What's more useful on an SAK, a nail file or reamer?

For me the reamer/awl has always been the better tool. I've never found the nail files on the sak's very functional.

-mike
 
jackknife said:
Reamer!

I've used the nail file very little on my classic. If I have a rough edge on a nail, I can just scrape it down with a pen blade on my peanut. But, There's been times Ineeded a reamer/awl to make a hole. Either a starter hole for wood screws, or a belt being taking in a bit. Plus the reamer gives me an extra edge for popping plastic ties stripping a bit of insulation off a wire end during a home repair, and rough stuff I don't want to mess up the 'good' edge on.

I wish Victorinox would offer a cadet 2 with a downsized reamer from the pioneer.
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Reamer wthout a doubt.



Like this Carl?
Only a rough modification, but works like a charm ;)
 
The awl (reamer) is much more useful to me, but I find the size of the Cadet to be nice at times where the Pioneer is too big..... and if the pioneer isn't too big, well the Farmer is hardly any larger.....

The solution is to get all three!
 
Woodrow F Call said:
The awl (reamer) is much more useful to me, but I find the size of the Cadet to be nice at times where the Pioneer is too big..... and if the pioneer isn't too big, well the Farmer is hardly any larger.....

The solution is to get all three!
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I like the way you think bud!!!!!! :D
 
I find the awl quite useful. I have a Vic Rambler on my key chain, so I usually have a file with me too.
 
Woodrow F Call said:
The awl (reamer) is much more useful to me, but I find the size of the Cadet to be nice at times where the Pioneer is too big..... and if the pioneer isn't too big, well the Farmer is hardly any larger.....

The solution is to get all three!
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Now don't make things more complicated by throwing the farmer into the mix. :p:confused:
 
sunandsteel said:
Now don't make things more complicated by throwing the farmer into the mix. :p:confused:
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It's not more complicated. It's easier. Just get all three. Seriously, the Farmer is hardly any bigger than the Pioneer. It's a 3rd layer, but it's more like a half thick layer.

As for the colors. In the US, Alox knives are silver. Special editions come in color. Red Pioneers are sometimes offered. I got a black farmer from Italy, a Green Pioneer from South Africa, Green and Red Cadets as well.
 
Another cool variant would be a knife that is slim like the cadet but with a scissors instead of the nail file (in alox). The scissor would replace the nail file and serve a lot of other purposes too.
 
Today I have a Pioneer (with reamer) and a Rally (with nail file). So far I have used the Reamer to properly ventilate a coffee cup lid, drill start holes in dry wall to hang a towel rack, and clean my finger nails. I have yet to use the file.
 
sunandsteel said:
Does the Pioneer come in red also?
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AFAIK, Victorinox Canada still has new (special run) Pioneers in red available through Swiss Bianco Canada on "eek" bay. About 2x price of a reg silver Pioneer but they look very nice. Or you can buy the older red editions.

Here's mine next to my Apocalypse Green Farmer:

Swissbancocanada_zps1e553109.jpg


It's actually very red ...much more so than the photo shows (that low direct sun is picking up the highlights off the scale texture).
 
Let me just say the Cadet is probably one of my favorite knives. Like JC I find the file and it's point very usefull for all kinds of things. Don't know that I have ever used it as a fingernail file. But it has become one of my favorite SAK blades. I do have a Farmer and it is a great knife but I'll pick the Cadet over it just about 99% of the time.
 
Depends.

In the shop, I like to have an awl handy. But I keep a proper leather punch, and a proper awl starting holes in ski decks. Still, the old BSA knife stays on the work bench and I occasionally use the awl for some scraping job.

This is my EDC carry of choice after years of carrying BSA knives.


EDC Pair by Pinnah, on Flickr

I use the nail file for finger nails and scraping and filing soft stuff including metal. I never wish to have an awl blade in its place.
 
Awl, definitely, I find it a really useful tool. I'm not sure I've ever used a nail-file in my whole life.
 
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