Are you a Swiss Army Knife owner?

[Adi007]

Swiss Army Knives (SAK) and the outdoors seem to go hand-in-hand. So, the question is simple - do you own a original (Victorinox) SAK

[bushwacker bob]

yea, I always carry a victorinox on my belt in an original vict. pouch.It used to be a classic but for the past 3 years it has been a jelly light which is small like the classic but has a red torch beam and mini biro as well as knife,nailfile and scissors.

[maddave]

Yes I carry a SAK

The model is the one shown below



I aquired it when I was a countryside ranger, there was a demo of a swiss lawnmower at work by a company called "BUCHER" that specialised in heavy duty reciprocating mowers......
At the end of the demo we all got the above SAK and it has the word "BUCHER" inlaid into the handle. That was 15 years back and it's still used almost every day :-)

[Doc]

Yep - I've got the Victorinox Campflame. Same as the Camper model, but also gives you FIRE!!!

[Andy]

my genuine one is the classic i have another similar thing but doesn't get used anymore. sometimes borrow my dads locking SAK

[Wayne]

i had a Blue Fishermans SAK over 20 yrs old. i snapped the main blade and had reground the file profile. to sum up it was in a really poor way. i paid £4.95 registered post to Victorinox for a quote to repair 2 weeks later i get a call to say my new knife has arrived. Victorinox had replaced it FOC with the latest version. That's what i call top class service

[Adi007]

My SAK (yes, I own one :-D ) has been back and forth a few times over the years to Burton McCall for repair (always because of enormous amount of use, not any fault) and the service I've had has always been amazing!

[sargey]

My SAK (yes, I own one :-D )

only one??? :shock:

yes have had several, lost a few, still have several, well, enough to keep me going for a while!

cheers, and.

[Adi007]

Well, one that I actually call my own! The SOS Survival. But over the years I've had a few and they are all around and about!

My SAK (yes, I own one :-D )

only one??? :shock:

yes have had several, lost a few, still have several, well, enough to keep me going for a while!

cheers, and.

[TAHAWK]

Wenger makes the "Genuine Swiss Army Knife." Victorinox makes the "Original Swiss Army Knife." They are both correct. Victorinox was first ("original") but Wenger also contracts to the Swiss Gov't for knives for the army. I prefer the Vic's for their can-opener. Lots of Wengers are appearing on the market at deep discounts (> 50%) because they have (gasp!) lock-blade primary blades.

[Andy]

did you know that most of the steel they use comes from sheffield

[FGYT]

Wenger makes the "Genuine Swiss Army Knife." Victorinox makes the "Original Swiss Army Knife." They are both correct. Victorinox was first ("original") but Wenger also contracts to the Swiss Gov't for knives for the army. I prefer the Vic's for their can-opener. Lots of Wengers are appearing on the market at deep discounts (> 50%) because they have (gasp!) lock-blade primary blades.

Yep i have had a Victorinox Rucksack model for over 10 yrs now
(thats one of the range wit ha locking primary blade )

its also has longet main blade and saw than most other models

Excellent knife I have replaced the Tooth pick with a spark rod (as its easy enough to make a tooth pick :wink: ) the 2-3mm dia one you get in a BCB fire kit.
the main blade as getting a little thin year or so ago and the Main spring snapped
Took it to my local dealer and they sent it back as i asked to get it repaired

Back came a brand new one No charge replaced under warranty



ATB

Duncan

[Stew]

I have one of the small Victorinox knives on my keys (looks somewhat the worse for wear. Lost the toothpick and tweezers, and the scales are started to break!) and I carry a swiss card with my wallet most of the time.

When I was younger I used to have the same model as maddave (without "Bucher" on it though) but I lost it. Then I got given a LM Wave and haven't had any desire to get a new SAK.
In fact, I've been thinking of swapping the SAK on my keys for a LM micra or similar.

[gurushaun]

Yup I've had a Rucsack for about ten years and I've just aquired a Huntsman of ebay for £16 ( this is the blade I lend to people, or if I'm in a more *sensative* area, SAK's seem to raise less hackles than even a multitool) :roll: .

Cheers

Shaun

[Lithril]

Yup tend to keep one in the fishing box and another in the rucksack, although it rarely gets used now, prefer my Leathermans. Slightly off subject anyone know where to send a leathermans to for repair, the locking mechanism on the blades knackered.

[maddave]

Yup tend to keep one in the fishing box and another in the rucksack, although it rarely gets used now, prefer my Leathermans. Slightly off subject anyone know where to send a leathermans to for repair, the locking mechanism on the blades knackered.

Whitby knives are the UK leatherman repair centre.

Send it here

Leatherman Warranty (UK)
Whitby & Co
Aynam Mills
Canal Head North
Kendal
Cumbria
LA9 7BY

I sent mine off with a broken blade and they sent me a brand new one back !! Fantastic service :-)

[Pathos]

sure do! same model as maddave put up. Been everywhere with me and is carried most days (depending on what I am doing) in a pocket attached via a mini karabiner and large fishing swivel (to stop twisting) to my beltloop. Gets used a lot for everything to cutting fruit to eat to helping dissect animals in marine practicals at college to opening tins... endless as I am sure you all know. Its years old, even persuaded little sis to get one last year, matching her handbag of course :mrgreen:

Oh yeah, it does get cleaned between .most of these things! :shock:

I also have a gerber fisherman thingy, this sees a lot less use as it is to bulky (for me) for every day carry. Though the fiskars scissors are the best I have ever seen on a multi tool type knife.

Paul

[Adi007]

Broken/damaged Victorinox SAKs can be sent to this address for free repair:

Burton McCall
Victorinox House
163 Parker Drive
Leicester
LE4 0JP

Phone: 0116 234 4600
Fax: 0116 235 0069

[miranda]

Yes I have a forester. Lost teh pen and corkscrew screwdriver years ago.

Miz (MacGuyver-girl!)

[woodsitter]

Yep I have a Rucksack too. It's got everything you need in a pocket knife and nothing more. The blade is big enough and it lock's! Non-locking knifes should be banned in my opinion (I understand that in Britain somehow it's the other way around :-| )
I have mine with me always and everywhere (except under the shower) and somehow I find a use for it several times a day. I got my first pocket knife when I was 10 of 11, I lost one, broke one, replaced several that got worn down to much, and i cut myself only once! (due to stupidity, I regard it as a 'learning experience' :wink: )
out on trail or in the woods I usually also have something heavier, like a machete, but my Victorinox goes where I go.

[Adi007]

I've been really lucky over the years ... misplaced my SAK many times, but, touch wood, it has always resurfaced after a few days tops! :-D

I usually keep a small repair kit of replacement bits ... just in case!

[Chopper]

I struck really lucky a few years ago and bought a swiss champ including the double pouch complete with survival kit for £25 in a closing down sale, and what a tool, only problem is that it is a bit too chunky, but very handy to have around.
I then bought the Hunter like the forester but with a razor sharp gutting hook, 4" locking blade that sharpens beautilully.
I now see that they have a bigger version of the champ I think its called the carlosfandango champ 12" wide with 27,000 tools, what the hell are you going to do with that?

[MartiniDave]

Of course!

I've had an Astronaut for about 20 years, bit big for the pocket.
Most days I carry either a Huntsman or an old Cadet (mini Soldier)

Also got an economy Spartan with busted scales, planning to make new ones from a bit of Bog Oak when I get time.

Only pocket knives I've used more are Opinels, but the lock means they aren't legit for everyday carry.

Dave

[EdS]

I've got the Mauser (green one) great knife. Skinned many a rabbit not to mention a couple of deer with the skinning blade.

Also the tin opener is great - i'm left handed and find most other knife tin openers a real pain to use.

[Adi007]

Hmmm, yes. A lot of the tools on Victorinox SAKs are designed for right-handers. And considering that about 1 in 9 people are south-paws, I'm surprised that there's no left-handed version.

Also the tin opener is great - i'm left handed and find most other knife tin openers a real pain to use.

[stevec]

first was a rucksack, still my favourite,
second was a classic, handy for the keyring,
third, a present, was a huntsman, four layers and quite handy.

for those who have lost tweezers etc, try your local cutlers, they often stock replacements, i bought the glasses screwdriver that fits in the corkscrew the other day, i was quite happy, not bad for a quid.
also anyone tried the back of the wood saw for throwing sparks? its quite good, you just have to watch the teeth!!!

[FGYT]

first was a rucksack, still my favourite,
second was a classic, handy for the keyring,
third, a present, was a huntsman, four layers and quite handy.

for those who have lost tweezers etc, try your local cutlers, they often stock replacements, i bought the glasses screwdriver that fits in the corkscrew the other day, i was quite happy, not bad for a quid.
also anyone tried the back of the wood saw for throwing sparks? its quite good, you just have to watch the teeth!!!

i just sharpened the back of the main blade with a Diamond hone to give sharp sqaure corners works fine can even be use wit hte blade still folded

ATB

Duncan

[sargey]

A lot of the tools on Victorinox SAKs are designed for right-handers. And considering that about 1 in 9 people are south-paws, I'm surprised that there's no left-handed version.

yeah but all their liner locks are left handed! 8-) 8-) 8-)

cheers, and.

[Adi007]

Really? By design? Or is that so that they can't be closed one handed?

A lot of the tools on Victorinox SAKs are designed for right-handers. And considering that about 1 in 9 people are south-paws, I'm surprised that there's no left-handed version.

yeah but all their liner locks are left handed! 8-) 8-) 8-)

cheers, and.

[alick]

Sorry guys, I went off them completely after getting one wet in salt water which rotted the alluminium spacers to bits. On top of the perennial problems of grit in the pivots and the insecurity of the slipjoint - I ditched it for a small spyderco and have never looked back.

I have just one SAK nowadays - a promo item by my old firm, with blue scales and company logo. I keep it as a curiousity but never carried.

Cheers