There's normal pocket knife use, and then there's the abnormal, or maybe even emergency use of a pocket knife. Most of the old timers were 'the right tool for the job' kind of men. Even my dad, who was a fanatic on his little 2 inch blades 'nut, carried a cut down machete that he called his 'bushwacker' for the right tool role. I usually do the same. I carry mostly smaller knives like the 'nut, Buck cadet, and a classic on my keyring, but there's a Gerber/fiskars sliding blade saw in my day pack. Karen has one as well. Right tool for the job. If you're going out in the boonies, I think you will most likely have a real hunting knife along, if not some other tool that would be right for whatever job you run into. I don't think anyone here is advocating going bear hunting with a classic, just as you wouldn't go filleting fish with a Bowie. It's always about the right tool for the job. Why abuse a nice knife if you can have the right tool around? If I was going to be scoring flashing, I'm using a utility knife with a replacable blade. I still have vivid memories of my old man giving me a slap on the back of the head for abusing a knife. Maybe that's how his little peanut lasted him most of his adult life.
I think our obsession about knives sometimes clouds our judgement on how much tool we need. Most of the people I know are not knife knuts, and so think that any decent sharp piece of steel will do. For the most part, they are right.
My attitudes changed a lot over the years, and I learned from watching. While I'll carry a peanut for my main knife, and I don't have another larger knife on me, I know that for the most part, the 2 inch blade will handle 99% of what I will run into. Of course, there are those little things that pop up called emergencies. When that happens, and I'm not in my truck where there's a emergency kit behind the seat, I'll make do with what I have on me. I'll just have to work a bit more carefully. I know the 2 inch blade will do the job, because I've seen it done, and I've pushed the limit myself in non emergencies just to make sure it can do, if pushed. It's nice to experiment with what you carry everyday to know how far you can take it.
As far as the OP's question, in a small knife like a peanut, I like thinner blades than on a larger knife like a stockman or medium jack. A 1/16 blade will do, as will a 3/32. Most commercial kitchen knives are very thin stock, yet can stand up to many years of abuse at the hands of non knife knut house wives. Most commercial fishing knives and meat processing knives are very thin bladed. The profesionals who use them do so as cutting tools.
Thin is good.
Carl.
I think our obsession about knives sometimes clouds our judgement on how much tool we need. Most of the people I know are not knife knuts, and so think that any decent sharp piece of steel will do. For the most part, they are right.
My attitudes changed a lot over the years, and I learned from watching. While I'll carry a peanut for my main knife, and I don't have another larger knife on me, I know that for the most part, the 2 inch blade will handle 99% of what I will run into. Of course, there are those little things that pop up called emergencies. When that happens, and I'm not in my truck where there's a emergency kit behind the seat, I'll make do with what I have on me. I'll just have to work a bit more carefully. I know the 2 inch blade will do the job, because I've seen it done, and I've pushed the limit myself in non emergencies just to make sure it can do, if pushed. It's nice to experiment with what you carry everyday to know how far you can take it.
As far as the OP's question, in a small knife like a peanut, I like thinner blades than on a larger knife like a stockman or medium jack. A 1/16 blade will do, as will a 3/32. Most commercial kitchen knives are very thin stock, yet can stand up to many years of abuse at the hands of non knife knut house wives. Most commercial fishing knives and meat processing knives are very thin bladed. The profesionals who use them do so as cutting tools.
Thin is good.
Carl.