3 layer SAK.....Corkscrew or Phillips ?

I've never used my corkscrew before but have used the philips quite often.

Come to think of it, I might need to amend my previous answer to the following...

If you don't drink wine, get the philips. If you do drink wine, get the corkscrew. If you can't hold your wine, you might need both. ;) :D
 
Phillips for me.... you will find a big difference in the weight and feel of the knife in your pocket when comparing a 2-layer to 3-layer. The Tinker was my EDC knife for years. I moved up in size and purchased the Adventurer which I like better. Does not have a wood saw. How often do you think you might use a wood saw? If it is a camping item, you might consider the 3-layer as planned, but carry in a pouch on your belt or in your pack. An alternative is to stay with the Tinker and get a Vic multi-tool which has a good saw on it and simply tuck that into your pack or carry on your belt when you might need more tools. I just got a SpiritX and really like it. Never carried a multi-tool and find uses for it often now. After buying this multi-tool I found a SOG and two Gerbers mixed in my stuff. But I never really used them. The SOG is good however. Gerbers... so so.
 
Hi 22,

Ahhhh, so you personally find a big difference in the weight and feel of a (2 layer vs. 3 layer) SAK knife in your pocket eh ? Ummmm, I need to find a store that has a "Hiker" to compare side by side my "Tinker" for EDC. I REALLY love the size/weight/feel (and overall compactness) of my "Tinker" but, I would love to have the addition of that Wood Saw (I live in Maine) lot of Woods. I will consider your advise about a Vic-Tool as I don't own a good multi Tool.
I have an old/early production Gerber Tool that I've never used much since it does NOT lock the blades. I find this somewhat dangerous in this type of tool. I keep the Gerber aside (in a pack) as a back up tool. Thanks all.

HARDBALL
 
Phillips- you can open a bottle of wine with the main blade easily. Just insert the main blade slowly down through the centre of the cork, up to the kick, then slowly rotate in the desired direction while pulling out- Done.
 
It's a toss-up for me.
I like the small driver on the can-opener for phillips heads, but I've never used the corkscrew either. It looks too short and seems like a lot of strain in a funny direction for a pocketknife, so I always carry a dedicated full-sized corkscrew.
 
I have several SAK's and most of them have the phillips driver. However, I do own one with a corkscrew. I have used it a few times, but the first time I used it, I bent it at the base. So when I closed the corkscrew it doesn't really sit flush any more. Seems the metal is a bit soft and it really didn't take much to bend, but I was kind or surprised that it happened at all. I was able to bend it back a bit, but as you can see from the picture, it's still not perfect.

FWIW, I have used the the phillips driver way more than the cork screw.

sak_zps426d82c1.jpg
 
You'll look like a backcountry hero if a trio of hot young co-eds comes up to your camp with a bottle of wine that they can't open, and you whip out your...wait for it...cork(screw). Of course, it works a lot better if your wife isn't sitting next to you when this situation arises.
 
Raindog,
....."it works a lot better if your wife isn't sitting next to you when this situation arises". Oooh Man, you got that right!

HARDBALL
 
Raindog,
....."it works a lot better if your wife isn't sitting next to you when this situation arises". Oooh Man, you got that right!

HARDBALL
 
I have several SAK's and most of them have the phillips driver. However, I do own one with a corkscrew. I have used it a few times, but the first time I used it, I bent it at the base. So when I closed the corkscrew it doesn't really sit flush any more. Seems the metal is a bit soft and it really didn't take much to bend, but I was kind or surprised that it happened at all. I was able to bend it back a bit, but as you can see from the picture, it's still not perfect.

FWIW, I have used the the phillips driver way more than the cork screw.

sak_zps426d82c1.jpg

This is what I was trying to point out. I think originally these were put on to open newly made ordinary wine that had only been corked recently. The corks on wine in the USA is likely to have been corked a much longer time. In addition because of a shortage of cork trees, many wines are using a synthetic cork which is much harder to open. :)
 
This is what I was trying to point out. I think originally these were put on to open newly made ordinary wine that had only been corked recently. The corks on wine in the USA is likely to have been corked a much longer time. In addition because of a shortage of cork trees, many wines are using a synthetic cork which is much harder to open. :)

Yes indeed. I barely got through opening one bottle let alone a case :). I was just trying it out for the novelty of using it really. I now have a mental note to use the SAK "in case of emergency wine opening only" after this happened.

BTW, to the OP, these are much better for opening wine and they are very portable.

Opener3_zpsf292605f.jpg

opener_zpsb8f86cfe.jpg
 
Last edited:
I have several SAK's and most of them have the phillips driver. However, I do own one with a corkscrew. I have used it a few times, but the first time I used it, I bent it at the base. So when I closed the corkscrew it doesn't really sit flush any more. Seems the metal is a bit soft and it really didn't take much to bend, but I was kind or surprised that it happened at all. I was able to bend it back a bit, but as you can see from the picture, it's still not perfect.
This happened only to one of my many Vics. The oldest/first one, my Waiter and it did so after a year or three. I don't care about it that much. Still works just fine.


Phillips- you can open a bottle of wine with the main blade easily. Just insert the main blade slowly down through the centre of the cork, up to the kick, then slowly rotate in the desired direction while pulling out- Done.
You can unscrew a phillips with the flat heads...


You'll look like a backcountry hero if a trio of hot young co-eds comes up to your camp with a bottle of wine that they can't open, and you whip out your...wait for it...cork(screw). Of course, it works a lot better if your wife isn't sitting next to you when this situation arises.
Exactly! Very very good point! And my wife is bisexual :D
 
Hi 22,

Ahhhh, so you personally find a big difference in the weight and feel of a (2 layer vs. 3 layer) SAK knife in your pocket eh ? Ummmm, I need to find a store that has a "Hiker" to compare side by side my "Tinker" for EDC. I REALLY love the size/weight/feel (and overall compactness) of my "Tinker" but, I would love to have the addition of that Wood Saw (I live in Maine) lot of Woods. I will consider your advise about a Vic-Tool as I don't own a good multi Tool.
I have an old/early production Gerber Tool that I've never used much since it does NOT lock the blades. I find this somewhat dangerous in this type of tool. I keep the Gerber aside (in a pack) as a back up tool. Thanks all.

It is not the weight that bothers me so much as the thickness. But, and this may be important, I moved up in size to the 111mm SAKs and I am generally looking at the two and three layer 111mm ones. I just find the extra blade length on the 111mm more useful to me and I can grip the knife a bit firmer for heavy duty cutting.

I do suggest you handle one side by side (two versus three layer). But, you know, I have a fair number of SAKs and it doesn't bother me one bit to have a SAK or three that I would only carry hiking or camping versus my ordinary daily kinds of activities. Also, the three layer can fit into the sheath pouch pocket of something like a BK-16 or a SOG Seal Pup Elite.

I do have a one handed Trekker (two actually > one camo and one black and both non-serrated) with the saw. It is a knife I like. I choose the simple tooled versions mostly, and almost always like to have the tweezers and toothpick. The saw blade is a little longer on the 111mm versions, but you are adding weight with the extra length.

If you actually use a SAK saw much or envision using it, you might consider the small Silky folding saw too?? There are so many options these days.
 
Hi 22,

Yep! I have a SILKY 2000 Saw for my Pack. I also plan on acquiring the SILKY Pocket Boy. I must admit, I too like (only seen pictures) the One Handed Trekker for all the reasons you mentioned. If I'm not mistaken, the Trekker's MAIN blade locks ? Again 22, I agree with you, that is to say, having a "stash" of different SAK for certain situations. I think this is why I'm leaning toward the HIKER as it seems to me to be (not really sure) but, seems to be a perfect "middle ground" of an "all around" EDC and Woods knife. Ahhhh heck. Come on kids, collect them all!
Thanks 22.

Regards,
HARDBALL
 
I have the Pocket Boy. Yes, the main blade on the One Handed Trekker is a liner lock. There is no lock on the saw. Actually a rather useful knife.

Nothing wrong with a Hiker. Frankly I like them all if you want to know the truth.
 
+1 for the Explorer having everything the average guy who sleeps indoors at night needs. It's a great size for EDC, slimmer/ lighter than the SwissChamp. It's in my pocket right now. I use the mag glass on the Explorer a lot.

HardBall already answered his question. The corkscrew is really handy un-knotting knots and otherwise working with rope. Handy untangling fishing line, too. I'd carried a SAK with corkscrew for years, never thought of using it to untangle rope until I saw someone else do it, then I had my 'Doh!' lightbulb moment.

Too bad you can't custom build your own SAK on the Victorinox website. Click only the tools you want. Vic could do well with that.
 
I keep a big "needle" for knot undoing while fishing, but for the most part, I just cut the line. The corkscrew would work for this purpose. Certainly better than a awl which has a sharpened edge.
 
This is more Topic Drift (why not, it's BF) but I really like my Vic Huntsman 111mm for the longer saw and the longer (and locking) blade. 20mm makes a surprising difference.
Bahco Laplander makes a nice saw. I like mine, just a few bucks more than the also nice 7" folding Fiskars. Corona makes a nice 7 oz curved folding 10". Fiskars also makes a nice 13" UL Silky style 7 oz 'dueling pistol' shaped saw for $20, I've only seen it at WalMart's Lawn & Garden, worth a look.

About 'collecting them all', why not, they are surely abundant and dirt cheap on eBay. I have several models I snagged for under $10, shipped. Get one for each room, each car.
 
If you're not set on the wood saw, you can also look at the Yeoman. I like the Phillips screwdriver style more on that (similar to the Explorer, where the Phillips is inline with the handle). It also has a corkscrew, although it does sacrifice the awl. This finally replaced the Super Tinker I'd been carrying for years.

SAK_Yeoman_Green_tools_800x471.jpg
 
Back
Top