Victorinox Pioneer Pruner - Any good?

Carloxicus · Oct 16, 2012

Hey guys!

Any of you ever used a Vic Pioneer Pruner? It's the one that's alox and has only two blades, the large blade and the pruner blade. I was wondering if you guys have opinions or experiences regarding the model. Please do share.

I'm kinda interested in it because of the alox scale and the thinness and the pruner being some sort of small blade but with a different shape. You see, I do most of my daily cutting tasks with the small blade (the normal one), but I'm thinking, with the different shape of the pruner blade, it might just be more useful. Might be easier to cut boxes and open letters with this thing.

Also it has the large blade of a Pioneer Solo.

Thank you!

Ospreybucks · Oct 16, 2012

I regularly edc my Harvester which has the same small pruning knife, not the best for opening letters but more useful than the bigger knife I think.

Sonnemann · Oct 16, 2012

I had one, gave it away to a friend who didn't have a pocket knife but he enjoys it too. Great slim carry, the small pruning blade is like a wharncliffe on drugs...really very good for most tasks like cutting string, opening mail and packaged, etc. I think it's a great knife overall. My preferences goes to the Bantam Alox but those are harder to find.

Carloxicus · Oct 17, 2012

I keep thinking that the drop point shape of the large blade and the hawkbill shape of the small blade is a very good 2-blade combination. And with the style, it's like a traditional jack knife only more versatile because of the different blade shapes.

stevomiller · Oct 20, 2012

I edc the Rancher which has those same two blade, plus an awl and large screwdriver/cap lifter. Love it, and would like the Pruner for a slimmer/lighter knife. That hawkbill is the perfect blade to open boxes and clamshell packaging.

korez · Oct 21, 2012

What does the prune blade actually made for? Does it more usefull than the primary blade?

stevomiller · Oct 21, 2012

korez said:
What does the prune blade actually made for? Does it more usefull than the primary blade?

Is it 'more' useful? I guess it depends on what you do with your knife on a day in and day out basis. As for what is it designed for? It is designed to 'prune' or remove/thin branches and shoots from bushes and trees. The inward curve causes the edge to grab and pull the item being cut into it.

reader1 · Oct 25, 2012

My subjective opinion:

The Vic silver alox pruner is an excellent, thin carry knife. The Pruner/Hawkbill is as good as anything I have used for fast opening of Clam shell packaging.

Yes, an Opinel #10 is a better slicer, but not for clam shell packages. Why wreck a great blade on plastic junk?

The Vic Pruner bade is very small, but quite effective for Clam shell packages.

There are many heavy Hawk Bills by CASE, AG Russell and others that are more effective, but the blades alone are larger and weigh more than the whole Vic Alox Pruner knife.

Please PM me if you find any. They were discontinued by SAK

Mike H.