- Joined
- Jun 30, 2003
- Messages
- 1,797
This is current issue for the Swiss militia:
Looking for a "tactical folder" your first thought will probably be something like: "A Swiss army knife? (SAK) Not what I'm looking for." Bear with me.
BLADE: [8/10] I deducted one point for being too soft and one point for having a chisel-ground edge in the plain portion toward the base. Makes it nearly impossible to whittle with.
The blade is serrated toward the tip, rather than the base. If you end up using this for fighting, that's what you want. Also if you end up using it to cut up a steak.
The liner-locked blade is in the middle of the 3 layers of tools, so it can be reached equally easily by either thumb. The locking liner presses "the wrong way" for righties to close it quickly, but closing quickly is less important than opening, in a tactical situation. Also, it's a breath of fresh air for lefties! The blade does have a tip, but it's a bit rounded, probably so it doesn't appear to be a weapon if the owner is challenged by the police; can still be considered: "just a Swiss army knife". However, it would be an easy matter to grind the spine down a bit and give it a proper point... The blade steel is only Rc 56 or something. That means it is easy to re-sharpen, but since it is serrated, it won't need re-sharpening often for any slicing task. Speaking of the serrations, they are the even type; not that type with one big gap, then a bunch of little gaps, which are impossible to resharpen. You'll just need a simple tapered diamond rod for $10.
CAN OPENER: [9/10] As a can opener, it is useful, if that's what you need. I only question whether it is the most useful implement in this day and age. Is there a more useful tool that could go there, like a proper inline Phillips with Wenger's patented auto-lock?
Cans that require openers are slowly disappearing, but this also has a small flat screwdriver tip for small flat head screws that aren't recessed and also as an inline Phillips. (once you break it loose with the T-Phillips on the back) I've also found it excellent for cleaning under my fingernails.
BOTTLE OPENER: [10/10] Perfection.
Also doubles as a pry bar, a large flat head screwdriver and has a wire stripping notch. The bottle opener has long been the most useful tool on any SAK I've had. But this one is even better, as it uses the other end of the locking liner from the knife blade to lock it open, so it'll never fold close and cause you to bust your knuckles. It is a straight-up masterpiece.
SAW: [10/10] I don't see how this could be improved without making it longer.
In multi-tool circles, the Victorinox double-cut saw is legendary, and rightfully so. On this knife, it is even better than usual, as I can put the tip of my index finger into the opening hole of the blade to make sure it doesn't slip down onto the saw teeth during sawing. It is hardened to a different level than the knife blade, so it stays sharp just about forever. It can cut bone, plastic and wood equally easily. I use mine often to help break down branches that are otherwise too big to throw in a camp fire. Also useful for local pruning more often than you'd think.
T-PHILLIPS: [9/10] It should be hardened more at the tip, but otherwise is great for this position on the knife. Don't want to deduct another point for it being here instead of inline. Inline would make it one layer too thick to have the ambidextrous knife blade. The world is put together with #2 Phillips, it seems. This one is long enough to reach a lot of recessed screws.
AWL/PUNCH: [10/10] (Victorinox refers to it as "reamer with sewing eye" It's just what you need, more often than you'd think. The design has been refined over the decades, and it is about perfect. It's another tool that is better inline, but there's only so much space on the front of a SAK!
People don't use this as an awl as often as in the past, I bet, nor for sewing leather or canvas. But sometimes, what we need is a pointy, poky tool with a semi-sharp edge so we're not tempted to use the tip of our knife, and in those situations, this is just the thing. Most often, I use mine for drilling extra holes in my belts to get just the right fit.
ERGONOMICS: [9/10] It's about as good as a 3 layer SAK can be. If I were to nitpick, the blade hump is a hot spot when you're not using the blade and the lanyard ring nub is a hot spot sometimes. It's very good, though. If you don't need the one-handed opening blade, they make a conventional version of the Trekker with a nail nick and without the hump. (refer to 'Other Versions' section below)
It's not on par with something like a typical Spyderco or Cold Steel, but a lot better than a more traditional SAK. It has rubber trim around the corners and molded into the scales. If you don't want or need this, look at the Trekker model SAK, which has the plain nylon grips in black, and you also get toothpick and tweezers with that one.
LITTLE TOUCHES: It has what Victorinox calls a 'keyring', but no one's going to carry their keys on this. It's more of a lanyard ring. It can be used for a lanyard, a little frou-frou fob that so many of you love, to hang it from the belt so that it dangles vertically in the pocket. In short, it adds a lot of carry options.
The handle scales are a pretty rugged nylon, instead of the shiny, delicate cellidor that Victorinox normally uses. The Swiss Cross shield is silkscreened on the scale, instead of a piece of metal that is inset, as on the cellidor. Quality on these (and any Victorinox) is as near to 100% as is attainable. When this level of quality is considered, along with the versatility of a SAK, I would say there is no better value in a folding knife than what Victorinox offers.
PEDIGREE/HISTORY: [10/10] Victorinox has been making some version of a soldier knife for over 100 years now. This is the 3rd major version. The previous version, with the alox grip scales, started in 1961 and was retired in 2008 when this one burst on the scene. It's also a classic, and lives on, mostly unchanged, as the Pioneer today. Check it out.
OVERALL RATING: [10/10] How can it have a perfect score, when it had several items that were below 10? Simple: Synergy. The whole is more than the sum of its parts. This is a perfect Swiss army knife for outdoor use. One can tell that Victorinox put a lot of thought and resources into its design. As a bonus, it also doubles as a "tactical folder", with its nice grip, nice ergonomics, one-handed opening and locking blade. The icing on the cake is that there is a version for almost everyone. Hunters, first responders, wine & cheese connoisseurs, etc. I do marvel that they don't have an 'Urban' version, in which the saw is replaced by a nice scissors...
OTHER VERSIONS AND ALTERNATIVES: (as compared to the Soldier model)
Looking for a "tactical folder" your first thought will probably be something like: "A Swiss army knife? (SAK) Not what I'm looking for." Bear with me.
BLADE: [8/10] I deducted one point for being too soft and one point for having a chisel-ground edge in the plain portion toward the base. Makes it nearly impossible to whittle with.
The blade is serrated toward the tip, rather than the base. If you end up using this for fighting, that's what you want. Also if you end up using it to cut up a steak.
The liner-locked blade is in the middle of the 3 layers of tools, so it can be reached equally easily by either thumb. The locking liner presses "the wrong way" for righties to close it quickly, but closing quickly is less important than opening, in a tactical situation. Also, it's a breath of fresh air for lefties! The blade does have a tip, but it's a bit rounded, probably so it doesn't appear to be a weapon if the owner is challenged by the police; can still be considered: "just a Swiss army knife". However, it would be an easy matter to grind the spine down a bit and give it a proper point... The blade steel is only Rc 56 or something. That means it is easy to re-sharpen, but since it is serrated, it won't need re-sharpening often for any slicing task. Speaking of the serrations, they are the even type; not that type with one big gap, then a bunch of little gaps, which are impossible to resharpen. You'll just need a simple tapered diamond rod for $10.CAN OPENER: [9/10] As a can opener, it is useful, if that's what you need. I only question whether it is the most useful implement in this day and age. Is there a more useful tool that could go there, like a proper inline Phillips with Wenger's patented auto-lock?
Cans that require openers are slowly disappearing, but this also has a small flat screwdriver tip for small flat head screws that aren't recessed and also as an inline Phillips. (once you break it loose with the T-Phillips on the back) I've also found it excellent for cleaning under my fingernails.
BOTTLE OPENER: [10/10] Perfection.
Also doubles as a pry bar, a large flat head screwdriver and has a wire stripping notch. The bottle opener has long been the most useful tool on any SAK I've had. But this one is even better, as it uses the other end of the locking liner from the knife blade to lock it open, so it'll never fold close and cause you to bust your knuckles. It is a straight-up masterpiece.
SAW: [10/10] I don't see how this could be improved without making it longer.
In multi-tool circles, the Victorinox double-cut saw is legendary, and rightfully so. On this knife, it is even better than usual, as I can put the tip of my index finger into the opening hole of the blade to make sure it doesn't slip down onto the saw teeth during sawing. It is hardened to a different level than the knife blade, so it stays sharp just about forever. It can cut bone, plastic and wood equally easily. I use mine often to help break down branches that are otherwise too big to throw in a camp fire. Also useful for local pruning more often than you'd think.
T-PHILLIPS: [9/10] It should be hardened more at the tip, but otherwise is great for this position on the knife. Don't want to deduct another point for it being here instead of inline. Inline would make it one layer too thick to have the ambidextrous knife blade. The world is put together with #2 Phillips, it seems. This one is long enough to reach a lot of recessed screws.
AWL/PUNCH: [10/10] (Victorinox refers to it as "reamer with sewing eye" It's just what you need, more often than you'd think. The design has been refined over the decades, and it is about perfect. It's another tool that is better inline, but there's only so much space on the front of a SAK!
People don't use this as an awl as often as in the past, I bet, nor for sewing leather or canvas. But sometimes, what we need is a pointy, poky tool with a semi-sharp edge so we're not tempted to use the tip of our knife, and in those situations, this is just the thing. Most often, I use mine for drilling extra holes in my belts to get just the right fit.
ERGONOMICS: [9/10] It's about as good as a 3 layer SAK can be. If I were to nitpick, the blade hump is a hot spot when you're not using the blade and the lanyard ring nub is a hot spot sometimes. It's very good, though. If you don't need the one-handed opening blade, they make a conventional version of the Trekker with a nail nick and without the hump. (refer to 'Other Versions' section below)
It's not on par with something like a typical Spyderco or Cold Steel, but a lot better than a more traditional SAK. It has rubber trim around the corners and molded into the scales. If you don't want or need this, look at the Trekker model SAK, which has the plain nylon grips in black, and you also get toothpick and tweezers with that one.
LITTLE TOUCHES: It has what Victorinox calls a 'keyring', but no one's going to carry their keys on this. It's more of a lanyard ring. It can be used for a lanyard, a little frou-frou fob that so many of you love, to hang it from the belt so that it dangles vertically in the pocket. In short, it adds a lot of carry options.
The handle scales are a pretty rugged nylon, instead of the shiny, delicate cellidor that Victorinox normally uses. The Swiss Cross shield is silkscreened on the scale, instead of a piece of metal that is inset, as on the cellidor. Quality on these (and any Victorinox) is as near to 100% as is attainable. When this level of quality is considered, along with the versatility of a SAK, I would say there is no better value in a folding knife than what Victorinox offers.
PEDIGREE/HISTORY: [10/10] Victorinox has been making some version of a soldier knife for over 100 years now. This is the 3rd major version. The previous version, with the alox grip scales, started in 1961 and was retired in 2008 when this one burst on the scene. It's also a classic, and lives on, mostly unchanged, as the Pioneer today. Check it out.
OVERALL RATING: [10/10] How can it have a perfect score, when it had several items that were below 10? Simple: Synergy. The whole is more than the sum of its parts. This is a perfect Swiss army knife for outdoor use. One can tell that Victorinox put a lot of thought and resources into its design. As a bonus, it also doubles as a "tactical folder", with its nice grip, nice ergonomics, one-handed opening and locking blade. The icing on the cake is that there is a version for almost everyone. Hunters, first responders, wine & cheese connoisseurs, etc. I do marvel that they don't have an 'Urban' version, in which the saw is replaced by a nice scissors...
OTHER VERSIONS AND ALTERNATIVES: (as compared to the Soldier model)
- One-hand Trekker - has the plain nylon handles instead of those with the rubber overmolding, adds the toothpick and tweezers
- One-hand Trekker, plain edge - Just like the One-hand Trekker, but with a plain edged blade that is sharpened on both sides instead of having a chisel ground edge, adds the toothpick and tweezers. At the time of this writing, only the camouflage version is still being made. The black-handled version is discontinued
- Trekker - With a flush-fitting blade with a nail nick instead of an opening hole: has the plain nylon handles instead of those with the rubber overmolding, adds the toothpick and tweezers
- Forester M Grip - Replaces the T-Phillips with a corkscrew (which can take an eyeglass screwdriver)
- Forester - Replaces the T-Phillips with a corkscrew (which can take an eyeglass screwdriver) With a flush-fitting blade with a nail nick instead of an opening hole: has the plain nylon handles instead of those with the rubber overmolding, adds the toothpick and tweezers
- Ranger Grip series - There is a whole Ranger family, which were former Wenger designs. The more popular ones were carried forward when Victorinox bought Wenger. The closest model to this Soldier is the 78 or 179. They are larger, so they have a longer blade and a longer, sturdier saw. They have a really slick, button-actuated liner lock, which is great for righties and not very good for lefties. The Swiss shield is the button, which is a nice little touch, I think. The 78 is red with black rubber overmold and has a plain edge blade and a T-Phillips while the 179 is green and black, with a partially serrated blade (serrations toward the base of the blade) and a corkscrew instead of the T-Phillips. These are not suitable for pocket carry; they're just too big and thick.
A bit of history: the Ranger Grip 78 (but in all black) is the model Wenger made in response to the Swiss government's request for a bid. Victorinox won out, probably because theirs was more ambidextrous and a bit smaller. This may have been the last nail in the coffin for Wenger. As a result, Wengers are becoming more collectible by the day.
Last edited:
