Most practical "city" SAK model?

I've been looking at these alox ones a lot and the only one that makes any sense for me (basically in the city/boroughs) is an electrician or the single blade.

I've never needed all the tools before and can't see myself using anything but the screwdriver for basic things. No one really needs a can opener or a bottle opener anymore. The scissors.. eh...

My vote goes for the alox electrician. It's thin and has things I'd actually use.
 
It’s the boring, predictable answer but my list would go something like this:
1) compact
2) tourist
3) waiter
4) rambler
5) Cellidor Bantam
5) Alox Bantam

Ask me tomorrow and the list will probably be different. I don’t know if any are more perfect than others, but in general I think the classic Red Celluloid are sheeple-friendly. The waiter doesn’t get the love it should, but it’s very functional for a one-layer knife.
 
RickHuf said:
I've been looking at these alox ones a lot and the only one that makes any sense for me (basically in the city/boroughs) is an electrician or the single blade.

I've never needed all the tools before and can't see myself using anything but the screwdriver for basic things. No one really needs a can opener or a bottle opener anymore. The scissors.. eh...

My vote goes for the alox electrician. It's thin and has things I'd actually use.
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You and I think alike on this. Also, for me, the blade needs to be large enough to cut an apple or make a sandwich on the days I go into the office, so the itty-bitty ones wouldn’t work at all for me.
 
Am I missing something, or do things just not break in the city? It seems that there's more to be broken what with all of the extra doors, windows and toilets in urban areas. I'd think a more fully equipped tool would be as useful day to day as it is in a rural setting.

Never lived in an urban area myself, so forgive the befuddled musings of a lifelong hayseed.
 
Wild Willie said:
Am I missing something, or do things just not break in the city? It seems that there's more to be broken what with all of the extra doors, windows and toilets in urban areas. I'd think a more fully equipped tool would be as useful day to day as it is in a rural setting.

Never lived in an urban area myself, so forgive the befuddled musings of a lifelong hayseed.
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Haha no- you’re not wrong. I love the pioneer, but I will use it more in the woods than in the city.

At the same time, you’re a lot closer to proper tools.

For me it’s the balance of convenience and recognizing the inevitable limitations of a multi tool.
 
How can you trust a man that wears both a belt and suspenders? The man can't even trust his own pants!

Just Tom. said:
You and I think alike on this. Also, for me, the blade needs to be large enough to cut an apple or make a sandwich on the days I go into the office, so the itty-bitty ones wouldn’t work at all for me.
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Definitely! This one is pretty great. Single spring, two blades, 3 3/8"(ish)

20230924_194300~2.jpg

I typically have my tool pouch with me that has screwdrivers, channel locks, needle nose, wire strippers/cutter etc. If I did have the electrician the blades would certainly get the most use.
 
ISKRA said:
Maybe a small tinker? I don't know what all is out there.

For me personally, my "urban" SAK knife would be this vintage Tourist from the 50s. You can do phillips screws with the small screw driver on the can opener and the inside of the caplifter is sharpened for wire stripping. I love the old awl and two blades are a must for me – having a small clip blade instead of a pen blade makes it even better.

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That’s gorgeous
 
Ratatoskr said:
Farmer X. No one's threatened by a SAK, and I'd rather have one with a full-ish sized handle.
Since I moved more to shop work than jobsite work, I leave the Grip and MK1 at home and just have a Farmer X. Haven't died yet.
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I own a farmer already and it will forever be my favorite. The farmer x is just the farmer plus scissors right?

I've only ever used sak scissors for cutting loose thread on clothing.
 
RickHuf said:
I've been looking at these alox ones a lot and the only one that makes any sense for me (basically in the city/boroughs) is an electrician or the single blade.

I've never needed all the tools before and can't see myself using anything but the screwdriver for basic things. No one really needs a can opener or a bottle opener anymore. The scissors.. eh...

My vote goes for the alox electrician. It's thin and has things I'd actually use.
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I used to carry an alox solo a lot but I’ve shifted to the manager and I've used everything on it except the wire stripper.
 
SwissHeritageCo said:
I own a farmer already and it will forever be my favorite. The farmer x is just the farmer plus scissors right?

I've only ever used sak scissors for cutting loose thread on clothing.
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Yessir. The scissors are, for lack of a better word, urbane, and they're what I end up cutting with, in town. (Specifically: cutting a slit in each sticky side of a bandaid, so that you can wrap it around a knuckle and still flex the finger. I work with lots of sharp stuff.) The FX just - feels right. Right weight, right dimensions, right solidity. YMMV, as always, but I hella like mine; I trim my pennants with a lighter when they pop up.

Back in the before times, the long long ago, you had to buy a Farmer and a Pioneer X, and then drill out the pins and combine the parts you wanted into one knife. That's the one I've got in my pocket, and my admiration may be part nostalgia. The unwanted parts and duplicates formed a second knife, that lives in my tool chest. Plastic scale knife choice: Huntsman.
 
I live in Brooklyn, I've been carrying a Cadet on and off for just under ten years now. Can't say I've ever felt particularly un or underprepared. The one tool I've found myself needing repeatedly that's not on it is, oddly enough, the corkscrew. Get to a hotel or an Airbnb or some sort of function and there's wine and no way to open it. Of course, there's no Alox model with a corkscrew and that's why we keep the Forrester in the car...

I like that the Cadet really disappears in the pocket, but if I was buying a SAK today, I do believe I'd strongly consider a Pioneer X.
 
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