Which model of SAK for the outdoors?

D

dogstar

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Jan 23, 2011
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Do you have a favorite model for the outdoors?

I own the Classic SD, Bantam, Tinker, and Farmer. Out of these, the Farmer, hands down for the outdoors (I always have the Classic on me). I am tempted by the 111 mm Forester, though.
 
The knife I currently carry for outdoors is actually not an SAK but a Mora (the Bushcraft Survival knife). Surprisingly light, super grippy ergonomic handle, rotating belt clip, sharpener and ferro rod. I like not having to worry about the blade closing on my fingers or snapping into pieces, and being a fixed blade it deploys instantly with one hand. 4.2 oz for a 4.25” blade.
 
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A Fieldmaster or Huntsman is my choice for an outdoorsy adventures sak. Normally I will pair it with a larger folder or a small fixed blade. A small pair of pliers are usually along for the ride too.
 
Usually I have my alox pioneer with me. Sometimes the spirit, but most of the time I don't think it with the weight.

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Ounce for ounce and dollar for dollar it's hard to beat the Vic Walker. I picked up a Farmer-X last year and I really like it.
 
Lots of good choices. Camper is great. Huntsman if you want to add scissors and a hook. Farmer is the alox version of the Camper. Farmer X is the alox equivalent to the Huntsman. The 91mm Vic Ranger is awesome, but it's 5 layers and some people find that to be too much. It has basically everything though. For an outdoor camping and bushcraft knife that goes in a pack or a belt pouch, the 91mm Ranger is really hard to beat.


fishiker said:
Ounce for ounce and dollar for dollar it's hard to beat the Vic Walker.
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Aren't they being discontinued now? Better get one soon...

I was always bothered by the lack of back side tools on the Walker. It would be perfect if it had an awl and a corkscrew. I actually ended up building a custom 91mm SAK exactly like that.
 
Guy McVer said:
Lots of good choices. Camper is great. Huntsman if you want to add scissors and a hook. Farmer is the alox version of the Camper. Farmer X is the alox equivalent to the Huntsman. The 91mm Vic Ranger is awesome, but it's 5 layers and some people find that to be too much. It has basically everything though. For an outdoor camping and bushcraft knife that goes in a pack or a belt pouch, the 91mm Ranger is really hard to beat.



Aren't they being discontinued now? Better get one soon...

I was always bothered by the lack of back side tools on the Walker. It would be perfect if it had an awl and a corkscrew. I actually ended up building a custom 91mm SAK exactly like that.
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Yeah, the Walker needs at least an awl. Instead of waiting for Victorinox to make an enhanced Walker, I just picked up a used Camper :cool: . I can live with the extra layer and 7 extra mm length. I like the pen blade and dedicated SD and can opener, as well. I'm happy.
 
dogstar said:
I just picked up a used Camper :cool: . I can live with the extra layer and 7 extra mm length. I like the pen blade and dedicated SD and can opener, as well. I'm happy.
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It's a good choice. You get all the basic essentials and it's one of the thinnest 3 layer celidor models. Can't go wrong with a Camper. 🤙 The extra layer is worth it too because you get better, fuller, more robust functionality from it.
 
Guy McVer said:
It's a good choice. You get all the basic essentials and it's one of the thinnest 3 layer celidor models. Can't go wrong with a Camper. 🤙 The extra layer is worth it too because you get better, fuller, more robust functionality from it.
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... I guess the saw is thinner than scissors?
You know I was considering the 111 mm Forester, but went with the good ol' Camper instead. I just think the Camper would be carried a lot more, and I like the idea of a second blade. The Forester is pretty cool looking, though.
 
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I'd say Forester M grip. It's like the soldier but with brighter scales (easier to find), no serrations on blade and corkscrew that can be used to open knots.
Other advantages are locking blade (in case your blade gets stuck to wood when whittling, drilling holes etc) and longer saw vs. regular SAKs. Also has partial rubber scales for better grip.
 
dogstar said:
... I guess the saw is thinner than scissors?
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Yeah. The wood saw layer is tied with the metal saw as being the second thinnest layer. The fish scaler is #1, but most people only see it on the Swiss Champ when it is put on the same layer as the wood saw, side by side between the same set of aluminum liners. When the fish scaler is placed by itself on its own layer, it's the thinnest one.

dogstar said:
You know I was considering the 111 mm Forester, but went with the good ol' Camper instead. I just think the Camper would be carried a lot more, and I like the idea of a second blade. The Forester is pretty, cool looking, though.
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The best tool is the one that you actually have when you need it. The easier it is to carry, the more likely it is that you'll have it with you.

The Camper is all you really need for outdoor tasks. I mean sure it's nice to have a bigger blade, but it comes at a cost of making the SAK heavier and less pocketable. I think the forester is something that would be more suited for military use. Both the Camper and the Forester have a very similar tool set to the old 108mm West German Bundeswehr knives, but they're split into 3 layers instead of being combined into 2 layers.
 
For me it's a rucksack or similar 111mm, I also have a farmer and huntsman, and I find that with a small hand, the larger blade/saw combo in the larger size is a better tool when paired with something like a compact or classic, since scissors are a pretty specialist tool, which are very useful, as is a secondary smaller blade that can be "task specific" sharpened, to a much finer edge. To be fair, where I live most woods are either balsa soft and useless as firewood or higher RC than Vic steel (I've legit taken an edge off my Rowen made RC-3 in two cuts) so I'm thinking something more like medium vine clearing (which a saw is not the worst tool for), or precision work is the main use. I'm not processing firewood with a SAK, I might live in one of the few places where buying campground kindling is actually a value proposition. So I'm an outlier, but the bell curve needs edges to be valid.
 
I've been carrying a Swiss Champ (formerly Champion) for the last 48 years and love it.

I also have a Huntsman with the grippy dull red scales in my cook kit.

When I first looked at all the different models and what tools each one had I figured that at some point I would need everything, so I bought the one that carried the most tools.

Its been the best decision I ever made about gear and its my all time favorite piece of equipment.
 
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