which SAK for EDC?

O

Old Painless

Joined
Apr 10, 2006
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I am new to multitools and I am thinking about finally getting one. There are so many options but it looks like the outrider has everything I would need... any thoughts on this model or why another might be a better?
Basically it would be EDC for urban living and occasional hikes.
Thanks!
 
I've found the SAK Climber to be very useful in everyday life. I use it about once a day. The only thing that hasn't gotten use so far has been the hook.
 
What kind of tasks do you usually deal with in a day? I have a Victorinox Explorer and I think it's one of the best things to carry in an urban/suburban/office environment. I have the regular model but I would check out the plus just because it comes with a few other neat features with no extra weight or bulk.
 
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The nice thing about SAKs is that most of them are cheap enough that you can buy a few variations and experiment and figure out which one works best in practice for you without having to make a large investment.

I'm carrying a Tinker right now, but want scissors, so I have a Compact in transit right now. It has everything I use or need most (Scissors, bottle opener, tweezers, backup pen), and a minimum of things I won't use (Corkscrew -- though that at least holds a mini screwdriver), and all in a slim 2-layer package for easy pocket carry. It's looking like the closest available thing to an ideal urban EDC SAK for my needs short of getting someone to assemble a custom one. And if it doesn't work out... I'm sure I'll be able to sell it.

There's a flash app to help pick a knife on the Victorinox web site. You tell it what size knife and what tools you want, and it'll give you a bunch of options.

Climber/Super Tinker, Spartan/Tinker, and Minichamp are all pretty popular. For more outdoors oriented uses, so are the One Handed Trekker and Farmer (though I just ordered the Pioneer Harvester instead, which replaces the can opener with a small hawkbill blade. More useful to me as I don't take canned food camping.)
 
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Old Painless said:
There are so many options but it looks like the outrider has everything I would need... any thoughts on this model or why another might be a better?
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I really like the Outrider pattern, and I carry one in my day pack quite often. Its got an almost prefect selection of my most used SAK tools.

That said, I do find it a bit too large for comfortable pocket carry, so if I was to used it as my EDC it would have to be in a belt sheath. Not sure if that's the way you want to go or not?

If you want pretty much the same tools on a slightly smaller frame, you could consider the Huntsman. It will fit in your pocket a bit easier without giving up anything but the lock on the main blade.

huntsman.jpg


For every day pocket carry, I don't think you can go wrong with one of the Alox SAKs though. A lot of people swear by the Farmer, although I like it's little brother the Cadet best.

Victorinox+Farmer.jpg
DH53042.jpg


They are both light and fit well in your pocket.
 
Wow, really great replies so far guys, thanks! .... I love you.

-ahem- okay uh, let's see. I am an office guy, a fix-little-things here and there around the house guy, a pet guy (bags of food, cans of food), a dad, (opening those blasted bombproof plastic toy containers), and a hiker.

I don't really like the redundancy of a short blade and a longer blade... and scissors are nice (not necessary but I would use more than an awl or a reamer and definitely more than a shorter blade :rolleyes:)

I would rather carry in the pocket than in a belt sheath.
If anyone has comparison pics of widths that would be awesome :o

Um, I am looking for that feature on the website where you can compare products but to no avail... where is that exactly?

Thanks again all!
 
Thanks for the link!
Hmm, so many options. Quite inundating really. But you guys have helped a ton. I like the huntsman for my first SAK. There is also a Huntsman Lite -- any thoughts? How is the light on that? Am I better off getting the regular Huntsman and attaching an Inova Microlight to the key ring or something?
Also the huntsman lite has a phillips (of sorts) and a micro screwdriver in the corkscrew ( I wear sunglasses all the time, and i often need to fetch something like that to tighten loose arms).
Thoughts?
 
IMHO, the lite for all the Vic lite models is not that great. A microlight or photon light is better. The standard huntsman model may not have the screwdriver with it when you buy the stadanrd model. You may have to getthe mini screwdrive seperately($2.00--$2.50 from what I've seen). Hope this helps.
 
I've been carrying the Vic Compact for about a year and love it. I've used everything on it (knife, scissors, bottle opener, screwdriver, pen, tweezers, toothpick, straight pin, mini-screwdriver) except for that stupid "multi-purpose" hook, for which I haven't heard anyone finding even one use for. Someday I'll get it swapped out for an awl or a phillips screwdriver. Otherwise, the Compact is the perfect urban EDC.
 
THe outrider is great... but it is Big for edc (without a belt pouch) one of the smaller non locking models might be better for pocket cary
 
I edc'd a Huntsman and used it hard for about 20 years. It is in semi-retirement now. The Outrider is awesome (Huntsman on steroids), but too big for pocket carry. I traded mine because I wasn't carrying or using it enough.

I mostly edc a Vic Spirit with some sort of compact folder these days.
 
This has been my Main SAK for a long time, I carry it in a pouch on my belt, the last time I went to Smoky MTN Knife Works, I got a pouch that has a rotating clip on it, you can put it on pants or a belt and it rotates for vertical or horizontal carry options.


RickJ
 
I carry the fieldmaster now. I also have the Cybertool lite but that is bulky.

My SAK has to have a saw and scissors. I love them both. I also like that the fieldmaster has a philips head screwdriver on the back instead of a corkscrew. I get more mileage outta the screwdriver.
 
The Huntsman is a good choice and is just about the right size to fit in a pocket. I'd also say that it's a great SAK to start with as you can then decide what tools you definitely use and what are redundant. If you want the mini screwdriver and pen then make sure you get the "Huntsman Plus".
 
HimalMtMan said:
I've been carrying the Vic Compact for about a year and love it. I've used everything on it (knife, scissors, bottle opener, screwdriver, pen, tweezers, toothpick, straight pin, mini-screwdriver) except for that stupid "multi-purpose" hook, for which I haven't heard anyone finding even one use for. Someday I'll get it swapped out for an awl or a phillips screwdriver. Otherwise, the Compact is the perfect urban EDC.
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You are in luck. Let me introduce myself as an "anyone" with a Swisschamp. I have used the hook several times to help pick up bundles of straw baled with wire, also fliers and other paper tied with twine too tight for fingers to slip under. Once it came in handy as a field expedient coat hook in a toilet stall without one, and another time it helped to pull out some wires in a hard to reach place. Admittedly, the hook comes out less often than other implements, but sometimes it earns its keep.
 
I have always been very happy with the Climber. However, after coming back to the Explorer after a long time, I really dig the frontward philips driver and the magnifying glass has come in handy a few times:thumbup:

I'm making a back pocket sheath for the explorer like I make for my Buck 110/112. Keeps it up and down and ready to pull out at a moments notice without going sideways in my pocket or requiring a belt sheath.
 
Steely_Gunz said:
I have always been very happy with the Climber. However, after coming back to the Explorer after a long time, I really dig the frontward philips driver and the magnifying glass has come in handy a few times:thumbup:

I'm making a back pocket sheath for the explorer like I make for my Buck 110/112. Keeps it up and down and ready to pull out at a moments notice without going sideways in my pocket or requiring a belt sheath.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you need a Yeoman mate. :D

DSCF0179.jpg


Very sadly no longer in production. :(
 
I like the Huntsman and the Farmer. Both have a saw for the hiking part of your use.

I carry the Huntsman for the addition of the scissors, tweezers, glasses screwdriver and other bits / pieces I can't seem to live without.

I am not into belt sheaths, so I try to limit to 3 layers thick with my SAKs.
 
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