Thoughts on Vic Fieldmaster?

[Thisjk38]

I just picked up a Fieldmaster, and I must say I am very happy with the tool options.  It might be perfect for my edc needs. I haven't seen it discussed on here, and didn't know it existed until I saw it on amazon. So how do you guys feel about it?

[nuphoria]

I'm a fan of most 91mm SAKs which have a Philips instead of the corkscrew.

It has a nice useful toolset - hope you enjoy it

[Craig]

Looks pretty good to me. I don't have one but I have several Huntsmans which are the same apart from having a corkscrew instead of Philips.

[Currahee]

The Fieldmaster has the same tools as the Huntsman, except the Huntsman has the corkscrew and the Fieldmaster has the Phillips screwdriver. I recently wrestled with the decision over which one of these to get? I ended up going with the Huntsman, but only because I could get it with the plus scales and, as I replied yesterday in another post, the corkscrew that provides a home for the itsy-bitsy screwdriver. I think they're both great choices for EDC. I will eventually get the Fieldmaster, myself, just to have another option for everyday carry. Enjoy your new knife!

[ICanFixThat]

We talk about the Fieldmaster on here from time to time.  Its nearly identical cousin, the Huntsman, has been one of the most popular models for a very long time.  The Fieldmaster was a bit more popular in the previous two decades, but it really comes down to wanting the back-side Phillips or the corkscrew on your SAK.

[ColoSwiss]

The Fieldmaster was developed for the Boy Scouts by swapping the phillips for the corkscrew on the Huntsman (good Scouts don't drink  ). The Scouts still call their version a Huntsman. Victorinox changed the name on the non-Scout version to distinguish between the two.

Karl

http://www.swissknifeshop.com/swiss-army-boy-scout-huntsman

[JAfromMn]

I was one the fence between the Vic feildmaster and wengers evo 18

I went with the evo 18 same tool's but smaller size.

It was a tough choice

You picked a good one justjk38

If they made it with a forward phillips -yes two phillips I like my wenger zermatt with two phillips - I could not resist owning one

[jerseydevil]

I was one the fence between the Vic feildmaster and wengers evo 18

I went with the evo 18 same tool's but smaller size.

Same here.  I've been thinking about a Fieldmaster for a while, but just can't bring myself to pull the trigger, already having an S18.  I'm sure I'll get one eventually, because, well, why not?    It is a very useful toolset, my S18 sees a fair bit of use.  Enjoy it!

[Thisjk38]

Yeah I was thinking about the s18 as well but It is $20 more and I much rather have the second blade.  I just figured out what plus scales are... Where can you get them?

[Smaug]

I thought about one a while ago, but that was back when I would avoid anything with more than 3 layers like the plague.

I decided I would never use the saw indoors or in my everyday life, so I got the Super Tinker instead. (same as Fieldmaster, but without the saw)

I have other SAKs with the saw that I carry when I know I'll be outdoors and more apt to use the saw than the scissors.

But if I had to roll it all into one knife, the Fieldmaster would be on the very short list. (along with the Victorinox Workchamp and Wenger S18)

As more of an indoors guy most of the time, I go for an Explorer when I don't mind having 4 layers. (trades the saw for inline phillips and magnifier, and puts the corkscrew back)

Still, it's a great knife, and a popular model. That is the beauty of SAKs: there's (at least) one for everyone.

[Grateful]

 The Fieldmaster is one of my all time favorite edc's and just might be the perfect sak imho . At four layers thick I can still pocket carry it tho I do prefer to use a sheath and carry it on my belt . It has all the tools that I think are really important and can be had for a reasonable price .
Jim

[magentus]

As with loads of others I have a Huntsman, but if I screw my eyes tight shut I can imagine the Fieldmaster. Actually all joking aside I was after either the Huntsman or a Fieldmaster and the Huntsman came up first so that's what I've got.

Both have a brilliant tool selection  - lets see some pics of yours!

[Donald]

I think the Fieldmaster is an awesome knife, but prefer the Huntsman. The corkscrew holds my mini-screwdriver, is useful in picking out knots on small cordage absent a marlinspike or fid, opens a bottle of wine on occasion, and I have just not found a Philips that useful as a backtool. Admittedly I have not carried one that often as a backtool either. The driver at the end of the Victorinox style can opener is usually sufficient for my Philips tasks, if either would work.

I never thought about whether it was available with plus scales. I wish Victorinox would change over to plus scales on all their models that have scales, or at least offer them as accessories for all the sizes....especially in StagGlow.

[Donald]

P.S. My mind is apparently slipping with age. I meant to add that the Fieldmaster was used in one MacGyver episode versus 2 times for the Huntsman.

[sergemaster]

Amici,
The fieldmaster is AOK in my book, especially for pocket EDC. Sometimes less is more and the fieldmaster definitely fits the bill.

Cheers,
Serge

[ironraven]

One of my favorites, and the whole reason I want to see Vic bring out a glasses screwdriver you can carry in the plus scales in place of a pen! With that one peice, as close to perfect as you'll find for a SAK for the woods.

[Sazabi]

One of my favorites, and the whole reason I want to see Vic bring out a glasses screwdriver you can carry in the plus scales in addition to the pen! With that one peice, as close to perfect as you'll find for a SAK for the woods.

Fixed.

[Ashley]

I have a fieldmaster and a few huntsmans. Both are great saks but I actually prefer the fieldmasters phillips over the corkscrew. Mine was a gift from a forum friend. It came with red pants but now sports yellow pants.

Sent from Ash forum mobile

[Thisjk38]

Hmmmm you guys have me thinking about a huntsman now because of the use of a corkscrew to undo knots. I had a pretty bad one a few mins ago, and I was wishing i had a corkscrew to try out. By the way is the hook on the back suppose to go further than 90 degrees? Mine goes about 130.

[magentus]

By the way is the hook on the back suppose to go further than 90 degrees? Mine goes about 130.

It is supposed to, but I don't know why.

[Pignut71]

I reckon the FieldMaster is pretty much the perfect EDC IMO. I don't really have a use for a corkscrew or the little screwdriver that fits in it but for me a philips with a little bit of reach is invaluable. If I need to undo a knot or similar, I'm sure I can find another tool in there to get the job done!

Likewise, gotta' say I love the Explorer as well!

Atb, Jon.

[Thisjk38]

Thanks for the input about the hook. I have to agree this is pretty much the perfect EDC as well for me. However, I just (1 minute ago) discovered the Huntsman Lite. It has the corkscrew with an inline phillips and a light, but 20 dollars more. I wonder how much thicker it feels. Still very happy with my fieldmaster, but this huntsman lite is very tempting.

[Smaug]

However, I just (1 minute ago) discovered the Huntsman Lite. It has the corkscrew with an inline phillips and a light, but 20 dollars more. I wonder how much thicker it feels. Still very happy with my fieldmaster, but this huntsman lite is very tempting.

The light/phillips layer is quite thick. Only the CyberTool layer is thicker in the Victorinox line-up. To give you an idea, My 3-layer Spartan Lite is very nearly as thick as my 4-layer Explorer. So going to a Huntsman Lite from a Huntsman would be akin to adding TWO more layers.

In my years as a "perfect everyday carry seeker", I started with an Explorer, but quickly decided that was too thick for pocket carry, and I wasn't committed enough for belt pouch carry. (I was a teenager then, SAKs were not cool, and I was trying to be cool.)

In my 20s, I moved to a Tinker, and went with that for a many years, but missed the scissors. Upgraded to Super Tinker.

I missed the thinness of the Tinker, but the scissors made it worth the bit of extra thickness. I missed the inline phillips of the Explorer still...

So I bought a Spartan Lite, reasoning that I'd use the inline phillips at least as much as the scissors. I came to find out that LED light/phillips is far thicker than a scissors. Seeing that typed out, it is logical, now. So I lost the scissors, gained the inline phillips, LED, corkscrew, and  eyeglass screwdriver, but went up to 4 layers' equivalent thickness. The LED has been very handy at times. So no regrets.

Just recently, I ponied up the money for a +B Yeoman. Great knife, but I think going with the hook instead of the reamer on the back was a poor decision on his part. But it isn't a deal-breaker. I like this knife quite a lot; it has been my Holy Grail for a while. As soon as I got it though, I re-discovered Wenger, and have been buying and carrying an EvoGrip S16 and an Evo S557 the most lately.

Now that I'm old, married, and a father, I don't care if I look dorky most of the time. So my mission has to been to find the most comfortable pouch I can find, and carry as thick of a SAK as I wish. FWIW: I've found the cheap Victorinox cordura sheath with the red shield, velcro closure, and no fancy belt clips to be the best, comfort wise. After wearing it for a few days, I hardly notice it any more. It carries my Wenger S557 just great. I've been carrying the S557 since Thursday, every day. Once you get on board with the pouch, you'll realize there's no point in carrying anything less than 4 layers.

Well, that has been my thought process at least. Maybe it will be helpful to some.

[Donald]

I had a friend in college who always carried his Swiss Champion, or whatever the 1970's equivalent would be, in a Victorinox Swiss Army Zermatt pouch.

One the left the aforementioned pouch with a SwissChamp. It generally sits on my desk for misc tasks. On the right a Farmer.

I occasionally use a pouch, especially if the knife is bigger, but mostly I pocket carry. I know its not a SAK, but I do have a Swede 88 that with its comfy wooden handle is thick but light and I sometimes have that on my belt with a SAK in my pocket.

[Grateful]

FWIW: I've found the cheap Victorinox cordura sheath with the red shield, velcro closure, and no fancy belt clips to be the best, comfort wise. After wearing it for a few days, I hardly notice it any more.

I have carried my Fieldmaster in one of the cordura sheaths for at least 5 years and agree with you 100% . They are very comfortable and durable to boot . Mine shows some wear but is still good to go and has many more miles left in it .
Jim