Once you go SAK, do you ever go back?

You can just feel quality when you pick up any victorinox,the ones with larger locking blades are perfect for cutting ...excellent geometry and proven victorinox steel,can be sharpened on any plate,ceramics or stone in seconds.I consider these larger victorinox locking knives,great choice for urban and wilderness survival,or any task.
 
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JaxBaron said:
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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Thats because once you get used to carrying something with a few basic tools for a while, and develop a history of fixing the odd problem in the middle of nowhere, you can't gp back to a one trick pony like a dedicated knife. A SAK or small multitool is a very habit forming thing.

When I look back on all the potential predicaments I was in at one time or another, and I made it back with little problem by being able to deal with screws, wire, I could never go back. Once I bought my first SAK in 1969, I just had to have a SAK on hand, no matter what 'other' pocket knife I had along. It took a long time for the thought to percolate through my thick skull that its not necessary to carry two pocket knives if you have one of them a SAK. Little by little in my middle age, my love of traditional pocket knives faded, and got to a point that I didn't want to bother with any non SAK. Just not worth it.

Add in that so many buyers of GEC are opting of fit and finish complaints, thumbnail breaking springs, and I feel thankful for the smooth easy opening Victorinox pocket knives. Over time, Victorinox became my gold standard for any pocket knife. Did it open as easy and smooth as a SAK? Did it have the internet polish and fit of a SAK? Aesthetics and style are nice, but I prefer outright function before form. While I lust over nice stag or wood, being able to fix a motor scooter on a dirt road miles from anywhere and be on my way shoves looks out of the way.

No, once you go SAK, it would be damm hard to go back. As much as I loved my old Buck 301 stockman that I carried for 25 years, it didn't have the capability of even a humble bantam or waiter because of the combo tools ability to deal with both flat and Phillips screws, open cans, open bottles, and pluck splinters with tweezers.
 
I nearly always carry a SAK. As a kid my parents gave me a Huntsman with the typical red cellidor scales. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've never experienced problems with cellidor scales.

Later I was given a Friedrich Herder working knife, the kind my father and grandfather carried too. I still got the Herder, but lost the Huntsman. I consider the older SAK models like the Spartan and alox Soldier as traditional knives, just like the Herders, Moras and Opinels.

I will always carry a SAK. Using them for several decades, they simply have become a part of me. I know how to use their tools and am also aware of their restrictions.
 
Even their saks with serrated blades cut very well,and work.....can be sharpened,was surprised how their german army knife with serrated blade works,a friend of mine has it,has cut everything from whittling wood to food prep and insulation...works way better than so called tactical knives,ill have to get one of those soon.Its hard to sharpen knives with thick edges and supersteels in field,almost impossible,victorinox has the geometry down,theyre thin behind edge and steel takes screaming sharp edge very easily,and holds it for decent amount of time,if you use it like a knife.Tools can be used for prying,unscrewing,etc,so the knife is only for cutting,cant think of more useful knives for any purpose,even defense,if you know how to use it,locking 111mm victorinox can be used for that purpose ,no probl,razor sharp spear point blade stabs and cuts with ease,along with some other tools....handiest knife around,any trips ive been on lately,its only knife carried.
 
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I used Alpineer for past 3 months as my only knife on road again,had an alox soldier as backup,but never used it once(blade is short for food prep and i had alpineer),have sharpened it on folding dmt,usually 3,4 swipes returns it back to hair whittling sharp,was cutting meat,fruits,vegetables,did some woodwork and bbq stuff when camping and hunting.Cut through some chicken bones,without any problems or damage ,and also deboned some meat from couple pigs that were butchered by my neighbour.This knife performs very well for all those tasks and comes back.I am using this one for 10 years ,and put it through some real cutting chores,cutting everything and anything,and it never let me down.it hit some bones when using it to help my neighbour in processing couple pigs,got one smaller nick,and dull,but at the end was fixed in few minuted on folding dmt and brought again to razor sharp,btw dmt leaves very nice toothy edge on this steel,that still whittles hair.I bought this knife for maybe 15 dollars us 10,12 years ago on sale,and wasnt expecting nothing out of it.Ended up using it countless times ,even abusing it somewhat,and it took it all.Still functions perfectly,but is just little sharpened out,so the blade doesnt have original width.Tactical knives that i have,most of them (around 100)do not have cutting abiklity or practicality of this knife...easy to carry,very light,plus steel doesnt rust ,was left bloody and dirty few times for a day or 2 and no rust at all.111mm victorinox blades are very underrated in my opinion...ill be getting couple more of 111 models ,reg ones i have 5,6,theyre ok for edc,but for my uses,blades are little short.
 
My default EDC is a Victorinox Tinker, Super Tinker, or Pioneer, and a Leatherman Wave+. During this COVID-induced period of (hopefully temporary) unemployment, I have gone through several phases of acquiring and carrying different traditional knives. One month, it was small Old Timers. The next month, it was vintage Scout/Camper-style knives. Then it was Barlows. Then I circled back to my Pioneer, but my new Super Tinker has usurped the Pioneer's role as my EDC knife.
 
Sometimes when I can't decide which knife to carry, I simply ask myself WWMcGD (What Would MacGyver Do)? Carry a Swiss Army Knife, of course!

Earlier this year I scored a pair of beautiful, unused Western S-901 Scout/Camper pattern knives. Jigged delrin scales, nickel silver bolsters and bale, brass liners, the works. But the tools and blades interfere with each other when they're opened or closed, to the point that the bottle opener hits the tip of the knife blade as it's being closed.

So, I carried this knife for a few weeks, but got tired of having to open the blade before closing the bottle opener. Then I remembered that my Pioneer has the same tools, but doesn't have that problem. So the Pioneer went back in my pocket.
 
Its just objectively true that a Swiss Army Knife packs 900% more utility than a traditional slip joint does - in about the same size and weight. So if we carry a traditional slip joint, it is for the good vibes it gives us, the memories and the groovy feelings. And since feeling good is better than not feeling good, its hard to argue against a non-SAK traditional knife if that's what makes your leg tingle. Though they do cut stuff just fine, people don't carry them solely for the utility unless they just never need drivers, scissors, etc.

I have a whole drawer full of traditional knives that I have hoarded over the decades, but rarely carry one. With all of the toys I carry, I have to (and want to) focus on utility. Though a SAK can be quiet aesthetic too.

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powernoodle said:
Its just objectively true that a Swiss Army Knife packs 900% more utility than a traditional slip joint does - in about the same size and weight. So if we carry a traditional slip joint, it is for the good vibes it gives us, the memories and the groovy feelings. And since feeling good is better than not feeling good, its hard to argue against a non-SAK traditional knife if that's what makes your leg tingle. Though they do cut stuff just fine, people don't carry them solely for the utility unless they just never need drivers, scissors, etc.

I have a whole drawer full of traditional knives that I have hoarded over the decades, but rarely carry one. With all of the toys I carry, I have to (and want to) focus on utility. Though a SAK can be quiet aesthetic too.

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I've always enjoyed your skills as a wordsmith Power and two very nice knives pictured but that National Ski Patrol is a very nice, yet elusive SAK:cool::thumbsup:
 
lonestar1979 said:
I am using this one for 10 years ,and put it through some real cutting chores,cutting everything and anything,and it never let me down. ... I bought this knife for maybe 15 dollars us 10,12 years ago on sale,and wasnt expecting nothing out of it.Ended up using it countless times ,even abusing it somewhat,and it took it all. ... Tactical knives that i have,most of them (around 100)do not have cutting abiklity or practicality of this knife...easy to carry,very light,plus steel doesnt rust ,was left bloody and dirty few times for a day or 2 and no rust at all.
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Amen! Victorinox knives hold up to any competition, as far as I'm concerned. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 
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