Large SAK's Too Large?

T

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Are the large SAK's by Victorinox too large to be slipjoints? I've never handled one, but other slipjoint knives I've handled of similar size have a significant amount of blade play.
 
I have a cybertool 41 (8 backsprings) as well as a bunch of others, and there is no play at all in any of the implements on any of them (though I can flex the blades trying). The quality of vic's construction is very very good. Each implement pair has their own spring and they are smooth. They skimp on materials to make them affordable (the steel is on the soft side and the celloid handles scratch easily) but they do not skimp on the manufacture.

I could get by with only my 41 if I didn't need larger pliers so often.

P.S. a coworker of mine has carried his SAK since about 1980. It needed a good cleaning and oiling and some sharpening work, but functions (the blades snap nicely) like new (still looks beat up though). :D
 
Tight as a ship. No blade play. Ever. I acquired a 40 y.o. SAK, and still walks and talks like it just came out of the box.

And I carry a Swiss Champ in my front jeans pocket. No belt sheaths for me.
(because I carry a backbelt at work!)
 
klattman said:
I have a cybertool 41 (8 backsprings) as well as a bunch of others, and there is no play at all in any of the implements on any of them (though I can flex the blades trying). The quality of vic's construction is very very good. Each implement pair has their own spring and they are smooth. They skimp on materials to make them affordable (the steel is on the soft side and the celloid handles scratch easily) but they do not skimp on the manufacture.

I could get by with only my 41 if I didn't need larger pliers so often.

P.S. a coworker of mine has carried his SAK since about 1980. It needed a good cleaning and oiling and some sharpening work, but functions (the blades snap nicely) like new (still looks beat up though). :D
Click to expand...

By large SAK I meant those with large size components, such as the Trekker.
 
The Trekker, Centurian, and Locksmith all have a left-handed liner lock for their main blade. They are held open with both the backspring and the lock. I have had a Locksmith for more than a year now, and it has not developed any blade play.
 
I have had a locksmith now for about two months. It hasn't seen a lot of hard use, but I like the larger blade and feels really solid. I have not noticed any play at all. I just wish it would have been a one-hand opener...
 
I EDC a rucksak for at least a year now, I have dropped it many times and generally neglected the poor thing. It still works like new and has no blade play whatsoever.
 
The workchamp and one hand trekker I have are solid. They are still slipjoints, but the main blad has an additional lock.
The slide lock on the workchamp exhibits no play.
On the one hand trekker, the slipjoint main blade is held by a liner lock. This lock allows a very tiny bit of play since it kicks in just shy of fully open... I hope that makes sense...
 
I have the Trailmaster, the Trekker, the Rucksack and the Outrider, and I'd have to say that their slipjoint components are as tight or tighter than those on my smaller SAKs. There is no loss of performance in that size range. My Trekker is the only one that doesn't lock up rock solid, but from my experience, few Trekkers do (I assume to make them easy to open with one hand). The trailmaster, which is the trekker minus one hand function, is absolutely without play and is as solid as my spyderco military...
 
After using a Rucksack for awhile, it's really hard to go back to using a smaller SAK.

Allen.
 
My Vic Champ is still tight after 8+ years. It is a user, but not a beater. It gets regular light tasks.
 
Vic. sak's are excellent. They are really the only slip-joint maker I would recomend buying sight unseen. Vic sak's should be issued at birth.
 
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