In Kenya, EDC is spelled SAK :)

C

cfoster2003

Joined
Jul 25, 2011
Messages
441
Just showing off my Victorinox Spartan. It goes with me everywhere over here. Enjoy! :D
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Quite possibly all the knife you'll ever need. This makes me want to carry my Tinker.
 
Thanks, ya I use it all the time. Besides the blade, the can opener is used a LOT. Oh, and of course the toothpick and tweezers :)
 
My Vic was one of the knives I was thinking about carrying today... thanks to you, I'm gonna regret not carrying it all day ;)
Nice pics of a great knife!
 
In the USA too. This Fieldmaster was my daily companion for the better part of 25 years. I recently replaced its severely beaten and worn cellidor handles with nylon.

Fieldmasteryardwork.jpg


Fieldmasternylona.jpg
 
I have always thought of a SAK as an industry standard of consistent fit and finish. Not to mention amount of utility in a small pocket size package. No matter where ever you go in the world, you can buy a SAK, and it will be just like the last SAK you had. Very rare to find issues with a Victorinox. The more basic two layer SAK's are a marvel of functional tools in a light weight package that very often is less of a burden to carry than a knife with only cutting as it's pure function. Models like the recruit and spartan and tinker only go a couple of ounces.

Then there's the low radar profile of a SAK. I don't think anything other than Coke and BIC products have a market recognition of the Swiss cross on a red handled knife. It's not taken seriously as a weapon. Living in the Maryland suburbs of Washing D.C., my better half and I do go 'downtown' often. Things like the Smithsonian Museum complexes, the National Gallery Of Art, the Kennedy center, and more, means we are in a city with a very strong federal security presence. So many times I've went through security with my stuff in the plastic tray, and the SAK never gets looked at twice. When it does, it's usually a friendly comment about how his kid has one, or he had one in the boy scouts, or comment about MacGiver. No problem. The only other knife I've never had a problem with is my little Case peanut. Then they comment on how their grandfather had a knife like that. Okay, I am a grandfather and can deal with that.

It's surprising what you can get done with a SAK.

Carl.
 
Awesome analysis Carl! I agree 200%. When the Opinel gets here it will join the SAK in daily work tasks. :)

jackknife said:
I have always thought of a SAK as an industry standard of consistent fit and finish. Not to mention amount of utility in a small pocket size package. No matter where ever you go in the world, you can buy a SAK, and it will be just like the last SAK you had. Very rare to find issues with a Victorinox. The more basic two layer SAK's are a marvel of functional tools in a light weight package that very often is less of a burden to carry than a knife with only cutting as it's pure function. Models like the recruit and spartan and tinker only go a couple of ounces.

Then there's the low radar profile of a SAK. I don't think anything other than Coke and BIC products have a market recognition of the Swiss cross on a red handled knife. It's not taken seriously as a weapon. Living in the Maryland suburbs of Washing D.C., my better half and I do go 'downtown' often. Things like the Smithsonian Museum complexes, the National Gallery Of Art, the Kennedy center, and more, means we are in a city with a very strong federal security presence. So many times I've went through security with my stuff in the plastic tray, and the SAK never gets looked at twice. When it does, it's usually a friendly comment about how his kid has one, or he had one in the boy scouts, or comment about MacGiver. No problem. The only other knife I've never had a problem with is my little Case peanut. Then they comment on how their grandfather had a knife like that. Okay, I am a grandfather and can deal with that.

It's surprising what you can get done with a SAK.

Carl.
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The Vic Recruit is my go-to travel knife, especially when going by airplane. It is a lightweight, incredibly useful tool that is relatively inexpensive if it somehow goes missing.
 
cfoster2003 said:
Those new handles look great!
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Thanks. My first experience with the nylon was on the Gardener. I liked the textured feel of it so much I decided to go that way when I knew the Fieldmaster needed rejuvenating. Shortly after I replaced the cellidor with nylon, the Fieldmaster went missing.

Fearing it was gone forever, I picked up a used Climber, also in nylon. Fortunately, I found the Fieldmaster so I now have this SAK nylon-handled family.

Top to bottom: Fieldmaster, Gardener, Climber

VicNylonsDec2a.jpg


VicNylonsDec2b.jpg
 
Turk88 said:
The Vic Recruit is my go-to travel knife, especially when going by airplane. It is a lightweight, incredibly useful tool that is relatively inexpensive if it somehow goes missing.
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This is what makes the basic recruit such a great travel knife.

Last summer, we went down to Key West for a vacation/cousins reunion. As much as I love my Case peanut that is my edc, I didn't want to risk it to either the TSA or baggage handler goons. So I shipped a recruit down to myself where we were staying, and for the next week, that basic SAK cut limes for the cold gin and tonics and Coronas, cut bait, slice the ends off some nice hand rolled Dominican cigars, did picnic duty, and much more. When I left, I gifted it too the grounds keeper guy who was very happy to have it. Again, the recognition. One look at the red handle with the cross and he went running show his Jeffe the knife.

Carl.
 
jackknife said:
I have always thought of a SAK as an industry standard of consistent fit and finish.
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Boringly consistent. Every SAK knife is the same across the board. Even SAKs of different models are very similar. BTW, I think "boringly consistent" in a good way for this case.
 
Wow, those all look amazing! How did you replace the handles? I love the gardener BTW, Im a sucker for the simplicity of the single bladed slip joint. Well done!

Doug Add said:
Thanks. My first experience with the nylon was on the Gardener. I liked the textured feel of it so much I decided to go that way when I knew the Fieldmaster needed rejuvenating. Shortly after I replaced the cellidor with nylon, the Fieldmaster went missing.

Fearing it was gone forever, I picked up a used Climber, also in nylon. Fortunately, I found the Fieldmaster so I now have this SAK nylon-handled family.

Top to bottom: Fieldmaster, Gardener, Climber

VicNylonsDec2a.jpg


VicNylonsDec2b.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Woodrow F Call said:
Boringly consistent. Every SAK knife is the same across the board. Even SAKs of different models are very similar. BTW, I think "boringly consistent" in a good way for this case.
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I agree. You know exactly what you're getting, you know you can depend on it, and, after many years of using them, you know exactly what their strengths, weaknesses, and limitations are.


Great thread title BTW :D
 
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