SAK bag hook - why?

[landwomble]

Can anyone help me understand why so many SAKs have the strange bag hook tool on the underside?
Has anyone ever really used theirs? Seems a real waste of real estate...

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[Syph007]

This question comes up now and then.

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,28941.0.html

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,26460.0.html

Some people do like it, but I think they are in the minority.  Personally I always found it silly.  I could do without all the backtools, except maybe the awl, but then again an inline awl would be fine too.

[kkokkolis]

I use it to wrap my lanyards. I use it to carry oil tins, 17kgr can cut off your fingers with that thin handle. Some other weights too. I use it to tighten wire. It is a line driver too (for a kite, Wenger's carabiner might be better).

[felinevet]

Pots with bail handles over a campfire. bales of hay if you don't have hay hooks handy (requires 2), anything heavy wrapped with wire or string/twine, etc. etc. Most people will probably never use it but they are handy. They are officially called "Utility Hook"

[ICanFixThat]

I think this is explains it pretty well:

[KiwiMark]

Can anyone help me understand why so many SAKs have the strange bag hook tool on the underside?

Let's say that you find yourself in need of some sort of hook tool, do you have one on you?
I never drink wine, so I don't own a corkscrew, so what do I do if a visitor has a bottle of wine and asks "do you have a corkscrew"?

I'm pretty grateful that my SAK has a variety of tools that can cover the jobs that don't happen every day.  In fact the more common tasks are the ones that I'll generally have a dedicated tool for, my SAK is often more useful for the less common jobs that I don't have a purpose built tool for.
Of course the SAK is also useful when you are not at home and aren't near your full set of tools, it actually covers you for a very wide range of situations.

[enki_ck]

I think this is explains it pretty well:

Always my first thought when someone asks this question too.

[ironraven]

If you ask the "why" question, you start stripping your EDC down, and a few days, weeks, years from now, your last thought will be "why did I ever stop carrying THAT". 

Big one for me is my boots. But I've found other uses.

[jock1]

I think this is explains it pretty well:

Always my first thought when someone asks this question too.

LOL joking aside I have found it useful for lifting the chain on my push bike ,pulling other wires aside saving finger nails on ringpull cans tightening walking boots laces and on one previous occasion it was used by an older lady to pull her jacket zip up,thus saving her arthritic fingers and her ego
So I am a fan of the hook and would strongly protest it being dropped from the tool line up

[Smaug]

To me, the hook became useful, once I finally started to remember it was there.

It took a long time, as it was a pretty recent addition to medium and thinner SAKs.

I use it when I need to pull some wire or string out of a little crevice that I can't quite get my pinky finger into. Or when I need to pull something small harder than my grip will allow.

Adjust your thinking a little; force yourself to keep in mind that you have a hook on your person, and I bet you'll find it quite useful.

[JRB65]

Tightening boot laces, untying knots, carrying paintcans, carrying copypaper etc., pulling up tentpegs...
And probably a few more things that I can't remember just now
So yes: I find the hooks on my Compact, SwissChamp and Cybertool useful

[Mattexian]

Also, if you've got the Plus scales with the pen in a slot, you can use the hook to hold the pen for you, giving you a much larger handle for using the pen.  Rather simply, you lift the hook slightly out, tuck the pen into the slot under it, and gently lower the  hook to hold the pen in place. (It *can* dent the pen barrel if you let it snap shut.)  I suppose if one had a regular pen barrel from a broken pen body (how many Bics have you broken the body?), you could do the same to get another use from the pen.

Matt in Texas

[dks]

It is quite funny that the pen works better on a smaller knife, the 58mm line, than the bigger 91mm line...

(in case you did not know, regarding the 58mm line, use the fileeeeee) 

[landwomble]

Also, if you've got the Plus scales with the pen in a slot, you can use the hook to hold the pen for you, giving you a much larger handle for using the pen.  Rather simply, you lift the hook slightly out, tuck the pen into the slot under it, and gently lower the  hook to hold the pen in place. (It *can* dent the pen barrel if you let it snap shut.)  I suppose if one had a regular pen barrel from a broken pen body (how many Bics have you broken the body?), you could do the same to get another use from the pen.

Matt in Texas

Was sceptical, just tried it, now convinced. Nice find!

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[edcgear]

I think this is explains it pretty well:

Always my first thought when someone asks this question too.

LOL joking aside I have found it useful for lifting the chain on my push bike ,pulling other wires aside saving finger nails on ringpull cans tightening walking boots laces and on one previous occasion it was used by an older lady to pull her jacket zip up,thus saving her arthritic fingers and her ego
So I am a fan of the hook and would strongly protest it being dropped from the tool line up

Haven't saw that one!! It's awesome!!