The popularity of the small SAK's.

[cbl51]

Being a knife nut, and a SAK nut in particular, one of the first things I look at in a sorting goods store, gun shop, camping supplies, is the knife dis[play. Over the years, as my knife needs and likes changed, not to mention becoming a die hard SAKKIST, I notice something. In most of the SAK displays, there are much more smaller SAK's than the larger modo els like the four and  more layers. And being out and about, a nd noticing what people are carrying it seems like the two layer SAK's and smaller are more often seen on key chains and watch pockets. Granted, more SAK's are sold to  non knife people than any other brand of knife, or it seems like that to me. One young lady I knew was a manger at the now defunct knife store "Chesapeake Knife And Tool" that has outlets in most of the big shopping malls. I remember her telling me once that the small 58mm SAK's outsell all the others. All kinds of people from all walks of life that were not knife people, bought them for their key rings, gifts, and purse knives.

I remember something my old man once told me when I was a kid. He was one of those old depression era guys who lived through the worst depression this country ever had, went on to fight in WW2, and then went on raise a family in the post war Ozzie and Harriet era of the Cleaver family with Wally and the Beaver. In other words, a totally normal Eisenhower era guy. He always carried his one pocket knife, A little Case peanut, faithfully. That little peanut cut all manner of things in dad's life, and if he needed more blade, he'd use a large butcher knife or small machete. I once asked him why he carried such a small pocket knife, and his answer made a long lasting impression. He told me that a pocket knife is something that is carried a lot, but used a little now and then. I thought about that, and it made sense.

Growing up in the 1950's, it was an era when everyman who had his pants on, had a pocket knife on him. And it was almost universally a small or tiny two jack or penknife. It was the THE pocket knife of the times, as much as the flat top haircut, cars with tail fins, and Winston cigarettes. They even sold them at every five and dime, on stand up cardboard displays up near the cash register.

Fast forward to the 1980's and the popularity of backpacking, and other sports involving getting out in nature and the growth of stores like Hudson Trail Outfitters, Eastern Mountain Sports,  other backpacking oriented outlasts like R.E.I., and the red handled Swiss Army Knife became like a badge of something. Every backpacker on the Appellation Trail from Georgia to Maine had one dangling somewhere. Where the hunters embraced the famed Buck 110, it seemed like campers and hikers, bird watchers and trout fishermen embraced the SAK. Orvis, the marketer of high end fishing stuff, had the humble classic in many colors with thier company logo on them, with the little scissors and tweezers being useful to the dry fly fishermen. L.L. Bean had Had SAK's in their catalogue, most in the two layers range. Classics and Spartans were popular models.

Now the 58mm line can be had with pens in them, lights, bottle openers, coke spoon looking cuticle pusher tools, and rumors of a small kitchen sink coming in the future. The mini champ reached the apex of mini utility.

But I wonder if the real popularity of the smaller 58mm band even the 84's like the cadet, recruit, and bantam, are that the non knife people who buy SAK's are going with the old advice of a pocket knife being carried a lot, but used little, so they want a pocket knife that can literally be forgotten about until you really need it to cut something?  Or in the case of the SAK, cut, snip, file, screw or unscrew something.

Is the 58mm SAK, because of it's small size yet wide range of mission capability, the ultimate everyman's SAK? Especially if that everyman is not a knife person.

[Sneider]

Good question.
The 58mm are so popular because they are so small and useful.
OK, there are many more non-knife people as knife fans,
but that does not mean that the knife fans can not appreciate the usefulness of the 58mm SAKs.
Many knife enthusiasts want special knives, wanting to show their passion to other ones.
Well, with a Victorinox classic you can not get a wow effect with your buddies.
But IMHO are 58mm simply the most useful little knives there are and many knife people know that.

I always have my Vic Manager in my pocket. It has many functions which I may not often need but always want to have with me.
The bigger knife I use very often and it filthy. If I would have scissors, pen, screwdriver, tweezers etc. on this knife,
I would always annoy that these tools are filthy ...

[Barry Rowland]

I think it's all that and that most people have everything they need in that small blade, scissors and file.  My Dad was exactly the kind of guy you mentioned, WWII vet, built the family after the war, etc.  I think he was one of the first guys to buy a PST when they came out and I always thought he'd keep that til the day he died but not at all.  He gave me the PST and kept the same old Peanut he had from who knows when.  I think, too, that the Classic just fits...the perfect size for the perfect time.  When Vic came out with it, they nailed it.  I've had one in my pocket now for two weeks straight and when I go for a knife that's the one I reach for 9 times out of 10.  The crazy part is, with one exception, that's all I've needed!  Right now I've got a Vic Craftsman on my belt but I've had that Classic out 3 times today already! 

Great story sir! 

[Barry Rowland]

Gorgeous pics!!

Good question.
The 58mm are so popular because they are so small and useful.
OK, there are many more non-knife people as knife fans,
but that does not mean that the knife fans can not appreciate the usefulness of the 58mm SAKs.
Many knife enthusiasts want special knives, wanting to show their passion to other ones.
Well, with a Victorinox classic you can not get a wow effect with your buddies.
But IMHO are 58mm simply the most useful little knives there are and many knife people know that.

I always have my Vic Manager in my pocket. It has many functions which I may not often need but always want to have with me.
The bigger knife I use very often and it filthy. If I would have scissors, pen, screwdriver, tweezers etc. on this knife,
I would always annoy that these tools are filthy ...

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

[AimlessWanderer]

I view a knife/tool on my keys as the ultimate backstop. It doesn't matter if I forgot to put a tool in my pocket this morning, because if I have left the house I have my keys with me. If I did pocket a main tool and it got blunted, broke, lost or nicked, I've still got my keys on me.

These days, the tool on my keys tends to be a Gerber Dime, but I have worn a lanyard round my neck with an alox rambler (and a few other goodies) on for the last 6 months or so. I tend to reach for the lanyard more often than the keys if I haven't pocketed a main tool for the day.

As a back up to all other back ups, I also have a classic stashed in my wallet, which I don't think I've ever had to use, but it's there waiting patiently anyway.

I'll also add that a torch/flashlight is just as important for me

[GoatDragon]

I am a knife enthusiast who prefers the smaller SAKs and smaller knives in general. I am always on the move, and don't like being weighted down. If I can do everything I need with a Cadet or Classic, why bring anything heavier? I am so used to these little guys that even when i try to carry my pioneer I feel the bulk. And I have yet to encounter a task that the Pioneer could handle and the Cadet couldnt (except of course for hole drilling and other awl related tasks, but I rarely encounter those types of tasks anyway).

[Steinar]

Somebody here, I don't remember who, had talked to a dealer who said they sold the most lightweight SAKs, then SwissChamps, and the least of five, six layers SAKs. Which again maps well to how many editions of the knives Vic launches.

[cbl51]

I am a knife enthusiast who prefers the smaller SAKs and smaller knives in general. I am always on the move, and don't like being weighted down. If I can do everything I need with a Cadet or Classic, why bring anything heavier? I am so used to these little guys that even when i try to carry my pioneer I feel the bulk. And I have yet to encounter a task that the Pioneer could handle and the Cadet couldnt (except of course for hole drilling and other awl related tasks, but I rarely encounter those types of tasks anyway.]

Untitled by Carl Levitan, on Flickr

I hear ya! I've always been semi obsessed over finding the smallest item I can get away with carrying so I won't weigh down my pockets. Small pocket knives, small pistols, small monoculars instead of binoculars. Maybe a hold over from my ultra light backpacking days. Even though I'm 99.9% SAK's these days, my old Camillus made Remington peanut with 1095 blades is a holdover that gets carried once in a while for old times sake. It's a great little slicer. But even then, it's almost classic sized.

[spydutch]

I am a knife enthusiast who prefers the smaller SAKs and smaller knives in general. I am always on the move, and don't like being weighted down. If I can do everything I need with a Cadet or Classic, why bring anything heavier? I am so used to these little guys that even when i try to carry my pioneer I feel the bulk. And I have yet to encounter a task that the Pioneer could handle and the Cadet couldnt (except of course for hole drilling and other awl related tasks, but I rarely encounter those types of tasks anyway.]

Untitled by Carl Levitan, on Flickr

I hear ya! I've always been semi obsessed over finding the smallest item I can get away with carrying so I won't weigh down my pockets. Small pocket knives, small pistols, small monoculars instead of binoculars. Maybe a hold over from my ultra light backpacking days. Even though I'm 99.9% SAK's these days, my old Camillus made Remington peanut with 1095 blades is a holdover that gets carried once in a while for old times sake. It's a great little slicer. But even then, it's almost classic sized.

Same over here Carl. I like my gear as small and light as posoible. Always have. Even  my one handers. When I was heavy into collecting Spyderco, I liked the small/micro ones the best. Sure I have a few folding machetes and I like them for what they are, but I hardly carry them
To give you an idea here as a selection of a very steady rotation.
And I don't (can't) go anywhere wthout my Alox Mini Champ and Fenix E01

[glenfiddich1983]

It's an interesting question, how much do you really need.

I like the 58mm because it can store you so much tools in so little space. A Classic is simply not enough for me, it adds next to nothing to the bigger SAK I always carry. I always carry a bigger (91mm or larger) knife because bigger tools are simply much more capable than the small 58mm versions. A large knife blade is easier to handle than a pen blade, bigger scissors have better grip than the 58mm scissors, etc. Every day I pick one medium or large sized SAK based on what tools I expect to use that day (or sometimes simply based on what I want to look at ).

But I always have a 58mm Vagabond as backup on my keychain. Because whereever I am, I always have my keys with me. If my larger knife choice of the day is a Solo, I still always have scissors with me, and a cap lifter, small screwdrivers, etc.

And the Vagabond is so small you won't even notice it's there.

Except when it's not.. now with the minimalist challenge I don't have the Vagabond with me and I constantly wonder that my keychain is so thin

[spydutch]

It's an interesting question, how much do you really need.

I like the 58mm because it can store you so much tools in so little space. A Classic is simply not enough for me, it adds next to nothing to the bigger SAK I always carry. I always carry a bigger (91mm or larger) knife because bigger tools are simply much more capable than the small 58mm versions. A large knife blade is easier to handle than a pen blade, bigger scissors have better grip than the 58mm scissors, etc. Every day I pick one medium or large sized SAK based on what tools I expect to use that day (or sometimes simply based on what I want to look at ).

But I always have a 58mm Vagabond as backup on my keychain. Because whereever I am, I always have my keys with me. If my larger knife choice of the day is a Solo, I still always have scissors with me, and a cap lifter, small screwdrivers, etc.

And the Vagabond is so small you won't even notice it's there.

Except when it's not.. now with the minimalist challenge I don't have the Vagabond with me and I constantly wonder that my keychain is so thin

 

[Huntsman]

Nice story and musings CBL.

Is the 58mm SAK, because of it's small size yet wide range of mission capability, the ultimate everyman's SAK? Especially if that everyman is not a knife person.

Absolutely !!! - Everyone in the whole wide world should have one !!   
- And for sure the 58mm (and probably specifically the Classic) is Vic's top selling SAK - I have heard this from a number of sources - And it probably outsells all other SAKs combined.

Funny when I read the title of this thread - I assumed it was going to be praising 84/85mm SAKs vs the 91mm/larger SAKS
Of course I should have known better - given it was CBL 

My assumption was probably influenced by my own recent leaning towards the 85mm and specifically a Wenger S16 - Which has claimed my EDC spot these days.
I do love the 58s - And usually have one around - I particularly like the tp and nail file - and also the scissors - These are my most used tools probably across all multis.

But I cannot break away from the 85 (or 91mm) to solely carry a baby SAK - One of my other main uses is cutting up apples - and that is no fun with the 58mm blade - I also like the larger scissors for office work and around the house. It's also good to have the more burly drivers and openers.