Swiss Army Knives

I bought a modded Supertinker off eBay from Mr. Lessard. I paid way too much but it was one of those hard-to-explain impulses. When it arrives (shipped from Canada) I will post photos. It has blue titanium scales among other mods. Yes, it is a sickness.
 
If I ever could dismiss the sentimental value of my SwissChamp, I would say the Handyman is the perfect set of tool. Little bit bulky, but can do variety of tasks both urban and rural.
 
I have probably too many SAKs, including many Alox ones, but the ones I carry daily are my black Executive and my red Spartan. In addition, I always carry a one-hander, usually my CRK large Insingo (or a Spyderco) in my RF pocket. I wear cargo pants, but the Executive takes up so little space, anyway. I have years of experience with both the Spartan and the Tinker, but the Spartan has won out as an EDC for me because the corkscrew holds my eyeglass screwdriver, and I also find myself needing the corkscrew for loosening overly-tight knots far more often than I need a Phillips head screwdriver.

Jim
 
I have carried many SAKs over the years, and then I discovered the Farmer. Once you go Farmer, you never go back! I wish Victorinox did a run in G10, but ALOX is the material that bridges the gap in my opinion, between a beater utility knife (no disrespect intended here) and a finely made tool.
 
bt93 said:
I think dollar for dollar that Victorinox can't be beat. For around $15 you can get a Spartan. Everything you need. The screwdriver on the can opener serves as a Phillips. I prefer the corkscrew as it does wonders in undoing knots, but if you prefer a Phillips screwdriver you can get the Tinker, same thing only a Phillips in place of the corkscrew.
Either way I don't believe there's a knife around for under 50 bucks that can touch a 15 dollar Vic for overall quality.
Click to expand...

My sentiments too! There's been a Spartan in my pocket since the mid 1960s. I drink very little corked wine but the corkscrew is invaluable for other purposes and the can opener tip works perfectly well on Phillips, Torx, common and Robertson screws. Forget the magnifying glass, toss a mini Bic lighter (or two) in with your kit for starting fires.
 
First, download Victorinox's latest SAK catalog (2016):

http://assets.victorinox.com/medias/sak-product-catalog-en-us-2016.pdf?context=bWFzdGVyfHNha3w3NDczMjg2fGFwcGxpY2F0aW9uL3BkZnxoZWQvaDExLzg4MjU0NDY0OTgzMzQucGRmfGNiZGU2OGUzZGFjYjg3NTk4Zjc4OGM0YzkwMGRiMWRlMmVhYjIxMzdjNjNlYjQ2MDU1YjQxMTliZmFkYWFlOTc

The last time I counted, Victorinox sold 300+ different folding knives. One of the things which attracted me was the challenge of mentally organizing their product line and guessing "why?"

Check the photo threads in this forum. Our photography is better than catalog photography.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/555327-Let-s-see-some-pictures!

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1221097-What-SAK-are-ya-totin-today

When you have a preliminary idea which SAKs interest you, shop for used knives on the big internet auction site. TSA confiscates pocket knives daily: the knives are auctioned in big lots to dealers, who resell them individually or in small lots on the big internet auction site. It is a buyers' market for the smaller SAKs. Pick one each in 58mm, 74mm, 84mm and 91mm. You will see out of production SAKs which are not in the 2016 catalog. Look them up here:

http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php

Carry your beater SAKs for a few months and you'll have a better idea what sizes and tools you need. 84mm is the perfect size for me because it is a perfect fit for horizontal carry at the bottom of my pants pockets. Your pockets may vary. The original (Richard Dean Anderson) MacGyver's go-to SAKs were Spartan and 84mm Tinker, but he used many others:

http://www.macgyveronline.com/database/saks
 
Last edited:
My Swiss Army Knives, in order of use, most to least:

OH Trekker - almost daily.
Manager - almost daily.
Sportsman - for social evenings and whenever I want to go minimal. Also use it for the corkscrew.
Super Tinker - takes the place of my decades old Tinker, now in genteel retirement.
Swisschamp - seldom, but always comes with me on trips. For years, it had been my only SAK.

My SAK choices periodically change along with seasons and lifestyle, which also changes as I get older. But these are the only ones I have been using for years, now.
 
Last edited:
I have always found it interesting how many "knife nuts" carry a lowly Vic SAK and use it more than any other knife they own. We talk about super steels, fast opening knives etc, but the SAK just seems to hold it's own.

I carry the discontinued Adventurer with the side lock and really like it. Essentially a large Tinker. Got a number of spares when I heard they discontinued that model.
 
EDCanAdamas said:
I have carried many SAKs over the years, and then I discovered the Farmer. Once you go Farmer, you never go back! I wish Victorinox did a run in G10, but ALOX is the material that bridges the gap in my opinion, between a beater utility knife (no disrespect intended here) and a finely made tool.
Click to expand...
There's a G10 Huntsmen listed on the online auction. Has a custom white/offwhite and black rings in the edges with the SAK shield. Looks pretty good. It's pricey.
 
I carry a huntsman daily, it just has what's needed in my view.
I am currently heading to the Côte d'Azur of France for Xmas. Taking a leatherman wave, a spyderco resilience and the huntsman. The others will stay at the apartment and the sak will come out with me. Perfectly legal in France as they are almost everywhere in Europe including the UK. I got wanted by security last year at multiple destinations, showed them the huntsman and was simply waved on.
The glasses screwdriver is essential for me, though in situations where the glasses screw has fallen out, such as in the flipping Sahara on a trek, the tweezers can do the job too.
The smaller flat head will also unscrew 4mm Allen screws.
I have a collection, all used and carried, a trekker OHO, a hiker, a couple of alox kept for smart occasions and an 84mm celidor model.
I have been lucky enough to travel the globe and visit many wonderful places and this wonderful tool, in one form or another, has come with me and combined with a little ingenuity, it's solved numerous problems.
I may try one of the boker models one day or a higher end scout type with premium steel but essentially a knife of this type will travel with me as long as I live.
 
22-rimfire said:
I have always found it interesting how many "knife nuts" carry a lowly Vic SAK and use it more than any other knife they own. We talk about super steels, fast opening knives etc, but the SAK just seems to hold it's own.

I carry the discontinued Adventurer with the side lock and really like it. Essentially a large Tinker. Got a number of spares when I heard they discontinued that model.
Click to expand...
True. As proof, my sub $60 SAK does-it-all duo is a Victorinox Side-Chef and Victorinox Tinker. Unless you are a collector this is all a knife person truly "needs", imho and you will still have money left over for a car,boat,awesome bike or a uear or two of college [emoji15] [emoji16]
a1522f59cd99c7bf609b65fb336dbc26.jpg


Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
cut wrappings, open packages, food prep, decoration installing...Christmas time and SAKs are made for each other!

20161223_220226_zpsdqnsu40k.jpg
 
One thing is that while there are so many SAK's, if your looking for something more premium and simple, check out the Trestle Pines Grand Portage. It's a Barlow with a screwdriver. I've been carrying it more and more. It has CPM 154 in the main blade. While I can't get quite the razor edge on it like I can freehanding a Vic, the edge lasts a long time, and well a wood handled Barlow with a screwdriver is just plain cool, even though I sometimes miss the pen.
ZeRfpSr.jpg

Yeah, just a screwdriver/canopener. But that's all you need 90% of the time and the rest can usually be improvised.
 
bt93 said:
One thing is that while there are so many SAK's, if your looking for something more premium and simple, check out the Trestle Pines Grand Portage. It's a Barlow with a screwdriver. I've been carrying it more and more. It has CPM 154 in the main blade. While I can't get quite the razor edge on it like I can freehanding a Vic, the edge lasts a long time, and well a wood handled Barlow with a screwdriver is just plain cool, even though I sometimes miss the pen.
ZeRfpSr.jpg

Yeah, just a screwdriver/canopener. But that's all you need 90% of the time and the rest can usually be improvised.
Click to expand...

That is such a great knife!!!!

If they had a screw driver blade on the old Buck 301 stockman, I'd still be carrying one. But who really needs a spey blade in this day and age? I'd love the spey to be replaced with a SAK like combo tool or screw driver like your barlow.

Any pocket knife with two or more blades should have a screw driver in there somewhere.
 
Before I got more heavily into SAK's and multitools, my work edc for many years was an old Camillus electrician's knife. Two blades: slipjoint knife blade and a liner lock screwdriver blade. It actually handled most of my needs pretty well. That doesn't mean I'd give up my Vic's and go back to one without putting up a pretty good fight about it though. Too much added utility that suits my personal needs. But, what a person's individual needs are is different for everyone.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top