All this talk about Peanuts got me thinking.....

E

ElCuchillo

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..... and this is a topic that has been written about before, but do I really need a large knife?
I carry the Leatherman Wave everywhere, and it comes in handy.... sometimes. Alot of weight on my belt for not alot of use. It almost seems like I LOOK for reasons to use it to justify it's presence.
I carry a Vic Super Tinker, and it comes in handy.... but I HATE the weight in my pocket. Maybe not the weight, but the bulk. While not a BIG knife per say, at three layers, it is a bit of a pocket full. Do I really need those scissors that much?
As of late, I've been reading about the Peanut this and the Peanut that, and it made me carry MY peanut again, to the exclusion of all other knives or tools, and while it does meet my needs on a daily basis, the fact of the matter is, it IS a tad bit small in my hand to really feel safe and secure. I love it and it has handled jobs a knife that size has no business tackling, but it comes up short (no pun intended) in alot of areas.
So, what do I do?
Past week or so, I decided to go with another small favorite of many on here. The Vic Cadet, and I have to tell you, it does the trick. I've carried it before, but never really gave it a serious run. I always paired it with something else, and never let it get down and dirty, so it remained untested. Well, today I unscrewed a panel on our train at work while decorating it for christmas, cut tons of twine and plastic zip-ties, and it was long enough to make short work of a steak I had for lunch. It held securely in my hand (I was never sure, considering it is so thin, that it would, but it has) and the can pener opened a few clam-packaged goods we had. It DISAPPEARS in my pocket..... I mean, it is so thin it literally blends in with my leg, and with it's Alox construction, is a little tank. One of the construction workers that is building our gift shop even asked to use it for a second (he used the can opener/screwdriver as a prybar on an electrical box).
I know others on here have been looking for the Nirvana of small, compact, useful knives. Has anyone here settled on the Cadet?
How has this little SAK worked out for ya?
Reviews? Field tests? Comments?
 
I used to EDC a Cadet as my only knife some years ago. I loved how light it was in a pocket; I could even hide it inside my wallet.
The blade is certainly big enough for 99.9% of the jobs it will take on.
I loved how thin and light it was but I really never used the file; I wish that was a smaller second blade. Then the Cadet would be perfect IMO.
I started carrying the Cadet after 10+ years of EDCing a black Vic Climber which rode really well next to my wallet in my back pocket.
Bill
 
I bought a Cadet last month. It rides alongside my wallet in my back pocket. I also have a Case Peanut in my front pocket. For the last month, I have been forcing myself to use the smallest blade possible. Sometimes that is the Peanut pen blade, sometimes the Peanut clip-point blade. These have made due in all situations--not optimally, but satisfactorily. Next month I'll try using the Cadet exclusively to see if I gave up much performance by using only the smallest blade. So far the CV blades on the Peanut handle what I need them to. In using the Cadet, I may have to carry sandpaper or a diamond hone in my wallet to touch up the edge. The stainless steel edge is not holding up as well as the Peanut's CV. Still, the Cadet is a great knife and I may end up carrying both just to have access to the wonderful tools in that beautifully slim knife. It really does disappear in my pocket. I daresay even more than the Peanut due to its extreme slimness.
 
billym said:
I used to EDC a Cadet as my only knife some years ago. I loved how light it was in a pocket; I could even hide it inside my wallet.
The blade is certainly big enough for 99.9% of the jobs it will take on.
I loved how thin and light it was but I really never used the file; I wish that was a smaller second blade. Then the Cadet would be perfect IMO.
I started carrying the Cadet after 10+ years of EDCing a black Vic Climber which rode really well next to my wallet in my back pocket.
Bill
Click to expand...

Get a Cadet II. That has the small blade.
 
RobbW said:
In using the Cadet, I may have to carry sandpaper or a diamond hone in my wallet to touch up the edge. The stainless steel edge is not holding up as well as the Peanut's CV. Still, the Cadet is a great knife and I may end up carrying both just to have access to the wonderful tools in that beautifully slim knife. It really does disappear in my pocket. I daresay even more than the Peanut due to its extreme slimness.
Click to expand...
I convexed mine and found the edge holding is very good. A quick stropping on my leg or a piece of cardboard, paper or almost anything keeps it sharp for almost any task. The Vic Cadet has really become my main carrying knife and rarely am I without it.
 
One of these days I'm going to have to track down a Cadet II (like billym I'd much prefer a pen blade to a nail file). I have spent a lot of time carrying my 84mm Tourist (a scaled down Spartan) and NEVER felt underknifed.

Speaking of small blades, this past weekend I caught up on some chores around the house that my wife had been nagg......err, asking me to take care of. ;) Drilling/mounting towel racks, hanging pics, some basic repairs, etc. I had my Old Timer middleman jack in my pocket the whole time. More often than not, I used the PEN blade on it to do things like open packages of screws, trim down screw sinks, etc. That's one tiny blade, guys. Yeah, you can count me among the devotees of small blades. Problem is, I can't just settle on one: Love my Case peanut, my Old Timer, my Victorinox Tourist, my Leatherman Micra, and my Case pen knife (can't remember the model - it's like an Eisenhower but without the sig).
 
I have a cadetII and I like the knife, but it has never become one of my favorites. It's light, slim, gets lost in the pocket of my jeans, and does all things that a pocket knife is supposed to to, and does it well. It has a low sheeple alert, and it can be used in public, goes through museum check points down in Washington at places like the Smithsonian, and the National Gallery of Art.

But I do admit if I had to pick just one single knife to drop in the pocket and leave the house for the day, the CadetII would be a top contender. I have used it at times when going someplace in a dressed up mode.

But its sort of like a midsize car-too big for a commuter in the city, and too small to take the family on vacation. I think its the grip.

The cadet has just enough more blade that it does better than the peanut in food service. Bread, sausage, cheese out on a picnic/hike in the woods. But ti has too thin a grip to take advantage of the blade and strong construction. For me, I find the cadet a little too thin for heavy duty use, and for light duty I have the peanut. Of course the peanut does not have the screwdrivers or can/bottle openers like the cadetII, but how often do I need a screw driver in a situation that my Sears 4-way keyring screwdriver won't handle? All U.S. made bottles are twist off now, and alot of cans like soups, spam, and even the Swanson chicken broth I used in the stuffing I madefor the Thanksgiving day dinner had a tab. And son John tought me how to open an imported beer bottle with my Bic lighter. Being a pipe smoker, I always have a lighter in my pocket.

Lately I've been torn, and am questioning myself if I even need to be carrying a knife with tools on itlike my cadetII or my Wenger SI. I admit I love the Wenger more than the cadetII for its heavy duty feel.Its a little heavier and larger than the cadet, but has a bigger handle to get a grip on. Its a yin vs yang thing, and I go back and forth on it. I like the cadetII, but I don't sometimes. But I love the peanut all the time. Why? I don't know, maybe a blend of things, or maybe I'm just nuts. If my dad had carried something else would I ever have looked at a peanut to start? Maybe because if I want a small knife, the peanut fits the bill, and if I need something bigger than the peanut, then I want something enough bigger to give me a whole different level of cutting capability. It's kind of like guns; I love shooting my .22 at the range, and Karen and I will get into a competition just for the fun of it with each other plinking clay birds on the 50 yard berm. But if something goes bump in the night, then I go for the short barrel shotgun behind the bedroom door.

But the cadet class sak is a very nice pocket knife. I do find myself drawn back to it now and then, and on those occasions I leave dad's old peanut home, as well as the Wenger SI. But then, that was why I kept those two saks when I gave away my knives to my family. I had made up my mind at the time I would carry dad's and grandad's and Uncle Mike's old knives as my own. But I don't want to destroy one of my familys old knives on some grundy job, but I can replace a sak easy enough.

But thats treading dangerously close to the one knife thing. Something I have not been able to do. There always seems to be another knife sneaking in there somehow. But on those rare occasions I do find myself carrying just one single knife, it seems to be the cadetII.

Now, if I can only get myself to loose the Vic classic on my keyring.
 
RobbW said:
I bought a Cadet last month. It rides alongside my wallet in my back pocket. I also have a Case Peanut in my front pocket. For the last month, I have been forcing myself to use the smallest blade possible. Sometimes that is the Peanut pen blade, sometimes the Peanut clip-point blade. These have made due in all situations--not optimally, but satisfactorily. Next month I'll try using the Cadet exclusively to see if I gave up much performance by using only the smallest blade. So far the CV blades on the Peanut handle what I need them to. In using the Cadet, I may have to carry sandpaper or a diamond hone in my wallet to touch up the edge. The stainless steel edge is not holding up as well as the Peanut's CV. Still, the Cadet is a great knife and I may end up carrying both just to have access to the wonderful tools in that beautifully slim knife. It really does disappear in my pocket. I daresay even more than the Peanut due to its extreme slimness.
Click to expand...

It sounds, Rob, that you are doing alot of experimenting. I have to admit I've done the same thing for years, trying to see how much I really need, or in some cases, don't need. It may be taking it to extremes, but for a while I was making a concious effort that no matter what other knife I had on me, I would always try to use the little Victorinox classic on my keyring first just to see if it would do. About 99% of the time it would.

I think knives are just like guns and cars and motorcycles. There is alot of hype, or macho bs, or ego in play in what we humans carry or use. Like our choices relect on our personalities to a great degree, or reflect what we would like to project. At some point we have to ask ourselves "just what do I really need?"

Too many times I've seen the old guy with the pen knife. They knew.

I like Victorinox knives, but they don't in my experiance, hold an edge as well as either Case CV, or the carbon steel in the Opinel. But on the other hand, with the cut down eze-lap diamond hone in my wallet the Vic sharpens right up in a New York minute, and the cadet is a flat knife that lets me take two items off my keyrng;the Sears 4way screwdriver and the p-38.

I guess everything in life is a trade off.

But then next week I'm lible to put them back on my keyring and go back to the peanut just for the change of pace. :D
 
When I was in 7th grade I got my first Leatherman PST. I carried it every place for the next 3 or so years. Most of the time I carried a small to mid sized traditional with it. The traditional did most of my cutting. Eventually I decided that the Leatherman's weight wasn't worth it to me. And began carrying a Victorinox Tinker. That knife served me well and held a great edge but I still didn't use the tools too much. So I wound up settling on a Peanut or small jack knife with my TL-29 for edc, with a small craftsman adjustable and 4 way screw driver. I like this because it gives me a large medium and small blade to work with plus a number of screw drivers. I think I may swap up my edc soon tho and just carry one mid sized folder instead. Joe
 
jackknife said:
I have a cadet and I like the knife, but it has never become one of my favorites. It's light, slim, gets lost in the pocket of my jeans, and does all things that a pocket knife is supposed to to, and does it well.
Click to expand...

I hear you loud and clear. It's a knife that does a lot of things well. Though small, thin and not noticeable in my back pocket, it is too long to serve Peanut-sized duty in a coin pocket. Though larger and with more cutting edge than a Peanut, it is not really a big knife. On the other hand, I don't find I often (ever?) need a really big knife outside of the kitchen. You're mid-size car comparison is apt: Jack of all trades, master of none.

One thing it does much better than a Peanut is to spread food--peanut butter, jam, mayonnaise and hummus. Can't do that effectively with a small clip-point blade. The blade is also just long enough to quarter fruit without getting juice up inside the knife like a Peanut. When I'm away from a water source, that counts for something.

I have medium-length, narrow fingers. The Cadet fits me well. The grips are a bit slippery, though, and the edges rounded. I think more than the grips being too undersized or too thin for my hands, they are just a tad "un-grippy". I'm sure that could be remedied with etching, scoring or painting with removable Plasti-Coat. For me I don't think it's the size as much as the finish and roundness of the bolsters (which is actually a huge plus for me, I like the way round bolsters hide in a pocket). The Peanut has smaller dimensions (except for width), but is bulkier in the pocket because the scales are boxy. On the other hand, that boxiness allows more purchase in the hand. Tradeoffs.

Unlike others, I prefer the original Cadet with the nail file. In fact, I spent some time hunting one down since they are out of production now. Now that winter is coming to New England, I have lots of opportunities to sand down rough, cracking fingertips and chipped fingernails, and especially the skin near the edges of my nails. That is more worthwhile to me than an extra blade.

A few weeks ago I rowed through 225 miles of Grand Canyon wonder. Everyone rowing in my group, even the Arizona locals, got dry, cracked, bleeding hands despite liberal applications of hand cream. Everything dries your hands down there, from the air and water to ropes, lashings and oars--everything just drains moisture from your hands. I went to work each night sanding things down so I could Crazy Glue cracks back together again. Then the next night I would file away old Crazy Glue and calluses so I could glue them up fresh again. Badger Balm, Crazy Glue and a generation 1 Cadet saved my trip for me.

As I said, last month I carried a Cadet and a Peanut, but used the Peanut exclusively. In December I'll use the Cadet exclusively and see how I like that. With the Cadet in play, I can take the Atwood Prybaby off my keychain, since I can drive screws and pry with the Cadet. That will save weight/bulk where it counts. I can also open cans (I stopped carrying a P-38 a couple of years ago--it kept opening up on my keychain, and I never really used it, it was just for emergencies).

That makes logical sense to me, carry the Cadet and lose the Prybaby and Peanut--but deep down I don't think I'll be as happy with that arrangement. The reason I experiment is to find the smallest, most logical and efficient EDC kit that I am willing to live with. Cadet beats the Peanut + Prybaby combination hands down from a functional point of view. But here's the thing, for me it's not just about the tools, it's about my skills as a user, my ability to think a problem through and improvise a solution. Here the Peanut (or another knife I sometimes carry, a 3-1/4" Sambar Stag Senator a pen and coping blade) win out. They offer less overall tools than the Cadet or a larger-bladed knife, but they rely upon me as a user to exercise skill and judgment on how I deploy them. I'm always experimenting, and think that I always will. I enjoy the fresh perspective forced by using different tools. But in the end I'm experimenting about what rationally makes sense from a "most tools, lightest weight" perspective, what makes utilitarian sense. My heart, on the other hand, wants something that will provoke judicious and thoughtful use. That, and natural scales.
 
jackknife said:
But thats treading dangerously close to the one knife thing. Something I have not been able to do. There always seems to be another knife sneaking in there somehow. But on those rare occasions I do find myself carrying just one single knife, it seems to be the cadetII.
Click to expand...

I just realized something weird about myself. I, too, look to the Cadet when I'm in "one knife mode". But, I don't feel really "dressed", as in "complete", with just the Cadet. I can carry the Peanut or Senator with no other knife. I can carry a larger Small Sebenza or Dozier sheath or folding knife solo. But I feel almost "undressed" with just a Cadet. Maybe it just doesn't have the "soul" of those other knives for me. Or maybe I'm just weird. ;)
 
I carry the Cadet II everyday for work. The Cadet II has a second smaller blade instead of the file. I also carry a Leatherman Squirt E4 in case I need pliers and it has a small phillips driver which has come in handy.
 
Are the Cadets really out of production? I also prefer the Cadet with the file. If so I'm going to have to find myself a backup.
 
RobbW said:
I just realized something weird about myself. I, too, look to the Cadet when I'm in "one knife mode". But, I don't feel really "dressed", as in "complete", with just the Cadet. I can carry the Peanut or Senator with no other knife. I can carry a larger Small Sebenza or Dozier sheath or folding knife solo. But I feel almost "undressed" with just a Cadet. Maybe it just doesn't have the "soul" of those other knives for me. Or maybe I'm just weird. ;)
Click to expand...

I know just what you mean.

I like my Wenger SI beacause I've used it alot to spare my family heirloms, but I just can't carry it or the cadetII by themselves. Intelectually I know they are good knives, and one of them is all I need to get through the day, but on some deep emotional and illogical level I want something else. I've walked out the door with just a Case medium stockman, or my old Buck 301 stockman in my pocket as my only knife and was fine. I've even carried a peanut as my only knife, and was fine.

Once before we talked about soul in a knife. I've used my Wenger and cadet enough to have developed memories, but they still do not have something the old knives do. I have no working theroy to go on, other than its weird. Is it materials? I don't know. I carried my Case yellow CV sodbuster a long time, and it had pleasent memories of fishing and camping trips, but it did not call out to me. I had no problem giving it away to my grandson. I was going to give him my dad's peanut, but I could'nt. I had given him my yellow CV peanut with no problem, but dad's peanut is with me till the end. Its weird.

It can't be the materials. I'm just as attached to my old Buck stockman as grandads stag Hen and Rooster. Or Andy Wardens Buck cadet as dad's peanut. Either one of them calls to me. And I can carry either one as my sole knife of the day with no regret. Heck, I can leave the house with just an Opinel and I feel, as you put it, "dressed".

I agree Ron, its weird. Maybe we're getting ready for the rubber knife squad.
 
I hear you guys on alot of your points. I, too, seem to feel "under dressed" with just the Cadet. How wierd is that? I'm ok with the Super Tinker (it's just too wide for me), with my Soddie Jr., or with my peanut as my only knife, but the Cadet leaves me wanting more. No soul? Lack of personality? I don't know. I'm giving it a fair try, but..... maybe it's the the thinness if it that makes it.... lacking. It just doesn't feel secure in my hand. The Peanut, while short and slightly unsteady, feels more secure in ways that the Cadet doesn't. I like the tools and feel they come in handy, but...... damn. Do I really NEED them either? Darn it, ya'll just made this a whole heck of alot harder. Cadet or Peanut?
 
ElCuchillo said:
Darn it, ya'll just made this a whole heck of alot harder. Cadet or Peanut?
Click to expand...

Ahh, the yin and yang. In the end we have to listen to that little voice inside, that for us is muffled and garbled by us being knife knuts. Our fathers and grandfathers did not have that handicap of materialistic accumulation, they just bought a knife that appealed to them and used it till it was used up or they passed on. They would never think of buying a new knife if they had a usable one in their pocket. I envy them their simplicity of vision.

Maybe we need to tune out some of the static to hear ourselves. Even Musashi retreated to a cave to write "The Book Of Five Rings".:D
 
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