Used my SAK Can opener for first time.

mqqn

mqqn

JD Inventory Reduction Specialist
Gold Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Messages
13,439
Hi folks -

I had a can of tuna at my desk yesterday and no can opener, well, wait a second, I do!

I pulled out my SAK Waiter and for the first time I used the can opener on it to open a can.

It worked perfectly - I was surprised at how easy it was to use.

Just another of the many uses that come into play for my most-carried knife.


best regards -

mqqn
 
SAKs are GREAT!!
With my Farmer there is nearly nothing I can't manage.
All tools are really nice designed for it purpose and they'll take a lot of abuse as I prooved as a boy (massive batoning, prying, throwing etc :)) it's still alife!

Long life to the SAK!!

Regards
surfer
 
I don't care what slippie that I have in my right pocket or on my belt, My SAK Super Tinkerer is in my left pocket.
 
The Alox models like this soldier are pretty much the only folders I carry with me around saltwater and sandy environments. They rarely even get a speck of rust and when they are gritty with sand, I just spray them down well with water and then oil the joints and they are like new! Tough little buggers! :cool:

alox_soldier.jpg
 
MacGyver didn't used SAK without reason... I wonder if someone could test which fares better in extreme environments: Regular SAK vs. Leatherman...
 
thejamppa said:
MacGyver didn't used SAK without reason... I wonder if someone could test which fares better in extreme environments: Regular SAK vs. Leatherman...
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Definitely SAKs fare better around saltwater/sandy environments. I had a Wave I took near saltwater and got a few drops of spray on it and had it rusting in two hours.
 
texasflyfisher said:
Definitely SAKs fare better around saltwater/sandy environments. I had a Wave I took near saltwater and got a few drops of spray on it and had it rusting in two hours.
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I suspected that. My oldest SAK is spartan from early 90's, 1992 I got it... There's no sign of rust or anything on it, while my less than year old LEatherman Micra had rust spots *sighs*

Even though my SAK Pioneer doesn't have plier's, I would take that over Leathemran anyday, if I wouldn't have Victorinox Spirit...
 
Red Farmer here. Use, sharpen, repeat. It might not be the prettiest girl at the party, but she sure does see alot of use.
 
A little while back, I was watching Jay Leno one night. On that particular night, he had a large contingent of military folks in his audience, from all services. May've been a Memorial Day show or something. At any rate, during one segment of the show, he invited one member of each service to the stage to have a contest. The 'contest' was to see how fast each could open a tin can using a Swiss Army Knife (no idea what brand they provided to the participants). What really disturbed me, was how much difficulty most/all of the contestants had in opening the can. One or two participants even cut themselves after using the 'tool' to punch/stab/hack their way partly into the lid, then using their hands to rip/peel the lid open (ouch!).

I couldn't help but wonder if the 'Swiss Army Knife' provided to the contestants was the real deal (Vic or Wenger), or if they were given some sort of cheap knock-off with a truly crappy can opener. I had to test it for myself, so I grabbed my Vic Mechanic and went to the kitchen to open up a can of peaches. No troubles whatsoever, worked like a dream. Took maybe 30 seconds, tops. It was actually the first time I'd even tried to use the can opener on it. It seemed intuitive as to how to make it work, so I really do wonder if the deck was stacked against the contestants with a junk tool.

Edited to add:
Just did a Google search. Found a site that mentioned the same show. Turns out it was the Thanksgiving '09 show, and they were opening cans of cranberry sauce. Still looking to see if I can find a video of it...
 
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Obsessed with Edges said:
A little while back, I was watching Jay Leno one night. On that particular night, he had a large contingent of military folks in his audience, from all services. May've been a Memorial Day show or something. At any rate, during one segment of the show, he invited one member of each service to the stage to have a contest. The 'contest' was to see how fast each could open a tin can using a Swiss Army Knife (no idea what brand they provided to the participants). What really disturbed me, was how much difficulty most/all of the contestants had in opening the can. One or two participants even cut themselves after using the 'tool' to punch/stab/hack their way partly into the lid, then using their hands to rip/peel the lid open (ouch!).

I couldn't help but wonder if the 'Swiss Army Knife' provided to the contestants was the real deal (Vic or Wenger), or if they were given some sort of cheap knock-off with a truly crappy can opener. I had to test it for myself, so I grabbed my Vic Mechanic and went to the kitchen to open up a can of peaches. No troubles whatsoever, worked like a dream. Took maybe 30 seconds, tops. It was actually the first time I'd even tried to use the can opener on it. It seemed intuitive as to how to make it work, so I really do wonder if the deck was stacked against the contestants with a junk tool.

Edited to add:
Just did a Google search. Found a site that mentioned the same show. Turns out it was the Thanksgiving '09 show, and they were opening cans of cranberry sauce. Still looking to see if I can find a video of it...
Click to expand...


They may have had a problem with the little screwdriver tip on the can opener. I found that you have to be careful to "short stroke' it because if you do too deep the small screwdriver tip can snag on the can top being cut. I imagine most of the military guys had more experiance with the little P-38 can opener.
 
jackknife said:
They may have had a problem with the little screwdriver tip on the can opener. I found that you have to be careful to "short stroke' it because if you do too deep the small screwdriver tip can snag on the can top being cut. I imagine most of the military guys had more experiance with the little P-38 can opener.
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Maybe so (I hope so). Throw in the added 'pressure' of a spontaneous, timed contest on national TV, in front of a live audience. Meagan Fox was a guest on the show that night too. Might've been just a little bit distracted...:eek:
 
I'm always surprised at how "surprised" various users are of the ruggedness of SAKs. Victorinox existed for decades as a supplier of mil-spec knives, and has obviously held onto that philiosophy into current times.

Just a thought on the Leno show: In fairness to the military, most rations are MREs in pouches--not many cans to open. I'd bet they'd have had a bit of trouble opening cans with P-38s, too. It would be interesting to have vets from the days of MCI canned rations try that contest.
 
berzerker said:
In fairness to the military, most rations are MREs in pouches--not many cans to open. I'd bet they'd have had a bit of trouble opening cans with P-38s, too. It would be interesting to have vets from the days of MCI canned rations try that contest.
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That thought crossed my mind too, when I was watching it. Made me wonder if current military training even included the use of the SAK can opener or P-38 (or any other). I spent '81 - '87 in the Navy, and even that far back, I never touched one (wasn't even issued).
 
berzerker said:
I'm always surprised at how "surprised" various users are of the ruggedness of SAKs. Victorinox existed for decades as a supplier of mil-spec knives, and has obviously held onto that philiosophy into current times.

Just a thought on the Leno show: In fairness to the military, most rations are MREs in pouches--not many cans to open. I'd bet they'd have had a bit of trouble opening cans with P-38s, too. It would be interesting to have vets from the days of MCI canned rations try that contest.
Click to expand...

That was my service days; little olive drab green cans with names like "Meat patties, individual" that looked suspiciously like Spam. There was ham and eggs, spaggetti and meatsause, and fruit of various types. All in green cans. We got pretty good with those P-38's. Sometimes we'd time guys, being bored in the field, and one guy got it down to about 10 seconds. PFC Cronin was fast. I think he picked up a few dollars on bets here and there.
 
jackknife said:
That was my service days; little olive drab green cans with names like "Meat patties, individual" that looked suspiciously like Spam. There was ham and eggs, spaggetti and meatsause, and fruit of various types. All in green cans. We got pretty good with those P-38's. Sometimes we'd time guys, being bored in the field, and one guy got it down to about 10 seconds. PFC Cronin was fast. I think he picked up a few dollars on bets here and there.
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No intent to sidetrack here, but back in the days we had an old MSgt. that said to us "Men, someday you're going to look back on this and remember it as one of the best times of your life". We all thought he was full of crap of course, but the ole' boy was right! 60 ain't bad, but I'll take 19 and full of pi** & vinegar anyday! ;)
 
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When I was in high school in the 80's I saved a few camping trips because I was the only one who had a can opener. My dopey friends all intended to live on canned beans, stews, etc. but not one had an opener. My Victorinox Swiss Champ came to their rescue several times. I still have this same knife and it works just as good as it did over 25 years ago.
 
I do have to admit that I've never got over my personal bias against the sak can opener, even though I carried a sak a great deal. I can only guess that carrying a Camillus scout knife from age 12 till I went in the army, made me a bit predjudiced toward the pull towards me motion of the American style scout openers. Then in the army, the P-38 was a pull toward user type of thing. The can opener on the MLK knife was like the one on my old scout knife. To me, the sak seems backwards, even though it does indeed work well.

I guess at some point it will all be a moot point, with so many cans going to pull tops. :confused:
 
Back when I was a young Marine in Vietnam ('64) we were still being issued C-rats from WW2.

With every meal there was a little packet of salt, pepper, toilet paper and the ubiquitous P-38 can opener. We all believed then that a.) food came in green cans (when it came at all), and, b.) all cans in the entire world (our world at least) were opened with a John Wayne (P-38).

Every man could open a can with a P-38 very, very quickly. Either that, or he was going to starve.

I've now replaced my P-38 with a P-51, which is faster, and a Vic Farmer... but I haven't forgotten the old P-38 which got me through nine years in the Corps. If the P-38 wasn't the finest military invention of all times, I don't know what was.:D
 
Its funny, I rarely if ever use a sak knife blade. but I have several of the alox models around, like my blue farmer, the only thing that gets used on them is the can opener.

I love the p-38 too, there is one on my emergency house keys, thats on me at all times out of the house. That p-38 was carried first by my brother in Vietnam (circa '65 IIRC), then my mom in bush AK in the 70s and 80s, and I've had it since the mid 90s. Still sharp. Still works like a dream.

I actually find it a pure crime that a lot of new cans have pop tops... because then I can't use my trusty p-38 or sak opener.

G.
 
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