Recommendation? Swiss Army Knife: Which One?

RangerGrip 78, Rucksack, Pioneer and or Farmer. Camping model is a nice moderate sized do everything unit for your key chain.
 
Tinker or super tinker for me. Several flavors of each, especially on the secondary market. Also, as was said earlier, the vic classic is the classic sak.
 
You cannot go wrong with the Victorinox recruit, tinker, or small tinker.
There's also the Spartan if you think you can make use of the corkscrew over the Philips driver.
The Philips driver seemed more useful so I went with the tinker, but honestly I usually use the can opener tip anyways since the T handle position of the Philips driver is more limited in use.
Not the best choice for putting decent torque on a screw, but the can opener tip works just fine most times.

You gotta have a red classic as well since it's scissors are so useful for threads and stuff, it doesn't have to go on your keys but but that is the idea.
 
Mitch Taldison said:
...But guys, if you had to pick one, what is THE quintessential and most classic SAK available still?
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For me this is easy... the TINKER or if you like the Small Tinker. My favorite SAK and the one I find to be a good balance of size and tools you might actually use in day to day life. I carried the Tinker for years. Bumped up to a 111mm (the large size) that was tinker-isk, and in the last 6 months have moved (after 15 years) to the Small Tinker.

Another favorite is the alox Electrician but it isn't red or in my opinion classic.

Added: SAKs are meant to be used. But two and use one.
 
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I always carried a Tinker. Working on the carb on a mower, once, I got Berryman B12 on the handle.

Turned it into red soup. (It actually dried up and was usable again)

Anyway, I kind of became a fan of the Alox handles. So, a pioneer usually lives in my pocket now.

In order, my most used SAK’s:

Pioneer

Tinker
(it’s actually my first real pocket knife. My parents got it for me at a little knife shop in Ala Moana mall over 45 years ago. No toothpick or tweezers. It was NOT the one I melted the handles off of)

Super Tinker.
(Sometimes I like the scissors but, it’s a bit thicker.
 
Take into account that this is coming from someone who until about a year ago viewed swiss army knives as a childs toy or a novelty.

I think I mostly had that opinion because I was given a no name knock off when I was about 10 years old.

I'm 30 now and about a year ago I decided it was time to give a real victorinox a try. Bough a used tinker from a seller on the big online auction site. Think I paid $9 shipped. Been carrying it everyday since and have picked up a few others when I run across them cheap.

What I've found out:

If you carry the knife loose in your pocket with keys or change the red scales take on a dirty "film" of metal from rubbing against other items.

The screwdrivers are way stronger than they have any right to be.

The knife blades take a scary sharp edge with little effort and are easy to maintain even as a working knife.

The sewing awl/punch is the greatest thing ever for picking knots out of rope and drilling small holes in sheetrock.

My vote goes for the Tinker and I prefer the blue scales over the red as they don't really show dirty spots or scratches like the red does.

I've still always got a Buck 112 on my belt but the Tinker is a great working tool. I honestly feel cheated to have gone so long before "discovering " the magic that is a real swiss army knife.
 
Mine range from the Rambler to the Rangergrip 78 and several in between, and I just bought a Minichamp. If I could have only one (:eek:) I think it would be the Evogrip 18 because it has a saw, scissors, and Phillips screwdriver.
 
Super or Deluxe Tinker for me as well, the Deluxe is what I use the most(it has their handy little pliers). I have plenty of small knives, but the Super Tinker is to me, what a Swiss Army Knife is supposed to be. Overloaded with a ton of useful tools.
 
Lots of choices, but I really like the Alox Cadet and Pioneer. I use the cadet the most.

I think DLT has Red Cadets. You can still find the 2018 Annual (red) Pioneer.
 
I have only one 93mm which is the Alox Pioneer X as it has the most useful tools that I use daily. It has 3 layer of tools which to me is the limit. More layers add bulk and wont be pocket friendly. I chose the alox scales as they are much more hardy.
 
There are so many varieties of SAKs and you'll get that many suggestions. Go to your local outdoor store and buy what you like.
In fact get 2 ( or 3, 4...) It will depend on your budget and pocket space. Don't let it be a safe queen, use it, even to open your mail.
 
I carry the Pioneer X most of the time. It has all of the tools I need in a package I can actually put in the watch pocket of my jeans. If I need more, I go get my tool box.

Otherwise, I carry a Cadet because it is a smaller, slimmer knife that will not drag down my suit pants. (I am hoping for a Cadet X to be made, one day)
 
You won't be able to keep it out of your pocket. Then you'll use it. Then you'll want to try others. Then you'll have a collection. It's the nature of things.

Zieg
 
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