It's been a year since I wrote up a review of the Victorinox Fieldmaster, so I thought I'd give an update as to how the tool held up. For those of you who didn't read the review, or can't find it because of the Search issues, I'll do a total re-write, with the updates added in.
The knife is the Victorinox Fieldmaster, model number 53931. They can be had for about $24. Since this is a muilti-use knife, I'll review and describe the implements one by one.
Handle: The handle is standard Victorinox red plastic (cellidor), and is 3.5" long. This knife has four "layers" of tools. The liners / dividers are made of stainless steel. The handle has a loop integrated into it, which holds the keychain. After a year, the handle is still in one piece, and still very solid. There's no movement in the handle-to-frame at all. The small Victorinox logo is still bright and visible. There's a small amount of scratching, but that's to be expected from an outdoor knife that's been used.
Main Blade: The main blade on this knife is stainless steel. It's 3" long with a 2.5" cutting edge, and ends in a drop point. There's a nail nick on the side facing the shield on the handle. The large blade is mounted as the fifth tool on the knife (looking at the shield). It snaps open very solidly, with no blade play. It came out of the box shaving sharp, and required resharpening only after about four weeks of hard field use. It's very easy to resharpen. It did everything I wanted it to do, and did so without failure or problem. After a year, the blade has no dents, bends, or chips; only a few scratches. Again, for a field knife, this is very good.
Small Blade: It also comes with a smaller blade, which is 1.75" long with a 1.5" cutting edge. Like the larger one, this is a drop point. The nail nick is on the non-shield side, and the small blade is mounted as the last thing on the knife (looking at the shield). This one also snaps open, and had no blade play. It came shaving sharp as well. After a year, it still snaps open with no play, and is still razor sharp, needing only minor touch-ups. I like to keep this blade razor sharp, and use the larger blade for general use.
Scissors: They're 3" long, and have a cutting area of 1 inch. The nail nick is on the non-shield side, and they're mounted as the third tool on the Fieldmaster. Like all the others, they snap open with no play. They came very sharp, and haven't needed resharpening. I've used the hell out of these things, and at first, I was convinced that one of two things would happen: the spring would break or the blades would dull. Neither has happened yet. The spring still pops them open after a cut, and they still cut like they're brand new. They get used almost daily, and the quality actually rivals that of larger "everyday" scissors.
Phillips Screwdriver: This is 1.5" long and is mounted on the underside of the handle. It's the last thing mounted here, as you're looking at the shield of the handle. There's not much to say about this tool; it's a #2 Phillips-head screwdriver. This tool opens to the halfway (T-handle) position only. It snaps open and has no bends or nicks. I apply a lot of pressure with this and no failures have been noticed. It shares the same backspring in the handle as the large blade.
Bottle Opener: The standard bottle opener with wire stripper and large flathead screwriver. It's nail nick faces the shield. It's 1.4" long, and snaps open with no play. It also snaps into the halfway open position, allowing you a bit of variety with the screwdriver and wire stripper. The bottle opener does what it's supposed to do, with no problems. I haven't used the wire stripper, simply because I never needed to. The screwdriver gets a lot of use. In the year I've been using it, I torqued it beyond what I think a Swiss Army Knife should be torqued, but it still hasn't chipped or failed.
Can Opener: The standard can opener with small flathead screwdriver. The nail nick faces the shield. It snaps open and stays open with no play. The screwdriver gets some use, but no a lot. It's very handy for Phillips-head screws when the larger screwdriver is too big, I've noticed. But the can open gets a lot of use. I can't count how many cans I've shredded open with this thing, but I've never had to resharpen the edge.
Reamer: Yeah, we all like the reamer. It's 1.5" long, with a 1" cutting edge. It's mounted on the underside of the handle, and is the first thing mounted there as you're looking at the shield. The nail nick faces the non-shield side. This tool opens to the halfway (T-handle) position only. It also has a small hole in it, presumably for use as a sewing eye. I've used the reamer / awl for punching many holes in leather and holes in cans. They kids always want holes in the lid of the can so fireflies can breathe. I like that the cutting edge doesn't go all the way to the tang because you can really get some leverage by gripping the handle like a T-handled dagger and applying pressure. No resharpening of the cutting edge has been required yet. It shares a backspring with the can opener and bottle opener.
Wood Saw: This thing is handy! It's 3" long and has two rows of teeth. There's no nail nick; instead, you just pry the tip out of the handle. It's mounted as the fourth item on the top side of the handle. No blade play. I've used it to prune a small tree, and to mark some wood. It really comes in handy when I want to saw through small bones while hunting. It's also very easy to clean out, and doesn't "fill up" when you're using it.
Hook: The parcel hook is 1.6" long, with an inside of 0.2". This is used to carry packages that are bound with string, or to hang your coat. To be honest, I've never used it. I've played with it a few times, but never actually used it. It shares a backspring with the scissors.
Tweezers and Toothpick: The standard tools in the end of almost every Swiss army knife. The toothpick is 2.1" long and made of plastic. It comes in handy when cleaning my fingernails more than anything else. The tweezers are 1.9" long, and get used quite frequently. Both the toothpick and tweezers snap into the butt end of the knife, and don't dislodge loose. They're positioned right next to the keyring, which makes it awkward at times to remove them.
I think that this is a pretty good knife for the outdoors, and would buy another one. I just don't see the need, because this one still performs just like it was brand new. If it only had sturdy pliers, I think it would rival a Leatherman Wave.
The knife is the Victorinox Fieldmaster, model number 53931. They can be had for about $24. Since this is a muilti-use knife, I'll review and describe the implements one by one.
Handle: The handle is standard Victorinox red plastic (cellidor), and is 3.5" long. This knife has four "layers" of tools. The liners / dividers are made of stainless steel. The handle has a loop integrated into it, which holds the keychain. After a year, the handle is still in one piece, and still very solid. There's no movement in the handle-to-frame at all. The small Victorinox logo is still bright and visible. There's a small amount of scratching, but that's to be expected from an outdoor knife that's been used.
Main Blade: The main blade on this knife is stainless steel. It's 3" long with a 2.5" cutting edge, and ends in a drop point. There's a nail nick on the side facing the shield on the handle. The large blade is mounted as the fifth tool on the knife (looking at the shield). It snaps open very solidly, with no blade play. It came out of the box shaving sharp, and required resharpening only after about four weeks of hard field use. It's very easy to resharpen. It did everything I wanted it to do, and did so without failure or problem. After a year, the blade has no dents, bends, or chips; only a few scratches. Again, for a field knife, this is very good.
Small Blade: It also comes with a smaller blade, which is 1.75" long with a 1.5" cutting edge. Like the larger one, this is a drop point. The nail nick is on the non-shield side, and the small blade is mounted as the last thing on the knife (looking at the shield). This one also snaps open, and had no blade play. It came shaving sharp as well. After a year, it still snaps open with no play, and is still razor sharp, needing only minor touch-ups. I like to keep this blade razor sharp, and use the larger blade for general use.
Scissors: They're 3" long, and have a cutting area of 1 inch. The nail nick is on the non-shield side, and they're mounted as the third tool on the Fieldmaster. Like all the others, they snap open with no play. They came very sharp, and haven't needed resharpening. I've used the hell out of these things, and at first, I was convinced that one of two things would happen: the spring would break or the blades would dull. Neither has happened yet. The spring still pops them open after a cut, and they still cut like they're brand new. They get used almost daily, and the quality actually rivals that of larger "everyday" scissors.
Phillips Screwdriver: This is 1.5" long and is mounted on the underside of the handle. It's the last thing mounted here, as you're looking at the shield of the handle. There's not much to say about this tool; it's a #2 Phillips-head screwdriver. This tool opens to the halfway (T-handle) position only. It snaps open and has no bends or nicks. I apply a lot of pressure with this and no failures have been noticed. It shares the same backspring in the handle as the large blade.
Bottle Opener: The standard bottle opener with wire stripper and large flathead screwriver. It's nail nick faces the shield. It's 1.4" long, and snaps open with no play. It also snaps into the halfway open position, allowing you a bit of variety with the screwdriver and wire stripper. The bottle opener does what it's supposed to do, with no problems. I haven't used the wire stripper, simply because I never needed to. The screwdriver gets a lot of use. In the year I've been using it, I torqued it beyond what I think a Swiss Army Knife should be torqued, but it still hasn't chipped or failed.
Can Opener: The standard can opener with small flathead screwdriver. The nail nick faces the shield. It snaps open and stays open with no play. The screwdriver gets some use, but no a lot. It's very handy for Phillips-head screws when the larger screwdriver is too big, I've noticed. But the can open gets a lot of use. I can't count how many cans I've shredded open with this thing, but I've never had to resharpen the edge.
Reamer: Yeah, we all like the reamer. It's 1.5" long, with a 1" cutting edge. It's mounted on the underside of the handle, and is the first thing mounted there as you're looking at the shield. The nail nick faces the non-shield side. This tool opens to the halfway (T-handle) position only. It also has a small hole in it, presumably for use as a sewing eye. I've used the reamer / awl for punching many holes in leather and holes in cans. They kids always want holes in the lid of the can so fireflies can breathe. I like that the cutting edge doesn't go all the way to the tang because you can really get some leverage by gripping the handle like a T-handled dagger and applying pressure. No resharpening of the cutting edge has been required yet. It shares a backspring with the can opener and bottle opener.
Wood Saw: This thing is handy! It's 3" long and has two rows of teeth. There's no nail nick; instead, you just pry the tip out of the handle. It's mounted as the fourth item on the top side of the handle. No blade play. I've used it to prune a small tree, and to mark some wood. It really comes in handy when I want to saw through small bones while hunting. It's also very easy to clean out, and doesn't "fill up" when you're using it.
Hook: The parcel hook is 1.6" long, with an inside of 0.2". This is used to carry packages that are bound with string, or to hang your coat. To be honest, I've never used it. I've played with it a few times, but never actually used it. It shares a backspring with the scissors.
Tweezers and Toothpick: The standard tools in the end of almost every Swiss army knife. The toothpick is 2.1" long and made of plastic. It comes in handy when cleaning my fingernails more than anything else. The tweezers are 1.9" long, and get used quite frequently. Both the toothpick and tweezers snap into the butt end of the knife, and don't dislodge loose. They're positioned right next to the keyring, which makes it awkward at times to remove them.
I think that this is a pretty good knife for the outdoors, and would buy another one. I just don't see the need, because this one still performs just like it was brand new. If it only had sturdy pliers, I think it would rival a Leatherman Wave.
