In Kenya, EDC is spelled SAK :)

Doug Add said:
Thanks. My first experience with the nylon was on the Gardener. I liked the textured feel of it so much I decided to go that way when I knew the Fieldmaster needed rejuvenating. Shortly after I replaced the cellidor with nylon, the Fieldmaster went missing.

Fearing it was gone forever, I picked up a used Climber, also in nylon. Fortunately, I found the Fieldmaster so I now have this SAK nylon-handled family.

Top to bottom: Fieldmaster, Gardener, Climber

VicNylonsDec2a.jpg


VicNylonsDec2b.jpg
Click to expand...
Do you find the nylon scales better in other ways than just the more grippier surface pattern?
I've heard the nylon scales are, in contrast with the current cellidor ones, "filled out" ... while the cellidor scales are with "holes" - empty parts of the scales. Is it true? important regarding grip? better for durability?
PS: Sorry for necromancy but I like this thread ... :)
 
RedneckBear said:
Do you find the nylon scales better in other ways than just the more grippier surface pattern?
I've heard the nylon scales are, in contrast with the current cellidor ones, "filled out" ... while the cellidor scales are with "holes" - empty parts of the scales. Is it true? important regarding grip? better for durability?
PS: Sorry for necromancy but I like this thread ... :)
Click to expand...

To answer the necro thread question, Yes, I do find the nylon scales to be 'better.'

Victorinox seems to have some sort of hang up on the tradition of using a material that is very inferior in many ways, because it can be buffed to be shiny. In my book, shiny is not worth a tinkers d--m when it's on a material that is brittle, melts if it comes in contact with certain bug repellents, gun cleaning solvents, or breaks if dropped on a hard surface. I've called it quits cellidor after yet another mishap that broke off the end of a cellidor handle scale. My alox has never had an issue, nor has an old eco tinker with very battered nylon scales.

With the evolution in modern synthetics, it's a shame to stick with a material that is fragile by comparison to the more modern materials. Even the humble delrin would be step up, as it's had a long history of use on knives that have been used very hard. Camillus, Buck, Schrade, and others have used delrin on pocket knives that have been beat to death and worn out and the handle scales are still all there after a few decades of hard use. Any of the FRN material is good.

Tradition is nice, but if a better material is available, it should be used to give the consumer a better product.
 
RedneckBear said:
Do you find the nylon scales better in other ways than just the more grippier surface pattern?
I've heard the nylon scales are, in contrast with the current cellidor ones, "filled out" ... while the cellidor scales are with "holes" - empty parts of the scales. Is it true? important regarding grip? better for durability?
PS: Sorry for necromancy but I like this thread ... :)
Click to expand...

I have around 40 SAKs, had most of them for long time, and five of them have broken scales. Three are Wengers and two are Victorinox, they have either complete chunks missing or cracks and split parts which will break and fragment under minimal stress.
Guess what do they have in common?
All 5 are cellidor, none of my Nylon or Alox have given me problems in my entire life. So I'm with Carl here, it's like Victorinox is not wanting to give that step forward.

Just my $0.02
 
RedneckBear said:
Do you find the nylon scales better in other ways than just the more grippier surface pattern?
I've heard the nylon scales are, in contrast with the current cellidor ones, "filled out" ... while the cellidor scales are with "holes" - empty parts of the scales. Is it true? important regarding grip? better for durability?
PS: Sorry for necromancy but I like this thread ... :)
Click to expand...
I have 2 nylon (I believe they call it polyamide) SAKs, an old Gardener and a newer Sentinel. The former has solid scales, while the Sentinel's are hollow, making it feel a bit cheap. Can't beat the grip on either however, vastly better than cellidor.
 
Inners of a pre-70 knife. Somewhat distorted as I left the knife in an oven when hardening paint on metallic parts... Very easily replaced. The knife is alive and well! :)
SAK_cotes.JPG
 
This is an old thread, but it's relevant in the sense of new comments. Of course, there is a whole sub forum devoted to such knives here.

I don't think I own a nylon scaled/handled Vic SAK. Now these latest posts are making me curious about them and perhaps buying at least one example that I might use. I have had no problem with the cellidor/plastic handled SAKs as they do just fine. You can break them if you drop the knife on something like concrete and it hits at the "right angle". To date, I have had no cellidor handled SAKs with broken scales in the last 30 years of using them.

The alox SAKs are certainly more interesting, but not more functional as you loose the toothpick and tweezers on these models. But I get alox ones too. The paint does wear off in time and look poorly. But the cellidor ones also scratch up and certainly look "used" and sometimes unloved.

I do think that SAKs are the "universal EDC" knife. Anyone that carries something else may never have tried a SAK out or they have prejudices. That may be a bit strong as I have been carrying something else for the last couple of months. Just about to change my EDC. But yesterday, I had a job in which I often use a SAK, so I substituted my seasoned SAK for my traditional that I have been carrying. Yeah, it got used.
 
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