Is a 58mm enough?

[Mad Scientist]

Is there anyone out there that carries ONLY a 58mm Vic as their EDC? I don't mean in addition to, I mean that's your only knife or multi-tool. Do you also carry a light or pen, or do you carry a 58mm that includes one or both of those? Have you found it to be adequate as your primary tool?

[pfrsantos]

Is there anyone out there that carries ONLY a 58mm Vic as their EDC? I don't mean in addition to, I mean that's your only knife or multi-tool. Do you also carry a light or pen, or do you carry a 58mm that includes one or both of those? Have you found it to be adequate as your primary tool?

I have a Midnite Manager for EDC, plus a Nitecore Tube. The SAK would be more than enough, it's got a pen and light. I have the Nitecore because it's easier to access and the light is brighter.

It could be my only EDC. I usually carry another larger blade, for food prep. Just because I like larger blades while eating. The Midnite Manager would be more than adequate, though.

 

[Swede-nox]

I don't. My EDC was a Vtnx Passenger for many years. Now I use a Voyager. I do have a number of other Vtnx knives and I keep a white Classic SD attached to my car key. The need for a number of tools is almost necessary. The bottle opener, the regular and Phillps screwdrivers, the tweezer and some of the others are quiet handy when you need them.

[Aloha]

The way you've worded your post is interesting.  Based on that wording I'd say yes. I carry a Midnight Manager now thanks to FolderBeholder.  Previously I carried a Manager.  I talked about a time when I had pushed it IMO beyond its intended purpose and it survived spectacular.  Perceived need is where many of us would feel the 58s may not be "enough". 

Give one a go in a 30 day challenge   

[powernoodle]

It all depends on what you intend to do with it.  A 1.5" blade can only do so much, though it is far more capable than many people believe.  I cannot remember the last time I have needed more than a 1.5" blade.  But I do "need" - or at least like to carry - a SAK with a real 3D phillips, flat driver, etc.

So while I can make it through the day just fine with only a Classic or Manager, my desire for some degree of preparedness compels me to carry more.  It so easy to carry more that I see no benefit in doing otherwise.  Each to his own on that one.

[cody6268]

Around the house, I've noticed an Alox Classic SD does what I need. And, a 58mm is really easy to maintain a razor's edge on. And, so light and so slim, I can't tell it's on me.

[Sneider]

I'm pretty minimalist and have tried to using only my manager on my keychain, but it's not enough for me. I often need a larger blade, especially for food preparation. And I do quite a lot of cutting work, opening large boxes and pallet packaging, shredding thick cardboard, etc. This is theoretically possible with a small blade, but the handle is simply too small to work regularly and with force.

[cbl51]

It all depends on where you are, and what you're doing.

In my years living in and around Washington D.C., and all the government buildings having strict weapons rules and security to go through in entering, there were many days I carried a classic as my sole EDC knife/tool. It was enough for an urban/suburban environment. It opened boxes by cutting packing tape, it opened plastic blister packages, opened mail, cut jute twine, cut bell peppers to have with my lunch as well as slice some havarti or gouda cheese. The SD tip of the nail file was my sole tool to replace the broken spring latch on a Sear's Kenmore clothes drier, fix a conked out Vespa motor scooter on a dirt road in middle of nowhere, fix a  rented fishing reel on a rented boat out on "the Flats" offshore from key West while on vacation. It opened cold brews, cut up bait, and later that night sliced up little key limes for cold vodka tonics. The tweezers has plucked a sticker from up between dog paw pads, and so much more.

For like 20 something years my classic was my EDC pocket knife for around D.C. and traveling on vacation. I'd mail one to where I was staying and gave it to the airport shuttle driver on leaving. No, a 58mm is not going to make it making sushi in the kitchen or slicing up a roast chicken. It won't help you much marooned in the Alaska bush country, or work hacking your way through the Amazon jungle. But...it will work fine for all the little cutting jobs you will run into in the city.

Its all about perceived need and real world. need. Sometimes the gap between the two is a large one. If we rule out the Walter Mitty perception that we may have to save the world, or a small part of it on a moments notice, then the 58mm is not enough. If we just want something to open packages, cut some cheese to put on a cracker, or snip off some plastic price tags, sharpen a pencil, or any of the other non heroic deeds a pocket knife is used for, a 58mm will work just fine for an EDC.

For those 20 some years I carried one, it was in a leather pouch I made for it, on my keyring. On the ring was also my beat up old Fenix E01, and in my wallet was my Sear's 4-way keychain screw driver and my old P-38. With the classic and those few items, I had flat and Phillips screw driver capabilities along with can opening, bottle opening, light prying, light when it was dark, and snipping, plucking and nail trimming ability.

If I went fishing, I carried my fishing knife in my tackle box. If I went woods walking or camping, then my Buck 102 was on my hip. If I was just knocking around the town, going to the museum, National Gallery Of Art, the zoo, movies/theater, or breaking down a large pizza box for the recycle bin, why do I need more than an inch and a half of blade? If I thought I'd need more blade in the course of the day, an Opinel number 6 got dropped in the pocket. But that was rare.

For most of the non obsessed and non knife people in the world, the Victorinox 58mm's are all they need. It seems to be backed up with the sales figures of the classic by itself. One of the knife magazines had the cover pic of the classic with the article title of "The most confiscated knife in the world." I think for the non knife nut or obsessed cult object worshiper, they go out and buy the classic as a small, innocuous tool that gets dropped in a purse pr pocket in case of need to cut/snipe/pluck/screw/unscrew something that doesn't take up a lot of pocket or purse space.

If you're not the Caped Crusader saving Gotham, a resistance fighter yelling "Wolverines!" or a special operative on a high risk Hollywood mission, a 58mm will be fine for 99% of what you need. I haven't run into an Amazon or UPS box that defeats it.

[MichaelGT83]

 

Pretty much sums up my experience. As an office dweller, a classic on my keyring is perfectly adequate. The other SAKs are mainly at home, or go in a pocket or bag when I need them.

[Jud65]

 
To be honest I struggle to find a rationale for carrying anything bigger than a 58mm, especially living in the UK. I love my cadet and my compacts but a Midnite Manager will tick every EDC box in my day to day life - knife, scissors, pen, light, screwdriver and cap lifter. Hard to argue with it. The only change I’ve made is to swap for a manager and a nitecore tiki. I find the SAK without the LED scale a little neater profile-wise and prefer a dedicated light source, although I couldn’t claim that it’s essential.
However, even given all that, the 58mm is just a bit too small. If they made the same toolset in a 74mm I would never buy another SAK. I love the dimensions of the Executive but can’t get on with the toolset. If anyone wants to make a Manager, or even a Rambler in 74mm I’ll be the first in the queue.

[cbl51]

To be honest I struggle to find a rationale for carrying anything bigger than a 58mm, especially living in the UK. I love my cadet and my compacts but a Midnite Manager will tick every EDC box in my day to day life - knife, scissors, pen, light, screwdriver and cap lifter. Hard to argue with it. The only change I’ve made is to swap for a manager and a nitecore tiki. I find the SAK without the LED scale a little neater profile-wise and prefer a dedicated light source, although I couldn’t claim that it’s essential.
However, even given all that, the 58mm is just a bit too small. If they made the same toolset in a 74mm I would never buy another SAK. I love the dimensions of the Executive but can’t get on with the toolset. If anyone wants to make a Manager, or even a Rambler in 74mm I’ll be the first in the queue.

Yeah, I love the size of the executive and the two blade choices, but I wish it had the SD tipped nail file from the classic and they would loose that orange peeler. I'd love a 74mm classic but I don't think thats ever going to happen.

I also prefer a real light source from a real flashlight, even a small one like the Eo1 or even the LED mag light solitaire. Over the years I've developed a real dislike of the little coin cells. Give me a AAA light any day!

[cbl51]

Cursed double post!

[Steelej1976]

Good question.  I would say yes definitely.  I didn't carry any knife for 20 years and survived just fine.  That being said I got back into Swiss Army Knives a couple years ago and my EDC now is a Classic SD and a Tinker.  I could get by  with just the Classic but the Tinker is the best knife ever IMO and really is handy to have.

As far as a light I have an AAA Streamlight Microstream that I love.  The Streamlight is the most important item I EDC after my keys and wallet. 

[getahl]

My current EDC knife is a Classic in my keychain and a Gerber EAB in the pocket. I'm an office drone, so those plus a paring knife in my lunch box do me fine. I don't use the ten or so pocket knives I have left at work very much otherwise.

[nate j]

I have to agree that a 58mm is probably enough for most people most of the time.  It is certainly much better than no SAK at all.

I could get by with a 58mm some days.  Other days, carrying only a 58mm would definitely leave me wanting.  Specifically:

• Sometimes the blade on the 58mm simply isn't long enough.  For tasks like cutting up an apple or a summer sausage, the 58mm blade is too short to do an efficient job.  For things like depressing the door latch so I can let myself back in the house after locking myself out, the 58mm blade would probably just be too short to do the job.
• The 58mm scissors are excellent for their size, but aren't the equal of 91mm and larger scissors, especially when there is tough material (like my fingernails) that needs to be cut.
• I've saved the day (or at least the meal) more than once with the can opener on my SAK.  The smallest SAKs to feature this tool, of course, are the 84mm line.

Rather than trying to figure out in advance which type of day it will be (i.e. whether or not I will be able to manage with just a 58mm SAK that day), I simply consider a 91mm SAK to be my minimum standard.

[ulzhan]

Normally I use the Swisschamp XLT: But I could get by with my Minichamp Alox. That's quite capable and also very small.

[cbl51]

Good question.  I would say yes definitely.  I didn't carry any knife for 20 years and survived just fine.  That being said I got back into Swiss Army Knives a couple years ago and my EDC now is a Classic SD and a Tinker.  I could get by  with just the Classic but the Tinker is the best knife ever IMO and really is handy to have.

As far as a light I have an AAA Streamlight Microstream that I love.  The Streamlight is the most important item I EDC after my keys and wallet.

Steele, you make a great point. These days, so many, if not the vast majority of people, don't even bother carrying any pocket knife at all. None. nada. Zip. BUT...somehow the streets are not littered with the bodies of those who perished because they didn't have a SAK/multitool/knife on them. Life goes on in New York, London, Washington D.C., Dublin, Yokohama, Madrid, Rome, Miami, and most other places around the world with people living their whole lives not carrying a knife or tool of any kind.

Its the obsessed cult worship people likes, who put an object on a pedestal  to shorship at that sometimes looses sight of reality. Very often we need much less than we think. I've been on dedicated knife forums that has people so entrenched in their worship of the item that they think doom will descend on them if they don't have their latest and greatest tactical knife and gun that the knife magazines and gun magazines preach as the highest evolution of its kind. That death and destruction will ensue of they don't have enough blade to skin a buffalo or fight off hostile Comanches.

No, a 58mm will not slice a fresh roasted steamship round of beef, or slice a loaf of French bread on a picnic. But it will cut most of what we need to cut. better than nothing at all. Like a derringer, its a mostly thing. Mostof what we need to cut. In 1991, I had to crawl into an upside down old Datsun that had rolled and was sitting on its roof and starting to burn. The female driver was unable to get out as her seat belt would not release with all her weight on it. I ended up using a blade that was on inch and three quarters to cut the belt so we could then crawl out of the smoky wreck. It was the 20 year old well worn sheep foot blade of the Buck stockman had in my pocket. A 58mm blade would've done just as well.

The whole point for most people is, they don't want to be bothered. We, the obsessed and afflicted on this site, are not dealing with the same mindset of the Ono enthusiast mind set. Its like the gun thing and why small pocket size guns are so popular. Some people recognize that a tool fir self defense is needed in toads crazy world. BUT...they are not gun nuts so they don't want to be bothered by a 3 pound lump of gun. So they buy a small one pound or less gun that fits in a pocket within trouble. Odds are they will never need it. BUT..its there if need be, and if used right, it will be enough. Most situations like muggings, car jacking's, assaults,  are over with a few shots at a few yards in a few seconds. You don't need a 17 round Glock, but a nice little 6 round Ruger LCP will do well enough. Or even a little 6 once NAA mini revolver if used well. Just like the little 58mm, if used within its limits, is a very viable tool for modern day urban life.

If I have to slice sausage or bread, thats what Victorinox serrated edge paring knives are for. Especially the ones that come with the matching  red plastic blade covers for coat/jacket carry. My wife has been carrying one her purse for a few years now for our impromptu picnics. I've started to replace my Buck 102 woodsman with one. It sure makes a GREAT fishing knife. And they weigh nothing, so it seems like a light breeze will blow them away.

Its all about how you are, and what your doing. Look at how much real work is done with a box cutter or utility knife with a one inch blade.

[Barry Rowland]

   My wife has edc'd a Classic since 1978 and I can't give her anything else...except a No. 6 Opinel in her outdoor drawing bag.   Now that I think about it, my true EDC is a Classic 99% of the time, sometimes swapped out for a Wenger PTC or a Vic Exec.  When I use the Exec, it's the small blade that I use exclusively. 

[cbl51]

  My wife has edc'd a Classic since 1978 and I can't give her anything else...except a No. 6 Opinel in her outdoor drawing bag.   Now that I think about it, my true EDC is a Classic 99% of the time, sometimes swapped out for a Wenger PTC or a Vic Exec.  When I use the Exec, it's the small blade that I use exclusively.

Barry, it was my wife that got me to be a huge fan of the classic. Before that I thought the 58mm line was kind of a joke. The joke was on me. For a few months I watched Karen beat, abuse, and use the ever lovin dog poo out of that little itty bitty SAK. I really expected at any moment to hear the faint metallic sound of little knife parts dropping on the floor as it exploded or imploded from the heavy use my wife was dihing out.

It didn't happen.

I took to sneaking in her purse when she was in the shower to examine her classic, and aside from a bit of wobble in the SD nail file that she had pried up some patio stones with, it was fine. That led to my "experiment". I went out and bought a classic. This was about the mid 1990's. I then made t a conscious choice when I had to do something with my SAK, I'd leave my little tinker in my pocket ands the classic. I didn't expect much. I was wrong. After three months, had cut, screwed, unscrewed, lightly pried, filed, sniped, and many other things I'd have used a larger SAK like my small tinker for. The only fail was food use, and wood processing in the woods of course.

I found that for my life in around D.C. and any other city I happened to be in, like Sarasota Florida, Key West, Baltimore, where ever, the classic did one hell of a job. For food use, I started to carry a Christy knife or Opinel number 6. For the next 25 years or so, until Nix gifted me the executive, my EDC carry most the time was a classic and an Opinel. If I went woods walking or camping, my 102 Buck was on my hip. If I went camping, the 102 was it. But for 99% of my urban/sububan carry, the classic and Opinel was it. And in and around D.C. I went into the Department Of Agriculture, the Department Of Commerce, all the Smithsonian Museum complex's and National Gallery Of Art with the little classic under the radar. The only time the classic didn't make it, was at the Empire State Building in New York City. Then they held it for me until we came back down.

The 58mm is the unsung hero of Sakdom.

[Barry Rowland]

Exactly!  My wife pulled her Classic out the other day and was going to cut some fine wire with the scissors until I handed her a wire cutter.  For being 43 years old, the only she's ever replaced in it has been the toothpick.  It's an abused piece of gear, but it honestly is still tight.  You're right sir, it's definitely the unsung hero of multitools!  We're not alone.  YouTube is full of fans of the Classic, especially hikers.  Mine had n my companion for years.  My first one, a gift for Christmas 1985, is still with me.  I had it sent to Monroe, Ct for the Vic spa treatment s few years back. 

[Notyetold]

Started off carrying a Classic years ago. Moved to a Classic/Fisherman combo, but found it to be a bit bulky over time. Then went to a Classic/Spartan combo, but found that I used the small blade on the Spartan and not much else. Bought an Alox Mini Champ and, combined with a P38,  it's been my EDC since last November. So far this setup has handled everything it's been asked to do from slicing and dicing, tightening screws, cutting coupons and pennants, scraping, opening bottles/cans, and filing. That Cut'N'Picker (orange peeler) is a godsend for opening blister packages and the Cuticle Pusher makes for a dandy screw driver/scraper.  I bought an Alox Bantam to supplement the Mini Champ blades  but it sits in a box unused.   The wife has her Green Classic and wouldn't even think of carrying anything else.

[Sawl Goodman]

Big fan of the Rambler here. I prefer it over the Classic for its superb #0-#2 Phillips combo tool and because the blade opens away from the keyring. The scissors are normally all I need when out and about. If you don't need a can opener or awl you can think of the Rambler as a capable mini Super Tinker with a more practical Phillips and a nail file!

But the Rambler can't be my only knife as it lacks a corkscrew, can opener, and awl, and because the blade is too short and flexible for some applications like trimming roots from the bottoms of plant pots, cutting irrigation pipe, quartering apples and pears. I couldn't have screwed the lens back into someone's glasses the other day without the mini SD from my Tourist's corkscrew. Of course I could keep a Mini SD and P38 in my wallet but that isn't always close by. Also, I've carried knives similar to the Tourist and Spartan since long before I knew of the 58mm Vics. They're nicer to hold, consume little space, and I feel naked without one in my pocket.

[Barry Rowland]

Anybody ever team a 58 up with a Compact?

[pomsbz]

I team up a Rambler with a Spartan. The 58mm is great for what it is, a small keychain tool but the blade is far too small and flimsy for my needs and I use the tools on the Spartan constantly. There's also the matter of the bigger handle. Although the small blade on my Spartan gets the majority of use, I'd still not want a handle any smaller.

[nate j]

Anybody ever team a 58 up with a Compact?

 
I'm thinking most of the functions that would be found on a 58mm are already going to be covered by the Compact.

[Aloha]

Some very good responses.  I want to add to what I've said.  I mention perceived need so I wanted to follow up and say, there are times when I only reach for my 58mm.  The are times when my 58mm is the right tool for the job.  There are times when my 58mm is the best tool for the job.  Is it enough?  Yes, is what I answered based on the work "enough".

I would not only carry a 58mm for work.  I would not reach for my 58mm for most yard work chores.  A 58mm is not enough for most food cutting I do.  My 58mm has limits do only to size. 

I would not stop carrying my 58mm.   

Sometimes the notion whats worked for you means it should work for me.  The last 20 years have proven that I do require more cutting reach, strength, and in many cases OHO or a fixed blade.  A 58mm let alone a SAK falls short every time for my work needs.  Does that mean I don't carry one?  Lets not be hasty, they have a place just not as my only option.  I don't buy the notion any knife is better than no knife for all situations.  Thats a painted corner I don't restrain myself to.  When at work safety is my main concern.  I've am not certain a 58mm cannot cut branded hose or other materials but I also don't need to find out. 

Like any tradesman, I know what tools work and which don't.  I think there is a big difference for those that hike maintained, highly trafficked trails, during peak seasons and those doing back country treks.  I'm fairly certain hunters of big game wouldn't feel a 58mm was enough or better than no knife?  Divers, Climbers, Cavers, boater, off roaders, etc. 

DO NOT GET ME WRONG.  A 58mm is a fantastically capable knife.  I carry one EVERYDAY and have since getting my Manager.  Its splendid and has saved me time and energy at work.  When I said perceived need I misspoke.  I should have said needs. 

Is a 58mm enough?  Yes, but that is within reason to what you've needed a knife for given whatever it is your take a knife with your for. 

Day to day ( off day ) I very well could carry my 58mm and be fine.  Whatever task it couldn't handle I'd just move on.  Its why I stopped carrying my MT daily.  I am not feeling I need to have a solution for everything.       

[Barry Rowland]

For me, I find that 75% of the time my EDC needs are met with a blade.  While I absolutely love the big Vics, i.e. Workchamp, Swisschamp, etc., I wind up using their blades more than anything except possibly the scissors.  On the Swisschamp, I use the small blade most of the time.  I got into that habit opening boxes with my Huntsman when I worked retail in the early 80's.  Interesting enough that small blade is pretty close to 58mm!

[Sawl Goodman]

For me, I find that 75% of the time my EDC needs are met with a blade.  While I absolutely love the big Vics, i.e. Workchamp, Swisschamp, etc., I wind up using their blades more than anything except possibly the scissors.  On the Swisschamp, I use the small blade most of the time.  I got into that habit opening boxes with my Huntsman when I worked retail in the early 80's. Interesting enough that small blade is pretty close to 58mm!

I use the small blade a lot. But even the 84mm one is sturdier than the 58mm, and the knife is easier to hold.

Really, I carry the Rambler for the scissors, nail file, and Phillips. The blade is just a bonus I rarely use.

[Aloha]

Knife usage is I feel is situational.  58mm is enough.  The small blade on the larger SAKs is a great size too.  My off days are where I find I particular enjoy a small blade.  I did try to cut deep dish pizza a couple nights ago with utter failure.  hahaha


 

[cbl51]

Some very good responses.  I want to add to what I've said.  I mention perceived need so I wanted to follow up and say, there are times when I only reach for my 58mm.  The are times when my 58mm is the right tool for the job.  There are times when my 58mm is the best tool for the job.  Is it enough?  Yes, is what I answered based on the work "enough".

I would not only carry a 58mm for work.  I would not reach for my 58mm for most yard work chores.  A 58mm is not enough for most food cutting I do.  My 58mm has limits do only to size. 

I would not stop carrying my 58mm.   

Sometimes the notion whats worked for you means it should work for me.  The last 20 years have proven that I do require more cutting reach, strength, and in many cases OHO or a fixed blade.  A 58mm let alone a SAK falls short every time for my work needs.  Does that mean I don't carry one?  Lets not be hasty, they have a place just not as my only option.  I don't buy the notion any knife is better than no knife for all situations.  Thats a painted corner I don't restrain myself to.  When at work safety is my main concern.  I've am not certain a 58mm cannot cut branded hose or other materials but I also don't need to find out. 

Like any tradesman, I know what tools work and which don't.  I think there is a big difference for those that hike maintained, highly trafficked trails, during peak seasons and those doing back country treks.  I'm fairly certain hunters of big game wouldn't feel a 58mm was enough or better than no knife?  Divers, Climbers, Cavers, boater, off roaders, etc. 

DO NOT GET ME WRONG.  A 58mm is a fantastically capable knife.  I carry one EVERYDAY and have since getting my Manager.  Its splendid and has saved me time and energy at work.  When I said perceived need I misspoke.  I should have said needs. 

Is a 58mm enough?  Yes, but that is within reason to what you've needed a knife for given whatever it is your take a knife with your for. 

Day to day ( off day ) I very well could carry my 58mm and be fine.  Whatever task it couldn't handle I'd just move on.  Its why I stopped carrying my MT daily.  I am not feeling I need to have a solution for everything.