"SAK-Only" Carrying Members

this_is_nascar

this_is_nascar

Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
735
For those of you who only carry a SAK(s), do you always carry a single SAK that has all the tools you want/need on your person or do you carry multiple SAKS? For example, for the last several weeks, I've stop carrying my dedicated folder knife, in lieu of carrying a SAK(s) only. What I've found is that I've been carrying both my Executive for the toothpick, tweezers and awesome file as well as my Alox Cadet for the larger blade and additional tools.

In a case like this, do you guys carry multiple SAKS or find/carry the SAK that has all the tools you want in a single device, regardless of how large/heavy it is? My fear with going with the larger device is that it then becomes too uncomfortable in my right-front pocket, which is the only place I want to carry.


I hope I asked the question clear enough to get my point across properly.
 
I understand exactly what you are saying. I will switch between either option of carrying one larger SAK with everything I need or two smaller SAKs to cover all the tools I want/need. I always want a toothpick with me as there isn't much that bugs me more than having something stuck in my teeth so I cut the little nub off a SAK toothpick and carry it in my wallet. I cant even feel it in there and its just a backup plan in case I forget to carry something with a toothpick. I would say just experiment with different options and if you feel like something is uncomfortable either remove it from your EDC or you can get one of those dangler clips. They will keep the SAK from ever touching the bottom of your pocket and will keep it vertical. You could carry a 4 layer SAK and barely even notice it as there is no dead weight sitting in your pocket or having the SAK turn sideways causing discomfort.
 
I always carry my classic, and 98% of the time that is it. I rarely need more than that little blade and scissors. On the rare occasion I carry another blade, it is not a SAK, and I rarely use it.
 
Capt. Spaulding said:
I understand exactly what you are saying. I will switch between either option of carrying one larger SAK with everything I need or two smaller SAKs to cover all the tools I want/need. I always want a toothpick with me as there isn't much that bugs me more than having something stuck in my teeth so I cut the little nub off a SAK toothpick and carry it in my wallet. I cant even feel it in there and its just a backup plan in case I forget to carry something with a toothpick. I would say just experiment with different options and if you feel like something is uncomfortable either remove it from your EDC or you can get one of those dangler clips. They will keep the SAK from ever touching the bottom of your pocket and will keep it vertical. You could carry a 4 layer SAK and barely even notice it as there is no dead weight sitting in your pocket or having the SAK turn sideways causing discomfort.
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Pretty much what I do. For a while I carry a paper weight worth of bulk, then a Tinker plus a little guy or another supplementary multi-tool to spread out the weight. Repeat. For years my only SAK was a Swisschamp carried by belt sheath, but I also found it manageable dangled in my RF pocket. That worked best with jeans. I was never completely comfortable with it in slacks or pants with slash pockets.

muphasta said:
I always carry my classic, and 98% of the time that is it. I rarely need more than that little blade and scissors. On the rare occasion I carry another blade, it is not a SAK, and I rarely use it.
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All SAKs are good, but on my list of good SAKs, the Classic is dead last. If I carry anything of that size, it's a Rambler, which compensates for its puny everything else with a useable bottle opener and a darn good small ph screwdriver.
 
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I always carry a SAK, and its usually an Explorer Plus. That one is thick at 4 layers, but you get used to it. It really has everything I "need", except maybe the mini phillips that you get on a 58mm Manager which is really useful. The whole world is held together with those little phillips screws. (See what znap said).

I have carried only a SAK on many occasions, but I still like to have a locking folder. I think back to that thread, for example, where the BF member dispatched a cougar with a Caly 3.5 after the cougar chomped down on his son's face. That's a task best suited to a locking blade - not that I am expecting a cougar attack. But there are some situations that may require a locking folder.

However, back here in the real world, a SAK is really all that most of us need in our daily lives, and even a modest SAK makes us 9000x more prepared than the average person with nothing but lint in their pockets.

Rock on.
 
powernoodle said:
I always carry a SAK, and its usually an Explorer Plus. That one is thick at 4 layers, but you get used to it. It really has everything I "need", except maybe the mini phillips that you get on a 58mm Manager which is really useful. The whole world is held together with those little phillips screws. (See what znap said).

I have carried only a SAK on many occasions, but I still like to have a locking folder. I think back to that thread, for example, where the BF member dispatched a cougar with a Caly 3.5 after the cougar chomped down on his son's face. That's a task best suited to a locking blade - not that I am expecting a cougar attack. But there are some situations that may require a locking folder.

However, back here in the real world, a SAK is really all that most of us need in our daily lives, and even a modest SAK makes us 9000x more prepared than the average person with nothing but lint in their pockets.

Rock on.
Click to expand...


I remember that story. He is over at the Spyderco forums, but only posted 3 times. Hell of a man and a great dad for that one. :thumbup:
 
I carry two knives; a Deluxe Tinker in a belt pouch and a Kershaw Drone (plain blade) in my pocket for heavy duty cutting.
Rich S
 
I carry an Alox Farmer (Apocalypse Green) during the week and a Camo OHT on the weekends. They both have everything I have ever needed......, so far.
 
Know what you mean about the dangler clips. I actually ordered a few of them from eBay last night. I've been using the small Surefire clips. They're not ideal, but do work. I think these danglers will work out better for me. For now, I'll keep the Cadet in my RF pocket with the dangler and probably my Executive in my LF pocket on another dangler and I'll just let my E01/E05 ride in the bottom of my RF pocket. In the meantime, I'll start the quest of finding a single SAK that may have all the items I really want/need and see how comfortable that will be using the dangler in my RF pocket. I've been focusing on the Recruit, as it gives me the secondary blade, tweezers and toothpick that I want. The Recruit might allow me to replace the Cadet and Executive from my pockets, although I think I'd really miss the awesome file and citrus peeler from the Executive, so I'm not sure what the heck I want to do. I also like that I can get the Recruit in black and the fact that there's not tools on the backside, making it a smooth finish. I don't think I'd miss the awe or corkscrew. I do think I want to stay with the 84mm platform,
 
I always carry a SAK. I purchased a smaller SAK and attached it to a key chain in order to have the tweezers and toothpick available if I chose to not carry my regular SAK. I wanted to start carrying a traditional in a leather sleeve. The result is that now I carry three knives most days.... didn't really gain much of anything other than adding another knife to my pocket. Darn it! I just like SAKs!!

I do carry moderns also and of late I have been carrying a Cold Steel Tuff Lite as my third knife.
 
There has been times that Ihave carried only a SAK. Usually when flying off on vacation someplace, and we're checking bags. I'll mail a SAK to myself where I'm gong to be staying, and pick it up at the desk when I arrive. I've spent a week in Key West, fishing, kayaking the mangroves, and partying, and the Vic recruit was my only knife. In Oregon on a raft trip in the Rogue river, my Vic camper was my SAK. Like Key West, I gifted it off the day I flew out. Hiking all over in the California redwoods, and salmon fishing in the Rogue, the SAK did everything on vacation I needed a knife/tool to do.

But even when not traveling, my classic is always on my keyring. It's my 'downtown' knife for when the better half and I spend the day down in Washington D.C. and I don't want to risk my damascus peanut to the whims of the building security they have in all the federal buildings in D.C. In truth, the little classic does most of what anyone has to do on an urban environment.
10037376036_c03c1037af_c.jpg
 
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I only carry one My Tinker Swiss Army Knife in fact its in my pocket right now.
 
mg357 said:
I only carry one My Tinker Swiss Army Knife in fact its in my pocket right now.
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For the last couple hours I've been watching/reading about the Tinker and Super Tinker. I've not even looked, nor will I look, at the Tinder Deluxe as that's way to large for me. What made you decide on the Tinker vs the Super Tinker?
 
mg357 said:
I only carry one My Tinker Swiss Army Knife in fact its in my pocket right now.
Click to expand...

For the last couple hours I've been watching/reading about the Tinker and Super Tinker. I've not even looked, nor will I look, at the Tinder Deluxe as that's way to large for me. What made you decide on the Tinker vs the Super Tinker?
 
znapschatz said:
All SAKs are good, but on my list of good SAKs, the Classic is dead last. If I carry anything of that size, it's a Rambler, which compensates for its puny everything else with a useable bottle opener and a darn good small ph screwdriver.
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To each their own, but I've been using a Classic for over 20 years and I rarely need anything else. If I need a Philips, I grab a screwdriver, or I can use the little screwdriver blade on the nail file. I'm rarely in a situation where I'm w/out tools and need one. I also don't drink so I have little need for the bottle opener.
 
I could probably get by just fine with just a Pioneer/Soldier but I like to carry combinations of knives often pairing a SAK with a traditional style pocketknife (which is sometimes a big lock blade).
CoupleofPioneers_zps34c71c95.jpg



For trips (even short ones) I add a big multifunction SAK like a Swiss Champ or Champion in the vehicle.
SchradeTrapperamp2SAKs_zpsf932c00f.jpg



When I do carry two SAKs it's usually like these:
Dossaks_zpsab980ffd.jpg
 
muphasta said:
To each their own, but I've been using a Classic for over 20 years and I rarely need anything else. If I need a Philips, I grab a screwdriver, or I can use the little screwdriver blade on the nail file. I'm rarely in a situation where I'm w/out tools and need one. I also don't drink so I have little need for the bottle opener.
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Yeah, that kind of is what my experience has been. I find the flat SD tip on the nail file to be a very good screwdriver for the larger Phillips screws that are in everything though. The SD tip on mine has been used to fix the door latch on a Maytag clothes drier, the twist control on an electric trolling motor out on a lake, the loose positive batter connection on a Vespa PX150, removing the battery on a Vespa GT200 to include the large phillips holding the floor board down and the battery retention bar. It also works well on the grip and cylinder retaining screw on Smith and Wesson revolvers.

I do drink, but there's sooo many ways of popping off a bottle cap, that it seems ridiculous to me to carry a dedicated tool for it. To make that a requirement of my pocket knife is not in the game. Like the Marines say: "improvise, adapt, and overcome."

Plus I can't get ramblers for two dollars apiece at the local gun show where the TSA confiscations are sold. There's a big box with almost new classics that she always has pretty full, so I buy some to just hand out to non knife people. The classic is the Giddeon's bible of knives.
 
This_is_nascar: I am glad you asked that question, I compared the tinker and the super tinker Swiss Army Knives in great detail and after a lot of reading and research I decided that of those two Swiss Army Knives the Tinker model would be the best option for me.
 
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