SAK Tools

gajinoz

gajinoz

Joined
Sep 2, 2003
Messages
11,650
First of all, I wasn't too sure if this should be in knives or gadgets or where so, if one of you mod types thinks it should be elsewhere, feel free.

Now, as we all know SAKs have a variety of tools built into them. Quite often these will include a can opener and a bottle opener.

I've carried SAKs around for decades, longer than I can remember but I really can't remember the last time I used the bottle opener. Very very few bottles in Oz, or at least the bit I come from, need a bottle opener. Is this true for your part of the planet?

I used the can opener at work a couple of months ago on a can on which the ring pull tab thingy had broken off. Apart from that, like the bottle opener, I can't remember the last time I used it. How about you?

Do you find either of these tools useful? Do you use them often, or are they little more than ornaments?
 
I think Swiss Army Knives are knives, even if they have a few other gadgets attached. :)
Of course, we have a Multitools & Multi-purpose Knives forum ...

For many years, the only can-opener I used was the one on my SAK. I still won't get an electric. I get the occasional bottle with a metal cap, I think only on Goya products like malta, but most of ours are now plastic. The bottle opener's screwdriver is useful, though. The small screwdriver on the Victorinox can opener also works for Phillips screws.
 
I have used the can opener during camping trips (although a regular kitchen opener works better at home). I will also occasionally use the bottle opener both at home and camping, too, when sampling a beer that does not come with a twist-off top (usually microbrews these days).
 
for me, better to have and not need, than need and not have.
however, i do use the can opener as a staple remover often.
also, while at a oyster farm i didn't have a oyster shucking tool so i tried the can opener, low and behold a new use for that tool.
 
Personally I have hardly any use for the can opener but I do have plenty use for screwdrivers though! Having said that, two cutting blades on an SAK is better than just one. 'Nuff said.
 
one of the great things about SAK tools is they are multi-purpose.
they can be used for so many things, a lot of us like that.

also, even though their are tools you may not use often,
like various openers, awl, cork screw etc. when you need them,
you NEED them, and it's better to have them, then not,
so I'm glad they are all in there ;)
 
Hi,

I use the can opener on occasion. But without the bottle opener I'd never be able to open my evening beer. And the large screw driver on it, (with the half-stop on my Soldier), is a great tool in and of itself.

dalee
 
I use the scissors and the file on mine a lot. Both blades get used, as does the tooth pick and tweezers. I have yet to use the screwdrivers or the can opener. I love the saw, although I doubt it will ever be used. Now, if it had a TV remote control built in, I daresay it would be used daily.

My biggest gripe is that I would like a slightly better steel in it. Dulls too fast.
 
I find the drivers most useful in the bottle and can opener, I don't think I've ever seen a pop top bottle of soda, and I don't drink beer, as for the can opener, the only canned foods I eat are sardines and tuna which have a ring pull thingy.
 
I use them all the time, for screwdrivers and light prying. The nail file, too--I use the nail file twice as much as the knife, for prying, wedging, marlin spiking, etc.
 
Are you actually asking about the bottle opener, or the corkscrew? I have used the bottle opener many times, and the can opener a few (more for screwdriving), never used the corkscrew I imagine it would be a hassle with no lever action but as everyone has said, better to have and not need than to need and not have.

I feel like screwdrivers are great but IMO many tools (Leatherman tools in particular) have too many screwdrivers that are only slightly different. I suppose someone can find a use for them but to me it feels like they stick a lot of them on their because they are very cheap to make and they can fit a bunch of them to make for more "features". A large and small flathead, a phillips head, those are great, but do we need 3-5 more flatheads on a tool? I doubt even Macgyver used that many.
 
The large blade is as useful as any other knife blade.

I use the can opener all the time. I often have canned food for lunch, and even at home, sometimes I use it so I don't have to go digging through the drawer for the full size can opener.

I don't use the bottle opener much. I would very much like to, though, and plan on using it as such when it's practical. It sees far more use as a screwdriver and for light prying.

The nail file is very useful. I usually file my nails instead of using a clipper, and the point on it is generally useful.

The awl is extraordinarily useful since a slipjoint spearpoint isn't generally suitable for poking holes.

The corkscrew is mostly worthless. I don't drink wine. Other people have used it more than I have. I'd rather have a Philips head.

The woodsaw isn't terribly useful. I used it for its intended purpose precisely once. I sawed a slight notch in a log to help hold a rope in place. Other than that, I use it mostly as a bread knife, and not very often. I'd rather have scissors.
 
I've read several non wine drinkers use the corkscrew for untying tight knots and for holding the tiny eyeglasses screwdriver.
 
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I normally carry a Vic Huntsman Plus, and I've used every tool on the knife. I've used every tool on my Vic Champ as well.

Some tools I don't use very often - such as the scaler/disgorger - but they are not useless!

YMMV!
 
I use the bottle opener but mostly as a scrapper, quick pry bar or screwdriver. I do use the can opener quite a bit So much that I reach for the Vic before using the regular kitchen can opener. I once thought both were useless, but I don't see having a SAK without themm now.
 
I've never used a cork screw on any of my SAKs, and I never will. I dunno, i like to drink water when I'm camping or hiking, not wine. I think my next SAK will be a Victorinox Fieldmaster. It has everything I use on my Swisschamp the most on it, and is a lot easier to carry around.
 
I'll be the first to admit that the only reason I tolerate the corkscrew bladetool, is because,
I so totally need it "to house" that more useful to me, tiny screwdriver.
Doubt if I would ever need to undo knots on a messed up piece of string; considering just how cheap strings are on top of that, it's so much quicker to draw out a scissor or knife bladetool and just slice it away...
 
In Sweden bouth beer and soda come in glas-boutles or cans. The boutles have metal caps who need a bottleopener. So it gets used frekvently. The canopener is bekoming less nesisarry because the cans more and more often has an ringopener. Still plenty of cans for example crunched tomatoes that need a canopener. I actually like the combotool best for cans. The screwdrivers is used often. The corkscrew is nesisarry if one drink wine with I do on ocation. Small eyeglass screwdriver exelent feature. Scissors is a good thing to have and the small and big blades to. Also I use the awl, mostly when iI do fences om the farm. This is the items I like and most of the others I see as less nesisarry.

Bosse
 
Russia. Beer in glass bottle is popular here, unlike cans. There are few with screw caps, most needs opener.
 
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