Why I love Victorinox!

Eric J said:
There is a learning curve, but once you understand the capabilities of your SAK choice you can do many many things.
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So true!

The shape of the tools on the SAK are such that they can be put into service to do things they were not really intended for. Like the can opener makes a great staple remover, as well as a opener of those pistachio nuts that barely have a crack to get a thumb nail into. The blade of the can opener makes a great nut opener. It also makes a good tool for making 90 degree bends in light metal like coat hanger wire for an improvised tool.

The solder/pioneer awl makes a good plastic cable tie cutter.

Once you learn how the different tools can do unexpected jobs, even a basic two layer SAK can do way more than you think.
 
This is true. In some cases, I have only alternate uses for a specific tool. For example, the corkscrew on my Spartan. Besides holding the mini-screwdriver for my glasses, I mainly use the corkscrew for untying particularly tight knots. The large bottle opener/screwdriver/wire stripper also doubles for a light-duty prying or scraping tool. Besides opening cans like a champ, the can opener/small screwdriver also works for some light prying (for smaller spaces), scraping, and pulling with the can opener/screwdriver. You're really only bound by your imagination, so long as the use you put an implement to is reasonably within the limitations of the knife.

I actually prefer only a 2-layer SAK. I find that even just a 3-layer one to feel clunky in my pocket.

Jim
 
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What a great story! The SAK is an absolute all-time classic the world over. It’s THE iconic pocket knife.

I only have a few, but I love them and appreciate their wonderful quality.

If forced at gun-point to pick ONE pocket knife for the rest of my life it would be the Vic Pioneer without hesitation.
 
arizonaranchman said:
What a great story! The SAK is an absolute all-time classic the world over. It’s THE iconic pocket knife.

I only have a few, but I love them and appreciate their wonderful quality.

If forced at gun-point to pick ONE pocket knife for the rest of my life it would be the Vic Pioneer without hesitation.
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As I mentioned in another thread, the more I disengaged myself from the whole knife thing and forums, the more I just carried a SAK. It's all I really need from a pocket knife.
 
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Back in the 1980s when I went to live in Taiwan, the only knife I took (which back then, I actually carried it in my pocket on airplanes) was a Victorinox Spartan SAK. That was the sole knife I carried and used overseas for several years, as well as for another several years after returning Stateside. Altogether about 10 or more years with just that one knife. That knife also went with me on visa trips from Taiwan to Hong Kong and South Korea. At the time, it was just a part of what I carried with me everywhere. I never really felt under-knifed at any time.

Admittedly, I gave the knife very little maintenance while in Taiwan due to laziness on my part, and in that humid environment it accumulated a lot of gunk. After returning home, I finally gave it a thorough cleaning, and it regained its full walk and talk. It certainly held up better under the circumstances than a high percentage of folding knives would have.

Jim
 
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jackknife said:
If cars were made like SAK's, you'd drive one car for 400,000 miles!
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Some do drive vehicles to 400,000 miles. A friend has a pickup that he uses for work that has 460K on it right now and he looked at the new ones and said... I'll fix it until the motor goes. I think he spent a couple thousand on repairs. Cost of new vehicles is scary from my point of view and I just bought a new pickup. I think this new pickup will be my last.... you know how it is, getting older. When we replace my wife's car, that will likely be her last vehicle too.

SAKs rock.
 
James Y said:
Back in the 1980s when I went to live in Taiwan, the only knife I took (which back then, I actually carried it in my pocket on airplanes) was a Victorinox Spartan SAK. That was the sole knife I carried and used overseas for several years, as well as for another several years after returning Stateside. Altogether about 10 or more years with just that one knife. That knife also went with me on visa trips from Taiwan to Hong Kong and South Korea. At the time, it was just a part of what I carried with me everywhere. I never really felt under-knifed at any time.

Admittedly, I gave the knife very little maintenance while in Taiwan due to laziness on my part, and in that humid environment it accumulated a lot of gunk. After returning home, I finally gave it a thorough cleaning, and it regained its full walk and talk. It certainly held up better under the circumstances than a high percentage of folding knives would have.

Jim
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That's just the one of many huge plusses of the SAK; it's ability to withstand years of outright neglect and bounce back with just a tiny bit of care. Like that little classic I found laying in the gutter. It dates from back when they were still using the screw in the scissors instead of a rivet, had never been sharpened, gunned up all to heck. I guess who ever the owner was just kept on sawing away with he dulled factory edge until it got through what er was being cut. The scissors had some kind of sticky residue on the blades, and the action was more like a dirty friction folder. But a scrubbing with some hot water and Dawn, some mineral oil in the joints and a few minutes honing on a diamond stone and it's back to almost good as new.

It's very hard to kill a SAK!
 
I bought my first Vic in 1983 (Champion) when I was 15. I still have it. I've bought about 15 more since then and have given my kids and nephews Alox Soldiers, OH Trekkers, an alox money clip, and a Mini Champ. They are great for both newbies as well as for experienced knife users. My only complaint is that they don't make 111mm aloxes.
 
When I was 5 my dad gave me a 4 layer Wenger SAK. I don't know exactly what model it is all I know is I put that knife through everything. It whittled spears and swords for play wars with other neighborhood kids, cut line and bait for fishing, skinned squirrels and opened probably thousands of packages. After 20 years I still have it and although I haven't carried it since I was 16 it's still in great working shape. Scales are fine, the tools all still walk and talk decently and the blade is still serviceable. I've always found it hard to justify spending $100 on a knife when I can get a SAK for $30 that's better quality. In my opinion any pocket knife past a SAK is just for looks over function. In my teenage years I once went on a backpacking trip out in the Georgia mountains for a week with nothing but that Wenger SAK for a cutting tool, I made a bamboo rod and caught all the fish I needed to eat. Skinned a few squirrels I shot with my ruger 10/22, and cut all my firewood without a problem. If I could do all that, I can't see why I need any other pocketknife for my day to day chores! These days when I'm carrying a SAK its a victorinox pioneer. Such a great knife with the perfect amount of functions
 
I didn't buy my first SAK until the late 80's. Picked it up at the Albuquerque Flea Market to 2 bucks. It's an early Huntsman (grooved corkscrew, screw in the scissors and scales with no tweezers or toothpick. I thought it might come in handy as it was in relatively good shape except for a slightly tweeked saw blade. I rode around in truck glovebox for the next 10 years or so until I bought my next (a Tinker) one in the late 90's. Since then I've bought about 30 more of all types. My favorites seem to be Spartans and Pioneers. A new Fieldmaster rides in my truck console and the old Huntsman has been cleaned up and wears a nice set of blue cellidor scales (the saw is still tweeked but it works) and is semi-retired. Have a Climber and a Spartan on te way now from E-bay!
 
jackknife said:
If cars were made like SAK's, you'd drive one car for 400,000 miles!
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Some of us do that or come close. In 2012 I sold a Toyota with 434,000 miles on it. My wife's 12 year old 4 Runner has close to 300,000 miles on it and she has no desire to replace it.

I've carried a Farmer every day for the last 5 years. I still travel with a Swiss Champion I was given 26 years ago this month.
 
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Very interesting thread!! My main love for knives go to Spyderco as my user name would indicate. But I've always had a ton of respect for Victorinox. Every knife and tool that I've owned over the years has served me very well. And the quality you get for the price is almost unbelievable. The only multi-tools I currently own are those of Victorinox and Spyderco. I have the Victorinox Swiss Tool and Swiss Tool X and I really don't have much desire to own anything else offered in the multi-tool market.
 
My Victorinox Pioneer's awl has been getting a workout. I've been putting up curtain rods in the new house and the Pioneer's awl is perfect tool for quickly boring holes in sheetrock and putting in the drywall anchors for the curtain rod screws.
 
My buddy gave me an '92 Dutch Army Knife, which was all gunked up but without much wear and wasn't very springy anymore (to say the least). So I gave him a bath of lukewarm water and a bit of mild soap, let that sit for half an hour and then tried to free up the blade and tools. This made a big improvement. I then blew away the moist with a can of compressed air and oiled all the pivots. Now it's like new and all snappy again.

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I applied the same treatment to an '90 DAK my dad gave me, with even more wear and tear and I got that one to work smoothly also. So I agree with 'jackknife', that this is why we love SAKs!

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