Swiss Army Knives suck.

B

bladefoolish

Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
620
Okay, I have one. Well, mebbe four or five. But I don't like them as an edc. On most modles I find the blades too thin, and I find they don't hold that good of an edge for very long. And I usually don't need all the crap that comes on them.

I have one in my psk, and one in the glove box of my car. To me they are okay, as a back up, but I don't care for them as an edc.

Anyone else here NOT a fan of these knives?
 
bladefoolish said:
Anyone else here NOT a fan of these knives?
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I'm guessing you're gonna be in the minority on this one. I would think, for the average, everyday EDC tasks of cutting tape, cardboard, string, food prep, etc. a SAK performs very well. Edge doesn't last that long? Depends on what ya cut, how much ya cut of it, etc. Cardboard can wear down a blade fast for example. The SAKs were meant to sharpen easily.

As for the tools, if you don't need them, then carry a Kabar Dozier for $20. I worked in the IT field (laid off), I found many of the tools :scissors, screwdrivers, saw, hook, tweezers, for example, very useful in many instances. A SAK + MT can handle a huge amount of jobs.
 
bladefoolish said:
Okay, I have one. Well, mebbe four or five. But I don't like them as an edc. On most modles I find the blades too thin, and I find they don't hold that good of an edge for very long. And I usually don't need all the crap that comes on them.

I have one in my psk, and one in the glove box of my car. To me they are okay, as a back up, but I don't care for them as an edc.

Anyone else here NOT a fan of these knives?
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No. Why do you keep buying them if you don't like them? I have a SAK Tinker for an EDC, I like it just fine. I learned to sharpen it and the blade holds an edge just fine. I also have heavier American scout patterns that I sometimes carry.

Also a SAK Master Tinker in my truck, for those special moments.
 
I think they are great for their intended purpose, but no susbtitute for a one-hand, locking type of dealie, if that's what you want.
 
Vic SAKs are the best value around imo, for anything not just knives. I got my Hiker for $14.95 on sale at target. I could not think of a better way to spend 15 bucks. The fit and finish are immaculate, the grinds are perfect, hell even the keychain split ring is great quality. I own about 10 Vic SAKs and love every one. The flat ground distal tapered blade may not hold an edge as long as some high end folders, but it takes a razor edge and slices like nobody's business. I love them.
 
bladefoolish said:
Okay, I have one. Well, mebbe four or five.
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For a knife that you don't like, you sure seem to have quite a few of them.

On most modles I find the blades too thin,...
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Too thin for what?
Exactly what are you cutting, with a 2.5" non-locking slip-joint folder, that you feel the SAk blade is too thin for?
:confused:

....and I find they don't hold that good of an edge for very long.
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Compared to what, other 420 steel blades?

And I usually don't need all the crap that comes on them.
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You never need to tighten a screw?
Or open a non-twist-off bottle-cap?
Or pluck a stray hair with tweezers?
Or pick some food particles from your teeth with the toothpick?
Or scrape or ream something with the awl/reamer? (yes, you could use a regular blade, but why dull your main blade on reaming a metal pipe?).
Or trim a finger-nail or your mustache with the scissors?
Or open a corked wine bottle?


I have one in my psk, and one in the glove box of my car. To me they are okay, as a back up, but I don't care for them as an edc.
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If you don't carry one then you will never realize how handy they are.
And you'll make more trips to the tool-box than if you did carry one.

I love one-hand folders.
And I love traditional locking folders.
And I love traditional non-locking folders.
But I cannot deny that the humble Swiss Army Knife is one of the handiest and most useful knives around.
 
I love new alox handled SAK's, like old model of official soldier's knife: Victornix Soldier is one of the best ( in terms of value and quality ) of pocket knives you can have. Sure they don't have lock. But still I love my Vic's, that's why I got nearly a dozen of them various shapes, size and colors. Vics are still my first love. One of the best value SAK is Victorinox Soldier (old model) Cadet and single bladed Pioneer Solo IMHO. Regular SAK's are good but ones with ribbed alox handles are far superior to regular plastic handle models, they have better grip and they last better.

but not everyone still can like everything. If you don't like SAK's then you don't like them. Free world at least for now.
 
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The only thing that I agree with is that they often have tools which are unnecisary.

I EDC a Vic Tinker every day, it is almost perfect*. I like having two blades and all the other tools on this model, and to me, it is as big as any SAK should be. The deluxe tinker is not a good tool IMO when you compare it to a Leatherman S2 juice. The juice trumps it. That is why I think Vics should be small; if they get bigger, you should just carry your multi-tool.

*I dont understand that "all purpose hook" that comes on a lot of models. I did some research and found out that its intended purpose was to help you carry things that you have strung up. Like a stack of newspapers. I also thought you could use it to easily carry all your grocery bags in one hand. Not a necisary tool if you ask me.

*Another problem I have with most models is the bottle opener and the can opener. Why do they always put them both on a knife, when they could clearly consolidate them like they did on the "Waiter" model? I love the waiter model for that reason; it consolidates the bottle opener and can opener into one extremely useful tool -saving space. But, the waiter model is already small, so saving space is not an issue -it should be on every freakin model...WTF?

As for corkscrews, I actualy like them sometimes, when I am drinking wine (obviously). Since I dont drink wine that often I only have one SAK with a corkscrew: the waiter.

There are other problems with some of the tools, but you get the idea. Everything else about them I love. Like I stated, I carry a Tinker model every day.
 
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The Government said:
Another problem I have with most models is the bottle opener and the can opener. Why do they always put them both on a knife, when they could clearly consolidate them like they did on the "Waiter" model? I love the waiter model for that reason; it consolidates the bottle opener an dcan opener into one extremely useful tool -saving space.
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You must remember that the can-opener also provides a medium sized screw-driver, while the bottle-opener provides a larger screw-driver.
Combining them in to one tool, like on the Waiter, gives you only one medium sized screw-driver.
 
I agree with you Government. Tinker is one of the best models for EDC (besides old Soldier model and alox cadet). It has least non-useful blades and properties ( right after single bladed Solo's ). I've never understood the usefulness of corkscrews. Screwdriver is much more handier... Besides MacGyver carried Tinker most often of all Vic's.
 
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allenC said:
You must remember that the can-opener also provides a medium sized screw-driver, while the bottle-opener provides a larger screw-driver.
Combining them in to one tool, like on the Waiter, gives you only one medium sized screw-driver.
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True, but I would have to counter, to say that a model larger than the waiter, like the Tinker could loose the combination of the two tools (the bottle/can opener) and consolidate them into one, thereby creating room for another tool -which would be another screw driver combo, or anything else.
 
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Nope, I love my SAKs. Always have a Classic on the keychain and Alox Farmer in the pocket. They're too versatile to not have one, and you can always find a model that has just about the right selection of tools for you.
 
samhain73 said:
Nope. My edc, no matter what else I may carry that day, is a Deluxe Tinker.
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I dont really mean to hate on the Deluxe Tinker. It is a nice tool when you dont have demanding wrench work. It is likely a lot lighter than a Juice S2 as well. It has its place, I just prefer the Juice.
 
I carry a Tinker in my front left pocket and a large one hand opening liner lock in my right.Or sometimes an Izula goes in my right,or a Buck Custom Shop 110 in a sheath on my belt.Guess which knife always rides in my front left pocket and what I reach for the most.If you guessed Vic Tinker,you guessed right.It handles 90% of all my daily cutting and or tool needs quite nicely.It's like my wallet,it's always there.
 
There was a thread a while back where a guy wrote a poem. It was like a satirical love story where a knife owner was struck between two lovers: His Vic and his one hand folder. It was prety funny. Does anyone remember that?
 
I carry my Vic Cadet everywhere, it is quite handy when I dont want to pull out my bigger EDC when im out in public around the sheeple or when im at school. Ive realized alot of the people at my college get a little squeamish around larger folding knives but the SAK doesnt seem to have this effect at all.
 
I think for city people with office jobs SAKs are more than ideal.

1. Sheople are not as afraid of SAKs as folders or blades. (especialyl tactical)

2. Small and light

3. Efficient for light cutting tasks as well as other pretty useful tools.
 
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