What do we do?

J

jackknife

Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
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Once again I experimented for the past week, in just what do we do with a pocket knife, and what is needed. Sort of "how did my dad do it?" kind of thing. For the past week I only carried my yellow peanut. It did the following very well.

Opened cardboard box from ups delivery of tobacco from Fred Stoker.

Cut jute twine for tomato stakes/plants.

Cut plastic drop cloth sheeting when painting front door.

Opened ups cardboard box from Scooterworks of Chicago with new tire for PX150.

Opened plastic blister pack of small lightbulbs for bathroom nightlight.

Did cheese and cracker snack duty at shooting range.

Broke down large carcboard boxes for trash.

Opened and broke down cardboard boxes of clay birds at shooting range.

Opened large plastic 20 pound bag of bird seed for backyard feeder.

Cut chicken livers for catfish bait.

Gut and skinned three catfish for dinner.

Opened large bag of dog kibble for Pearl the wonder corgi.

Opened mail all week.

Sharpened my edc pencil stub.

So far that thin little 2 inch blade has done everything I had to do with a pocket knife. Its been an interesting experiance having a pocket so light with just the peanut to see me through the day. I don't intend to permanently abandon my other edc's like my Victorinox cadet, or my sodbuster, but I just wanted to do with just the peanut to put things into perspective of some sort. I guess now that I'm an old fart myself, I understand better how, and more importantly why, all those old farts I saw in my youth carried those little pen knives. For 99.999% of the time you needed to cut something, it was all that was needed. For those other times they had all those little leather handle Case and Ka-bar finn type of sheath knives.
 
I didn't use my EB stockman much this week. All I did really was open some mail. I do remember that I used it like a worry stone quite a bit, rubbing its stag scales as a sort of meditative exercise.
 
Case Wharncliffe Copperhead is what I carried all week.

Opened the mail. Cut a steak. Smoothed the handle area of a new walking stick. Sharpened a pencil for one of my kids. Fiddled with it when I had nothing else to do, like the pocket toy it is.

SAK - only carried today, not all week - adjusted the scope on my .22 when I was shooting this afternoon. Also pulled staples of the target with the same screwdriver on the SAK.
 
For most of the mid 80's to the early 90's the small Schrade single blade was all I had or carried and I never felt underknifed. Now after getting and useing a pile of knives I'd say the little peanut sized slip joints are still one of my favorites.
 
It seems that there is an (apparent) natural progression with knives.

As a general rule, you'll often see neophyte woodsmen traipsing around with larger fixed blade knives (in the Bowie and camp knife range). The more experienced woodsman with a small fixed blade or even a pocket knife.

When I was still working in law enforcement I often carried a large custom or factory "tactical" knife though for many of those years I got by with a simple Gerber LST.

And now I find the same thing happening with my slipjoint preferences (as I have recently discussed with Mike Robuck and Vince). I seem to be downsizing somewhat there as well and even leaning toward the one blade slippies for edc though I still love (and will carry) the larger traditional patterns as well.

Very few things (on a daily basis) that a peanut sized knife won't handle but I do find that about a 3.5" closed knife is a happy medium from my current perspective.
 
This is an interesting topic and I'll add my little story. The end of May we took a trip to the UK and I was concerned about packing one of the custom slip joints I normally carry (they are typically 3.5" closed or a little larger). I decided to bring a Case Peanut along, packed in my checked luggage.

I'm really glad I brought a knife as I feel very uncomfortable without one.

That little peanut did everything I asked it to do and did it well. Most tasks were on the order of opening bubble packs, cutting food, a little whittling and the like, but it never felt too small and was real easy on the pocket.
 
Well, I've done just about everything with my Peanut. Whittled. Cut up food (like steak, ribs, and fruit). Cut up boxes. Heck, as I mentioned in another thread, I even skinned an alligator with it. With just a Peanut!!! I use it SOOO many times a day, I lose count. I've given up on all my other knives, specially the bigger ones, and just carry the Peanut. My Leatherman multitool rides with me most of the times, or a SAK Cadet, for the other tools, but for my cutting needs? The Peanut can do it all.
 
I used my Buck Muskrat at work Saturday. I must have cut open over a hundred magazine bundles tied together with plastic strap. I'm taking my Vic Tinker over to the Father's Day BBQ for my dad later today to open beer and cut open food and gift packaging. I went to a B-Day party a few months ago and forgot to bring a knife. I must have had a dozen requests to cut things that day. :o
 
I've said it before, I'll say it again, and I'll keep on saying it...

TheDoggyGuru has the definitive, be-all and end-all of peanut testimonials...

He skinned a 'gator with one!
 
Don't get me wrong, jackknife, I enjoyed your original post thoroughly!

It was a nice look into "a week in the life of jackknife"! And I enjoy hearing what people do with their knifes, especially their peanuts.

I'm looking forward to doing all kinds of things with my peanut (impatiently waiting for one to come in the mail).

For me, though, the question of "What can you do with a peanut?" has been answered!

Skin a 'gator.:)
 
Maybe one day I can send some Gator skin to one of the many talented and brilliant modders here on BF and have them make me some Gator skin scales for my Peanut. Ooh, what an idea!!!! :eek: The thought just gave me chills. that would be the most awesome Peanut EVER!!!!
 
I don't know how big a gator tooth is TDG, but I wonder if a big one could make one scale for a peanut.

That would be awesome too!
 
Actually....... yeah, I believe I HAVE teeth, gator's teeth, here at home that might be big enough to put on the handles of a Peanut. I'm gonna go look to see what I have.
 
Yeah, a gator skin pocket sheath with a gator tooth fob attached!:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
 
I've been trying SO hard not to buy a Case Peanut, you guys aren't making it any easier. There's a very nice one with bone handles (amber bone, IRC) at a local shop, I almost picked it up when I bought my dad a Victorinox for father's day.

But I'm just starting to date a girl and all those dinners and theatre tickets are really cutting into my knife budget. :( It'll have to wait until my birthday next month.
 
Franciscomv said:
I've been trying SO hard not to buy a Case Peanut, you guys aren't making it any easier. There's a very nice one with bone handles (amber bone, IRC) at a local shop, I almost picked it up when I bought my dad a Victorinox for father's day.

But I'm just starting to date a girl and all those dinners and theatre tickets are really cutting into my knife budget. :( It'll have to wait until my birthday next month.
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Why are you trying so hard to stay away from the Peanut? If it's funds, I can understand. Use what you have until you can afford one. If it's because you are not sure of the utility of such a tiny knife, it's a machete, chainsaw, and Rambo-type survival knife in disguise, my friend. I have the Bone Stag one in SS, and for all it's elegance and looks, it is a workhorse. I HAD a brown jigged delrin one in SS, but I used a hammer a little too hard while removing a wobble, so it's gone. This Peanut has replaced my Trappers, Sodbusters, Stockman, and Pen knife as my edc. I sometimes carry a Sak Cadet or SI with it, but since I usually have my Leatherman Wave with me, the Peanut is the one that handles all my cutting needs. Heck as of late, taking a page out of Mr. Van's playbook, I've been using my Peanut for everything, including eating. My wife always looks at me strangly when, as she serves up a steak dinner, I push the steak knife aside and whip out my little Peanut. "Honey, I GAVE you a knife!!" "Yes, dear, but since my pocketknife is what I'll probably have on me when things go wrong, I need to be able to use it under all circumstances." She doesn't get it, but has learned to accept my "eccentricity".
Anyway, I digress. Get the Peanut.
 
Francisco!!! Get a peanut!

Go with a Case Yellow Delrin one (just like jackknife has!). Stainless or CV, whatever your preference, you'd be hard pressed to spend more than 27 bucks on it on any of the websites mentioned around here (One Stop Knife Shop, New Graham, Grand Prairie, KnifeWorks, etc, etc, etc.)

Take the gal pal on a picnic! Save some money...AND you could use your new nonthreatening peanut during it to take the foil off a wine bottle, slice up some cheese and apples (patina!), its a win-win-win.:cool:
 
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