Favorite Swiss army under $30

S

Spyderman99

Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
137
Looking to upgrade my old one. Must have: Large blade, can opener, bottle opener, toothe ick, tweezers, scissors. Price is flexible. Thanks in advance :)
 
Look at the Victorinox Compact, Climber, and Super Tinker to get you started.

My personal favorite is the Explorer Plus. To your requirements, it adds a few goodies like a magnifier, and it is 4 layers thick, but for me its as good as it gets in a full size EDC SAK.
 
I like the explorer a lot but to big and to many extra stuff. The sure tinker though looks great. Anyone have any commentsaboit the sure tinker?
 
The super tinker is what I really "EDC" along with a folder that I switch/change every couple days, I think it has the most useful selection of tools, yet is still small and thin. It just depends on what you use the most though, for example I don't drink wine or find the cork screw useful for anything, nor do I use a magnifying glass ever so those would just be extra weight/width from other models. I do use the can opener, bottle opener, the screw drivers on both of those and sometime the philips driver. I still don't use the parcel hook, but that one seems to be unavoidable. The other one I like a lot is the Alox Soldier or Alox Pioneer, though it doesn't have scissors.
 
Spyderman99 said:
I am also thinking about saving a little more and getting a Leatherman juice c2 or s2 or cs4
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Nothing wrong with the juices. Excellent tools they are. But you are gonna miss the tweezers and toothpick in the SAK. My pick staying within your guidelines would be the Vic Super Tinker. If you could go a few bucks more my pick would be the Vic Deluxe Tinker since it has the pliers and scissors.
 
Spyderman99 said:
I like the explorer a lot but to big and to many extra stuff. The sure tinker though looks great. Anyone have any commentsaboit the sure tinker?
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Tinker is a great knife. I have had one for almost 30 years and it is still going! I just recently decided to upgrade to the Explorer as I like the philips driver and mag glass as sometimes I look at items that have very, very, very, very small writing or some times cant see gold stamp on jewelry! Gettin' old I guess!
 
I keep having that switch back and forth between a Leatherman and a Vic. It's driving me crazy. Especially when you find something new about one. Right now im digging the Leatherman Blast.
 
My favorite SAK pattern is the Fieldmaster/Huntsman. Same toolset as the Super Tinker, but with a saw (the Huntsman has a corkscrew). It's about $35, but you can find it for less if you look. I actually grabbed a brand new, but previously opened, Huntsman at Target the other day for $23.
 
With scissors, the super tinker.
Without scissors I like the small tinker.
 
Super Tinker is my current favorite SAK, and it can be picked up for under $30. If Victorinox would make the Compact with a Phillips screwdriver and reamer on the back (instead of the corkscrew and hook), that would be perfect. Until then, Super Tinker it is... There is a discontinued model "Salesman" that is a small Super Tinker (85mm vs. 91mm). Same tools as the Super Tinker minus the hook. You might be able to find one on the secondhand market.
 
I don't have the compact yet, but it's on my short list. I think the Super Tinker is excellent, but I find that I never use it... I carry a one-handed folder along with a victorinox classic on my keychain and that covers just about everything I need.

Usable blade? check.
Scissors? check.
Tweezers? check.

-StaTiK-
 
Huntsman is my favorite too. I got a display model from LL Bean the other day for more $ than you paid though.
MunroClansman said:
My favorite SAK pattern is the Fieldmaster/Huntsman. Same toolset as the Super Tinker, but with a saw (the Huntsman has a corkscrew). It's about $35, but you can find it for less if you look. I actually grabbed a brand new, but previously opened, Huntsman at Target the other day for $23.
Click to expand...
 
I find the Spartan best for me. Yes, the corkscew is rarely used but it is indispenable when it is needed. Better yet, Victorinox very graciously sent me a "tiny screwdriver" for the screws in my eyeglasses fames when I inquired about it; the tiny screwdriver fits neatly inside the SAK screwdriver. This modified Spartan is my Ultimate Bookworm Survival Knife. Other tools can be provided by a small multitool in a pouch on my belt.
Faiaoga
 
I like the Explorer Plus. Very handy travel tool. I had one on a trip to Ireland. Some of the little towns and stop overs my mother in law had remembered from her last trip there didn't show up on the GPS. We had to rely on the old giant map with tiny letters. Some of these places had some funky names, so it was really nice having the magnifier to double check the route. Plus, I like having the cork screw and the little screw driver AND the in-line philips:p

If that's a little thick, I think the Climber is a great set up without the magnifier and the driver. Nice EDC.
 
I would recommend the Compact, climber, or super tinker if you prefer a Phillips over corkscrew.

I carry the compact a lot more than the climber because it's only two layers thick.
 
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