It's here, the Modern Swiss Army Knife you have all been waiting for!

[Grant Lamontagne]

Since I know everyone here has been sitting on the edge of their seats, just waiting for this day I figured that I had better share this ASAP!



If there were only one iconic pocket knife, it’d likely be the Swiss Army Knife. The James Brand wants to replace it. Today, the company released the Ellis, its first multi-tool. Don’t think of it as a Leatherman though; there are neither pliers nor wire cutters here, just a partially-serrated blade, a screwdriver that doubles as a bottle opener and a scraper tool. It’s simple, and that’s the point.

That’s also because Ryan Coulter, the company’s founder, and the rest of the team wanted it to be uncluttered, like a Swiss Army, and drew inspiration from the historic brand. “We’re big fans of Swiss Army and that design ethos,” he says. “I always think that Swiss Army has done the best job of making good everyday carry knives and tools that are not positioned in either the tactical or the outdoor space.”

But one of the problems with Swiss Army Knives is that they don’t lock. “There’s always this potential to close the blade on your fingers,” Coulter says. So in creating a tool along the same lines, one of the most critical line items was locks, but the team found that adding that simple mechanism complicated things. The release of the Ellis is actually a re-release; the tool first came out a few months back and was quickly recalled. If you pressed on the closed screwdriver/bottle opener while the knife was open, the lock could disengage.

Coulter says that some consumers thought it was a secondary feature, but it wasn’t what he had envisioned. “It was something that unless you knew about it, it could surprise you. We wanted to make sure that we had 100 percent confidence in the mechanism and how to use it, so we went back and changed it.” The new Ellis has a double lockback design, with each implement having its own mechanism. It looks identical to the first though; the included tools haven’t changed at all.

The James Brand reached out to friends and more importantly, consumers, to figure out which to feature in the Ellis. What are the items that people need all the time? “A bottle opener and a screwdriver,” says Coulter. “Those are the things that, besides the knife blade, get used like 90 percent of the time.” Specialized implements — things like awls or magnifying glasses — come at the price of increasing the size of the tool. “We were focused on what can you take out of this, what’s the most minimal thing you can do and still make a multi-tool?”

The result is a modern interpretation of a classic; a tool that balances the iconic familiarity of the Swiss Army Knife with the James Brand’s unique perspective on everyday carry.

https://gearpatrol.com/2019/02/12/james-brand-ellis/

Finally, a Swiss Army type knife that you can use outdoors!  And for only $99!  What a bargain!

 

Def

[RF52]

Or just stay with the SAK we all know and love.

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[Old man Chris]

I think I’ll stick with my SAK’s , thank you very much !

Chris

[Myron]

Nice effort, but sounds like most "better mousetraps." 

And a hundred bucks?

[zrxoa1]

Too much for a knife and screw driver


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[PTRSAK]

Or for much less than that I can have a new Soldier that will run rings around this thing and then dance on its grave... Pfffft.

[Barry Rowland]

I saw this, any sentiments are exactly the same as everyone here!

[SteveC]

 

[Gareth]

Silly marketing blurb aside; I'm not particularly convinced the primary tools I need in the great outdoors are a bottle opener and a small screwdriver.  Perhaps I've been doing it wrong?

[ezdog]

It seems to me that the Boker interpretations/near clones of the SAK are a lot more on point and I  do like the locking features there.
Also I can try a few for the price of this one.

[smiller43147]

Not sure what the size of this knife is, but it doesn't appear to have anything over any of the variations of the 111/130 SAKs.  And most of them are under $99.

[Poncho65]

 

 

 

[eTripper]

"Wrong!"

[CallsignBadger]

That made me go 

 

[ReamerPunch]

If there were only one iconic pocket knife, it’d likely be the Swiss Army Knife. The James Brand wants to replace it.

That's as far as I read. I might bother finishing the whole thing, but every time a company markets their product like this, it does not go well and it puts me off.

[Nix]

I kinda like the design.



Looks nice and clean. And it looks well made.
Probably easy to take apart to clean and maintain.
The pry-tool/scraper tail-piece is a nice touch. That seems handy.

But it does seem overpriced. Especially for 12C27.

I could get a similarly-sized Kershaw Leek with 14C28N steel for half the cost of the Ellis, or less.


Granted, the Kershaw doesn't come with that cool bail or a screwdriver. But I can use the Kershaw to lift a cap or two if the need arises.

If it were in the $50 price range and had a plain edged blade, I might consider it. Some S30V steel and I'd be looking a bit harder.

[SirVicaLot]

Ok, they want to improve the SAK ( ) by making a half serrated blade of that size ( ) and adding a lock mechanism. That didn‘t work the first time mind you, so they had to call them back. Now they add a double lock and slam a big price tag on it.

... Well, how does that saying go: „Everyday an idiot wakes up, you just gotta find them“

[Grant Lamontagne]

If someone actually did make a knife that was better than a Swiss Army Knife, I'd be the first in line for it, because that would be impressive as smurf, and well worth the cost of admission.

But, $100 for what is, at best an overpriced, locking blade version of the Waiter (which has an MSRP of $20 USD (or about 1/5th of The James Brand knife) and the Waiter has more functions, I pretty certain that this knife is not it.

Still, in typical MTO fashion, as soon as I can get my hands on one for a reasonable price I will test it and see if there is some magical property that makes it worth the $$.

Def

[Aloha]

Or for much less than that I can have a new Soldier that will run rings around this thing and then dance on its grave... Pfffft.

  

[Yadda]

Why is it that better mouse traps come with much higher prices? 

[Greg Jones]

Style wise I don't hate it, but as a SAK fan/owner/user, I think they will need to find their own market

[Aloha]

IMO what a shot right to their own foot is comparing or attempting to compare to a SAK.  I get it, go after the known.  The problem is when the known has been around for 100 plus years you BETTER bring it, even then you're likely to fall very short.  The way I see it is, don't tell us you've built a better mouse trap, tell us there is an alternative or option. 

[Greg Jones]

  exactly why I said they have to find their own market 

[Aloha]

exactly why I said they have to find their own market 

Yup.  Play to those looking for options. 

[CallsignBadger]

Great points here  


So far, I’m just refraining ranting about something that doesn't matter all that much 

[Aloha]

Its just talk.  You know, friends chatting it up, BSn.  Bustin' chops.   

[garza_andrew]

So I don't post a lot but this topic made me think of some things...

Anytime someone puts something besides a blade on a knife it will be compared to SAK's. I wanted a GEC that had a blade and bottle opener but never pulled the trigger, of course I thought which SAK would that compare it to and how that GEC might be better for me.

I think this knife will have it's own market and people who swear by it. Of course like all the James Brand items it does seem over priced but if I could find one that was more reasonable I would probably get it.

I am a SAK fanboy and when I'm deciding what to carry for the day 9 out of 10 times it's a SAK. If I don't like a knife I don't buy it. I remember when the Boker Tech tool came out people were reacting the same and that all died down over time.

[Barry Rowland]

I hate to break it to them, but the majority of screws in the US at least, are Philips head anyways.  Like I said, I'll stick with what I know. 

[Max Stone]

People who know and love SAK will buy on curiosity (price allowing). People with a $100 bill and less familiar with SAK will buy on impulse. I’m sure they’ll sell a few 

[Gath]

Nice effort, but sounds like most "better mousetraps." 

And a hundred bucks?

You know, that's actually a rather ironic saying in that just a few years after it's invention the now ubiquitous mousetrap was invented, and has sold overwhelmingly well.

So some use the saying in a positive sense, minding that story, while most now see it as a futile endeavor, like designing a better mousetrap seems to be now.