Multiple blades vs. blades and tools

M

mdsmith

Joined
Jan 7, 2009
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This is just a random thought/question I had tonight while looking at the knives that I seem to rotate carrying. The majority of my knives are multi bladed slip joints, then come the single bladed knives, and finally my single blade & tool knife which is a Victorinox alox soldier. Looking at all of them, and their usefulness, the soldier seems like the clear winner. In just about the same size package as a stockman of similar knife, you get a blade, philips and flat head screw driver, can and bottle opener and an awl. So my question is, why do so many people chose a multi bladed knife over something as multi purpose as the soldier or other SAK?
 
I struggle with this daily. I love my Wenger SI & VIC Tinker, but I've been alternating between my Peanut and Swayback lately because I'm new to the traditional folder thing. I really dig the Peanut, but I carry a SAK on my belt or in my "man purse" incase I need a screwdriver...or a beer.
 
I go through the same thing with my yellow peanut, Schrade stockman and Vic soldier. I really don't have the need for more than one blade, so if something is going to be taking up the rest of the space in my knife, it may as well be other tools that I might find handy. I will say though, most of the time the peanut or stockman kick the soldier out of my pocket. It strictly because of how sterile I find the silver alox SAKS(now an old beat up red alox pioneer is a different story). When I'm carrying it, it comes out of my pocket only when I need it. When I carry the peanut or stockman, I find myself fondling it all day. There's just something about the character of these knives that really grabs me.
 
I think for me it is simply because knives are my passion, multitools are not. I carry a Swiss Card in my wallet but I rarely use anything other than the scissors.

While very useful for some folks, a SAK or other multitool just doesn't have the same appeal to me as a good old fashioned pocketknife.
 
While I like the idea of having all those neat tools in one pocket-sized package, I seldom need them. The last time I actually used the can opener on my Vic SAK, was when I was just testing it to see if it actually worked (it did :thumbup:). I've figured out how to open a beer without a dedicated opener (edge of cap against edge of counter/bench/fence post/etc., and an assertive rap on the top; cap pops off), so I don't really need that either. I have occasionally used the screwdriver to snug up or loosen the clamp screw on my DMT Aligner clamp (or Lansky/Gatco clamps). However, just the other day, I dropped a penny into the Aligner 'kit', which serves the same purpose on the slotted screws. The most versatile tool I have on a SAK, is the pliers on my Mechanic model. They're precisely ground well enough, that they even work as tweezers for splinter-picking. But even they don't get used very often at all.
 
mdsmith said:
Do you usually need multiple blades?
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I'm not sure I actually need them, but I do find more use for them. On a stockman, for example, I'll generally use the clip blade for letter opening and occasionally I'll slice some fruit with it. Also makes a perfect steak knife. The sheepsfoot blade is my dedicated plastic clamshell packaging & box opener, and the spey sometimes comes in handy for very precisie 'surgical' tasks.
 
Railsplitter said:
I think for me it is simply because knives are my passion, multitools are not. I carry a Swiss Card in my wallet but I rarely use anything other than the scissors.

While very useful for some folks, a SAK or other multitool just doesn't have the same appeal to me as a good old fashioned pocketknife.
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That sums up where I'm coming from.

Most of the time I carried a sak, I used the knife blade more than the tools. If I need a screw driver, the Sear's 4-way keychain screw driver works for me. I learned how to open a beer without a dedicated opener tool. With a P-38 in my wallet with the Sears screw driver, I'm all set to handle most of what my sak did. I do carry a little sak classic on my keyring, and that packs a lot of utility in a very small package. After a lot of years, I just took a hard look at what I used most, and a regular pocket knife works best for me. With a peanut in my pocket and the Sears keychain screw driver and P-38 in the zip compartment of my wallet, there's little I can do that a sak soldier can do for me better. But the knife I carry has better steel than the sak knife blade.

Multible blades instead of tools for me is a good thing. A two bladed pocket knife gives me an extra blade to use on the rough dirty jobs that I know will dull up the main blade. Two blades, two different edges to use. Two different blade shapes and point styles. When I carried a stockman, I had a use for each of the three blades.

I am a product of the age I grew up in. I don't like the plier type multitools, never had one, and I doubt I'd try one at this stage of my life. I'm too much of a die hard traditionalist. And sak's just don't have the feel, or soul of a nice bone handle pocket knife. I must not be that alone, as the tool knives are not new. They had tool knives way back in the 1800's. And in the early 1900's with the advent of car's and electricity, they had a zillion pocket knives with screw drivers, and even open end wrenches that fit a wide variety of nuts. But even with the modern age, they did not over take the plain old pocket knife. Not until well after WW2 did the sak's become popular in this country. It wasn't until the 1980's that we got the Leatherman.

I find that the older I get, the more I like to get back to basics. And I want some style and beauty in the things I use. Blued steel guns with nice walnut stocks. No plastic need apply. Knives with natural handle scales like stag or jigged bone, or nice wood. I've only got so many heartbeats left, and I don't want to waste any on ugly stuff with no grace.

Carl.
 
I carry a stockman because I'm sentimental, but a SAK because I often need it and the tools. I almost never need more than one blade, but use the tools on a daily basis. But I like them both...
 
I like multi blade and multi tool pocket knives but I prefer a case 6445r or Boker 182 style than a SAK Soldier.
 
I guess I don't have a definitve answer for this question.
I often carry my Tinker, but I rarely use its tools. Most of all I found out I use them while I'm at work. Outside work, I usually don't need them (I also carry a LM in my car, so that lowers the chances of needing a SAK even more).
As for multiple blades, I always got away with just one. Recently, I started carrying a two bladed traditional to see what happens.
In theory, I agree that two blades, with different shape, and dedicated to different tasks, might be a good idea. Three just sounds a bit too much for me.
But, so far, I found myself using only one of the two blades I carry. It's a question of time and habit I suppose.
Also, sometimes I think that I should carry two knives (an Opinel for food things, and some single blade wharncliff for "dirty" tasks).
Time will tell.....

Fausto
:cool:
 
For several years I carried nothing but a SAK, but that eventually became too monotonous, so I put a little Victorinox Rambler on my key ring (in order to have the most needed tools handy) and started carrying my other knives, rotating through my collection. It's just enjoyable. I like knives. My dad liked knives too, and I guess it rubbed off onto me when I was just a little kid.
 
If I'm going camping, I use the SAK tweezers, can opener, and the large blade for food prep. Like others have mentioned, there something about a traditional knife that makes you want to hold it and feel its contours. Most of the time I have a Buck 309 and Vic classic on my key chain. I probably don't need the 309, but it feels good just to have it.
 
The Soldier is an awesome knife. But it is bigger and heavier than I need on a daily basis. And, while I like the way it looks, I like traditional traditionals better.
 
Camping and such I like to have a dedicated multi-tool be it an SAK or Leatherman type tool but on a day to day basis I just find it to be a pocket weight...at work a multi-bladed knife comes in handy in case I damage the edge on say a large casting box staple (for those that have seen the staples used on pallet sized boxes for castings they are almost as big as some knife blades are!). My wenger SI has since I got it though been one of my favorite knives, and found when in Australia a swiss army knife doesnt get a second look because they are just so common in positive media so to avoid trouble its my go to knife a lot of the time.

I like my multi-blades to have at least one blade with a pronounced tip for splinter removal, swarf splinters as a machinist if infected can put you out of action so we learn early on to remove as soon as we get them and disinfect them. A small slipjoint is in my pocket med kit I made up.
 
Railsplitter said:
While very useful for some folks, a SAK or other multitool just doesn't have the same appeal to me as a good old fashioned pocketknife.
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I totally agree with this. I actually do find myself using the tools on the SAK quite a bit when I carry it, and I still seem to carry the stockman or peanut more often than the SAK. There's just something about the an old traditional slip joint with a nice patina.

I guess that was really my question here.... what makes you chose to carry the knife that you do.
 
jackknife said:
I don't like the plier type multitools, never had one, and I doubt I'd try one at this stage of my life.
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I'm finding this to be true of myself too. I just recently purchased my third plier based multitool, and while I find them very useful on the weekend while working around the house, I just can't get into carrying one. They just end up sitting in my drawer.
 
D. All of the above.

I carry a Cybertool 29 SAK which has a main blade, small blade, canopener, bottle opener, plus the bit driver and multi-bits, as well as the regular SAK stuff like corkscrew, ink pen, awl, etc. About the only tool I don't use on it is the toothpick. I even once took an entire Latin exam with the pen. The multi-bit is perhaps the most used and handy tool I've ever carried, even moreso than any blade. If I could only ever carry one knife/tool, it'd be a Cybertool (but probably the larger 34).

I also carry a Leatherman Squirt PS4 which has both scissors and pliers. That and the SAK go in my left pocket with my keys and wallet.

In my right pocket I carry a traditional slipjoint. 2-4 blades including at least one straight and at least one curved. And yes, I use them all. Each different blade is ideal for different things, which is the reason I carry such knives (that and nostalgia). Sometimes, if I'm going "light" instead of a traditional knife I carry a V'nox Pioneer Rancher, which is a Pioneer/Soldier with a pruning blade in place of the can opener, and I leave the Cybertool at home.

In my backpack, which goes pretty much everywhere with me if I'm riding my bike, I carry a Leatherman Charge XTi.

No fixed blades or machetes, but I don't really need them in the city. The Charge has a saw anyway.
 
I carry a small alox rambler on a clip on my keychain as well as a regular folder. I've found a number of regular uses for tools on the SAK and really enjoy having it. The only tool that I don't really use on the rambler, is the knife. I normally always go for my folder for that. Yes, I can probably open a bottle on a table, or tighten a screw with a dime, but I believe in using the right tool for the job. I'm also not a fan of the leatherman style multi-tools. No class in my opinion.

When I pull my SAK out to use it it's a good conversation starter. SAKs just hold a special place in popular culture. In fact, I give a lot of SAK classics away for this reason. I get to talking to a friend about my SAK and how useful it is and the person is usually very interested and agrees, but I don't really think they will take the initiative to track one down and purchase, so I will usually just give them a cheap red classic with a keychain clip. Every time I ask them about it later they say they use it regularly. I don't think the same set of events would happen with a SBJ or Trapper frankly. I'm 28 and I don't think people in my generation would immediately realize the utility of a dedicated pocket knife enough to want to carry one. We grew up in an era of safety scissors and junk food with easy open packages. I grew up around my traditional folder collecting grandfather, but most people around me didn't have that ingrained in them. In fact I got into carrying a knife & edc through my first SAK classic which my grandfather gave me, so maybe my gift will spark the fire in someone new. All it took for me was realizing that I ran into situations where a bigger knife would be useful. Then I stumbled onto edc and the bug bit me.

I gave him the link to this forum actually, so he may be lurking around here somewhere if he's figured out how to work it. Howdy Pops!
 
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mdsmith said:
I totally agree with this. I actually do find myself using the tools on the SAK quite a bit when I carry it, and I still seem to carry the stockman or peanut more often than the SAK. There's just something about the an old traditional slip joint with a nice patina.

I guess that was really my question here.... what makes you chose to carry the knife that you do.
Click to expand...

SAKs are just too handy not to have, I usually edc a Vic Climber. I use the tools so much, it's hard not to carry it. While a traditional such as a stockman is nicer (at least to me), the SAK finds it's way back into my pocket by necessity. I seldom have a need for a traditional. I'll carry one if I'm not going to need tools. I also usually have a Spyderco clipped to my other front pocket that sees most of the cutting chores. It's almost always easier to grab it and use it then to go and dig something out of my pocket, especially when my hands are dirty or greasy.
 
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