What's the difference between a "jackknife" and a "peanut"?

pinnah said:
....Notice that they have jack knives that have blades on both ends. If we want consistency, we should do mathematics, not knife collecting.
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Yes to the mathematics references except for statistics.

We also have jack knifed 18 wheelers. Very knife-like reference.
 
I think Levine's book classified stockmans as 'multi-blades', at least my edition did (if I remember correctly). But yes, I do believe that he classified muskrats as jackknives.

Jim
 
marcinek said:
Because stockmen and muskrats are jack knives, if I remember my Levine.
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That would mean that every single folding knife is a jack knife which doesn't seem right. ( I'm not gonna go by one person's definition, especially if it seems weird )
 
James Y said:
I think Levine's book classified stockmans as 'multi-blades', at least my edition did (if I remember correctly). But yes, I do believe that he classified muskrats as jackknives.

Jim
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Did he do jackknives, multiblades, and penknives as the categories? I dunno. Gotta get home and look at the book.
 
Hickory n steel said:
That would mean that every single folding knife is a jack knife which doesn't seem right. ( I'm not gonna go by one person's definition, especially if it seems weird )
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No it does not. There are jackknives and penknives which, IIRC correctly, Levine delineates by size...like I said earlier.

And if you do not want to go by Levine's definition, please do come up with someone more expert on the subject and share theirs with us..
 
ones a food and the other is a knife, I guess. if it means something else, ive never heard of it. :confused:
 
The website/forum All About Pocket Knives has a nice listing of Case patterns. They have an entry for jackknife that says it could mean
- any slip joint (in homage to Jacque de Liege)
- any single ended slip joint regardless of the number or shape of the blades
- a large double ended slip joint.


Jack knife:

The jackknife is reportedly named after Jacque de Liege. He was a French knife maker who is said to have invented the first back-spring assembly. The
term is used today to describe many different kinds of knives. It is most commonly used to describe any knife that has one or two blades that open on the same side. It is also used to describe any knife that has two blades that open in opposite sides and measures more than roughly 3 1/2″. You will find that some folding knives do not have any special name and often go only by the generic name “Jack knife”. Those knives are listed in this index as regular jack knives or premium jack knives. Note that premium jacks are slim, while regular jacks are wider in shape.
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http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com...ttern-name-reference-guide/case-xx-names-d-o/

If you read through the rest of the entries, it is clear that the author generally refers to single ended slip joints as jackknives and double ended slip joints as pens. But not always. He classifies the Muskrat as a double-ended jackknife. <shrug>

EDITED to add bold for Marcinek. The author of this also uses size to classify jacks vs pens.
 
pinnah said:
EDITED to add bold for Marcinek. The author of this also uses size to classify jacks vs pens.
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Thanks! Like I said, that is what I believe Levine does also. Stockmen, muskrats, canoes, trappers, Congress knives, all jackknives.

And I think he includes SAKs in there too.

Pen knives are smaller.

Of course peanuts are jackknives in his system also.

But again, need to see the book to be sure.
 
Don Joe said:
ones a food and the other is a knife, I guess. if it means something else, ive never heard of it. :confused:
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A peanut, like the Canoes, Muskrats, etc, that have been mentioned are patterns of slipjoint pocketknives.

While, yes, they are also legumes, boats, and mammals, in this context they are knives.
 
marcinek said:
A peanut, like the Canoes, Muskrats, etc, that have been mentioned are patterns of slipjoint pocketknives.

While, yes, they are also legumes, boats, and mammals, in this context they are knives.
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Have to say that's really funny. :D
 
oh, I couldn't tell. thought he was talking about the food group. I guess the knife must be made with peanuts somehow like the handles or something. didn't know. thanks
 
Don Joe said:
oh, I couldn't tell. thought he was talking about the food group. I guess the knife must be made with peanuts somehow like the handles or something. didn't know. thanks
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No, its a knife. The scales are typically jigged bone. Maybe you have a take on the jackknife vs penknife discussion?
 
marcinek said:
Yes, I have many of both types. Any personal opinion or insight on what defines those two types of knives?
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one of them is named a peanut, which leads me to think the people who carry them are probably a little nutty!
 
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