Why does the alox pioneer have a half stop?

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Mora2013

Joined
Dec 1, 2013
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Why does my Alox pioneer have a half stop for the bottle cap opener/screwdriver/wire stripper tool? The other tools in the SAK don't have half stops..
 
I always assumed it was to allow more torque to turn a stubborn screw. I could be wrong though.
 
Well, okay then. I guess I got my answer. But then ... Why doesn't the can opener/screwdriver tool have a half stop?
 
In my experience, a screw small enough to accommodate that driver would probably strip before you needed the extra torque provided by the perpendicular handle. To be honest I've never needed to use the half stop myself on the large one even.
 
spketch said:
In my experience, a screw small enough to accommodate that driver would probably strip before you needed the extra torque provided by the perpendicular handle. To be honest I've never needed to use the half stop myself on the large one even.
Click to expand...


This exactly.
 
Mora2013 said:
Why does my Alox pioneer have a half stop for the bottle cap opener/screwdriver/wire stripper tool? The other tools in the SAK don't have half stops..
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It addition to the extra torque, it allows you to turn a screw in a tighter space, sort of like a stubby screwdriver.
 
Alnamvet68 said:
The one's without the half stop are the earlier models; newer models have them, but I don't remember what date the "updated" Cadet with half stop came to fruition.
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I recall reading on another forum that the 93mm Alox models have pretty much always had half stops. The 91mm models got half stops around 1986, and the 84mm line got them around 2011 or 2012.
 
Thank you Mike, that video find is great. I would have never have thought to use the wire stripper like that.
 
MIKE969 said:
Sorry to ruin the party guys but the half stop on the bottle opener is for the wire stripper:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu04c8GMlbI

As posted above, you wouldn't have much use from extra torque with a screw that small...
Click to expand...

Cool and very inventive but probably not the final word on the subject.

Back in the old days, the screwdriver had a beveled inside edge to quickly strip wires just using your thumb. SAK Wiki describes that little notch as a wire bender on the early caplifter/screwdriver.
http://sakwiki.com/tiki-browse_image.php?galleryId=16&sort_mode=name_desc&imageId=2508&scalesize=o

The 1961 Soldier
Models prior to 1993 have a caplifter tool with a sharpened inside edge that could be used as a wire striper/scraper or as a general scraper. The scraper is reported to work quite well with modern firesteels.
http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Soldier+1961

So the half notch being there only to strip wire is incorrect.

Another way to strip wire....
[video=youtube;1-BIEx6EHg0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-BIEx6EHg0[/video]


And then there is this:
91mm Cap Lifter
The 91mm Cap-Lifter is very similar in design to the small 84mm tool. On 91 mm (and 93mm Alox) Victorinox Models, the lifter stops (friction lock/catch) when opened at both 90° and the 180° (fully opened). The catch (friction lock) is a little stronger when fully extended. The extra catch helps keep the tool from unintentionally closing while being used in the 90deg position. The 84mm models did not get this feature until approximately 2011.

http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Cap+Lifter

So, per above, being used to break loose a tight screw? The Original Soldier model had only a screwdriver blade (no caplifter or wire stripper) yet it still had the 90 degree halfstop so I still believe it was meant to break open tight screws.
 
I just wrote Victorinox to settle things here. Hopefully they can give us a definitive answer as to the initial purpose of adding the half stop. I will report back when I hear back form them. :thumbup:
 
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