Dream SAK

[Frailer]

I think the Tinker is one of the most popular models for a couple of reasons:

- it is a two-layer knife with a "real" Phillips screwdriver
- it eliminates the corkscrew, which some people view as unnecessary or frivolous

Edited to add: You may be spending too much effort on this decision. If you buy one and discover you're a "SAK Guy" you're going to end up buying several of them anyway. (I probably own around 25 or so, and I've given a *bunch* away to family and friends.)

My advice is to get a used Huntsman, Climber, Tinker, or another of the more popular models off eBay for $10-12 bucks and carry it for a while until you learn what you like or dislike about it. There really isn't a perfect SAK, but searching for the one that's closest to perfect for *you* can be fun...and relatively inexpensive to boot.

 

[smilk327]

I think the Tinker is one of the most popular models for a couple of reasons:

- it is a two-layer knife with a "real" Phillips screwdriver
- it eliminates the corkscrew, which some people view as unnecessary or frivolous

Edited to add: You may be spending too much effort on this decision. If you buy one and discover you're a "SAK Guy" you're going to end up buying several of them anyway. (I probably own around 25 or so, and I've given a *bunch* away to family and friends.)

My advice is to get a used Huntsman, Climber, Tinker, or another of the more popular models off eBay for $10-12 bucks and carry it for a while until you learn what you like or dislike about it. There really isn't a perfect SAK, but searching for the one that's closest to perfect for *you* can be fun...and relatively inexpensive to boot.

Thank you for the insight on the tinker and the advice. I am always gun shy about buying used items off the bay but it definitely seems like a good method to see what my "perfect" SAK is. On another note though my search has helped with me learning about models from those that love them. Hopefully others can gain insight from this as well. I think a thread where people can post the tool configurations they want and others could help them in their journey would be ideal for a lot of people. Maybe this thread can turn into that, as my search goes on. However if I do turn out to be a SAK guy then I will have a new goal of collecting something else. I'm an all or nothing type of person when it comes to things I love.

 

[bt93]

Thank you for the insight on the tinker and the advice. I am always gun shy about buying used items off the bay but it definitely seems like a good method to see what my "perfect" SAK is. On another note though my search has helped with me learning about models from those that love them. Hopefully others can gain insight from this as well. I think a thread where people can post the tool configurations they want and others could help them in their journey would be ideal for a lot of people. Maybe this thread can turn into that, as my search goes on. However if I do turn out to be a SAK guy then I will have a new goal of collecting something else. I'm an all or nothing type of person when it comes to things I love.

There's a multi-tool forum here on BF that talks of SAK's as well as Leatherman type knives. I'm sure you would find some interesting discussion there.

 

[jnich67]

My dream SAK would be a cadet with scissors.


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[ThePeacent]

Thank you for the insight on the tinker and the advice. I am always gun shy about buying used items off the bay but it definitely seems like a good method to see what my "perfect" SAK is. On another note though my search has helped with me learning about models from those that love them. Hopefully others can gain insight from this as well. I think a thread where people can post the tool configurations they want and others could help them in their journey would be ideal for a lot of people. Maybe this thread can turn into that, as my search goes on. However if I do turn out to be a SAK guy then I will have a new goal of collecting something else. I'm an all or nothing type of person when it comes to things I love.

I agree, the best way is to try out different SAKs and see by yourself.

Then you can have different ones for a variety of occasions and moments, from dressing up to full-tooled-guy mode, and you won't spend that much building such collection (compared to other things)

It's fun, buying used is OK if you keep an eye on the details, and who knows:

from the humble Classic

to the mighty Swisschamp

maybe you end up like one of us!

 

[NJBillK]

Thought of another I would like...
A one hand Locksmith with pliers.
Hell, any Locksmith with pliers, I can drill it for a thumb stud...

 

[smilk327]

I agree, the best way is to try out different SAKs and see by yourself.

Then you can have different ones for a variety of occasions and moments, from dressing up to full-tooled-guy mode, and you won't spend that much building such collection (compared to other things)

It's fun, buying used is OK if you keep an eye on the details, and who knows:

from the humble Classic

to the mighty Swisschamp

maybe you end up like one of us!

Thank you to everyone for your help. I have some buying to do. This post was an amazing mic drop of an ending. Can't add anything else to it. Lol

 

[NJBillK]

Does anybody know if a model was ever made that was a Tradesman with a philips instead of the corkscrew?
If not I guess I am going to try to track down a OH Locksmith...

 

[SAK Guy]

Why would you need a backside Phillips when the Tradesman already has a nice inline one?

 

[NJBillK]

Just to swap out the corkscrew.

 

[smilk327]

Just to swap out the corkscrew.

You don't have any love for the corkscrew on SAK? I thought Phillips can be replaced by one of the flatheads on either the bottle opener or can opener. They were designed to font into a number two.

 

[NJBillK]

Love, yes...
Need, no...
SAK represents need over greed for me.

I would rather have a slimmer knife, then something I won't use that often.

 

[w.t. anderson]

Go with the Victorinox Huntsman if you want all the tools you mentioned, the Victorinox Safari models have the basics on steriods, but don't have the scissors, toothpick, or tweezers (which is why I also carry a little black executive).

By the way, when you open the Huntsman's corkscrew, there's a hole in the celidor scales that will hold a Victorinox straight pin (doesn't come with the knife). That and the mini-screwdriver that screws into the corkscrew make nice useful additions to your knife for not much money.

My two cents: I always felt the Victorinox knives were better quality than the Wegners. Doesn't matter now that Wegner's gone/absorbed.

 

[NJBillK]

Go with the Victorinox Huntsman if you want all the tools you mentioned, the Victorinox Safari models have the basics on steriods, but don't have the scissors, toothpick, or tweezers (which is why I also carry a little black executive).

By the way, when you open the Huntsman's corkscrew, there's a hole in the celidor scales that will hold a Victorinox straight pin (doesn't come with the knife). That and the mini-screwdriver that screws into the corkscrew make nice useful additions to your knife for not much money.

My two cents: I always felt the Victorinox knives were better quality than the Wegners. Doesn't matter now that Wegner's gone/absorbed.

It looks like that would work (huntsman) except for the scissors, is smaller and doesn't have the metal saw and pliers.
It seems like a tradesman, but add one handed blade and minus corkscrew, would be ideal...
The one handed locksmith would work since I would only be sacrificing the pliers, if I don't have another option.

I can see where the added small parts to the corkscrew might make it a more attractive option than I am giving credit, but since I don't wear glasses and carry 3 pins in my bag already, the three items would only add up to a redundant and nigh used component set.

 

[manowar669]

The new pioneer x with toothpick and tweezer cutouts would do it for me.

 

[Balls Deep]

I've seen the tinker mentioned a few times now. What is it that makes that tool so popular? It wasn't even on my radar of interest until this thread.


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Well, speaking for myself and the amazing thing about SAK's is the choice.

What I gotta have: full size blade, phillips, and flat head (big and little)
What I don't need but is nice: small blade, awl, can opener
What I don't want at all: scissors, cork screw.

So for me the Tinker not only has what I DO want but doesn't have what I DON'T want. One of the things about SAK's that doesn't always get talked about as much as it could is the weight. My Tinker weighs 2.5oz. People get kind of weird about weight - some pretty high profile individuals - but in my opinion, under 3 oz. is where you get to the weight where you don't even feel it which makes it much more likely to be carried. The tinker is my only knife that I can truly EDC because I work in an office setting where a pocket clip or large blade would get unwanted attention.

 

[AlwaysTomboy]

This thread is making me think I need a Deluxe Tinker. I like the idea of having the wood saw, but I can't remember the last time I actually used it. Pliers would be much more useful, I think. I'd also lose the nail file, but I'd gain... a hook? *shrug* I could probably deal with that.

 

[strategy9]

Huntsman, s17, or evowood 17


My personal favorite(s)

 

[SAK Guy]

I carry this one a lot these days. A Vic Delemont EVOGrip S18 (locking main blade). It has everything a Fieldmaster (Huntsman with a screwdriver) has in a compact 85mm pkg but the secondary blade is a nailfile. I like the size, the Hi-Viz scales and it has the awesome Vic can opener on it.

The original Wenger EVOGrip 18

Three variations Vic S18, Vic 18 and Wenger 18

If you have to have a corkscrew, look for an Victorinox Delemont S17.

Here's a Wenger Mike Horn EVO 17 (bottom)

or a plain Wenger S17 or a Forester (with a non locking main blade)

 

[ThePeacent]

I carry this one a lot these days. A Vic Delemont EVOGrip S18 (locking main blade). It has everything a Fieldmaster (Huntsman with a screwdriver) has in a compact 85mm pkg but the secondary blade is a nailfile. I like the size, the Hi-Viz scales and it has the awesome Vic can opener on it.

The original Wenger EVOGrip 18

Three variations Vic S18, Vic 18 and Wenger 18


If you have to have a corkscrew, look for an Victorinox Delemont S17.

Here's a Wenger Mike Horn EVO 17 (bottom)

or a plain Wenger S17 or a Forester (with a non locking main blade)

Wenger has (had) some really nice tools that covered just the basics, especially those that substituted the secondary small blade by a file, saving a useless tool to those of us who carry other blades around that do small blade things better.
Two examples:

If you don't need a saw, which most urban EDCers don't, this is such a great SAK to carry

And if you want to go outdoors and not carry a pliers based tool but still want pliers for medical/repairing purposes, this other one is excellent. These are all the ourdoors basics for me:

Wenger has really nice, unique and interesting stuff. THey're the "crazy guys" from the SAK world, trying out so many new and weird implements for very specific purposes and having some basic, very well-thought models