The under-appreciated pen blade

hoopster

hoopster

Joined
Jan 12, 2007
Messages
4,186
After years of owning Spyderco's and a Benchmade, it's been awhile since I've owned a traditional slip joint knife. Since acquiring the Case swayback jack I'm finally growing to appreciate the pen blade.
So far it's proven very effective at cleaning my fingernails since it's so short but I have a feeling it's going to be seeing a lot more use so I can keep the wharncliffe blade's edge and point in tip top shape.

What are some other uses that you find the pen blade excels at or you use it for on a regular basis?
 
Hi,

I'm finding a new appreciation of the Pen blade myself. In the past I've preferred a Spey over the Pen. But now like you, I find it to be really well suited to most chores I do with a blade. And I find myself specifically choosing that blade for use.

It's really all the blade I need cutting tape or shrink-wrap. I don't need to be as concerned about a longer blade slicing product. I found the Pen on my Boker Barlow to be superb for deburring some plastic parts I made this week. It quickly and easily sliced the little burr from the tee-slot I had cut in to a chunk of Delrin.

Dale
 
I find that I use my pen blades more than any other for most of my day to day cutting chores (cutting tape, opening packages & envelopes, etc.). In fact, even when I carry a longish single bladed folder I always seem to use either just the tip or my Rambler for most cutting tasks anyway.
 
Honestly, I'm not a fan of the pen blade. Just don't find it useful and like everyone else on here, I use my knives a lot. As a result, I don't actively search them out. Just find other blades more suited to my tastes...on customs that would normally have a pen secondary, I find myself getting a wharnie blade instead.
 
The pen blade is the jack of all blades. It is a crud remover and extractor, phillips driver, scraper, mini prybar, callus and fingernail trimmer, splinter remover, auger, awl, punch and probe. There is not much it cannot do

It is my favorite secondary blade.
 
Pen blade is great. Its also one of the least threatning blade types with the spey blade. Its great for doing cutting when blade sensitive people are near by.
 
I have a habit of using the pen blade to 'save' the main blade of my knife for careful slicing. I tend to keep a bit more higher angle edge on the pen, so it's my box opener, tape cutter, dirt in the athletic shoe tread scraper, gun cleaning tool for picking out the crud and lead build-up from between the top frame of the revolver and the barrel.

I save the main blade for food use, and more slicing cuts. Dad used to work his peanut that way.

Carl.
 
jackknife said:
I save the main blade for food use, and more slicing cuts. Dad used to work his peanut that way.
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Same here. I use the pen blade for just about everything. It's long enough for cutting tape, cardboard, and string and short enough for fine scraping and carving. The main blade stays clean for food.
 
I use the pen blades far more than any other. Other than preparing food, I just don't need a longer blade for most cutting tasks.
 
I find that the pen blade is the one that i use the most, it covers most of my daily cutting needs and....if i'm honest....a few chores that it was never really designed for. I'm a fan of it.
 
I carry a Case medium stockman with clip point, sheepsfoot and pen blades. The clip is my food blade, the sheepsfoot is my utility (box opener, scraper, fingernail clear, etc) and my pen blade is my toothpick whittler. I keep it as sharp as I possibly can and use it for any cutting chore where I need a really keen blade.
 
Only just refound the pen blade myself :) It was on a Queen QCCC teardrop. I still think that more than one blade compromises the handle on a knife, but I can live with a well shaped and stoutly constructed pen blade nowadays :D :D
 
Noddy said:
Only just refound the pen blade myself :) It was on a Queen QCCC teardrop. I still think that more than one blade compromises the handle on a knife, but I can live with a well shaped and stoutly constructed pen blade nowadays :D :D
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Compromises the handle in what way? Ergonomically or strength?
 
Ergs - You see some trappers with beautifully shaped and grippable handles - look at the GEC #23 for instance - there's plenty of examples - and its all to no avail, because the other blade is still in place and getting in the way.

It is not the end of the world, though. I have seen that. (It's only OK :D)
 
Noddy said:
Ergs - You see some trappers with beautifully shaped and grippable handles - look at the GEC #23 for instance - there's plenty of examples - and its all to no avail, because the other blade is still in place and getting in the way.

It is not the end of the world, though. I have seen that. (It's only OK :D)
Click to expand...

Oh, I see what you mean. Hadn't thought of that before, thanks. :thumbup:
 
I started a thread over a year ago, asking the same question. I was surprised at how many go to that one first. Then, after a paradigm shift, I found myself opening the pen blade first to basic cutting tasks, and the splinter removal, and fingernail cleaning. The thin blade is easy to retain a keen edge. You cannot bash the pen blade and get away with it. Too many fans, myself included. I want to get one of those tuxedo slippies, just have not come across the right one yet. If I have to wear dress pants, which is approx 3 to 5 times a year, I like to carry something small.
 
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