My least used SAK tool....

quattromori

quattromori

Joined
May 7, 2011
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3,426
Hi guys,
I've been thinking about this thread for some time. It's just a ramble actually, but I'm curious to see if I'm alone in this or in good company.
So, if you are reading this thread, and browsing this subforum, chances are that you like SAK's. Like I do.
One of the best things about them is the possibilty to choose among a pretty wide selection of tool combos and sizes, according to our needs and use. I assume that someday they will offer a "custom" service (so that everyone can choose his tools), but even now, the choice is wide enough. And pretty inexpensive, too.
To me, SAK's have become mostly a keychain/backup item, since I like to carry a knife anyways. So, I'm more into smaller SAK's with a selected range of tools that I use and need, or "richer" models for the "just in cse I need it" situations.
Still, there is one tool that I almost never use.
The master blade.
Everytime I have to cut something, I reach for my knife, not SAK, unless it's a small petty task; in those cases, sometimes I have found myself using the pen (secondary) blade (or the blade on the 58mm range models) on my SAK. I know it might sound as a paradox, but my spear blade gets almost no use.
I wonder if I'm alone in this.
I know I could just carry a SAK and no other knife, thus using the spear blade more often...but I also know that most of us do carry another blade along with our SAK of choice. If the SAK is a keyring item, then I like to have another blade on me. If it's a backup item, then I won't have it on my person all the time...and again carry a knife too.
I know that the concept behind SAK's is a knife with tools.
I just wonder if I'm the only one who would like Victorinox and Wenger to offer more models without the spear blade (thus having one more layer for tools).

:cool:
 
that would take the K out of the SAK... a sacrilege! giving up the most versatile tool on a multi purpose knife, how could you even consider that?

anyway, if you use your other knife's blade, that's actually an advantage. you'll always have a virgin, clean, factory sharp backup blade when you need it.
 
I know it might be considered a sacrilege, if you look at history, but in terms of use, I don't think it is. Of course, we don't all use our knives and tools the same way; as for the secondary blade, I see it the other way round. I prefer to use the pen blade on the SAK for small dirty tasks (opening packages and such stuff), while keeping my knife blade for cleaner cuts. And since I don't need much more than an inch of blade for the dirty tasks, I'd rather keep the secondary blade and swap the spear for something else...but that's just me.

:cool:
 
While many people on this forum carry a main blade in addition to their SAK (which makes the SAK blade less valuable), we are most likely a small minority of SAK users. Personally, when I'm carrying a larger SAK I often use the main blade, but mainly for food prep (even though I have a dedicated blade on me). I find SAK blades to be extremely good slicers, and make great veggie cutters. In addition, the steak knives one gets in restaurants are pathetic, and using a SAK will draw less attention than my Benchmades or Spydercos.
 
When I carried a 2 bladed sak as an only knife I used the main blade for must cutting and kept the small blade as sharp as possible. Used the reamer for cutting through packaging tape.
Now I carry an Alox Soldier as an only knife and use the main blade for most cutting and the awl for packages and anything else that is sufficiently weak to be cut by the awl edge.
 
I like SAKs. But I don´t use them for food prep. All of my SAKs are working knives on keyrings, pockets or tins or whatever.

Though I´m up to traditional folders / fixed blades, I like SAKs. They are cheap and have a great bladeshape. They make good knives. The used steel is a great. Easy to resharpen and keep the edge very long. I always carry a Vic Executive as a backup in a little first-aid-tin in my jacket. Next to wound-plasts, aspirin, safety-needls and so on and on.
The blades are used for opening packages and cutting different things.
The tool which is used also very often - the caplifter for opening beerbottles :D
The tool I never used is that universal hook.

I have three favorite patterns - Spartan, Climber and Compact.

Kind regards
Andi
 
My least-used tool is the can opener. When I do use it, it is most often used as a hook, on models that don't have the dedicated hook on the back.

The small blade is right up there; I hardly EVER use it. When I do use it, it is for some purpose that makes me wish I had hobby or X-acto knife handy, but I don't; jobs where I need better tip control.

The large blade, I use by default. When making slicing cuts, I find the longer edge means I need less pressure. For example, when cutting open a plastic wrapper with a sharp main blade, it only takes the very lightest of pressure for the blade to just glide through the material. With the small blade, it isn't high effort, but it does require more pressure, since there's less edge to work with.

Someone mentioned, it may have been you, that he saves the large blade as a "clean blade" for food prep, where the extra length is really needed, and uses the small blade for everything else.

The saw is another tool I hardly ever use. Lots of folks like it, because there's really no substitute for a saw. Lots of times, we can substitute a sharp knife for scissors, but it is rare that this can be done for a saw. But I don't do much camping these days, so I only use it when I'm taking a branch for whittling.

I will admit though, that many of the tasks for which I use the main blade the small blade would work just as well. It's just a habit that I grab the main blade first.
 
I really like using the smaller blade, it's great for most EDC tasks, very easy to control, lets me keep the large blade clean for any food prep, and (in urban areas) doesn't draw as much attention from people.
 
I won't buy a SAK or a multi-tool that includes a corkscrew. I'd never use it.

I do use the main blade on my SAKs...anytime I don't need an especially quick or one-handed deployment. It's also a great "Hey, do you have a knife on ya?" loaner.
 
I'm pretty sure that the way SAK are manufactured and designed, you can't just get the small pen blade without the large spearpoint blade.They're designed to fit together. So even if you got rid of the large blade, not much else would fit in there. Also, what would you replace it with? anything that you'd replace it with already exists on some model SAK.

I guess my thinking has always been that the knife is the most important tool. It's the tool that allows you to make other tools. So why get rid of it?
 
Not everyone uses their SAK (or knife) for the same reasons or tasks.
I grew up carrying only SAK's for many years, and I considered the blade the main tool. As I wrote in the first post, I always loved the concept of a "knife plus tools" inside every SAK. But lately I've found myself searching for the perfect combination of tools in a SAK, and finding out that the main blade sees no use.
Of course, if I wanted to replace the main blade of my Tinker with, let's say, scissors, I could always get a Super Tinker...but some of us prefer to have few essential (personal concept) tools, instead of just adding another layer...and the main blade isn't high on my list anymore.
I'm not getting rid of the knife. I carry another knife on my person, always. And I know I'm not the only one. That's why, sometimes, I find myself thinking that on smaller (keychain) models, I'd rather swap the blade for something else. Thanks for your feedbacks guys.

:cool:
 
Less is not always more. You can never predict everything that comes your way, so it's better to have available somewhat more than you need than less.

During the almost twenty years I have owned it, every blade and implement on my Swisschamp has had its use at some time for something, including the much despised parcel hook, except for the back spring mounted small screwdriver. This fits nothing in my life and is too thick and rounded to work well with tiny slotted screw heads, anyway.
Some implements have been used so seldom that I can't remember on what, but all show definite signs of use and/or abuse. Every one has helped me deal with one job/problem/emergency or another, which has probably been worth having it available then.

Keep the large blade in the spirit of Afghan tribesmen, who carry daggers with the inscription on them: “You may need me but once in your life, and for this you must carry me all of your life.” Words to live by ;) .
 
I had never heard of the Afghan tribesman inscription, it is indeed something to think about.
I've come to a very "essential" spirit myself, especially on what I carry on my person. I always have some sort of "rich" SAK or MT around (in my house, car, and so on). And I agree that, sooner or later, everything comes in handy. This said, I'm not going to carry a Swisschamp on my keyring :D and my post was about the "hierarchy" of usefulness of SAK tools on my keyring or constant carry SAK. There, I would prefer a two/three layer SAK (58mm or 75mm range) with other tools instead of the blade. But that's just me :)

:cool:
 
One way and another, I've never been a fan of SAKs with two blades. One will do and the second seems redundant. On most smaller than 91mm the blade is good for fiddly work.
So I vote for the small blade.
 
Sitting and thinking about it, I guess I use all of the tools on my SAKs, just depends on which one I'm carrying. Due to my move, all my locking folders, save my opinel, have been packed for long term storage, so the SAK is the carry of choice, often solo. I admit, I carry my huntsman less than my alox soldier, but the huntsman gets lots of around the house jobs. to each his own. the only use I've come up with for the "mystery hook" was untying theater knots on truss hung drape. I guess adaptability is the name of the game!
 
If you don't like the larger blade, and are looking for a minimalist tool set, have you considered a Rambler? Small pen knife, 2 screw drivers, nail file, scissors, cap opener, etc.
 
Iv'e never used the corkscrew for removing a cork, i don't think iv'e ever even used it... maybe to pry at something, pretty useless if you ask me.
 
The hook is also my least used tool. I understand the OP's position because I also carry a one-hand-opening folder in addition to my Tinker.

I tend to use either the small blade or my one-hander to cut stuff and the larger SAK blade gets very little use. If the scissors fit in its place I'd trade in an instant. It would be great to have the bigger (than my Classic) scissors in a two layer Tinker without losing the other great tools that it has.
 
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I don't think I've ever had a SAK that had a corkscrew on it. I just don't like wine.

My very first SAK was the fishing model (Angler, I think?) that had a hook disgorger/scaler on it, but it at least had a ruler so I still like that better than the corkscrew.

I carried nothing but a Tinker for years, until someone stole it from my desk at work. The wife and wonderchild gave me a SuperTinker after that, which I used for years before buying a Farmer (which I'm carrying now). My daughter has one with a saw and scissors (Fieldmaster maybe?) that I also like a lot, despite it's thickness.

I think all this variety matched with relatively low prices means a lot of us wind up with quite a few, which is a good thing. I'm eyeing an Alox Cadet and (for a first time corkscrew) Spartan next.
 
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