Once you go SAK, do you ever go back?

I’ve carried a Swiss Army Knife for 60 years. It’s always been a Spartan, Tinker, Camper, Waiter, or lately a Compact. Knowing all of them well I often wish I could swap out tools here and there. Like the LEGO set it’s not.
 
As a formerly active outdoors-man I carried a Huntsman on every outing I went on since 1995, when I found it in a county park. Over those years I certainly used every tool many times over. Though I will admit, the can opener was only used to try it out since I have a compact twist type opener, in my mess kit.
Now as a semi-active outdoors-man I EDC one SAK or another from 2013 until today's selection, a Vic Sportsman. :thumbsup::thumbsup:
So for me, "Since I went SAK, I've no plans of going without." :)
 
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Revvie said:
an old Native American tradition says you have to carry with you something that brings you joy - regardless of how redundant or apparently little practical value it may add- your journey will not go well without "it" - the trick is you must discover for yourself whatever "it" is!
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So if that thing happens to be my Recruit which brings joy and is useful, am I still good :D
 
I was slow to appreciate the humble sak but once I did I was hooked. No matter what else I’m carrying I always have one in my pocket. Lately it’s been a 84mm Tinker. Sometimes the model changes but the sak in my pocket always gets the most use.
 
Squid61 said:
I think the concept of a SAK is spot on, the execution based on the "toy" Recruit I recently bought is out in left field. When I handle one of my traditional knives (I'm one of those "grandapappies") I feel the solid heft and quality of a well designed and manufactured knife. The Recruit on the other hand feels like a toy, it has no heft, the scales are so cheap they flex with a little finger pressure, the fit and finish are lacking due to the thin liners and I don't get the key chain doodad hanging off the end. I've put the Recruit in my travel bag since the most likely place I'll need it is in a Hotel room. I have a couple of modern folders and they're OK, they feel like real knives but are a bit too bulky or just too odd shaped to feel comfortable in my pocket and I'm not fond of the idea of a clip, doesn't feel right in my hand.
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Have you actually put any of these to work? This sounds like the old 1911 vs glock debate. The 1911 is heftier and all metal so it “feels” better but after shooting several of each I would never rely on a 1911. My preconceived notion on how something will work doesn’t always match reality. I’m still waiting for the g10 on my spyderco military to break because someone said they could intentionally flex it or that the lock will be depressed because I’m holding it too tightly. :rolleyes:

If you can’t get passed the plastic give the alox models a try.
 
I might be repeating myself...but I do think that once you carry a SAK for a while, it is hard to go back to a knife with less tools.
And it's the same with carrying a multi-tool.

I believe that men (and plenty of women), but especially men, need to fix things, repair things, modify things, solve problems, create gadgets, make tools, etc...
and having a tiny tool kit in your pocket just makes that need so much easier.
 
jackknife said:
...

YES, Victorinox needs to step up ands a better material than the cheap stuff they are now using. This isn't the 1940's and there are way better materials for just as cheap.
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jackknife, the thing I find odd is that they are an OLD company, but sticking with Celidor is a short-sighted decision. It is something that is an obvious opportunity for improvement. ...but the European mentality is different.
Where an American or Japanese company may have thought: "This is a chance for improvement" the old European companies think: "We have done it this way for dozens of years, why change?" (Opinel is another fine example)

If they had done this kind of thing all along, there would not be a Boker Tech Tool line right now. (though they are also European, they seem to be more open-minded in certain areas)

By the way, G10 scales are available for SAKs; check ebay. They just don't accept scale tools. :-(
 
Smaug said:
jackknife, the thing I find odd is that they are an OLD company, but sticking with Celidor is a short-sighted decision. It is something that is an obvious opportunity for improvement. ...but the European mentality is different.
Where an American or Japanese company may have thought: "This is a chance for improvement" the old European companies think: "We have done it this way for dozens of years, why change?" (Opinel is another fine example)

If they had done this kind of thing all along, there would not be a Boker Tech Tool line right now. (though they are also European, they seem to be more open-minded in certain areas)

By the way, G10 scales are available for SAKs; check ebay. They just don't accept scale tools. :-(
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Smaug, I don't mind the cellidor itself to be bad, after all, I had SAK's from 1969 on that were just fine. And if they had indeed left it alone, I would've no complaint.

BUT...in some misguided penny pinching effort that goes against anything good, they went and saved a penny's worth of material by hollowing the scales out with just a few 'ribs' of reenforcing to run across it in inside. This is exactly where my two SAK's and my son in laws SAK broke off a large chunk of handle scale. The backside about I/3 the way down from the top is the inside ridge, and thats is a break area.

Yeah, they sell replacement scales, but it galls me to have to buy a new set of scales for a problem that was miserly in the making. That means my 16.95 recruit is now a 26 dollar knife. OR...what if your off on a trip and the SAK falls off the motel bathroom counter to the tile floor and breaks off? Then you go the rest of your vacation with a one scale SAK. Doable but aggravating, especially since it was avoidable to start with by leaving the damm cellidor alone and in a solid slab like they used to be.

I have a problem with companies that penny pinch to the extent that they create problems where they was none. This is why my tool set has been the Leatherman Squirt that is all metal construction and pretty bomb proof, and the small SAK's now get left home. For a dedicated slicer and dicer, the Nylon handle Victorinox florist knife is a wicked cutter. And I love the sheep foot blade with a chisel grind.

I hate to say it, but after over 50 years of being a loyal SAKist, I've switched my flag to Leatherman for a pocket tool. If I need a can opener, , my P-38 is in my wallet. In five years of beating the ever lovin dog poo out of my squirt, the only thing that happened is the scissors spring broke. I sent it in and in two weeks I had a new one in the mail box. Considering the travel time, thats pretty impressive service.
 
I wonder if cellidor is chosen largely for environmental reasons because by percentage it uses less petroleum than other plastics?

I have a champion from the 80s and those old scales feel much better to me than the current hollowed out scales. I can live with the material, I just hate how flimsy the newer scales are.

As far as leatherman goes, I wish I could get on board because they really seem to be trying to innovate (unlike Victorinox). But the finesse just isn’t there. Simply take a look at the new Free series of knives. Such a great idea but a bit of a mess...
 
Country_Squire said:
I wonder if cellidor is chosen largely for environmental reasons because by percentage it uses less petroleum than other plastics?

I have a champion from the 80s and those old scales feel much better to me than the current hollowed out scales. I can live with the material, I just hate how flimsy the newer scales are.

As far as leatherman goes, I wish I could get on board because they really seem to be trying to innovate (unlike Victorinox). But the finesse just isn’t there. Simply take a look at the new Free series of knives. Such a great idea but a bit of a mess...
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I do remember reading that someplace, that cellidor is a more "environmentally friendly" material. I have no problem with that, just make it like they used to. I have a v very old tinker from the early '70's, and the handle scales are like night and day compared to the 'new' scales. With the new scales you can actually feel the scales flex if you grip it hard to unscrew an old screw thats a bit rusty.

But your right about Leatherman, they are like the old G.I. issue 1911. A bit heavy and clunky, with none of the finesse of a Sig or Glock. The only Leatherman I have interest in is the Squirt that has become a part of my life's daily carry. Who knows, I may even take another look at the micra, even though the inside tools annoy me.
 
lonestar1979 said:
Victorinox is awesome with saks and kitchen-butcher cutlery....these knives work,period and work better than most other knives on market that cost 5x or more...thats what i carry now,victorinox or opinel,thats all.
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Victorinox kitchen cutlery has no equal for 2X the price. For over 20 years now, my kitchen has been Victorinox, and especially those couple little red handle paring knives have taken some heavy use. Yet another example of how Victorinox knows how to injection mold a very rugged material onto the tangs of those paring knives that is impervious to everything but a nuclear blast.

My wife, I love her dearly, but she is a champion of misusing things to the point of abuse. Yet in all those years, she has never broken a Victorinox knife in the kitchen. I think Victorinox calls the kitchen knife handles fibrox, or something like that, but it appears to be a nylon base material. They should be putting that stuff on their SAK's.
 
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Vic kitchen knives are heavily used in my house.... from steak knives to simply general use paring or small knife use. Vics are the overwhelming choice in my house. For that reason, I keep spares and they get replenished periodically when I visit the "Rough Ryder" store. I honestly don't think I have broken one but I don't really pay that much attention to the inexpensive kitchen knives.
 
I've mention the following previously but not lately and it fits this thread.
In August of 2019 I was considering one knife to use exclusively during a household move. I almost choose a single blade knife with the intention of proving to myself a sheepfoot was a good choice for an all-round blade. Boy am I glad I changed my mind! Instead I selected an Evogrip 11. It saved me many hundreds of yards of walking and countless minutes of searching for several tools because they were already in my pocket.
At a time that hand tools were at a premium and all other knives were packed away that little Vic performed admirably opening boxes, cutting tape, starting and turning screws as well as repairing broken nails, opening bottles and a myriad of other tasks, even tooth picking and splinter removal.
Since that move I have had an 11 or something similar constantly in my pocket and thought the only tools I might add to it was scissors and maybe a pin.
Just yesterday morning as I considered a pocket knife for the days carry I found myself asking myself, "Which tool do I not mind being without?" I selected a Sportsman (same tools as the 11 except corkscrew replaces phillips) because my answer was none. I wanted all of it's tools in the 84mm package once again.
I'm beginning to wonder, "Now that I've gone SAK would it even be possible for me to go back? :)

Sportsman :thumbsup::thumbsup:
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redsparrow said:
I've mention the following previously but not lately and it fits this thread.
In August of 2019 I was considering one knife to use exclusively during a household move. I almost choose a single blade knife with the intention of proving to myself a sheepfoot was a good choice for an all-round blade. Boy am I glad I changed my mind! Instead I selected an Evogrip 11. It saved me many hundreds of yards of walking and countless minutes of searching for several tools because they were already in my pocket.
At a time that hand tools were at a premium and all other knives were packed away that little Vic performed admirably opening boxes, cutting tape, starting and turning screws as well as repairing broken nails, opening bottles and a myriad of other tasks, even tooth picking and splinter removal.
Since that move I have had an 11 or something similar constantly in my pocket and thought the only tools I might add to it was scissors and maybe a pin.
Just yesterday morning as I considered a pocket knife for the days carry I found myself asking myself, "Which tool do I not mind being without?" I selected a Sportsman (same tools as the 11 except corkscrew replaces phillips) because my answer was none. I wanted all of it's tools in the 84mm package once again.
I'm beginning to wonder, "Now that I've gone SAK would it even be possible for me to go back? :)

Sportsman :thumbsup::thumbsup:
rbrb9EE.jpg
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This ^^^
 
redsparrow said:
I've mention the following previously but not lately and it fits this thread.
In August of 2019 I was considering one knife to use exclusively during a household move. I almost choose a single blade knife with the intention of proving to myself a sheepfoot was a good choice for an all-round blade. Boy am I glad I changed my mind! Instead I selected an Evogrip 11. It saved me many hundreds of yards of walking and countless minutes of searching for several tools because they were already in my pocket.
At a time that hand tools were at a premium and all other knives were packed away that little Vic performed admirably opening boxes, cutting tape, starting and turning screws as well as repairing broken nails, opening bottles and a myriad of other tasks, even tooth picking and splinter removal.
Since that move I have had an 11 or something similar constantly in my pocket and thought the only tools I might add to it was scissors and maybe a pin.
Just yesterday morning as I considered a pocket knife for the days carry I found myself asking myself, "Which tool do I not mind being without?" I selected a Sportsman (same tools as the 11 except corkscrew replaces phillips) because my answer was none. I wanted all of it's tools in the 84mm package once again.
I'm beginning to wonder, "Now that I've gone SAK would it even be possible for me to go back? :)
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Did you keep a sharpening stone or something similar available during this one knife adventure?

I generally choose models that do not have a cork screw simply because I never use one.
 
22-rimfire said:
Did you keep a sharpening stone or something similar available during this one knife adventure?

I generally choose models that do not have a cork screw simply because I never use one.
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No I didn't keep a stone handy but that was a mistake.:oops: Near the end of the one knife ordeal (as I now call the move) I was cutting some felt at the new house and noticed the eleven's only blade needed sharpening. Fortunately I knew where the stones were and immediately gave the blade a quick touch up. If there ever was to be another move (seriously hope there won't) I will be sure to keep one handy. :)
 
In all honesty carrying a SAK has killed the traditional knife collecting hobby for me. I was once a avid GEC collector. I have gotten rid of most of my collection and have maybe purchase 3 GECs over the last 2 years :(:). I still enjoy purchasing the occasional SAK or Case knife, but I’ll never buy crazy amounts of GEC knives again.
 
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Larger 111mm saks with locking blades and nylon scales are just awesome,for any task,i just got sak adventurer 111mm,on sale for 25$ us,have already enough saks,but bought it.What an amazing knife,and quality control.More useful than 99,9 pers of so called utility or tactical knives.Nylon scales are almost unbreakable,have 4 saks with those and never had one break.Celidor scales are ok,havent had probs with those either,just with translucent scales that broke right away after one drop on laminate flooring,what a shame.Large saks are pretty rugged ...have one thats 15 yrs old and used and abused,scales look almost brand new.
 
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