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Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
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Farmer or Hiker
- Thread starter rfbadger
- Start date
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- Apr 20, 2001
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- 18,423
I have both and like both, but the Alox Farmer would be my choice.
It's just a nicer heavier made knife, and unless you are carrying gear that need the Phillips head on the Hiker, the Farmer is a better outdoors knife to me.
It's just a nicer heavier made knife, and unless you are carrying gear that need the Phillips head on the Hiker, the Farmer is a better outdoors knife to me.
I too have both, love the Farmer. But, the Hiker has the extra blade, toothpick and tweezers. I like having another blade and the toothpick and tweezers are missed when I have stuff in my teeth or a sliver to dig out.
Though you won't go wrong carrying either one. The Hiker has just enough extra to make it my choice.
Now, what you might look at is a Fieldmaster. It's basically a Hiker with scissors and a hook. Even though it has 4 layers, it's still quite pocketable IMHO. I am really surprised at how much I use the scissors.
But really, can you ever have too many SAK's?
Mike
Though you won't go wrong carrying either one. The Hiker has just enough extra to make it my choice.
Now, what you might look at is a Fieldmaster. It's basically a Hiker with scissors and a hook. Even though it has 4 layers, it's still quite pocketable IMHO. I am really surprised at how much I use the scissors.
But really, can you ever have too many SAK's?
Mike
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2005
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- 2,792
According to Victorinox, the can opener/small screwdriver on the Farmer can be used on phillips head screws. A while ago, just to try it out, I assembled a display case using only that on the wood screws. Although a dedicated driver would have been better for the job, the SAK worked well enough, and I got to experience a pleasant MacGuyver moment.
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2000
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- 6,104
I prefer the Hiker, since it has the smaller blade(which I use more often than the large one), the tweezers that come in handy pretty often, and a keyring that makes it convenient to lanyard the knife to a belt loop while it rides in a pocket.
At work I use an Electrician Plus, which is similar to the Farmer, but has a sheepsfoot blade in place of the can opener/phillips head, while the Hiker is my "outdoors" SAK.
The alox models do feel more solid, but the plastic handled SAKs feel lighter in the pocket, at least to me, and the added features mentioned before-small blades, tweezers, keyring are the main reasons I stick with a Recruit for EDC after switching to/trying out both the Cadet and Soldier(also Mechanic and Hiker) in the past.
I really like the Outrider for an all-around SAK, particularly for the outdoors, but the size and lack of a small blade sent me back to the Hiker.
A great thing about SAKs is that they're inexpensive enough to try different models and see what actually works best for you.
At work I use an Electrician Plus, which is similar to the Farmer, but has a sheepsfoot blade in place of the can opener/phillips head, while the Hiker is my "outdoors" SAK.
The alox models do feel more solid, but the plastic handled SAKs feel lighter in the pocket, at least to me, and the added features mentioned before-small blades, tweezers, keyring are the main reasons I stick with a Recruit for EDC after switching to/trying out both the Cadet and Soldier(also Mechanic and Hiker) in the past.
I really like the Outrider for an all-around SAK, particularly for the outdoors, but the size and lack of a small blade sent me back to the Hiker.
A great thing about SAKs is that they're inexpensive enough to try different models and see what actually works best for you.
- Joined
- Sep 15, 1999
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- 3,319
I carried a Hiker for years. Then a Rucksack. Now it's a Farmer. The Hiker is an efficient knife. Very useful for it's size and weight. The Farmer is a solid, extremely well built, beautiful knife (especially in red.) If you use awl much, the one on the Farmer is way easier to use. You'll be happy with either, but there's something very satisfying about the Farmer.
If you are going to use it for outdoor activities then the OHT would be a better choice than the Farmer or the Hiker. The OHT is basically the Hiker on steroids, minus the small blade.
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2001
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- 18,423
Yep, it often works better than the Phillips mounted on the back of the knife, those can be hard to use in certain spots.
I actually set down with some Phillips head screws awhile back and didn't really find any that the screwdriver on the can opener wouldn't fit as good as the Phillips head.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2006
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- 1,196
I own both a farmer and a couple hikers. Both are good choices,but I would go with the hiker. The second blade is usefull,and yes the can opener's driver works well on phillips screws,but the phillips on the back is much stronger when you run into a stuborn screw.
Also the toothpick and tweezers alway come in handy,for me at least. While the alox models are ribbed,to me the nylon and cellidor handles provide a better grip. I've used a hiker more than any other sak,it definitly pulls it's weight.:thumbup:
Also the toothpick and tweezers alway come in handy,for me at least. While the alox models are ribbed,to me the nylon and cellidor handles provide a better grip. I've used a hiker more than any other sak,it definitly pulls it's weight.:thumbup:
Farmer plus Rambler (58mm), though it used to be the Camper (like a hiker but with corkscrew instead of Phillip's). The Farmer tools are stronger than the Hiker tools, the Rambler gives you the small blade, scissors, nail file, toothpick, tweezers and Phillips.
I might be moving to a Stayglow scaled Huntsman in the future or a wood scaled Ranger modified to have both a corkscrew and a Phillip's (I'm just not bored enough to build it yet).
I might be moving to a Stayglow scaled Huntsman in the future or a wood scaled Ranger modified to have both a corkscrew and a Phillip's (I'm just not bored enough to build it yet).
The keyring loop in the Farmer tends to dig into the user's hand when being used. So although it's a lot sturdier, this ergonomic "flaw" makes it less desirable for me. The cellidor hiker is also already sturdy enough, and actual tweezers will prove helpful when you need to pull out splinters or plant thorns/stickers. I kinda think the weight differences might mean something too, for some people
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Thanks for the input. You're all very convincing so I ordered a Farmer and a Hiker:thumbup:. You can never have too many SAKs
Great choice!
You can remove that key ring attachment point pretty easily with a file or a Dremel tool. A fair number of people end up deciding to do that.
- Tim
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- Sep 15, 1999
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Yep. That's what I did. I'd certainly recommend the file over a dremel. You can screw things up fast and in a big way with a dremel. Go slow with a small file.
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2007
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- 368
Oh, no! You are too fast! If you are going to carry a Farmer, you also need at least a classic (for toothpick, tweezers, small blade and scissors), but better a Rambler! As you said, you can never have too many SAKs!
Alexei
- Joined
- Sep 15, 1999
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- 3,319
I carry a Signature with my Farmer. Tweezers, scissors, small blade and a pen.