Any Thoughts on Vic Pocket Pal/Secretary/Popular?

5K Qs

5K Qs

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I'm considering getting one of these slender Vic pen knives that have only a large and a small blade. Anyone ever have one, and if so, how do you like it? Is the small blade similar to that on a Recruit or Tinker, or is it more like the blade on a Classic? Thanks for your input!

- GT
 
I have one. I think it's a secretaty but I'm not 100% sure. Typical pen knife, large and small blade, cellidor or cellidor like scales. The pen blade is more like the small blade on a Tinker than the blade on a Classic. Super easy and comfortable to carry in the pocket.
I carried it some but I have several so it never got used much. My wife however has become a big fan of it. She likes having a small non-locking knife to carry either in her pocket or purse depending on how she is dressed. When she first decided that she wanted a knife to carry she chose and borrowed a Buck 303 from me. She carried it for at least two years until I got a yellow Case Peanut at which point we traded. After a while she decided the Peanut was a little smaller than she liked so I suggested she try the secretary.
It has become her knife and she if very happy with it likening it better than the Peanut or the 303. She says it is the best apple peeler ever.

Jim
 
After a quick internet search looks like it's a Pocket Pal not a Secretary.

Jim
 
They're well made, like any Vic, and at the price you can hardly go wrong. I have an older red-anodized Secretary. It's about 3/16" (5mm) thick - it will literally fit in a wallet - and that combined with the smooth alox handle makes it a little hard to grip. If I had to choose, I'd get the cel-handled Pocket Pal, which would be more comfortable in the hand. You still wouldn't notice it in your pocket. The Popular had checked alox IIRC, but I don't know if they are made any more. The pen blade is slightly shorter and wider than the Classic, and just as thin. It's a little scalpel.
 
iSaur said:
They're well made, like any Vic, and at the price you can hardly go wrong. I have an older red-anodized Secretary. It's about 3/16" (5mm) thick - it will literally fit in a wallet - and that combined with the smooth alox handle makes it a little hard to grip. If I had to choose, I'd get the cel-handled Pocket Pal, which would be more comfortable in the hand. You still wouldn't notice it in your pocket. The Popular had checked alox IIRC, but I don't know if they are made any more. The pen blade is slightly shorter and wider than the Classic, and just as thin. It's a little scalpel.
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I wonder if anyone has ever tried to stipple or jig the alox handle scales on the secretary?
 
jackknife said:
I wonder if anyone has ever tried to stipple or jig the alox handle scales on the secretary?
Click to expand...

As of this morning, Bladeforums has 256,776 members. Someone has. :D

That said, you would still end up with a knife that was too thin for a positive grip. I have seen the same comment made about the Bantam alox, and its handle is deeper top-to-bottom, which should improve things. To put it in perspective, my Ambassador, also a single-backspring knife, is almost twice as thick as the Secretary, and feels more secure to grip despite being 10mm shorter. I imagine the Pocket Pal would be about the same thickness.

The Secretary is an elegant little knife, and adequate for most of the jobs it will be used for, but IMO it deserves a thicker handle, just in case someone wants to sit on the porch and whittle or something.
 
I have a Pocket Pal and a Secretary. They are both slim and small, like a classic penknife. To me that is what these guys are supposed to be. I carry the Secretary when I need s knife that really disappears into the pocket of some slacks or a vest. The pattern is a classic one that Victorinox nails perfectly. One of my favorite ways to carry hess little guys is in the breast pocket of my shirt, it disappears, but is there when you need it.
 
Thanks for all the helpful comments, everyone.

iSaur said:
...
The Secretary is an elegant little knife, and adequate for most of the jobs it will be used for, but IMO it deserves a thicker handle, just in case someone wants to sit on the porch and whittle or something.
Click to expand...

This is certainly something I'll have to keep in mind, since I'd like to be able to consider any knife I have as a potential whittler.
(Well, I've never tried whittling with my Classic, but it has plenty of other redeeming features. :)).

- GT
 
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The thinness is the entire point of these particular knives. 4.5mm-5.5mm. With thicker scales there'd be little reason to choose them.

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I once had a popular. The checkering on the alox made it easy to hold onto, and it was a great little knife. But someone admired it and I le them talk me out of it, and then I find out they were discontinued. The popular was one of just two or three knives I regret letting go of. It was so thin it would disappear in a pocket and I could take it out anywhere to open a package or cut something. Even in the wilds of Washington D.C.

Victorinox needs to bring back the popular.
 
Sorry to hear about your loss, Carl. When I did some research on these little Vic pen knives, I decided the Popular would definitely be my first choice, but I also soon discovered that I was unlikely to get my first choice. I'll for sure sign your petition to bring back the Popular! :D

- GT
 
I have a few Pocket Pals in my collection. I absolutely love this little knife. I don't know why I enjoy it so much, I just really do. The only thing I don't like about it is the lack of the included lanyard ring. I know the Excelsior has the ring, but they're so darn expensive in comparison.
 
I have a Popular and a Pocket Pal. Both are great but I prefer the Popular.
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(couldn't find any photos of my Pocket Pal)
 
Thanks for the photos, leghog and No Agenda! They really show how slender these models are. I'll have to put a Popular on my "watch list" to see if I can someday acquire one; I sure like the looks of that little pen knife! In the meantime, I think I'll get a Pocket Pal and/or Secretary to tide me over.

- GT
 
I have both a Pocket Pal and a Secretary. They are good knives, though I rarely carry them. IMO, the Secretary is a bit TOO thin. I personally like to feel a pocketknife in my pocket at least a little bit. The Pocket Pal feels more substantial, even though the Secretary's handle is Aluminum (smooth Alox?).

Jim
 
The Secretary is a very classy little penknife, but dang I wish they'd offer it in black with a silver cross.
 
Capt. Spaulding said:
Just a heads up. The small blade on the Pocket Pal is actually smaller than a Classic blade.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that warning, Capt. :(
I was hoping the small blade would be LARGER than a Classic's blade. Is the same true of the Secretary's small blade?

- GT
 
5K Qs said:
Thanks for that warning, Capt. :( I was hoping the small blade would be LARGER than a Classic's blade. Is the same true of the Secretary's small blade? - GT
Click to expand...
5K Qs, as I posted earlier, the pen blade is slightly shorter but wider than a Classic's. The shape is more like a scaled-down pen on a 91mm knife.



Given that it's a secondary blade, the difference shouldn't matter.
 
Shorter than a Classic's blade doesn't bother me, but wider than Classic's blade is definitely an advantage, IMHO. Thanks for the photo, iSaur.

- GT
 
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