Let's talk SAK's !

I'm always vascillating between the Huntsman and Farmer for outdoors use. I prefer the Farmer overall, but the scissors come in handy from time to time. The Climber is my preferred EDC for urban carry. I usually have a Manager on my keychain, and a SAK money clip which has a scissors, to augment the Farmer.
 
I just found out about the Fieldmaster, which is a Huntsman with a Philips screwdriver instead of corkscrew.

A small but important change, both for EDC and in the woods I'm MUCH more likely to need a screwdriver than to open a bottle of wine.

That's next on my list to acquire.
 
I've been carrying Tinkers since I got my first one about 20 years ago. I've been through 4 - the first one was stolen, but I still have the other three. I have Tinkers to all of my groomsmen in my wedding. It may not be the most woodscrafty knife out there, but I have used it in so many situations I can't imagine being without one.

SAK's do have their limitations, but they're often better than a rock and a stick if it's all you've got.
 
added a small firesteel and ~ 10' of 200# Spectra cord to my Farmer

farmerfsteel.jpg


farmerfob.jpg
 
I just got one of the new soldier models as well. It's my first one handed SAK and so far I'm liking it, good tool selection and well... it just plain looks cool.

I wasn't liking the serrations or chisel grind on it though, just not for me, but a little work with a file and now it's plain edge! I'm surprised I didn't ruin it to be honest. Now it seems about perfect, think it's gunna be my new woods folder.
 
I got a One Handed Trekker and a Hiker for Christmas. The Trekker is a lump at the bottom of the pocket. Wal Mart has clip on keyrings for two bucks. Yesterday I attached the OHT to one , clipped it to a front pocket and carried it unnoticeable. Its easy to retrieve , but a little awkward to affix.
 
jw2n said:
NS versions are available in factory form.
Click to expand...
I don't think there are non-serrated versions of the new soldier model, only ever seen it in combo edge. The one handed trekker has a plain edge version though and is practically the same knife but the scales are different. I just like the soldiers scales better (purely for looks).

Either way I bought it from a store that didn't have much selection because I had a gift card and now mine's plain edge and still looks fine so I'm happy with my purchase.
 
Just to address a couple of concerns from earlier posts...

The small screwdriver on the tip of the can opener is designed to fit Phillips head screws. It works very well. Also, because it's end mounted, it's a little easier to use than the mid-mounted Phillips on most SAKs.

The Nite Ize Eclipse is a easy and affordable way to add a clip to a OHT (and possibly to most of the large SAKs.)
http://www.amazon.com/Nite-Ize-eCLIPse-Locking-Black/dp/B0037H5NF0
 
John G said:
Here's my new Swiss Champ. It was a Christmas present from my mom & dad.
Click to expand...

That looks like a great SAK, all the tools you ever need! Now you just need some other SAKs like a Farmer for when you want something slimmer to carry - that makes it easy to never leave the house without a SAK. If I was in charge it would be illegal to set foot outside without a SAK - unequipped citizens are just a menace as proved by the stories on this forums about non-knife equipped people borrowing knife people's knives and damaging them.

Speaking of non-knife people:
A friend of mine comes around and brings his knife - it's a really old Victorinox 111mm SAK with locking blade. He wants me to sharpen it again, I feel the blade and it is already sharp - so I just strop it until it will shave hair and push cut newspaper. I'm pretty happy that he appreciates the sharp blade so much that he decides it can do with sharpening when it only needs a little light stropping to have a great edge.
BUT: The tip of the blade has been broken off long ago, so I ask him about how he did that. He thought that he probably did it trying to pry something!!! WTH! I open up the bottle opener/flat screwdriver tool and hold it up - I tell him that he is an idiot and this is the right tool to pry something with! The flat screwdriver is way thicker & stronger than the tip of the knife and is much less likely to break when prying. The good thing though is that he does have his own SAK and didn't break the tip on someone else's knife - that is the way that it should always be!

Even my Alox Cadet has a sharp blade + can opener/small flat screwdriver/phillips screwdriver + bottle opener/flat screwdriver/pry tool + file. That is a nice looking, slim, light and cheap to buy tool - why shouldn't everyone carry something like that?
 
i got the farmer....love the hawkbill for work (i work at a plant nursery)...the awl is great to have as well...slim package. i used to carry a OHT but i lost it somehow....the gf has a cadet for her edc...gotta respect the SAK!
 
Always wanted to pick up the Pioneer Harvester. It's just like the Farmer without the Can opener and key hole ring, but you get a pruning blade, which I find more useful.
 
NS versions of the New Soldier are available, but can be tough (and pricey) when found. The last one I found was close to a C-note.
 
I love the variety of SAKs that are available and they are a good value.

I have quite a few. I prefer a two layer thickness in 111mm (big size) for my EDC. The only tools on SAKs that I miss if I choose one that doesn't have it are the tweezers and toothpick. Most people don't carry tweezers around with them, but the need does come up from time to time to remove splinters and so forth.

Bought the new Dual Pro X. It does not have the tweezers or toothpick however. It is a bit of a lump in the pocket as well, but I still like it. The single serrated blade comes in handly from time to time but it also has the saw blade and regular plain edge blade.

I am in a bit of a rut and I tend to carry the two layer Adventurer the most and like the non-serrated One Handed Trekker knife. It is a little hard to find.

In the past I carried the old Alox Soldier, and Tinker models a lot.
 
My parents gave me my first SAK in 1969. Prior to that I had only used slippies. Little did they know that with that simple gift that they would initiate a life-long passion. Hardly a month will pass in which I will not buy one. SAKs are Crack.
 
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