Used Wenger Evo 10 vs. Used Vic Tourist RUMBLE!! (Lynn's $5 MT Challenge)

[Lynn LeFey]

This thread is part of a challenge, to see what the best MT I can find for $5, tax and shipping included. Here's a link to the main Challenge thread, so you can see the other contenders.
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,75094.0.html

They were both purchased in a lot I won on ebay. I figure that the Tourist cost me $3.60 and the Evo cost me $4.32 of the $20 cost of the lot. See, the problem here though, is that the budget I was given for this challenge, totaling $50, means that only ONE of them will be the 'official contender'. These two knives are so similar that I didn't feel that both of them should take up a 'slot' in the Challenge. Only ONE can remain.

So, Let's get READY...TO... RUMBLE!

The Evo 10 measures in at 85mm (3.35") and weighs 56g (1.97oz)
The Tourist measures in at 84mm (3.3") and weighs 53g (1.87oz)

The tool loadouts. The only difference is that the Evo 10 has a nail file, while the Tourist has a small penknife blade.


For versatility, that puts the Evo 10 ahead. For redundancy of primary use, the Tourist prevails. Looks like a pretty dead even match.

Okay, how about condition?

Bad news for the Tourist. The split ring is missing, and the toothpick was replaced with one from a 58mm...


And MORE bad news for the Tourist. There's a big scrape on one of the scales. No functional damage, just cosmetic. I'm going to shrug this one off as unimportant in a sub-$5 tool.


Whoever wins this match is going to face off against the Walmart Ozark Trail 8-Function SAK-knockoff, reviewed here...
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,75140.0.html

One of the tests that the SAK-knockoff faced was a drop-test. 10 drops from 3 feet onto concrete. It fared well. How did our two contenders here do?


Didn't even faze them.

A little scuffing on the Evo 10. The Tourist had taken more damage than that before the testing began. These are two seasoned veterans of being knocked around. Did you really think a few drops onto concrete was going to knock them out of this match?

Alright, next post, we get to testing functions. Stay tuned.

[Lynn LeFey]

Before I get on to blade testing, I should also note that as received, the Tourist was almost frozen inoperable with corrosion. Since they both benefited from a cleaning, this isn't a huge deal, but right out of the package, the Tourist was unusable, whereas the Evo 10 was a little stiff, but functional.

Okay. Blades.

Both of the main blades on these tools would JUST cut thin receipt paper as I received them. That means that even used, they're better than some new sub-$5 tools. But wait, there's more. The smaller blade on the Tourist was still almost hair-popping sharp.

All of the blades had very good retention in the open position, and not a bit of side-to-side play. They are all 100% perfect precision slipjoint blades. When you have done a lot of testing on less well-made products, this level of precision is a little startling.

Both of the main blades got 20 strokes each side on ceramic rods, and would then cut receipt paper effortlessly.


But the Tourist has TWO excellent knife blades, and the small one is still capable of a lot of work. If you wanted to hard-use the large blade and keep the small one very sharp, you have options there.

Win to the Tourist for blades.

[Etherealicer]

[Lynn LeFey]

 

So, on to Drivers.

On initial glance, the big flathead driver connected to the cap lifter on these looks more robust on the Tourist (on the right)


I started the normal battery of tests with the flathead drivers on these and very quickly remembered something. The Wenger flathead locks open when under force. On other models I've had, I would feel that slight movement of the flathead into locked position. I didn't feel it with this Evo 10, but it was still happening. That is a nice feature, allowing you the really push hard against this thing, On the flip side, I didn't feel in the least concerned that the Tourists' driver would collapse on me even with significant pressure.They both turned screws in door hinges effortlessly, and slotted into the screws very cleanly.

As pry tools versus a crusty paintcan...


Both managed the task without trouble. The Evo 10 felt like it was flexing a bit. I think that's because the flathead is thinner across the thinnest portion of the cap lifter. Not much difference though. I would say I don't think I'd push either of these tools further. I tried something harder with a Tinker, and loosened a pin.

While these are both perfect examples of this method of construction, they are STILL only held together by brass pins, and those pins or their bushings will fail under enough force. It's just that 'enough force' is way different between these and the previous contestants.

The $1 Dollar Tree SAK-knockoff
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,75095.0.html

The 'Ruby' small SAK-knockoff
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,75107.0.html

And Walmart's Ozark Trail 8 Function SAK-knockoff.
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,75140.0.html

I hate to go on and on about this point but I think this is VERY important. I think that after the pen knife blade, the next single most important function of a Swiss Army Knife is a small light pry tool. That almost always means the combo Flathead/caplifter. This is the tool that's going to keep you from using your blade as a pry tool and messing it up. This tool, in my opinion, is IMPORTANT, and what the flatheads on the Evo 10 and Tourist can accomplish is light years ahead of the best of the knock-offs in this challenge, the Walmart SAK-knockoff.

Okay, what else do we have?

The small flathead on the tip of the Tourists' can opener works as a pretty good light-duty flat phillips.


The tip of the file on the Evo 10 works as a pretty good flat phillips on small electronics' screws.


Both come with tweezers, and... pro tip of the day... they both work as small eyeglass screwdrivers.


So, Evo 10 wins large flathead AS a flathead driver, for it's locking ability.
Tourist wins light Pry duty, but just barely.
Tourist wins smaller flathead, since the Evo doesn't have one
Bonus points to the Tourist because that small flathead ALSO works as a decent flat Phillips.
Evo 10 takes tiny flathead Phillips duty win for the file tip.
It's a tie for eyeglass screws, as both have tweezers.

This gives the Tourist a slight advantage in the driver department on paper. It the real world, I think it's more than a SLIGHT advantage. The number of times the small flathead on the Tourist's can opener will be used on Phillips screws seems like it would be much more than the number of times the file tip would be used on tiny phillips screws in electronics. I have taken a metal file to the tip of the file on another Wenger I own, and made it so that file tip fit into larger phillips screws. While i think that makes it slightly more likely to be a bit useful, the file on the Evo 10 is thin metal stock and doesn't handle torque as well as the can opener of the Tourist.

[Lynn LeFey]

I'm going to cover can openers and Awls in this post. The reason those two are being covered together is because there's some overlap in function in that area with the Wenger can opener.

So, the contestants...
The Can Openers. The Evo 10 is on the left. The Tourist on the right.


And the Awls. Evo 10 on left/bottom. Tourist on the top/right


For as much as MOST people are ever going to use these, the can openers are essentially dead even in function for opening cans. I, personally, am a little faster using the Wenger hook-bill type. Some folks are apparently faster using the Victorinox type, and there are some reports that the Victorinox functions particularly better on very thick/heavy cans, like the big #10 cans.

Here they are, along with the Aitor, testing can openers. They both did fine.


I will say that if you hand these can openers to folks, the odds are they'll get how to use the Evo 10 version more easily than the Victorinox.

For instance... THIS guy, and his 'helpful instructions' on the vic can opener.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8jXwvlu1qM

For the TLDR crowd, use a Wenger style can opener clockwise, and a Victorinox style couterclockwise on the rim of your can. DON'T do like the guy in the above video, and try to use the vic clockwise.

Just... (sigh)... just don't do that... 

So... That's as can openers. Both good, both strong pass.

The awls.
As awls are made mostly as leather punches...


I'm just letting you know. I've put holes in belts before, but always with the 'drilling' motion of the Vic's awl. I've never tried the Wenger style awl. It was SURPRISINGLY easy to punch through good belt leather with the Evo 10's awl.

I would hesitate to even call the Vic's 'awl' an awl. Because...


The vic 'awl' might more rightly be called a DRILL. The picture shows the results of both the Tourist's awl and the Evo 10's can opener drilling holes in ash.

As a hole punching device, I think the Victorinox Awl stands apart in the entire world of multitools for how well it functions.

For scraping marks in wood to mark it, I think the Evo 10's can opener is excellent, along with any other purpose where you need a moderately sharp but very sturdy point. On the flip side, if you need a tool for scraping a flatter surface, the Tourist's can opener is the better tool.

For can opening, these are tied.
For awl/drilling tasks, I think the clear winner is the Tourist.
For miscellaneous scraping/polking, it's probably about a tie, although I find more use in this area with the Evo 10 style.

[Lynn LeFey]

Last thing as far as tools go. The cap lifters on both work fine. I've pulled a jillion caps with both styles, and I'm not going to bother with recreating that. These are both fine cap lifters.

So, now it comes down to who moves on.

I don't think one knife is better than the other. Functionally, I'd say they're so close to equal as to be a wash. The difference in functions are minor, and seem to pretty well offset. I MIGHT give a slight advantage to the Tourist, but here's the crushing truth. I have to test these knives as they come. And AS they came, the Tourist was unusable. It was welded shut with corrosion. The Evo 10 was a little stiff, but completely functional. Through no fault of its own, the Tourist is eliminated, and the Evo 10 becomes the official contender.