Victorinox Locksmith vs. Victorinox Ranger

[ari6126]

I'm debating getting Victorinox Locksmith or Victorinox Ranger. They both have a woodsaw and a file and are under $30 at FELINEVET. Which should I get? Weight isn't really an issue.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I think it basically comes down to how compact a package you want I'd be happy with both, but I'd be far more likely to carry a Ranger

And welcome to the forum mate

[rp252]

I think it basically comes down to how compact a package you want I'd be happy with both, but I'd be far more likely to carry a Ranger

And welcome to the forum mate

Welcome to the forum mate

I agree with Mike; either will serve you well. 

One thing to consider is scissors.  If you need scissors then get the Ranger, which also has some other useful bits like the hook and chisel.  If you want bigger main tools then get the locksmith.

I EDC a Ranger and I love it, excellent SAK.

[Gareth]

Welcome to the forum mate.   For my money I'd go for the Ranger due to the more compact size.  That said the extra length of the file and saw would be an advantage.  I can't see it disappearing into a pocket though.

[I'm Still Bison]

Welcome to the forums. Everything that's been said is true.I'll just add this,whatever you buy,take into consideration how and where it'll see the most use.If compactness is a consideration,go with the Ranger,and if you'll be outdoors working a lot,consider a Locksmith in a sheath,and get a Classic to put on the keyring for the scissors.
 Then again,there's the MTO mantra"When in doubt,buy both."

[ringzero]

I'm debating getting Victorinox Locksmith or Victorinox Ranger. They both have a woodsaw and a file and are under $30 at FELINEVET. Which should I get? Weight isn't really an issue.

Locksmith!

Felinevet is offering the Locksmith for only 23 bucks!!!

Gotta be the best deal on his whole site.

Locking big blade, woodsaw, and file.

Looks like Locksmith may have a bigger, locking prybar/screwdriver like OHT - although it's hard to be sure from the pic.

I'm tempted to get one for myself at that price...

.
 

[revolvergeek]

Of the two I like the Ranger better. I find that the 91mm file works better than the 110mm file. It may just be the particular knives that I own, but I have not been impressed with the file on my Locksmith overall. 

[AndyTiedye]

I'd vote for the Locksmith.

[ari6126]

Thanks for all the help. I got the Locksmith. I have a MiniChamp so scissors aren't really an issue. This will be a desk/pack/car SAK so size won't make a difference.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Let us know you thoughts once you've got it please mate

[Benner]

Let us know you thoughts once you've got it please mate

+1 to that 

[ari6126]

I got my Locksmith today and so far I love it. I can't stop playing with it. It seems like the perfect complement to the Minichamp. I have one problem with it so far. The awl requires way too much force to open. I feel like I'm going to tear my nail off. I hope it will loosen with time. I think the should advertise that the main blade can be used as a mirror. Really, it is that shinny. I'm going to Durango today, so I will do a lot more testing with it there. I will write a longer review this weekend. Thanks for all the help.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Thanks for the update mate

And the awl will probably always be a bit stiff, as most 111mm Vic are in my experience.

[american lockpicker]

I'd vote for the Locksmith.

+1

[ari6126]

I made a gallery of pictures of my Locksmith. Some shots include my Minichamp for comparison. My review is coming soon. Hope you guys like it.

http://arilab.atspace.com/locksmith

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Great shot's mate

[ari6126]

Let my just start off by saying this is actually going to be more of a review of my SAK system, my MiniChamp and my Locksmith. My system is portable enough for me to actually carry it, but well enough equipped to handle most tasks. I don’t think a single SAK can offer the versatility I need.
I’ll start out by describing how my system works. I carry my MiniChamp in my pocket every day. When schools starts again, I’ll put it in my backpack where it’s less noticeable. My school bans “weapons of any kind” but I don’t consider my MiniChamp a weapon, so I think I’m fine. I rather not flaunt it, though. My Locksmith goes from my desk when I’m in my bedroom to a bin in my car when I drive somewhere. If I go somewhere where I expect to need bigger tools than what I got on my MiniChamp, then the Locksmith comes with me. Most times though, like schooldays, I’ll take it from my room to my car in the morning and back from my car to my room at night. I wouldn’t even try to bring my Locksmith to school.
Now, I’ll review the actually knives. First, the cutting tools. The smallest cutting tool in my system is the “Cut & Picker Blade” on the MiniChamp. It s really just a hook sharpened on the inside. This is my favorite tool in my whole system. It allows you to cut things without cutting something under what you are trying to cut. It is perfect for opening packages. I found another good use for it, which really shows the tool’s unique function. Last weekend I had a wristband on that I wanted to cut off. It was pretty close to my skin, and the points on any of the other blades in my system or the scissors might have cut me. With the hook, it was easy. I just slid the hook in, pulled it back, and off came the band, with my skin still intact. The one problem with this tool is that is can get gummed up with stuff. It’s easy to clean, though. My next largest blade is the Emergency Blade on the MiniChamp. I haven’t used it, and I plan to save it for emergencies. Next comes the MiniChamp’s Pen Blade. This tool is great for small precision cuts. Here is where having a system pays off. The Locksmith’s blade is too hard to handle to make a small cut. That leads me to the Main Blade of the Locksmith. It is very large and it locks. It’s great for cutting rope. It has a strange code on the tang of the blade, which I have found refer to a German patent. http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/845691/post/1774526/ I haven’t used the wood saw on the Locksmith yet, but it sure looks like it could cut wood. I have used the metal saw a lot. I made a ring out of a copper plumbing elbow. The metal saw was obviously made to cut harder metals like iron, so it isn’t very aggressive. It took a long time to get though the copper, but it worked. I didn’t forget about the MiniChamp’s scissors. They are probably the best tool on earth for cutting loose threads. They are sharpest scissors I have ever used.
The main reason I got the Locksmith was the metal file. Like the metal saw, it was made for hard metals. It does an OK job on copper, the only metal I have tried it on. I’m still happy that I got the Locksmith, because having a file sure beats not having one. While I am talking about files, let me talk about the MiniChamp’s nail file. It works well. I never used to file my nails, now I do it all the time. The top part of the file is useful for getting the stuff out under my nails.
My system has two Phillips screwdrivers, a big one on my Locksmith which I haven’t used and a small one on my MiniChamp which I have used. Here is another place where two knifes pays off. I can drive many sizes of Phillips screws. I have even more options for flathead screws. I have the small flathead on my MiniChamp ruler that has a long reach. The flathead on the Locksmith’s can opener is larger, but with a smaller reach. For large flatheads, the locking bottle opener has a huge flathead. This can definitely be used for prying.
I’ve used both bottle openers. They work. I haven’t used the Locksmith’s can opener. I don’t open many cans. The awl on the Locksmith is very hard to get out. That is really my biggest problem with the Locksmith. It doesn’t have a sewing eye, but it is nicely sharp. My system has two pairs of tweezers of the same size. I don’t need two pairs, but they add no weight. It’s great that the MiniChamp has a pen, because I am forgetful. I don’t miss a toothpick on the MiniChamp and I don’t expect to use the toothpick on the Locksmith. Again, a toothpick weighs nothing, so I don’t mind. The ruler on the MiniChamp is useful for measuring nuts and screws, but really nothing else. The cuticle pusher makes no sense. I haven’t found a use for it.
While I prefer the feel of the nylon scales on the Locksmith, I’m a bit scared that the logo might wear off. The scales make it easy to hold the Locksmith, especially when using the main blade. I don’t really have an opinion on their color. The black looks nice. The scales of the MiniChamp make it look like a normal Swiss Army Knife. When my brother first picked up my Locksmith, he didn’t know what it was. Because the MiniChamp looks normal, people accept it more.
I don’t mind the weight of the Locksmith. When I first got it, I thought it was a little big for my small hands. But really, it is the perfect size. I have so many small tools on the MiniChamp that the Locksmith really needs to be large to be worth carrying. A think the MiniChamp packs more than any tool of its size. It definitely is the star of my system. The Locksmith is for jobs that are just too big for the MiniChamp. Is my system perfect? No. Bigger scissors would be nice, the Locksmith’s awl is hard to get out, and the cuticle pusher is a waste of steel.
Wow. That was long. The point of this whole review is that for me, there is no perfect SAK. I don’t think there will be. Some of my requirements are impossible to achieve, even for Victorinox. I don’t want to carry something with a blade as large as the one on the Locksmith in my pocket. SAK are all about compromises, and the goal of my system is to reduce those compromises. One last thing: if Victorinox comes out with a MiniChamp XLT with more stuff than a MiniChamp in the same 58mm size, I will definitely buy one.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Fine review mate

There are perfect sak's, but it usually takes a looong time to find the right one for you

And yep I'd buy a MiniChamp XLT too