The 30 Day Victorinox Huntsman Challenge!

[detron]

sure,

I can think of a few I would not mind see tested.  Rebar, would be good,  so would the Surge!

[Monrogue]

I'd like to nominate a Rebar for a Jothra 30day Test

+1
I second this notion

[Jothra]

I had the entire rundown written, so Photobucket crashed Firefox. Here we go again.

[nate j]

Well done Jothra.  This thread has certainly been one of the best I've read.   

[Jothra]

The 30 Day Victorinox Huntsman Challenge Final Rundown, Mark II

The One What Wasn't Destroyed By a Photobucket Crash

Again, I'm using the approximate format I stole shamelessly from Lynn LeFey two challenges ago. Good times!

Overview

One of the most popular 4-layer SAKs ever, as evidenced by the famous book next to it.

Unlike my previous two challenges, this one was less about whether or not Vicky the Victorinox Huntsman would survive, and more about exactly what kind of heinous terror the poor thing could take. The answer? Plenty.

Tool Review


Wait, this isn't paper!

The main blade did everything from cutting paper to cutting plywood (in small doses). I used it to dig dirt from holes in concrete walls, to slice tarps, to baton survey stakes, and, once, to free the drive shaft of a truck from a tangled mess of Tyvek (which maybe saved the truck's butt, and definitely saved mine). I even dug the end into a concrete wall just enough to use the blade to help square a laser level's shot stick at the right height. I needed to strop the blade on my jeans a few times, but only needed to seriously sharpen it once (after the truck thing, actually). This is also the only time I had to sharpen the small blade, which I used for every single one of my package opening tasks, and a few times in lieu of a pencil. Really. Both blades still sport a mirror finish. Super-slicey success!


Like a hot saw through plywood! That's probably a metaphor!

The saw proved its worth over and over again. The three things it had to cut most often, from least to most difficult, were rigid insulation, 2x4s, 2x6s, 1/2" plywood, and 3/4" plywood. It has not failed. Now when people ask why I insist on saws in my SAKs, I can show them in pictures. Super sawing success!


Snippy snippy! Bet you wish you weren't plastic banding now!

The scissors have cut through plastic banding, zip ties, paper, and finger and toenails constantly all month, to no ill effect. I haven't had to sharpen them at all, or even clean up their edges. Super scissorin' success!


Can opener? More like can't NOT opener! Or...well, never mind.

The can opener/small screwdriver opens cans like a pro. It's my second favourite multitool can opener, after the Victorinox combo tool. What makes this design the winner, however, is the small screwdriver. This thing can open the stupidest things, from slot screws to Phillips screws to, and I'm always surprised when this works, certain #2 Robertson screws. This kind of versatility is worth a slightly longer can opening time. Super-spry success!


Something seems odd here...

The backside tools get to share a paragraph, since they weren't as busy as the rest. The awl is an excellent pokey and reamer, and hasn't taken any damage at all beyond the slightly soft backspring it had right out of the store. The hook, on the other hand, is the only tool on the entire SAK to take any permanent damage! I twisted it while breaking off wimpy tie wire. It turns out, however, that without any other exposure to torsional force (no more twisting the hook, me the dummy!), the hook survived to continue its shockingly versatile existence. I am absolutely surprised at the number of times I needed a good hook for pulling, pushing, twisting, tying, untying, and just reefing on things. Party on. The corkscrew opened a few bottles of wine, and occasionally got twisted into plywood to turn the whole knife into a handle for better plywood...er...handling. Success, success, success!

I saved this tool for last, because more than anything else on the knife, it took gobs of hideous abuse, and has nothing to show for it but some minor scratching. I'm not even going to spend much time writing about it. Instead, here is a montage of things the bottle opener/screwdriver has done, apart from the usual bottle opening and screw turning:


Oh man, that's enough. I'm practically ready to cry.

I've spent years treating the bottle openers on SAKs as light prybars. I think maybe I'll start calling them mediums. Super Saiyan Success!

Finally, we have the scales and fit and finish. Here is what they look like:


Lightly—some might even say tastefully—scuffed. Also, none of the springs have developed any looseness.

Here is why I'm surprised:


This.


Also this.


And especially this.


Or maybe especially this.


This one's probably not quite at incredibly bad, but I'm sure it didn't help.


Argh! Okay, definitely these ones, too.

I have heard and read all kinds of stories about cellidor not being able to take a hit. Maybe they're true, too. But not today. Stunning success!

The Takeaway

Normally, this is the part where I admit I don't like tools with superfluous implements, like fish scalers or coke spoons. That's still true, but the Huntsman has proved over the last month that it doesn't have any, as far as I'm concerned.

Another normal tradition is to explain how hard I am on my multitools. That's also still true. I'm a monster. But this is the first time I've really been able to let go on a tool and not have anything break. For the first time since I started posting on this forum, my monsterism isn't a liability. My Huntsman is seriously monster-resistant.

Successfully misusing tools is my favourite way to prove both the value of the tool, and my ability to get a job done right the wrong way. The Huntsman is just the tool for the job.

So what does this all mean?

Let's be serious. We all expected good things from the Huntsman. We're an entire group of people dedicated to proving the value of Swiss Army Knives. Something I worried about at first was that we were wrong. That the Victorinox Huntsman, or any other Victorinox model, was good, but not really a damage-soaking sponge. I had a niggling doubt that by the time I was done, I might have shattered our faith in tools we all love.

Well, not so much.

I don't know about the rest of you, but my opinion of Victorinox products has grown phenomenally over the last 30 days. This Huntsman, a tools-open-for-years display model, has not failed at a single thing I have tried. I have twisted it, pried it, dropped it, kicked it, slammed it, crunched it, and, on several occasions, hammered it with a 28 ounce knurled framing hammer. Through all that, it hasn't lost any of its tools at all. It still looks like a normal pocket-carry knife. I have never seen anything quite like this.

The Victorinox Huntsman has exceeded its reputation. I would gladly recommend it, or any Victorinox product with similar tools, to anybody. The fact that my father has a nearly 30-year-old Huntsman of his own is evidence that, under normal usage conditions, the Huntsman can last virtually forever.

And so ends the fabled story of long ago—we can close the covers on the Epic Tale of Vicky the Huntress!

[Storky]

Impressive!

Thanks for that Challenge 

Regards

Markus

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Fantastic thread, and very well written!

Its always good to see someone getting the most out of a great tool

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[3rdpig]

This thread has been the first thing I've looked for every evening when I kick back with the tablet. Thanks Jothra for a months worth of entertainment. I'm going to miss it.

[comis]

No glorious death for immortality? 

I am just as happy to see Vicky the Huntress live to see another day, may it always find peace within and live a long prosperous life till the end.

Thank you for the pictures and wonderful read, putting it to extreme test is one thing, willing to take all the pictures and do all the writeups are entirely another level of commitment. 

Thanks to you, I now have the impression that:

  = 

[Monrogue]

Very interesting read this 30 day challenge has been   I can't believe 30 days has passed already.  Thanks for putting in the considerable amount of time and dedication it must have required to do this challenge, and providing us with an interesting, if sometimes painful, read and pics

[Steinar]

Let's be serious. We all expected good things from the Huntsman. We're an entire group of people dedicated to proving the value of Swiss Army Knives. Something I worried about at first was that we were wrong. That the Victorinox Huntsman, or any other Victorinox model, was good, but not really a damage-soaking sponge. I had a niggling doubt that by the time I was done, I might have shattered our faith in tools we all love.

Yes, I can absolutely relate to this one. Until you have tested something, you really don't know. I seriously didn't expect Vicky to take all that punishment and just move on. So this thread was a little scary to look at each day, but I couldn't look away either. 

Btw, regarding the knife being open for many years: Victorinox says their knives are built/backsprings tempered so the springs never are bent beyond the critical angle of the steel when opening the knife, or even several implements in the same layer simultaneously. In other words, Vics should actually handle being stored half open just fine, also the spring tempering shouldn't be the limiting factor for how many times the knife can be opened and closed. As you noted, under normal conditions, these knives last a very long time. (Another effect of this little nugget of information: There is no risk in buying exhibition models of Vic knives, as long as the knife is otherwise undamaged. Good to know when bargain hunting or looking for oldies.)

[comis]

Btw, regarding the knife being open for many years: Victorinox says their knives are built/backsprings tempered so the springs never are bent beyond the critical angle of the steel when opening the knife, or even several implements in the same layer simultaneously. In other words, Vics should actually handle being stored half open just fine, also the spring tempering shouldn't be the limiting factor for how many times the knife can be opened and closed. As you noted, under normal conditions, these knives last a very long time. (Another effect of this little nugget of information: There is no risk in buying exhibition models of Vic knives, as long as the knife is otherwise undamaged. Good to know when bargain hunting or looking for oldies.)

I don't no longer have my original SAK that I owed 20+ years ago to compare, but recently I acquired a Wenger Director and Manager from a window display, and both of them seems to have fully extended for a very very long time(massive amount of dust builtup in the grooves).  The minute I tried to close the blades, I already knew their springs were really really weak.  I am not 100% sure it was due to prolonged opening, but I do suspect so.

Is there a significant difference between Victorinox and Wenger for the design and steel use?

[RDaneel]

I've been a lurker/member for a year, but this challenge pulled me out of my nest.  A fantastic test, write-up and analysis.  My Huntsman has been with me during this while Vicky was undergoing her test. I even bought another one, a pre-1991 version at the Flea Market last weekend - because I knew this was a great multi-tool.

Now I need a name for my blue Huntsman...

Dean

[sawman]

I've been a lurker/member for a year, but this challenge pulled me out of my nest.  A fantastic test, write-up and analysis.  My Huntsman has been with me during this while Vicky was undergoing her test. I even bought another one, a pre-1991 version at the Flea Market last weekend - because I knew this was a great multi-tool.

Now I need a name for my blue Huntsman...

Dean

How about "Blunty" ? 

[kirk13]

I've been a lurker/member for a year, but this challenge pulled me out of my nest.  A fantastic test, write-up and analysis.  My Huntsman has been with me during this while Vicky was undergoing her test. I even bought another one, a pre-1991 version at the Flea Market last weekend - because I knew this was a great multi-tool.

Now I need a name for my blue Huntsman...

Dean

Welcome to the world outside the closet Dean!

Chalk up another victory to Vicky!

[Steinar]

I don't no longer have my original SAK that I owed 20+ years ago to compare, but recently I acquired a Wenger Director and Manager from a window display, and both of them seems to have fully extended for a very very long time(massive amount of dust builtup in the grooves).  The minute I tried to close the blades, I already knew their springs were really really weak.  I am not 100% sure it was due to prolonged opening, but I do suspect so.

Is there a significant difference between Victorinox and Wenger for the design and steel use?

Wenger used to be regarded as second fiddle to Victorinox regarding quality, especially the backsprings, IIRC, the later years people have said the quality is pretty much the same. If the blades were fully opened, the problem was not how they were stored, though. Also, it is the cycle of bending and straightening which is the real problem, just keeping the steel in tension should normally not be that much of a problem.

[comis]

@Dean

Welcome to MT.O, in the light of this thread, how about naming the blue huntsman Victor?

Wenger used to be regarded as second fiddle to Victorinox regarding quality, especially the backsprings, IIRC, the later years people have said the quality is pretty much the same. If the blades were fully opened, the problem was not how they were stored, though. Also, it is the cycle of bending and straightening which is the real problem, just keeping the steel in tension should normally not be that much of a problem.

I think the groove dust probably just feed into my theory of the blades might have been opened for a long time.  So it is more about the cycle than the actual staying opened?  That does make sense to me, kinda like if I bend a strip of metal in one direction vs bending it back and forth until it breaks. 

Now if only we have an automatic open-and-close machine to test how many times it opens/closes vs the back spring strength, it would be interesting. 

[Steinar]

I think the groove dust probably just feed into my theory of the blades might have been opened for a long time.  So it is more about the cycle than the actual staying opened?  That does make sense to me, kinda like if I bend a strip of metal in one direction vs bending it back and forth until it breaks. 

Yes, it is the same thing. Also, when the blade is fully opened, like when it is used, the backspring is not in tension, the same when the blade is closed. (I.e. it is in very low tension, some tension there obviously is.)

Now if only we have an automatic open-and-close machine to test how many times it opens/closes vs the back spring strength, it would be interesting. 

Complete with an oildrip for the joint. 

[Jothra]

Well, sports fans, I could probably keep rocking Vicky as my main carry forever, but a deal's a deal. One month of hell = retirement! Vicky is now the only shelf queen SAK I own.

Now I carry Diana!


This is officially the only non-challenge tool I've ever named. It feels weird.

P.S.—I do have one or two challenges in mind, but that sort of thing will have to wait until I'm completely moved and at least partly settled in my new town.

[kirk13]

@Dean

Welcome to MT.O, in the light of this thread, how about naming the blue huntsman Victor?

Hmmm....Victor/Victoria springs to mind

[Jothra]

@Dean

Welcome to MT.O, in the light of this thread, how about naming the blue huntsman Victor?

Hmmm....Victor/Victoria springs to mind

I'll point out here that I never once (as far as I can remember) used a gendered pronoun for Vicky. What was Vicky really short for?

[Jothra]

Except on the book cover.  Smugness undone!

[nate j]

Now if only we have an automatic open-and-close machine to test how many times it opens/closes vs the back spring strength, it would be interesting. 

Cycle testing machines do exist, although I'm not sure they concurrently measure back spring strength.

[comis]

I'll point out here that I never once (as far as I can remember) used a gendered pronoun for Vicky. What was Vicky really short for?

And so ends the fabled story of long ago—we can close the covers on the Epic Tale of Vicky the Huntress!

I think the last line of the story reviews that it's a she, so Vicky might stand for 'Victoria' as kirk suggested?

I did a quick search on google for 'huntress', the top two results yield:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntress_(comics)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntress_(Helena_Bertinelli)

They both look bad asses and tough cookies, and probably what Vicky would look like if personified. 

[Jothra]

Fair call, comis. Besides, I think we all knew, really.

[Grathr]

Fantastic challenge, and a great read! 

[Lynn LeFey]

I did a quick search on google for 'huntress', the top two results yield:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntress_(comics)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntress_(Helena_Bertinelli)

They both look bad asses and tough cookies, and probably what Vicky would look like if personified. 

Roman Mythology would add Diana, goddess of the hunt, to the list. Usually considered the original 'Huntress'.

In any event, the word 'Huntress' has a pretty excellent connotation.

Jothra, while I'm excited to think of upcoming 30-day challenges, I have to wonder if leaving the construction trade will still afford the same kind of tool-torture activities that are required to REALLY stress-test tools. Please don't feel like you have to one-up yourself in your reviews.

Also... SEE? I TOLD you all that fricking flathead was an awesome tool!

[Jothra]

Roman Mythology would add Diana, goddess of the hunt, to the list. Usually considered the original 'Huntress'.

That's why I stole that name for my new Huntsman from the original challenge idea list, even though I'm usually more excited about Greek mythology. Besides, Wonder Woman!

Jothra, while I'm excited to think of upcoming 30-day challenges, I have to wonder if leaving the construction trade will still afford the same kind of tool-torture activities that are required to REALLY stress-test tools. Please don't feel like you have to one-up yourself in your reviews.

I appreciate that. More challenges are certain, but their exact parameters are a bit fuzzier. We'll see what's what!

Also... SEE? I TOLD you all that fricking flathead was an awesome tool!

Ain't it just? You might appreciate what it means that the bottle opener/screwdriver blew my expectations right out of the water.

[firiki]

I had to read through the entire review as I was gone after Day 9 so I missed the thrill of waiting to see what's next. Oh, the agony of witnessing the horrors Vicky went through in just one read! Thank you for your time and copious efforts Jothra, this was a very interesting thread. It managed to restore my faith in Victorinox -I'm running a long-term test on a beater Vic Ranger at home and I'm getting mixed impressions. I'm looking forward to your future tests.

You are an excellent writer and humorist!

I'll second that and I'm sure kids will appreciate these qualities. Good luck to you.

PS: Maybe you should post all these uses of the multipurpose hook in the related thread 

[Jothra]

PS: Maybe you should post all these uses of the multipurpose hook in the related thread 

Good idea!