Victorinox Soldier - Just Get One!

mr44

mr44

Joined
Dec 16, 1999
Messages
383
It was really nice out today so I decided to go for a walk and blow some money. Once I was out and about I felt the familiar need to purchase a new sharp toy, but money is just a little tight at the moment. Then I "remembered" that I had been meaing to pick up a Victorinox Soldier model since reading a thread here about a week ago.

I got mine at a very good price ($35 Canadian including taxes - didn't even need to break out the Visa!) and let me tell you that I am most satisfied with my purchase. I had a SAK years ago, but I had forgetten just how high the quality of these knives is. My Soldier is flawless in terms of fit and finish, the main blade came razor sharp, and the action is very crisp and secure. The blade and tools have less (read: no) side play when opened, even compared to some of the higher priced locking knives that I own, believe it or not.

I prefer the silver Alox (aluminum) handle of this model to the usual red plastic on other SAKs. It looks really classy, and feels light yet very strong. This knife is going to be with me every day from now on, regardless of what other tactical folder or whatever I am packing. I can see using it around "them" without being branded as some kind of terrorist or knife-wielding serial killer. Although I have owned it for less than two hours, it has already cut open a package, cleaned my nails, adjusted the action on my CQC-7, opened up a Heineken beer and scraped the charred crap from the bowl of my bong
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Bottom line: Every one should have one (or more!) of these knives, and Victorinox should make more models with the Alox handles. Then they would get more of my money for sure!
 
I agree the Soldier is one of the best knife buys out there. It is a SAK at its most basic, and all the blades snap open and closed (like all Victorinoxes, but esp. the Soldier!).

I had to adjust the pivot on one of my CQC7's, and tried my Leatherman pulse, but the screwdrivers on that were too thick, but the Soldier's large screwdriver fit right in there.
Jim
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">scraped the charred crap from the bowl of my bong</font>
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You guys are taking me back to my mis-spent youth. I almost forgot why the Soldier has always been a favorite...
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James Segura
San Francisco, CA
 
If you like the Soldier model, you should also check out the Victorinox Cadet.
I first heard of it here on the forums (but I forget who to thank for the suggestion-- maybe stjames or James Y?).
It's like a smaller version of the Soldier (silver alox but with a nail-file instead of an awl). Since it's slightly smaller and slimmer it fits in the pocket alittle better (IMHO). It's almost perfect (except I had to file off the sharp key-ring part).


[This message has been edited by allenC (edited 04-15-2001).]
 
I almost started a thread a little while back called "best knife to scrape the bowl and screen of your bong". I decided I better not. I just use my decorated sebenza.
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Brian
The first knife was probably used to cut stuff.
 
If you like the Soldier, get a Farmer. It is like a red Soldier with a saw.

Reminds me of college when some friends and I designed a SAK just for the above stated purposes. The hard part was figuring out how to fit a twinkie in it...

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Clay Fleischer
clay_fleischer@yahoo.com
AKTI Member A000847
 
I love the Soldier's rock-solid construction and heft, but I hate having to give up the small blade, corkscrew (with the mini-screwdriver insert), toothpick and tweezers. With my Spartan I get these extra goodies and I use the smaller blade all the time.
I like that the Soldier has no annoying key ring, and I know the Soldier is built to last longer than the Spartan and other plastic-handled SAKs. But I don't mind knowing that my Spartan will "only" last me 15 years or so. For what I paid, that's barely over a buck a year.
 
I also like the soldier model but don't like that there is no feature to attach a lanyard. I have the Pioneer (same knife except red alox slabs and a key ring). I also have a 1991 model soldier when they still had a hollow rivet to attach a lanyard. If your knife is a true "Soldier's" model, it has the date of manufacture stamped on the "tang" of the knife. Mine says "91". All the Soldier model's since about 1991 or 1992 have been without the hollow rivet which has produced a lot of lost knives.

Bruce Woodbury
 
I had been looking at getting a SAK for a while now. I haven't had one since boy scouting. It looks like the soldier is the one to get.
MAtt

[This message has been edited by Jazzman (edited 04-17-2001).]
 
Originally posted by mnblade:
I love the Soldier's rock-solid construction and heft, but I hate having to give up the small blade, corkscrew (with the mini-screwdriver insert), toothpick and tweezers.

Those are TWEEZERS? Mr.44 told me they were roach clips.
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Jack
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I got mine back in '95 and it looks shiny and new despite all the abuse. Still goes with me wherever I go.

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Tea drinker and hellraiser from Northern Sweden, above the arctic circle.
 
My oldest Soldier goes way back to '84 and still looks and performs as well as my current '00. It sits clean and razor sharp, ready for use, in my truck's toolbox.

Not one of my Soldiers has developed any blade play, nor have I ever had a broken blade or spring. These knives (including the Pioneer and Farmer variations) have to be the best value out there, bar none. The only thing close seems to be the Cadet model.

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It's not the pace of life that concerns me, It's the sudden stop at the end.
 
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