The humble recruit.

[cbl51]

We love SAK's.

That's why we're here on a SAK based forums of the admiration and outright worship of the little red handled pocket knife from the land of mountains, good cheese, and chocolate. This forum has the fans of the tinker, the huntsman, the craftsman, the soldier, and the rest of the SAK's carrying everything from wood chisels to magnifying glasses.

I've had a lot of SAK's over the past 50 years, ranging from many layers to a single layer. I've used SAK's from the urban wilds of my home city Washington D.C. to the wilds of the Great Smoky Mountain National park, to some jungles of a little war in Southeast Asia, to the vacations fishing and partying in Key West. Backpacking up and down the Appellation Trail in Virginia and North Carolina a pocket knife was a handy thing, especially when the first day out the can of Dirty Moore got opened, or the little stove needed a little tinkering and a small screw driver was needed.

Of all the SAK's Ive had, two stand out as pure valued function at a low enough cost as to be almost semi disposable. The classic and the recruit. So many times, I've been flying off to a vacation, and after 9-11 it was easier to sh just ship a SAK to where I knew I was staying. The recruit did outstanding service in Key West as a fishing knife, bait knife, kitchen knife for light food duty in the little kitchenette at the rented bungalow. It sliced limes for cold vodka tonics, and sliced and diced salad makings and cleaned a nice bonefish for dinner one night and a fat redfish the next. On flying out, I gifted it off to the young guy who was the hard working grounds keeper of the guest house, He was exited to say the least on receiving the SAK. ON another visit, the airport shuttle van driver got a SAK when we were dropped of a the airport to go home.

The humble little recruit with its smooth back, is so comfortable in hand that it's a very good work knife  and whittler. The 84mm frame fits in a coin pocket, is light weight enough to go unnoticed, and big enough for serious cutting. It handles flat and Phillips screws with ease, and opens a nice cold brew when the work is over.

In my other life as a knife nut, a period of temporary insanity that I woke up from a few years ago, I tried all kinds of knives. Three bladed stockmen, barlows, and more. But none of them were a match for the little recruit. With two blades, the recruit is no more heavy or bulky than a two bladed Texas jack or Barlow knife. But...with the 'other' blades, the recruit has the flat and Phillips screw capacity, and the bottle Opener and can opener have more uses than they were designed for. The can opener makes. an outstanding staple remover,  not to mention an opener for those pistachio nuts that only have a tiny crack in them. I love pistachios and would main line them if I could. The can opener hook tip also works on other kinds of nuts like walnuts and pecans. As I type this, the Academy Sports just down the road in Round Rock Texas, sells the recruit for 17.95. I can't think of another pocket knife that comes anywhere near the value and availability of the recruit.

I've always had a very soft spot in my heart for the smooth back SAK's, and my very favorite SAK is my old and trusted war horse, the Wenger SI that has been with me for longer than I care to think about. Makes me a little anxious to think about how much time has passed.

Dollar for dollar and ounce per ounce, I can't think of many SAK's that offer a value like the recruit.



 

[DEMartin]

We love SAK's.

That's why we're here on a SAK based forums of the admiration and outright worship of the little red handled pocket knife from the land of mountains, good cheese, and chocolate. This forum has the fans of the tinker, the huntsman, the craftsman, the soldier, and the rest of the SAK's carrying everything from wood chisels to magnifying glasses.

I've had a lot of SAK's over the past 50 years, ranging from many layers to a single layer. I've used SAK's from the urban wilds of my home city Washington D.C. to the wilds of the Great Smoky Mountain National park, to some jungles of a little war in Southeast Asia, to the vacations fishing and partying in Key West. Backpacking up and down the Appellation Trail in Virginia and North Carolina a pocket knife was a handy thing, especially when the first day out the can of Dirty Moore got opened, or the little stove needed a little tinkering and a small screw driver was needed.

Of all the SAK's Ive had, two stand out as pure valued function at a low enough cost as to be almost semi disposable. The classic and the recruit. So many times, I've been flying off to a vacation, and after 9-11 it was easier to sh just ship a SAK to where I knew I was staying. The recruit did outstanding service in Key West as a fishing knife, bait knife, kitchen knife for light food duty in the little kitchenette at the rented bungalow. It sliced limes for cold vodka tonics, and sliced and diced salad makings and cleaned a nice bonefish for dinner one night and a fat redfish the next. On flying out, I gifted it off to the young guy who was the hard working grounds keeper of the guest house, He was exited to say the least on receiving the SAK. ON another visit, the airport shuttle van driver got a SAK when we were dropped of a the airport to go home.

The humble little recruit with its smooth back, is so comfortable in hand that it's a very good work knife  and whittler. The 84mm frame fits in a coin pocket, is light weight enough to go unnoticed, and big enough for serious cutting. It handles flat and Phillips screws with ease, and opens a nice cold brew when the work is over.

In my other life as a knife nut, a period of temporary insanity that I woke up from a few years ago, I tried all kinds of knives. Three bladed stockmen, barlows, and more. But none of them were a match for the little recruit. With two blades, the recruit is no more heavy or bulky than a two bladed Texas jack or Barlow knife. But...with the 'other' blades, the recruit has the flat and Phillips screw capacity, and the bottle Opener and can opener have more uses than they were designed for. The can opener makes. an outstanding staple remover,  not to mention an opener for those pistachio nuts that only have a tiny crack in them. I love pistachios and would main line them if I could. The can opener hook tip also works on other kinds of nuts like walnuts and pecans. As I type this, the Academy Sports just down the road in Round Rock Texas, sells the recruit for 17.95. I can't think of another pocket knife that comes anywhere near the value and availability of the recruit.

I've always had a very soft spot in my heart for the smooth back SAK's, and my very favorite SAK is my old and trusted war horse, the Wenger SI that has been with me for longer than I care to think about. Makes me a little anxious to think about how much time has passed.

Dollar for dollar and ounce per ounce, I can't think of many SAK's that offer a value like the recruit.

 
You sir, are spot on.

[Rapidray]

Main line pistachio’s... welcome aboard that train!
Great review on those SAK’s. 

[gustophersmob]

You hit on the one thing about the recruit that sets it apart from its other cellidor brethren; the smooth backside.

Outside of the fact that I don't like plastic, especially in my edc, my biggest beef with cellidor is that the back springs aren't flush with the liners when you have back side tools. Not so on the recruit!

[Nix]

It was our own El Corkscrew who taught me to appreciate the Recruit when he sent me this one:




Sweet SAK, and I have to agree with you guys, the smooth 'backside' makes it a very comfortable SAK to hold and use.

[magentus]

Another one who appreciates the Recruit, and another one courtesy of El Corkscrew. This one is a little different as it boasts a serrated blade!

[cbl51]

Another one who appreciates the Recruit, and another one courtesy of El Corkscrew. This one is a little different as it boasts a serrated blade!

That is so cool, I'd love a serrated SAK. But are they made anymore or is it a custom?

[magentus]

Another one who appreciates the Recruit, and another one courtesy of El Corkscrew. This one is a little different as it boasts a serrated blade!

That is so cool, I'd love a serrated SAK. But are they made anymore or is it a custom?

No idea cbl - there's a brief mention on the wiki, but that's all I know. It was a nice surprise!

[Aloha]

84mm Recruit is one of my favorites as well.  I've got 2 always close at hand.  I've often wondered why I liked the Tinker just a bit more when the Recruit can do practically everything if not everything the Tinker can  .  I think the Cadet certainly falls into this conversation as well.  I've got a Cadet 2 but certainly the Cadet with file IMO is every bit as nice.  SAK without backside tools feel great in hand.  My Recruit is also sans keyring which adds to the comfort in hand.   

[cbl51]

84mm Recruit is one of my favorites as well.  I've got 2 always close at hand.  I've often wondered why I liked the Tinker just a bit more when the Recruit can do practically everything if not everything the Tinker can  .  I think the Cadet certainly falls into this conversation as well.  I've got a Cadet 2 but certainly the Cadet with file IMO is every bit as nice.  SAK without backside tools feel great in hand.  My Recruit is also sans keyring which adds to the comfort in hand.   

Yes, the recruit is almost as capable as the tinker, with the sole exception of the awl. The Victoriox awl is a tool that is second to none, or at least d--m few. But in my everyday life, the awl is not a needed item except once in a great while. The recruit, like most my stuff, is a 'mostly tool.' A tool that handles 'mostly' what I run into. I figured out that something like 85 to 90% of the time I'm reaching forty SAK, it's to cut something. Opening my mail a plastic blister package, a UPS from Amazon, A piece of electrical tape, teaching the grandkid how to whittle a perfect hot dog or marshmallow stick, a piece of jute twine if we're working in the garden/yard. Second real use and sometimes I reach for my SAK, is dealing with a screw for some reason. A door hinge, changing battery in electrical devise, cleaning a gun, adjusting sights on gun,  running repair out someplace on a motor scooter or boat with outboard motor problem, fishing reel, light pry use for when a thumb nail isn't strong enough.

All those tasks have been done with a recruit. With no problem.

The only thing I can think of to make it better would be, wait...drum roll............replace the small blade with a inline awl like on the pioneer.

[DEMartin]

84mm Recruit is one of my favorites as well.  I've got 2 always close at hand.  I've often wondered why I liked the Tinker just a bit more when the Recruit can do practically everything if not everything the Tinker can  .  I think the Cadet certainly falls into this conversation as well.  I've got a Cadet 2 but certainly the Cadet with file IMO is every bit as nice.  SAK without backside tools feel great in hand.  My Recruit is also sans keyring which adds to the comfort in hand.   

Yes, the recruit is almost as capable as the tinker, with the sole exception of the awl. The Victoriox awl is a tool that is second to none, or at least d--m few. But in my everyday life, the awl is not a needed item except once in a great while. The recruit, like most my stuff, is a 'mostly tool.' A tool that handles 'mostly' what I run into. I figured out that something like 85 to 90% of the time I'm reaching forty SAK, it's to cut something. Opening my mail a plastic blister package, a UPS from Amazon, A piece of electrical tape, teaching the grandkid how to whittle a perfect hot dog or marshmallow stick, a piece of jute twine if we're working in the garden/yard. Second real use and sometimes I reach for my SAK, is dealing with a screw for some reason. A door hinge, changing battery in electrical devise, cleaning a gun, adjusting sights on gun,  running repair out someplace on a motor scooter or boat with outboard motor problem, fishing reel, light pry use for when a thumb nail isn't strong enough.

All those tasks have been done with a recruit. With no problem.

The only thing I can think of to make it better would be, wait...drum roll............replace the small blade with a inline awl like on the pioneer.

I realize you like the 58mm length of the Recruit vs a Pioneer, but your last point is exactly why I carry a Pioneer, Farmer or Pioneer X. Personal preference is a wonderful thing and all the models available help satisfy individuals' needs.

[Aloha]

The only thing I can think of to make it better would be, wait...drum roll............replace the small blade with a inline awl like on the pioneer.

And therein lies this crazy journey with SAKs.

I began with a Wenger Esquire and then bought a few Recruits 91mm.  Super happy till I went down the rabbit hole of "it would be better IF only".

Here are my 2 Recruits along with my Cadet 2.  Every bit as good and every bit as capable so long as I don't play the "it would be better IF only" game. 
 

[Nix]

 

[HWF]

Excellent read as always, Carl.

The recruit has been in my pocket for quite some time now. Let us not forget about the t&t! Having 3 kids I use the tweezers a lot more than I expected I would.