Which SAK to start with?

If you get an Alox SAK, you won't get the toothpick and tweezers. I've found both handy, the toothpick has been handy for small inset reset buttons on differint electronics and anything that needs poked that's in a tight spot. The tweezers are great for slivers and such, kind of weak but when they're all you have they're priceless. On my Explorer Plus I also have a pen in blue ink. It's pressurised so it writes everytime. Almost never use the pen, but when it was all I had to write with and needed to jot something down, it's handy.
Alox might be stronger and nicer looking but in all my years I've only had one scale fall off and just a little glue fixed that. You'll be surprised how handy those few extra tools are.
 
I thought I'd share this as I just took the pic for another thread. The Craftsman.

Here's one that'll go on your keychain or in your jeans watch pocket. The Mini Champ.


 
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My work-bag or day-pack for walking always has an Alox Farmer on board. It's not really what I would carry in a pocket but in a bag it offers me more or less everything I need: decent Spear blade, 2 screwdriver heads, bottle opener, tin opener, awl, bail, and above all else a very handy saw. Amazing that all of these are sunk-joints apart from the saw tip which opens it anyway. Genius!
 
Alox Pioneer. Silver if you are going to use it hard, maybe a color if you will use it more lightly, but want to maintain the color.
 
Classic all the way.
As much as I love their larger models (Cadet, Pioneer, Tinker, Climber etc) the Classic is the real gate through SAKland :)

Fausto
:cool:
 
steve-in-kville said:
Just ordered a Cadet Alox. Next will be something with a scissors. Gotta get this one first, though.
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Congrats on the decision Steve.
Get us a picture when you get it.

There has been some talk about an alox Farmer with a scissors, but no one knows when it will happen.
 
steve-in-kville said:
Just ordered a Cadet Alox. Next will be something with a scissors. Gotta get this one first, though.
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Nice! You can move up through the ranks to an Officer. ;) :D

My personal favorite and most used are the discontinued alox Soldier knives (Victorinox) and Standard Issue (Wenger). They still make the Pioneer, which is very similar, as well as the Farmer, which adds a saw. The Farmer is extremely popular but personally I rarely use a small wood saw. The discontinued Cadet II is another good one. It's the same as your Cadet except that it has a small pen blade in place of the nail file. Here's a comparison of the Cadet II and Soldier knife.



cadet2-1.jpg


cadet2-2.jpg


cadet2-3.jpg


cadet2-4.jpg




Comparison of the discontinued alox Soldier (Victorinox) and Standard Issue (Wenger)

 
The old Alox Soldier was the second SAK model that I purchased. But I found that I really do like having the tweezers and toothpick, so I moved back to the plastic handled ones. Got a really cute Alox Classic this year and my wife swiped it. That's okay, it was more up her alley than mine anyway.

Hope you enjoy the Cadet. It is a useful one, but certainly not my first choice although I do like the Bantam as a second blade in my pocket that has the tools I like most.

You've opened the flood gates. If you like what you see, I suspect you will be trying out many different models both large and small.
 
I offered what had yet to be called an alox to my son when he was about 16. He still uses it, just thepunch has broken since.


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SAKN02.jpg
 
I'm looking at getting an alox sak to carry in my pocket so I don't have to whip out a huge folder in public. I don't really need a can opener. All I for sure need is a blade on it. I have a classic on my keychain. What do you guys think? What tools are most useful outside of blade?
 
firefighterguy said:
I'm looking at getting an alox sak to carry in my pocket so I don't have to whip out a huge folder in public. I don't really need a can opener. All I for sure need is a blade on it. I have a classic on my keychain. What do you guys think? What tools are most useful outside of blade?
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For me, next most useful would probably be scissors (at least in an urban/EDC role), but that rules out alox. Next most useful would be the screwdriver/pry bar/cap lifter. Sounds like you need an alox Cadet.

-- Mark
 
I used to think the can opener was useless at this day in age. But I do use it regularly on Philips screws and it's also great for hooking stuff like string and wire. It is a good tool to have but ironically I've never used it to open cans.
 
I would go on their site and spend some time checking out the various configurations available. Think about all the task you will be using it for and the size you would be comfortable with. I also agree with Pokerchip it is amazing how often I use the scissors other than the knife blade it's self probably the most used tool for me. What ever one you go with is a good choice.
 
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If you look at the secondary market, maybe you can find a Wenger SI.... one of my faves. It has a more bellied blade, IMO.

 
r redden said:
I would go on their site and spend some time checking out the various configurations available. Think about all the task you will be using it for and the size you would be comfortable with. I also agree with Pokerchip it is amazing how often I use the scissors other than the knife blade it's self probably the most used tool for me. What ever one you go with is a good choice.
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I'm not a big SAK guy, but when our daughter was little, the scissors on my little SAK were indispensable. Mostly for cutting down drinking straws for her. I had one on my keychain for years.
 
Captain Howdy said:
I used to think the can opener was useless at this day in age. But I do use it regularly on Philips screws and it's also great for hooking stuff like string and wire. It is a good tool to have but ironically I've never used it to open cans.
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With the quality of can openers coming out of China these days, you might find occasion to use it in the kitchen. I have.
 
some more possibilities involve custom things, probably better to try out some of the standards to work out what you like,
Here: manager with tough brass scales; a pioneer with extra scissors and hard-anodized finish:



classic red alox is the classiest, ages much better than the cellidor scales:
 
I carry a alox electrican but it a work specific knife love the little ire stripping blade and the awl are my most useful tools
 
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