Peanuts!

[Dinadan]

Mel, I like the modification.

Thank you, Dogleg.

[Dinadan]

Peanut - Pony Jack - Dogleg Jack - Serpentine Jack

This post is just a detour on this thread's journey.

It is only in the past few months that I have been collecting Peanut Knives. Recently I was reading a thread in the Camillus Cutlery Collector's Forum that was started by Papa Bones back in 2021.

https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... k&start=25

Perusing those posts made me realize that I had made some assumptions that might be wrong. Papa Bones' thread focused on Pony Jacks. I do not recall ever noticing the term Pony Jack before. Papa gives a succinct explanation of the difference between a Peanut and a Pony Jack.

The peanut was more of a serpentine design starting with an upturned back bolster flowing to the front bolster slightly turned down. The Pony Jacks were actually just a small Jack knife design which was more of a slightly upturned rear bolster flowing straight to a even front bolster. They are basically a smaller thinner design similar to the Mini Trapper.

I had always considered those knives to be Peanuts, but Papa's comment led me to do a bit of research and I did find some old Camillus Catalogs that listed Pony Jack Knives. Here is one from 1948.

Camillus_1948e.jpg (33.96 KiB) Viewed 870 times

I was not able to find any Pony Jacks in catalogs by other companies, but I only looked at a small sample. Here is an Ulster Catalog from 1961 that listed the same kind of knife as a Dogleg Jack Knife.

1961_Ulster11e.jpg (38.56 KiB) Viewed 870 times

And here is a Schrade Catalog from 1961 that calls the same pattern a Serpentine Jack.

1961_SW11e.jpg (24.4 KiB) Viewed 870 times

But my conclusion is that the use of this terminology is mainly historical. As far as I can tell, no knife purveyor today is calling these small Jacks anything except Peanuts. And indeed, so far as I can tell, almost no one is actually making them. I could find only two current production models based on the Pony Jack frame, both from China. In the photo below you can see two classic USA versions of the Pony Jack style at the top of the column, with the two current China versions at the bottom. And two more or less current Peanuts flanking the column.

[Dinadan]

I recently got a Parker-Frost Peanut, the Bobcat. If I understand correctly it was made by Schrade. It is a nice little knife, very clearly from the same factory that made a Craftsman Peanut that I own. I am a cat man, so I have to love the etch.

I placed this thread in the Chinese-made knives forum because I had more Chinese Peanuts than any other kind. Now the balance has shifted toward USA made peanuts so perhaps that was a mistake. However, I am not going to start a new thread.

[doglegg]

Very cool and desirable knives Mel. I like bobcats to.

[Dinadan]

Very cool and desirable knives Mel. I like bobcats to.

Thanks, Doglegg. Bobcats (the actual animal) are quite common in my area, based on the number of tracks I have seen. As for the actual animal: I have seen exactly one in 72 years. And a lot of my life was spent in the woods as a hunter, land surveyor, and kayaker. Bobcats are darn elusive!

[Dinadan]

Here is a Queen Peanut with MOP handles. This is the first jigged MOP knife that I have acquired. I am very pleased with this knife (Who would not be!!) but I do have one quibble. The refraction off of the jigging makes it impossible to see into the rich and strange translucency of the pearl. But this is a jewel of a knife for certain.

Queen MOP Peanut

Queen MOP Peanut

Queen MOP Peanut

Here is a comparison photo with newer Queen City MOP Peanut.

Queen MOP Peanut

[Dinadan]

Today I am posting a little Ranger. This is a brand that I have not often seen. At 2.75 inches this knife is actually a bit smaller than most of my Peanuts. On the other hand, the shape of the frame is more like a Serpentine Jack.

Ranger

[doglegg]

Today I am posting a little Ranger. This is a brand that I have not often seen. At 2.75 inches this knife is actually a bit smaller than most of my Peanuts. On the other hand, the shape of the frame is more like a Serpentine Jack.
Ranger15c.jpg

Knice little knife.

[Dinadan]

Knice little knife.

Thank you, Doglegg.

Yesterday was the summer solstice. This time was special for Saint John. In older times folk would gather St John's Wort on St John's Day, which is now celebrated on June 24. The herb could be hung outside the home, worn as an amulet, or burned on the Solstice fire.

I used my brand new Rough Rider for my harvest!

[Steve Warden]

Mel, you've gotten me hooked on peanuts!
Picked up a little brother to the Sowbelly.

[Dinadan]

Picked up a little brother to the Sowbelly.

That is a fine looking knife. Both are, actually. Is the Peanut something new from Rosecraft? I do not recall seeing one before.

[Steve Warden]

Picked up a little brother to the Sowbelly.

That is a fine looking knife. Both are, actually. Is the Peanut something new from Rosecraft? I do not recall seeing one before.

Thank you.
I don't know if Tony ever offered the peanut. I did buy the Sowbelly from him.
I spotted the peanut on the RoseCraft website.
https://rosecraftblades.com/
A search for knife stores in the Rochester, NH area on Google maps showed me White Mountain Knives, a brick and mortar store I had to visit as I saw they had the peanut in stock.
https://whitemountainknives.com/?srslti ... HOyMiFVMXe
Myles, the owner, was a great guy to chat with and do business.

[Dinadan]

I spotted the peanut on the RoseCraft website.

Thanks. That is a really nice looking peanut. I do not have any Rosecraft knives: I guess it is about time to change that.

[Gtrclktr-351]

Case just needs to make a Wharncliffe Peanut!

But would it be called a "Wharnut" or a "Peacliffe"?

[Dinadan]

Case just needs to make a Wharncliffe Peanut!

But would it be called a "Wharnut" or a "Peacliffe"?

I think I prefer Peacliffe ...maybe?

Case 6220

I know that this thread is in the Chinese-made knives part of the forum. So I am adding some Chinese knives. Here are three Rough Ryder Peanuts. White Bone, Red Bone, and Micarta. The White and Red are pretty well equal: both are very well made knives.

I slightly prefer the Red because of the swedge on the blades. It may not actually do anything, but it looks cool.The Micarta knife is thick. And the main blade could be .25 inch longer and still fit into the blade well. So I rank it a bit below the two bone knives.

Rough Ryders

Rough Ryders

Rough Ryders

All three of the Rough Ryders are well made little knives. The Micarta would be my last choice because of the short blade, and in fact it is priced twice as high as the bone handled knives.

[Gtrclktr-351]

I think I prefer Peacliffe ...maybe?
All three of the Rough Ryders are well made little knives. The Micarta would be my last choice because of the short blade, and in fact it is priced twice as high as the bone handled knives.

Peacliffe it is! Maybe Case will eventually make one.

And as for the three Rough Ryders, the micarta would definitely not be as comfortable a carry for an obvious reason.

[Dinadan]

the micarta would definitely not be as comfortable a carry for an obvious reason.

I agree, Bill. The Micarta Peanut has a very gritty walk and talk, too. It is one of the few RRs that I just do not like due to the short blade, gritty action, and thick body.

Here is a knife that I do like. Sometimes, when I find a Schrade like this one, I wonder why I ever bother with any other brand knife. The walk and talk is somewhere between darned good and perfect. The covers are Delrin, my favorite non-natural material. Blades just right and still have the original milling marks.

Schrade 272

Schrade 272

The plant in the background is Poke, a plant linked to the history of my part of America. The leaves are food for man (I have eaten them many times) and the berries beloved by birds.

[Steve Warden]

the micarta would definitely not be as comfortable a carry for an obvious reason.

I agree, Bill. The Micarta Peanut has a very gritty walk and talk, too. It is one of the few RRs that I just do not like due to the short blade, gritty action, and thick body.

Here is a knife that I do like. Sometimes, when I find a Schrade like this one, I wonder why I ever bother with any other brand knife. The walk and talk is somewhere between darned good and perfect. The covers are Delrin, my favorite non-natural material. Blades just right and still have the original milling marks.
Schrade11a.jpg
Schrade22a.jpg
The plant in the background is Poke, a plant linked to the history of my part of America. The leaves are food for man (I have eaten them many times) and the berries beloved by birds.

I like it!

[Dinadan]

Thank you, Steve.

Another couple of photos of the Schrade 272, along with an older Schrade. The older knife has a very nice swedge and a the asymmetrical grind: saber ground on the mark side and flat ground on the reverse side. But unlike the newer knife, it has no notch for the secondary blade nail nick.

[Steve Warden]

Thank you, Steve.

Another couple of photos of the Schrade 272, along with an older Schrade. The older knife has a very nice swedge and a the asymmetrical grind: saber ground on the mark side and flat ground on the reverse side. But unlike the newer knife, it has no notch for the secondary blade nail nick.
Schrade31a.jpg
Schrade41a.jpg

More nice!!
Any special considerations when sharpening that asymmetrical grind?

[Gtrclktr-351]

All these peanuts have got me wanting a cold beer.

[Dinadan]

More nice!!
Any special considerations when sharpening that asymmetrical grind?

Thanks. Now that you mention sharpening the asymmetrical blade, I do not think I have sharpened one. I do not think it would matter with a pocket knife intended for normal use. I have seen photos of special purpose knives that you would sharpen only on the bevel side, like a wood chisel, to preserve angle of the cutting edge.

All these peanuts have got me wanting a cold beer.

Just existing has me wanting a cold beer!

[Dinadan]

Here are a couple of knives that are at best marginal Peanuts. The first is a Rough Ryder that the maker calls a Peanut. At 3.38 inches closed, it is what I would call a Dogleg Jack. But who am I to argue with the experts at Rough Ryder?

This is a beautiful knife. The fit and finish are very good. As a work of art to be displayed I would give it a high rating. As a tool to be used, I would rate it about as good as a chipped stone. The blades are so hard to open that if I want to cut with the knife I have to carry a plier type tool to open the blades. Just sad.

Next up is an older knife that is really a gunstock knife. I am going to post it here anyway: at 3.00 inches closed it is the right size and pretty close to the right shape. This knife is part of a series made to celebrate Schrade's 65th anniversary. Probably made in China, though the origin is not marked anywhere on the knife. It is very well made. Fit and finish are excellent, and the walk and talk are just right. I find it strange that a knife celebrating Schrade's history would be made by another company, but this knife is a very nice knife regardless of who made it.

Notice the stamp on the reverse side of the blade. SCWALD. Kind of a cool contraction of Schrade Walden.