Let's talk SAK's !

pitdog

pitdog

Joined
Apr 13, 2007
Messages
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What SAK do you think has the best features for woods bummin/ survival ?

What features do ya find yourself using the most in the outdoors and which ones do ya use the least ?

How do Wengers compare to Victorinox ?

Any unusual uses you have found for the tools when in the outdoors ?

Pics are always welcome !!!!:D
 
I just got my hands on a Pioneer Harvester. I think it would make a great choice for the woods.An alox handle with: A main blade, a small hawkbill blade(love it), an aggressive saw, an awl, and a flathead screwdriver/bottle opener. I think its the best combo of implements that I have found so far in a SAK. Check it out.
 
My favorite models (for the woods) are the large lock blade models with a saw.(rucksack, trekker, Forrester) The locking blade makes it a viable back up should you lose or damage your fixed blade... The saw is well.......a saw...The saw dust it creates however is easily combustible via ferro rod, and the spine of the saw make a great striker... I use the corkscrew for untying those tough knots..the tweezers are great for removing ticks and splinters, and the toothpick is handy for cleaning out the joints of the knife.
 
I like Victorinox. The wengers I've handled seemed crappy, but the last time I actually handled a wenger was years ago. I like my Swisschamp or Trekker. The wood saw is useful as are the can and bottle openers.
 
RescueRiley said:
My favorite models (for the woods) are the large lock blade models with a saw.(rucksack, trekker, Forrester) The locking blade makes it a viable back up should you lose or damage your fixed blade... The saw is well.......a saw...The saw dust it creates however is easily combustible via ferro rod, and the spine of the saw make a great striker... I use the corkscrew for untying those tough knots..the tweezers are great for removing ticks and splinters, and the toothpick is handy for cleaning out the joints of the knife.
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Yeah I'm kinda with ya there buddy, I've been looking at the one handed Forester.
 
For me, it would be a Farmer, but with scissors...I guess you can say a Huntsman but with Alox scales :D
 
The farmer for me. I think it was Pict who has a youtube vid where he carves a net needle with just his Farmer. The things I use the least are the screw drivers and the bottle opener. I do have a classic on my key chain as well. The "get both" philosophy. ;)

Edit: did I say bottle opener? :o I use that the most. I meant the can opener. :D
 
pitdog said:
What SAK do you think has the best features for woods bummin/ survival ?
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Fieldmaster

pitdog said:
What features do ya find yourself using the most in the outdoors and which ones do ya use the least ?
Click to expand...

Scissors, very handy when fishing the most, wire stripper the least.

pitdog said:
How do Wengers compare to Victorinox ?
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Currently models, IME there is no real quality difference anymore.

pitdog said:
Any unusual uses you have found for the tools when in the outdoors ?
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I like to fish, and while there are dedicated models for fishing, I like the scissors for not only snipping line here and there, but have found that the area behind the blade pivot (circled in red here), is great for crimping lead weights onto the line. Just set it in there and push down. (works just as well with the pliers, and they also work better as a hook remover, than the normal hook remover)

VX-fieldmaster.jpg
 
The Farmer for me. I use the blade a little, the saw a little more and the awl a lot. The screwdriver and cap lifter are handy too.
 
Bear Claw Chris Lappe said:
Fieldmaster

I like to fish, and while there are dedicated models for fishing, I like the scissors for not only snipping line here and there, but have found that the area behind the blade pivot (circled in red here), is great for crimping lead weights onto the line. Just set it in there and push down. (works just as well with the pliers, and they also work better as a hook remover, than the normal hook remover)

VX-fieldmaster.jpg
Click to expand...

Great little tip !:thumbup:
 
RescueRiley said:
My favorite models (for the woods) are the large lock blade models with a saw.(rucksack, trekker, Forrester) The locking blade makes it a viable back up should you lose or damage your fixed blade... The saw is well.......a saw...The saw dust it creates however is easily combustible via ferro rod, and the spine of the saw make a great striker... I use the corkscrew for untying those tough knots..the tweezers are great for removing ticks and splinters, and the toothpick is handy for cleaning out the joints of the knife.
Click to expand...
:thumbup:
The Trekker is a permanent part of my mountain biking pack. The saw is great for removing pesky low-hanging branches that obstruct the trail. The tweezers have come in handy for plucking splinters/thorns/debris from out my skin after a crash. The big wide flathead/bottle opener is a huge help for removing a tire off the rim for a tube replacement. Overall a great tool for mountain biking deep in the woods.

trekker1.jpg


trekker2.jpg
 
I am a big fan of the huntsman and the fieldmaster. The corkscrew on the huntsman is probably a little more useful than the Phillips on the fieldmaster in a woods setting.
It works great for working out knots and is handy for cordage in general. The can opener works very well as a Phillips driver so you are still covered.
The scissors are a must have in my book and rule out the stock alox models for me. The tweezers are nice to have when you need them.
Jim
 
pitdog said:
What SAK do you think has the best features for woods bummin/ survival ?

What features do ya find yourself using the most in the outdoors and which ones do ya use the least ?

How do Wengers compare to Victorinox ?

Any unusual uses you have found for the tools when in the outdoors ?

Pics are always welcome !!!!:D
Click to expand...

Features all depend on what you need. You just have to buy what you think you need and then carry it for a month. Only downside to this method is your winding up with too many SAK's to EDC.

Never use the saw, use the Phillips blades sometimes, use the large blade and screwdriver on regular basis, use toothpick and tweezers constantly. The leather awl is the best ferro rod scraper you will find.

Just never warmed up to the Wengers but that is personal opinion, IMO.

Check out Swissbianco forum on Bladeforums and Secret Order of the SAK. Both great sources of info and pics.

5de50c6f.jpg
 
I have a couple Alox Farmers plus gave one to my best friend as part of an ongoing effort to get him kitted up over time. I picked the Farmer because of the useful blade, extra can opener in case I can't find one of my P38s (which actually happened once), the saw, which works great but which I have never actually needed and the awl, which I find very useful.

Except for the one time I used the can opener (to open a can of beans for someone else, now that I think about it) I actually never use them in the field and they are just extra weight. If I could afford to have the screwdrivers removed I could live without the can opener and would probably carry/use them more often.

Oh, and I would have that lanyard ring mount removed because it's in a terrible spot. But I love my SAKs because they are such a neat and well made tool.
 
I spent some time researching this-I wanted a reasonably sized SAK that would fit in my pocket and my hand but still have two blades, can opener, bottle opener, saw and scissors.

The answer is the Huntsman, I bought two used on ebay for about 4 bucks apiece. I also have a few Spartans for EDC-my beater Spartan is ugly as sin, but I find myself using it for everything from Biology Lab to sharpening pencils mid-lecture to opening mail and cracking cold ones. Not a bad piece for 13 bucks new.

Here's a glory shot I took of my ugly Spartan-I find myself taking it for granted on a daily basis, so this is its tribute.

62751_1397664474087_1606500107_30986132_3903653_n.jpg


I'd also consider a Camillus Eagle and the US issue Camillus stainless steel multitool-both are great classic utilitarian pocket knives.
 
Vic Soldier (old style)
Vic Rucksack (My EDC for almost 19 years)
Vic Hunter (My current EDC)
Vic Farmer
Vic Camper
Wenger Standard Issue
Wenger S18
Wenger Backpacker
 
Farmer is my EDC. As said by others the awl, saw blade and knife blade. For camp craft I use the piss out of my SAK, from carving pot holders, traps and such.
 
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