Fieldmaster - the most useless SAK?

[Tasky]

Isn't the Executive in the credits and that's why?

Were that the case every epsode would include it, but RP does also separately mention the Exec being added to the opening credits for Seasons 2 and 3, which would not be counted.

I ran a search on the thread and found the Executive listed (with supporting screenshots) in the following episodes:
 - 1x05 - The Heist
 - 1x07 - Last Stand
 - 1x08 - Hellfire
 - 1x10 - Target: MacGyver
 - 1x14 - Countdown
 - 1x16 - Every Time She Smiles
 - 1x18 - Ugly Duckling
 - 1x19 - Slow Death

 

[MacGyver]

Were that the case every epsode would include it, but RP does also separately mention the Exec being added to the opening credits for Seasons 2 and 3, which would not be counted.

I ran a search on the thread and found the Executive listed (with supporting screenshots) in the following episodes:
 - 1x05 - The Heist
 - 1x07 - Last Stand
 - 1x08 - Hellfire
 - 1x10 - Target: MacGyver
 - 1x14 - Countdown
 - 1x16 - Every Time She Smiles
 - 1x18 - Ugly Duckling
 - 1x19 - Slow Death

It may be used (or appeared) in those episodes but most was just what happened to be used for a specific shot, and because us "fannatics" cared enough to identify it from still shots,  but not as the main SAK for all those Ep's.
He only used the orange peeler (Executive) in 3 or 4 ep's

[MacGyver]

Isn't the Executive in the credits and that's why?

The Wenger is also in the opening credits for the entire show, but i don't see people referring to it as "the Macgyver SAK"

[BPRoberts]

Actually answering this question, I think my answer is the Recruit. The Cadet is slimmer, and the Tourist/Small Tinker are more capable. I generally tend to prefer the Alox 84s, but the Recruit sticks out in particular.

[Bunk Tuppins]

Actually answering this question, I think my answer is the Recruit. The Cadet is slimmer, and the Tourist/Small Tinker are more capable. I generally tend to prefer the Alox 84s, but the Recruit sticks out in particular.

I love the Cadet and have several of them but if I am actually going to do quite a bit of work - such as flattening a bunch of cardboard boxes - I prefer a Recruit.  The thicker shape is a better handle.  The Recruit is also a very nice looking knife, IMO.  In some ways it is almost the perfect simple, basic knife (and has some of the loudest clicks out there).  However I have been using 85mm knives like the Evogrip 10 a lot recently and I find that the added width (and thickness) of the evolution scales makes an Evo 10 even nicer in the hand than a Recruit.

[MacGyver]

Actually answering this question, I think my answer is the Recruit. The Cadet is slimmer, and the Tourist/Small Tinker are more capable. I generally tend to prefer the Alox 84s, but the Recruit sticks out in particular.

You're nuts.... 
I love the Recruit. The most comfortable SAK in the 84/91mm line.
It's the perfect cellidor 2 layer thickness, flush back springs that makes it the most comfortable in hand of them all. It has the most essential tools, what's not to like?
Sure the Small Tinker and Tourist have the Awl and CS/Phillips, but i can live without those if i need. I wouldn't choose a Cadet over it either, the Cadet is way too thin and uncomfortable, only good for a "dress up SAK" for me, i'd take the Recruit over it any day

[Tasky]

It may be used (or appeared) in those episodes but most was just what happened to be used for a specific shot, and because us "fannatics" cared enough to identify it from still shots,  but not as the main SAK for all those Ep's.
He only used the orange peeler (Executive) in 3 or 4 ep's

It's not his most used model, but he did switch around and change it up quite often, and the Exec is one of the Top Ten.
One day I'll trawl RP's entire thread and tabulate a count by model, against the MacOnline list, of which ones were used the most.... excluding any appearances in opening credits!

[MacGyver]

It's not his most used model, but he did switch around and change it up quite often, and the Exec is one of the Top Ten.
One day I'll trawl RP's entire thread and tabulate a count by model, against the MacOnline list, of which ones were used the most.... excluding any appearances in opening credits!

While RP's thread is absolutely great,  there are still some things wrong/missing in there, and i've pointed it out to him a while ago.

Just as an example, on The Eraser  (2x02) episode he lists only the Standard and i can identify at least 4 different SAK's in there, a Tourist/Sportsman, a Small Tinker, a Camper and the Standard. There are a few more Eps with a couple  of things wrong too.

The  MacOnline list is completely off in many things.

It will be almost impossible to identify all the SAK's used in the series. RDA himself talked about being used around 150 of them total, between the ones on the shots and the ones he destroyed by throwing them and sticking them in telephone poles, trees, and the such, as he was passing time between shoots... 

[Tasky]

While RP's thread is absolutely great,  there are still some things wrong/missing in there, and i've pointed it out to him a while ago.
Just as an example, on The Eraser  (2x02) episode he lists only the Standard and i can identify at least 4 different SAK's in there, a Tourist/Sportsman, a Small Tinker, a Camper and the Standard. There are a few more Eps with a couple  of things wrong too.

All the more reason for us to put our collective heads together and get something closer to definitive.
It might be impossible to get 100% accuracy, but we can still do our absolute best...

[MacGyver]

All the more reason for us to put our collective heads together and get something closer to definitive.
It might be impossible to get 100% accuracy, but we can still do our absolute best...

Yes, i agree. 
I firmly believe that there are a lot more 84mm's listed as 91mm's in there. Especially the Tinker, it's usually the small Tinker, you can often tell by comparing dimensions of the frame and the bottle opener's shape.
Some of the listed Super Tinkers i think it's actually the Salesman (84mm Super Tinker). They only started to use 91mm's more often, almost exclusively, later into the series.
On one scene they could use 2 different SAK's sometimes, on for the general shot, and a different one for the close up shot. T think they would just grab any random one from the prop box for a lot of takes, unless they where aiming for some specific tool.
I remember as a teen, trying to get THE ONE, but being confused all the time as it looked slightly different every time... 

[marlowe221]

Given the time the show was produced, I also suspect a higher percentage of 84mm models than you will see on the Macgyver thread.

But sometimes you only get a quick glance or only see it from the very end of the SAK. It’s not always easy to tell!

[MacGyver]

Given the time the show was produced, I also suspect a higher percentage of 84mm models than you will see on the Macgyver thread.

But sometimes you only get a quick glance or only see it from the very end of the SAK. It’s not always easy to tell!

If they released the series in upscales Bluray quality it would be a hell of a lot easier to identify... That and boosting up the brightness of the video. Why does it always have to be so darn dark?? 

[Tasky]

On one scene they could use 2 different SAK's sometimes, on for the general shot, and a different one for the close up shot.

@ReamerPunch did cover this in his thread, as far as possible.
The question is whether either would qualify that model for counting as an official use.

[MacGyver]

Don't know why, but this thread popped in my head recently as i was thinking about the Fieldmaster tool logic due to someone mentioning in another forum that it was a little known model.
And i have to agree that the Fieldmaster is probably one of the SAK's that makes less sense to me... So let's see:

We already have the Huntsman for outdoors, with a corkscrew and a wood saw, that makes all the sense for the woods, as the corkscrew is a very versatile tool. But what sense does it make having a wood saw and a phillips for outdoors...? For tightening screws in the trees...?
Yet there is the Mountaineer, with the metal saw/file and the corkscrew..., wouldn't it make much more sense as an urban SAK to have an Automobile Special (a Mountaineer with the phillips) as opposed to the Fieldmaster?

We have two 4 layer SAK's with the wood saw, and only one 4 layer SAK's with the metal saw/file

Similar thing can be said about the Hiker... we already have the Camper... wouldn't a Automobile (metal saw/file instead of the wood say) make more sense...?

We have two 3 layer SAK's with the wood saw, and zero 3 layer SAK's with the metal saw/file

[Mitch-O]

But what sense does it make having a wood saw and a phillips for outdoors...? For tightening screws in the trees...?

Before you go into the woods you fix the loose screw in your garage with the same SAK you will saw a branch later 

[nate j]

We already have the Huntsman for outdoors, with a corkscrew and a wood saw, that makes all the sense for the woods, as the corkscrew is a very versatile tool. But what sense does it make having a wood saw and a phillips for outdoors...? For tightening screws in the trees...?

I can think of a couple of possibilities…

As mentioned earlier in this thread, some organizations (e.g. BSA) may want essentially the tool set of the Huntsman but shy away from any association with alcohol that might be implied by the corkscrew.

Some individuals may not drink wine, and thus feel they have no use whatsoever for the corkscrew.  (Though I agree with you that the corkscrew has a number of other uses, and overall is a much more useful and versatile tool than the backside Phillips.)

For extended use (e.g. whittling), some prefer the Phillips over the corkscrew due to the smoother handle profile and lower tendency to create hotspots.

While they don’t necessarily publish the figures, I have to believe that sales volumes are a key driver of the decisions Vic makes about which models to continue and which to discontinue.  So as long as both the Huntsman and the Fieldmaster continue to sell acceptably well, I suspect we will continue to see both produced.

[MacGyver]

I can think of a couple of possibilities…

As mentioned earlier in this thread, some organizations (e.g. BSA) may want essentially the tool set of the Huntsman but shy away from any association with alcohol that might be implied by the corkscrew.

Some individuals may not drink wine, and thus feel they have no use whatsoever for the corkscrew.  (Though I agree with you that the corkscrew has a number of other uses, and overall is a much more useful and versatile tool than the backside Phillips.)

For extended use (e.g. whittling), some prefer the Phillips over the corkscrew due to the smoother handle profile and lower tendency to create hotspots.

While they don’t necessarily publish the figures, I have to believe that sales volumes are a key driver of the decisions Vic makes about which models to continue and which to discontinue.  So as long as both the Huntsman and the Fieldmaster continue to sell acceptably well, I suspect we will continue to see both produced.

I can understand that reasoning. But my point wasn't as much as to "why do we have the Fieldmaster and the Hiker", but more as to "why don't we have the Automobile and the Automobile Special" as the pairing of a metal saw/file with a phillips makes way more sense to me than just pairing the wood saw and phillips

[Myron]

I'll probably get hate mail for this, but I gotta vote the Classic as most useless SAK.  Good for opening mail and cleaning your fingernails, I guess.  But otherwise it's just too dinky for any real chores and you can't open a beer with it.  Ok, let the flames begin. 

[Enginears]

wouldn't it make much more sense as an urban SAK to have an Automobile Special (a Mountaineer with the phillips) as opposed to the Fieldmaster?

We have two 4 layer SAK's with the wood saw, and only one 4 layer SAK's with the metal saw/file

Similar thing can be said about the Hiker... we already have the Camper... wouldn't a Automobile (metal saw/file instead of the wood say) make more sense...?

We have two 3 layer SAK's with the wood saw, and zero 3 layer SAK's with the metal saw/file

Yes!! I had the same though during the camper challenge. The automobile needs to return, and the mountaineer needs a phillips. In particular the Hiker as a toolset has me 

[Simon_Templar]

I'll probably get hate mail for this, but I gotta vote the Classic as most useless SAK.  Good for opening mail and cleaning your fingernails, I guess.  But otherwise it's just too dinky for any real chores and you can't open a beer with it.  Ok, let the flames begin.

I wouldn't go so far as to call it the most useless, the Field master still firmly holds that crown imho, but I agree that in the 58 mm class, the Classic makes the least sense. With alternatives like the Rambler or Manager, which are much more potent with hardly any additional bulk, its hard to find any justification for the Classic.

Cheers,

Simon

P.S.: to be fair, with the Rambler and the Manager on the playing field, it's hard to find a justification for any other 58mm SAK except the Jetsetter. I am currently in a MiniChamp challenge and thus far I didn't need a single tool which wasn't on the Manager as well. Admittedly, I used the orange peeler to open a package, but this happened out of curiosity - the blade would have worked just as well.

[MadPlumbarian]

As for my thoughts on a fieldmaster being the most useless sak, I’d have to say no, it is the most simplest must have tools depending on what your needs are, but as for the most useless id have to say the “solo” cause well, its only got one simple thing a blade,,
JR

[marlowe221]

Regarding the Fieldmaster:

When I was in the Cub Scouts and the Boy Scouts in the 80s and 90s, a LOT of camping gear had Phillips screws!

Coleman camp stoves, cots, external frame backpacks, camping cookware, lanterns, etc.

I didn’t have a Phillips on the back of my SAK - I had an Explorer! But having a Phillips on a camp out made a lot of sense in those days. Also, the use of the can opener as a 2D Phillips was not as widely known in the days before the internet was common and people were making YouTube videos about it.

That being said, I don’t see as much camping gear that has Phillips screws these days as I did back then.

To me, the Wenger name for the same tool set as the Fieldmaster makes a little more sense - the Handyman! It’s just that that name is already taken in Victorinox-land…

[Rizio Il Ghiro]

As for my thoughts on a fieldmaster being the most useless sak, I’d have to say no, it is the most simplest must have tools depending on what your needs are, but as for the most useless id have to say the “solo” cause well, its only got one simple thing a blade,,
JR

But got chastised for saying so earlier in the thread!