Victorinox Farmer

UnknownVT · Sep 20, 2004

The Victorinox Farmer is a 93mm Alox (anodized alumimum alloy) handled SAK (Swiss Army Knife) - it is one of the "Pioneer" series.

The Farmer is basically the Pioneer with woodsaw -
or compared to the Soldier - has the addition of the woodsaw, keyring - and has the regular scalloped shield Swiss Cross logo. Also on the other side there is a plain panel area for engraving.
[note: the Victorinox Soldier is the actual knife issued to the Swiss military]

The 93mm Farmer is one layer/backspring thicker than the 93mm 2 layered Soldier due to the addition of the woodsaw, so that layer/backspring is slimmer than normal.

The Soldier is just slimmer than a regular 91mm 2 layered Red Cellidor handled SAK, because of the thinner Alox scales, and no corkscrew.

The main blade layer/backspring on both the Farmer and Soldier are thicker than the regular 91mm SAK.

The main blade of the Farmer is the same as the Soldier, but it is usually not year stamped as on the Soldier. These 93mm Alox models have slightly longer, and noticably thicker blades than the regular 91mm SAKs.

The more substantial backspring on these 93mm Alox SAKs also mean that there is a little more effort required for closing the main blades - which can be seen as mostly a good safety thing - if the tougher opening does not present any problems.

The woodsaw of the Farmer looks like the same as on the regular 91mm SAKs -

There is a slight difference between the large screwdriver/bottle opener/ wire-stripper tool on these 93mm Alox models compared to the regular 91mm SAKs - but it's only just noticable - the whole tool and specifically the screwdriver blade is just a bit wider - but for me there isn't any practical difference to speak of.

The Can Openers look like the same standard tool as on the regular 91mm SAKs
(note: the small screwdriver tips on the can opener are designed also to fit #1 and #2 Phillips screws)

To me the Soldier feels just right in terms of weight, heft and thickness for an Alox model.
So the Farmer feels just a little thick - but the woodsaw is a very worthwhile addition for outdoor use.

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net/

PWork · Sep 21, 2004

Great review Vincent. That woodsaw sure is handy out in the woods.

Paul

UnknownVT · Sep 21, 2004

Many thanks for the nice comments Paul.

A slight correction/addenum to my post.

A very observant poster over at SOSAK pointed this out to me:

The main blade of the Farmer is less crinked than that of the Soldier -
so although they look similar - they are NOT (exactly) the same.

I've only had the Farmer for a few hours - and hadn't even noticed that.

In fact I probably would have assumed the Farmer should have been crinked/twisted ground the same way as the Soldier.

Visually even when viewed side-by-side it is hard to discern the difference in crinking in the main blades between the Farmer and the Soldier
- unless one knew to look for it.

Because it was pointed out - I could just see it - but it was not obvious. Ie: if I looked at the Farmer's main blade in isolation - I probably would would not have thought - hey, this blade is less twisted than the Soldier....

However -

looking at this photo one can see that the Soldier's main blade does sit more over toward the can opener tool than the Farmer's toward the woodsaw - look at the relative positions of the tip to the respective separating liners.

It is however harder to see the difference when viewing the blades themselves

only by careful comparison side-by-side does one realize that the Soldier's main blade is very slightly more bent than that of the Farmer.

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVincent.cjb.Net
http://UnknownVT.cjb.Net

frank k · Sep 21, 2004

Thanks for the great review Vincent!

I dont have a Soldier to compare to my Farmer (gotta have that saw!), but it looks to me that in your excellent photos, that the Soldiers blade appears to be more crinked because the screwdriver/bottle opener is crinked the other way, while the Farmers saw is straight making the main blade look straighter when folded next to it. Am I wrong? :footinmou

- Frank

UnknownVT · Sep 22, 2004

frank k said:
I dont have a Soldier to compare to my Farmer (gotta have that saw!), but it looks to me that in your excellent photos, that the Soldiers blade appears to be more crinked because the screwdriver/bottle opener is crinked the other way, while the Farmers saw is straight making the main blade look straighter when folded next to it. Am I wrong?

Frank,

I understand what you're saying of a possible optical illusion.

However if you're refering to the photo of the Farmer and Soldier closed, next to each other, scales touching - then the definitive way to see is to look at the way the tips of the main blades line up to the liner(s) to the left of the knives/photo.

The Soldier's main blade tip points at the aluminum liner (lower in photo) and the Farmer's points at the nickel silver spacer which forms the keyring loop (the upper one).

Actually the photo showing the spines of the main blades in my opening post hints at the Soldier having more crink - but I thought that might have just been alignment of the knives/arrangement, but on re-examining the full image the handles were lined up - the Soldier has more crink in its main blade.

The best way to see this for me, other than the photo of the closed blades above, is to put the knives together with the scales touching, so that there is no doubt about any alignment - and look at the how the blades deviate from the line -
like this photo -

What do you think?

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net/

frank k · Sep 22, 2004

You are right Vincent, that photo clinches it your Soldier has more crink than your Farmer.

The funny thing is that my Farmers blade tip lines up with the aluminum liner like your Soldier. Maybe the difference between your knives is due more to manufacturing tolerances than to design?

- Frank

UnknownVT · Sep 22, 2004

frank k said:
The funny thing is that my Farmers blade tip lines up with the aluminum liner like your Soldier. Maybe the difference between your knives is due more to manufacturing tolerances than to design?

It would seem to make more sense for it to be so.
Why manufacture something so slightly different?

But the only argument I can come up with is Victorinox's reputation for attention to detail and design.

Recently because of the clearance by Target Stores I have had 5 Soldiers pass through my hands - and all five have their blades aligned exactly the same.

Like I said I didn't even notice that the Farmer's main blade was crinked differently to the Soldier's until someone on SOSAK mentioned this about their Farmer - I checked my one sample and found it also to be that way.

Of course your Farmer's main blade crink/alignment would seem different to mine and (I assume) to the SOSAK member's Farmer who brought up the topic.

So, another speculation/guess could be that the Farmer's main blade might be crinked over less due to a later modification to give more tolerance to avoid the possibility of the woodsaw accidentally shutting on/hitting the main blade and damaging the saw teeth........

But I can't say for sure.

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net/

frank k · Sep 22, 2004

UnknownVT said:
So, another speculation/guess could be that the Farmer's main blade might be crinked over less due to a later modification to give more tolerance to avoid the possibility of the woodsaw accidentally shutting on/hitting the main blade and damaging the saw teeth........

Makes sense. Vincent, I think that you may be right again it could very well be an intentional tweak to better accommodate the Farmer's saw!

- Frank

Tom Krein · Sep 22, 2004

Thanks for the great review. I think the alox handles SAK are one of the best values in the knife world. I currently have a farmer in my pocket. I have carried a soldier since 1991 and got a farmer when they started making them again. These are both great people friendly users. I use the can openers all the time! I really can't say enough good things about these alox handled SAK's.

Tom

Nathan S · Sep 22, 2004

I have a Farmer. Actually, it was labled as a "Pioneer 4". Anyway, no matter what it's called, this is a great knife. Very sturdy and I love having the awl in a blade position (as opposed to the opposite side of the handle, as is normally the case). My only gripe is that there are no models available with scissors. That would be perfect for me. I wrote to Victorinox about the possibility of making a Pioneer with scissors, but this is apparently never going to happen.

UnknownVT · Sep 22, 2004

Tom Krein said:
I have carried a soldier since 1991 and got a farmer when they started making them again.

Many thanks for the nice comments Tom.

I thought the Farmer had been in continuous production, but now that you mention it - I looked back at my 1988, 92, 93 Swiss Army Brands (Forschner) catalogs - and indeed the Farmer was not listed in any - whereas the Victorinox brochures I have from circa ~1988 and 92 both show the Farmer (in red Alox).

So it could be simply that Swiss Army Brands/Forschner didn't import the Farmer to the USA, and "re-introduced" the silver Alox Farmer recently?

Victorinox brochure circa ~1988

BTW - if you still have a '91 Soldier (year stamped on the tang) - hang on to it - since it was the 100th anniversary of the Soldier's knife, and has the now desirable hollow rivet (discontinued after 92) -
that is unless you'd consider letting me have it

If you do still have the '91 Soldier - does it have that little square mark near the hollow rivet like in the brochure photo above? - should have "K+" inside a "W".

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net/

Don Luis · Sep 22, 2004

Thanks for the review and pictures. I have a Wenger Soldier with hollow rivet and shackle, two Vic Soldiers with rings and two red Vic Farmers. There is a marked difference in blade finish between the Soldiers and the Farmers, the Farmers being more polished, I like the rougher more squarish screwdriver in the soldier better.

I really like the saw, not just for outdoors but also for crafts and general use around the house.

An interesting feature in the Wenger Soldier is a sharpened section inside the hollow of the screwdriver/caplifter, makes a good wire stripper, I wish al SAKs had it.

Luis

Saunterer · Sep 22, 2004

UnknownVT said:
So, another speculation/guess could be that the Farmer's main blade might be crinked over less due to a later modification to give more tolerance to avoid the possibility of the woodsaw accidentally shutting on/hitting the main blade and damaging the saw teeth........

Hey Vincent you've been calling me some other member. I guess I'm just another lonely face in the crowd (sounds like a Tom Petty song).

Like I said over on SOSAK, I still don't get it. If the Farmer was crinked the same as the Soldier it seems the tolerances would still allow the blade to rest beside the saw blade, as the Soldier does beside the bottle opener.

But I do see your point about the woodsaw accidentally shutting on the main blade. The saw is probably the most flexible implement on an SAK, and I have had mine overlap my fish scaler on my Champion before. I'd have to chalk it up to this. Dunno.

--Chris

UnknownVT · Sep 23, 2004

Don Luis said:
two Vic Soldiers with rings

Always a pleasure to see a post from you, Luis -

If you mean keyring, as opposed to the hollow rivet - then those might NOT be Soldiers,
but the very similar Victorinox Pioneer -

The way you can confirm this is to check the shank of the main blade to see if there is a year stamp (with very few rare exceptions all Soldiers are normally stamped with the year, and very occassionally 93mm Alox models may get a blade that was originally destined for the Soldier so may have year stamp too, but those are all rare).

Also to further confirm - on the opposite scale if there is a blank rectangular panel for engraving then it is a Pioneer as opposed to the Soldier.

An interesting feature in the Wenger Soldier is a sharpened section inside the hollow of the screwdriver/caplifter, makes a good wire stripper, I wish al SAKs had it.

Older Victorinox Soldiers used to have the ground/sharpened inner curve to the bottle opener to use as a wire scraper - shown and listed in the illustration and tools listing of the Soldier in the Victorinox brochure circa ~1988 posted above (function #7) - you 'll see the red Alox Farmer shows and lists the wire-stripper (notch) seen on the Victorinox SAKs and current Soldiers.

I think the wire-scraper feature may have been replaced with the wire-stripper notch sometime around 1992-93 'ish, possibly round about the time when they replaced the hollow rivet with the solid rivet.

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net/

Tom Krein · Sep 23, 2004

UnknownVT,
Unfortunately I gave it to a friend in Thailand when I left. I figured I could replace it easily when I got home, but the new soldiers didn't have the hollow rivit. I liked the hollow rivit as it was a good place to secure a lanyard. I believe the farmer was reintroduced this year. The only place I could find them before was through Ted Nugent's catalog. From what I understand the farmer is one of the Nug's favorites. I guess he really does have good taste.

Nathan S,
I agree that a pair of sissors would be great on one of the alox handled SAK's. You could put a large pair where the saw is on the farmer and that would be a great "city" knife and you could switch to the farmer when out and about in the woods. What do you think?

Tom

Donald · Sep 23, 2004

Tom Krein said:
Nathan S,
I agree that a pair of sissors would be great on one of the alox handled SAK's. You could put a large pair where the saw is on the farmer and that would be a great "city" knife and you could switch to the farmer when out and about in the woods. What do you think?

Tom

Personally, I would prefer a combination tool on my Farmer, which would leave enough space for some small scissors, say Classic size, give or take a mm. There is no way I would give up the saw. To me that makes the Farmer a much more powerful and useful tool!

I just wish I had the Farmer as my Boy Scout knife. Did they make these in 1960's?

The main problem with the Soldier, I just could not see myself carrying one, when I have the Farmer, esp. since the hollow rivet has gone missing. Now if we could just all email in and request Target to carry the Farmer, in support of the U.S. farmer

and campers.

I will admit though that I find the key ring position of the Farmer a little uncomfortable compared to the smooth back of the Soldier. I am not sure why it is done this way, except perhaps that they did not force the designer to use the knife long enough. Could it be to avoid pocket wear from the end, or was it just something missed in the design? I have not ever used the Farmer enough at one time to find it bothers me, but I imagine I could over a long whittling session. I do happen to have a Farmer SAK in my pocket at the moment.

Any opinions on the key ring placement on the Farmer?

UnknownVT · Sep 23, 2004

Donald said:
Personally, I would prefer a combination tool on my Farmer

I'm a BIG fan of the combo tool since it seems in a single tool to be able to fulfill the main functions of the separate cap-lifter and can-opener tools.

However more recently when I had been made aware that the small screwdriver tip on the can-opener was actually designed to be used for #1 and #2 Phillips screws - I can (pun intended

) see the value of having that can-opener/small screwdriver tool.......

I just wish I had the Farmer as my Boy Scout knife. Did they make these in 1960's?

Don't know, the earliest catalogs that show the Farmer that I have was the early 80's. However the Alox handles on the Soldier was introduced in 1961 - so I assume that would probably be the earliest possibility for the Farmer.

Add another fact that the keyring was introduced in 1968 to replace a lanyard shackle/hasp

I will admit though that I find the key ring position of the Farmer a little uncomfortable compared to the smooth back of the Soldier. I am not sure why it is done this way, except perhaps that they did not force the designer to use the knife long enough. Could it be to avoid pocket wear from the end, or was it just something missed in the design?
Any opinions on the key ring placement on the Farmer?

The keyring configuration was standardized for all Victorinox SAKs since about 1968.

I tend to agree that it can be felt - especially in the way I hold knives by "palming" the handle (so that the butt end presses against my palm for safety reasons to prevent any possibility of my hand slipping on to the blade).

However I have found on regular SAKs, despite having the same keyring, does not seem to be as protrusive. I put this down to the keyring and its tab being buffered by the corkscrew.

Since the Farmer and none of the other 93mm Alox models have the corkscrew - the keyring and tab are more exposed.

I guess that's one of the reasons why Victorinox offers 93mm Alox models without the keyring.

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net/

BuckyKatt · Sep 23, 2004

I've been looking for a minimalist SAK (blade, bottle opener, can opener) with something other than the standard red handles. This thread has been exceedingly helpful in that regard... Just ordered a Pioneer. Thanks, guys.

Tom Krein · Sep 23, 2004

Donald,
Not saying that I want them to change the farmer as I love this knife. I bought one as soon as they came available. I carried the soldier before that. In fact I have a farmer in my right front pocket and a SAK manager in the left front pocket! What I was trying to say is I would like anouther model with sissors. Here is the reason, I don;t find I use the saw when around town. I could have a SAK "soldier" with sissors for edc around town and if going out in the woods I could take my farmer. Just a thought.

Tom

UnknownVT · Sep 23, 2004

BuckyKatt said:
I've been looking for a minimalist SAK (blade, bottle opener, can opener) with something other than the standard red handles. This thread has been exceedingly helpful in that regard... Just ordered a Pioneer. Thanks, guys.

Too late...
or a valid excuse to buy another SAK.....

The true Minimalist SAK that actually fulfills your stated requirments would be an Alox SAK with a main blade and the combo tool only -
which gives the functionality of blade, screwdriver, can-opener, bottle cap-lifter, and wire stripper....
pretty good for a two "bladed" knife, huh?

bantam alox low priced around ~$12

But note that the knife is very compact and thin - but some think it may be uncomfortable to use (I don't) -
just how thin?

about 5mm or 0.2"

Please take a look at this thread (with lots of input) -
Minimalist SAKs

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net/