Opinions on a medium size SAK

S

sja2249

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Feb 11, 2006
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I've been pondering getting a new SAK... There are several I'm looking at, and I'm wondering if they're all roughly the same size.

The main ones I'm interested in are the:

Cybertool 29
Mechanic
Super Tinker
Spartan Lite

I want to have a phillips screwdriver, bottle opener, and can opener at a minimum. I'm not sure how useful the pliers would be. I like the idea of having a reamer. Are these all roughly the same width? I have a camper that's very comfortable in my pocket, but I don't think I want anything thicker than that.

Thanks!

Sam
 
The sportsman would be the best choice for you, has the reamer, a phillips head, a can and bottle opener, it's nifty extra thinggs have come in handy quite often for me. And the wood saw is fantastic.

Edit: I just realized the sportsman is slightly thicker than you wanted, the one extra layer barely makes a difference though, still plenty comfortable.
My other choice if I were you would be the hiker
 
I have both the Super Tinker and the Mechanic, and they are right at the width limit for me. But unless you just need the hook and scissors on the Super, or the pliers on the Mechanic, you might want to take a look at the Tinker as well. It's thinner than either the Super Tinker or the Mechanic and you still have all the tools that you indicated you would like to have.

I will say that the pliers on the Mechanic have come in handy on several occasions.

Sorry, can't help you with the Cyber Tool or the Spartan.
 
All the choices you mentioned are thicker than the Camper, although some not as much as the others. According to sources, these are the following thickness measurements of these knives:

Camper: 16.2mm
Super Tinker: 17mm
Mechanic: 18.1mm
Spartan Lite: 19.5mm
Cybertool 29: 21mm

Technically, all of these are 3 layer knives, although the middle layers, the one where they usually differ, have different thickness.

Right off the bat, I would say that the Spartan Lite is the least appealing of the models for me. Maybe it's just me but I prefer my knives not to have any electronic parts in them. It makes them harder to clean and prone to problems. I've heard bad reviews about these "Lite" knives. Some say they can easily turn on accidentally, some say that the light is not powerful enough. In any case, I only say it is less appealing simply because one of your other choices offers what it offers and more. True, it is 1.5mm thicker, but I believe the Cybertool 29 offers much more than the Spartan Lite does. Both have all the basic tools, from the blade, to the openers, to the 2 standard screwdrivers, to the reamer and to the corkscrew. However, while Spartan Lite offers one phillips screwdriver, the Cybertool 29 offers 8 different screwdrivers in that same layer, one of them being the size of the phillips screwdriver that the Spartan Lite has. Furthermore, the length of the screwdriver in the Spartan Lite is half that of the bit driver of the Cybertool 29. And I'm sure you can see why a longer screwdriver is better than a shorter one. What you lose with the Cybertool 29 is the led light of the Spartan Lite, which in any case as I mentioned earlier, might not be that big of a loss.

I'm not insulting the phillips screwdriver of the Spartan Lite, it in fact is one of my favorite tools in the SwissChamp, because it works well. All I'm saying is, if you're concerned about the screwdriver (me not so much, I just need the minimum hence my love for the basic phillips in the SwissChamp), you might as well go for the Cybertool 29. :)

Now, if you mean to say that you just need a basic phillips screwdriver, openers and a reamer, well there is always the Tinker which is thinner than your Camper, and therefore will be much more pocketable. It however places the phillips screwdriver in place of the corkscrew. Being there, there are times when it is rendered useless because the configuration does not allow it to reach corners. Still, that option is there if you don't think you'll meet many of those corner phillips screws.

Regarding the pliers, I was of the opinion before that they were not very useful for the size that they take up. Recently though, I have come to realize that they are indeed very useful and a blessing once you need them (lesson taught to me by my SwissChamp). I've heard that they're very good for fishing when one needs to take the hook out of the fish. It is a good quality tool, but you have to know its limits. Treat it more like long nosed pliers instead of the thicker ones. It will serve you well and basically replace your fingernails for things you need to grip or pull really tight. If you need pliers, the Mechanic is good because it is the Tinker (I mentioned earlier) plus the pliers.

As for the reamer, all of them have reamers. And very good ones too. :)

Cheers!
 
Carloxicus said:
All the choices you mentioned are thicker than the Camper, although some not as much as the others. According to sources, these are the following thickness measurements of these knives:

Camper: 16.2mm
Super Tinker: 17mm
Mechanic: 18.1mm
Spartan Lite: 19.5mm
Cybertool 29: 21mm

Technically, all of these are 3 layer knives, although the middle layers, the one where they usually differ, have different thickness.

Right off the bat, I would say that the Spartan Lite is the least appealing of the models for me. Maybe it's just me but I prefer my knives not to have any electronic parts in them. It makes them harder to clean and prone to problems. I've heard bad reviews about these "Lite" knives. Some say they can easily turn on accidentally, some say that the light is not powerful enough. In any case, I only say it is less appealing simply because one of your other choices offers what it offers and more. True, it is 1.5mm thicker, but I believe the Cybertool 29 offers much more than the Spartan Lite does. Both have all the basic tools, from the blade, to the openers, to the 2 standard screwdrivers, to the reamer and to the corkscrew. However, while Spartan Lite offers one phillips screwdriver, the Cybertool 29 offers 8 different screwdrivers in that same layer, one of them being the size of the phillips screwdriver that the Spartan Lite has. Furthermore, the length of the screwdriver in the Spartan Lite is half that of the bit driver of the Cybertool 29. And I'm sure you can see why a longer screwdriver is better than a shorter one. What you lose with the Cybertool 29 is the led light of the Spartan Lite, which in any case as I mentioned earlier, might not be that big of a loss.

I'm not insulting the phillips screwdriver of the Spartan Lite, it in fact is one of my favorite tools in the SwissChamp, because it works well. All I'm saying is, if you're concerned about the screwdriver (me not so much, I just need the minimum hence my love for the basic phillips in the SwissChamp), you might as well go for the Cybertool 29. :)

Now, if you mean to say that you just need a basic phillips screwdriver, openers and a reamer, well there is always the Tinker which is thinner than your Camper, and therefore will be much more pocketable. It however places the phillips screwdriver in place of the corkscrew. Being there, there are times when it is rendered useless because the configuration does not allow it to reach corners. Still, that option is there if you don't think you'll meet many of those corner phillips screws.

Regarding the pliers, I was of the opinion before that they were not very useful for the size that they take up. Recently though, I have come to realize that they are indeed very useful and a blessing once you need them (lesson taught to me by my SwissChamp). I've heard that they're very good for fishing when one needs to take the hook out of the fish. It is a good quality tool, but you have to know its limits. Treat it more like long nosed pliers instead of the thicker ones. It will serve you well and basically replace your fingernails for things you need to grip or pull really tight. If you need pliers, the Mechanic is good because it is the Tinker (I mentioned earlier) plus the pliers.

As for the reamer, all of them have reamers. And very good ones too. :)

Cheers!
Click to expand...

Well, that helps a bit. I think I will go ahead and scratch the Spartan Lite off the list. I normally carry 2-3 flashlights anyway, so it wouldn't have gained me much.
I *REALLY* like the bits on the cybertool, I just worry if it's too thick for comfort. At the moment, I'm leaning towards the mechanic... I normally rely on my leatherman for screwdriver tasks, but I've found that my precision bit gets... STUCK.. and having another pair of pliers to pull that bit out and flip it around would be really nice. The cybertool would be really nice, but might be redundant...

Sam
 
Why not pair up a Tinker with a keychain tool for supplementary implements? We're talking two tools here, but each is so slim and lightweight that both ride more comfortably than an overweight SAK.

A Leatherman Stylus PS provides pliers, scissors and a nail file while taking up little space. Although I have used the small Vic pliers successfully on occasion, these tiny Leatherguys outperform them by much. Too bad, but Victorinox has no competitor in that category.

If you can do without pliers, the Stylus CS or Micra are options. Both have larger scissors, which I prefer. Vic scissors in that size are better, but not offered in a keychain format. However, the Leathermen are good enough. My sample CS scissors passed the two crucial tests in our household; mine is cleanly snipping a free hanging Kleenex tissue, and my wife's is trimming her serious toenails. I don't know how the Micra's would do for that because she absolutely refuses to touch one (hates Leatherman, loves Vic). Although I have considered asking her for permission to take the Micra to her tootsies, my interest in basic research only goes so far. :eek:

On other days, I carry a Swisschamp. ;)
 
That's an idea... Perhaps a Tinker and a swisstech?

I had written a fairly lengthy reply to this... and then clicked "reply to thread" and lost the whole thing. *sigh*
I'll try to recreate what I posted later when I'm less aggravated with myself and this site. LOL

Sam
 
sja2249 said:
That's an idea... Perhaps a Tinker and a swisstech?

I had written a fairly lengthy reply to this... and then clicked "reply to thread" and lost the whole thing. *sigh*
I'll try to recreate what I posted later when I'm less aggravated with myself and this site. LOL

Sam
Click to expand...

I feel your pain. After a few of them, I took to writing replies on a word processing file so I can copy and paste. No more worries about punching the wrong key and the site suddenly going away. It's an extra step, but worth all the less aggravation.
 
check out "Explorer" ... its a great medium SAKs that would be very helpfull in EDC use... ask powernoodle hehe... it got an inline philips that you would use very often.

i personaly like a DELUXE TINKER since i love victorinox pliers.. its small, well thouft and just plain usefull..

bigger than that i would pick my all time favorit CRAFTSMAN... its just perfect for me.

goodluck buddy...
 
If screw drivers are important to you, then the CyberTool 29 is a very nice option, but it's quite a bit thicker than the Super Tinker. Personally, I prefer the inline philips screw driver as found on the Spartan Lite or Explorer, because it has a bigger reach.

Pliers can come in handy. Actually, once you're used to having pliers on you, you'll notice that you use them more often than you expected. Since I like scissors too, the Deluxe Tinker would be my choice over the Mechanic.

Just another thought: a Leatherman Juice S2 has more screw drivers, including a philips screw driver, and a combo tool that includes a bottle opener and can opener. It has pliers and scissors. It is also thinner than the Super Tinker, which is the thinnest of the SAKs you mentioned.
 
Harayasu said:
If screw drivers are important to you, then the CyberTool 29 is a very nice option, but it's quite a bit thicker than the Super Tinker. Personally, I prefer the inline philips screw driver as found on the Spartan Lite or Explorer, because it has a bigger reach.

Pliers can come in handy. Actually, once you're used to having pliers on you, you'll notice that you use them more often than you expected. Since I like scissors too, the Deluxe Tinker would be my choice over the Mechanic.

Just another thought: a Leatherman Juice S2 has more screw drivers, including a philips screw driver, and a combo tool that includes a bottle opener and can opener. It has pliers and scissors. It is also thinner than the Super Tinker, which is the thinnest of the SAKs you mentioned.
Click to expand...

I want the Cybertool... but I'm worried it will be too thick. I think I'm down to either a Tinker or a Mechanic...
 
sja2249 said:
I want the Cybertool... but I'm worried it will be too thick. I think I'm down to either a Tinker or a Mechanic...
Click to expand...

In my opinion, if you're okay with a Mechanic, then you should probably be okay with a Cybertool 29. They both have three layers with the middle layer being thick. And 3mm isn't that much. But it's really a personal thing. I can understand when people say that a knife is too bulky for them already when in reality it isn't that big of a difference really.
 
Harayasu said:
If screw drivers are important to you, then the CyberTool 29 is a very nice option, but it's quite a bit thicker than the Super Tinker. Personally, I prefer the inline philips screw driver as found on the Spartan Lite or Explorer, because it has a bigger reach.
Click to expand...

What do you mean it has a bigger reach? Wouldn't the Cybertool Bit Driver have a longer reach because it is the length of the entire knife, and the in-line phillips on the Explorer would only be half?

Thanks.
 
Carloxicus said:
In my opinion, if you're okay with a Mechanic, then you should probably be okay with a Cybertool 29. They both have three layers with the middle layer being thick. And 3mm isn't that much. But it's really a personal thing. I can understand when people say that a knife is too bulky for them already when in reality it isn't that big of a difference really.
Click to expand...

There was once i wouldn't have believed a few mm more or less could possibly make a difference in an EDC, but damned if life didn't teach me otherwise. A person gets intimate with any item that's a daily carry and quite sensitive to it as well. It is incredible to me how much difference those wee bits of weight and thickness can make, but they truly do. There have been items in my inventory that got ditched for trivial weight and size issues. One was a Core, which after months of EDC I decided weighed too much when in reality it was only one ounce heavier than the Super Tool it replaced.
Other issues can be the way the various implements work, even though any will get the job done. Yet, these things mean a lot to ... well, those to whom these mean a lot.
 
Carloxicus said:
What do you mean it has a bigger reach? Wouldn't the Cybertool Bit Driver have a longer reach because it is the length of the entire knife, and the in-line phillips on the Explorer would only be half?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Yes, you are right on that. I was referring to the philips screw driver as implemented on the Super Tinker. My typing is slower than thinking, a sentence was missing.
 
I rotate EDC between a Huntsman and a Mechanic... I prefer the Huntsman for the scissors and cork scew... one scale is broke I am currently looking for some Plus scales to add the pin/pen and micro screw driver.

I think my next SAK will be the Explorer Plus. I think a magnifying glass, and straight phillips would be great for EDC
 
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mparker said:
I rotate EDC between a Huntsman and a Mechanic... I prefer the Huntsman for the scissors and cork scew... one scale is broke I am currently looking for some Plus scales to add the pin/pen and micro screw driver.

I think my next SAK will be the Explorer Plus. I think a magnifying glass, and straight phillips would be great for EDC
Click to expand...

If you google the Secret order of Swiss Army Knives (sosak) you'll find an informative site and if you keep looking you'll find a shop with good rates on plus scales, that's where I got mine. I know we're not supposed to post non sponsors, but I would have PM'd you the info if that was an option. Meh. :jerkit:
 
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