Huntsman vs Ranger

[docfossil]

I am new to this forum and have been using SAKs for 50 years. When I was a mere youth I carried a Vic Huntsman everywhere. I mean everywhere, even to high  school! Try that these days. My first Huntsman was the one with the thin file on the back. That knife was stolen from my jacket at work and was replaced by the "new" Huntsman. My regret was that it no longer had the file blade. This knife served me for some 45 years until it to was stolen when my suitcase was stolen at an airport. It was replaced with another Huntsman, this one with the package hook. I still miss the file blade :-(  don't find much use for the package hook.

I notice that the Vic Ranger has a similar combination of tools to the Huntsman, one being the file/metal saw blade. It also has some additional blades such as a small screwdriver and chisel which I expect that I would not use frequently. It is almost an ounce (20gram) heavier. Bottom line is that I just decided to purchase the Ranger and see if it will replace my Huntsman as my EDC.

I have wonderful memories of my SAKs. The number of wine and cheese parties in college saved by having a corkscrew around on Friday afternoon! When my friend got married, someone was having difficulty opening a package, someone said too bad we don't have a knife, and then the groom, best man (me), and two groomsmen produced their SAKs. The stories could go on.

However, I'm glad to be here and hope all have a great weekend.

Charlie aka Doc Fossil.

[Toolslinger]

Welcome aboard!

The Ranger is a great SAK, one of my all time favourites!

[ReamerPunch]

Welcome to the forum. 
I love my ranger.

[magentus]

Welcome to the forum Doc- you've joined just as the Ranger is enjoying a renaissance. This is due mainly to poncho.

The Huntsman was my EDC for many years before I discovered this site and the joys of modding. I'll be interested to hear how you get on with your Ranger after 50 years of Huntsman!

[Gohard]

Welcome. And get yourself another huntsman. Can't go wrong. And you just proved it to us. You sure hang around "smart" thief's. Haha.

[Poncho65]

Welcome to Doc

I do like the Ranger as magentus mentioned earlier but if the Huntsman has served you so well over the years you may be suited just fine with it as well I do like the extra metal file on the Ranger though

[Thunderpants]

Of course, if you seldom used the saw blade you could go for the mighty Mountaineer, which is a Ranger minus the saw...(oh - and the chisel and thin screwdriver.)
I have to cut a lot of wood in winter so I use proper saws for that. My feeling is that the 91mm saw blade is a total waste of space, while the metal file makes itself useful almost every day. (I just used mine for smoothing the sides of an Sim card which I'd cut down from Micro to Nano size for my new phone.)
So if it's the metal saw you're really after, the Mountaineer might be your SAK!

[Huntsman]

Told this story a few times here... apologies for the repetition

I was also a long time Huntsman carrier - see my user name.
Then decided to upgrade to a Ranger - strangely  enough after my Huntsman was stolen - sound familiar? - this one by our removal men. 

Long story short - Ranger was too big so 'down-graded' to a Wenger Traveller or Evo 14 or 16
I much prefer the smaller size - length and width and weight for town/office/weekday EDC

.... Still love a bigger SAK at the weekend

H

PS. I was the most popular guy at student parties too - thanks to my corkscrew - I certainly never went thirsty !!
PPS. I love that long nailfile too - This was the best nailfile Vic produced - across all their SAK models and sizes - why oh why did they retire it? !!

[SAK Guy]

Welcome!!!!

[Fast Bill]

Of course, if you seldom used the saw blade you could go for the mighty Mountaineer, which is a Ranger minus the saw...(oh - and the chisel and thin screwdriver.)
I have to cut a lot of wood in winter so I use proper saws for that. My feeling is that the 91mm saw blade is a total waste of space, while the metal file makes itself useful almost every day. (I just used mine for smoothing the sides of an Sim card which I'd cut down from Micro to Nano size for my new phone.)
So if it's the metal saw you're really after, the Mountaineer might be your SAK!

I almost agree with this. The Mountaineer is probably my favourite toolset. The metal file is handy quite often but I don't EDC mine much for some reason. That said I like to carry a  Huntsman with its saw blade during the shooting season in case anyone needs a beating stick cut, for which it is ideal. The Ranger is a little too big for my liking and if I've got to that stage I tend to think "what the heck" and grab a SwissChamp.

So, welcome to the Forum, great story 

[Steinar]

Everybody uses their SAKs differently. To me, the main advantage a Ranger has over the Huntsman actually is that little screwdriver on the back of the saw.

Welcome to the forum, Charlie/Doc Fossil! 

[SteveC]

Welcome   

[m47mu74nt]

Of course, if you seldom used the saw blade you could go for the mighty Mountaineer, which is a Ranger minus the saw...(oh - and the chisel and thin screwdriver.)
I have to cut a lot of wood in winter so I use proper saws for that. My feeling is that the 91mm saw blade is a total waste of space, while the metal file makes itself useful almost every day. (I just used mine for smoothing the sides of an Sim card which I'd cut down from Micro to Nano size for my new phone.)
So if it's the metal saw you're really after, the Mountaineer might be your SAK!

I can only agree with this:
I first bought an Ecoline Huntsman a few months ago (I was carrying a soldier or climber before)
I use it well, but found the use of a file often enough, and finally didn't use the saw enough to justify daily carry of it....
So when I came across an inexpensive pre-2005 Ranger I bought it: it was too thick and I didn't like the file on use...
After that I found a post-2005 Mountaineer and SuperTinker : Huntsman and Ranger are in a box now 
Only thing I'd need more : a combo tool to save a line more, and a screwdriver instead of the corkscrew

[Barry Rowland]

Welcome aboard Doc!  I used to EDC my Huntsman too, for over 30 years, and still think it's probably as close to perfect tool wise that there is. 

[toolguy]

Welcome aboard d.fossil.LOL

[kkokkolis]

Have you ever used the saw of your Huntsman? If not, or rarely, a Victorinox Mountaineer might suit you.
If you need the saw, except from Vic Ranger and up, you might try the Delemont 17 or 18. They both contain a nice nail file/cleaner and are smaller than the Ranger.

[JamesJ]

Between Hunstman, Mountaineer and Ranger, I'd go "both" with Ranger. The WS and MS layers are fairly thin, so if you're gonna have one, might as well have both.  Though I can't remember the last time I used the wood saw on a SAK.

Though Huntsman Lite is cool too for that phillips. I've never seen a Mountaineer or Ranger Lite.

To me it's odd that the small flat screwdriver is on the back side of the WS and the chisel is on the back side of the MS. If I'm working with wood I'd want wood saw and chisel (tho there is also use for the MS on wood) and if I'm working a metal object, there's a good chance I may also need to adjust some screws.  So it's odd to me that they put a "wood tool" (chisel) on the back of the "metal saw".

The most important thing is that you can get the Camping scales on a Ranger, that settles it. Gotta go with Ranger.

[m47mu74nt]

Between Hunstman, Mountaineer and Ranger, I'd go "both" with Ranger. The WS and MS layers are fairly thin, so if you're gonna have one, might as well have both. 

Go, and take the 3
As I did (I'd have only taken the Mountaineer if it wasn't the last of the 3 I got...)
Know you need woodsaw ? Take Huntsman
A day reparing a mechanic ? Take Mountaineer
No idea what you will be doing ? Take Ranger
One day, one sak 

[PTRSAK]

I've been gravitating towards a Ranger lately when I slip a 91mm SAK into my pocket.

The one that I have as a user (everyone has shelf queens of all their users right?... silly question) is an older pre hook, pre sewing eye model which has a sheepsfoot profiled main blade. it has nickel silver scale inlay ^CAMPING and metal tipped tweezers. There is only the small screwdriver as an "extra" backtool and the Scissors have a double spring. 

So, my dear Watson, we can deduce that it was made between the years 1975 and 1978.

Yeah, as usual, I'm carrying a vintage SAK while the "new" one sits in the display case. 

[ColoSwiss]

Welcome aboard!   

[Thunderpants]

To me it's odd that the small flat screwdriver is on the back side of the WS and the chisel is on the back side of the MS. If I'm working with wood I'd want wood saw and chisel"

Ooh! I hadn't even noticed the Mountaineer Lite and Huntsman Lite have different tools on the undercarriage. But both are considerably bulkier than their non-Lite brethren, and a lot more expensive, so if weight is a concern (as it seems to be) I wouldn't recommend them over the Ranger and its goofy Camping logo...

[Aloha]

Welcome.  I went from a Explorer to a Ranger to a Swisschamp.  I've now been using a Champion and quite liking it. 

[docfossil]

I do use the wood saw quite frequently. I have three acres of woods and landscaping and frequently use it for minor pruning jobs. All of the blades on the Huntsman get used except for the package hook. If I were to redesign the knife, I would replace this tool with the narrow file blade of my circa 1960 Huntsman. Thus, my interest in the Ranger. It has all that the Huntsman does plus a file. I guess that I may find uses for the chisel and small screwdriver; time will tell.

Thanks to all for the warm welcome.

Doc Fossil

[sLaughterMed]

Welcome Doc!

[kkokkolis]

Some hooks are filed. Was there ever a modern Huntsman with a filed hook?

[m47mu74nt]

Some hooks are filed. Was there ever a modern Huntsman with a filed hook?

I believe -sadly- that only Compact hooks are filled (yet?)

[shibafu]

Some hooks are filed. Was there ever a modern Huntsman with a filed hook?

I believe -sadly- that only Compact hooks are filled (yet?)

There are a few other models, but not common ones.  Swiss Champ XXLT and XAVT, DofE pocket tool, and apparently some versions of the Timekeeper.

[m47mu74nt]

Some hooks are filed. Was there ever a modern Huntsman with a filed hook?

I believe -sadly- that only Compact hooks are filled (yet?)

There are a few other models, but not common ones.  Swiss Champ XXLT and XAVT, DofE pocket tool, and apparently some versions of the Timekeeper.

Ha right, not the kind I have in my pocket though (I'm waiting for climber, huntsman, and supertinker with that filed hook)

[sir_mike]

Welcome!

The Ranger is a great sak for sure.  I carried one for quite some time til I need a mag lens for work, then I went to the Explorer which is my favorite sak and recently trying out the Swisschamp as an EDC to see if size is a bother and so far not an issue.

[PTRSAK]

a pretty bad photo of the old girl..