The most useful knife I own: Pioneer X

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DocT

Joined
Mar 25, 2012
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I have a lot of knives from a lot of different makers, some custom, most factory. I have Benchmades, Spydercos, and many more. Spyderco is my favorite company, over all, hands down.

However, the knife that I actually get the most use out of is the humble Victorinox Pioneer X. I was so-so over the original Pioneer, but the added bonus of the scissors and put this pocket tool in my daily carry more than any other knife or tool.

I literally find something to use this thing for on a daily basis, from tightening screws on the door, cutting open a bag of chips, or cutting paper or string. I even punch holes in belts for people, open bottles, and all sorts of things we never think about, but have to go into the drawer to get out the right tool to do the job. The Pioneer X covers most daily needs, for me, and it is easily cleaned and sharpened.

This could easily be the only pocket tool/knife I truly need.
 
Like you, although I have a number of knives from various makers, factory and custom, the knife I use the most is my Opinel #8. It resides in my lunch bag and I use it every day to cut fruit with my lunch. The Pioneer X is also a solid performer that covers most bases.
 
A recruit could pretty much do it all for me, but I still have to carry some form of pliers.
On a daily basis more than just the knife blade will come in handy, less so at home but there's still call for it.
A Vic or scout type knife is definitely one of the most handy and useful types of folding knife to carry.

At home I've got toolboxes all over the house so that's when it's mostly the blade that comes in handy, but once in a while it's just easier to reach into my pocket so I can tighten a doorknob screw or change batteries in something...ect.
When I say all over the house I mean it, bedroom, living room, kitchen, garage/shop, and I am actually putting one together for the bathroom.
 
DocT said:
....However, the knife that I actually get the most use out of is the humble Victorinox Pioneer X. I was so-so over the original Pioneer, but the added bonus of the scissors and put this pocket tool in my daily carry more than any other knife or tool.
<snip>
This could easily be the only pocket tool/knife I truly need.
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For me it's the Small Tinker. Generally don't use the little scissors on SAKs. I keep the Leatherman Ps4 Squirt on my key ring so it's usually with me also. It has a scissors that I never use. Any other knife is purely because I just want to carry it.
 
Couldn’t agree with you more. Despite having many other knives that are way more expensive, I have the basic Pioneer Alox and it’s my most used knife. So much so that I have several of them. Just ordered a Trekker tonight which my understanding is the civilian version of the knife issued to the army today, as the Pioneer was the civilian version of she Soldier. Will have to try out a Pioneer X based on your recommendation.
 
The scissors on a SAK is the most overrated tool in the array. I have three SAKs sitting on my shelf with broken springs. I have replaced a couple, only to have them break again. For scissors, I carry a Micra. They always work.

The SAK that is always in my pocket is an Alox Electrician. No scissors. Very useful, especially the little sheepsfoot. That said, the really useful knives are an Opinel No. 6 and an Okapi Biltong. The SAK is there mostly for backup, and for the extra tools.

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If I was forced to only have one knife for all conditions, it would have to be my Griptilian. It is not my favorite but for all conditions, it would be my choice.

A runner up would have to be the Vic Cadet. On paper, my choice is the Soldier/Pioneer but the Cadet really is the better choice due to how easy the tools can be deployed. I am finding that I carry a Cadet much of the time as a backup.
 
Quiet said:
All this, and you didn't add a pic? SECURITY!!! (snaps fingers and points) That man, that man right there!
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To be fair, I didn't own a digital camera until several years ago. I finally got one, because I was sick of not being able to post images, bit now I find that I cannot upload the damn pictures to an image hosting service. Don't know if it's my computer's fault or what, but it just sits there "thinking" and usually stalls out about 2/3rds finished. I managed to get a dozen or so uploaded by doing them one at a time over 24 hours, but I haven't been that lucky since. I have no idea what the OPs situation is, but it's not always by choice that people don't post pics.

As for the original question, most of these answers seem to be answering the question "what is your favorite MULTITOOL", not favorite knife. A knife is a knife, and many multitools feature a knife, but that doesn't make one a "knife". If it's most useful to you because it has scissors, a screwdriver and a can-opener, it's not really useful as a "knife" after all, but as a collection of tools in one device.
My most useful knife is my douk-douk. I just bought it because I thought it'd be worth having one in the drawer, but it turns out it is very usefu;. Holds an extremely sharp edge (cuts at least as well as an Opinel), the blade shape and geometry is strong, including the tip. The point is semi-rounded, which I prefer for a number of reasons. The profile is slim and short and fits well in the pocket. It doesn't really worry me to beat it up with junk in the pocket with it. It sharpens very easily, and it's like a scapel, with just a few strokes on a fine stone. It became sort of my default knife without planning on it. Only downsides are that it isn't very ergonomic at all, it doesn't lock open (I don't really mind that), and the blade develops rusty stain marks on it, even when I oil it every day. They never seem to be more than superficial and polish off with Brasso, but they worry me a little. Very utilitarian little knife. I carry an Opinel too (and frequently others, often all at the same time), but I don't use it nearly as often. It seems too delicate, when the douk is right there and ready to use.
I added a short knotted (actually a long noose-knot) lanyard to the bail finally. i never understood the point of those, but I find that I was quickly won over. Nice having that short cord hanging out of pocket, ready to grasp and draw the knife out with it.
 
someone asked for a pic?
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halden.doerge said:
I wish to god that Victorinox made a Cadet X. That smaller size would just be perfect with the added scissors. It'd never leave my pocket if it existed.
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...Yeah but if it never left your pocket it wouldn't get used:D
Joking aside, I can appreciate
SAK's as well as my Micra & Style CS, (although,for me they always like to accompany a larger main folder.)
B.T.B.
 
Billy The Blade said:
SAK's as well as my Micra & Style CS, (although,for me they always like to accompany a larger main folder.)
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Felt precisely the same way for years until I experimented a bit. The experiment started with a Case Peanut and I migrated back to my SAK. Then I downsized the SAK to about peanut size and this is working for me. Discovered that I generally reach for the SAK first and I seldom need another knife. So, the larger knife is purely something I carry because I like knives and not because I particularly need to have it on me.
 
I made that same discovery a longtime ago, but ignored it because I was in the grip of the obsession of being a knife nut. Nowadays I've backed way off from knife nuttiness and a SAK of some kind is my sole EDC. It varies a little day to day between a few models of Victorinox, but I'm totally SAK now. Most the others have been sold off/given away. A few kept just for sentimental reasons.

A SAK will serve as your knife as well as tighten a screw, open a can, bore a hole, help repair a very wide variety of things. I've used a SAK to fix a conked out motor scooter on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere, fix a electric trolling motor at their end of a long and winding lake saving a long paddle home, a clothes drier door latch, a poorly adjusted carburetor on a rental scooter on vacation in Key West, and take apart and clean the gunk from a fishing reel on the bank of the river. A dedicated knife is just a one trick pony, but a SAK is a pocket size bundle of solutions to life little problems that pop up unexpectedly. No other pocket knife will do what a SAK can. I halfway regret the years I wasted with all those 'other' knives.
 
I use the saw on my Walker just about every day to prune or trim something. Lately been using the blade every morning to cut up strawberries for my cereal. :cool:
 
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halden.doerge said:
I wish to god that Victorinox made a Cadet X. That smaller size would just be perfect with the added scissors. It'd never leave my pocket if it existed.
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Yes, over on the Multitools subforum I have a discussion of this very thing and a link to make this request of Victorinox. Please contact them and ask them to make the Cadet X.
 
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