Victorinox SAK pliers, scissors, saw and file - your thoughts please

P

PoundHound

Joined
Jul 13, 2007
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So as i have recently been driving myself mad trying to decide on ONE sak and almost pulling the trigger on a Craftsman, i got to wondering which one of these main tools do i really want to carry around? Or which combo? I have become paralyzed by indecision because just when i think a Fieldmaster is all i want i then all of a sudden think that a Deluxe Tinker may actually be more useful and so the downward spiral goes. How would you rate the pliers, scissors, saw and file in order of usefulness? Which is most useful to you and why? Which is least useful to you and why? Thanks a million... :)
 
I just ordered a Craftsman, but have carried either an Explorer Plus or a SwissChamp for about 5 years. In answer to your question...the scissors are great. They work wonderfully, and I've become very dependent on them for day to day tasks. Actually use them more than the knife blade. Saw, does an awesome job also. I do archaeology field schools during them summer, and students are regularly amazed at how the saw on the SwissChamp makes short work of even large roots in their units. File, is very nice on the newer models, but not as agressive as I like on the older models. I'd recommend the new model file. Pliers are fine for what they are. I use mine to cut wire from time to time, and to pull staples from wood, etc. They work pretty well, but are small in comparison to a regular multitool. For my use, I like having the pliers and scissors for EDC, but I have found the saw and file handy more than once when doing a repair.
 
Scissors
Saw
Pliers

I use the pliers as oversized tweezers.
The scissors are used often as is a requirement on my SAKs, with exception to the Tinker Small, Soldier Alox, and Farmer models that I have.
The saw is actually pretty good to have to cut off small branches, but isn't a deal breaker for me if I didn't have it.
 
Craftsman is my perfect SAK for traveling... its the perfect thick SAK and my all time fav when i dont mind carrying larger SAK.. its just perfect for me...

but for everyday pocketing, i love the 84mm model very much since they"re lightweight and more pocket friendly... i EDC a small tinker or a humble bantam, and they serve me perfectly.
 
The scissors are really great, specially if you're out and about the city most of the time. If you're out in the woods a lot more than the city, then the wood saw overtakes the scissors as the more important tool, with the scissors becoming a close second. The pliers come in third (or actually second if you rarely need to work with wood). It's a very good tool to have in certain situations, albeit those situations come only from time to time. The file (I assume we're talking about the 91mm metal file here, not the ones on the smaller Classics) is a very good tool for what it offers as well. I just haven't really had that much an experience where I really needed it. It is one of those tools that I actually look for something to use it with, rather than look for the tool because I need it. So it's a good fourth place for me.

As for 91mm models... I'd say:

If you're more of the city type: go with scissors and get a Climber. It's always a good, extremely useful knife.
If you're more of the woods person: go with both the scissors and the wood saw and get a Huntsman. The wood saw is great and you will more often than not still need those scissors.
If you're more of the city type that don't care about knife size in your pocket: go with scissors and pliers and get a Deluxe Tinker. Those pliers are really useful in a lot of things. They basically replace your fingers/fingernails for things that need to be held.
If you're more of the type that likes going fishing: go with both scissors and pliers again and get the Deluxe Tinker. Man, those pliers are awesome for taking out fish hooks. The mouth of the pliers automatically open too, so it's really convenient.
If you really don't care about the size of the knife: go with all. And maybe more. Go get a SwissChamp and just enjoy the plurality of tools.

Cheers.
 
PoundHound said:
paralyzed by indecision
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Paralysis by analysis. I can relate.

There reaches a point where you just pull the trigger on one, and enjoy what you get. Then down the road sometime, you get a slightly different flavor to try. Thats how it works, and thats how you end up with 15 SAKs.

I like the Explorer Plus if you can handle 4 layers, and the Super Tinker if you dig 3 layers. If I'm not carrying one of those, I always have a Vic Classic on my keys.

For my part, a plier, file and saw never get used. I find the scissor most helpful, along with the drivers. Surprisingly, the magnifier on the Explorer Plus gets a good deal of usage. Its also nice have the hidden goodies of the "plus" models, like the pen and pin.

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Explorer Plus.
 
I'm very happy with the saw and the scissors work very well for what I suppose they are intended. I've never tried to cut canvas or cardboard or something really heavy with the scissors so don't know how stout they are but they are excellent for opening the mail and trimming loose threads etc. I gave my nephew a deluxe tinker because it had pliers and I didn't think he was ready for something with the heft and mechanics of a Leatherman Supertool. It sounds like the pliers are excellent also when used withing the limitations of their intended design.
 
I would personally recommend the CyberTool 34 as it has all the functions that one could possibly need.
 
zakko said:
I would personally recommend the CyberTool 34 as it has all the functions that one could possibly need.
Click to expand...

Except for saw, file, magnifier, and fish scaler (although not used for that purpose), all implements I have employed more than somewhat.
People have differing needs in a SAK, mine met by a Swisschamp for close to 20 years.
 
I have a 4 layer Fieldmaster that has been my companion for over 25 years. I don't know if I have ever used the saw, so if I was buying today I would go with the 3 layer Super Tinker.

Of the remaining tools you mention I would place the scissors at the top, pliers at the bottom of usefulness to me.
 
The scissors on the SAKs are great. They are the most used tool on my SAKs, no matter if it's a small Classic, a larger Executive or a Huntsman.

In daily life I don't use the saw, but I do use it often when I go out camping and it works really great.

The file sees very little use.
 
Scissors for me probably get more use day to day than even the main blade, so I wont carry a SAK without them. The saw in my day to day life has little point, but it can cut nice when needed. The pliers are a very thick layer at twice the thickness of say the saw layer, but I do use those often. They work very well considering their size. The file I have no use for and I kind of dont even like the idea of having things that get 'used' up permanently mounted on a SAK. Files wear out, but now if they were replaceable with some sort of adapter, that would solve that issue.
 
PoundHound said:
So as i have recently been driving myself mad trying to decide on ONE sak and almost pulling the trigger on a Craftsman, i got to wondering which one of these main tools do i really want to carry around? Or which combo? I have become paralyzed by indecision because just when i think a Fieldmaster is all i want i then all of a sudden think that a Deluxe Tinker may actually be more useful and so the downward spiral goes. How would you rate the pliers, scissors, saw and file in order of usefulness? Which is most useful to you and why? Which is least useful to you and why? Thanks a million... :)
Click to expand...

All the tools work wonderfully. But all of the knives you have listed for me are too large and heavy to carry in a pocket so that limits them to belt carry. That brings me to this. Have you considered a Spirit X? It has all the tools needed but in a more usable size being a true full size mt. Just a thought.
 
vwb563 said:
All the tools work wonderfully. But all of the knives you have listed for me are too large and heavy to carry in a pocket so that limits them to belt carry. That brings me to this. Have you considered a Spirit X? It has all the tools needed but in a more usable size being a true full size mt. Just a thought.
Click to expand...

That is a good point. I am not familiar with the Spirit X, but I do have SwissTool RS in my book bag. I have not used the layer pliers in a SAK, but I know the ones in the RS are as good as any regular pliers.
 
Thanks all for the good info. I actually have a Spirit X - Road Tour edition and it is awesome. I also have a few alox Soldiers that i am fond of but no cellidor models and i would like to change that (- i guess i do have a midnight manager). I'm thinking the file might be the odd man out here. So far i'm thinking the scissors, saw and pliers could definitely see some use.
Any more opinions?
 
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