Swiss Army Knife: Most Useless

There's also the Vic Alox and nylon (bigger) Solos.

How strong is the spring on that Squirrel (a bigger ricasso would be nice either way)? Can you get it without the jazz on the side? :D
 
Mr. Bob said:
There's also the Vic Alox and nylon (bigger) Solos.

How strong is the spring on that Squirrel (a bigger ricasso would be nice either way)? Can you get it without the jazz on the side? :D
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I believe it is built like a douk douk or a Pocket Bushman, with the handle being a steel sheet folded into a handle shape. The design is actually pretty strong, which is why the French and Japanese have been using them for nearly a century.
 
You can hardly make out the name & logo stamped into the metal. It IS a Douk Douk, made by the same company, with a different blade. The blade is tight in that handle, with a half-stop. It will loosen up a bit pretty quickly, but I doubt it will ever flop over on you. This is the backspring from hell, and if the blade didn't rise up so high out of the handle, you could hardly open it.

It has been in my pocket since I got it, the ultimate beater. Somehow, I am going to have to figure out how to start carrying my Vic. Farmer again. :)
 
I actually have an alternate experience to remy, where I have 2 dead leathermans and a Sog powerlock that hasn't faired much better from attempting the same tasks my tinker and super perform on a routine basis. Save the plier aspect of course, which is very overrated in my experience anyway.

I've used the hook for a ton of knots and steel wires. Never used a fish scaler even once.
 
If SAK and Leatherman type tools were held together by hex head bolts and could be easily disassembled... Those manufacturers make a mint selling us one tool at a time so we could configure our knife/tool just the way we want it. My 2¢.
 
stormbird said:
If SAK and Leatherman type tools were held together by hex head bolts and could be easily disassembled... Those manufacturers make a mint selling us one tool at a time so we could configure our knife/tool just the way we want it. My 2¢.
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Yes! However, they make more by using the "Apple approach" and leaving out one or two needed features to be included in another model. In my experience they all do it, except SOG, and SOGs aren't really strong forerunners in the market.

On a side note, like an atheist immersing himself in Christian lore in order to be fair to the other side of the argument, I'm going to carry nothing but two Swiss Army Knives until they break down on me. If in six months they're still going strong, then you can consider me disproven.:p
 
Been carrying tinkers and super tinkers for 30 years. I love Victorinox best. Have a couple dozen but have many, many other knives and carry several daily. My keys are on a biner with a black SA rescue knife. I carry a Dozier Whittler horizontal and currently am carrying an old carbon steel small shrade stockman 880, nickle silver bolsters, brass pins and liners that I rescued with lots of TLC. All blades shave, but thats nothing for any Swiss Army Knife.

Can't beat the quality for the dollar.
 
The talk about durability of SAKs reminded me of my old Victorinox Soldier, the alox version. Before I got into knives, I carried it everyday. As an EDC knive, but also during hiking and camping trips. Used all tools on it and it's still in great condition, I don't carry it very often these nowadays though. In my opinion it's hard to beat the alox SAKs as an affordable and high quality pocket knife.

In my collection I've got Soldiers and Pioneers that were issued to the Dutch army in the 1980's. Most of them are used, but in terms of usability, their condition doesn't differ very much from my newer alox SAKs.
 
crom said:
Remy, I'd love to hear how you broke "more than you can count" ...
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I'd also be curious at what point he decided to stop purchasing them. If I break a tool, I might buy the same product a second time. If the same thing breaks yet again, would I purchase a third? Uhh, probably not. Would I purchase "more than I can count?" :rolleyes:
 
Tsujigiri said:
I thought the hook was useless, too, until I read the manual. Then I saw that I could use it to mount the chain on my bike when it slips off the gears without getting grease all over my hands. Now I think it's a great feature.

That awl, though, I can't figure out. It seems to be on every damn knife they sell, but who really uses it?
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I just used the awl on mine today.

Grabbed the wrong belt to wear to work. (grabbed my gun belt) I carry IWB, so it fits fine with the gun in there, not so much with no gun.

Punched a new hole in the belt and all is well.
 
I've only read the first page of these posts. It looks like most everyone likes this knife. I had one, a very long time ago. But to look at PowerNoodles' picture, you just about hafta carry one of these in a camera-case.
I'll keep my Emerson, Spydies and Benchmades and try to work around the lack of a "parcel-holder." :)

sonny
 
Sonnydaze said:
I've only read the first page of these posts. It looks like most everyone likes this knife. I had one, a very long time ago. But to look at PowerNoodles' picture, you just about hafta carry one of these in a camera-case.
I'll keep my Emerson, Spydies and Benchmades and try to work around the lack of a "parcel-holder."
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Remember that SAKs come in different sizes, so 'noodle's photo represents just one configuration. In fact, it's one of the larger ones. There are many models that offer a lot of utility, all in a size smaller than the average Emerson, Spyderco, or Benchmade. I don't always carry a SAK on me, and when I do, it's usually one of the slimmer models, but they compliment an EDC knife perfectly, offering a few extra tools for common day-to-day tasks that aren't cutting.

Heck, even the tiny Rally model has terrific Phillips and slotted drivers, weighs less than an ounce and is smaller than a car key.
 
Followthehollow said:
I just used the awl on mine today.

Grabbed the wrong belt to wear to work. (grabbed my gun belt) I carry IWB, so it fits fine with the gun in there, not so much with no gun.

Punched a new hole in the belt and all is well.
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I use the awl every day at work to cut open boxes. It saves the main blade from getting tape glue all over it. I've also drilled numerous holes in wood with it and have used it to punch holes in thick leather to make sheaths. The dedicated awl I got at the leather store broke halfway through the second project. The SAK is still going strong a few projects later.
 
mnblade said:
I'd also be curious at what point he decided to stop purchasing them. If I break a tool, I might buy the same product a second time. If the same thing breaks yet again, would I purchase a third? Uhh, probably not. Would I purchase "more than I can count?" :rolleyes:
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Didn't buy them. I've had them given as gifts, found them, oh and I've also had a bunch randomly given to me for helping to set up and then clean up a garage sale. LOL I would never spend money on a Swiss Army Knife. :rolleyes:;)
 
Boy Scout knives with corkscrews.

When you get too old to be a boy scout and old enough to drink wine, you've probably got a different knife and a good corkscrew.
 
Sonnydaze said:
But to look at PowerNoodles' picture, you just about hafta carry one of these in a camera-case.
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They do make smaller ones, you know. :)

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