I like the Waiter over the Bantam for two reasons: The corkscrew allows for an eyeglass screwdriver to be added, and the pin and bushings for the corkscrew itself acts as the middle attachment for the scales, keeping them on the knife better and preventing them from bowing outward in the middle, which is a pet peeve of mine, whether for the Bantam or for my Hardwood Spartan.
Just to tease Poncho...
I had a NIB Waiter laying in my collection. Bought it at a closeout sale once, just for the heck of it.This thread made me curious and today I have swapped the 108mm Solo for the Waiter.I'me very curious how it will do today, it's in my watch pocket know and so far it has been used three times already!I'll rapport back in tonight.
I really like that relative of the Waiter, the Apprentice. The Phillips gives it a slimmer profile than the Waiter, and for me it's more useful than the corkscrew.
Waiter is a good basis for 84mm mods.
Quote from: jaya_man on April 12, 2017, 03:22:15 AMWaiter is a good basis for 84mm mods.Apparently there are other diverse ways to appreciate a Waiter
This is the only one I have left that is still intact...(Image removed from quote.)It replaced the one in my collection. Needed the scales and blade of this former shelf queen to restore a golfer (same production period).Waiter is a good basis for 84mm mods. Another Waiter unit ended as a base for my custom golfer pictured here(Image removed from quote.)I have another set of complete waiter parts waiting to be used... It might end up as an Apprentice or some other model... Haven't decided yet.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote from: jaya_man on April 12, 2017, 03:22:15 AMThis is the only one I have left that is still intact...(Image removed from quote.)It replaced the one in my collection. Needed the scales and blade of this former shelf queen to restore a golfer (same production period).Waiter is a good basis for 84mm mods. Another Waiter unit ended as a base for my custom golfer pictured here(Image removed from quote.)I have another set of complete waiter parts waiting to be used... It might end up as an Apprentice or some other model... Haven't decided yet.Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkGreat stuff! Those are tools for furthering SAK education and they are well-shot. Now back to El Waiter, he performed better than expected today as a keychain SAK. Never really gave anything bigger than a 58mm an honest chance. I think El Waiter could be a more permanent keychain fixture. Or maybe as a pool/mail box keychain SAK. Or take-to-the-beach keychain SAK. No problemo for 5th pocket carry.
Quote from: El Corkscrew on April 12, 2017, 04:37:20 AMQuote from: jaya_man on April 12, 2017, 03:22:15 AMThis is the only one I have left that is still intact...(Image removed from quote.)It replaced the one in my collection. Needed the scales and blade of this former shelf queen to restore a golfer (same production period).Waiter is a good basis for 84mm mods. Another Waiter unit ended as a base for my custom golfer pictured here(Image removed from quote.)I have another set of complete waiter parts waiting to be used... It might end up as an Apprentice or some other model... Haven't decided yet.Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkGreat stuff! Those are tools for furthering SAK education and they are well-shot. Now back to El Waiter, he performed better than expected today as a keychain SAK. Never really gave anything bigger than a 58mm an honest chance. I think El Waiter could be a more permanent keychain fixture. Or maybe as a pool/mail box keychain SAK. Or take-to-the-beach keychain SAK. No problemo for 5th pocket carry. Nice pics El CS Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yesterday I carried a Waiter alongside my Handyman...
(...)At the end of the day I brushed off the pocket lint and cleaned the blade. I put it back in it's sleeve and back into the collection. To leave it Waiting for another day.(...)
Wow!
If you want probably the best looking Waiter on the planet Try this....http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Victorinox-Swiss-Army-Knife-custom-Black-Wattle-wood-scales-/172626428892?hash=item28315643dc:g:1Y8AAOSwj25Y8de0But hurry just under four hours to go on the auction Stunning scales and fabulous filework. And a great price at the mo... $30ish usd?I think one of our members may have had something to do with this...
Why Does the Best SAK Have the Worst Name?, May 23, 2014By Brad GadberryVerified Purchase(What's this?)This review is from: Waiter Swiss Army Knife (Sports)OK, I won't totally commit to saying the Waiter is the absolute *best* SAK, but it's certainly in the running.(I don't comment on the quality of SAKs; others cover that; I just talk about what's good -- or not so good -- about particular models)If the Galactic Overlords decreed we could only have one SAK and had to use it all the time, I could be happy with any of these: Spartan, Compact, Camper, Climber Plus, Huntsman, Farmer, Waiter, Rambler, or Manager.Thinking specifically about the Waiter:I hate the name. Waiter. I have nothing against waiters (they bring me food and drink for low pay... I wish they got paid more), but such a lousy name for this knife.It should be called either the Thru-Hiker or the Ultralight.It's the perfect knife for a long-distance thru-hiker or ultra-light backpacker. Its blade is big enough to do actual work, but it's ultra light. It opens packages, bottles. and cans; it unties knots; it cuts stuff that needs cut; its screwdriver can fix a pack or tune a stove: everything a backpacker or thru-hiker needs. It's also terrific for around town and at the office. It's a great low-key gentleman's folder. Very nonthreatening even for hoplophobiacs.The corkscrew is very good at untying stubborn knots in paracord. This is important. If you hike, if you camp, you know this. (It also opens wine bottles; easy way to be a hero.)Can-opener, bottle-opener, wine-bottle-opener... This is important too. At some point -- whether you're a thru-hiker or just a civilian -- you're going to need one of these.The Waiter (Thru-hiker, Ultra-light) has a screwdriver... it can fix a pack or stove. With attention, the multi-tool blade will handle a Phillips screw.Of all the umpteen bazillion models of SAKs, the Waiter (or Thru-Hiker, or Ultralight) has the best ratio of tools to layers. Put in a mini-screwdriver and straight pin, and it's 10 tools (not counting lanyard ring) for one layer. Best of any SAK.The straight pin and and tweezers are what you need for splinters/slivers.The whole point of carrying a Swiss Army Knife is to carry it all the time (or, as close to all the time as you can get with our new and onerous laws... airports, airplanes, courthouses). Its virtues only shine when you always have it with you. Read any SAK review on Amazon... no matter how thick it is (Explorer, anyone?) someone will say "This SAK has all the tools I need but it's thin enough to carry in my pocket." That's only true if you dress a certain way (the Explorer is way fat... so is the Huntsman, which is one of my favorites). This SAK, the Waiter (Thru-hiker, Ultra-light), truly is slim enough to carry no matter what you're wearing.The scissors are great... the saw is great... This knife doesn't have either of those.But, it has way more than a regular slip-joint pocket knife or single blade lock-back, which many people have carried for, like, a century. And it's so slim... and it's so cheap... and it's so good.In general, I'm not a fan of the 84 mm SAKs... I think the Tinker is better than the Small Tinker, I think the Spartan is better than the Tourist. But... in this case, the 84 mm platform makes sense. The thin (and kinda short) Waiter fits on a key chain just fine. Perfect for EDC aficionados.FYI: the springs on the Thru-Hiker (aka Waiter) are stiffer than those on the 91 and 58 mm SAKs. This isn't good or bad... just a fact. If you use the knife often, it's a good thing: good solid open and close; the knife "walks and talks." If you toss the knife into a pack or glove compartment and ignore it for months... not so good. I've handled neglected Waiters that I just couldn't get open.Factoid for Knife Knerds: At one point, Victorinox made a 91 mm Waiter Plus... same knife as we're talking about here, but a little longer, with a ballpoint pen in the handle. Very collectible. If you see one, check the price (multitool.org, bladeforums.com), but be ready to jump on it. (Best tool-to-layer ratio of all SAKs ever made.)If you need/want the scissors, go with the Climber, Compact, Rambler, or Manager.If you need the saw, go with the Camper or Farmer.If you can live without either of those, and you want a versatile and high-value pocket knife you can carry anytime, anywhere, no matter what you're wearing, no matter how liberal the people you hang out with are, go with the Thru-hiker (aka, the Waiter).
I'm really not much into the one layer SAK's, i tend to settle on two layer minimum because of comfort and basic functions i need.But i was just browsing to some used Vic's on the used sites over here and came across this waiter for €18. It looks great, but probably won't carry it, so i'm trying to decide if i buy it or not (don't know if the seller still has it tho, haven't called yet...) What do you guys think...?
Quote from: MacGyver on May 09, 2017, 11:55:02 AMI'm really not much into the one layer SAK's, i tend to settle on two layer minimum because of comfort and basic functions i need.But i was just browsing to some used Vic's on the used sites over here and came across this waiter for €18. It looks great, but probably won't carry it, so i'm trying to decide if i buy it or not (don't know if the seller still has it tho, haven't called yet...) What do you guys think...? I think those scales look like fun!