is not a switchblade, as a 'penknife.'

I can only wonder, how many times someone spoke of a 'pen knife' that they were actually referring to a small dogleg jack, or a peanut, or a tiny trapper, or a real honest to God 'penknife'?
 
Carried the Pocket Pal yesterday - just 'cause and the awesomeness of this thread :thumbup::thumbup: has inspired me to dig out this little Henckles sleeveboard for today.

 
Very detailed and wonderfully done post. Really enjoyed reading this one as I'm constantly going back and forth on whether I should get a single blade or double blade with a small secondary pen blade/if I'd even get around to using it. Used them for much of my life on SAK's and even smaller but for some reason as a secondary they generally just go unused sadly.
 
Ryouchijtx said:
Very detailed and wonderfully done post. Really enjoyed reading this one as I'm constantly going back and forth on whether I should get a single blade or double blade with a small secondary pen blade/if I'd even get around to using it. Used them for much of my life on SAK's and even smaller but for some reason as a secondary they generally just go unused sadly.
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The way I see it is that if the secondary blade doesn't add any more bulk to a single spring knife then why not? After all, you never know, right?;) Also, at least when it comes to Vics, some of the single-bladed models (e.g. Solo Alox) still feature a crinked blade which just bothers me.
 
JAB said:
The way I see it is that if the secondary blade doesn't add any more bulk to a single spring knife then why not? After all, you never know, right?;) Also, at least when it comes to Vics, some of the single-bladed models (e.g. Solo Alox) still feature a crinked blade which just bothers me.
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Very true, I actually just prepared breakfast with the penknife of my dogleg Jack and will continue to use it as a 'main blade' today. I also find that with GEC's, the secondary blade gives the body of the knife the perfect width and girth for a nice grip on harder cutting than just food prep. Aesthetically a single blade is pleasing but the two blade definitely prevails in many areas :)

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This thread is in praise of Pen knives. There are some nice Jacks posted but they are not Pen knives.
If the blades are hinged on the same end, it is a Jack knife. If there is only one blade, then under 3.5" = Pen knife; 3.5" & over = Jack knife. To some 3.5" is still a Pen and over 3.5" becomes a Jack.
kj
 
I dug out my first Buck knife a few months back out of an old tackle box, a 1987 Buck 309. I bought it when I started doing a lot of white bass and crappie fishing and used it to cut off the left over line when you tie on a fishing jig/lure. After digging it out and cleaning it up, I carried it for about a month and it did most everything I needed......then I decided to buy another 309 that was around a 1988 but this one had nice red jigged bone scales. Only problem was the bone 309 is almost too nice to carry and came new in a box with paperwork so I put it away instead of carrying it..............and before you know it, the cycle continued and I was away from the 309 pen knife that did almost everything I needed. You guys know how it is!
You know, one of the most used jobs my knife gets in the summer is opening those plastic flavored ice packs for the kids.
 
jackknife said:
Ya know, Pete, the very term "penknife" is kind of a catch all phrase for the non knife folks for any small pocket knife. I've had my Case damascus peanut referred to as a "mighty pretty pen knife" and even my Christy knife as a unusual "Sliding blade penknife." The state of Maryland even has a 'penknife law' that classifies any folding knife that is not a switchblade, as a 'penknife.'

I can only wonder, how many times someone spoke of a 'pen knife' that they were actually referring to a small dogleg jack, or a peanut, or a tiny trapper, or a real honest to God 'penknife'?
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I once saw, in a book that was written in the UK, in reference to camping equipment, the SAK Swisschamp referred to as a 'Swiss Army penknife".

At this time, my favorite traditional 2-bladed penknife is probably my Buck 309. Nothing fancy, but very solidly functional.

Jim
 
kootenay joe said:
This thread is in praise of Pen knives. There are some nice Jacks posted but they are not Pen knives.
If the blades are hinged on the same end, it is a Jack knife. If there is only one blade, then under 3.5" = Pen knife; 3.5" & over = Jack knife. To some 3.5" is still a Pen and over 3.5" becomes a Jack.
kj
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whoops I realise that now >< kootenay joe sorry for the mispost but I meant by my post that I would be using the penblade of the jack today to do my tasks just because of this thread. Thank you for the clarification on pen knives
 
pmew said:
Pete, thanks for posting this, I really enjoyed it.

I must admit I kind of lost interest in the forum recently, I've not been enjoying the content of the majority of the threads but this was refreshing to see. It's great to read a well thought out OP with direction, purpose and personality invested in it. This kind of input is what drew me into this place in the beginning (along with Jacks adventures and Jackanory with Carl). Looks like your girls are growing up fast! Your photos as always are fascinating to pour over too.

Thanks my friend,

Paul
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My sentiments, almost exactly, Paul. Stitch2442/Pete, for as long as I've been "here" I've really enjoyed all your posts, for both the text and the photo content. Thanks for the enjoyment I get from reading them.
 
Pete.... how about a photo of that lovely pen with the Maynard .22? Would make wonderful wallpaper for my tablets. Rick
 
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