SAK-alike Challenge!

[GearedForwards]

I just had a nice look through that thread again, thanks for the link. Too bad the early pics disappeared!
I’ve been using a pouch from Tasmanian Tiger. It’s a new one this year called the….wait for it ….”EDC pouch”. It’s great if you have a bag with you, it holds a lot but a bit too large to carry on its own. I’ll get some pics when I get a chance if there’s interest.

Yeah that's from when MTO had it's server problems I think, I'll reach out to a mod to fix them at some point.

Of course there's interest, you know we're always looking for more gear 

[comis]

Day 2



The blade felt borderline ok with touch of fingers, but factory edge totally fail to slice thru any receipt paper cleanly. 

Verified by a maker and the Sharpmaker, turns out the factory edge is more than 20 deg per side.  So after spending a good 30-45 minutes to reprofile and sharpening on CBN and different ceramic rods, now it can slice thru any receipt paper effortlessly.  Sometimes softer steel does come with benefit.

[Rich_SD]

Day 2

I use my multitools for many, many different tasks, but the most common is opening Amazon packages.

[comis]

Great review, thanks for sharing.

 

Thanks for that review of the Mikov Comis, I don’t think I’ve ever held one

Nice start so far! 
It’s good to see Coco again!
Sorry you’re not going to be with us Surge.

Day 1

Woo! I haven’t been in a challenge for awhile, it’s good to be back!
I plan on carrying 4 knives for a week each, then picking a favourite for the last 2 days.

First up: this Giesen & Forsthoff
This would be my most sentimental knife. It was gifted to me by the father of the house I lived in for a year in Germany. It’s basically a smaller Spartan/tourist with stainless scales and without t & t.
He was an engineer, so probably was given this at some conference or something (based on the Züblin on the main blade). He wrote the date he gave it to me inside the sheath, 26.III.89 (March 26,1989).

Beautiful knife!

Day 1

RRR Stockman on cigar duty

Good to see the RRR on this challenge, hope it would do alright.

[GearedForwards]

Day 2

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The blade felt borderline ok with touch of fingers, but factory edge totally fail to slice thru any receipt paper cleanly. 

Verified by a maker and the Sharpmaker, turns out the factory edge is more than 20 deg per side.  So after spending a good 30-45 minutes to reprofile and sharpening on CBN and different ceramic rods, now it can slice thru any receipt paper effortlessly.  Sometimes softer steel does come with benefit.

Is that 30-45 minutes without using the included hand guards, this isn't the Daredevil challenge 

[comis]

Sorry., but you're going to need another list 

I'm afraid I'm out. The court case that I'm giving evidence in is now listed for 3 weeks, starting tomorrow (I spent the day with the legal team)

This means that I must attend court every day for 3 weeks and then be discharged if not needed 

Basically, I can't carry ANY blade for the best part of 14 hours a day and then I'll be at home sleeping and preparing for the next day.   
I'll chime in with a suitable shot (perhaps over the weekends) but I'm afraid it's SurgeUK standing by......    

Good luck awl...  

Surge, sorry to see you go, 3 weeks is kinda long for jury duty but good luck with that!  And what do they say, absence make the heart grows flounder?  I am never good with words...

Day 1: opened some stuff.

Imperial Schrade Corporation CN-71 Gemini; produced by Adler in Germany. Roughly equivalent to a Camper. Same size, similar design, and will take Victorinox toothpick and tweezers, but built heavier, and a tiny step below Victorinox quality. From what I'm hearing, a number of Adler parts interchange with Vic. I know Adler did produce German Army Knives in cooperation with Vic, using their parts, but don't know if this partnership went deeper.  In the 1990s, the American Imperial Schrade Corporation contracted with Adler in Germany to produce a line of Swiss Army Alikes that are really good quality.

If you want a knife like the Apprentice, their Endeavor model is identical, and rather easy to find. One is making its way into my horde before the end of this challenge. There's a promotional products company in KY with old stock ones for $14; but "has to be ordered from a ASI/PPAI Distributor". Since we don't have one here (there's one printing company that I think may be ASI, but that's it); I'm hoping I can circumvent that and order direct.

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Cody, that's a cool find and awesome writeup for the history.

Day 2 - still on snack duty. The puny scissors did a... puny job (Image removed from quote.)



(Image removed from quote.)

Hey, no job is ever too puny for food duty!

[comis]

I reckon the quality is pretty good, the inside has some kind of water proof lining, there’s no loose threads, overall it feels quite tough and that it’d put up with some wear and tear Sos

The centre MT pocket is big enough for a Super Tool, an Outrider or the Spirit that I tried so I’d say most MT’s and SAK’s would fit although might be a bit of a squeeze, certainly was with the Spirit but I could still get my iPhone 7 in the large pocket, stuck out a little but ok.

The left small pocket for flashlight is too small for anything wider than the Lumintop AAA I used, pen pocket was fine though

If you’ve got it packed like the pictures below, then the lower gear loops are pretty useless and the zipped pocket is only going to take credit cards and cash.
Without the phone, which is in a thick case to be fair, then you’d have a lot more room

I think it’s pretty good overall but would’ve been better losing the pen pocket to give more room for the flashlight IMO

If I put the flashlight in the zipped pocket it might help but not really how I want to carry it. Overall I like it, just not quite able to carry the configuration I’d hoped

EDIT: one BIG caveat - the MT needs smooth sides, tried a Rebar and it took about 10 minutes to get it out, release tabs got caught inside

That's a pretty pouch with decent value, I only wish the pockets are larger in size.  Too often I see tight 3-4 pockets on the organizer, but in reality, I wish there are more 2 pockets organizer(never quite understand why there is always a pen slot, but in reality, it's probably more convenient to store it with the notebook)

Day 1
As a consolation after going to the Vet (annual shots and exam), Fisher got a treat which the NoBox MT opened

I know Fisher is quite proficient with using MT for food duty, but for a split second, I thought he managed to use the slip joint to open the packaged food!  He probably would make it to Guinness world record if he does.

[comis]

Is that 30-45 minutes without using the included hand guards, this isn't the Daredevil challenge 

Thanks for noticing!  Funny for many years of using it, literally more than hundred of hours, I never bothered with the hand guard and never get cut from it.  I know this is probably bad example, but I always pay 100% full attention in my sharpening session, and never watch TV/computer when I am doing it.  Anyhow, I really should put a sticker somewhere to remind myself next time.

[SurgeUk]

Surge, sorry to see you go, 3 weeks is kinda long for jury duty but good luck with that!  And what do they say, absence make the heart grows flounder?  I am never good with words...

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Cody, that's a cool find and awesome writeup for the history.

Hey, no job is ever too puny for food duty!

Cheers Comis (loving the fish  ) It is a long time but it's not jury duty (that would be easy)

I'm part of the arrest and search team so when my evidence is required is dependent upon the proceedings from the previous day 

Therefore, it's to and fro every day until I'm called 

Still, I'm getting paid 

[Alan K.]

Day 02
Close up of the blade stamp on the Hoffritz Partner main blade.

[nate j]

I always love a good cigar pic! I’ve been using my punch a lot lately, I’m not sure any of my SAK alikes are good enough that I’d trust them to cut one of my Cubans!

 

[nate j]

Beautiful knife!

Good to see the RRR on this challenge, hope it would do alright.

I like RR knives in general but those Reserve knives

Thanks guys.  You'll be seeing a lot of it in this challenge.  As I mentioned earlier, with genuine SAKs being such good quality, relatively inexpensive, and readily available, I simply haven't acquired many SAK-alikes over the years.

[cody6268]

Day 2

Opened a new power bank. My old one was a promotional freebie which was clunky, just 2200 milliamp hours, got hot, and charged SLOWLY. It would only charge cheap, basic phones (which was what I had at the time), barely worked with my NEC Terrain; and was useless once I got a proper smartphone that was modern. Older cars with just a cigarette outlet (i.e. my truck) don't really charge newer phones that well, and this is also backup for power outages and days when I'm miles from anywhere.

I chose the Anker PowerCore Slim 10000, which can charge my 3240 milliamp-hour Kyocera DuraForce Pro 2 almost three times; and it also supports fast charging. It was also one of the cheaper models at $25.

It came with a slightly padded mesh bag. I have a spare Nite Ize holster I bought for my phone, and didn't use (Tractor Supply had a black vertical and camo horizontal version, and I only use the latter) which I will use instead, as the charger itself is about the size of the average smartphone today (mine, being rugged, is slightly smaller and fatter--and HEAVIER), so a phone holster/case should work to help protect it.

[Tet]

Nice Cody! I had a cheap power bank that I thought was ok, but when it disappeared I got an Anker, it is substantially better.  I got another one too that plugs into the wall directly and you can charge your device at the same time

[Adam5]

Day 2

A common complaint about the Gerber Armbar is lack of spring retention. The backspring applies very little pressure against the bit driver and simply serves as a stop. Chako described the situation as trying to use a wet noodle. I disassembled my tool and bent the backspring to that there is some retention. IMO it works better now.

[Tet]

Ok so here are some shots of my TT EDC pouch. It’s honestly a bit more than I need, quality cordura, molle, etc, but obviously I have a weakness for Tasmanian Tigers (thylacines) so I couldn’t resist. This one is desert tan, even though it looks OD in the photos.  It’s about 9”x7”

There is a flap on the front with a zipper, I keep some cash in there just in case. Under the flap there are 3 pockets, perfect for a SAK, small flashlight , battery, etc.

[Tet]

Day 02
Close up of the blade stamp on the Hoffritz Partner main blade.

 

[Rich_SD]

Day 2

A common complaint about the Gerber Armbar is lack of spring retention. The backspring applies very little pressure against the bit driver and simply serves as a stop. Chako described the situation as trying to use a wet noodle. I disassembled my tool and bent the backspring to that there is some retention. IMO it works better now.

Did you have any problems before bending the back spring?  I ask because I have an Armbar Drive and an Armbar Slim Drive, and I never had a problem with the drive collapsing.  I'm not driving screws into solid wood, so there's no need for me to ever bear down hard enough to have a problem.  I just wonder about how other people use it.

[ReamerPunch]

Day 2

A common complaint about the Gerber Armbar is lack of spring retention. The backspring applies very little pressure against the bit driver and simply serves as a stop. Chako described the situation as trying to use a wet noodle. I disassembled my tool and bent the backspring to that there is some retention. IMO it works better now.

(Image removed from quote.)

It should have the SAF-T lock like the MP600 and MP400 have. Like that pocket tool Sam made.
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=79507.0

I'd rather have this than any Armbar or Free T4.

[Adam5]

Did you have any problems before bending the back spring?  I ask because I have an Armbar Drive and an Armbar Slim Drive, and I never had a problem with the drive collapsing.  I'm not driving screws into solid wood, so there's no need for me to ever bear down hard enough to have a problem.  I just wonder about how other people use it.

I frequently need to exert a fair amount of force onto a driver, whether it is driving screws into wood or extracting rusty screws or forcing a screw into a slightly misaligned hole. I would not necessarily choose the Armbar for such a task, but the extra retention feels better to me whether or not I need it.

[Adam5]

It should have the SAF-T lock like the MP600 and MP400 have. Like that pocket tool Sam made.
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=79507.0

I'd rather have this than any Armbar or Free T4.

(Image removed from quote.)

How have I missed that thread 

[Jothra]

I made a poor decision, but I must steel my resolve. Who knew my original Coghlan's knife was one of the good ones?

Failures #2 and #3!

Coghlan Jr.'s scissors fail miserably to cut a fingernail! And the file may as well be made of sheet glass!


Both of these tools worked (and still work) on my older model. Though I did have to re-peen the scissor pivot that one time.

[Rich_SD]

I'd rather have this than any Armbar or Free T4.

WTF is that abomination!!??    I don't know if I should fall in love, laugh, or run in fear. 

[Jothra]

(Image removed from quote.)

And because I know the image will be removed from the quote:


This did not get the attention it deserves.

[Adam5]

It certainly did not 

[Sos24]

Day 2
Today the NoBox opened a couple packages, cut open a bag of chips and saw a few twigs.

I’ve concluded I need to sharpen the small blade at least because it didn’t come very sharp. 

The saw is not as good as the SAK saws, but I’m thinking better than Jothra’s Coghlan’ glorified fish scaler.  It starts well but gets stuck really easy.  Then when trying to lift it to unstick, the spring isn’t strong enough to prevent it from partially closing. 

[ReamerPunch]

Day 3

Big fan of the in-line reamerpunch.
I do not like the spoke wrench on it. Why weaken the tool?
I do not like the very fine tip. It did a marvelous job punching a hole in a belt, but I am afraid that it'll snap off if I use it on hard wood or even soft wood.

[cody6268]

I made a poor decision, but I must steel my resolve. Who knew my original Coghlan's knife was one of the good ones?

Failures #2 and #3!

Coghlan Jr.'s scissors fail miserably to cut a fingernail! And the file may as well be made of sheet glass!

(Image removed from quote.)
Both of these tools worked (and still work) on my older model. Though I did have to re-peen the scissor pivot that one time.

Scissors are one of the hardest tools for off-brand tools to get right. They either don't cut, and if they do, they use a scissor spring design that is easily broken.   I wanted a 58mm clone with scissors, and I eventually settled on the ASP Advocate, which is basically a Rambler plus locking serrated blade (and "Made in China"). Despite the $40 MSRP, too much of it screams "$2 Classic SD Clone" so the scissors have me skeptical.

[Echotech]

You been stalking my Amazon Echo? 

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,85809.msg2275475.html#msg2275475 

It's certainly a very nicely made pouch, I agree with you that one of the side pockets could do with being a smidge wider for a light, maybe a couple of mils, but I think you're underestimating the zipper 

Excellent must’ve been subconsciously maybe

I’ve also got a load of edc pockets, will dig them out over the weekend and take a photo so we can compare notes.

It is a very nice product but that blasted 2mm does make it less useful, no pen pocket and problem solved IMO

[Echotech]

That's a pretty pouch with decent value, I only wish the pockets are larger in size.  Too often I see tight 3-4 pockets on the organizer, but in reality, I wish there are more 2 pockets organizer(never quite understand why there is always a pen slot, but in reality, it's probably more convenient to store it with the notebook)

one of those cases when less is more. I wonder what the manufacturers test with sometimes. Must have very skinny flashlights