I like SAK's.
There, I admit to being a SAK fan, and for a great deal of my life I've had one around. Okay, more than one around. But the SAK fandom always had to take a back seat to my love of traditional pocket knives. My addiction to the Case Peanut is well known on a neighboring forum, but when I go afield, theres a SAK in a bag/pack/gun kit, or whatever. When I worked in a machine shop, a SAK was a nice thing to have, if needing a screw driver and not wanting to walk back to to my tool chest on the other end of the shop.
But so often, we hear that SAK steel is no good, it's soft, won't hold an edge. The recent video with the so called expert doing some cutting tests, and being surprised at how well the SAK cut is typical. They really don't know what they are talking about, but the internet so called experts all keep repeating the same BS like a parrot. I once had a co-worker who was the same way. I took out my SAK in the shop for some job, and he looked over and made the scornful comment that "I've got one of those Swiss Army things, and they it worth ----!".
Of course I looked at him and asked for clarification. He told me he bought one at a flea market and the steel was so soft that he couldn't even get it sharp. Of course, knowing how SAK's can get wicked sharp, I made some disagreeing sounds, and next thing I know old Bob is saying how he's gonna bring in that piece of junk and if I can sharpen it he'll buy the beer.
Okay, I know what your thinking. Flea market. The idea came into my head soon as he said it, but I held my tongue. The next day Bob comes to work and pulls it out of his pocket, and hands me the knife. No, that's not quite true, I can't say it was a knife. He hands me this thing, and it sure does have red plastic handles, and a white cross looking decal on it, but I can't say just what it was. Well, not in polite terms. I pull open the blade and few tools one by one, and it's poor. Some blade/tools I can hardly open, others just flop out. I squint down on the base of the main blade and make out some faint letters that look like they were hand stamped in with a worn out stamp. I can make out a C, then an H, and a few other letters. I put it down on the work bench, and take out my Victorinox tinker, and hand it over to Bob.
Bob takes it with a look of distaste, and a comment that it looks like another one of those Swiss Army pieces of junk.
"Bob, I want you to take a real good look at that one, and compare it to yours." I tell him.
He does so at first with a air of disdain, but in a moment he's looking more intently. He studies the tinker, pulls open blades, tools, surprised at how sharp it is, and how well things snap open and closed.
"Read the main blade stamp on yours, Bob." I say.
He looks down reading through the bottom of the bifocals he wears.
"What is it, oh, there's a C, H,... it says China!"
Bob looks surprised.
"Now read what it says on the one I have."
Again Bob squints at the letters through his bifocals. He reads it easy as the letters are sharp and clear. He lowers the knife looking a little sheepish.
"Now Bob, do you really think Swiss Army knives are made in China, or maybe there are some junk knock offs sold in flea markets to people who only look at a red plastic handle?"
"I guess I made a mistake". was all Bob had to say. I let it ride then, only telling him if it doesn't say Switzerland on it, it ain't a real SAK.
Some times goes by, maybe a month more or less. I'm working the punch press over by Bob's bench, and he takes out a pocketknife to open a plastic bag of rivets. I see a bright red handle, and I'm a little curious. I wonder over, and I see Bob With a tinker. He looks up.
" Carrying a SAK now, Bob?" I ask him.
He hems and haws some, finally saying "Well, I was over at Dick's getting some fishing stuff, and they had some. Figured to maybe try out a real one. So far it ain't a half bad knife."
I let it ride. But I wonder how many people have a low opinion of a SAK because of some internet parrot repeating the nonsense he's heard, and maybe some mistaken identity because some idiot bought a junk knock off and wasn't impressed, but was too dumb to realize he has a no name Asian recycled tuna fish can junker? Old Bob was a perfect example. He's not too bright, and all he saw was a red handle with a white cross on it. The crudeness of it never made him think about it.
So a SAK gets a bad rap because of mistaken identity.
There, I admit to being a SAK fan, and for a great deal of my life I've had one around. Okay, more than one around. But the SAK fandom always had to take a back seat to my love of traditional pocket knives. My addiction to the Case Peanut is well known on a neighboring forum, but when I go afield, theres a SAK in a bag/pack/gun kit, or whatever. When I worked in a machine shop, a SAK was a nice thing to have, if needing a screw driver and not wanting to walk back to to my tool chest on the other end of the shop.
But so often, we hear that SAK steel is no good, it's soft, won't hold an edge. The recent video with the so called expert doing some cutting tests, and being surprised at how well the SAK cut is typical. They really don't know what they are talking about, but the internet so called experts all keep repeating the same BS like a parrot. I once had a co-worker who was the same way. I took out my SAK in the shop for some job, and he looked over and made the scornful comment that "I've got one of those Swiss Army things, and they it worth ----!".
Of course I looked at him and asked for clarification. He told me he bought one at a flea market and the steel was so soft that he couldn't even get it sharp. Of course, knowing how SAK's can get wicked sharp, I made some disagreeing sounds, and next thing I know old Bob is saying how he's gonna bring in that piece of junk and if I can sharpen it he'll buy the beer.
Okay, I know what your thinking. Flea market. The idea came into my head soon as he said it, but I held my tongue. The next day Bob comes to work and pulls it out of his pocket, and hands me the knife. No, that's not quite true, I can't say it was a knife. He hands me this thing, and it sure does have red plastic handles, and a white cross looking decal on it, but I can't say just what it was. Well, not in polite terms. I pull open the blade and few tools one by one, and it's poor. Some blade/tools I can hardly open, others just flop out. I squint down on the base of the main blade and make out some faint letters that look like they were hand stamped in with a worn out stamp. I can make out a C, then an H, and a few other letters. I put it down on the work bench, and take out my Victorinox tinker, and hand it over to Bob.
Bob takes it with a look of distaste, and a comment that it looks like another one of those Swiss Army pieces of junk.
"Bob, I want you to take a real good look at that one, and compare it to yours." I tell him.
He does so at first with a air of disdain, but in a moment he's looking more intently. He studies the tinker, pulls open blades, tools, surprised at how sharp it is, and how well things snap open and closed.
"Read the main blade stamp on yours, Bob." I say.
He looks down reading through the bottom of the bifocals he wears.
"What is it, oh, there's a C, H,... it says China!"
Bob looks surprised.
"Now read what it says on the one I have."
Again Bob squints at the letters through his bifocals. He reads it easy as the letters are sharp and clear. He lowers the knife looking a little sheepish.
"Now Bob, do you really think Swiss Army knives are made in China, or maybe there are some junk knock offs sold in flea markets to people who only look at a red plastic handle?"
"I guess I made a mistake". was all Bob had to say. I let it ride then, only telling him if it doesn't say Switzerland on it, it ain't a real SAK.
Some times goes by, maybe a month more or less. I'm working the punch press over by Bob's bench, and he takes out a pocketknife to open a plastic bag of rivets. I see a bright red handle, and I'm a little curious. I wonder over, and I see Bob With a tinker. He looks up.
" Carrying a SAK now, Bob?" I ask him.
He hems and haws some, finally saying "Well, I was over at Dick's getting some fishing stuff, and they had some. Figured to maybe try out a real one. So far it ain't a half bad knife."
I let it ride. But I wonder how many people have a low opinion of a SAK because of some internet parrot repeating the nonsense he's heard, and maybe some mistaken identity because some idiot bought a junk knock off and wasn't impressed, but was too dumb to realize he has a no name Asian recycled tuna fish can junker? Old Bob was a perfect example. He's not too bright, and all he saw was a red handle with a white cross on it. The crudeness of it never made him think about it.
So a SAK gets a bad rap because of mistaken identity.
SAK's can help you fix a lot of things apparently. Even the presence of cheap knockoffs. 
Thanks! Hahahah
I could probably clear up my keychain a little bit if I got a real one now but I never really thought about it. Maybe when the funds become more available I'll give it a thought. You once again have me enticed my friend.