An Ode to the Victorinox One Handed Nomad (0.8353.MW3)

[lipoff]

For many, many years I was exclusively a 58mm and 91mm guy.  Then I discovered the 93mm awl and fell in love.  And then I discovered the 84mm Watch Case Opener with that incredible gently ground tool.  I still haven't taken up an interest in 74mm SAKs, but about six years ago a broken arm led me to purchase my first 111mm SAK, a Victorinox Sentinel One Hand (0.8413.M3), from a local store.

The one-handed opening was not a luxury for me then, it was a necessity, since I had only one working arm!  I was surprised at how manageable the size was, and how it didn't weigh down my pocket.

When my arm healed and I could use both hands again, I decided to buy a 111mm SAK with more than just a knife blade.  I really wanted the equivalent of the Alox solider in the 111mm form factor, but with a corkscrew, not a backside Phillips. (I find the can opener works surprisingly well for Phillips screws).  Nothing can replace the 93mm awl, but after a lot of searching I found that there actually is exactly such a knife, the Victorinox One Handed Nomad (0.8353.MW3).  It seems to be sold only in Eastern Europe.  Sometimes one comes up for sale on eBay.  My college roommate is Polish and he was able to get one for me on a trip home. 

It's now my most used SAK.  It has the 111mm one-hand opening partially serrated blade, a beefy, line-locking cap lifter, a can opener, a backside reamer, a corkscrew, and the T&T.  It's just perfect for food preparation (the partially serrated blade makes quick work of tomatoes and bread!) among a myriad of other tasks.  It's seen so much use that I actually replaced the worn black scales with some 111mm red nylon scales recently, which makes it feel more like a SAK to me.  I will say that resharpening the serrated blade is not easy (or maybe it's just because I'm practiced at sharpening straight blades), and unfortunately the corkscrew has bent a little bit.  That hasn't slowed it down one bit though!

As an urbanite, I don't need the woodsaw on my everyday SAK and don't want the extra weight and thickness.  Given that this is basically the same mix of tools (minus an additional knife blade) as the 91mm Spartan, the 84mm Tourist, the 93mm Pioneer or the old Officer's Knife, I'm surprised that this 111mm version is so obscure.  But I wanted to give a shoutout to my currently most used SAK.  ("Favorite" is too subjective and too difficult an appellation, so let's stick to "currently most used" please!)

[Rizio Il Ghiro]

Interesting!  The problem I have with 111s is that they’re not legal carry in the UK due to the locking blade, unless you can justify it…. A pretty daft law as it doesn’t prevent knife crime, just means you have to make sure you haven’t got a tool on you when not working. I think the oho is a problem in Germany, hence the variations of the Hunter Pro - again a knife you can’t carry in the UK due to the locking blade, but you can of course buy one as I’ve done in the past from the Victorinox shop in London…..

[Echotech]

Keep coming back to the 111’s they feel great in the hand and the blades are of a really usable size, January’s 111 challenge was one of my faves

The OHO Sentinel pairs brilliantly with the Vic Spirit’s butter blade.

I’ve an OHO Alpineer, the serrated blade is great for food as you say lipoff

[Huntsman]

Great post, good story, and interesting thoughts lipoff

I agree with you about how surprisingly pocketable the 111mms are.
I have a real penchant for the Outrider - All the tools of the Huntsman plus a cross head driver.

I had to smile at having to put red scales onto the Nomad to 'make it feel like a SAK'.
Also at the thoughts on 'favourite SAK' - Agreed there are too many - My favourite or even 'most used' is constantly changing anyway!!

[ElevenBlade]

I’ve got one of these too. 

The one I have has the rubberized scales… M grip scales, if you will. Red, of course. Some of those were marketed as the “Side Chef” … a pocket knife for kitchen staff, so they could open packages and boxes without dulling their expensive knives.

I quite like it - a 111mm equivalent to a Spartan. https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,77112.0.html

I haven’t carried it in a long while. I used to carry it on days when I’m doing some outdoor cooking at a lake, (because as others have said, it’s great for food prep.  This spring I put it in my camping kit mainly for the corkscrew (just in case) as a replacement for the SwissChamp or Champion that I'd bring and rarely use - since I have a blade and saw on other slimmer SAKs

But. I can certainly see myself carrying it as an EDC knife.  Lately the want of scissors keeps me elsewhere, for now. But I carried the Alox Soldier for a decade, and I could certainly go back to a similar tool set if life takes me to a place where that would suit me again.