Anyone EDC Only a SAK?

Recently I have only been carrying a SAK. Actually two. Mini Champ on key ring and Cadet in pocket. Works fine for me. I haven't needed to use either of them in weeks.
 
this_is_nascar said:
Well, with the wonders of Amazon and for a mere $9.98 shipping, I was able to talk about getting a Compact this morning, order it a couple hours later and have it in my hands when I got home from work. Something to be said about technology and an Amazon warehouse, apparently not too far away.

Anyway, I was not as stoked as I'd thought I'd be with the Compact. For whatever reason, I thought the blade was going to be the same as what's on the Pioneer. That's not the case. It's sized somewhere between the Cadet and the Pioneer.

Feature wise, it seemed like a bunch of stuff in a "compact" package, but I just can't bring myself to be excited about it. Today, I EDC'ed my Executive that remains attached to my Fenix E01 in my RF pocket and my Cadet that's dangling from an eBay P7 clone, that's also in my RF pocket. My plan was to have the Compact replace that combo, but I just can't warm up to it, although, I've only owned it for a couple hours.

I'll give it a day or so, but I'm thinking my current combo is what works best for me. If need be, I can swap out the Cadet with my Pioneer from time to time. Anyway, I don't want to take this thread off track. Regardless of what I do, I'll remain a "Sak Only" person as it relates to EDC, even if that means I have more than one with me.
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Sorry to hear the compact isn't doing it for you. When I first got it, I also wasn't convinced, I was thinking it might still be too thick for my jean pockets. It's probably just at the maximum I'm willing to carry. Im also giving up multiple blades. I do use my blade for food as well as utility, so often times my dedicated stockman, or trapper, or 2 bladed pen had a "dedicated food blade" and a "dedicated utility blade". On the other hand, I take the keychain multitool off my key ring (the classic sd was fine, but in the EDC rotation was the leatherman style ps and leatherman micra were a bit too bulky for my keychain); I have one tool instead of two; and I have more of my "infrequent use tools" in my EDC. Bear in mind, my EDC is urban/suburban life working in a office/hospital/university setting. If I'm traveling, or out doing some DIY, or out in nature, the compact is probably going to be left at home in favor of something else.

Over time, my thoughts on the perfect multitool have changed. At first, it's had to have everything I wanted. That wound up too big, too heavy. Then it became as small as possible... Which wound up meaning that I carried two items. Currently, my thought is that there's no perfect multitool or EDC - so it's carry the largest that fit in my tightest clothing - which apparently means a 2 layer SAK for me, like the compact. I'm sure my preferences will change again in the future.
 
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jc57 said:
Recently I have only been carrying a SAK. Actually two. Mini Champ on key ring and Cadet in pocket. Works fine for me. I haven't needed to use either of them in weeks.
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This is my reality. I use my classic with the scissors more so than the knife. I just ordered a blue farmer. My cutting needs on a Day to day need are very small. I like to have a cutting instrument on me In case the need arises. Plus I enjoy knives.
 
I've carried and still do, my SAK Tinker Deluxe in a belt pouch. Now that I use a cane, I find a small thumbstud linerlock in my pocket is easier to get at and use when I just need a blade.
Rich
 
for my uses the order of tools is scissors, bottle opener, blade, can opener. So for me the small sacrifice of the can opener is worth it for the scissors. But that's my useage. If I was using the blade far more, then a pioneer or farmer would get the nod, and especially if I opened cans more than a couple times a year with one. And mostly if I'm somewhere where a can might be a factor, I generally have the farmer or rucksack to sort it out.
 
I carried a Pioneer for a good 15 years before I started to pair it with a modern one hand folder about 5 years ago.
 
gadgetgeek said:
for my uses the order of tools is scissors, bottle opener, blade, can opener. So for me the small sacrifice of the can opener is worth it for the scissors. But that's my useage. If I was using the blade far more, then a pioneer or farmer would get the nod, and especially if I opened cans more than a couple times a year with one. And mostly if I'm somewhere where a can might be a factor, I generally have the farmer or rucksack to sort it out.
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I can identify with that! My use of my classic is scissors, blade, SD tip/nail file for screws and light prying open small cans like putty or stain. I need the small sharp scissors much more than can opener.
 
I'd probably be just fine with just my Executive, however, for whatever reason I always feel that I "need" to have a larger blade with me. That's why I've always carried a folder up until a week or so ago, where I now swap between the Pioneer and the Cadet. I love the way the Cadet carries, but I like the awl on the Pioneer. If I could get the nail cleaner swapped with the awl onto the Cadet, I'd be all set. In the meantime, I'm going to decide on Cadet or the Pioneer for the permanent companion to my Executive. The Compact will be returned. It' just too thick for what I'm looking for, but a great SAK, nonetheless.
 
A Sportsman II is my current EDC, thanks to its versatility in opening adult beverages. I got it years ago at a post season clearance sale for $7, not to use but as a gift item, and stored it for such an occasion. Then, last year I needed a corkscrew when our dedicated one broke, and this was the only other one in the house. It worked so well that I, an huge cheapskate, didn't replace the kitchen one and use this one instead. But while it serves in that role, I discovered that despite the small size, it was about equally capable as my Tinker for my light use purposes, and just disappears in pocket. I wouldn't have believed it would make such a difference compared with the 91mm SAK, which was no burden itself.





The nail file is a good alternative to the small blade, which I very seldom use anyway.
 
For my EDC, I rotate between a Benchmade Mini-Grip and a SAK Farmer. Just depending on whether I feel the need for the Farmer's extra tools on a particular day. I love the ergonomics and utility of the Farmer.

I also keep a SAK Signature Lite (kind of a Classic with built-in LED light and ballpoint pen) attached to my car key. But I don't drive every day, so I can't call that an EDC. :cool:
 
If I'm just around the house, it's a Pioneer and a Vagabond.

It's funny that I think of it as minimalism, since those two tiny tools have 10 blades between them.
 
Pretty much all I need anymore....
 

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When I was young I found a Tinker half buried in the ground at a local park and discovered it to be much nicer and more compact than the early 1960s Boy Scout pocket knife I'd been carrying. 12 years later when some SOB lifted it I had a heck of time trying to find a replacement. The Spartan model was the next best (slightly larger/longer but same features plus tweezers and tooth pick) and I've had one of those in my pocket ever since. Tried a Camper and then a lockblade SAK for awhile but went back to the Spartan. During the past decade I've taken to carrying a small set of Diamalloy ignition pliers (common mini pliers from the automobile breaker points era) in one pocket and the knife in the other. All in all SAKs have been an integral part of my life for 51 years and I'm fully expecting to go into the ground (crematorium actually) with one because my grown up children long ago also learned how useful these are.
 
On occasion. Today I'm only carrying my Cadet. A lot of the time I carry a Cadet and a Spyderco of some sort.
 
I know I could get by with only a single SAK, because I carried a Vic Spartan (an older style, without the tweezers and toothpick) for 10 years as my only knife while overseas, and afterwards, back here again. My EDC SAKs today are a black Executive along with a standard red Spartan (a newer one). I would carry a Pioneer in place of the Spartan, but the corkscrew holds my eyeglass screwdriver which, IMO, is invaluable.

But...no, I don't EDC only my SAKs now. I like to always have a one-handed knife as well, usually my CRK Insingo or a Spyderco of some kind. I don't feel the need to absolutely minimize my options when I enjoy carrying what I feel like and can legally carry. Although a typical SAK can run rings around most knives out there in terms of utility (definitely) and even cutting ability, there are still some chores for which my Insingo is better suited and holds up longer at.

As for the Vic can opener, on a standard-sized SAK, I find it invaluable. I use mine all the time, usually as my only can opener. I've always found Vic's can opener very easy to use, and besides the small screwdriver tip, I also use the tool as a light scraper and as a minor hooking/pulling implement. I tried a model with the combo tool and didn't like it much. For me, the difference in slimness/lightness in the pocket between a standard two-layer model and one with the combo tool isn't worth the difference in performance in the can opener.

Jim
 
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mnblade said:
I have no qualms in carrying only a SAK. In fact, if your told me that's ALL I COULD CARRY for the rest of my life, I don't think I'd even break a sweat.
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I can't argue with this. A Vic Pioneer is all I would realistically ever need. I wouldn't even blink in tapping the Pioneer if I "could only have".
 
arizonaranchman said:
I can't argue with this. A Vic Pioneer is all I would realistically ever need. I wouldn't even blink in tapping the Pioneer if I "could only have".
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I think I could go the rest of my life with a SAK in some "could only have" situation. But I may have some rough nights and cold sweats if I knew I'd never carry my peanut again!:eek:
 
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