Poll question on Classic tool layout vs. other 58s

[Smaug]

I generally find that a Manager is my preferred 58 mm SAK; to me, it's just the right balance of having a great tool set without being too thick.

I pocket carry it more than any other knife, I think. It has been that way for probably the last 10 years.

I do still carry a Classic on my keys and have been carrying a Classic off an on for probably the last 25 years.

Yet, when I grab my Manager out of my pocket, looking for the knife blade or any other tool, for that matter, I can never find it by touch or memory. I have to look for it. Compare that to a Classic, I know by touch and memory where everything is. Why is this? Why can't I learn this alternate layout?

I have a similar thing with 84 and 91 mm SAKs. I know by muscle memory where the large blade, small blade, bottle opener, can opener and corkscrew or back Phillips are. Most often scissors too. But on alternate layouts (ex. Compact) I need to look, no matter how often I carry that knife.

Is it too late for my old dog brain to learn new tricks or ...?

 

[jackknife]

I generally find that a Manager is my preferred 58 mm SAK; to me, it's just the right balance of having a great tool set without being too thick.

I pocket carry it more than any other knife, I think. It has been that way for probably the last 10 years.

I do still carry a Classic on my keys and have been carrying a Classic off an on for probably the last 25 years.

Yet, when I grab my Manager out of my pocket, looking for the knife blade or any other tool, for that matter, I can never find it by touch or memory. I have to look for it. Compare that to a Classic, I know by touch and memory where everything is. Why is this? Why can't I learn this alternate layout?

I have a similar thing with 84 and 91 mm SAKs. I know by muscle memory where the large blade, small blade, bottle opener, can opener and corkscrew or back Phillips are. Most often scissors too. But on alternate layouts (ex. Compact) I need to look, no matter how often I carry that knife.

Is it too late for my old dog brain to learn new tricks or ...?

Its like this, Smaug; habits are one of the easier things to develop, but the other side of the coin is, they are one of the hardest things to break.

For over 20 years I carried a classic on my keyring in a sheath, so it wasn't really attached to the keys. This made using it not only easier, but it didn't matter where the keyring was because it wasn't used. After being soooo used to the classic, I never would try to use a amber, manager or any other small SAK. Even the executive was a similar layout in relation to the keyring, so the muscle memory was unaffected when instinctively going for one of the tools.

Plus I'm an old fart that doesn't like change.

 

[comis]

I can see why orienting the Manager vs Classic could be confusing, since the thickness of these SAKs are difficult to detect by touch. I probably would want to carry them in separate pocket or attach a different fob/lanyard, so instinctively I know what I am reaching for each time?

Personally, I only carry the same 91mm for many years, and I don't carry 58mm enough of times to feel the confusion.

 

[Enkrig]

It might offend many here but I've never owned a classic, so of course the notion of muscle memory doesn't apply. To me, 58mm SAKs are to cover all my basics and I always found the toolset in the classic lacking for my tastes. I started straight with the rambler because I wanted the mini philips screwdriver!

 

[znapschatz]

I generally find that a Manager is my preferred 58 mm SAK; to me, it's just the right balance of having a great tool set without being too thick.

Likewise. My EDC is a Manager also because of the pen. I could never quite get used to the Classic because of how it opens, very clumsily. It always annoyed me to open it up and then have to fiddle with it to get it oriented right. With toothpick, the Manager is virtually perfect. I got it used but in perfect condition 6 years ago, and because it has a BSA logo, Vic markets it as a Boy Scout knife. This doesn't bother me at all because I used to be a scoutmaster.

 

[Williamrage]

I never even think about the keyring anymore. But, when i started trying to find out what it was really made of, i knew if it wasnt in my pocket it wouldn't get used as much, so i ground the ring off. Im lefthanded, so its awkward enough for me at times anyway.