Going into the wilderness. What's your SAK?

Scott Free said:
The GAKs make great outdoor knives. The Safari (the red civilian version) was my first SAK. That was almost 30 years ago. I still have two of them that I occasionally carry just because I like it so much. The handles are grippy and comfortable. It's also easier to carry than the 111mm models. The saws do not work as well as those on current Vic knives. They work well enough though. The back springs are quite strong (at least on Victorinox versions.)
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I've always liked the looks of GAKs, inlcuding the Safari and Mauser models. What makes their saws not work as well as present day Vics? Thanks.
 
Ultraman said:
What makes their saws not work as well as present day Vics?
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Besides being shorter, they are also coarser. They grab a bit. They work just fine, though. It might take a few seconds longer to cut through a branch, but it will get the job done. While the saw may not cut as quickly or as smoothly, the 108mm knives have other attributes that make up for it.
 
Yes, they are great. I have two of those old style GAK's, one made by Victorinox and the other made by Mil-Tec. The looks are the same, but the Victorinox is of better quality. Although they are of the same size, the Victorinox also feels a little bit heavier and more solid. I also have the Solo, with only a blade. It is slim and light, a good option for a folding knive.
 
Something that has:

Blade: Cutting stuff
Saw: Sawing stuff
Scissors: For hygienity, medicine&clothes fixing
Pliers: trapwire cutting, fixing things
Can opener: Opening cans
 
During my mandatory army days, I got pretty much by with a Soldier.
Even in the woods.
So that's what I would take :)
 
Scott Free said:
Besides being shorter, they are also coarser. They grab a bit. They work just fine, though. It might take a few seconds longer to cut through a branch, but it will get the job done. While the saw may not cut as quickly or as smoothly, the 108mm knives have other attributes that make up for it.
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Interesting observation. So despite being longer overall, they must have a shorter sawing edge length.

Thanks for explaining.
 
Rucksack saw (cutting edge) = 3 1/4"

Farmer = 2 7/8"

Safari/GAK = 2 1/4"

Thanks for an excuse to dig out and play with all those pretty red knives. :)
 
Ultraman said:
Interesting observation. So despite being longer overall, they must have a shorter sawing edge length.

Thanks for explaining.
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The saw on those models is part of a combotool. At the end of it there is a can opener / bottle opener.
 
Vic Spirit. A pliers-based tool is too handy to leave behind no matter where you are going.
 
The Outrider would be my choice if we are sticking to SAKs per se and not multitools. It is like a giant, locking Huntsman.
 
Farmer hands down for me. The OHT is nice no doubt but it is really too big for comfortable pocket carry. Carrying a OHT "vertically" is not the way a pocket knife is supposed to ride. A pocket knife is supposed to nestle nicely in the bottom of your pocket and not try to position itself for lauch like a rocket. Besides the Farmer looks better and is stronger. Most OHT have serrated blades which I hate. I know how to sharpen a knife exceptionally well therefore I don't need any tacticool points along the edge of my blade. As far as the longer saw goes on a OHT, I have never needed to saw anything that a OHT would tackle that a Farmer would not. It's a non issue. The farmer's end mounted awl is also far superior for real work. All said, I would pick the OHT (plain edge) as a very solid second choice for woods carry. It is a really great knife in it's own right. The farmer first choice because it does about everything the OHT can do but in a trimmer package.
 
I guess I must be the odd man out here. Going into any woods or wilderness, I just have my normal edc pocket knife, be it a recruit or bantam. Since I am going into a wilderness area, I wear a stout sheath knife on me, as well as having a Fiskars/Gerber sliding blade saw in my survival kit. My bettter half also carries a Fiskars saw since it is only 3 onces. In winter, I may carry a small hatchet in the woods. To me a pocket knife is a urban/suburban thing for light duty.

Right tool for the right job. Off pavement I want something I can lean on in an emergency, without worrying if it's gonna fold up on me.
 
jackknife said:
I guess I must be the odd man out here. Going into any woods or wilderness, I just have my normal edc pocket knife, be it a recruit or bantam. Since I am going into a wilderness area, I wear a stout sheath knife on me, as well as having a Fiskars/Gerber sliding blade saw in my survival kit. My bettter half also carries a Fiskars saw since it is only 3 onces. In winter, I may carry a small hatchet in the woods. To me a pocket knife is a urban/suburban thing for light duty.

Right tool for the right job. Off pavement I want something I can lean on in an emergency, without worrying if it's gonna fold up on me.
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I think most people here carry a fixed blade into the wilderness, but most people also bring a more purpose-built folder for woods use, usually a SAK because of its tools. There are some woods tasks where your fixed blade might prove unwieldy, so a smaller SAK fits the bill nicely.
 
Foilist said:
Vic Spirit. A pliers-based tool is too handy to leave behind no matter where you are going.
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I agree. I carry either the Spirit or the Farmer in the woods. When I carry the Farmer, there are times when I could have used the pliers!

It's nice for picking up pots over the fire or removing fish hooks, etc. Just a lot of uses.
 
I'm just curious if anybody else has an opinion on the old Swissbuck models. I like mine alot. For me, not much different from a camper, but the scales feel 'sturdier'.
 
healthvet said:
I'm just curious if anybody else has an opinion on the old Swissbuck models. I like mine alot. For me, not much different from a camper, but the scales feel 'sturdier'.
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I'm almost certain the Swissbucks were made by Wenger— back when Wengers were not quite up to the standards of Victorinox.
 
It is a Wenger. I have a couple of Wenger's from the seventies, and this Swissbuck. I can't complain about the quality of any of them.
 
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