Used Victorinox Classic (Lynn's $5 MT Challenge)

[Lynn LeFey]

This tool review is part of a Challenge, where I was asked to see what the best tool I could get for $5 was. Here's a link to that challenge to see all the competitors.
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,75094.0.html

The first of the Used Classics I'm going to review probably won't be the official competitors, but I thought deserved mention. I won the pair as a lot on ebay, for $9.24, or $4.62 each.


It seems fairly repeatable to get these at about this cost. It was impossible for me to find a single one for under $5, due to shipping cost, but the more you get as a lot, the more you can get the individual price down, on average.

At one point, in another thread, I said that the Vic Classic SD MIGHT be the most useful multitool by weight, ever. I stand by that. And if you get a GOOD used copy, it is an unbelievable deal.

Minus scuffs on the scales, these two are both in essentially new condition.

I want to focus on two functions. The blade and the scissors.

The Blades were both receipt-paper cutting sharp when I received them. No sharpening needed. They are going to handle all of your day to day small cutting tasks. They're not going to cut down a tree. Understanding the limitation of the small blade, these are really good.

The Scissors, though... This is the real miracle of these tools.

For those who've never read any of my stuff, I made a rating system for multitool scissors. Here's the thread.
https://forum.multitool.o...ex.php/topic,36798.0.html

Here's a summary of the scale:"The materials tested were paper, corrugated cardboard, T-shirt, The seam portion of old khakis (4 layers thick), suede leather, PETE plastic bottle (as a stand-in for blister packaging), Cardboard box (non-corrugated), heavy gauge screw-on plastic lid (from a container of ‘country time lemonade’, about 1mm thick), and 550 paracord. I scored these in one of 4 caregories: Fail (-1), Barely Adequate (+0), Pass (+1), Pass with distinction (+2)"

How did these do?
Pass with distinction: Paper, T-Shirt. 550 Paracord, Khakis, PETE. +10
Pass:Non-corrugated Cardboard, Suede +2
Barely Adequate: Corrugated Cardboard +0
Fail: Heavy Plastic -1

Total score: +11

The 'pass with distinction' on paper, t-shirt, and PETE is because it will 'push cut' through the material, making long running cuts without having to work the jaws. That is really good with paper. It's INSANELY good with PETE and almost unheard of with t-shirt.

The 'pass with distinction' on the 550 paracord and khaki seam is because it will cut through either with a SINGLE SNIP. These TINY little scissors will take a 4-layer thick seam of khakis in ONE cut.

And here's the complete kicker. They do it LEFT HANDED. A lot of scissors are much worse left-handed than right-handed. The Classic's scissors work the same with either hand.

The only limitation on them is against Corrugated cardboard and heavy plastic, where the small size of the scissors prevents good leverage on the blades.

Both of the tools I got will perform like this.

If you came to the $5 MT Challenge to find a good... no, make that perfect, pair of scissors, then go get a good used Classic, and you're done.


I have other copies of the Classic headed my way that will be the 'official test copy'. But these met the price, so I figured I'd give them a mention.

[ReamerPunch]

Can't go wrong with a nice 58mm, if it's in good condition. I've got a Manager on my keys, and the scissors are a tiny beast! 
Happy Holidays too. 

[ThundahBeagle]

Unfortunately the page to your scissors ratings is experiencing Domain Name resolution issues at the moment and can't be reached via the above link. Are you saying that the Classic scissors out perform those of the PST II, the Micra, or the Surge? Or even the Super Tinker?

Or was size a condition of that test?

[ReamerPunch]

Try
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,36798.0.html

I think Lynn copy-pasted a post, and the link gets shortened, so a part ended up missing.

[Lynn LeFey]

Try
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,36798.0.html

I think Lynn copy-pasted a post, and the link gets shortened, so a part ended up missing.

Oh. Yeah. Sorry for that messed up link above. And thanks RP for the link add. 

ThundaBeagle, these Classics' scissors test better than my (used) PST 2, Not as good a new Micra or 91mm Vic. I don't have a new condition PSTII, and have never had a Surge to test. I didn't care about size at all, only whether or not it succeeded. This gave certain scissors, like Micras, a real advantage as those things will do stuff like cut credit cards in half easily.

But I also wasn't able to afford a Micra, or even a used 91mm SAK with scissors for this challenge, so these are far and away the best scissors that you're likely to get for a $5 MT.

[Lynn LeFey]

I guess the 'official' Classic I'll be testing is this one. It was part of a lot of knives purchased from ebay. I figure that this knife cost me $1.80 as a portion of that $20 lot.



Here is the post in the main thread where i describe the lot.
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,75094.msg1605092.html#msg1605092

This was the WORST of three 58mm Vics in that lot, so should be representative of the bottom end of what could be gotten for $5.

The scissors tested as follows
Pass with distinction: Paper, PETE. +4
Pass:Non-corrugated Cardboard, Suede, T-Shirt, 550 Paracord, Khakis +5
Barely Adequate: Corrugated Cardboard +0
Fail: Heavy Plastic -1

Total score: +8

Here it is after going through the khaki seam.


These scissors are still pretty fantastic. And the other two 58mm vics from the lot tested at least as well.

The blade was VERY raggedly papercutting sharp. 40 passes on each side of the blade on ceramic rods and they cut receipt paper effortlessly.

And as with the scissors, the blade tested was the worst of the three.

The point, to me, was to see if Classics could be gotten for $5 or less repeatably, and in at least functional condition. The worst thing I can say is you might not get the toothpick and tweezers, or the scales might be messed up. Usually, you can see big problems from the photos posted by the seller on ebay.

I would happily attach the banged-up classic to my keyring if I needed a really good small tool.

Even well worn, it's easily worth $1.80, but a virtually pristine one for $5 is preferable.

[Lynn LeFey]

And, I don't want this to sound like a shameless plug, but Grant also mentioned in another thread that he'd add a used Vic Classic to an order from the MTO store for $3. They're just not worth shipping by themselves, but a $3 add-on for a Classic is fantastic, and a reliable way to get a good used knife. I'm sure he'll be along any moment to add a link.

Any moment now...

[Don Pablo]

Any day now.... 

[Poncho65]

He missed a chance at a plug Must be all the shipping of those MTO PX's

Great find on those Classics Pound for pound they are very great MTs and for that price they are worth that weight in gold