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How do they do in terms of bushcrafting, making structures (not chopping), making traps, food prep etc.
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Multi-tools (LM, SAK) blades in wild? How do they fare?
- Thread starter maximus0723
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great we paired with a fixed blade, pretty much all bases covered with that combo.
Preacher Man
Moderator
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I agree, although I personally prefer to have three tools with me when in the outdoors: a good chopper/cutter/splitter (hatchet, kukri, machete, or saw depending on destination), a medium sized fixed blade (4 to 5 inches), and a multitool.
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- Feb 28, 2006
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Regardless of what other tools I have with me I always have a SAK Outrider. Been that way for a few years now following a switch from a SAK Hunter model. That Hunter did a bunch of years service prior to that.
I think they're fantastic for what I use them for although I wouldn't want any of them as an ideal single solution. For a start I'd rather switch to something more hand friendly if I were to be working a lot of wood. It's not that they are bad but the shape has to be compromised to an extent that a dedicated FB doesn't have to be. I don't care for a bit but if I knew in advance I'd be spending some time working like that I'd reach for something else.
The slow to corrode nature of what they are made is a real blessing out in the sticks. It would be good if they made at least the main blade from something a little better though. It works fine and all that but we've all passed much water since those steels were considered anything better than ho hum. I know there's a case that doing that might ramp up the price and lose something neat about the current SAK niche. I think that's bollox. I'll be picking up another Rough Rider slippy this week dirt cheap. They kinda frame what I expect from a pocket knife for the price of a couple of gallons of gas. On that, with the SAK I'm really starting to pay the extra only for the design of the tools but not better materials. That's an annoyance that finds me dumping other sorts of knives - but where I could easily modify an Old Hickory to overcome that with those types, I can't take something else and generate SAK tools from it. Yup, the design has me by the plums.
Beyond that I think your question needs to be honed more precisely to a particular model. For example; whilst the saws are always good there's a lot more usable length on some than others. Similarly, bits of fur and crap stick to the innards really well if you've got it sticky with blood or whatever but with some it is easier to avoid than others. Likewise, I can prep an avocado with the Outrider with little fuss but with one of the little runt ones I'd probably find it much harder to avoid the migration of avocado slime. Every one I have ever handled has a good blade geometry for food prep though peel a potato, slice up onion, cut through chorizo...
Traps and mechanisms are a bunch of fun with the right SAK.
Approved.
I think they're fantastic for what I use them for although I wouldn't want any of them as an ideal single solution. For a start I'd rather switch to something more hand friendly if I were to be working a lot of wood. It's not that they are bad but the shape has to be compromised to an extent that a dedicated FB doesn't have to be. I don't care for a bit but if I knew in advance I'd be spending some time working like that I'd reach for something else.
The slow to corrode nature of what they are made is a real blessing out in the sticks. It would be good if they made at least the main blade from something a little better though. It works fine and all that but we've all passed much water since those steels were considered anything better than ho hum. I know there's a case that doing that might ramp up the price and lose something neat about the current SAK niche. I think that's bollox. I'll be picking up another Rough Rider slippy this week dirt cheap. They kinda frame what I expect from a pocket knife for the price of a couple of gallons of gas. On that, with the SAK I'm really starting to pay the extra only for the design of the tools but not better materials. That's an annoyance that finds me dumping other sorts of knives - but where I could easily modify an Old Hickory to overcome that with those types, I can't take something else and generate SAK tools from it. Yup, the design has me by the plums.
Beyond that I think your question needs to be honed more precisely to a particular model. For example; whilst the saws are always good there's a lot more usable length on some than others. Similarly, bits of fur and crap stick to the innards really well if you've got it sticky with blood or whatever but with some it is easier to avoid than others. Likewise, I can prep an avocado with the Outrider with little fuss but with one of the little runt ones I'd probably find it much harder to avoid the migration of avocado slime. Every one I have ever handled has a good blade geometry for food prep though peel a potato, slice up onion, cut through chorizo...
Traps and mechanisms are a bunch of fun with the right SAK.
Approved.
Last edited:
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- Feb 8, 2004
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I too often go between my SAK Outrider or my Swiss Spirit mulittool. The Outrider is much easier to use for bushcraft tasks, but it's amazing how much "junk" you can find in the outdoors to work with using a good multitool; wire, nails, steel strappinig, sheet metal, plastic, wire, tin cans, etc. The saw on my Outrider gets used the most and the long, thin blade is excellent at cleaning small game and fish. I agree that they can be a great addition to any kit and even better when paired with a good fixed bladed knife.
ROCK6
ROCK6
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- Jan 30, 2006
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Absolutely fine. The only reason I've stopped using them is I only ever used the blade, and I much prefer a real handle for whittling. Strength and edge holding were never issues for me. But I also carry a hatchet, so a blade for me just needs to cut.
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- May 25, 2007
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I always have my LM Wave on my belt and SAK "hiker" or "Rucksack" in my pocket
I would feel weird not packing my SAK & LM wave whether EDC or going camping/hiking
I would feel weird not packing my SAK & LM wave whether EDC or going camping/hiking
mtnfolk mike
Basic Member
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- Mar 21, 2006
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i rarely go into the woods without my SAK Camper... i love it... SAK's and LM's are excellant woods tools...:thumbup:
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- Oct 6, 2007
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Pretty well. Although I haven't used mine for much food prep.
Fire prep
Trap making..
Even shelter..
A Vic Hiker can do it all.
silenthunterstudios
Slipjoint Addict
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Vic farmer and Soldier, the new liner lock version.
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I always have a Vic blade on me. No matter what I am doing or where I am going, one will always be with me. Used to carry a Wave too, but I gave that up to my dad who found much more use of it than I did. I will soon be picking up a Vic multi-tool though to replace that.
They're great because they are so versatile.
The file can become a fish scaler,
or a sharpener for other metal tools and items (other knives, fishing hooks, etc...),
or used to cut and shape any scrap metal that you might find.
The pliers are great for pealing the bark off of wood,
or retrieving something from the campfire without burning your hands,
or cracking nuts,
or bending and shaping metal to fashion it into a useful tool (like making fishing lures from an aluminum can or fish hooks from nails or barbed-wire),
Pulling porcupine quills out,
or for "frontier dentistry" (think of the movie Castaway).
The blades obviously can do anything any other small blade can do (carve, slice, skin, whittle, shape, puncture, etc...).
The flat screwdrivers can be used to pry open clams and mussels,
or scrape coconut from the inside of the shell....
Just about anything that might damage or severely dull your cutting blades.
The wood-saw can help fashion the triggers for traps which need to fit precisely,
saw wood to exact lengths for constructing a shelter or a litter or a trap or a tool,
saw down some thicker pieces of wood that would severely dull a cutting blade,
saw wood in tight spaces where there is no room to swing a large blade,
saw through frozen wood or frozen game,
saw through bones and other hard material (good for making tools out of animal bones or animal antlers, or for amputating a trapped limb
).
The scissors are great for tiny precise cutting:
trimming fingernails and toenails,
trimming facial hair,
removing hangnails,
cutting moleskin patches to prevent blisters,
trimming feathers for field expedient arrows,
removing the pincers and stingers of edible insects,
etc....
I'm not saying that a multi-tool can replace an axe or a machete, but they are undeniably handy and useful both in the bush and around the home.
The more you carry one the more reasons you will discover to use it.
The file can become a fish scaler,
or a sharpener for other metal tools and items (other knives, fishing hooks, etc...),
or used to cut and shape any scrap metal that you might find.
The pliers are great for pealing the bark off of wood,
or retrieving something from the campfire without burning your hands,
or cracking nuts,
or bending and shaping metal to fashion it into a useful tool (like making fishing lures from an aluminum can or fish hooks from nails or barbed-wire),
Pulling porcupine quills out,
or for "frontier dentistry" (think of the movie Castaway).
The blades obviously can do anything any other small blade can do (carve, slice, skin, whittle, shape, puncture, etc...).
The flat screwdrivers can be used to pry open clams and mussels,
or scrape coconut from the inside of the shell....
Just about anything that might damage or severely dull your cutting blades.
The wood-saw can help fashion the triggers for traps which need to fit precisely,
saw wood to exact lengths for constructing a shelter or a litter or a trap or a tool,
saw down some thicker pieces of wood that would severely dull a cutting blade,
saw wood in tight spaces where there is no room to swing a large blade,
saw through frozen wood or frozen game,
saw through bones and other hard material (good for making tools out of animal bones or animal antlers, or for amputating a trapped limb
).The scissors are great for tiny precise cutting:
trimming fingernails and toenails,
trimming facial hair,
removing hangnails,
cutting moleskin patches to prevent blisters,
trimming feathers for field expedient arrows,
removing the pincers and stingers of edible insects,
etc....
I'm not saying that a multi-tool can replace an axe or a machete, but they are undeniably handy and useful both in the bush and around the home.
The more you carry one the more reasons you will discover to use it.
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- Apr 13, 2007
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Here is an old post of mine, not all the pics are there anymore but I'm sure you will still be able to follow the progress:
Thought I'd do a quick test today using a Bushcraft knife ( ML Kephart ) and a SAK to make a simple Bushcraft tool !
Please take into account that I'm not the best at Bushcraft stuff !!!!
To split the Arrow wood with the Kephart I had to use a wooden batton and truncate it through ( it always makes me nervous doing this but the ML knives are tough so no worries ).Time taken about 1 min 30 secs.
Now for the SAK's turn. No probs here, time taken about 30 secs !
Now to sharpening the ends, the Kephart was a pleasure to use doing this task and flew through both ends in just over a minute.
The SAK suprised me again here and although not as quick or as comfy as the Kephart it sailed through in maybe a minute 30 to two minutes.
Now onto the notching, not being the best at bushcraft it too me a few minutes with the Kephart, first truncating the sides and then slicing out the centre, still an easy task but a little fiddly.
Using the SAK I sawed the sides and then used the blade to cut out the centre, it was probably twice as fast as the Kephart !!!
A couple of minutes cordage work and the Apache Throwing Star was finished.
The conclusion ? On this occasion I guess the SAK won, which would I rather have on my belt.......no contest the ML anytime !!!!!!
Thought I'd do a quick test today using a Bushcraft knife ( ML Kephart ) and a SAK to make a simple Bushcraft tool !
Please take into account that I'm not the best at Bushcraft stuff !!!!
To split the Arrow wood with the Kephart I had to use a wooden batton and truncate it through ( it always makes me nervous doing this but the ML knives are tough so no worries ).Time taken about 1 min 30 secs.
Now for the SAK's turn. No probs here, time taken about 30 secs !
Now to sharpening the ends, the Kephart was a pleasure to use doing this task and flew through both ends in just over a minute.
The SAK suprised me again here and although not as quick or as comfy as the Kephart it sailed through in maybe a minute 30 to two minutes.
Now onto the notching, not being the best at bushcraft it too me a few minutes with the Kephart, first truncating the sides and then slicing out the centre, still an easy task but a little fiddly.
Using the SAK I sawed the sides and then used the blade to cut out the centre, it was probably twice as fast as the Kephart !!!
A couple of minutes cordage work and the Apache Throwing Star was finished.
The conclusion ? On this occasion I guess the SAK won, which would I rather have on my belt.......no contest the ML anytime !!!!!!
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I always have an original Leatherman tool with me. It helps with ropes, tents, cooking and a host of other things.
I am most comfortable afield when I have the Leatherman, a good camp knife, a folding saw and my little Wetterlings ax.
I am most comfortable afield when I have the Leatherman, a good camp knife, a folding saw and my little Wetterlings ax.
savagesicslayer
Gold Member
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- May 24, 2005
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Les Stroud seems to like them.
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I will use my SAK knife blade occasionally for light work like cutting paracord or food prep, but generally I consider it a back up to my fixed blade (generally a mid-size, medium weight knife)
Yep, as has been said they will work just fine.
Now the question is what or which one are you going to carry lol. I like the SAKs but where I live and what I do the multi tool is my choice. When I put on my pants in the morning my leatherman wave is always on my belt. Just like my keys, fixed blade and small pouch that holds my emergency kit.
Every day rain or shine.
Let us know which one you pic to carry even if it is both lol.
Bryan
Now the question is what or which one are you going to carry lol. I like the SAKs but where I live and what I do the multi tool is my choice. When I put on my pants in the morning my leatherman wave is always on my belt. Just like my keys, fixed blade and small pouch that holds my emergency kit.
Every day rain or shine.
Let us know which one you pic to carry even if it is both lol.
Bryan
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- May 2, 2010
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- 118
Well, I am going with SAK Huntsman II. I got a good deal on amazon for that and a SAK flashlight.
If my capital was more expendable, I would probably go with leatherman.
Thanks for the feedback people.
If my capital was more expendable, I would probably go with leatherman.
Thanks for the feedback people.
I good Swiss Army knife (preferably something like a Rucksack or similar with a large blade and saw) or a similarly equipped leatherman is the first knife I'd take in the field.
Spent a lot of time in my Army days wearing a floppy hat before everyone wore floppy hats. Most of us carried one or two SAKs. The true multitool wasn't as common back then. Most also carried a fixed blade but it wasn't used much. The fixed blades were generally a long tool like a Fairbains or a similar Gerber, in other words a backup weapons and certainly not a general use knife.
We never lost anyone due to lack of having a fixed blade.
Spent a lot of time in my Army days wearing a floppy hat before everyone wore floppy hats. Most of us carried one or two SAKs. The true multitool wasn't as common back then. Most also carried a fixed blade but it wasn't used much. The fixed blades were generally a long tool like a Fairbains or a similar Gerber, in other words a backup weapons and certainly not a general use knife.
We never lost anyone due to lack of having a fixed blade.