SAK invades primary pocket!

[Amos Iron Wolf]

All this talk about SAKs this and that has caused an uprooting in my EDC habits. I've been packing a blue translucent Wenger that is like a Vic small tinker in my blazer at work. I liked the size, the look and the feel of the thing when fondling it. I still lean more towards Vics though. I actually use the toothpick and tweezers and Wengers don't seem to have them. But, my primary EDC has been that Case mini-trapper I've chattered about on many occasions. Then you guys go talking about Tinkers and Super Tinkers, yada, yada, yada.

To make matters worse, when Jackknife was talking in one thread about not really forming an attachment to a SAK and El Cuchillo was playing devil's advocate, it got me thinking. Always dangerous. I'd already been playing with the idea of getting a pocketable, but useful SAK and maybe having it rescaled in something nice.

So on the way back from a Colonscopy (don't have to do another for 10 yrs, YEAH!) I finally got something to eat at a favorite stop on the way back from the VA. In the same plaza is a Sportsman's Warehouse which is usually the second stop after eating. The wife and I go in there and I'm checking out the SAKs, with a Tinker on my mind. I'm also checking the different types of the 111 mm, locking types for times I want more stuff, but not the weight of my Swiss Champ. (The locksmith is looking tempting down the road.) The only Vic Tinkers they had were in Mossy Oak camo. I figure, hey, what the heck, I'm planning on having it rescaled later anyway if it works out as a good carry and the price was less than a large specialty pizza with extra cheese. I still like the smooth, sliding feel of the Wenger's scales and the trans blue is actually kinda purdy. But, this will be a good test run. Besides, the size and feel of the Vic Tinker when opened and in use fits and feels better to me.

Now having gone around the barn to kick the cat, so to speak. (Literally I practically trip over it going out the door.) It seems now the Tinker has invaded and claimed my right pocket in a matter of days much like the Case mini-trapper. The little Case is sitting with my other EDCs that are not getting EDC'd. Like the Case had been doing, the Vic Tinker goes into the right, front pocket of my work slacks in the morning and moves to my jeans pocket in the evening. Besides usual cutting chores, I used the can opener/screwdriver Monday to pop off the center piece of my wheel cover so I could tighten the locking nut. Used the same tool today to open some home canned salsa we got from someone. There have been the usual cutting tasks and the toothpick comes out after munching.

The only thing not endearing to me is the feel of the scales. For that matter, I can't really get excited over the MO camo. However, I've seen a few sites with some really nice buffalo and ox horn scales already made to fit this frame size. With something like that adorning it, the Tinker could easily become a treasured EDC. Well, a Spartan would probably be better if I was going to be around a lot of corked, wine bottles, along with capped bottles and cans of tasties that needed opening. At least my other many slippies would stay in nice shape from such little use.

Now ya got me checking out the various SAKs and the custom work others have done to theirs. I even read the article by Oupa (Dirk) about how he customizes the Alox handles. Btw, does the color on the red Alox go all the way through or is it surface?

Lest anyone think SAKs aren't traditional take a look at the Victorinox history time-line here: http://www.victorinox.ch/index.cfm?site=victorinox.ch&page=73&lang=E

The original power for the grinding and polishing was by water wheel back in 1884 and the first Swiss Officer's and Sports knives were patented in 1897. They ain't spring chickens for sure!

See what kind of trouble y'all can get a fellow into. We're good for that around here aren't we? Heheh.

 

[ElCuchillo]

Wow, Amos, I NEVER thought you'd part from your mini-trapper. I know this might just be a trial, but it's cool to hear someone else is falling for a SAK. Not just for it's functionality, but for it's traditional feel. I'm thinking about getting different scales for my Super Tinker as well, or at least I was, but they now have some scratches and scuff marks on them that have made them personalized. Pocket patina, if you will. Plus, I like the fact that the red scales are universally recognized and sheeple friendly. Good for ya, Amos.
Crazy how a conversation between two people can affect someone else so deeply.

 

[lotoblades]

I have a tinker on me right now,Vics one of the best values,and best made slippies made in my opinion,and wenger isn't far behind!My favorite thing about them is how sturdy they are,even compared to folder that cost several times as much.There not as flashy or fancie as some,but to me there's something good about that as well.:thumbup:

 

[Saunterer]

Amos,

If you are needing some new scales, check out some of the modders on SOSAK online....

http://www.sosakonline.com/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=31&catid=4

There are surely some purdy looking SAKs. If you check out SOSAK on the other forum, folks will redo your knife really reasonably. Here's an example:

 

[Amos Iron Wolf]

Amos,

If you are needing some new scales, check out some of the modders on SOSAK online....

http://www.sosakonline.com/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=31&catid=4

There are surely some purdy looking SAKs. If you check out SOSAK on the other forum, folks will redo your knife really reasonably. Here's an example:

Thanks for the link. I'd lost it somehow. That's one of those places where I started getting the lust for the custom scales. I dare say that given some jigged bone scales a lot of traditional fellows would make a closer connection with their SAKs. I like Oupa's copper #5 that retains the toothpick and tweezers.

Lotoblades, there is a lot to be said for a quiet, non-flashy knife that just does the job day in and day out.

EC, it's more like re-falling for SAKs. In the 90's until about three or four years ago, if I had my pants on, I had a battered Swiss Champ riding in an equally battered leather sheath (the second one) on my belt. I seem to notice the weight more these days so I don't carry it. However, it still gets used for various things around here. Over the years I even used up all the ink in the little pen it comes with.

I've been struggling for a little while because I like the natural scales lines of the traditional slippies. However, I really liked the sheer usefulness and bang for the buck of a good SAK. Like a well made Case, S&M, or other slippie, you can feel the quality in a real SAK, particularly the Victorinox. With the custom scales that can be put on a SAK combined with the Boy Scout/Camp Knife feel of the SAKs in the Tinker and Spartan types, it makes for a set-up that this folksy old fella can appreciate and live with. It might take me a while to settle on just the knife and the scale treatment, but that's part of the fun. The research, planning, changing your mind plenty of times before finally pulling the trigger. I figure I've got months of that kind of enjoyment before I do.

Who knows, if it all comes together and that becomes the primary carry for years to come, maybe it will have get passed down to someone who will cherish it. Then again, I may just have it stuffed in my ashes if I don't think anyone in the family would appreciate it.

 

[sixgunner455]

Tinker in my left front pocket, between the wallet and the seam, with a 550 cord lanyard sticking out of the pocket for easy access. Sometimes a Pocket Pal if I'm just wearing slacks, but it sneaks into the watch pocket of jeans or my shirt pocket, too. Had the Tinker since AIT 10 years ago, been all over the world with it. Had the Pocket Pal since the first Christmas I spent away from home, 16 years ago, when a lady at church gave it to me for Christmas.

I like natural scales, but I can go swimming with an SAK and not worry about anything bad happening to any of it. Even losing it, while I would be sad because both of these mean something to me, would not be an expensive problem.

They still don't hold an edge as well as a Case, but they do get crazy sharp very easily.

 

[iSaur]

Btw, does the color on the red Alox go all the way through or is it surface?

The color is just on the surface. My 70's-vintage two blade Alox (I think it was called the Duo or something like that) has some of the red worn off on the edges. So SAKs can develop some character after all.

iSaur

 

[Amos Iron Wolf]

The color is just on the surface. My 70's-vintage two blade Alox (I think it was called the Duo or something like that) has some of the red worn off on the edges. So SAKs can develop some character after all.

iSaur

Thanks for the info. If I get one sometime I think I won't try to "melt" it, Oupa style. Where is he anyway? I haven't seen him on here in a while.

Sixgunner455, I gave my Pocket Pal to someone sometime back, but miss it. I used it for years like you, as a knife for dress slacks or going somewhere I didn't want a big knife along. My other knife in that area was a little carbon, Remington, single-blade, peanut.

 

[jacknife]

I carried a Huntsman for years, then went to the Spartan as it was less bulky. I never fancied the Tinker for some reason, I did a little wine drinking in those days so perhaps it was that. I now have a Stayglow Tinker in my EDC rotation and it is one of my favourite SAK's.

I'm heavily in to Case knives at the moment, got some Trappers, Peanuts, Stockman, Barlow, Slimline Trappers, Pocket Hunter, Copper-lock Hunter, but as much as I like them I can't live without my SAK's.

It's a hard life isn't it