- Joined
- Jan 20, 1999
- Messages
- 738
Some quick notes on SAK Service Pocket Tool. I received mine! 
Ill try not to repeat too much from above, but after various threads, I do not remember what I read where. A caveat, other than slicing some paper, I have not really had a chance to use it. Perhaps, this weekend.
It is definitely worth having for about $35. As I guessed, the hump does make the saw a little less comfortable to use, but I suppose it depends on the grip you use. I think is a reasonable trade-off.
I bought the sheath. I think it is worthwhile and would recommend it, especially from Victorinox Store Inc., as they take 50% off if you buy it with the knife. It appears that it is made to match the knife and has the number 4.0547.3 embossed in it. That number is also on the receipt, with the price being $5.38 after discount. Appears to be Cordura wrapped around a vinyl stiffener. It might not be up to the standards of the custom makers, but the price is right, and it should also fit the Rucksack. It does have some rivets which are not covered, but they are smooth and do not seem to have much effectbesides this knife is only a $35 user. I only mention it because I have seen them covered, perhaps on a sheath for a Sebenza...?? It has enough velcro holding the flap to be relatively secure, but not as much as a BlackHawk product would have. Unless you made the flap longer there is no more room for any velcro. If you hold the sheath upside down, with the flap open, and the knife and steel jammed in, they do not fall out, but will if you jiggle it a little.
A neat extra, the sheath has a little pocket for a sharpening steel which I also got. It is of the grooved variety, with the grooves being rather fine. In a pinch it should make a decent small fid or marlinspike; or a little ice pick. This could be very useful if you need to get out a tight knot to save cordage; or of course in splicing. It was $5. The little sleeve could probably also hold the little EZLap diamond rod, Ill have to try that later. I will not hold a Gatco triceps, which I do have handy. It could hold a ferrocerium rod.
Shipping of the package was $7.50, not too bad considering actual postage was $5.25.
Blade has been described above. It came hair popping sharp. Will slice paper with and across the grain. Remember as noted it is a chisel grind, with the grind & serrations on the right, if you are holding the handle, with the blade facing out, edge down. The plain part of the edge, at the base of the blade is 1 1/16 inches. The serrated portion from the tip in, is about 2 1/16 inches. The blade is mounted in the middle of the knife end. In slicing a pear, I noticed this caused the slice to veer off, but found it was controllable in something soft like that.
Liner lock seems to hold OK, Ill let the abusers ;-) give it a tougher test. It does allow a little up and down movement of the blade. Easier to close with my left hand. As someone has noted, the screwdriver also locks, and they expressed their preference that they would rather have the saw lock. I do not know if the saw could be made to lock by redesign, but in any event it does not. The screwdriver does lock. Perhaps not necessary, in ordinary use, but it could be useful, e.g., if you were scraping out the last remnants of coconut from the shell. The screwdriver does stop for use at a 90 degree angle (not locking).
Can opener works. Have not tried the wire stripper, but does not look as effective as the one on my Leatherman WAVE; I hope appearances are deceiving. Tweezers are marginal, as in all SAK, but better than nothing. They would need to be a little thicker, to make them stiffer, for much use. The awl is the useful shape with the scalloped or should I say concave, edge. Unfortunately, no hole (doesnt the Rucksack one have a hole!!! mine is not on me at the moment.)
The SAK will fit snugly in my BlackHawk (large?) beeper case, beside my Motorola StarTAC cellular telephone. Since it has black handles, it is not very noticeable that way. If you use either a lot, this might not be a good idea, but they do fit. One way to wear a knife this large with a suit.
This BlackHawk case has been handy, in that unlike the one that comes with it, it has never let my telephone fall out. It was not necessarily designed with the telephone in mind, and has relatively large gaps at the top sides...perhaps to make the beeper easier to view/grab?? The belt attachment uses velcro on two large straps, which are secure, since they are also held together by the belt pressing them into ones waist. It makes it easy to take on an off. I have had mine for several months and do not see any degradation in performance over that time. I did lean over a hard chair arm one time and I found out later the sound I heard was not the velcro giving but my antenna end fracturing. Not the fault of the case, the one it comes with does not protect it either, but perhaps the phone would have popped out first. Enough for now.
Ill try not to repeat too much from above, but after various threads, I do not remember what I read where. A caveat, other than slicing some paper, I have not really had a chance to use it. Perhaps, this weekend.
It is definitely worth having for about $35. As I guessed, the hump does make the saw a little less comfortable to use, but I suppose it depends on the grip you use. I think is a reasonable trade-off.
I bought the sheath. I think it is worthwhile and would recommend it, especially from Victorinox Store Inc., as they take 50% off if you buy it with the knife. It appears that it is made to match the knife and has the number 4.0547.3 embossed in it. That number is also on the receipt, with the price being $5.38 after discount. Appears to be Cordura wrapped around a vinyl stiffener. It might not be up to the standards of the custom makers, but the price is right, and it should also fit the Rucksack. It does have some rivets which are not covered, but they are smooth and do not seem to have much effectbesides this knife is only a $35 user. I only mention it because I have seen them covered, perhaps on a sheath for a Sebenza...?? It has enough velcro holding the flap to be relatively secure, but not as much as a BlackHawk product would have. Unless you made the flap longer there is no more room for any velcro. If you hold the sheath upside down, with the flap open, and the knife and steel jammed in, they do not fall out, but will if you jiggle it a little.
A neat extra, the sheath has a little pocket for a sharpening steel which I also got. It is of the grooved variety, with the grooves being rather fine. In a pinch it should make a decent small fid or marlinspike; or a little ice pick. This could be very useful if you need to get out a tight knot to save cordage; or of course in splicing. It was $5. The little sleeve could probably also hold the little EZLap diamond rod, Ill have to try that later. I will not hold a Gatco triceps, which I do have handy. It could hold a ferrocerium rod.
Shipping of the package was $7.50, not too bad considering actual postage was $5.25.
Blade has been described above. It came hair popping sharp. Will slice paper with and across the grain. Remember as noted it is a chisel grind, with the grind & serrations on the right, if you are holding the handle, with the blade facing out, edge down. The plain part of the edge, at the base of the blade is 1 1/16 inches. The serrated portion from the tip in, is about 2 1/16 inches. The blade is mounted in the middle of the knife end. In slicing a pear, I noticed this caused the slice to veer off, but found it was controllable in something soft like that.
Liner lock seems to hold OK, Ill let the abusers ;-) give it a tougher test. It does allow a little up and down movement of the blade. Easier to close with my left hand. As someone has noted, the screwdriver also locks, and they expressed their preference that they would rather have the saw lock. I do not know if the saw could be made to lock by redesign, but in any event it does not. The screwdriver does lock. Perhaps not necessary, in ordinary use, but it could be useful, e.g., if you were scraping out the last remnants of coconut from the shell. The screwdriver does stop for use at a 90 degree angle (not locking).
Can opener works. Have not tried the wire stripper, but does not look as effective as the one on my Leatherman WAVE; I hope appearances are deceiving. Tweezers are marginal, as in all SAK, but better than nothing. They would need to be a little thicker, to make them stiffer, for much use. The awl is the useful shape with the scalloped or should I say concave, edge. Unfortunately, no hole (doesnt the Rucksack one have a hole!!! mine is not on me at the moment.)
The SAK will fit snugly in my BlackHawk (large?) beeper case, beside my Motorola StarTAC cellular telephone. Since it has black handles, it is not very noticeable that way. If you use either a lot, this might not be a good idea, but they do fit. One way to wear a knife this large with a suit.
This BlackHawk case has been handy, in that unlike the one that comes with it, it has never let my telephone fall out. It was not necessarily designed with the telephone in mind, and has relatively large gaps at the top sides...perhaps to make the beeper easier to view/grab?? The belt attachment uses velcro on two large straps, which are secure, since they are also held together by the belt pressing them into ones waist. It makes it easy to take on an off. I have had mine for several months and do not see any degradation in performance over that time. I did lean over a hard chair arm one time and I found out later the sound I heard was not the velcro giving but my antenna end fracturing. Not the fault of the case, the one it comes with does not protect it either, but perhaps the phone would have popped out first. Enough for now.
After all, your hint was "you see".
Before I bash Victorinox for this stupidity, I guess it is only fair to mention that Leatherman was equally remiss in forgetting to put the measurements on the WAVE.*
I wouldn't call it defective.* It does appear to work, and as a bonus also allows the screwdriver to lock.