best SAK for biology/outdoors?

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flatliner762

Joined
Aug 27, 2011
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hey everyone, was hoping you guys could suggest a SAK for me. im currently in college going for biology as my major and was thinking a small pocket knife would help me out in some of the classes with lab and outdoor work. i talked to my school security about bringing a knife and they said a SAK is the largest knife a student can carry. it might be a stupid idea but i just remember all my science teachers always had a pocket knife and they used them alot. so right now the two knives im looking at are the swiss army traveler(the one with the time, temperature, etc..) or the glow in the dark climber model. i really like the traveler just because its so diffrent. so im hoping you all can help me out and pick the best one for me. thanks
 
For packing in a bag: choose a Victorinox Explorer, or Huntsman, or Victorinox multitool (Spirit?). The explorer has a hand lens that might come in handy. The others can be your tools in the field for repairing or other tasks.

If on your person: one or two layer SAK, maybe up to three layers if you are comfortable with it: Either a Compact (two layer with I think has a ballpoint pen and scissors) or Climber (scissors). The rare Scientist model may be the best fit for a field biologist. Or a Camper for the saw. For a tough and simple field pocketknife, the old Alox soldier model. I don't think the 111 mm models are advisable in a campus setting; the ones I cited are more discreet and can do the job.
 
haha right when you said the scientist model i ran to google too look for it. well its going to be on my person, during a test we had to leave or cell phones in our bags and put them by the door, long story short someone stole my phone and a pair of sunglasses. what do you mean by layers? like the number of tools and thickness? if thats what you mean then i really dont want a think one.
 
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By layers I mean the layers of tools that fold out. So for example one layer might be the big and small blades.
 
Bio students at my college always used single-use scalpels in the lab to avoid contaminating their samples; pocketknives (and any other nonsterilized cutting tools) were definitely out. The other tools you mentioned (time, temperature, etc.), while handy, would not be as accurate or precise as the laboratory equipment that will be assigned to you.

That's not to say that you shouldn't expect to use a knife in biology - there are plenty of everyday uses for multitools and knives in the classroom, and outdoors - I just wouldn't expect to use one "scientifically."
 
Victorinox Explorer Plus. I would think that a magnifying glass would be key in that field. The scissors, ink pen, and other gadgets come in real handy too.

Lately, I have been carrying a discontinued Outdoorsman model that I have converted to plus scales. They can still be found at reasonable prices.

If the magnifier isn't important, then the Stayglow Climber would be nice. I prefer the "plus" models for the ink pen and I haven't found any Stayglow models that are "plus" models allowing the ink pen other than modding.

If toothpick and tweezers aren't needed, you might want to look at an Alox Farmer model. Lots of folks swear by the Farmer as it has a blade, awl, screwdriver/can opener, and woodsaw. A Cadet would be nice too but you lose the woodsaw (unless you go with SwissBianco's Microfarmer).

Good luck with your studies.
 
I carried a Huntsman in my pocket all through college - it's amazing how useful the saw and scissors were.
 
this is definatly going to be harder than i thought. there are so many choices but i think i might go with the climber. it looks like it has all the tools i need and nothing else. thanks everyone for the help
 
1066vik said:
I carried a Huntsman in my pocket all through college - it's amazing how useful the saw and scissors were.
Click to expand...


+1 I carried a Huntsman all through middle school . . . and high school . . . and college . . . and grad school. The same one too - it has some mileage!
 
Another vote for the Explorer because of the magnifying lens, although the case for a Farmer or Huntsman is also strong. A Champ Plus is another good option. The latter could be had for only ~$30 new at the world's best know online retailer, which is a screaming good deal.
 
+1 for the Explorer.

If you don´t need a second blade and a can opener but a smaller tool, you could also choose the Vic Compact. And at the Compact is a pen added, though the pen is pretty thin, but sometimes it can help.

A explorer alway fits somewhere in my rucksack. Normally I use to carry traditional slippies.

Kind regards
 
I carried an Explorer all though high school. I never thought of it as too big, but wouldn't have wanted anything bigger.
I could see the glass being useful. All I ever did was remove splinters and start small fires with it.
Loved it, until my brother lost it.
I have the camper, but it hasn't seen much use.
I currently carry a one-hand folder, and keep a Hunstman in the car - If I'm going to carry a multi-tool knife, I like one with scissors and a saw.
The traveller looks like a novel idea, but I'd be skeptical about the usefulness, accuracy, and ruggedness of the electronics.
If I were just looking for thin and handy, I think I'd go with a farmer, though the tinker is a very popular one these days.
Good luck!
- Tom
 
im starting to think i should get an explorer instead. does the explorer come in any diffrent colors besides red and black?
 
Yes, you can get Explorers in traditional red, the black model, hunter green, cobalt blue, translucent scaled models, and Stayglow glow in the dark.

I have two reds (with old style magnifying glasses), a cobalt blue model, and a Stayglow model.

If you want a Stayglow model, those don't come in plus configuration. The other colors I can find in "plus" fairly easy. Plus means that it comes with a pressurized ink pen, straight pin, and micro screwdriver.

That certain auction site is ate up with them. You can find older ones with the old style magnifier if that is an issue for you. The new lenses are plastic and about 4 power instead of the older glass 10 power lenses.

http://www.centralvalleywholesale.com/

http://dellasknives.com/

I have bought from both of those guys. Good service by both.

Regards.

Oh yeah, and if you get a plus model, you can take the ink pen and lay it in the slot where the multi purpose hook is and it will "hold" the pen so that you can use the knife as a grip while you write with it.
 
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What about the Pioneer Rancher? I think the pruner blade on that model might be handy in the field.
 
an SAK does go a long way in a lab. I've used tweezers for counting bugs and examining remains, the knife for sharpening pencils, and every tool on the Huntsman for fieldwork. Scissors and saw come in handy. If you could put a pliars and a magnifying glass on a Huntsman, it'd be ideal.
 
Sounds like a Handyman is what you want.

http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Handyman_Victorinox

show_image.php
 
The Handyman looks really perfect. Probably more of a 'front pocket of the backpack' kind of knife, but the tools look great.
 
I'm a Biology professor (wildlife ecology). I take many students into the field, here and in Africa. Leatherman or similar multitool is the most useful type of knife, hands down.
At our campusl, we're not so restrictive as yours, I see lots of large single blade folders.
For SAK specifically, Swiss Soldier's Knife or one of the other one-hand series for the locking blade and saw. If you want a traditional one that will actually fit in your pocket, a Hiker.
Outside of field work in biology, there is little use for a pocketknife in class or lab, there are better tools available.
In the field, here are the individual tools we use most often, in descending order: blade, bottle opener, screwdriver(s), bottle opener, saw, bottle opener....
In 30 years as student, professor and researcher in Biology, I have yet to see anyone use one of those tiny magnifying glasses.
Hope this helps.
 
foodplot said:
Outside of field work in biology, there is little use for a pocketknife in class or lab, there are better tools available.
In the field, here are the individual tools we use most often, in descending order: blade, bottle opener, screwdriver(s), bottle opener, saw, bottle opener....
In 30 years as student, professor and researcher in Biology, I have yet to see anyone use one of those tiny magnifying glasses.
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Had you spent any of those 30 years at Case Western Reserve University when I was a biology student there, you would have seen me using my SAK magnifier all the time in the field, almost as often as the bottle opener :D . The older glass version was really a quite good little 8X glass for quickie field examinations. It was all but worthless as a fire starter but could produce hot spots. (The guy punched me. I deserved it :D . )
 
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