Black Pioneer

microbe · **Reply #30 on:** September 07, 2014, 11:46:10 PM

great camera work

enki_ck · **Reply #31 on:** September 07, 2014, 11:56:53 PM

Quote from: microbe on September 07, 2014, 11:46:10 PM

great camera work

Agreed.

Welcome to the forum.

mtngunr · **Reply #32 on:** May 19, 2016, 04:43:48 AM

an old post but thought i would mention the knives still turn up and this the only post i can find regarding the knife. A moderator is free to move these to a more recent post on the issue if seen fit, and my comment may be common knowledge to everyone, anyhow, i know next to nothing of SAK collecting. But i like this knife.

i doubt there will be more as it seems they were using last stocks of original Soldier/Pioneer scales which differ in pattern from the newer style. Easily seen if you compare flatter top checkering of diamonds on old scales plus elongated blended diamonds at top and bottom edges of old scales.

the blank advertising area i dislike very much, they should have fully checkered panels for non-advertising knives instead of normal consumers getting stuck with unused advertising space, that is how i see it, in any case. So this knife is a favorite. Smooth and polished newer knife, no advertising block.

my understanding of knife history is knife produced as an advertising promo for a business which went bankrupt, another individual bought them (total number quoted as only "several hundred"), and they are sold through folk who know the gentleman who has them. All very vague, but still unusual and unless Victorinox gears up and produces a new scale for the blank side, about the last we shall see of these.

twiliter · **Reply #33 on:** May 19, 2016, 12:08:12 PM

Welcome MtnGunr.

Didn't realize there was a separate thread about these!

This one is in my top 5, the absolute sleekest alox made since the old cross models.

Some prefer the Black Beauty railway Soldier, but the modern outline shield looks cleaner to me. Sure would be nice to see a Pioneer X in this trim...

mtngunr · **Reply #34 on:** May 19, 2016, 05:45:37 PM

:mail:I have several reasons for it being a favorite.....no lanyard nub digging into heel of palm when using.....no blank advertising spot.....although not a fanatic about modern tactical black, this knife has more the classic silver and pebbled black of a classic old camera or other piece of older professional equipment....and it has the smoother opening and closing of latter models, which is where they lost me on the black beauty and milspec Soldier models...i carried one for a while but prefer slicker nicer knives, period, a personal preference...if i were serving again in the military, i would take the thicker tooled milspec, though.

Joe58 · **Reply #35 on:** May 19, 2016, 10:08:47 PM

Plz disregard...answered my own question....

mtngunr · **Reply #36 on:** May 19, 2016, 11:14:04 PM

Quote from: Joe58 on May 19, 2016, 10:08:47 PM

Plz disregard...answered my own question....

your secret is safe with me.....i never saw your original post (wink!)

if anyone else has more information on the history of this one unusual model, i would love to hear details.

it seems there are very few versions of such a knife......ie, polished thinner tools, no advertising space, and not silver milspec or silver commemorative.

i am laughing while thinking how critical such information would be to this thread....otherwise, an endlessly boring stream of plain black knife photos.....as bad as a thread of "show me your silver alox '93-'08 Soldiers".

twiliter · **Reply #37 on:** May 20, 2016, 10:33:58 PM

Quote from: mtngunr on May 19, 2016, 11:14:04 PM

an endlessly boring stream of plain black knife photos...

There is a sort of perfection to this knife that I never get bored with.

mtngunr · **Reply #38 on:** May 20, 2016, 11:01:48 PM

Quote from: twiliter on May 20, 2016, 10:33:58 PM

Quote from: mtngunr on May 19, 2016, 11:14:04 PM
an endlessly boring stream of plain black knife photos...

There is a sort of perfection to this knife that I never get bored with.

although a nice monochrome effect, its perfection over my red Swiss Bianco is the clean blade and fully chequered off-side panel......the way they should all have been for non-advertising knives...

.and so far am getting told by VicUSA that is part of a 2015 run of near a thousand on a knife which has been questioned since 2011-2012....so still looking for someone who knows AND will tell...with them still sporadically available, those with access are being vague and probably protecting market which i completely understand...

AND i would be interested to know how many other non-silver knives there are as with this mismatch of new scale/cross on one side and old no-panel Pioneer/Soldier scale, no keyring and newer tools to match the cross? a faux last version Soldier in short, i do not care what color....i cannot think of any, offhand

twiliter · **Reply #39 on:** May 20, 2016, 11:15:30 PM

Not sure about production either, when I found mine the seller had 2 available (over a year ago) and when I received it I wished I had bought both, I liked it that much. I completely agree about the engraving plate, unless there is a purpose for it, then it's just unsightly. The lightning bolt on the Electrican special runs is cool, and the 58's with the Vic name stamped in, etc. I have had a few engraved and gifted them away, but it would be better to have the option. If Vic had made more 93mm variations without it my collection would look much different!

mtngunr · **Reply #40 on:** May 20, 2016, 11:21:14 PM

i agree it should have the advertising panel/personalisation option just as the old Pioneer had....a specific panel and for a small premium today....

twiliter · **Reply #41 on:** May 20, 2016, 11:23:37 PM

Also the +B models without the mandatory keyring are nice, but would have liked to see him put the logo on the panel instead of the blade. I only have 1 with the blade etching, but some Mother's took care of that! It's still visible at certain angles, and I could eliminate it altogether with some fine grit and repolish pretty easily. I haven't seen a +B model without the panel since his first run of First Mates several years ago, so I think the situation with that is somewhat permanent. $:-\$

mtngunr · **Reply #42 on:** May 21, 2016, 12:11:06 AM

my favorite view of all of the Pioneer/Soldiers, but the black accents the quality.

twiliter · **Reply #43 on:** May 21, 2016, 12:14:24 AM

Quote from: mtngunr on May 21, 2016, 12:11:06 AM

my favorite view of all of them, but the black accents the quality.

That's a good angle, and unlike mine, totally lint free!

mtngunr · **Reply #44 on:** May 21, 2016, 12:48:26 AM

i keep a towel handy in the car along with a bag....a few other knives including grandpa....

a little rooting around in bag and glove box and next to center console turned up a few more.....found a couple more after taking the photograph.....a favorite is the simple little black number....

told you i missed a couple....the beater TL and blue knife in glove box and the orange one was hiding under towel in previous photographs....not even going to add pockets & waistband....again, and except, the little black knife the favorite and always there.....just too versatile for size to not be there.

twiliter · **Reply #45 on:** May 21, 2016, 01:15:21 AM

A good amount of cutlery there. Looks like an Explorer in the mix.

mtngunr · **Reply #46 on:** May 21, 2016, 01:28:07 AM

The little red bought with a gift card from a student about 10yrs back....always in glove box and starting to show it......

i cleaned out the car day before yesterday of an accumulation of sharp things thrown in car and then others given a whirl and they simply keep building up as dust.....the MOD always stays, likewise a TL and MIL-K (for more reach and strength over a Swiss knife) and the flat fast totally impervious to corrosion orange number....the blue arrived yesterday and one of the TLs needs to go inside....the Professional Guide Knife always stays in bag along with a TL and other gear including a SIG and etc....

mtngunr · **Reply #47 on:** May 21, 2016, 04:03:17 AM

but i do hope someone at least chimes in with other such knives which have been made, later 93-08 Pioneer/Soldier tools and no advertising panel and no keyring.....besides actual Soldiers.....

mtngunr · **Reply #48 on:** May 23, 2016, 03:31:45 AM

One more series of The Buffalo Soldier......

SAKMikey · **Reply #49 on:** May 23, 2016, 05:28:31 AM

That is awesome. The positioning of the keyring on the Pioneer line has always bothered me. Looks great without it.

mtngunr · **Reply #50 on:** May 23, 2016, 05:41:56 AM

as a knife user, i despise the keyring and frame nub as they poke into center of heel of palm crease and would raise a disabling blister if knife were counted on for extended emergency use. I do a very neat removal but would much rather have one that way which i know i did not alter. So Soldiers and pretenders for me.

but what sets this knife apart from other pretenders is the lack of advertising area. many knives can be had minus keyring, but not so the advertising blank unless one buys a Soldier/old Pioneer or perhaps a very few others.

glenfiddich1983 · **Reply #51 on:** June 09, 2016, 09:46:26 PM

Quote from: mtngunr on May 23, 2016, 05:41:56 AM

as a knife user, i despise the keyring and frame nub as they poke into center of heel of palm crease and would raise a disabling blister if knife were counted on for extended emergency use. I do a very neat removal but would much rather have one that way which i know i did not alter. So Soldiers and pretenders for me.

but what sets this knife apart from other pretenders is the lack of advertising area. many knives can be had minus keyring, but not so the advertising blank unless one buys a Soldier/old Pioneer or perhaps a very few others.

Hi!

Thanks for digging up this old thread, after I saw your pics of that beautiful black pioneer without keyring and engraving plate I just had to find one myself. Just five minutes ago I found one

Can't wait for it to arrive!

Hopefully quicker than your Solo

Speaking of... still happy with the Solo?