Living Life with Just an SAK

[rhino]

Going on a few years with mine. It'll serve you well. They make some good tools.

Back in the early and mid 1980s, I used quite a bit. The allure of bigger, more substantial knives led me down the path of relegating my SAK to when I needed a specific tool like the can opener.

I'm doing some fire building practice next week. I might use the SAK, but I have an emotional need to use my Battle Horse fixed blade.

 

[Gaffer]

Yeah, I give my grandkids SAK's as their first knife until they are old enough to have a real knife!

Ron

 

[teddy12b]

Back in the early and mid 1980s, I used quite a bit. The allure of bigger, more substantial knives led me down the path of relegating my SAK to when I needed a specific tool like the can opener.

I'm doing some fire building practice next week. I might use the SAK, but I have an emotional need to use my Battle Horse fixed blade.

I get it. I've got bigger and more expensive knives myself. I had deployed with a kabar d2 extreme back when they were $200, with an emerson p-sark wave in my pocket. Backpacking solo I'll either take a custom jeff white, or a esee 6hm group buy special. On the water it's a stainless mora garberg or a esee izula stainless. For EDC, or doing anything outdoors with a group of people, it's my SAK fieldmaster with a ferro rod on the key ring. Everything has it's time and place.

This year at the upcoming Christmas, I intend to hand out swiss army fieldmasters to each of the "men" from each household who showed up without a tool to open packages and whatever. Every year is the same thing, "Can I borrow your.......". I'll get them one of their own, once.

 

[cosermann]

Short term, yes. Long term, not so much.

Survival shows, Appalachian Trail, etc. - those are all examples of short term.

I just don't trust a folder, as much, to hold up over a lifetime of hard use, as much as I trust a fixed blade. While either can fail, I'd expect a folder to fail first under similar usage.

But for short term use, no problem "getting by" with a folder; SAK or other.

 

[rhino]

I get it. I've got bigger and more expensive knives myself. I had deployed with a kabar d2 extreme back when they were $200, with an emerson p-sark wave in my pocket. Backpacking solo I'll either take a custom jeff white, or a esee 6hm group buy special. On the water it's a stainless mora garberg or a esee izula stainless. For EDC, or doing anything outdoors with a group of people, it's my SAK fieldmaster with a ferro rod on the key ring. Everything has it's time and place.

This year at the upcoming Christmas, I intend to hand out swiss army fieldmasters to each of the "men" from each household who showed up without a tool to open packages and whatever. Every year is the same thing, "Can I borrow your.......". I'll get them one of their own, once.

I'll need the address and time so I can attend and "forget" my knife.

Short term, yes. Long term, not so much.

Survival shows, Appalachian Trail, etc. - those are all examples of short term.

I just don't trust a folder, as much, to hold up over a lifetime of hard use, as much as I trust a fixed blade. While either can fail, I'd expect a folder to fail first under similar usage.

But for short term use, no problem "getting by" with a folder; SAK or other.

Yeah, it's easy to rely on an SAK or other light duty tool when the worst consequences of failure (not counting the blade closing on a finger) are that I have to use the Leatherman on my belt or one of the more capable folders or fix blades on my person at the time. Or, heaven forbid, I have to go to the garage to get a real tool!

 

[snorko]

[video=youtube;qjg-6jN3LbY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjg-6jN3LbY[/video]

I picked up a Cyber Tool at the 1500 last year. Got it from the guy that has tubs of knives proly from the TSA. Paid $40.00 and it stays in my car. I really dig SAKs and have maybe eight or nine laying about. My dailey carry is a Cadet with green alox scales. My initials and blood type are monogramed on one side.

 

[teddy12b]

I'll need the address and time so I can attend and "forget" my knife.

Only thing is that you may not like what I have engraved in the side of the knife before I give them out.

 

[rhino]

Only thing is that you may not like what I have engraved in the side of the knife before I give them out.

rhino's tolerance for unknown engraving varies inversely with the price he pays for the knife!

 

[teddy12b]

rhino's tolerance for unknown engraving varies inversely with the price he pays for the knife!

I can appreciate that, lol.

 

[2A_Tom]

But, how much blood have you drawn with it?

 

[Sylvain]

You're right! I can't argue with the truth!

I just caught myself doing a little touch-up shaving with my SAK.

How many cuts?

They make the perfect Swiss Army "knife" for you.
It has no blade, a bandaid dispenser and a rape whistle.

 

[2A_Tom]

Well the rape whistle would never be needed!

 

[VERT]

Just read through this thread and realized the only knife on my person right now is a SAK. Deluxe Tinker. I bought the knife 28 years ago and it is a little worn but still works fine.

Don’t judge me but I recently bought a bladeless SAK that has scissors and a screw driver. I am hoping TSA does not take it away. It is really annoying flying with the family with no way to open things.

 

[rhino]

Just read through this thread and realized the only knife on my person right now is a SAK. Deluxe Tinker. I bought the knife 28 years ago and it is a little worn but still works fine.

Don’t judge me but I recently bought a bladeless SAK that has scissors and a screw driver. I am hoping TSA does not take it away. It is really annoying flying with the family with no way to open things.

I carried a Deluxe Tinker for a lot of years! Mine needs the scale on one side replaced. SOMEone needed a hammer to "encourage" something and didn't have a small hammer and, well, consequences.

 

[rhino]

I've recently discovered Felix Immler on Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/user/Taschenmesserbuch

He's got some videos with some impressive SAK wizardry. Today I watched him start with a green stick and turn it into a functional spoon in 10 minutes and then made it a lot nicer in 5 more minutes. He even made a wedge with a stick to use to split the bigger stick that eventually became the spoon.

[video=youtube;ZnWnmYZO914]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnWnmYZO914[/video]

 

[VERT]

Don’t judge me but I recently bought a bladeless SAK that has scissors and a screw driver. I am hoping TSA does not take it away. It is really annoying flying with the family with no way to open things.

Forgot about this thread, I still have my Victorinox Jet Setter. It has scissors and screw driver. I open the scissors and laid it in the tray, TSA didn’t even give it a look. They did however basically take apart my ink pen. TSA guy told me they were looking for tactical pens. “Hey I understand” while retrieving my SureFire light. The little scissors came in handy when I had to open a large sucker for my daughter.

Biggest hassle I encountered was at Disney World. The granola bars in my pocket set off the metal detector. I handed over my light and scissors. SAK had to be OK by supervisor while I stood there holding a machined metal tube full of batteries. “Yes sheep, Yes.....look at the shiny scissors.”

 

[rhino]

Forgot about this thread, I still have my Victorinox Jet Setter. It has scissors and screw driver. I open the scissors and laid it in the tray, TSA didn’t even give it a look. They did however basically take apart my ink pen. TSA guy told me they were looking for tactical pens. “Hey I understand” while retrieving my SureFire light. The little scissors came in handy when I had to open a large sucker for my daughter.

Biggest hassle I encountered was at Disney World. The granola bars in my pocket set off the metal detector. I handed over my light and scissors. SAK had to be OK by supervisor while I stood there holding a machined metal tube full of batteries. “Yes sheep, Yes.....look at the shiny scissors.”

It's appalling to me that we've devolved so far as a society that idiots will bar entry because of a Swiss Army Knife that actually has a cutting blade. When I used to fly all of the time for work in the early 1990s, I never once boarded a plane without my SAK and a Spyderco Endura (or bigger). Only once was it even a minor issue when I was boarding a connecting flight in Kansas or Missouri and the agent balked at my SAK. I asked him to consult with his supervisor and in a few seconds I had an apology and I was on my way.

The security theater that occurs in airports nowadays saddens me. The fact that Disney World and similar places are doing the same thing is just as bad.

 

[Sylvain]

It's appalling to me that we've devolved so far as a society that idiots will bar entry because of a Swiss Army Knife that actually has a cutting blade. When I used to fly all of the time for work in the early 1990s, I never once boarded a plane without my SAK and a Spyderco Endura (or bigger). Only once was it even a minor issue when I was boarding a connecting flight in Kansas or Missouri and the agent balked at my SAK. I asked him to consult with his supervisor and in a few seconds I had an apology and I was on my way.

The security theater that occurs in airports nowadays saddens me. The fact that Disney World and similar places are doing the same thing is just as bad.

A gentleman should also carry a blade (or several).

In France under the reign of Louis the 14th you had to carry a sword to enter the king's palace, because without a sword you were not considered a decent person.

If you showed up without a sword you could rent one to carry while inside the palace.

Nowadays that would be like the White House making mandatory for visitors to carry sidearms.

I carry a "blade continuum" to have the highest chance of keeping one when I go to places that won't allow full size knives.

It starts with a small non-scary keychain knife or "letter opener", usually allowed because too small to be viewed as a weapon.It's to "open my mail" and people don't freak out if I use it in public.
It has a locking blade so it's still highly illegal in places like the UK (but what is not?!).

Then I have a ResQme also on my keychain, it's technically not a knife so it's usually allowed, it's still good to open packages.

I also have a full size pair of trauma shears, that's should be allowed by the TSA.
Also not viewed as a weapon.
You can open packages, cut seatbelts with it etc.

It allows me to always have several blades with me without necessary having a knife.

 

[JettaKnight]

A SAK was about the only knife that really cut me.


I ain't carrying a knife that doesn't lock open.

A gentleman should also carry a blade (or several).

Agreed.

Of course, that mean a lot of my friends and coworkers are cretins.

 

[rhino]

A gentleman should also carry a blade (or several).

Correct!

Among others, I have a stainless No. 09 Opinel in my pocket RIGHT NOW.