Victorinox Knives: What's the Draw?

I've been EDC'ing a Victorinox knife for nearly ten years now. I started carrying a Climber in college when I realized that it wasn't comfortable to be hiking across campus with a heavy Buck 110 on my belt.

For the past six years I've been carrying a Soldier every day in addition to a single blade, clipped folder.

As I've said many times before, I use the Soldier's blade for food prep exclusively. But in the event that I lost or forgot my clipped folder, I have no doubt that the Soldier is all the knife I would ever need.
 
I think that really sums it up Psychopomp, When you say, I have no doubt that the soldier is all the knife I would ever need. Thats the real deal with a SAK, it will do almost anything you need in a small sturdy package. They really are great and I love everyone of mine.
 
I EDC'd a Huntsman (that I found) for 15+ years, then last year went to a Case large CV Stockman, because I was whittling more. When I have chores, the Huntsman comes out to play. When I've got whittling & carving to do, it's the Stockman.

thx - cpr
 
You'll appreciate your SAK the first time you have to contend with an imported beer , or a phillips screw that needs a tweek . They have a lot of funtionality for the price , good price to quality ratio , and excellent F/F .

Chris
 
I just keep hoping for a farmer with steel liners...but I figure even Scibeer wouldn't be able to do that, would he?
 
I have been using saks for half of my, long, knife addicts life. Yes those are non fancy, yes those are not sturdy, yes those are not ...sd blades. But having so many items in a so little space one end up using them alot, and for a really wide range of tasks. For istance you cannot chop with a so flimsy blade, but the saw is rearly effective and can split a havvy wood in a few strockes. Interesting, I have see them in use as personal equipement by many "rangers".
 
Just to make an already tough knife even tougher. I know it's excessive, but I'd be all over it.
 
It's an illness. SAKaholism. Like Bucks, Barkies, Busses... just less expensive. Try to explain any addiction for a 'thing'. I love my Buck 110s... they will slice larger limbs, etc - but that's it. The saw in the Farmer is really useful - probably cut as large a limb with it. The Alox Pioneer Harvester is neat, too - even a pruner blade. Heck, I found it at 'amazings.com' with 'free' extended time s/h for <$27. Sadly, no toothpick or tweezers on the Alox models.

My original Vic SAK is 30+ years old now. I recall using the tp in a Mex eatery one night... my younger son snickered - then revealed his older brother had stabbed a spider with it earlier that day. That was thirty years ago. Somewhere along the line, I bought my second one - the first one's blade was dull and I couldn't sharpen a double bevel knife - chisels/gouges, you bet; knives - no! So, I had a few when the madness remanifested itself. Did you know they make marine SAKs with a Marlinspike? Skeletonized, but still a Marlinspike - got a Vic 'Skipper' last year. Of course, I got out of the USN while Nixon was still President - and sold my last sailboat before Bush Sr. took office. I finally got a SAK with a Marlinspike...

Hey, there is a SAK-specific sub-forum on 'another' knife forum. Those guys make me look normal! Oops... gotta go... nursie is back!

Stainz
 
i carry two SAK's every day, a Tinker with custom Star of david handles, and a modified classic (added a pocket clip where the toothpick used to be) with a spyderco Jester connected to it for heavier cutting tasks, i find that 70% of all of my daily tasks employ one of the two SAK's and if they cant handle it i call in the skeletool or the minigrip and put them to work.

overall, if you get a good SAK you wont regret it

Cheers!

The Colonel
 
rifon2 said:
Been carrying a Victorinox Pioneer Pruner recently, and I think it's amazing - especially for the price.
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I have to agree. I picked up that exact model at a show last month. It has made it into my EDC gear. It is extremely slim and fits well in my right front pocket.

The Pruner has become my go to knife when co-workers ask to borrow a knife. If they loose or break it I am out a whole $25. The lack of a lock helps keep non-knife people from abusing it and has the benefit of avoiding some confusion when they close it. It may be the greatest "loaner" knife I own.

STICF
 
I own many different types of knives and carry them all. The one that never leaves my pocket, though, is the SAK super tinker. I don't use it to cut that much, but the screwdrivers, scissors, and other tools are invaluable. Because of those tools, I use that knife more than anything else I carry. Not to mention that the QC and workmanship are superb at that pricepoint.
 
I always carry a sak. Always. A few years ago my mom gave me a tinker for christmas. I thought it was nice and would fill a void in my small collection. I did not however take it serious as a knife or tool in any way.
That changed quickly. I really don't know how I got along without a sak. I use mine everyday. I prefer the cellidor models myself. The huntsman/fieldmaster is the perfect sak imho. To each their own.
Jim
 
i carry one because i'm a teacher, if the door hinge is lose from my kids slaming or to pry out a staple or pry open a jar i have a (few) screwdriver(s). If i have a loose thread, need to trim my nails, need to cut some paper, i have my sissors. If i need to file down a broken nail or a screw that's sticking out in a way that's unsafe i have my file. i need a hole for some craft or project i have the awl. if i need to cut my sandwich or make something for lunch i have the knife blade. I have a bottle opener from a bottled soda or a beer after work, and a corkscrew for a romanitc evening picknick with my wife. And i have it all in one little package that's smaller and lighter than any leatherman type tool, so that even if there is one day i didn't use it it was so light i forgot it was there. Outside of the woods, a constrruction site and the kitchen a SAK can usually handle the job, espcially if you work in an office, school etc.
 
I usually carry 2 SAKs; a black Victorinox Executive, and a Soldier. I find uses for each implement on both knives. I even use the large screwdriver/bottle opener blade on the Soldier to open or take down boxes when cutting is not necessary or desirable (such as opening cereal boxes, etc.), as well as light prying.

These are extremely useful, and go well as EDC along with a good one-hander like the Delica4, Endura4, mini-Grip (or whatever your pick)j.
Jim
 
I have carried a Vic Recruit daily for almost 2 years. It comes out for this or that daily. When I worked on charter fishing/party boats in New England I carried a Vic Spartan that was given to me by one of the patrons. It was an advertising knife with the name of a company on it. It was a Victorinox nonetheless. I used it for everything on the Miss Gloucester. The small flat head screwdriver on the can opener was the perfect size for tightening the screws in the Penn reels we used. The corkscrew was the perfect tool to pick out backlashes in the reels. The large screwdriver was used to fix the foghorn one day when it was needed and no other screwdriver could fit in the tight space behind the radio. The half stop on the Spartan's screwdriver made the perfect angled tool for the job. The blades kept their edges for decent amounts of time and were used to cut monofilament fishing line, twine, nylon dock line and anything else that needed cutting. And when the blade dulled it sharpened up easily. I cut the cheeks out of 25 codfish heads with that Spartan. The blade never rusted even after daily use around salt water and when the action got sticky a little soap and water fixed it. The aluminum liners corroded some but a little Mothers aluminum polish fixed that up right quick. They are tough knives for the money and small enough to go most anywhere without taking up a lot of space, come in handy plenty of times and are inexpensive enough that you can keep one in the car, one at work, a few at home, give one to each of your family, and carry one in your pocket.


recruitandspartan.jpg
 
I'm 56 and have carried a SAK since I stopped carrying my Boy Scout Knife, about 43 years ago. First the Spartan, being a kid, then just young, then a collage party fool I lost a few. I always replaced it within a day or so. Once they didn't have a Spartan so I picked up a Climber, it was the same but with scissors. I got used to using the scissors.

I never "permanently" lost this knife, I changed out the red plastic scales to bone about 20 years ago, and I’ve had it maybe 30 years. I misplaced it about 3 years ago and felt terrible, found it and semi-retired it. I know carry a Super Tinker. I'd rather have the corkscrew than the Phillips though I don't drink anymore, the closest thing to the retired knife would be the Climber.

I would rather go barefoot than be without my SAK. With this knife in my pocket I could make a pair of moccasins.
 
James Y said:
I usually carry 2 SAKs; a black Victorinox Executive, and a Soldier. I find uses for each implement on both knives. I even use the large screwdriver/bottle opener blade on the Soldier to open or take down boxes when cutting is not necessary or desirable (such as opening cereal boxes, etc.), as well as light prying.

These are extremely useful, and go well as EDC along with a good one-hander like the Delica4, Endura4, mini-Grip (or whatever your pick)j.
Jim
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I EDC a black Huntsman and a waved Delica IV every day, along with a fixed blade karambit (I'm really into pencak silat). Admittedly, the SAK gets the most use by far. I use it virtually every day.
 
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