Is an SAK all you need?

SwiftDream · Jun 27, 2014

pinnah said:
Leghog,

I knew I read the 54Rc figure somewhere in published Victorinox literature. Actually, the published figure was 53-55 Rc. Please see the first post in this thread:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/679189-Victorinox-Steel

More recent info on the Victorinox site puts the number at 55-56Rc. See:
https://www.victorinox.com/medias/sys_master/8868238589982/Resharpen.pdf

I should note that the SAKs I've had the most problem with wire edges were from the 80s and 90s and it would appear that they've bumped up the hardness, which I think is good. Like choices in underwear and socks, preferences in steel hardness can legitimately vary.

That may explain why one SAK, the older Farmer, did much poorer than my newer Spartan that I use for checked airline travel only. It still did quite poorly compared to almost every other knife but good enough for those times I am traveling by airlines and won't be going into the wilderness.

I simply like to see a blade that can hold up to two weeks of wilderness travel, able to perform as an all around knife should out there and not need constant sharpening. Not everyone needs that. I have a friend who brings his older SAK to me on a regular basis to sharpen... that edge is always like a butter knife after he uses it around his place for a couple weeks. He loves that knife though.

I don't hate them though and one always has a place in both my town EDC and my frequent wilderness travel, the Classic, good for manicures when girlfriend breaks a nail. I don't use it as a knife, that is what the other two are for...handy scissors and nail file with the very useful toothpick in a small, light package. I still wish its steel was harder. It is about 20 years old so maybe I should try a newer one and see if they did bump up the heat treat some...

endurawave · Apr 22, 2016

Title of thread is wrong...Should read. "Is A SAK all you need"? Not "Is AN SAK all you need"? Sorry.. just bugs me, see it all the time.

Fred Sanford · Apr 22, 2016

endurawave said:
Title of thread is wrong...Should read. "Is A SAK all you need"? Not "Is AN SAK all you need"? Sorry.. just bugs me, see it all the time.

So you resurrected a 2 year old thread so you could tell us how the title bugs you?

marcinek · Apr 22, 2016

endurawave said:
Title of thread is wrong...Should read. "Is A SAK all you need"? Not "Is AN SAK all you need"? Sorry.. just bugs me, see it all the time.

The title of the thread is wrong. It should read: "Is a SAK all you need?" not "In an SAK all you need?" Sorry, it just bugs me. You see it all the time.

Oh, and by the way, if SAK is pronounced "sack," then it is proceeded by an "a"...but if it is pronounced "ess ay kay," then it IS "an."

But, really, thanks.

endurawave · Apr 22, 2016

marcinek said:
The title of the thread is wrong. It should read: "Is a SAK all you need?" not "In an SAK all you need?" Sorry, it just bugs me. You see it all the time.

Oh, and by the way, if SAK is pronounced "sack," then it is proceeded by an "a"...but if it is pronounced "ess ay kay," then it IS "an."

But, really, thanks.

Its got nothing to do with being a Grammar or Punctuation Nazi. "An SAK" just reads funky. In a conversation does anyone referring to a Swiss Army Knife actually call the knife A "Sack"? . When the shortcut SAK is used, it still reads "Swiss Army Knife". And BTW SAK isn't pronounced Sack, its pronounced Swiss Army Knife.

marcinek · Apr 22, 2016

endurawave said:
Its got nothing to do with being a Grammar or Punctuation Nazi. "An SAK" just reads funky. In a conversation does anyone referring to a Swiss Army Knife actually call the knife A "Sack"? . When the shortcut SAK is used, it still reads "Swiss Army Knife". And BTW SAK isn't pronounced Sack, its pronounced Swiss Army Knife.

I wont waste anyone's time bickering any more with you. And, before I get a DOS prompt, I have to go proctor an SAT for the NCAA. Then I have to hit the ATM before I get an MRI.

22-rimfire · Apr 22, 2016

Yep, "a" versus "an". Do I care? They probably did it on their phone.

brancron · Apr 22, 2016

endurawave said:
Its got nothing to do with being a Grammar or Punctuation Nazi. "An SAK" just reads funky. In a conversation does anyone referring to a Swiss Army Knife actually call the knife A "Sack"? . When the shortcut SAK is used, it still reads "Swiss Army Knife". And BTW SAK isn't pronounced Sack, its pronounced Swiss Army Knife.

There's no rule against pronouncing "SAK" as "ess ay kay." Do you also think it's wrong to pronounce "FBI" "eff bee eye"?

blade dude · Apr 22, 2016

If all I had was a Swiss Army knife id be fine with it. But by choice there's a reason I don't. I use the blade of my delica for more than a Swiss Army knife will handle

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

endurawave · Apr 22, 2016

brancron said:
There's no rule against pronouncing "SAK" as "ess ay kay." Do you also think it's wrong to pronounce "FBI" "eff bee eye"?

You miss the point. Not talking about how to pronounce SAK. Talking about using "A" or "An" in front of it..Comprendo

brancron · Apr 22, 2016

endurawave said:
You miss the point. Not talking about how to pronounce SAK. Talking about using A or An in front of it..Comprendo

The use of "a" or "an" depends entirely, 100% on whether the first syllable of the following word is pronounced with a vowel sound or a consonant sound. There are no exceptions to this rule. That's why it's "an FBI agent," but "a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent." I cannot believe I'm explaining this.

marcinek · Apr 22, 2016

brancron said:
The use of "a" or "an" depends entirely, 100% on whether the first syllable of the following word is pronounced with a vowel sound or a consonant sound. There are no exceptions to this rule. That's why it's "an FBI agent," but "a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent." I cannot believe I'm explaining this.

That's why I gave up. Pointless.

endurawave · Apr 22, 2016

Ok cool.. I get it silly topic but

...just curious then...quick poll here who prefers it written "Is a SAK all you need? OR "Is an SAK all you need?"

I vote "a SAK"

full flat grind · Apr 22, 2016

In my head when I am reading it I pronounce it "ess ay kay," so the "an" makes sense to me.

YMMV

endurawave · Apr 22, 2016

full flat grind said:
In my head when I am reading it I pronounce it "ess ay kay," so the "an" makes sense to me.

YMMV

full flat, you actually nailed it. In my head when I read it I pronounce it as "Swiss Army Knife" thats why "A" sounds better to me.

brancron · Apr 22, 2016

endurawave said:
Ok cool.. I get it silly topic but...just curious then...quick poll here who prefers it written "Is a SAK all you need? OR "Is an SAK all you need?"

I vote "a SAK"

Your question can be re-formulated as "Do you pronounce "SAK" in your head as (a) "Swiss Army Knife," (b) "sac," or (c) "ess ay kay"? If the first two, then you'd write it "a SAK." If the third, then you'd write it "an SAK." Extremely simple stuff: https://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/a-an.htm

osvcap · Apr 22, 2016

I just ordered the Pioneer X from the big river UK site. I sure hope it makes it to my mail box.

marcinek · Apr 22, 2016

endurawave said:
Ok cool.. I get it silly topic but...just curious then...quick poll here who prefers it written "Is a SAK all you need? OR "Is an SAK all you need?"

I vote "a SAK"

You can actually open a new thread containing a poll, if you wish.

full flat grind · Apr 22, 2016

Is an SAK all I need?

Apparently not, because I have a crapload of knives!

Edit: In all seriousness, though, I could live with my Swisschamp if I had to.

sabre cat · Apr 22, 2016

Very fond of the Alox Cadet and the Pioneer series but nail nicks and I don't get along very well. Give me a blade with a hole or thumb stud as my EDC and a Cadet as a back up knife.