SAK Soldier

Railsplitter said:
I just purchased an Alox Cadet.

Can't wait to check it out.
Click to expand...

That's a good knife, there, RS.
While others go on and on about their Soldiers/Pioneers/Farmers, I am a Cadet guy myself. The 93mm Alox knives are a bit too big for my day to day chores. I love how the Cadet just disappears in the pocket. It has an ultra thin profile, yet still packs a lot of utility inside it's frame. Amazing how Vic does it. And, being Alox, it is every bit as tough as the larger Soldier.
After carrying an Alox Vic, it really is hard going back to other knives. They are soooo well built, so tough, that nothing else seems to compare.
Now, this is not to discount the cellidor SAKs. They are built every bit as tough as the Alox SAks. They may have a plastic scale smiling at us, but underneath lies an aluminum frame built to last.
Gotta love SAKs. Wish other knife companies would take their lead and run with it. Quality doesn't have to cost a lot.
 
Voltron, I like the cadet as well, its a great sized knife. Also, I agree that the polymer handled knives are well built and tough in their own right and carry them as well. BTW, the alox models have thicker blades and tools for a given frame size so they are extra robust.
 
stevomiller said:
Voltron, I like the cadet as well, its a great sized knife. Also, I agree that the polymer handled knives are well built and tough in their own right and carry them as well. BTW, the alox models have thicker blades and tools for a given frame size so they are extra robust.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the 93mm have the thicker blades. However, I have always been a fan of Vic's thin, broad blades that keep cutting well even when dull, so that may be another reason why I like the Cadet. Smaller and uses the thinner stock Vic blades.
 
Carl,

Yes, they have excellent machined parts.

Also they have standarized parts.
10 to 15 blade types make up their main usage
And perhaps another 10 types of blades for other knives
Even if you multiply that by 3 for the different knife sizes
So they have an inventory of 100 to 150 parts
All standard!

The pivot are riveted, not peened ect..

The scales are standard in plastic or alox and do not need final polishing

They have simplified assembly using excellent machined parts, way beyond what you can manufacture a trad slipjoint
 
Voltron said:
That's a good knife, there, RS.
While others go on and on about their Soldiers/Pioneers/Farmers, I am a Cadet guy myself. The 93mm Alox knives are a bit too big for my day to day chores. I love how the Cadet just disappears in the pocket. It has an ultra thin profile, yet still packs a lot of utility inside it's frame. Amazing how Vic does it. And, being Alox, it is every bit as tough as the larger Soldier.
After carrying an Alox Vic, it really is hard going back to other knives. They are soooo well built, so tough, that nothing else seems to compare.
Now, this is not to discount the cellidor SAKs. They are built every bit as tough as the Alox SAks. They may have a plastic scale smiling at us, but underneath lies an aluminum frame built to last.
Gotta love SAKs. Wish other knife companies would take their lead and run with it. Quality doesn't have to cost a lot.
Click to expand...

stevomiller said:
Voltron, I like the cadet as well, its a great sized knife. Also, I agree that the polymer handled knives are well built and tough in their own right and carry them as well. BTW, the alox models have thicker blades and tools for a given frame size so they are extra robust.
Click to expand...

Voltron said:
Yeah, the 93mm have the thicker blades. However, I have always been a fan of Vic's thin, broad blades that keep cutting well even when dull, so that may be another reason why I like the Cadet. Smaller and uses the thinner stock Vic blades.
Click to expand...


Thanks, guys. Now I am even more excited about getting mine!
 
neeman said:
Carl,

Yes, they have excellent machined parts.

Also they have standarized parts.
10 to 15 blade types make up their main usage
And perhaps another 10 types of blades for other knives
Even if you multiply that by 3 for the different knife sizes
So they have an inventory of 100 to 150 parts
All standard!

The pivot are riveted, not peened ect..

The scales are standard in plastic or alox and do not need final polishing

They have simplified assembly using excellent machined parts, way beyond what you can manufacture a trad slipjoint
Click to expand...

Hi,

That's the difference between the consistent quality of the SAK and the sometimes unevenness of the more traditional slip-joint. Victorinox has designed and optimized their product for mass production. And they continue to refine it even yet today.

Dale
 
Got a Soldier in my pocket right now - it's one of my favorites. The Farmer edged it out a bit in the poll: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=752228

soldier.jpg
 
jackknife said:
If you really want to try a nice pocket knife, get a Victorinox pioneer settler. It's on the soldier frame, but it's a slim two blade pen knife layout. Very trim and flat in the pocket, great fit and finish, and like all the other Vic alox, built like a tank.

Carl.
Click to expand...

Had to order a pioneer with pruner blade. Thanks Carl. ;)

But seriously, it was like $18??? I couldn't help myself.
 
13862_210604066600_600566600_3561223_916731_n.jpg


I have a wenger SI and love it! paid $20 for it last year from a forum member...was made in 1996 and i'm glad I got it, not long after buying it I found out they were discontinued for the new plastic soldier.

The bale is a nice feature :)
 
Thanks Railsplitter!

Robert.B said:
13862_210604066600_600566600_3561223_916731_n.jpg


I have a wenger SI and love it! paid $20 for it last year from a forum member...was made in 1996 and i'm glad I got it, not long after buying it I found out they were discontinued for the new plastic soldier.

The bale is a nice feature :)
Click to expand...

Although Victorinox discontinued the alox Soldier, the Wenger Standard Issue is still being manufactured.

http://www.wengerna.com/standard-issue-16520

wenger_victorinox_soldiers.jpg

discontinued Victorinox alox Soldier (top) and Wenger Standard Issue (bottom)

new_soldier.jpg

New Soldier
 
I did not know the wenger SI is still in production! I'd like to get another to send to my Brother in law thats in Mosul, Iraq atm.

Thanks! :)
 
LKJW said:
OK, confused. When did Victorinox discontinue the Soldier?
Click to expand...

OK, I think I got it. I was confused because my Soldier is a Victorinox made in 05. Just did some reading and it seems Vic bought Wenger in 2005, but still produces both lines. Sound right?
 
The alox Victorinox Soldier production stopped in 2008. AFAIK, Wenger still produces the SI. They maintain their own production lines.
 
Voltron said:
That's a good knife, there, RS.
While others go on and on about their Soldiers/Pioneers/Farmers, I am a Cadet guy myself. The 93mm Alox knives are a bit too big for my day to day chores. I love how the Cadet just disappears in the pocket. It has an ultra thin profile, yet still packs a lot of utility inside it's frame. Amazing how Vic does it. And, being Alox, it is every bit as tough as the larger Soldier.
...
Click to expand...

Great minds think alox. I guess I'm basically a 93mm guy, but sometimes I like to get small. I don't have a Cadet, but I do have a Cadet II. One time I was walking through my work complex and a man was wrapping a cord around a box on a dolly and asked if I had a knife to cut his excess cord. I pulled out my Cadet II and using the small blade I cut the cord. After the cut I realized I had just sliced through insulated stranded wire cord, The small blade cut through it like it was butter with no damage to the blade.

The Cadet carries well in dress pants or jeans. It's a great EDC for the workplace, especially an office setting. There's a lot of tool in a small package. I just have a long history with the 93mm alox SAK, but if I don't want bulk in my pockets I'll carry the Cadet or Rambler. I don't remember what shipping was, but I think I found the Cadet II for about $13 before they became extinct.

misc1002-1.jpg


Soldier and friends...

5_alox-1-1.jpg
 
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