Review In defense of the MiniChamp

[A.L.]

Perhaps the most common argument against the little giant Victorinox MiniChamp is that it's packed with bunch of silly features that you don't really need. Indeed it might be too feature packed for most people but since when has the multitool and knife community made any sense to begin with when it comes to carrying stuff? Now that I have carried the tool on and off for few years I have come to the realization that the MiniChamp packs lots of hidden features that might be overlooked by hasty judgement.

First tool is the infamous cocaine spoon. Since most – like me – don't do cocaine it actually works as last ditch screwdriver. If you ever notice yourself trapped in the nuclear launch silo and the only way out is the conveniently placed panel with soviet era flat screws the cocaine spoon might just save the day! The spoon even fits some behemoth cross head screws but obviously there is not much torque you are getting out of it.
Other functions that I have found for the spoon: scraping moustache wax out of deep tins, squeezing things (steel finger nail), light prying.

Then we have the small flat head driver. This tool is another great steel finger nail to open pesky electronic devices and other nail breaker gizmos. Obviously it works best for small flat heads but it also works with regular cross headed screws (see emergency nuclear silo evacuations above). The flat head driver has little bit of ruler on the side if you need to measure... tiny things. It has 35mm in metrics and something and something inches.

The hilariously named pill bottle opener and cotton picker hook tool is much more useful as clam shell package opener or safety cutting blade. It works very effectively against hard plastic. The tool also has flat grind ”chisel-ish” blade for scraping.

Then we have the crafty straight blade. I usually use this for little marking and crafting pull cuts but also for scraping things. I haven't bothered sharpening this to anything too sharp because it looks like it's about to disappear on the next sharpening job. It's a great blade for getting into narrow spots for cleaning things and such.. and poking.

The nail file tool is arguably the most radical tool of the buch. I don't do much nail filing myself but there seems to be big fan base for it. The tip of this tool has the nail cleaner end but I filed the tip to bad micro screwdriver that can adjust away most of the loosiness on glasses and such. It's not the best but works in a pinch!

Scissors. What can be said about the scissors? Anyone who uses Victorinox scissors knows how damn good they are.

Then there's the regular blade. This one is much more stout than the little crafty blade. You can actually sharpen this thing too! I have also regrinded this thing a bit for better performance. By some reason Victorinox sharpens these like prybars. When you whip this bad boy out everyone knows you are the most sexually confident man or a badass lady in the room. But then again the decent appearance makes everyone be like "aaaaw that's a nice handy looking blade there mate!". But don't be fooled: it is very useful and practical blade. After all, it is not the size that matters but how you use it!

Finally we have the combo tool of bottle opener, wire bender/stripper and small cross headed screwdriwer. Not much to say about it here other than that it works. The bottle opener especially is great way to save a party when someone goes unprepared for the night out!

 

[Rsmith_77]

After carrying first an alox classic for several years, and now an alox minichamp for a few months

It has made me realize they really really need to make an alox rambler

 

[Guy McVer]

Finally we have the combo tool of bottle opener, wire bender/stripper and small cross headed screwdriwer. Not much to say about it here other than that it works. The bottle opener especially is great way to save a party when someone goes unprepared for the night out!

Back in my heavy drinking days I learned how to open a beer bottle with a Bic lighter by bracing the end against my hand and using it as a lever. Once you can do that, you realize almost anything rigid can be used as a bottle opener. Another favorite method that was shown to me was to use the handle of a drawer. Some drawer handles have just the right spacing to wedge a bottle cap underneath and pop it off in an instant. It's a fun method.

Bottle openers are one of the most ubiquitous things to find on EDC gadgets. They're so common that it's become a joke, and yet they're probably one of the tools that you need the least.

The Victorinox Rambler or the Manager are in my opinion the best 58mm SAKs in terms of their balance between functionality and the number of tools. There's nothing wasted. In my opinion, these two models easily beat the MiniChamp. There's very little you can do with a MiniChamp that can't be accomplished using a Rambler or Manager, for less weight, less bulk, and less cost. While the extra tools on the MiniChamp can be put to good use, they're just not really necessary. It's the Rambler/Manager that really has the true essentials... aside from the cap lifter, naturally.

 

[A.L.]

Back in my heavy drinking days I learned how to open a beer bottle with a Bic lighter by bracing the end against my hand and using it as a lever. Once you can do that, you realize almost anything rigid can be used as a bottle opener. Another favorite method that was shown to me was to use the handle of a drawer. Some drawer handles have just the right spacing to wedge a bottle cap underneath and pop it off in an instant. It's a fun method.

Bottle openers are one of the most ubiquitous things to find on EDC gadgets. They're so common that it's become a joke, and yet they're probably one of the tools that you need the least.

The Victorinox Rambler or the Manager are in my opinion the best 58mm SAKs in terms of their balance between functionality and the number of tools. There's nothing wasted. In my opinion, these two models easily beat the MiniChamp. There's very little you can do with a MiniChamp that can't be accomplished using a Rambler or Manager, for less weight, less bulk, and less cost. While the extra tools on the MiniChamp can be put to good use, they're just not really necessary. It's the Rambler/Manager that really has the true essentials... aside from the cap lifter, naturally.

True about the bic lighter and I agree that the bottle opener has become a joke.

Most of the time I do find the classic sd to be enough for me and much lighter and slimmer.

 

[kobold]

Great, so I am not the only one loving the MiniChamp. Interesting video, a lot of info and origin story:

 

[Hashishiin]

Think I need one... The Executive and Rambler are my fave of the smalls. What is not to love? Will put some white Moomin scales on it.

 

[jackknife]

Back in my heavy drinking days I learned how to open a beer bottle with a Bic lighter by bracing the end against my hand and using it as a lever. Once you can do that, you realize almost anything rigid can be used as a bottle opener. Another favorite method that was shown to me was to use the handle of a drawer. Some drawer handles have just the right spacing to wedge a bottle cap underneath and pop it off in an instant. It's a fun method.

Bottle openers are one of the most ubiquitous things to find on EDC gadgets. They're so common that it's become a joke, and yet they're probably one of the tools that you need the least.

When our oldest child, son John, went off to college, he came home after the first semester on break, and showed me how to open a beer with a Bic lighter, and several other means. My wife and I were less than happy with what his increase of knowledge was after paying the tuition fees. Our son now knew how to open a beer with a Bic lighter!

Oh the value of a college education!

 

[TimButterfield]

I wanted to add another SAK to my Forester Wood and a PS4 with a broken file. After pondering on it for a while, I ended up choosing the ALOX MiniChamp. I should have it in a couple of days. It will be interesting to see what it is like to live with as an EDC.

I love the idea of the inline screwdriver, which is a large part of why I chose the MiniChamp. Some of the other models with the screwdriver opening at the middle of the handle just seem awkward to use. That location may provide improved torque, but that's really only usable if the handle has room to turn. Too often, it doesn't. If they had put the screwdriver hinge point at the end of the handle instead of in the middle, it might have opened more inline and thus been more usable.

 

[jackknife]

I wanted to add another SAK to my Forester Wood and a PS4 with a broken file. After pondering on it for a while, I ended up choosing the ALOX MiniChamp. I should have it in a couple of days. It will be interesting to see what it is like to live with as an EDC.

I love the idea of the inline screwdriver, which is a large part of why I chose the MiniChamp. Some of the other models with the screwdriver opening at the middle of the handle just seem awkward to use. That location may provide improved torque, but that's really only usable if the handle has room to turn. Too often, it doesn't. If they had put the screwdriver hinge point at the end of the handle instead of in the middle, it might have opened more inline and thus been more usable.

Totally agree on the mid placed screw driver. Way too awkward to use, not to mention that the liners will buckle if too much torque is put on it. NOT a good arraignment. I buckled the liners of my Tinker by twisting our a rusty Phillips screw, and from then on there was a lot of back and forth slop in that joint.

I use the SD tip pf my classic like Felix Immler said, open halfway and use it with the blade/tool at 90 degrees to the handle. You get more torque but its easier on the pivot. But for most Phillips screws I just use it opened all the way. Way easier. If its a rusty or stubborn screw, I'll use a real tool.

 

[Stelth]

I tried to like the mini Champ, but I ended up giving it to one of my kids. It had too many tools that I didn't use and the blades are too small. I know others are very enthusiastic about the smallest Vics, but I find the 58mm SAKs to be fiddly and less than what I prefer to carry.. I find the Alox Soldier, Electrician or Pioneer X perfect for my needs.

 

[StuntDouble]

Count me as a fan of the Alox Minichamp as well. It's the same thickness as the Rambler, the difference in weight is negligible, and the larger number of tools means there's more options to improvise when the need arises.

 

[mnblade]

Back in my heavy drinking days I learned how to open a beer bottle with a Bic lighter by bracing the end against my hand and using it as a lever. Once you can do that, you realize almost anything rigid can be used as a bottle opener. Another favorite method that was shown to me was to use the handle of a drawer. Some drawer handles have just the right spacing to wedge a bottle cap underneath and pop it off in an instant. It's a fun method.

Bottle openers are one of the most ubiquitous things to find on EDC gadgets. They're so common that it's become a joke, and yet they're probably one of the tools that you need the least.

The Victorinox Rambler or the Manager are in my opinion the best 58mm SAKs in terms of their balance between functionality and the number of tools. There's nothing wasted. In my opinion, these two models easily beat the MiniChamp. There's very little you can do with a MiniChamp that can't be accomplished using a Rambler or Manager, for less weight, less bulk, and less cost. While the extra tools on the MiniChamp can be put to good use, they're just not really necessary. It's the Rambler/Manager that really has the true essentials... aside from the cap lifter, naturally.

Rambler for the win. IMO, it's hands-down the class of the mini Vics. I recently bought a couple backups after reading that they've been discontinued (or might be discontinued) by Victorinox. I quit drinking in January (doctor's orders), so the caplifter's no longer all that important to me, but that little bitty Phillips screwdriver works perfectly for taking apart and re-assembling my harmonicas.

To the original poster's point ...... the Mini Champ IS pretty dadgum cool. But for me, the Rambler ticks all the right boxes.

 

[tiguy7]

I like the Titanium models.