Brotherhood of the cross.

[cbl51]

That little silver cross.

People get noticed for all kinds of things. You're wearing a Panama Jack flat cap and you run into someone at the store in the exact hat. You give each other a nod of acknowledgment. Or you're riding an old BMW twin, the airhead, and you see another airhead and you give each other a thumb up or more vigorous wave.

Or you're sitting in a BBQ joint that serves great BBQ, but like most Texas BBQ joints they serve on paper and have plastic utensils. Over at the next table a guy is using his pocket knife to slice apart some nice meaty ribs off the rack. You see the distinctive red handles and you know your in the presence of a brother of the SAK.

Or you're at the watch counter at Walmart, and the 30 something young lady is trying to get a new watch band put on, the counter girl is new and doesn't have the faintest idea of what she's doing. The 30 something lady customer takes her watch back, and digs in her purse. She comes up with her keyring and with the little classic and tweezers, puts on the new watch band herself. A sister of the Brotherhood.

The SAK is such a distinctive little knife/tool, that from across the room you know what it is. Unlike the modern so called tactical lockblades that are the rage these days, which all look aloes for two feet away, a SAK is a SAK and never will be mistaken for anything else. When Francis Gary powers was shot over the U.S.S.R. on his ill fated U-2 flight, the Russians displayed all his gear out on a table for the press. His .22 Colt Woodsman, his Randall knife, his survivall gear, and that little knife with all the different blades and tool with the red handles and silver cross.

When Sir Edmond Hillary conquered Mt. Everest, his gear on display included a SAK. I can only hazard a guess it was called a climber?

When he space shuttle crew went up to fix the Hubble Telescope, their tools included a SAK. Those astronauts were the cream of the crop of their field.

And who could ever forget that the esteemed person who has influenced not one but two challenges here on this forum, Chuck Yeager. The man who choose a smaller SAK, the executive, as his EDC for all time. That includes disappearing into the Sierra Nevada mountains for two weeks at a time for his trout fishing back packing trips.

So it would seen like the brotherhood of the SAK includes some remarkable people.

Being the most mass produced pocket knife in the world, I would guess that its really not that uncommon to see one in use. But its still a cheap thrill to see one use in the real world. In this day and age of pocket clips and tactical knives, its nice to know that some people still have their basis in reality, not to mention practicality. Knife World Magazine many years ago ran an article on Victorinox. They stated that Victorinox produced a bit over 35 million SAK's a year. Thats a lot of SAK's any way you count them. I wonder that many people are buying the little red handled wonder from the Alps. I can't imagine 35 million SAK's a year going into pockets, purses, fishing kits, advertising give aways.

A few years ago, the Buck knife company released a statement that they had made the 10 millionth Buck 110 folding hunter. The 10 millionth!

Since the Buck 110 came out in about 1964, then it took them about 50 years to make as many classics as Victorinox makes in a single year! Wow. I can only wonder how many classes have been made in 50 years and are still being carried?

I'm very happy to being such a brotherhood. Since we go to California a couple times a year, and sometimes go up to Mammoth Lake, stop in Lone Pine California for lunch. Maybe I'll even run into Mr. Yeager since he lives there and has lunch in that same restaurant. Maybe we can compare wear on our executives.

[Rapidray]

Meeting him would be an honor! 

[zrxoa1]

I will openly admit that I miss the feel and beefier tools of my Wenger SI, Pioneer X and  a few of my 111mm SAKs.

However, since I started carrying ONLY the Executive, I have not been in a situation that required more than that little tool had.

The super sharp little blade even cut up some heavy duty cardboard!

All hail the mighty little Executive!!!



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[Storm]

Don't forget the brothers and sisters  in silver !

[cbl51]

Don't forget the brothers and sisters  in silver !

Never, NEVER, under estimate what those alox scout pattern SAK's are capable. I still have my old Wenger SI in the glove box of my car for what some emergency would be that my executive may not handle. When I was in the army, they issued those all steel Camillus scout patterns, and I saw GI's abuse them in ways that made a knife nut like me have nightmares. It was rare to see one break, but they got it done. Countries I served in while in the Combat Engineers outside the U.S. was West Germany, England, Libya (pre Gadafi at Wheelus Air Force base) and Vietnam. Being in the engineers was like one construction job after another. We built buildings, roads, and at Wheelus Air Force Base, extended the runways to handle B-52's. The issue scout knife was an indispensable piece of gear. While base in West Germany, I did a three day survival course ran by the Special Forces guys based there, and the Camillus scout knife was the issued knife the course. It took place in the Black Forest and that little knife made shelter, and did prep work for the camp fire to stay warm at night. The alox SAK versions even better. 

[BClogic]

I'm honored to be included in this Brotherhood. I always keep an eye out for another SAK user!  

[FolderBeholder]

I enjoyed the read cbl51.
I like being among the sisterhood of the SAK.
I went through a single blade phase where I toted a Hinderer or Sebenza, but every time I needed a tool, my knife didn't have the tool I needed.
Turns out I need scissors, and a Philips way more often than a blade.

[cbl51]

I enjoyed the read cbl51.
I like being among the sisterhood of the SAK.
I went through a single blade phase where I toted a Hinderer or Sebenza, but every time I needed a tool, my knife didn't have the tool I needed.
Turns out I need scissors, and a Philips way more often than a blade.

I know what you mean! When the Buck 110 came out and took the whole known knife world by storm, I actually tried to carry one. that one single blade was just too darn limiting, not to mention the knife was as heavy as my handgun . The knife blade was either too long, too wide or I needed a screw driver or other tool. I ditched it and never went back.

A knife is just a one trick pony. A SAK is a small bundle of solutions to the little problems life likes to throw our way now and then.

[FolderBeholder]

A SAK is a small bundle of solutions

Should be their motto! 

[Barry Rowland]

  with that!!

[Rapidray]

  X2

[Acuphys1]

X3



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[Frailer]

Should be their motto! 

Indeed!   

[Rich S]

Does the Knights have a logo cap? Or ever had one?  We should. If there is such, where/how do I get one?
Rich

[VICMAN]

Nice read cbl!

I enjoy being a member of the Brotherhood of the Cross too!

[ElevenBlade]

I'll admit, I'm knife nuttier than most.   I'll use my SAK while out and about.  With the nuttiness comes a bit more trivial knowledge. I have on two occasions, most recently last weekend, been the recipient of an acknowledgement of the Brotherhood wherein the other person points out to me that my Soldier is a "fake".

The first was convinced that the "generic" shield on the "61 Soldier" indicated that it was fake, and "schooled" me as such ... This weekend the fellow who noted the shield was not the official Victorinox logo and simply asked why the logo was different - allowing me to explain.

Aside from these few run-ins I would have to say that my in-person meetings with Brothers of the Cross is few and far between.