Experience with wood-handled SAKs (preferably the Huntsman)?

S

statesevens

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Mar 7, 2016
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The Victorinox Huntsman has, in my estimation, a pretty ideal toolset for a large array of "what if" scenarios one would run into when traveling. I'm in the market for a good multitool without pliers for extended trips across the globe in various directions, and it ticks most of the boxes I have in mind. The only thing is, I've never owned a non-alox SAK. I've held various red plastic models, and they've always felt cheap to me. I'm not expecting the thing to be bomb proof, but robust enough in hand to not feel like a toy.

I see the Huntsman is available with hardwood scales. Does anyone have experience with this model, or any of the wood handled Victorinox blades? Do they feel a lot different than the cellidor option? I've searched and can't find reputable reviews. Any insight would be appreciated.
 
96 views and no input whatsoever?! Interesting..

Regardless, I just ordered a camouflage cellidor Huntsman. There were just too many positive reviews, I had to set aside my prejudice against plastic handles and see what all the fuss is about.
 
The plastic handles will get scratched and ugly so unless you want to constantly polish them it will start to look used very quickly. After that just use it and be happy; the tools will still work just dandy and you'll start to not care about the scratches.


Personally I bought plus scales off of a SAK modder and now have an explorer plus with pen and pin and all the other goodies. They got scratched in days but having the extra bits makes me not really care.

You could also try out an alox model but I'm not sure if the toolset would match and you lose the toothpick and tweezers.

Update us on how the new SAK gets along with you.
 
I don't have one but my boss has been literally EDCing one for about two years now. I think it is a Tinker or some such. His daughter who lives in Europe brought it back for him as a gift. I think she bought it in Germany.

Anyway I saw this thread a while back and thought to ask him today how he liked it. He carried a red plastic handled one for a decade before that. He says he likes it fine. We work in a mechanical shop and he says it has darkened from the grime some but has held up fine. He has dropped it several times and no chips or splinters.

I think it is pretty cool how they are sculpted. I imagine they are more slick than an Alox for sure but warmer to handle in the cold I bet.

Well that's all I got. Hope it helped.
 
If you can find them, get a set of nylon scales to replace the cell idle. They have a much more solid feel to them and don't show scratches near as bad as cell idle. Good luck they are hard to find I have a set on my Huntsman and I agree, it's got all you need on it.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
My Wenger EvoWood S557 has hardwood scales. Review with photos here:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1214147-Wenger-EvoWood-S557?highlight=Wenger

SAKWiki says the scales are Swiss walnut. They are the bulkiest SAK scales, but not by a lot. My review used a Victorinox Ranger for size comparison. Wooden SAK scales IMO are good for superior appearance rather than superior durability. For field use you would want to sand/stain/seal them. Think tung oil, linseed oil, mineral oil, whatever you use with walnut.

My knife is still in production in Victorinox's Delemont Collection. The Delemont Collection has two Huntsman equivalents:

Swiss Army EvoWood 17

sa2391163x1000.jpg


Swiss Army EvoGrip S17

sa23913scx1000.jpg


For durability, I would get the EvoGrip. The black inserts are thermoplastic polyurethane to give a stickier grip when the knife is wet. Never having handled one, I'm guessing that the red scales are either hard nylon like the German and Dutch Army knives, or injection molded polycaprolactam (Nylon 6) like the New Swiss Army knife. Either way they are equivalent to Victorinox's military issue scales.
 
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