Classic vs Ambassador

[quattromori]

Lately I've been wondering about the Vic Ambassador. Does anyone here have it?
I'm thinking about it to replace my Classic on my keyring at work, where it could be useful to have slightly bigger scissors, and a pointy nailfile instead of a screwdriver tip.
Everything else is pretty much the same. Funny enough, I never read anything about it here.

 

[dfwcowboy]

I like the Ambassador model, and I have both models, with and without a keyring. I also got an old Victoria stamped one without tweezer slots.

 

[mnblade]

... it could be useful to have ... a pointy nailfile instead of a screwdriver tip.

Pointy nailfile more useful than a screwdriver tip? That lack of the screwdriver tip is the one thing that's always kept me from getting an Ambassador.

 

[quattromori]

I guess it all depends on the kind of environment you live and work in.
I have no use for a screwdriver when I'm at work (outside work I often carry a Tinker, but that's another story), while a pointy nailfile could be useful somehow.
That's the great thing about SAK's: a variety of models (and tool combos). Apparently, the Ambassador would work for me; the fact is, I've never even seen one

 

[mnblade]

When I worked in an office environment (I call 'em The Dark Years ) I used the screwdriver tip on my keychain Classic quite a bit removing staples from documents, heavy boxes, etc.

 

[jackknife]

To me, the small screw driver tip on the classic is invaluable to my everyday life. Just today, I used the SD tip to take the license tag off of Karen's Vespa when I delivered it to the new owner we sold it to. That SD tip seems made for most of the small phillips screws that are in use everywhere these days.

Also, one distinct advantage of the classic is the fact that I can pick up another one at the next Walmart or Target store I pass for the price of just a couple of beers at the corner bar. It's almost a disposable knife, which means I can give mine away with little thought to someone who does not have a knife. Like I've made a point before, the classic is like the Giddeons bible of knives. The gateway drug.

Carl.

 

[iSaur]

One vote for the Ambassador here. I find the larger handle gives me a better grip and more control, and while I like thin blades, the blade on the Classic is just too flexible to inspire confidence. The blade on the Ambassador is 2" long (just about the size of a peanut, Carl ), enough to halve and core an apple neatly, and the scissors are much more useful than those on the Classic. I also like the fact that there is no key ring on the same end as the knife blade.

I agree it would be better with the SD tip on the nail file, but I got around that (mostly) by touching the tip to the belt sander, creating a square end about 3/32" (2.5mm) wide. This is wide enough for a lot of slotted screws, although I find I use it just as much for prying. I could have made the end wider, but at this size it fits #2 Phillips screws fairly well. I also ground the inner edge of the nail file so it has 90 degree corners instead of being rounded off. This makes a useful scraper that has saved the knife edge more than once. I did the same to my wife's Classic.

With these minor mods, the Ambassador is my preferred knife.

 

[Harayasu]

I have an Ambassador and I like it. It's kind of a larger Classic. But after I got an Executive, I retired the Ambassador. The Executive is a little bit thicker, but adds a few handy tools and a backup blade.

 

[quattromori]

Thank you for your feedbacks.
I am a fan of the Classic and I've given away my share of them (and carry one on my house keys too). But I thought that the extra length of the Ambassador could serve me well at work. It's just going to stay on my work keys, where slightly bigger blade and scissors could work better. No need for SD nor any other tool I guess (the tweezers and nailfile could find a use, but not that often).
I love the Vic SD's (actually its combo tools - the SD/bottle opener and the smaller SD/can opener - are probably the most used tools on my Tinker), but I don't need them when I'm at work.
A blade and scissors will be fine.

 

[mnblade]

One vote for the Ambassador here. I find the larger handle gives me a better grip and more control...

I'm with you on the size. If they made a Rambler in this size, I'd buy one in a second!

I agree it would be better with the SD tip on the nail file, but I got around that (mostly) by touching the tip to the belt sander, creating a square end about 3/32" (2.5mm) wide. This is wide enough for a lot of slotted screws, although I find I use it just as much for prying. I could have made the end wider, but at this size it fits #2 Phillips screws fairly well.

Great idea. I always thought about doing that, but never tried it.

 

[quattromori]

I don't work in an office environment (I saved myself from that). I've been carrying a 93 mm SAK (a Tinker or an old Spartan) along with my keys, and found out that it doesn't work that well, for a few reasons:
First, it's too big for a keyring, and too heavy.
Second, I need scissors here at work.
Third, I realized that I was not really using the majority of tools.
That's why I'm thinking about the Ambassador. As a sidenote (and I wrote it somewhere on this forum before), I think that Victorinox should widen up a bit the choice in the 3" range.
The 93 mm series is very rich, and so is the 111 mm outdoor series.
The 58 mm has the Classic, and that's probably enough.
But I think some more models in the 74 mm range would be useful (taking away the 84 mm series, in my opinion).

 

[Gareth UK]

My preference is for the longer blade that the Ambassador gives you, but do be aware that a lot of Ambassadors don't have a keyring so make sure the one you buy has one.

 

[quattromori]

Thanks for the tip. I thought all of them came with the keyring (in their website it says so, maybe there are some older ones without keyring).
Actually, I guess it's going to be hard finding an Ambassador here: I'm 99% sure that I never saw one live in any shop around...it will be a nice search.

 

[Iyonk]

i love 74mm ambasador... i have mostly the collection editions except the black and white shoes picture...

i prefer ambassador than classic... though i dont hate classic, its just the size of ambasador more usefull for me...

i also mod the pointy nailfile tip to a flat screwdriver head... very2 simple.. i just cut a tiny bit of the pointy tip with a cutting pliers and smooth it with file and sand paper...

to bad the blade wont open on the orrientation opposite the key ring...

 

[quattromori]

I had no idea there was any collection edition of this model, I only saw the red cellidor one.
Just hope I'll find one somewhere
It's funny to see how most of you consider a SD tip essential or almost so. I think it's pretty useful, but, as for any other tool, it mostly depends on where I'm using the SAK, and what for...and for this one, I rather have the nailfile to clean my nails...