Advice Wanted: Food Prep SAK

Hey all,

I was thinking of buying a Victorinox Picknicker because I wanted a dedicated swiss knife for my food prep and/or kitchen needs. I was thinking of getting the Picknicker because it seemed like the simplest knife that still has the multiple capacity that I think I will need in terms of food prep. It has the bottle opener, can opener and the corkscrew. Add to that the sharp blade and I will pretty much be able to open any food/drink packaging that might come my way.

I also chose the 111m Picknicker, not really because of the locking blade, but more so because it has a longer blade than the 91mm Spartan (which has the same functions). I find that the longer blade makes it easier to slice meats, fruits, vegetables and other foodstuffs.

Also, another advantage of the Picknicker that I'm thinking of is that it would be very easy to clean, considering that it only has two layers. I expect a lot of washing for the Picknicker and it seems good that it has a very simple design compared to other thicker SAKs... less nooks and crannies at least. This is also the reason why I chose the slide lock Picknicker instead of it's liner-lock version, the Nomad. I sometimes find that the liner-lock, when in the locked position, makes it harder to clean the inside of the knife. Also I don't think I need the bottle opener to lock.

In any case, these are just my thoughts and I would like to hear yours before I go out and get this knife.

Any advice? Thanks.

 

One of the things I was thinking of exactly! Helps the "easier to clean" thing. Thanks

 

The slide locks, yes. The liner-locks, however, use both ends of the liner to lock. It therefore locks the blade on one end, and a more robust bottle opener on the other end.

 

I actually have both the slide and the liner locks. I just don't have the actual Picknicker model. From my experience though, the blade play on both types of locks is negligible. Also, I've read somewhere that both these locks can take 300 N of force, so I think that's more than enough capability specially considering that I don't think I will be cutting anything that will bind the blade so much that it will lock when I pull it back.

That's why you're right, it's not important for my needs.

Although, to be honest, the locking blade does make me want it more... but not because of the locking ability. I like it more because the lock allows the knife to have a weaker spring. That, along with the bigger nail nick, makes it easier and more convenient to open the knife.

 

Thank you! I did actually consider it, but as I said in my first post, I find it a tiny bit easier to clean a slide lock SAK. Silly it might seem but the liner lock, when in the locking position and therefore diagonally oriented, gets in the way of the brush that I use.

And I agree, those liner locks are brutes. I have a Trekker that stands by for heavier outdoor work. But food prep rarely demands the brutality that they offer.

 

I'm really not well acquainted with Wengers. Any suggestions as to which models I might like for this specific purpose? Thank you.

 

Oh it's mostly for food prep outside the kitchen, and maybe sometimes when I'm in someone else's kitchen and I don't like the knives that they have. Basically just looking for a good SAK that is easy to clean, has the openers, and the 111mm blade.

Right now actually, I'm really wishing they had more 111mm models that had the combo tool. Which is also why I'm thinking whether I should get a Hunter. Man, that combo tool is a better opener that the two separate ones. Sure it loses most of the driver capabilities, but that's really not what the knife is for.

Basically, its like, I always have my SwissChamp with me, but that awesome knife takes a long time to clean if it gets dirty. Which is why I want a simpler one. And the length of the blade actually helps keep it cleaner because you have less chances of the foodstuffs getting into the joints. If it was easier to clean when juices from fruits and other foodstuff gets into the nooks and crannies of the SwissChamp, I wouldn't want to look for another knife.