Victorinox Minichamp: Thoughts?

[sergemaster]

Amici,
I've been thinking of picking up a Victoinox Minichamp to throw into the EDC rotation, any opinion on this SAK since I've always been privy to the 84 and 91mm models, and never thought about carrying or using anything smaller than those.


Cheers,
Serge

[Metropolicity]

I really want a silvertech midnight minichamp or a silvertech lite signature. I have a couple of regular Minichamps I use for my car keys and they've come in handy for a lot.

I barely notice it more than a classic or something similarly sized.

[ColoSwiss]

Serge,

Something you might consider is the Wenger Pocket Tool Chest. I've carried one on occasions where a larger knife might be out of place and found it very handy.

Karl

http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Pocket+Tool+Chest

[DeezNittles]

IMO I don't think the Minichamp offers much functionality over the Rambler/Manager series. The "orange peeler" that's actually a cotton picker for med bottles, is about the only extra useful tool. The safety blade is alright too I suppose. I had a Minichamp on my keys but ended up selling it off and a Manager now resides there. Just my opinion YMMV

[sergemaster]

Amici,
A Wenger Pocket Tool Chest huh, hmmmm... I do prefer Wenger over Victorinox.. I recently read how a minichamp had saved a rock climber from a grizzly death, and from YT the minichamp didn't look THAT mini to me as if could ride on a key chain without issues. still vacillating over this one..


Cheers,
Serge

[theonew]

Alright, I gotta ask, how do you defend against a grizzly using a Minichamp?

(sorry couldn't resist)


I like the Mini very much. I sharpened the orange peeler and it cuts things quite well. I like the little sheepsfoot blade. The short ruler tool, though it hasn't been of use yet, does also have a nice driver tip with a good reach. And while I haven't needed the spatula, I just know the minute I give away my Minichamp some use for it will pop up. It could be useful for something like cleaning out a clogged vacuum line in a car

All in all I love the Minichamp

[kirk13]

I have a MiniChamp,which I carry on my house keys.Its OK,bit thick for 58mm,and doesnt do any much that my Midnight Manager cant.The fact that it hasnt replaces the MManager on my work keys should say something

[dks]

I have a MiniChamp,which I carry on my house keys.Its OK,bit thick for 58mm,and doesnt do any much that my Midnight Manager cant.The fact that it hasnt replaces the MManager on my work keys should say something

+1

Check the review section, for a comparison I did some time ago.

[clickstop]

I like the Minichamp, but I find the cuticle pusher and the ruler kind of useless. I love pen and the emergency blade though. I'd recommend it, but if you don't need the extra tools, just go for a Manager or Rambler.

[volbu]

Just yesterday got the midnite manager, the tool selection is awsome and it is quite light
Already 3 tools got their use !!:P

[Tabasco]

I have owned a Midnite MiniChamp for many years. I have very slightly reprofiled the orange peeler and now use it for cutting string, cord and corrugated electrical tubing. The spatula is used to mix two part epoxy and as a non aggresive electronics prybar. I replaced my Ipod Touch battery using the spatula for most of the separation tasks.
I really like the led light for general low light navigation. I have used the pen so many times that I am now on my 4th refill. 2 blades on the MC are very fine improvised scrapers for a firesteel. The scissors are incredible and great for many tasks.
The phillips is magnetized and it's bottle opener was used on my latest beverage of choice.  I use the ruler a lot for sizing machine screws.
It's a tiny tool, but I'm a very big boy. My thumb alone is much larger than the MC.
Old pic, but still my current carry, no changes.

[clickstop]

I have owned a Midnite MiniChamp for many years. I have very slightly reprofiled the orange peeler and now use it for cutting string, cord and corrugated electrical tubing. The spatula is used to mix two part epoxy and as a non aggresive electronics prybar. I replaced my Ipod Touch battery using the spatula for most of the separation tasks.
I really like the led light for general low light navigation. I have used the pen so many times that I am now on my 4th refill. 2 blades on the MC are very fine improvised scrapers for a firesteel. The scissors are incredible and great for many tasks.
The phillips is magnetized and it's bottle opener was used on my latest beverage of choice.  I use the ruler a lot for sizing machine screws.
It's a tiny tool, but I'm a very big boy. My thumb alone is much larger than the MC.
Old pic, but still my current carry, no changes.

(Image removed from quote.)

Keychain Tabasco? Now that's good edc  Nice to know that the Minichamp has its fans, I've never known anyone who's been able to find so many uses for that spatula! 

[kreisler]

what exactly is this please?


Is it to make fire?
Or is it a knife sharpener?

[Rahmed]

MiniChamp is excellent backup friend

[Ashley]

I always thought the minichamp was quite ridiculous then a friend gifted me one. I put it on my keys and its never been taken off. I use it so much! Great little sak and I would rather have it then any other 58mm on my keys.

Sent from Ash forum mobile

[Tabasco]

what exactly is this please?
(Image removed from quote.)

Is it to make fire?
Or is it a knife sharpener?

Sorry for the late reply, work before fun .
It is a BSA ferrocerium fire starter. Old Eagle Scout here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrocerium
http://www.scoutstuff.org/bsa/camping/cooking/accessories/hot-spark-fire-starter.html

Takes a little practice, more so in high humidity and damp regions.  But there is nothing like starting a fire with a flint or firesteel. The shower of sparks is very rewarding at twilight.

[Smaug]

Ash, do you use the cuticle pusher?

[Nightshade]

I'm liking that BSA ferro rod. The more you know, the less you need. Tabasco, pm sent.

[kreisler]

i finally got my brand new Minichamp, 22.50€ shipped yay! It's as small as i had expected. It feels "heavy" because of the high mass density; my 1xAAA flashlights (with installed battery) are larger and weigh less than the Minichamp, so of course the SAK will feel heavier. doesnt bother me too much, i dont intend to carry it daily anyway. and if i did, it'll be well protected against scratching keys. the custom sheath is heat shrink tubing (25mm diameter, ebay) and fits the minichamp like a glove. a droplet of oil rubbed onto the inner tubing surface reduces friction between the red handle and the black tubing.



the idea of heat shrinkable wrap as scratch protection is taken from cpf where users protect the heads of their flashlights against impact/shock/drops. and here, as a sheath, it helps the impact resistance too if i happen to drop it. fyi the flashlight in the above composite picture (it's not a photo but a PC scan) is the ever popular iTP A3 EOS (or its successor Olight i3). if you dont understand the picture feel free to ask me what the green and orange colored layers ..etc..

[Smaug]

Why won't you be carrying the Minichamp daily?

It is a perfect knife to slip into your pocket on those days when you don't think you'll need anything and would rather travel light, but don't want to be totally unprepared.

I've never seen that level of scratch obsession. I think most of us just accept that if the knife is used at all, the scales will get scratched. I think I'd rather do that than have the scales all oiled up and take the chance that the knife could slip in my hand and cause me to drop it or cut myself.

Congratulations on the new knife. The Minichamp is a good one, and has a great concentration of light duty tools for its size.

[kreisler]

i am not scratch protection obsessed with my flashlights. i accept normal use, wear & tear and scratches. the wrap is for the impact resistance, and it works out beautifully. i will begin to carry the SAK in the 'custom sheath' everyday and then see how often i need it. if i rarely need it, i prefer to keep it in the sheath and one day sell it off on ebay. if i need it a lot (like my keychain flashlights), then i can go without the sheath, sure. i accept scratches by normal use (not anal about it), however if i can very easily avoid them this way, i'd prefer my new baby acquistion to stay shiny as long as possible

the oil got sucked into the tubing surface, what a pleasant surprise, and when i pull out the SAK there's no noticeable oily residue or film on the red scales.

i really like my sheathing method and i can recommend it. there is some chance that one or the other minichamp (or SAK) owner picks up my (i guess original ) idea and feels inspired to imitate it. yah why not, please do so!

[Sidhartha]

i EDC mine, the best 58mm ever 

[nuphoria]

I've got a used one on the way - seems wrong not to have one as a big SAK fan!

[Smaug]

i am not scratch protection obsessed with my flashlights. i accept normal use, wear & tear and scratches. the wrap is for the impact resistance, and it works out beautifully.

But the flashlights, aren't they LED?

So unless they have glass optics, they really don't need impact resistance either.

[kreisler]

But the flashlights, aren't they LED?

So unless they have glass optics, they really don't need impact resistance either.

standard cpf flashlights (such as mine, for example Fenix) have a glass lens to protect the Cree LED. cheaper models have a plastic lens (Maglite, Rayovac, Walmart, ..) and very few keychain flashlights with very old LED's dont have any lens. Impact resistance is measured and standardized by the ANSI FL-1 STANDARD and most lights are rated at 1.0 to 1.5m, if at all. impact resistance to 1.5m drop height would be sufficient in normal use but in practice the glass lens breaks nonetheless depending on the hardness of the ground and the shock angle. Rubberizing the flashlight's ends (head & tail) is used by Rayovac Indestructible to protect against impact from drops, 10.0m rating! the shock of the battery cell against the driver PCB (eletronic circuit board) can cause harm too.

some flashlights are built like tanks (e.g. HDS) where the glass lens wouldnt break that easily.

[Smaug]

Interesting. Thanks for the flashlight education.

[Donald]

The Tabasco holder is hot! I like it.

The shrink tubing is a good idea. I used in on an 1/8" x 2" ferrocerium rod to keep it from rattling in my K & M Matchcase. It is a little long so the end is compressed or curved down a bit and holds it in place. I also read where some who kept a ferro rod in their matchcase had trouble with the chemicals in the matches causing it to corrode. So far this seems to protect it, can always be scraped off, and adds a bit of tinder.

You can see the end of the curved down shrink wrap tubing and an awl needle nestled in with the matches.


For my keychain I went with tubular nylon for some simple carries. You can also see my BSA Hot-Spark which is always on the keychain.



Perhaps it is easier to see when I stripped it down for this picture. I don't recall why, perhaps to show some of the constituent attachments more clearly.

[chris777]

I like both, but I use my pocket toolbox more.

I do have the original mini champ w/o the awesome caplifter phillips tool.
though I do like the PTC's flat blade caplifter better as it is like a micro folding prybaby.

both are good But you could get a pocket toolbox and say a utilikey to get a thin phillips driver

[AimlessWanderer]

I like both, but I use my pocket toolbox more.

I do have the original mini champ w/o the awesome caplifter phillips tool.
though I do like the PTC's flat blade caplifter better as it is like a micro folding prybaby.

both are good But you could get a pocket toolbox and say a utilikey to get a thin phillips driver

Good call 

For me, everything on the minichamp that isn't on a manager/rambler is superfluous. I think the manager/rambler are the best 58's by far, and the pocket tool chest is the best 65mm