VICTORINOX vs WENGER SAK

T

TACMAN

Joined
Apr 16, 2000
Messages
54
Well I finally got a Wenger (serrated Teton). I have read about the quality differences and wanted to see for myself. I was looking for an EDC SAK with the following features: large and small blade, scissors, straight and phillips screw drivers, can and bottle openers, and an awl.

What I like about the Wenger: They seem to have user friendly features such as a shorter overall closed length which fits more comfortably in the pocket, a fully serrated large blade, better blade design (clip point and spear point with a good belly,) better can opener, better awl and better scissors. And they don't have that stupid little package hook and cork screw that Victorinox has. Boy does that hook annoy me. My Huntsman is wider because of this useless hook. At least with the corkscrew I can fit the small screw driver into it.

What I don't like about the Wenger: The mirror polished finish on the blades is not quite up to Victorinox standards. The spring is not quite as strong as the Victorinox. The blade does not seem to be quite as thick. The edge needed just a little touching up to bring it up to Victorinox standards. The little key chain.

What does it matter?
This is an EDC so who cares about the mirror polished blades?
This is'nt a heavy duty knife so the springs and blade thickness is O.K. right?
So the blade needed touching up a bit, it would need touched up at some point in time, right?
The key chain was replaced with a spit ring and a white photon light was added.

Bottom line: Quality wise the Wenger is a breath away from the Victorinox, but not quite there. In Practical use I am willing to live with the Wenger every day because of it's FEATURES. I feel that Wenger is willing to adjust it's product line for the American consumer, something which Victorinox is not entirely willing to do.

That stupid hook .................
 
With the exception of a Ranger I got for my 40th birthday, I refuse to carry a Victorinox with a hook. Luckily, you can still find NOS knives on ebay.
 
I just found those hook thingy on victorinox's site. :barf: :barf: :barf:
 
TACMAN,
Where are you at in PA? I'm also a cop in south central PA.

Inquiring minds want to know.

Dave
 
I see I've found a bunch of guys who haven't discovered the superb utility of "the hook!" I've used the hook many times for many things, and never to hold parcels! I've used it to snag things from small openings, pull up tent stakes, pick up the hot bail of small backpacking cooking gear. Oh yeah, there are probably other tools on the knife you could do some of these things with, but if you'll just try the "hook" a few times, you will find it more useful than you think.

"Victorinox Fieldmaster forever!!"

Bruce Woodbury
 
I like Wenger knives too. Especially the the locking screwdrivers and main blades. Unfortunately, the lock on the Wenger's main blade presses into my finger a little when I grip the knife tightly. Like you, Tacman, I don't think the finish is equal to Victorinox. If you just need the basic blades, Victorinox does make some basic knives about the same size as the Wengers. The Recruit and the Tinker are available in the smaller size. You can find them on www.swiss-knife.com/EN/SK/swissknife_index.htmlClick the 84MM size. One other thing, I think the Victorinox blades hold an edge better but I have always had to touch up Victorinox knives as well.
 
Dave,
Cumberland County. How about you?
Send me an e-mail & keep your head down before you make the Patriot News!
TACMAN
;)
 
Well.......... you almost have me hooked on "THE HOOK", but not quite yet! But because you found some uses for it I'll retract the word useless, and maybe even stupid when describing this worthless piece of steel.

On Sunday I'm going to give "THE HOOK" a trial run using my trusty Vic Huntsman. This is the test.... With blinding speed I will open a can of beens (leaving the lid attached). Then, using the awl I will skillfully punch a hole large enough in the lid for the hook to fit into. And when the beens are done, I will then "hook" them.

I'll let everyone know how "THE HOOK" and I made out. If you don't hear from me it will mean that I've been hospitalized for one of the following emergency situations: a) I cut a finger off while opening the can with "blinding speed", b) I stabbed myself while "skillfully" punching a hole in the lid, c) I recieved third degree burns while "HOOKING" the can or finally, d) my wife committed me to mental institution .....

Later,
TACMAN
:D
 
Well the test is over and Bruce is right. "THE HOOK" has some usefulness. The Vic awl makes a hole perfectly sized for the hook. I punched the hole just under the can rim (under the reinforcement lip). When the beans were cooked I used the hook to retrieve the can. Not a single bean spilled out!

Onto the can opener. Even though the Wenger can opener LOOKS to be more efficient, in use it seemed to stick in the can lid. The Vic was smoother and faster.

Bruce, thanks for your info.

Mia culpa, mia culpa, mia maxima culpa! :o

PS. 07/09....... I must have a little delay problem between "flash and bang". Yea, my Wenger can opener was getting stuck in the can lid alright, because I was going the wrong way with it! :confused:
 
TACMAN, now that you're a confirmed "hooker" you will find many little situations arising each day where that little hook will prove useful. In fact, as you go through your day you'll find yourself saying, "Gee, I bet I could use that little hook for that!" Pretty soon you'll realize you are spending so much time thinking about the hook that someone close to you will suggest you see a shrink. A few months later you'll come home and find all who know and love you there performing a "hook intervention". They'll talk you into a trip to a reputable psychiatrist who will dose you on prozac for you're little hookish "Obsessive/Compulsive" tendencies. The hook dreams will deminish, and you will get most of your normal life back. ...you even may go to a dermatologist to get that "I'm a hooker" tattoo removed from your forehead. Then you'll be "almost" well.

However, everytime you go to the post office or hear Julie Andrews sing the Sound of Music song about "favorite things" (packages tied up with strings) you will have a mild flashback. Don't worry, they get fewer and fewer over the years.

Good luck, Buddy, and sorry I got you into this

Bruce Woodbury
 
I thought that hook was for tightening up the laces on ICE SKATES!!!

You really do learn something everyday! ;)

Mongrel
 
Although I don't think the hook is useless, I don't think it is used enough to justify the extra weight.

Good luck,
Allen.
 
Mongrel, don't you need two knives with hooks to tighten ice skates?

allenC, I never weighed my hook. If you could tell me how much it weighs, I'll do a weight/usefullness analysis for myself. You'll need to do one for yourself since each would have a different range of uses. JUST PUT THE KNIFE IN YOUR POCKET AND FORGET ABOUT THE HOOK!!

Regards,
Bruce Woodbury
 
I've looked at the Wengers and did not find their quality up to Vic's standards, but they are very usable knives. Wenger doesn't seem to as much variety as the Vics do but they do have some better options...the locking screwdriver (which the Vics now have) and their scissors seem to be a bit tougher (serrated edge). I just wish I could find a model with everything I want and nothing I don't:

-Locking main blade (plain, not serrated)
-Clip point small blade
-Saw
-Phillips screwdriver
-Awl
-Can and bottle openers with screwdrivers
-Scissors

I've never been a fan of the corkscrew - I don't drink that much wine! As for the hook debate; I've used mine once to retreive my car keys under my seat in the bleachers at a baseball game recently...SOLD!
 
I have no clue as to how much the hook weighs--but I do know that an extra tool and extra backspring (or thicker backspring) does add to the overall weight of the knife.
Maybe they could put something else there like a bit-adaptor (kinda like the one on the Cybertool, but smaller) or even a marlin spike?

BTW, Vics now have a locking screwdriver?
Is that on all models?

Good luck,
Allen.
 
I have a Swiss Champ which I bought from a Shotgun News ad, and a smaller Victorinox which was an anniversary present from my first job. I acquired both knives at about the same time (1988-89).

The steel on the screwdriver blades is very soft. I used the Swiss Champ to assemble a computer and the large screwdriver was scratched the first time it was used. The small screwdriver blade (the one that is part of the can opener) on both knives has only been used on eyeglass frames, but is now deeply scored and canted.

The Victorinox blades have always cut well though and are easy to touch up on a butcher's steel. And I do like to always have those scissors around.

I have no experience with Wenger knives although I was under the impression that they were a more upscale brand.
 
Hi Guys,

I guess the Victorinox versus Wenger discussion will continue as long as both brands exist. Like the rest of you I have compared the two. No matter how hard I try to be evenhanded about it, the Victorinox knives come out on top. I have a couple of Wengers but they stay in my collection box. I carry and use my Vics.

I have found that Vics take a better edge and hold it longer. The selection of tools and the variety of models is better. I have never had a problem with Vic screwdrivers. Some guys report that they slip out of slots too easily because they are too highly polished and rounded.

I disagree that Wenger scissors are better. I have found them to be weaker. I recently compared the two styles while cutting up old credit cards. The Vic scissors on my Swisschamp sailed through the cards. The Wenger ToolChest Plus scissors barely cut at all. It seemed to be a combination of thinner steel and shorter blades that held them back.

I only have one knife with the little hook, a Swisschamp. I haven't used the hook very often. Of course, I haven't used the little scraper much either, but it is nice to have. When you get to a knife the size of the Swisschamp, the weight of the hook doesn't matter much.

Thanks for the great thread! Gave me an excuse to ramble.
 
Well my dear colleagues, friends and Romans.....I have never had a Wenger SAK, but I have had and still have Victorinox SAK, namely the Swisschamp with complete SOS kit which is rather neat. The Wenger is definitely inferior in quality IMHO. The Vics are definitely better quality. I just love my Swisschamp...the veritable toolbox in your pocket. I don't use the blades that much though, so they are in mint condition and have held their edge superbly. You use a blade that does not lock at your own peril........I use the small blade to scrape light things, like stickers on a window etc., and only use the large blade for making initial incisions on orange peels etc.

I love the leather sheaths provided by Victorinox, I have a sheath
for the knife itself when I dont carry the full SOS kit, which only happens when I go hiking etc. The saw on the Vic Swisschamp is mean and eats through any branch like butter, this includes thick bamboo.

The hook......yes the HOOK!!!!!!!!! Very useful to tighten and loosten laces on shoes, skates, boots etc. and also for tent pegs, lifting hot containers while camping, and ultimately..... HERE IT COMES..... the ultimate use for the HOOK!!! is...... lifting a very heavy "BARBEL" ...this is the South African equivalent of a Catfish. I have landed a 14KG ( about 35 pounds) Barbel and the HOOK....came in most handy!!!!

The little screw driver in the corkscrew is indispensible. BTW the corkscrew can also be used to lift heavy items where the HOOK is too small etc.

Finally, the Swisschamp is also used as a TACTICAL KNIFE!!!! YES!!! beieve it or not!!!! This is how it is used as a tactical knife....
In a life-threatening assault situation you pull out your Swisschamp...and ponder which "tool" to open....The would-be assailant dies laughing.....leaving you to be on your way safe and sound......


"If at first you don't succeed.....USE YOUR VICTORINOX SAK!!!"
 
I appear to have the Vic SAK Workchamp which doesn't have the hook. It has a locking main blade too (though the other tools do not lock) and even an "ergonomic handle". I agree with most that Victorinox's QC and materials are a shade better than Wenger, and there are a lot of tools on this puppy, but no hook and no small blade! Thus it is a little thinner than it otherwise would have to be.

But I wish I had a hook! Consider this from a theoretical perspective. The hook turns the SAK into a <i>handle</i> and there are all kinds of uses for a handle! Many of these uses come up when traveling. Of course since traveling by air with these things is now out, one of its best arenas is out of bounds. But there are other kinds of traveling for which handles are very handy, and I wish I had one!

The other tool I'd love to see on a SAK would (as someone else mentioned) be a good marlin spike! Haven't seen a SAK with one of those.
 
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