Just can't warm to SAKs

Never had this issue, although some days it just doesn't feel right to have anything other than a gec on me.
 
I've discovered a simple truth --- SAKs make life better.

So I'll never be without one.
 
knarfeng said:
It's a personal preference. Therefore, there are no "right" answers.
Click to expand...

That, of course, is the crux of the meat. :thumbup:

Now, I kind of fall down onto both sides of the fence (which can be quite painful :eek: unless it's simply a metaphor).

I have a lifelong love affair with both traditional pocketknives and with SAK. Like most of the folks here, I've gravitated over the years to the smaller, two-layer SAK. I've owned Spartans and Tinkers and Classics and an alox Soldier. These days I have a Huntsman and a Super Tinker that I'll tote infrequently if I know I'll be needing either of those tool sets. But my main carry (when I'm not in the mood to go traditional with my peanut or 33OT or GEC 66 calf roper slim or Opinel) is an 84mm Tourist. It's very very pocketable. That knife cuts things every bit as well as my comparable, knife-only traditionals. And while I have found wishing I had a screwdriver or tweezers while I was toting my Old Timer jack, I have never been cutting something and said to myself, "If only I didn't have these darn screwdrivers on my knife!"

-- Mark
 
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I do understand what you mean. That's why I carry my Victorinox Sportsman in my back left pocket dangler style with a back half of a pen lanyard and my EDC knife in either my front right or back right pocket. I like the SAK for multiple reasons: they remind me of my dad because he loved Victorinox, I actually use the toothpick, the nonthreatening look makes it nice to use in certain situations, I use the drivers more on the Sportsman then my leatherman in my front left pocket, I use the can opener at work for lunch and removing staples, and I use the cap lifter for light prying. Anywho EDCing a SAK would be you're thing if you used it. If you can get by without it then you're good. If you're like me and use it then it's worth having. Take care!
 
SAKs for me are a bit like Moderns: useful & handy and I only need one or two of them. I admire their quality consistency and the Alox Farmer I have in my bag has often proved its worth, but I can't see myself carrying it as a knife in my pocket.

Wish I could be this coldly rational about other Traditionals.....no I don't:D:D:D
 
I keep a leatherman in a belt sheath, and a pocket knife in my pocket. One is utilitarian for me, the other one is cool.
 
Something just occurred to me. It all comes down to filling in this blank: "How often do I really need a _______ on me?"

Slipjoint lovers might say: "How often do I really need a can opener on me?"

SAK lovers might say: "How often do I really need a pair of pliers on me?"

Non-knife folks might say: "How often do I really need a knife on me?"

For me, I find it mighty handy to have a blade (or two) and a few basic tools on me as I go through this world, hence the SAK in my jeans right now. YMMV.

-- Mark
 
This is like talking about tastes in shoes or beer. Different things work for different people and the fact SAKs don't work for me shouldn't put off fans of the SAK. I'm a fan of the Opinel and that knife doesn't work or appeal to a lot of people and that's OK too.

First thing to say about SAKs is that I don't see them as being traditional. Occasionally we see and discuss traditionally patterned knives made with modern screwed together construction and we wonder if they are still traditional. To my eye, the SAKs stopped being traditional camper patterned knives when they moved to the snap-on plastic scales. On the plus side of being non-traditional, Victorinox pushed the envelope in terms of tool development and selection and in this way, I think SAKs have been more relevant than the old hyper traditional 4 blade camper pattern. But, if we're going to talk about the virtues of a non-traditoinal SAK here on the traditional forum, I'll beg for a bit of leeway to compare them to the equally non-traditional (or equally traditional) butterfly style multitool.

Stylistically, SAKs have always missed the mark with me, sort of like instant coffee does. I find them awfully sterile feeling. I could deal with the souless sterility if the trade off was durability but that's not been my experience with SAKs. I've had too may broken scales, broken springs and and loose blades with the ones I've owned. My Leatherman tools have all the stylistic appeal of Vulcan art but I've not yet had and out and out failure. I know Leatherman tools are prone to plier head failures and my plier tools have all developed some handle misalignment over the years. But in balance, they've been a lot more durable the than SAKs we've had. SAKs feel like the knife equivalent of a SWATCH watch to me. Perfect plastic trinket feeling.

One of the things that miss the mark for me with SAKs is too much of a good thing. Fit and finish is great but it actually works against utility. The tools are so polished that the edges are rounded. My cruder Leatherman products grab screws with more authority. When I need a tool, I want my tool to have it but at some point, the addition of more layers and more tools on the small SAK frame is just too much and becomes a McGyver type parody of itself. I suppose I could just limit my consideration to SAKs with a smaller and more targeted selection of tools but it's hard for me to hold them without feeling the SAK vibe of excess.

Functionally, my struggle with the SAKs is the same as my struggle with the traditional 4 blade camper and my struggle with the camper is the same as my struggle with most slip joints - they're too small for my big XL hands. I grew up carrying Ulster campers and BSA knives and they were fine when I was a kid. As an adult, I've come to prefer a full 4 finger grip on a knife and carry things like an Opinel #9 or a Buck 500 Duke. I also use my knives for food prep and prefer a blade to be at least 3" in length. This is a super personal fit issue. For me, the traditional camper pattern is just too small for my preference.

My solution to the utility offered by camper patterned knives and SAKs is partner a traditional larger single blade knife with with a butterfly style tool. For EDC, I carry a Micra, which is incredibly tough and gives me a selection of tools that all get used regularly.


EDC Pair by Pinnah, on Flickr

For backcountry travel, I swap out the Micra for the PS4 Squirt for the small pliers which are useful for equipment repair.

Outdoor Carry by Pinnah, on Flickr

The one SAK knife that holds some potential for me and big hands is the Trekker series. I still can't warm up to them stylistically and I see utterly nothing about them that is traditional in any way. But, at least they are big enough to me.

I know lots of people love the SAKs and I think that's swell. Different strokes.
 
I bought my first one, which is a Spartan but back then had no name then and the shield was only stamped on the handle in 1970. I still carry it daily. I've never abused it and keep it sharp so it is in pretty good shape for one that has been used 44 years. If you carry them you will find many uses for them beyond what each blade was made to do. I use them more in emergencies to tighten a loose small nut, tighten the screws in a door knob at the cabin, plane off something small etc. I Couldn't do without it and there before there were any Leathermen, Paratools etc. this was all there was besides a much less efficient "scout type folder." I stopped carrying my Winchester "Boy Scout" multitool knife from about 1940 when I bought the SAK. I also have carried "Champ" models at work from time to time and used the heck out of all 28 tools on those. But in retirement now the old smaller and thinner one is great and a good memory as my wife bought it for me when we were engaged. She was trying to show it to her mom and cut herself in the store 44 years ago. If anyone wants to see this older no-name model I can post a picture.
 
I never really dug the SAK either, until last spring I picked up a Spartan and carried it on an overseas trip for a week. Came in pretty handy. I bought an ALOX Cadet and then a Pioneer and have been carrying one or the other everyday since. I agree that they may not be to everyone's taste, but that's what makes this "hobby" so much fun. We get to see all sorts of pocket knives for show-n-tell. As for today, well I have my Pioneer and my 33OT Jackknife in my pockets. Thankfully there is no "law" that says we only get to have one pocket knife.
 
If I carried only one knife daily, it would be a SAK. Vic Farmer. No doubt about it.
 
I like looking at others collections and Sak's but I'm still not sure if I want one or need one. I love my Leatherman and carry it whenever I need a multitool.
 
Speaking of weight, much has been said about the bulkiness and weight of these SAK knives, which are two things, of many things, that SAK detractors cite as reasons for not carrying one. A quick look at specs reveals that the weight of a 4 tool, 2 layer alox Pioneer is 2.5 oz; a GEC #15 single blade Charlow weighs 2.5 oz. The thickness of a "bulky" 4 tool, 2 layer SAK Pioneer is less than that of a 2 layer, 2 bladed Charlow; imagine that.
 
Alnamvet68 said:
the weight of a 4 tool, 2 layer alox Pioneer is 2.5 oz; a GEC #15 single blade Charlow weighs 2.5 oz. The thickness of a "bulky" 4 tool, 2 layer SAK Pioneer is less than that of a 2 layer, 2 bladed Charlow; imagine that.
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Great observation. Thanks!

-- Mark
 
I love the Alox models. Pioneer, Cadet, Farmer...all fantastically functional knives. I've carried just a Pioneer as an EDC and functionally is is everything I need on a regular basis. I could live happily with just that (which is pretty amazing considering it's a $30 knife!). I tend to carry one along with a more traditional slipjoint as I just really like traditional slipjoint knives. I tend to carry the SAK along with one for hard use and for the extra tools. A bottle opener is handy to have not just to open bottles but also as a small pry bar, screw driver, etc.

Today I'm carrying a Cadet along with my Erickson stag EDC...it's especially nice to have an inexpensive knife like the SAK when carrying a rather expensive custom slipjoint. I'll use my Erickson to open mail, boxes, cut an apple, any normal tasks...but if anything really dirty and potentially damaging comes up it's nice to have a second knife I can put to hard use if the need arises and not worrying about it...if it ever breaks I'll just stop by Target on my way home and get another one.

Alnamvet68 said:
Speaking of weight, much has been said about the bulkiness and weight of these SAK knives, which are two things, of many things, that SAK detractors cite as reasons for not carrying one. A quick look at specs reveals that the weight of a 4 tool, 2 layer alox Pioneer is 2.5 oz; a GEC #15 single blade Charlow weighs 2.5 oz. The thickness of a "bulky" 4 tool, 2 layer SAK Pioneer is less than that of a 2 layer, 2 bladed Charlow; imagine that.
Click to expand...

And if you look at a Cadet, still 4 tools and 2 layers, it's the thinnest and lightest knife I own by quite a good bit. I'm amazed at how slim and light they were able to make the Cadet, it just disappears in a pocket. Might not be as stout as a Pioneer but it's still a solid knife. As handy as the awl on the Pioneer can be, I actually find plenty of use for the nail file too...sometimes the constant playing around with slipjoints can cause a little damage to my thumbnail :)
 
I have several SAKs, and I imagine I'll eventually get more of them. I carry a Classic and an Electrician every day, and also have a Tinker (EDC until I got the Electrician from Forum member greg c), a Camper (it's usually in my bag because you never know when a saw will come in handy), a Recruit, and a MiniChamp. I like the consistent quality of SAKs, their availability (either new or used), their relatively low price (although alox prices seem to be getting out of hand IMHO), and their usefulness and versatility.

But I wonder if my fascination with SAKs isn't really just a case of their reminding me of my very first knife, a Colonial Forest-Master that I got about 1960 and carried and used daily for about 10 years. First love and all that, you know?

- GT
 
I carry 2 folders, EDC. One is super sharp, convex edge, it's my box opener. The other is scary-sharp and it's my splinter puller and apple peeler.
You know where I keep a multi tool or SAK? In my car, or in my BOB. The things are great but I don't have room for that in a pocket.
 
On the subject of SAK's, I tend to be a closet schizophrenic.

I've had a love/hate relationship with them since 1969, and they have at times been my sole edc. I've long held Victorinox up on a pedestal for the great QA on something that's made in the millions with hardly a blip now and then for a factory defect. They survive harsh environments, and I've fixed a large number of things with a SAK in the middle of nowhere, where it would have been very awkward to have been stuck. My little classic is in a sheath attached to my keys, so I literally can't leave home without it.

However…

They don't do anything for me, emotionally. There is a sterile coldness to them, that will never endear them to me in a way that my traditionals do. They have about the same character as a Bic pen. The Bic pen is a paragon of function and reliability that is recognized the world over. When it's done, you toss it in the trash and get another. A SAK can be replaced at any big box store for the price of a cheap lunch. Maybe that why when I fly someplace, it's a SAK that I ship to myself. Depending on where I'm going, the model may vary, but I feel fine with just a SAK as my sole edc while far from home. A SAK will handle most anything I need to tackle while rafting and salmon fishing on the Rogue River or slicing some limes for the cold gin and tonics in the Florida Keys while fishing the flats for bonefish. When I leave whatever vacation spot I'm at, I just gift the SAK to some worthy person as a tip. They always get exited and seem grateful.

But while I appreciate my SAK's, I'd never leave someplace without my GEC, or my Northwoods, or any of my traditionals. There's a warmth and character in the wood or horn, and carbon steel. There's a feel that is totally missing with the SAK's that invoke any kind of sentimental attachment. I can't tighten a loose screw with my Northwoods stockman, or open a can with my resolza. I can't fix a problem with a trolling motor on a boat out on the lake with a peanut. And you all know how I feel about a peanut!

I'm sure a shrink could get very interested in my inner battle of SAK vs traditional. If I were looking at it in the harsh cold light of day, there's really no reason to carry any pocket knife but a SAK. Lght, compact,
and as Al pointed out, a pioneer is the same load in the pocket as a single blade GEC. But which one has more use? That's the logical part of me.

But what of aesthetics? We humans put a very great deal on looks. Art galleries are full of objects that haven real function, except that they would burn nicety make a fire to warm yourself or heat a pot of coffee. But the world puts a very very high price on that painting by some Dutchman, or sculpture by that famous Italian guy who painted a ceiling. They push some inner button that we humans need to have pushed now and then. Even ancient man decorated things. What did some Neanderthal need to put up pigments on a cave wall for? Wouldn't his time have been better spent by flaking a better spear tip to slay that dinner with? No, they needed the aesthetics even then. I feel the same way about pocketknives. I love the sheer utility of the SAK, but they leave something out that has nothing to do with function.

As much as I like my SAK's very very much, I don't love them the way I do my traditionals. But I do have both, and I will continue to have both because it's nice to have a choice. That's the nice thing about being a grownup, we can sometimes have our cake and eat it too!
 
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