Why can't Victorinox manage to make a sensible multi-tool nowadays?

[fyrstormer]

Eh, I've had a Wenger EvoGrip S557 for close to a decade now, so I've had plenty of time to figure out uses for the nut-wrench and the tiny pliers, and it just hasn't happened. I do admit the Victorinox pliers are better-designed; the Wenger pliers look like they might be more capable at first-glance since they have the slip joint, but they're just too small for that to actually matter; but I've never found an adequate use-case for either version of the tiny pliers.

I do continue to like the M4 Sebertool that I've been carrying in my pocket for decades, though. As the smallest butterfly-style multi-tool that isn't complete garbage (I'm looking at you, Gerber Dime and Leatherman Squirt), the M4 Sebertool's pliers are big enough and hardened enough to actually withstand a meaningful amount of force -- enough force for the handles to leave bruises in my hand if I really bear-down on them. If all I could carry were a keychain multi-tool, the M4 Sebertool would win -- and in fact that's why I've had one in my pocket for at least 20 years.

I guess what I'm saying is, I've got the tiny-pliers problem solved already -- and in a form-factor that I can work into extremely tight spaces much more easily than I could with tiny pliers attached to a Swiss Army knife.

- - -

Anyway, I bought a couple more EvoGrip S54's to modify at some point in the future. I also bought a Junior to use the round-tipped blade in a build for my son when he gets to the age where he can be trusted with sharp things. He isn't quite 3 years old yet, so it'll be a few years before he gets a pocket knife, but I've learned through bitter experience not to wait to buy things I might want in the future, because 9 times out of 10 they will be discontinued by then. And if this is the 1 time out of 10 when there's actually a better product on the market at that point, I can always re-sell the EvoGrip S54's as "vintage new-old-stock".

On a related note, I find that I like the plain (non-rubberized) scales on the Junior quite a bit more than I originally expected.

[SteveP]

For Vic pliers ideas and info, take a look at NikGyver's YouYube video "Victorinox Pliers,Infos,Uses,Hacks,Test(English)":

[SteveP]

I do continue to like the M4 Sebertool that I've been carrying in my pocket for decades, though. As the smallest butterfly-style multi-tool that isn't complete garbage (I'm looking at you, Gerber Dime and Leatherman Squirt), the M4 Sebertool's pliers are big enough and hardened enough to actually withstand a meaningful amount of force -- enough force for the handles to leave bruises in my hand if I really bear-down on them. If all I could carry were a keychain multi-tool, the M4 Sebertool would win -- and in fact that's why I've had one in my pocket for at least 20 years.

I guess what I'm saying is, I've got the tiny-pliers problem solved already -- and in a form-factor that I can work into extremely tight spaces much more easily than I could with tiny pliers attached to a Swiss Army knife.

Another Sebertool user!   

I carry an M2. Been looking for another M2 or an M3, but the prices are crazy. I don't need the extra blades of the M4 as I carry a Mini Champ on the same key ring and that covers the knife, small screwdrivers, etc.

[PitCarver]

I do continue to like the M4 Sebertool that I've been carrying in my pocket for decades, though. As the smallest butterfly-style multi-tool that isn't complete garbage (I'm looking at you, Gerber Dime and Leatherman Squirt), the M4 Sebertool's pliers are big enough and hardened enough to actually withstand a meaningful amount of force -- enough force for the handles to leave bruises in my hand if I really bear-down on them. If all I could carry were a keychain multi-tool, the M4 Sebertool would win -- and in fact that's why I've had one in my pocket for at least 20 years.

I guess what I'm saying is, I've got the tiny-pliers problem solved already -- and in a form-factor that I can work into extremely tight spaces much more easily than I could with tiny pliers attached to a Swiss Army knife.

The M4 is certainly one that I wish was still in production.
Mine stays in the pistol case with my Beretta.

[SteveP]

Hmmm, a Sebertool Challenge might be interesting?

[Singh]

Ok, so SAK plies are a no-go. How about this:


Vic Ranger. All the tools as the Swisstool, minus pliers, and only 4 ounces.

 Or you can get a Swisstool Spirit X which is lighter at 7oz versus 12oz  of your Swisstool X.

[fyrstormer]

Ok, so SAK plies are a no-go. How about this:
(Image removed from quote.)

Vic Ranger. All the tools as the Swisstool, minus pliers, and only 4 ounces.

 Or you can get a Swisstool Spirit X which is lighter at 7oz versus 12oz  of your Swisstool X.

I have a SwissTool Spirit X on-order from Amazon so I can compare it to my SwissTool and see what I think. The wavy handles turned me off in the past, but maybe that won't matter so much to me now. If it turns out I do like the Spirit X, I'll probably sell my SwissTool.

The Ranger looks promising, though I would need to replace the corkscrew, and I'd need to find out if there are backsprings I could find for the saw and file layers that don't have extra slots for the tiny flat screwdrivers. I suppose I could tolerate the presence of the package hook. But, as noted on Page 2, I just went ahead and built the SAK I wanted:







I wish Victorinox would adopt the Wenger blade lock and make it available on their 91mm models. There is room for it already, without needing to widen the blade slot.

[Singh]

I have a SwissTool Spirit X on-order from Amazon so I can compare it to my SwissTool and see what I think. The wavy handles turned me off in the past, but maybe that won't matter so much to me now.

I think you'll like it. I had the same reservations about the wavy handles, but they work just fine.

The Ranger looks promising, though I would need to replace the corkscrew

Yeah, that would be the Master Craftsmen configuration  aaaaand that was discontinued.  *shakes head*

But, as noted on Page 2, I just went ahead and built the SAK I wanted:


(Image removed from quote.)

Nicely done! A Wenger version of a Master Craftsmen with the added bonus of a locking blade.

[kamakiri]

Lol. Yeah, the closest models to the OP’s tool request list are all pretty much discontinued.

Craftsman (pliers version)
Master Craftsman/Astronaut/Space shuttle
84mm Master Craftsman 136kmaU
Grand Prix - no wood saw
Original 84mm Craftsman 136ka

Not discontinued, but I’ll also add the 111mm Workchamp we discussed earlier.

But all options above could use the bit driver as originally suggested.

Also coincidentally models found in pretty high numbers in my collection.

Post up when you get the Spirit X.  Curious what you think as I don’t have one of those. Perhaps for some of the same reasons.

[fyrstormer]

Lol. Yeah, the closest models to the OP%u2019s tool request list are all pretty much discontinued.

I guess I'm not their target demographic, for some reason.

Post up when you get the Spirit X.  Curious what you think as I don%u2019t have one of those. Perhaps for some of the same reasons.

The Spirit X arrived a couple days ago. I can hardly give a comprehensive review after only a couple days, but I did notice that within an hour of opening the package, my SwissTool X started to feel unnecessarily bulky -- stronger and stiffer for sure, but not necessarily more useful than the Spirit X. The only tool the Spirit X doesn't have is an extra-large flathead screwdriver/prybar, which I appreciated having but never actually used. The wood saw and metal file are slightly shorter, but using a multi-tool for sawing is always a bit of a "I know I should get a proper saw but I don't feel like walking back to the house" scenario anyway, and the slightly shorter saws should work fine in a pinch.

The scissors are definitely a unique design -- not sure why Victorinox decided to use a different design on the Spirit X and then never again on any of their other tools. They do, however, do the job of cutting things, so that's good. I don't know if this is a common problem, but mine didn't open far enough to expose every last bit of the cutting edges. I fixed this by grinding-down a nub on the back of one of the scissor blades, to allow it to open more:



It's a better tool than I expected it to be and I'm glad I finally bought one, but I'm going to reserve my final judgement until a long time from now.

- - -

In other news, I decided to go ahead and build my take on the Cybertool, as long as I'm in a modding mood.




note the "pruning blade" in the back, opposite the main blade. I decided to use this blade instead of the normal mini blade because the hooked tip looks like it would be useful for cutting open plastic packaging. I also kept the package hook because there was no convenient way to get rid of it, and I kept the chisel because maybe I'll find something to use it for someday and it's very unobtrusive in the meantime.



This one is a little over the top -- not impossible to hold and use effectively, but definitely not as ideal as something in the 6-layer range, which would have a nice square cross-section for an equally-secure grip with the blade horizontal or vertical. Technically this is 8 layers, but between the bit driver, the tasklight, and the pliers (which y'all finally convinced me to keep, since they are more effective than the Wenger version), it's really more like a 10.5-layer tool. It will probably live on my desk, where it will be most likely to get used when I have to do work inside my desktop PC.

Unfortunately I don't see a way to make a tool that's substantially thinner while still including the bit driver, because that would require omitting cutting tools that I consider more valuable than the bit driver for general-purpose use. If I were dead-set on making a tech-only Cybertool, I guess I'd omit the wood saw (cutting plastic could be done with the metal saw if necessary), the can opener and bottle opener, and the scissors because the knife can do that job if you're really careful with it and you keep it sharp. Getting rid of the tasklight would save some more space, but it's an excellent companion for the bit driver when working in tight spaces where larger lights aren't practical, so I'd have to be really desperate to reduce the tool's size to give-up the tasklight.

[SteveP]

Unfortunately I don't see a way to make a tool that's substantially thinner while still including the bit driver, because that would require omitting cutting tools that I consider more valuable than the bit driver for general-purpose use. If I were dead-set on making a tech-only Cybertool, I guess I'd omit the wood saw (cutting plastic could be done with the metal saw if necessary), the can opener and bottle opener, and the scissors because the knife can do that job if you're really careful with it and you keep it sharp. Getting rid of the tasklight would save some more space, but it's an excellent companion for the bit driver when working in tight spaces where larger lights aren't practical, so I'd have to be really desperate to reduce the tool's size to give-up the tasklight.

Very nice!

Have you thought of an inline Phillips with a hex bit coupler, instead of the Cybertool bit driver? Would give you standard 1/4" hex bit capability.

Granted, you'd have to carry the coupler and bits separately.

[kkokkolis]

No tool is useless. I use the fish scaler to remove gravel from my tires. I even use it to scratch myself gently.

Στάλθηκε από το MAR-LX1A μου χρησιμοποιώντας Tapatalk

[fyrstormer]

Another Sebertool user!   

I carry an M2. Been looking for another M2 or an M3, but the prices are crazy. I don't need the extra blades of the M4 as I carry a Mini Champ on the same key ring and that covers the knife, small screwdrivers, etc.

Somehow I overlooked this comment before.

In case you weren't aware, the M4 Sebertool is slightly larger than the M2 and M3, which also means the handles are about 1/4 inch longer. It's not a lot, but with a tool so small, even small changes in size can improve leverage noticeably.



Also, the knuckles where the handles fold-up are stronger on the M4, with the handles attaching to both sides of the knuckles instead of just one side, so you're less likely to shear-off a pivot pin if you squeeze too hard. I know from experience; I broke a M2 by shearing a pivot pin a long time ago, but when my first M4 finally broke, it was actually the pliers themselves that cracked and broke from a hairline fracture, while the knuckles never gave me any trouble.

[fyrstormer]

Very nice!

Have you thought of an inline Phillips with a hex bit coupler, instead of the Cybertool bit driver? Would give you standard 1/4" hex bit capability.

Granted, you'd have to carry the coupler and bits separately.

I'd considered that, but rather as a press-fit modification to the Phillips screwdriver on the back side of the handle, instead of as a removable add-on. I haven't gotten around to actually looking for a bit driver that I could modify to press-fit onto the Phillips screwdriver yet, though. I'll get around to that someday.

Btw, apparently 4mm is the standard for interchangeable driver bits in Metricland. (I originally thought it was some proprietary size that Victorinox came up with themselves.) I'm not sure why Metricland didn't go for 6mm instead, as that is much closer to 1/4" and allows for bits that can drive larger screws and for more torque to be applied, but they didn't consult me before making that decision. In any event, that means you can get 4mm driver bits for pretty much any screws you might encounter, because Victorinox isn't the only company that makes them.

[SteveP]

Somehow I overlooked this comment before.

In case you weren't aware, the M4 Sebertool is slightly larger than the M2 and M3, which also means the handles are about 1/4 inch longer. It's not a lot, but with a tool so small, even small changes in size can improve leverage noticeably.

(Image removed from quote.)

Also, the knuckles where the handles fold-up are stronger on the M4, with the handles attaching to both sides of the knuckles instead of just one side, so you're less likely to shear-off a pivot pin if you squeeze too hard. I know from experience; I broke a M2 by shearing a pivot pin a long time ago, but when my first M4 finally broke, it was actually the pliers themselves that cracked and broke from a hairline fracture, while the knuckles never gave me any trouble.

Thanks for your info on the M4. Yes, I've seen some comparisons online with an M2 and M3, so know that the M4 is larger.

As I've had no luck finding an M2 or M3 at a reasonable price, I picked up the Swiss+Tech equivalent of the M3 as a backup. I'm a little concerned at how much force the rotating shoulders on its arms can take and the pliers jaws are a completely different shape, but I'll give it a chance. I won't be doing anything heavy-duty with it so I think it will be OK.

[SteveP]

I'd considered that, but rather as a press-fit modification to the Phillips screwdriver on the back side of the handle, instead of as a removable add-on. I haven't gotten around to actually looking for a bit driver that I could modify to press-fit onto the Phillips screwdriver yet, though. I'll get around to that someday.

Btw, apparently 4mm is the standard for interchangeable driver bits in Metricland. (I originally thought it was some proprietary size that Victorinox came up with themselves.) I'm not sure why Metricland didn't go for 6mm instead, as that is much closer to 1/4" and allows for bits that can drive larger screws and for more torque to be applied, but they didn't consult me before making that decision. In any event, that means you can get 4mm driver bits for pretty much any screws you might encounter, because Victorinox isn't the only company that makes them.

Interesting. Thanks for the info.

I think I'll stick with my 1/4" setup as bits are available everywhere if I need something I don't have on me. Plus I can use 1/4" sockets with it too.

I used this setup over the weekend with a hex head driver bit to tighten all the screws on a couple of deck chairs. Saved me from having to walk aaaaaallllllllll the way from the back deck to the tool chest in the garage to get a hex head screwdriver.   

For what it's worth, I'm not a big fan of the backside Phillips because you need a lot of space to fit it in to use it. For example, I never would have been able to get to some of the screws under the slats on the deck chairs with it. But no problem with the inline Phillips. I've also seen varying user accounts of how much torque the frame can take from the backside Phillips, though that might have something to do with how many layers thick the SAK is?

A couple of other users on the forum have modded 1/4" sockets, gluing in magnets and filling the drive end with JB Weld or other material to be able to slide over the cap lifter. You could likely do something similar to slide over the Phillips.

[TazzieRob]

Well, mate, if the reason you haven't picked up a Spirit X until now 'cause it was funny lookin' I hope you realise how foolish you have been!

I always thought I'd buy a LM Wave, but the appeal just isn't there since getting the Spirit X. The asymmetric style does look a bit strange, but it has so much function built in, once you use it you appreciate it so much more.

It's still not perfect, but damn, for me it is pretty close

[fyrstormer]

Well, mate, if the reason you haven't picked up a Spirit X until now 'cause it was funny lookin' I hope you realise how foolish you have been!

I always thought I'd buy a LM Wave, but the appeal just isn't there since getting the Spirit X. The asymmetric style does look a bit strange, but it has so much function built in, once you use it you appreciate it so much more.

It's still not perfect, but damn, for me it is pretty close

Hey now, the appearance of a tool is an important factor. I can't just go walking around in public with a funny looking tool, the ladies might giggle at it. Gotta build up my confidence in private first.

Seriously though, the sculpted handles on the Spirit look better in person than they do in pictures.

- - -

I had a Wave, briefly. I quickly decided to get a Charge TTI instead. The texture on the Charge's scales is nicer, because it doesn't feel greasy after a couple minutes of use the way polished stainless-steel does, and I don't like having the blade pivots unsupported on one side like they are on the Wave. I gave the Wave to my dad. (at first glance that might sound like I pawned-off an inferior tool on my dad, but he never uses the thing anyway; he's not a pocket-tool kind of guy, for some reason. When I visited his house last month, the Wave was in the same drawer in the same position as it was when I checked on it previously a few years ago. Yes, I actually remember that sort of thing; no, I don't know why.)

[Nix]

It's still not perfect, but damn, for me it is pretty close

 

[fyrstormer]

Shortly after my last post in this thread, the tempered-glass desk I was using for every possible purpose (including as a workbench) for the past 10 years decided it was tired of being a desk, and decided to try being a pile of rubble instead.



Strangely, it wasn't the (direct) result of any sharp impacts on the desk surface, though I had certainly dropped a few things on it over the years. Nope, instead it just randomly exploded into a spray of broken glass (and left dents in the wall and scratches all over everything in that half of my office) while I was typing an email for work. Obviously fatigue was to blame, but it's not clear whether anything I had done previously caused it to fail when it wouldn't have failed otherwise; apparently IKEA has had a lot of complaints over the years about their tempered-glass desks shattering due to age.

Regardless of the cause, it resulted in an immediate cessation of all my hobbyist activities for months. I still haven't managed to get a new desktop for that frame, so I've been using a small cherry-wood table that my grandfather made as a desk since then.

- - -

However, during that time I've been using my customized Victorinox EvoGrip on a daily basis, as well as building a few more as spares while the exact parts I want to use are readily available. (the worst thing about being a hobbyist is the parts I need for my hobbies routinely disappear forever without warning, which encourages overbuying and hoarding.) I've also disassembled it a couple times to retrofit some additional modifications as I've realized they would be useful:



I replaced the nail-file/nail-cleaner with a secondary blade from a 91mm knife, which involved sanding-down the shim to accommodate the slightly-thicker knife blade. I also removed the flathead screwdriver and added a half-stop to its cam, so it would stay open in the right-angle position (shown above). To be honest, I'm not sure what the advantage is of having the flathead screwdriver stay open in the right-angle position, but all the Victorinox 91mm knives have this feature on their flathead screwdrivers, so maybe they know something I don't -- and if nothing else, it's one more thing to fiddle with when my hands are bored.

I also modified the rear scale to accommodate a pin and a ballpoint pen, same as the "Plus Scales" for the 91mm knives (shown below). Cutting the notch for the ballpoint pen was incredibly fiddly and I'm not content with the gap around the sides, but maybe I'll do it better next time...if I ultimately determine the ballpoint pen is useful enough to justify the effort.



- - -

In other news, I also replaced the red scales on my modified WorkChamp with olive-drab scales, which I think look better -- something about having that much bright red in one place was a bit much.



And I disassembled my slightly-ridiculous modified SwissChamp desk tool to replace the divider next to the pliers -- I had selected the incorrect divider when initially customizing the tool, and the divider I selected wasn't quite thick enough to keep the boss on the side of the pliers pivot from interfering with the can opener tool. While I was in there, I replaced the original pliers with the ones I had removed from my WorkChamp, which have a fingernail slot on the side, so I don't have to dig my fingernail under the tip of the pliers to open them up.



Speaking of the pliers, I've given some thought recently about whether there's any way to retrofit the 91mm pliers into an EvoGrip, because the Wenger-designed slip-joint pliers used in the EvoGrip are manufactured poorly and are basically useless. However, I haven't figured out yet how to compensate for the fact that the 91mm pliers are simply too long to fit in the EvoGrip's frame. It's not a major concern because, as I mentioned in the beginning of this thread, I have a separate set of tiny pliers in my pocket that I've been using for years and I'm happy with, but it gives me one more thing to think about instead of staring into the abyss when the occasion presents itself.

[Syncop8r]

 

You must be... shattered.
Did you put a Surge on the desk?

[fyrstormer]

You must be... shattered.
Did you put a Surge on the desk?

Not shattered 😛, but definitely stunned. Imagine typing away on your computer when you hear the sound of a car crash directly in front of you, and then a few thousand dollars' worth of equipment falls on the floor in a heap, all in the span of a second. I sat there covered in broken glass for a minute or so while my girlfriend sprinted around the house trying to figure out what had happened.

[kamakiri]

Pliers can be made to fit the Evo/85mm. Requires lots of trimming and a new inboard pivot. I think a pair of saw backsprings needed.

There are a couple more ways to assemble you 91mm toolset to both be thinner and avoid the clearance issue you had with the pliers rivet.

Build order:
Openers
CT
Pliers
Lite/Mag
Scissors
Wood Saw
Metal Saw
Blades

Mock this up and you’ll see you can delete some of liners, and use thinner ones where applicable. I believe the way you have it is (close to) the ‘thickest possible’ arrangement.

[fyrstormer]

Pliers can be made to fit the Evo/85mm. Requires lots of trimming and a new inboard pivot. I think a pair of saw backsprings needed.

That was the only way I could think of making it work. It seems like more trouble than it's worth, honestly.

There are a couple more ways to assemble you 91mm toolset to both be thinner and avoid the clearance issue you had with the pliers rivet.

Build order:
Openers
CT
Pliers
Lite/Mag
Scissors
Wood Saw
Metal Saw
Blades

Mock this up and you’ll see you can delete some of liners, and use thinner ones where applicable. I believe the way you have it is (close to) the ‘thickest possible’ arrangement.

Your suggested configuration doesn't put the bit driver and the light next to each other in the middle of the tool; that is a sub-optimal configuration for actually using the bit driver because the tool will be imbalanced while being rotated in my hand, and the light won't be able to shine into deep screw holes. I put those tools in the middle for a reason; the positions of the rest of the tools were largely dictated by which positions made them most accessible (or the least inaccessible) when opening them.

Anyway, I did the math on this a while ago, and I concluded that I could use thinner liners (if I were willing to spend hours painstakingly trimming those thinner liners to the correct shapes), or I could even delete some liners, but I would save at most 3mm of thickness. Then I'd have to tolerate the tradeoffs of tools whacking into each other more often when snapping closed, and reduced strength when applying torque to things like stubborn screws or paint can lids. Deleting liners is not worth the tradeoffs on a build this wide, because it can't save enough space to matter. It's only beneficial on thin builds where removing an extra millimeter or two is actually noticeable.

[kamakiri]

That was the only way I could think of making it work. It seems like more trouble than it's worth, honestly.

Yes, but that could be argued about any mod ever. Especially for any 84mm mod I’ve done…just because. You’re the one that asked. 

Your suggested configuration doesn't put the bit driver and the light next to each other in the middle of the tool; that is a sub-optimal configuration for actually using the bit driver because the tool will be imbalanced while being rotated in my hand, and the light won't be able to shine into deep screw holes. I put those tools in the middle for a reason; the positions of the rest of the tools were largely dictated by which positions made them most accessible (or the least inaccessible) when opening them.

Anyway, I did the math on this a while ago, and I concluded that I could use thinner liners (if I were willing to spend hours painstakingly trimming those thinner liners to the correct shapes), or I could even delete some liners, but I would save at most 3mm of thickness. Then I'd have to tolerate the tradeoffs of tools whacking into each other more often when snapping closed, and reduced strength when applying torque to things like stubborn screws or paint can lids. Deleting liners is not worth the tradeoffs on a build this wide, because it can't save enough space to matter. It's only beneficial on thin builds where removing an extra millimeter or two is actually noticeable.

That’s almost exactly what I guessed you’d say.

The Victorinox way would likely be:
Openers
Lite
CT
Pliers
Scissor
Saws
Blades

And for IT, the light and CT make sense to go together, aside from the space saving potential.

Anyway, the thing I suppose your missing is the Vic way of sharing the 1mm liner between the CT and Pliers. And as I said, there are multiple ways to assemble your toolset using all OEM parts. I wasn’t gonna go through all the permutations. And I’ve been surprised at some of the places Victorinox deleted liners. Saving space is just that.  Just sayin’.

[fyrstormer]

That’s almost exactly what I guessed you’d say.

I'm not sure whether to congratulate you on your prescience or apologize for being predictable. Do you have a preference?

The Victorinox way would likely be:
Openers
Lite
CT
Pliers
Scissor
Saws
Blades

I considered putting the scissors next to the saws, but the fingernail slot on the scissors was too hard to reach.

And for IT, the light and CT make sense to go together, aside from the space saving potential.

It annoys me that the pliers fold the opposite direction as the bit driver, because if the pliers and bit driver folded the same direction then I could put the light between them, so the light could be equally used for illuminating whatever the bit driver or the pliers were working on. Unfortunately that's not a viable option unless I want to start making significant modifications to parts, and I don't.

[Tasky]

Of course, Victorinox could end this argument once and for all if they would allow people to order custom-specced tools, which would not be difficult since they're just stacked plates of metal in the first place, but we'll probably never see that, even for a premium price. They only deal in high-volume orders.

And there's a good reason for that...
You ask a hundred different people what they want in a SAK, you'll get 150 different answers.
This thread is basically just one person's frustrated ranting and insistence on a very specific toolset, some of which is even outside of the standard layer configurations that Victorinox have taken 120+ years to figure out works best... Vic makes 45,000 SAKs per day, so now imagine even a fraction of those each being a custom order.

Even if they did offer a custom spec service, they'd need to charge a fortune in order to have enough staff and enough custom-machined parts, while still being able to produce the orders in a reasonable time and to the same high standards they have for their regular kit.
To quote the OP:

It seems like more trouble than it's worth, honestly.

[Farmer X]

+1. The nail has been given a good, hard hit square on its head.

Unless the OP is willing to accept some additional tools or mod an existing SAK (or have one modded), there is no one-and-done solution, especially if a locking blade is highly desired.

How would I go about getting that exact combination of tools? Let's start with the pry bar. While the Victorinox cap lifter can be used as a pry bar in a pinch, that isn't what it was designed for. Anymore, I prefer to carry a small tool that was designed with prying in mind. The bit driver is another thing I'd carry as a separate, dedicated tool. That would potentially allow me to work with any screw I might encounter.

That leaves a blade, a metal saw, a wood saw, scissors, bottle opener, can opener, and pen. The Ranger has all of those tools except the pen in its top layer. Of course, Plus scales would have to be added to get the pen, but that's not hard to do. If the hook is objectionable, seek out a pre-1991 Ranger. That would probably be the most cost-effective solution.

Just my $0.02.

[kamakiri]

I'm not sure whether to congratulate you on your prescience or apologize for being predictable. Do you have a preference?

Almost anything but those two options.

I considered putting the scissors next to the saws, but the fingernail slot on the scissors was too hard to reach.

We’ll, the 136mU/136maU Master Craftsman and later ‘87+ Pliers Craftsman, all Rangers, Original Outdoorsman, Original Handyman/Hanwerkermesser, pliers Handyman and CT41/CT-L all have the Scissor/Wood Saw/Metal Saw arrangement over the past 71 years…and that’s pretty consistent for Victorinox. There may be an exception in there like the 136kma - 84mm Master Craftsman…but that’s because those metal saws didn’t have the nail nick.

It annoys me that the pliers fold the opposite direction as the bit driver, because if the pliers and bit driver folded the same direction then I could put the light between them, so the light could be equally used for illuminating whatever the bit driver or the pliers were working on. Unfortunately that's not a viable option unless I want to start making significant modifications to parts, and I don't.

Agreed about the annoyance to some extent…but these two tools were developed independently from each other and with respect to frame and pin dimensions that haven’t changed at all for 71 years. I get that your thread isn’t about ‘more trouble than it’s worth’ mods. Otherwise, there’s a whole lot of options I won’t get into.

…

FWIW, I like your three mods. Just pointing out ways I’d consider doing it differently for the 91mm.

[kamakiri]

+1. The nail has been given a good, hard hit square on its head.

Unless the OP is willing to accept some additional tools or mod an existing SAK (or have one modded), there is no one-and-done solution, especially if a locking blade is highly desired.

How would I go about getting that exact combination of tools? Let's start with the pry bar. While the Victorinox cap lifter can be used as a pry bar in a pinch, that isn't what it was designed for. Anymore, I prefer to carry a small tool that was designed with prying in mind. The bit driver is another thing I'd carry as a separate, dedicated tool. That would potentially allow me to work with any screw I might encounter.

That leaves a blade, a metal saw, a wood saw, scissors, bottle opener, can opener, and pen. The Ranger has all of those tools except the pen in its top layer. Of course, Plus scales would have to be added to get the pen, but that's not hard to do. If the hook is objectionable, seek out a pre-1991 Ranger. That would probably be the most cost-effective solution.

Just my $0.02.

 

And forgot to add to my post about the option of separating the 91mm to two knives with perhaps the bit driver and lite module on a smaller knife.