What about passenger?

[Serval]

Hello fellows!

So this time my concern is about the passenger. I happend to recieve one in a lot buy a while ago. At first I did not care much about it, more like "yet another 91mm model"... But then I took a good look at it and my thougths are like this:
-The scientist is very nice and slim but very collectible and rare and also, having a good philips and only one slotted driver seems a bit "unbalanced"; I prefer at least two slotted drivers if I have one good philips.
-The tinker model is very nice, its cheap and easily replaced if worn down or lost. The T-grip of the philips is OK, at least for the 84mm type. But since I work as an electronics designer, the need for the magnifier is increasing along with my age . The components used in modern surface mount technology is VERY small and I sometimes need to read the value of e.g. resistors out in the field. The magnifier is actually very useful for a lot of tasks.
-And then the passenger: It has good slotted drivers, good philips driver and the magnifier, all packed in a three layer knife suited for pocket carry. Also it can easily be made out of a explorer. Add plus scales (use a explorer plus) and it will have a lot of functionality.

So my questions are:
-A original passenger, EDC or shelf queen?
-How rare/collectible is it?
-Anyone carry a passenger?
-Why is it so seldom mentioned? Scientist and explorer are well known and favoured by all SOSAK people...

Please share your mind
/Serval

[AHB]

I bet someone with more knowledge will answer your questions, but Sakwiki rates it as rare: http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Passenger  

Oh, and don't use it..  

[Gareth]

You're right it doesn't get much love does it?  I'd also agree it's a SAK that's under appreciated and forgotten about next to the Yeoman and the Scientist.  I suppose it comes down to the fact that many people (myself included) are happy to sacrifice some function for a reduction in thickness.  So while I still love my Climber I perhaps carry my Compact more, likewise I'm happy to carry my Scientist but didn't really get along with the Passenger I built.

Perhaps the love for the Scientist and the Yeoman comes from their use of the Combo tool, rather than the magnifier and Phillips.

BTW I say carry the thing.

[Neil]

I'd say Gareth is about right there...

Though I'd say if its in good condition shelve it and if its already pretty used then pocket it

[Gareth]

I'd say Gareth is about right there...

Though I'd say if its in good condition shelve it and if its already pretty used then pocket it

OK compromise, if it's a SAK you love to use Serval then shelve the original after you've done a layer removal mod on an Explorer to make your own, OK?

[Neil]

A fair compromise  

[Serval]

I'd say Gareth is about right there...

Though I'd say if its in good condition shelve it and if its already pretty used then pocket it

OK compromise, if it's a SAK you love to use Serval then shelve the original after you've done a layer removal mod on an Explorer to make your own, OK?

Thats right It is in like new condition, except minor scrathes on handle. So I shelve it and perhaps make a mod one. So now I only wonder why it seems so unfamous. I mean, even Iggy Pop sings about it  Seriously, I think Gareth is right, combo tool makes a knife more interresting and fun to use for many users

[NutSAK]

Yep, they're fairly rare.  I have one that I carried for a while, but decided that carrying the extra width of one more layer in the Explorer was probably a better option since it can easily be replaced.  The same can be said for the Yeoman, actually.

If you can modify and have the passenger you want, then that's even better. 

[jazzbass]

Nice find. The passenger is one of my favorites for some reason. It was made from the early 70s into the mid-late 80s, so there are actually quite a few around. It's a knife that I personally consider "unusual" as opposed to "rare". They show up on eBay with about the same frequency as Scientists or Yeomans, about 3-4 a month. Unusual enough that there may not always be one for sale, but common enough that if you miss bidding or lose an auction for one, another will show up relatively soon.

If its in excellent condition or NIB, shelve it. If it's an older one with nickel-silver inlay and metal tweezers, shelve it. Otherwise, carry it if you like it.