Cross country SAK's.

[cbl51]

Just got back from a cross country trip to California to spend time with some family for the holidays. It was a three week trip, and all knife duties were done by the classic on the keyring, a bantam in my pocket, and my old Wenger SI in a duffle bag. The combo tool on the bantam is an engineering wonder. It works on flat and phillips screws, cans, bottles, and does light prying. It opened lot of plastic packages of snacks on the road, and sliced up salad stuff very well.

I owen some other folding knives, but very rarely carry them. A SAK seems the perfect pocket knife. It's like having a bunch of options in one small tool.

[Mr. Whippy]

Last night, I opened a family size can of Tomato soup with the combo tool.  It ripped through that job like a dedicated opener. 

Like you, I'm very impressed. 

[sticktodrum]

I'm all for the Wenger SI, but is the combo tool on the Bantam really that good? I didn't like how it chewed up bottle caps, and I've found it to be a sub par screwdriver... How does it work on Philips?

[cbl51]

I'm all for the Wenger SI, but is the combo tool on the Bantam really that good? I didn't like how it chewed up bottle caps, and I've found it to be a sub par screwdriver... How does it work on Philips?

Yes, the Vic combo tool is that good. I've used it on cans, and I've never chewed up a bottle cap with it. Popped plenty of them right off, but it went easy. For use on phillips screws, I use the lower corner of the tool and insert the corner into the phillips. Works like a charm. I love that the combo tool does away with one whole layer, and makes for a very light weight edc pocket knife.

[Mr. Whippy]

I'm all for the Wenger SI, but is the combo tool on the Bantam really that good? I didn't like how it chewed up bottle caps, and I've found it to be a sub par screwdriver... How does it work on Philips?

Yes, the Vic combo tool is that good. I've used it on cans, and I've never chewed up a bottle cap with it. Popped plenty of them right off, but it went easy. For use on phillips screws, I use the lower corner of the tool and insert the corner into the phillips. Works like a charm. I love that the combo tool does away with one whole layer, and makes for a very light weight edc pocket knife.

Just be judicious with the screwdriver use.  Like the Vic can opener/Phillips, you can twist it with a bit of excessive torque.

[cbl51]

I'm all for the Wenger SI, but is the combo tool on the Bantam really that good? I didn't like how it chewed up bottle caps, and I've found it to be a sub par screwdriver... How does it work on Philips?

Yes, the Vic combo tool is that good. I've used it on cans, and I've never chewed up a bottle cap with it. Popped plenty of them right off, but it went easy. For use on phillips screws, I use the lower corner of the tool and insert the corner into the phillips. Works like a charm. I love that the combo tool does away with one whole layer, and makes for a very light weight edc pocket knife.

Just be judicious with the screwdriver use.  Like the Vic can opener/Phillips, you can twist it with a bit of excessive torque.

Of course. When I say prying, I mean things that senior citizen fingers can't do, or a thumb nail is not quite enough. With any tool there things are mounted on a pivot, careful is the watchword. I'm even judicious when using my Wenger SI or pioneer to open a can of putty. If you go slow and careful and your feel the tool flexing, you know your reached the limit of how much to push.