Favorite basic SAK?

[cbl51]

Okay, I know that a SAK cam be had with enough tools to fix the Titanic, but they weight a lot and are bulky as a brick in the pocket. All the SAK's I have had, most of them have been the one or two layer. I always felt the most bang for the buck came in two layers. I love the bantam, light weight and slim, but I've been on a recruit jazz of late. Two layer with just enough tools to get through the day in greater suburbia. Couple of knife blades, and a couple of tools that have multiple uses. When I take a vacation where I'm flying, I mail a recruit to where I'll be staying. I don't drink wine, so I don't need a corkscrew. The small driver on the can opener will handle phillips in a pinch, and the large screw driver can be used like a combo tool on large phillips. I love the simplicity of the smooth back recruit.

So, what's your favorite two layer SAK.?

[Reinier]

My favorite two layer SAK, by far, would be the Compact. I like having scissors on me, the corkscrew is great for carrying the micro screwdriver in, the combo tool works well as a cap lifter and as a screwdriver... only the hook is a bit annoying IMO

[rmagralha]

I like the pioneer....I carry one with my car keys. 

[Blitzwing]

Love my tinker... Light and effective

[Syph007]

84mm tinker!

[AimlessWanderer]

84mm Golfer. Only other two layer SAK I carry is a pioneer  I have a Timekeeper which I want to carry more, but I need to make a leather sheath system for it (and other stuff) as I don't want to wreck the time piece (yet another project which has been on hold for many months  )

I do have a Compact which is excellent, but that lives in a FAK

[macabee]

Compact is excellent as a basic SAK

[magentus]

Alox Soldier or 84mm Recruit are 2 I own and like a lot.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

My favorite two layer SAK, by far, would be the Compact. I like having scissors on me, the corkscrew is great for carrying the micro screwdriver in, the combo tool works well as a cap lifter and as a screwdriver... only the hook is a bit annoying IMO

I'm also a fan of the Compact.  I've got one for my pocket, and one on my workbench that's going to be made into a Yeoman, soon!     Once I get that done, then that will be my favorite "basic" SAK.  I also tore down an older Explorer as part of the process as a donor tool, and now I'm wanting another Explorer too.  Perhaps 4 layers is a little thick to be considered "basic", but for me, there isn't a better all-around 4 layer than the Explorer.

And don't be hatin' on the hook!!!  It's a lot more useful than you think, it just requires a bit of imagination.  Do a search here for a thread about uses for the hook; you'll be very surprised (in a good way,  ) at the things people have used them for!  The only limit to its usefulness is your ingenuity!   

[Tyler_]

Waiter + mini screwdriver

[crackout]

Voyageur.

[Grathr]

My favorites are the pioneer/soldier and the Tinker.

[Suveges]

Compact or Electrician here.

[Northern Geek]

Torn between the Compact and the Climber at the moment. I love how.. er.. compact the Compact is ( ) but I do kind of miss being able to use the can opener for philips easily.

[Aleister]

Climber

I also like Spartan (but I miss the scissors) and Compact (but I miss the small screwdriver on the can opener which can be used as a philips).

[theonew]

The Scientist is my favorite two layer SAK, but I usually carry a three layer Passenger.

[WiSAKfan]

My favorite two layer SAK, by far, would be the Compact. I like having scissors on me, the corkscrew is great for carrying the micro screwdriver in, the combo tool works well as a cap lifter and as a screwdriver... only the hook is a bit annoying IMO

I'm also a fan of the Compact.  I've got one for my pocket, and one on my workbench that's going to be made into a Yeoman, soon!     Once I get that done, then that will be my favorite "basic" SAK.  I also tore down an older Explorer as part of the process as a donor tool, and now I'm wanting another Explorer too.  Perhaps 4 layers is a little thick to be considered "basic", but for me, there isn't a better all-around 4 layer than the Explorer.

And don't be hatin' on the hook!!!  It's a lot more useful than you think, it just requires a bit of imagination.  Do a search here for a thread about uses for the hook; you'll be very surprised (in a good way,  ) at the things people have used them for!  The only limit to its usefulness is your ingenuity!   

you should pick up a bantam for cheap and used that combo tool and save the compact!  just my opinion anyways 

yeoman is my fav compact, compact is nice too but i really prefer my saks to have the inline phillips

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

My favorite two layer SAK, by far, would be the Compact. I like having scissors on me, the corkscrew is great for carrying the micro screwdriver in, the combo tool works well as a cap lifter and as a screwdriver... only the hook is a bit annoying IMO

I'm also a fan of the Compact.  I've got one for my pocket, and one on my workbench that's going to be made into a Yeoman, soon!     Once I get that done, then that will be my favorite "basic" SAK.  I also tore down an older Explorer as part of the process as a donor tool, and now I'm wanting another Explorer too.  Perhaps 4 layers is a little thick to be considered "basic", but for me, there isn't a better all-around 4 layer than the Explorer.

And don't be hatin' on the hook!!!  It's a lot more useful than you think, it just requires a bit of imagination.  Do a search here for a thread about uses for the hook; you'll be very surprised (in a good way,  ) at the things people have used them for!  The only limit to its usefulness is your ingenuity!   

you should pick up a bantam for cheap and used that combo tool and save the compact!  just my opinion anyways 

yeoman is my fav compact, compact is nice too but i really prefer my saks to have the inline phillips

I hadn't thought of that... it's a good idea.  The only hitch is that the Explorer I used is an older one that doesn't have the hook on the backside.  (Yes, I actually like and have used the hook before!)  That's the primary reason I'm using a Compact as the base tool to receive the donor parts. 

I keep mulling the possibility of adding a fourth layer like pliers to make a Compact Mechanic, or maybe a bit driver layer to make a Cyber compact, or even both to make a Compact CT34.  I'd have to get a CT to use as the base tool for that though, and I can't afford one right now.  But then it'd be too big for easy pocket carry, which would defeat the whole purpose of why I'm making a Yeoman out of a Compact.

[jerseydevil]

I'd have to say it's a toss up between the Tinker and the Wenger SI for me. 

[kkokkolis]

My only and favorite 2 layer is an old alox Cadet. I find the nail file useful as a flat Philips, blunt awl and small pry tool. It's a joy to touch and play with and easy to carry in my pants or smart suit.

[clickstop]

A cadet's on my wish list, but for now my favorite basic and over-all knife is probably the Recruit. The flush backsprings feel great in the hand, it makes the knife very comfortable.

I also have a compact, but I really can't get into it for some reason. It would have been better if the corkscrew was replaced with a phillips, gotta have a phillips screwdriver. After handling the 84mm SAK's, the 91mm frame also feels very awkward in the hand though.

[Gareth]

I've been carrying my Cadet a lot recently, but if I was only allowed one two-layer SAK it would be the Compact I think.

[django.cj]

Compact is a favorite, SI/soldier is close behind.

[charlie fox]

Recruit! I've carried one on and off for the last 30 years and have never found it wanting. I do have an original Yeoman that I like a lot as well, but the Recruit always seems to find its way into my pocket

[PTRSAK]

If I had to be restricted to two layers, I would probably grab my homebuilt Wenger Diplomat ("improved" with Awl in place of corkscrew)
Basically a Traveller with the opener layer removed.

 Scissors ]--------]
  Nail File ]--------[ Large Blade
                  A
                  W
                  L
             

[kungaryfu]

i allways carry one of two saks on me at all times
at work; i cary an alox cadet
at home; i carry a compact

i find the cadet works well at work as i want something not to bulky, and the nail cleaner comes in handy as i hate having dirt under my nails, and as i work in a builders merchants my hands get very dirty; and the can opener comes in handy at lunchtimes.

at home the compact has most of the things i need and it fits nicely in the pocket, and i like the addition of the file on the back of the hook, also i used the pin for the first time yesterday to unblock the nozzle that shoots water over the car windscreen for the screenwash. a very handy sak indeed

[PTRSAK]

I was looking in my parts and donors box today  and realised that I have a picnic with a combo tool so i can build a compact out of wenger parts. Now that should confuse anyone who knows a bit about SAKs. And that appeals to me :-D

[Southern Dad]

For me, it depends on where I am that day. If I'm going to be outside, or on a long scooter ride, I'll take my Cadet or maybe SuperTinker in my jacket. If I'm going to be around office people all day, I'll take an Executive, because if I have to open it up and trim something, it's not intimidating to coworkers like a bigger SAK. Unfortunately I lost my Executive earlier this year and haven't replaced it yet. 

[kitbeard]

My two favourite basic SAKs are the Vic Waiter and Bantam alox model.  Up a layer from that, I like the Recruit more than the Cadet.  After that, it's the Sportsman if you can describe it as a basic SAK.  Anyway, my favourite basic SAK pocket is getting to be bulging.

[JNieporte]

Single layer: Waiter.
Two layers: Compact or Sportsman.
Three layers: Camper.