Tiny but mighty

[Michael Pattarozzi]

Alox vagabond

 

[Sawl Goodman]

Especially when its soooo easy to open a beer with a Bic lighter, house key, folded up dollar bill, spoon, butter knife, SD tip of the classic nail file, table edge, P-38 can opener, large nail, or a dozen other items used carefully.

I agree, and have never had trouble opening bottles without a dedicated opener. I learned from my father who could use nearly any prying thing at hand, including using one full bottle on another (very easy). When I was younger, friends and party guests would be amazed at how I could open bottles without an opener.

Some people are mystified as to why it took so long for Victorinox to incorporate an opener into the flat screwdriver of the soldier's knife, and have even assumed that it was to deter soldiers from drinking. But of course everyone would have known how to use the tip of the SD itself.

The two things that sold me on the Rambler are the blade that opens away from the keyring just like the scissors, and the Phillips on the combo tool.

 

[315]

Do you mean to say you have opened bottles of beer with your teeth? Yow!

Are you on very good terms with your dentist?

I used to be able to do it but not any more.

There isn’t a beer, or any drink on the planet, worth chipping a tooth over to open (IMO).

Jim

Never done it and wouldn’t try it, just a funny reference to how handy a bottle opener is....

 

[shopdoc]

I just gotta say the Rambler. I love the phillips driver and carried this knife for quite awhile. The argument that the Classic can easily be replaced at any box store is very valid though. If I think much harder on it, Ill probably change my answer to a Classic...

 

[Plainsman]

Classic is the only "small" Vic I actually own and carry, on a keychain.

Next size up for me that I actually carry would be Alox Farmer.

But small knives are not something I regularly carry. The smallest knife I EDC is a Vic OHT!!

 

[heat_treat]

Manager for me (Rambler with a pen). Carried the Classic on the key ring for years but now prefer the "correct" blade opening direction on the Manager and the somewhat more stout feel. Probably made the switch 4-5 years ago and don't plan on changing to anything else anytime soon.

 

[Trivette100]

Yesterday my daughter accidently washed and dried a special Classic which was in the pocket of a pair of jeans. She had me check it over, and except for a slight discoloration of the scales, it was in perfect condition. Tough little fellow, that Classic.

 

[tiguy7]

View attachment 1331565 I like my custom Ti SAK MiniChamp. It has a Spydie blade and a pocket clip.

 

[jackknife]

Yesterday my daughter accidently washed and dried a special Classic which was in the pocket of a pair of jeans. She had me check it over, and except for a slight discoloration of the scales, it was in perfect condition. Tough little fellow, that Classic.

View attachment 1331457

Can you play Beethoven's Moonlight Concerto on that thing????

 

[Zeroburn]

The Rambler gets my vote, although I gave my Rambler to my wife and I now carry a Minichamp. I like the pen and some of the extra tools on the Minichamp, but the Rambler is about ideal for size plus tool selection.

The manager is the perfect in my opinion. The Minichamp is too big and heavy for a small knife (especially on a keychain, and does not need two blades or that clumsy cuticle pusher. The Rambler has the perfect tool set, the cap-lifter/phillips combo tool gets a lot of use with me, just missing the pen, so that puts the Manager up there for me.

 

[Stelth]

I love Victorinox but for me, some of the tools they put on their knives are less than useful. Cuticle pusher? Nail file? Orange peeler? I have no use for any of that. I agree with those who like the Rambler. The Spyderco blade instead of the stock Vic blade would be ideal.

 

[allenC]

I love Victorinox but for me, some of the tools they put on their knives are less than useful. Cuticle pusher? Nail file? Orange peeler? I have no use for any of that. I agree with those who like the Rambler. The Spyderco blade instead of the stock Vic blade would be ideal.

I agree with you about the cuticle pusher and the orange peeler...but the nail file is actually useful. It smooths a ragged nail, removes dirt from under your nails, it's good for removing staples, and it can be used as a small screwdriver.

 

[Stelth]

I use nail clippers. A file doesn't do a good job and my clippers have the part for cleaning under your nails. It's those flat European type clippers and I always have it with me.

 

[Pomsbz]

I nail file is good for quick touch ups when you're nowhere near the usual tools. Middle of fixing my bike, nail catches and tears, I file it flat enough not to catch on anything while I work. Outdoors and my knife catches the edge of a nail, file it flat to stop it pulling worse and causing bleeding. Middle of work, there's a jagged edge on the nail you cut this morning, one second later and it's no longer bothering you.

 

[James Y]

Even when I use nail clippers, I still use a nail file to smooth it out. Most of the time, I don’t use clippers at all. IMO, the Executive’s nail file is the best that Victorinox makes, and AFAIK, the Executive is the only SAK model that has that style of nail file. Plus, it has a tip that can be used for some Phillips screws, and is also great for cleaning under the nails.

I find the orange peeler blade to be useful for a number of things, but I don’t peel oranges with it. I’ve found that some orange peels are too thick for it to get the full way in; it basically only works on oranges with thin skin. But like many SAK tools, I usually have alternate uses for them that occur more often than their originally named purpose(s). Heck, I’ve even used the main blade on SAKs as a makeshift mirror, such as a quick check of my face/nose, etc. On my Executive and Pioneer, for example, that’s best done with the nail nick side of the blade, due to the ‘crinking’ or bend of the blade, for less distortion.

As for the Minichamp’s cuticle pusher, I agree that is a pretty useless feature. I’m sure someone has found uses for it as a scraper or something I haven’t thought of, but it seems like a waste of space to me. I don’t like implements on my pocketknife that I don’t have use(s) for.

Jim

*Edited for punctuation.

 

[tiguy7]

View attachment 1332246 I much prefer a cut (toothed) file to a sandpaper file. So much so that I replaced the sandpaper file in my Money Clip with a real file. I would do the same with my Mini Champ, but I carry both knives so there is no rush.
I have seen modifications to cuticle pushers that convert them to carving scoops (gouges).

 

[Hickory n steel]

I'd like to try a rambler if it didn't have a cap lifter on it, that's one of the things I appreciate about the classic.

 

[jazzz]

I must be the only one that hates those new files. The old ones do a smoother job, and don’t eat up the nail so fast.

 

[Sawl Goodman]

I must be the only one that hates those new files. The old ones do a smoother job, and don’t eat up the nail so fast.

Hi jazzz, does the new file cut in both directions, upstroke and downstroke?

 

[jackknife]

Hi jazzz, does the new file cut in both directions, upstroke and downstroke?

The one I have on the executive cuts only in one direction. But it does a much neater job of cutting smooth if you use a light touch. I didn't like it at first, I was so used to the rough pitted one on the classic.

But after I experimented with my technique, I figured I was using too much pressure and lightened up my touch and it was way smoother. Its all in how you use it.