Single or Dual SAK EDC ?

this_is_nascar

this_is_nascar

Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
735
For the longest time, the Victorinox Executive was the only SAK/Multi-Tool/Knife that I carried. I seemed to get along fine and life went on. More recently, I added a Cadet to the EDC routine, because I wanted something with a bit larger blade, in addition to the added tools. The Cadet has since been replaced by the Pioneer for an even larger blade and even more tools (mostly the reamer/awe). I've continued to EDC the Executive because of the Toothpick, Tweezers and Scissors. In my case, those (3) tools are used quite often. I've since read of "Alox only carrying guys" putting the pick and tweezers in their wallet, so they could still carry their Alox, but not need another knife with those (2) items and they'd put a Classic on the keyring for the scissors.

It got me thinking as to whether or not I should do the same and ditch the Executive from my EDC. The problem is that I really like the Executive. It's served me well for many many years. Part of me thinks I should continue to carry both for the redundancy of multiple blades, tools, etc and another part of me thinks I should just go the route of putting the pick and tweezers in the wallet and keeping the Pioneer (or if I go back to the Cadet) as my only EDC tool/blade.

Another option I thought of was to move the Executive from the pocket to the keyring. This way, I still have the Executive with me (with all those tools and gadgets), but it's not in my pocket anymore. The problem with that is it adds bulk to an already bulky keyring, that gets clipped to my belt-loop when not in use.

Thoughts or opinions?
 
I usually only carry one SAK at a time. Cadet or Farmer usually.
All I know is I would gladly give up toothpick and tweezers for an Alox Executive!
The Executive is such an overlooked model, bigger than a classic but still key chain appropriate.
It has two blades and that serrated citrus peeler which does more tasks that first expected.
I only have one I guess I need another Executive to back it up.

I rarely find I need a toothpick or tweezers, I would choose tweezers over the toothpick.
 
Usually only one, chosen by my anticipated activities of the day. Generally a Cadet or Recruit, but occasionally a Rambler or Classic.
 
In daily life, I carry one SAK at a time in the pocket, mostly alox, and have a Classic on my keyring. Mainly for the scissors, which I use a lot more than the tooth pick and tweezers. This system works well for me.
 
this_is_nascar said:
The problem is that I really like the Executive.
Click to expand...

I think that's your answer. Since you are carrying the Executive for the toothpick, tweezers and scissors, you could downsize to the Classic SD and have the same utility. But if you dig the Executive, maybe just keep on carrying it irrespective of whatever else you are carrying. I too "struggle" with what to carry, but that's part of the fun.

20130915_113514_zpsa4f60656.jpg

Victorinox Executive.
 
this_is_nascar said:
The problem is that I really like the Executive. It's served me well for many many years.

Thoughts or opinions?
Click to expand...

Yeah, there ya go!

If you really like the executive, and it has served you well for all these years, why do you think you need to change up to the pioneer? Is it the bigger screw driver? The can/bottle opener?

It all depends on the lifestyle you are living. Are you down on the farm or a park ranger in the woods, or a suburbanite in an office? Do you dress in work overalls or office dress casual?

In truth, a smaller SAK is more than capable of doing most of what you need to do. I don't want to be parachuted into the Amazon basin with a classic or executive as my survival tool, but for the wilds of greater American suburbia, where the jobs that our edc pocket knife may be needed for comes down to a UPS box on the frontg porch, or opening a plastic blister package, a classic or exec will do. But because we are afflicted with the knife knut gene, we're cursed with always second guessing ourselves. Even a little classic can slit open a 50 pound bag of mulch or open a FEDEX box.

Sometimes the scissors are needed and nothing else will do as well, sometimes the small SD tip to deal with a phillips screw. The classic and exec have just the right SD tip for that. Have a hangnail? the classic and exec can deal with that, both having nice nail files.

You have to ask yourself 'what do I need the bigger heavier pioneer for?" Is there enough tasks in the course of your normal day to warrant the extra size and weight?

If not, I'd just keep on with the executive, that is a very nice SAK for the real world. Kind of like a classic on steroids, with an extra blade and bigger scissors. I've found the scissors and tweezers to be very useful, and wouldn't give them up. If I have to open a bottle, then I just use the SD tip on the classic I carry, or the house key, or Bic lighter. To many ways to open bottles to carry a bigger SAK for, as well as cans. For cans, my P-38 is in my wallet. I'd stay with the executive and put a P-38 in the wallet and call it quits. If the executive is good enough for General Chuck Yeager to use as a pocket/fishing knife for his two to three week backpacking trips into the Sierra Nevada mountains on his Golden trout fishing expeditions, that's a good enough qualification for me.

Edit to add: I personally will not be without my small SAK that has the scissors and SD tip nail file, not to mention the tweezers and toothpick.
 
Last edited:
billym said:
I usually only carry one SAK at a time. Cadet or Farmer usually.
All I know is I would gladly give up toothpick and tweezers for an Alox Executive!
The Executive is such an overlooked model, bigger than a classic but still key chain appropriate.
It has two blades and that serrated citrus peeler which does more tasks that first expected.
I only have one I guess I need another Executive to back it up.

I rarely find I need a toothpick or tweezers, I would choose tweezers over the toothpick.
Click to expand...

I think I would as well. I could always carry a Classic for those (2) items. Not sure why, but the Executive is really my favorite SAK.
 
powernoodle said:
I think that's your answer. Since you are carrying the Executive for the toothpick, tweezers and scissors, you could downsize to the Classic SD and have the same utility. But if you dig the Executive, maybe just keep on carrying it irrespective of whatever else you are carrying. I too "struggle" with what to carry, but that's part of the fun.

20130915_113514_zpsa4f60656.jpg

Victorinox Executive.
Click to expand...


Awesome pic. I think that's what I'm going to do. I know I'm jumping all over the place with this thread, but ideally, the Executive and Cadet would be my regular EDC if the Cadet had the reamer/awe that's found on the Pioneer. There's something about that reamer/awe that I really like.
 
jackknife said:
Yeah, there ya go!

If you really like the executive, and it has served you well for all these years, why do you think you need to change up to the pioneer? Is it the bigger screw driver? The can/bottle opener?

It all depends on the lifestyle you are living. Are you down on the farm or a park ranger in the woods, or a suburbanite in an office? Do you dress in work overalls or office dress casual?

In truth, a smaller SAK is more than capable of doing most of what you need to do. I don't want to be parachuted into the Amazon basin with a classic or executive as my survival tool, but for the wilds of greater American suburbia, where the jobs that our edc pocket knife may be needed for comes down to a UPS box on the frontg porch, or opening a plastic blister package, a classic or exec will do. But because we are afflicted with the knife knut gene, we're cursed with always second guessing ourselves. Even a little classic can slit open a 50 pound bag of mulch or open a FEDEX box.

Sometimes the scissors are needed and nothing else will do as well, sometimes the small SD tip to deal with a phillips screw. The classic and exec have just the right SD tip for that. Have a hangnail? the classic and exec can deal with that, both having nice nail files.

You have to ask yourself 'what do I need the bigger heavier pioneer for?" Is there enough tasks in the course of your normal day to warrant the extra size and weight?

If not, I'd just keep on with the executive, that is a very nice SAK for the real world. Kind of like a classic on steroids, with an extra blade and bigger scissors. I've found the scissors and tweezers to be very useful, and wouldn't give them up. If I have to open a bottle, then I just use the SD tip on the classic I carry, or the house key, or Bic lighter. To many ways to open bottles to carry a bigger SAK for, as well as cans. For cans, my P-38 is in my wallet. I'd stay with the executive and put a P-38 in the wallet and call it quits. If the executive is good enough for General Chuck Yeager to use as a pocket/fishing knife for his two to three week backpacking trips into the Sierra Nevada mountains on his Golden trout fishing expeditions, that's a good enough qualification for me.

Edit to add: I personally will not be without my small SAK that has the scissors and SD tip nail file, not to mention the tweezers and toothpick.
Click to expand...


Awesome post. That's for the reply and level of detail. My "wanting" of the Pioneer is mostly for the reamer/awe, nothing more. The larger blade is nice, but not a requirement. If I could get a Cadet with that same reamer/awe, I'd be all over it.
 
this_is_nascar said:
Awesome post. That's for the reply and level of detail. My "wanting" of the Pioneer is mostly for the reamer/awe, nothing more. The larger blade is nice, but not a requirement. If I could get a Cadet with that same reamer/awe, I'd be all over it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the pioneer awl is an awesome little tol to have!:thumb up:

I've had the idea for years that a cadet with a scaled down awl in place of the nail file would be a grab urban/suburban edc pocket knife.
 
Count me in with the two SAKs crowd. Alox Classic SD (keychain) and Alox Cadet. I could easily downsize if only the Cadet had scissors. I use the nail file more often than the rest of the tools combined, so I'll keep that one, thanks.

I also keep a red Classic SD in my desk drawer at work for the toothpick and tweezers.
 
Well, I've pocket-carried my Classic for decades as my only EDC knife; stopped carrying key rings years ago as too bulky. In truth, the Classic has been sufficient during those decades.

Recently, the lockback folder interest has brought me back to SAKs (if that makes sense) -- have had a Traveler and Champion sitting in dresser drawer for 30+ years after giving up weekend sheath carrying of them. So in the past two weeks I've added a Pioneer and Camper to the daily EDC rotation; carry Classic plus either the Pioneer or Camper (plus Spyderco Delica 4).

Seems to work for me so well, I'm looking for a Farmer to add to the rotation; learning the joys of Alox.

And the Camper's saw has helped me stop procrastinating on several small chores.
 
I've faced a similar dilemma and the combination that finally worked for me:
Alox Pioneer & Swiss Card.

8890434256926_SAK_0_8201_26__S1_46668_eps_1.jpg

8813755531294_0_7100_T_SwissCardClassic_1483_eps_1.jpg
 
So, I don't intend to interrupt this fine SAK-fest with a non-SAK post, but did want to chime in that I've settled on a somewhat similar approach.

I keep a keychain sized Leatherman Micra in my LFP all the time. The combination of tools covers nearly everything I need on a day to day basis. Especially the scissors.

What I've found is that with the basic tools covered, I'm free to rotate through knives that suit my fancy. Usually an Opinel #9. Sometimes a Schrade 5OT. And occasionally, just for the heck of it, a Schrade 51OT.

All this to say, I say treat your Executive like your anchor. Swap out the other EDC carries as whim or need demands.

Oh... key chains are horrible places for these tools, IMO. All those keys slingning around. Who needs it.
LFP: Micra and money clip.
RFP: EDC blade and change.

All threads are pointless without pictures....

Usually
EDC Pair by Pinnah, on Flickr

Sometimes:
image by Pinnah, on Flickr

When bigger is better:
Schrade 51OT by Pinnah, on Flickr
 
The Leatherman Micra is a great companion to alox SAKs! Especially for the scissors and tweezers.
 
When I carry a Swiss Army Knife I only carry one my Tinker Swiss Army Knife for me a Single SAK for EDC is enough for me but everybody is different.
 
used to carry Spartan and Classic, then Spartan and Minichamp. used smaller one more often.. cleaning fingernail.. mostly. bigger blade for doing heavy work.. cutting chips off the circuit board and things which turned out to be a bad idea.
 
I always carry two pocket knives. Never really cared for the SAK Classics so the smallest knife I have with my is a Vic. Tourist often paired with either an Alox Farmer or a Climber of a non-SAK like a Case Stockman. I too use the tweezers and toothpick often and like having them around.
 
Farmer as my primary and a blue manager around my neck.

I find this combo to work very well for me. It also adds a bit of redundancy which isn't always a bad thing in this case.
 
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