Victorinox Swiss Army Knife or a Multi Tool?

M

Mix it up

Joined
May 25, 2015
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I am not big on little tools such as the Swiss Army knife or multi tools but I need something for my rod and reels.

For my deep woods bag should I get a Swiss Army knife or some kind of Leatherman.

Its just for simple rod and reel fixing and that is about it.

Which would you get and what model.

I want it as lite as I can get it.

How good is the VICTORINOX SWISS ARMY 53931 Multi-Tool Folding Knife, 15 Functions?
 
The model you are asking about is called the Fieldmaster. They use the same steel in it as the knife issued to the swiss army. Good quality stainless steel, very easy to sharpen but, a little soft for some people's liking.

Personally, I would consider a different model. Maybe a Mechanic, it has pliers. Or get the Deluxe Tinker (I think that is the right one.).

A SAK will weigh less than a Leatherman. The Leatherman, IMHO, will take more abuse. Both have a great warranty.
 
Two different animals. To me, the large SAKs with many tools aren't that user friendly. I'd suggest an Alox Pioneer or Electrician in your pocket, then whichever Swisstool you favor. They're all good and well made. The Spirit is a smaller, lighter one and would likely suffice on its own should you skip the pocket knife. Although you might be surprised how often you'd use it. And the two layer alox Pioneer weighs next to nothing.
 
sabre cat said:
The model you are asking about is called the Fieldmaster. They use the same steel in it as the knife issued to the swiss army. Good quality stainless steel, very easy to sharpen but, a little soft for some people's liking.

Personally, I would consider a different model. Maybe a Mechanic, it has pliers. Or get the Deluxe Tinker (I think that is the right one).

A SAK will weigh less than a Leatherman. The Leatherman, IMHO, will take more abuse. Both have a great warranty.
Click to expand...

Snap out of it man, you are repeating yourself. Lol, thanks for the reply's.
 
I don't know if Leatherman can take more abuse. I do know that every tool on a SAK is better than on a Leatherman, except the pliers. The blade, the cap-lifter, the can-opener, the scissors, the corkscrew, the saw, the tweezers: Victorinox offers the best in the folding business imho. Especially the scissors and the can-opener are unprecedented. On top of that it weighs half of what a Leatherman weighs (depending size).

What about a cross between the two, a Swisstool?
 
I do not need or want a cork screw on my tool no matter what it is.

Now since I said that I will need it the next time I use a pocket tool.

I am going to study the Victorinox line.

Is there a small Leatherman?
 
Some people use the cork screw to assist in untangling knots since there are no sharp edges (only the point).

The Tinker is the SAK I would recommend to start with. Add a Vic Spirit multitool and you are good to go. Basically, get both.
 
As far as SAKS go, I own about 6 Soldiers, one GAK, one Pioneer (got it today,B-Day present from wife:D), 2 Mechanics and a Cadet.

Multi-Tools, include one Leatherman Wave, one Gerber and a SOG of some sort. The only MT that really gets any use is the Wave but the SAKs are used much more that any of my multi-tools. Mainly the pliers and small blade on the Mechanic. It is my back up knife for work.

Have you considered a custom modified SAK?
 
I carrry the Leatherman Sideclip, slim and sturdy tool and comes with a pocket clip.
Just as thin as a PM2 and you won't notice it clipped to your pocket ;)

Good luck with the search :thumbup:
 
Once I bought the Victorinox Spirit I never went back to Leatherman. Something about Swiss engineering I really like. Plus, is there a sexier looking multi-tool on the planet than this one? I think not.

multitul-victorinox-swisstool-spirit-30227l1-1.jpg
 
For "simple rod and reel fixing" you might want to look at the Leatherman Skeletool; my stainless steel model weighs a hair under 5 oz.
 
Mix it up said:
I do not need or want a cork screw on my tool no matter what it is.

Now since I said that I will need it the next time I use a pocket tool.

I am going to study the Victorinox line.

Is there a small Leatherman?
Click to expand...

The SwissTools do not have a cork screw, so no need for tears.

What about checking the Leatherman website for smaller Leathermans?
 
I carry a Skeletool CX clipped to my left front pocket every day, everywhere I go. I'll not carry a knife before I'll not carry my multitool (which has a very nice 154CM blade on it, thank you very much).

On my keychain, I carry a Leatherman Style CS with the scissors. I've found nothing on a keychain sized multitool that is as useful as the scissors. Besides, I already have decent pliers in the Skeletool.

In my bag I have two full sized multitools for "just in case". In your situation, there's no real need for that. Get one of the mid-sized Leatherman tools that lets you used the interchangeable bits and then sort through the bit package (I must have thirty different bits to choose from) and figure out which ones work best on your rod and reel. If you can get by with only two, then stick with the Skeletool which lets you keep one in the toolholder and a different on stored on the tool itself.
 
The one I carry most is the Leatherman Skeletool CX with the 40-bit drivers in a pouche. It's light, flexible with a good 154CM locking blade and the essential pliers.
 
jonnyt16 said:
Once I bought the Victorinox Spirit I never went back to Leatherman. Something about Swiss engineering I really like. Plus, is there a sexier looking multi-tool on the planet than this one? I think not.

multitul-victorinox-swisstool-spirit-30227l1-1.jpg
Click to expand...

That does look better than most multi tools. However, I don't think there is any such thing as a sexy multi-tool. Some of the alox SAK's MIGHT make the cut.

To me, the advantage of a swiss army knife is it is easier to carry. (unless you get a big one) A multi tool is more functional just because of the pliers. I'm a big fan of the alox SAK's because they are fairly small, tough, and look sharp. The Alox cadet is really nice if you just need a few tools and want something easy to carry. I have one in my pocket right now.
 
The multi-tool that I carry is the Victorinox Spirit. It's been part of my EDC for nearly 5 years. I really prefer the Swiss engineering. Before the Spirit, I carried a series of Leatherman tools. IMO, the Spirit wins hands down.

One complaint some people have about Victorinox is that the screwdriver tips can be a bit slippery in use. I haven't found that to be a big problem for myself. The only complaint I have about the Spirit is the leather belt sheath. The Velcro closure on mine crapped out within the first year. I've been carrying my Spirit horizontally on my belt in an old Benchmade bali-song sheath. Too bad the Spirit's sheath didn't have the same amazing quality put into it as the tool itself.

Jim
 
I like both. I have a small Classic on my car keys and just got a tinker to throw in my pocket. I don't need a cork screw either. I really like the tools the tinker has, perfect for what I want to use a medium sized SAK for. It has the same tools as the hiker but without the saw. I like a few others like the cadet that are inbetween small and medium sized.

Anyways, I carry a SAK and a Mulittool in different situations. I'll carry my SAK every day practically, comes in handy ... Two blades, flat head and Phillips screw driver, reamer... etc. However if I knew Id be going into the woods or camping, I would definitely put my leatherman on my belt. I can still carry my SAK tinker in a pocket and just let the Leatherman ride in a sheath. The pliers/wire cutters, the files, metal saw, wood saw, more blades, etc. I think both have their place and both are good for different situations.

SAKs are great for every day carry and while a robust multi tool is also an EDC option, I feel like a strong multi tool is more suited for work days, camping/outdoor stuff, and generally a good tool to have if shit is about to hit the fan.
 
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