58mm points of confusion

T

Tafkaag

Joined
May 18, 2022
Messages
387
Two designs I don't get, but for different reasons:

1) The Jetsetter has only the scissors and Phillips/bottle opener, but omits the SD/file. Why? All of these tools coexist on the Rambler, Rally, Manager, Midnite Manager, and Minichamps, but the Jetsetter's capabilities are hamstrung from the word go.

2) The Rally, which has my ideal bare minimum toolset for a 58mm, has the keychain attachment on the knife end. Again, why? Someone who buys a Rally knows what they're getting, and the Rambler (among others) gets the keychain attachment end right.

Am I just unnaturally dense, or am I onto something? If anyone can help me make sense of this, please do.

TIA.
 
Tafkaag said:
Two designs I don't get, but for different reasons:

1) The Jetsetter has only the scissors and Phillips/bottle opener, but omits the SD/file. Why? All of these tools coexist on the Rambler, Rally, Manager, Midnite Manager, and Minichamps, but the Jetsetter's capabilities are hamstrung from the word go.

2) The Rally, which has my ideal bare minimum toolset for a 58mm, has the keychain attachment on the knife end. Again, why? Someone who buys a Rally knows what they're getting, and the Rambler (among others) gets the keychain attachment end right.

Am I just unnaturally dense, or am I onto something? If anyone can help me make sense of this, please do.

TIA.
Click to expand...

1) Adding a third tool requires another set of springs to support that tool, which means adding another layer with another tool opposite the file. At this point you're just building a different model which is either a Rambler or is very similar to one. It's not a Jetsetter anymore.

2) With the Rally and the Classic SD, Victorinox chose to keep the key ring away from what they consider to be the primary tool. With the Classic SD, that's the scissors. They wanted to make sure that nothing got in the way of the scissors. For the Rally, it's the phillips driver. You could orient the springs differently so that the keychain attachment is on the opposite side, but this would mean the keyring would be on the same end as the primary tool. You can feel free to disagree with this, but it seems to be the design philosophy that they chose to go with. You can also remove the spring with the key ring attachement on it and just use a normal spring instead, but then you are losing the ability to attach the SAK to your key chain without using some kind of extra sleeve with it's own attachment point.
 
With a lobster design, you're screwed either way because no matter what end you put the keyring on, sooner or later you will have to use the tool that is on the keyring end. The only solution that makes any sense to me is, to either use some kind of quick release gizmo on the little SAK's, so they can be detached completely from the keyring, or use a keyring sheath of some sort. That way you pull the SAK out of the sheath and it's totally clear of the keyring.

I've done both and prefer the sheath on the keyring. A snug fitting leather pouch works fine and holds up for years.
 
jackknife said:
... use a keyring sheath of some sort. That way you pull the SAK out of the sheath and it's totally clear of the keyring.

I've done both and prefer the sheath on the keyring. A snug fitting leather pouch works fine and holds up for years.
Click to expand...

There's a craftsman on Etsy -- Vitaliileather in Ukraine -- who makes a fantastic-looking keychain sheath for 58mm SAKs at a great price. Hand-made with high-quality leather, snaps closed, and has a swivel clip to attach to your key ring. I don't have one for my Rambler (yet), but the guy had really good reviews for his products.


PS: The item title is "leather sheath for swiss army knives 58 mm , minichamp , rambler , sd , minichamp alox with carabiner"
 
I've been looking at vitaliileather's work for awhile, but I'm leery of doing business with a seller who is or could be in a war zone. Actually prefer his flapped sheath, which is cheaper and less bulky than the snapped/swivel version.

Near term I think I'll try out the SwissLinQ. It should work with either the Rambler or Alox Minichamp as they're the same thickness as the 58s the manufacturer lists as compatible, but I'm sure it won't work with an alox SD, which is only half as thick. If I hate it or it fails, I'm only out $7 or so; perhaps when the war ends I'll look into a leather model.
 
Tafkaag said:
Near term I think I'll try out the SwissLinQ. It should work with either the Rambler or Alox Minichamp as they're the same thickness as the 58s the manufacturer lists as compatible, but I'm sure it won't work with an alox SD, which is only half as thick. If I hate it or it fails, I'm only out $7 or so; perhaps when the war ends I'll look into a leather model.
Click to expand...

Please do report back how that works for you.

I use those little lobster claw clasps. They detach quickly so you can use the SAK without anything extra getting in the way. The fixed end of the clasp goes on my keys or a pocket dangler depending on the size of the SAK, while the quick detaching clasp end goes on the SAK split ring. Whenever I need to use my SAK, I just unclip it and all I'm left with is the little split ring that came with the SAK, and those aren't big enough to really bother me.

dangler.jpg


For larger SAKs, sometimes people will replace the split rings that come with them with the smaller split rings from the 58mm models.
 
Mustad used to make oval split links in tiny sizes that opened quite wide.
(Fishing tackle)
I haven’t used them on a knife but they may (or my not ) offer a partial, neater or less obtrusive solution.
 
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