Old Timer 18OT Mighty Mite

Keep a knife in your pocket long enough and you'll use it for everything. The Old Timer Mighty Mite is a small folder built for that work. Its 2-inch clip point opens on a nail pull, a brass liner lock holds it open while you cut, and it closes to under three inches. It's the knife for baling twine, hay string, a feed sack that needs opening and the small cuts that come up on the place.

The blade is 7Cr17 high carbon stainless steel with a fine, plain edge that comes sharp out of the box. The sawcut brown handles are finished with nickel silver bolsters and brass pins, and heat-treated back springs keep the action working. It's a simple, sturdy pocket knife for daily chores.

Highlights

• 2-inch clip point blade with a plain edge
• Nail pull opens the blade with a thumbnail
• Brass liner lock holds the blade open while you cut
• 7Cr17 high carbon stainless steel blade
• Sawcut brown handles with nickel silver bolsters
• Brass pins and heat-treated back springs

Why a small liner lock folder

A liner lock is the right lock for chores. The liner moves into place behind the blade, so the blade stays open while you work and closes out of the way when you're done. For a knife you'll open a dozen times between the barn and the truck, that's a lock you can trust without thinking about it.

A small folder rides in a jeans pocket without pulling it out of shape, and it fits into a tack box, a glove box or a feed room drawer. The 2-inch blade is long enough to cut twine and sacks and short enough to keep the knife easy to carry all day.

The nail pull is a practical choice when your hands are dirty or wet. You can open the blade with a thumbnail rather than fishing for a stud, and the sawcut handles add grip when things get slick.

At a glance

How to use it

Open the blade with the nail pull, let the liner lock hold it while you cut, and close it by pushing the liner aside. Keep your fingers out of the path of the edge the whole time.

1. Open. Set your thumbnail in the nail nick and pull the blade out until the liner lock holds it open.
2. Cut. Keep the edge moving away from your hand. The clip point suits twine and sacks.
3. Close. Press the liner aside with your thumb, fold the blade in and keep your fingers clear of the edge.
4. Clean and oil. Wipe off mud and feed residue. A drop of oil on the pivot and back spring keeps the action smooth.

Good to know

• Touch up the edge with a few passes on a sharpener, and it will keep cutting sacks cleanly instead of tearing them.
• Use the knife for cutting, not prying. A folder is built for cutting work.
• Stainless blades resist rust better than carbon steel, but dry the knife after any wet job.

Keep one in the truck and one in the barn, so the twine never waits.