What Tool(s) Do You Use the Most On Your SAK?

Blade Girl

Blade Girl

Joined
Feb 4, 2015
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506
Okay, so I was curious what tool you guys (and gals) use on your SAK's the most? I have this huge SAK Explorer, the camo print one in many of my pics (below), and so far, I have mainly used the scissors and the bottle opener. I do like that it has the phillips and flat head options on it, as there are many situations I have come across where I need to screw something and can't find anything to screw with, whether out and about or at home. However, I haven't come across that particular situation since I've purchased it. That being said, I also have used the large knife on it to rip open things when the scissors are too difficult to get to. What tool, or tools, do you find you use the most? I am going to post here a photo of my Explorer since I mentioned it here in this comment. Not my favorite photo of it, but this photo shows 'most' of the hardware that it's packed with. Although I love my Explorer and wouldn't trade it for nothing, I'm thinking maybe for every day carry, I might want to tote something a bit smaller that has mainly the tools I use.

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Main Blade
Scissors
Can opener
bottle opener
wood saw

Pen in scales
tweezers

FWIW my wife likes her minichamp. Lot of tools in a small package.
 
Ford1911 said:
Main Blade
Scissors
Can opener
bottle opener
wood saw

Pen in scales
tweezers

FWIW my wife likes her minichamp. Lot of tools in a small package.
Click to expand...

What types of stuff do you use your wood saw for? I thought about getting one with a wood saw just for the heck of it (might come in handy on a hike or something..who knows), but not sure that I would really use it all that much.
 
I use it to cut the really thick zip ties at work.
Also when the weather is nice I like to smoke meats. I use it to cut lump charcoal to fit in my smoker tray.
Cuts small branches with ease.
Good for cutting any type of thick plastic that is to much for a knife.
Pelvic bone on a deer. :o
IMO it is one of the best tools you can get on a SAK. It is a very quality little saw.
 
Blade Girl said:
What types of stuff do you use your wood saw for? I thought about getting one with a wood saw just for the heck of it (might come in handy on a hike or something..who knows), but not sure that I would really use it all that much.
Click to expand...

Recently trimmed up some 2X4's for my Dad's recliner.
SawaFarmer_zps9d23a415.jpg
 
Ford1911 said:
I use it to cut the really thick zip ties at work.
Also when the weather is nice I like to smoke meats. I use it to cut lump charcoal to fit in my smoker tray.
Cuts small branches with ease.
Good for cutting any type of thick plastic that is to much for a knife.
Pelvic bone on a deer. :o
IMO it is one of the best tools you can get on a SAK. It is a very quality little saw.
Click to expand...

Hmmm..sounds like I need to order another SAK :-) Preferably with a saw on it! Thank you so much, Ford1911. You've been a great help! Blessings to you and your family this week in all that you do..and then some. :thumbup::)
 
SAK Guy said:
Recently trimmed up some 2X4's for my Dad's recliner.
SawaFarmer_zps9d23a415.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks SAK Guy! Very helpful! I may need to trim the legs off my father's kitchen table chair so he will get off his butt and do something healthy besides sit for so long! ha ha ha He calls me every few minutes somedays wanting me to send my youngest son over, whom he pays, to take his trash out (they live practically next door). He is VERY impatient about it too! And he ho-hums when you ask him for any help with anything.. God bless my dad...But... yeah..just sayin'! So this might be a very good idea! Thank you..as I am having wonderful thoughts as we speak! <big smile>
 
I carry a pioneer every day. The awl is probably the most often used tool. Mainly to open packages, scrape, punch holes and so on it really saves the main blade from abuse and creates nice neat holes in soft material to boot. The flat driver is probably used near as much for light prying tasks, driving and removing screws (the half stop let's you put so decent torque on a screw in a tight spot), and of course opening a Porter or Stout at the end of the day ;-) The main blade comes in third for any time I need a good sharp blade and my Mora isn't on my neck such as slicing apples at work. Finally the can opener for Philips screws, finer light prying duties, pot bail or hot grill grate lifter, and of course opening cans.
 
Blade Girl said:
I have this huge SAK Explorer
Click to expand...

I used to carry an Explorer Plus all of the time, and it has plenty of utility. [Gotta have the Plus version wherever possible]. But I've migrated to smaller SAKs, and now days pretty much only use the scissors and small phillips driver. The scissors are probably #1 for me, and I can get those on a Classic SD, Manager, Compact, etc., which are much easier in the pocket. But the Explorer Plus will always be my favorite.

20140301_140005_zps9fe2cce4.jpg

Explorer Plus.
 
The philips driver on my Tinker seems to be it for me. I love the inline philips on your model.

Outside the city the saw on my Farmer comes in handy for campsite tinkering.
 
Blade Girl said:
Okay, so I was curious what tool you guys (and gals) use on your SAK's the most? ... I am going to post here a photo of my Explorer since I mentioned it here in this comment. Not my favorite photo of it, but this photo shows 'most' of the hardware that it's packed with. Although I love my Explorer and wouldn't trade it for nothing, I'm thinking maybe for every day carry, I might want to tote something a bit smaller that has mainly the tools I use.
Click to expand...

I don't have an Explorer, but I'll tell you what tools on it I'd use the most, based on my use with the SAKs I do have.

Large blade is essential; it's a knife! :D
I've found far more uses for the scissors than I'd ever have predicted. :thumbup:
I use the cap lifter to open a beer bottle every night. :)
The flat screwdriver is very handy, and your in-line phillips screwdriver is high on my wish list. :cool:
The small blade is my absolute favorite blade for whittling so far, and I've tried lots of blades for whittling. :thumbup::thumbup:
As an old guy, I'd bet if I had the magnifier in my pocket, my eyes would find plenty of uses for it. ;)
I use an awl quite often, for an amazing variety of tasks.
And I often wish I had a saw, but don't. :(

I haven't found much use for corkscrew, can opener, "parcel hook". But maybe I live an impoverished life. :p

- GT
 
I carry either a Farmer (most of the time) or a Pioneer. The large Screwdriver/Can-Opener gets lots of use and on the Farmer the saw sees a fair share of use.

When I had a Classic the little scissors were something I really liked.
 
Being a trades guy my hands are always filthy so the Cadet rides along with the nail cleaner been the number tool in use.
 
Well... being native bavarian ;) :p and a real beer afficiando The Bottleopener gets the most use, beside the mainblade.
But the small blade is a wonderful tool as well for opening packages and "dirty" jobs. The corkscrew is great for cleaning fingernails.
And who doesn´t like the scissors on a SAK?
 
I find the claims of so much saw use either exaggerations or justifications for having a saw. The saw blade is very short as saws go, so VERY inefficient. It is also very aggressively toothed, and rips things more than it cuts. It is also difficult to clean out. For just about anything that this saw would do, another cutting tool is probably a better choice. If it were a hacksaw type blade it would be more passable. With the exception of those 2x4's in most cases you can probably break the things you are using this saw on with your hands more easily by simply scoring them a few times with your knife blade. The 2x4s likely took way more effort than made sense. I would have spent 10 minutes looking for any other saw before attempting that cut. I am however a woodworker, and firmly believe the right tool for the job is the one to use not one that is almost right. A pioneer or an alox soldier is a great utility set up and I use each tool in the course of a week. Scissors on the rare occasion would be handy but I have a classic on my key ring so am covered. Super-tinker would be a good choice if you found a need for scissors more often. Large blade, small blade, scissors, can and bottle openers, awl and phillips, and that goofy hook. The only oddity on it is that crazy little hook thing that I have seen uses for but none that really justify its existence.
 
Actually you need a French Army knife. The one with 6 corkscrews.
 
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I'm a hard core SAK user (also Leatherman, but that's another thread ;) ) and honestly can't say which tools are used most because it depends on so many factors, like season of the year, projects I'm working on, pop up repairs and adjustments and so forth. During the summer, for example, I use the saw blade a lot while doing yard work, while in winter, hardly at all. Lately, after years (decades!) of very rarely using the corkscrew, because our dedicated one broke and hasn't been replaced yet, I'm pulling corks almost every night (mostly for the wife, but I'll knock back a glass or two to keep her company ;) .)

During the years I had only one SAK, a Swisschamp, I used every tool on it except for the back-spring mounted small screwdriver. Right now I'm carrying a Sportsman II, and in a weeks time will probably use every tool on it.
 
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znapschatz said:
Okay, corkscrews, but white flag? What exactly has the French army done to deserve being considered cowardly?
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It's been in vogue the past few years with people of a certain far right political leaning to criticize the French for their non involvement in international affairs of the military kind. Apparently the French these days seem to have a mind set of minding their own business, having learned the hard way from their Imperialistic years, that involvement in foreign wars is not a good thing for their citizens or country. The French seem to be following the Swiss and Swedish model of keeping their army home.

This white flag horse hockey has been repeated on the internet ad nauseam by those certain followers, as well as people who don't really know jack about it, but just like to jump on bandwagons.
 
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