The humble Recruit

[MacGyver]

Just went back regularly to the 84 mm's, my usual Tourist and Small Tinker at first... I had the recruit i bought on sale for peanuts, along with some other 80's, but never really carried it.. Lately i got it out and gave it a chance. I can say now that it's probably my favorite 84 now, and the most comfortable SAK ever IMO. While i love having the awl and SD/CS on the back the only thing i probably really miss is the pin, other than that it has all the tools i use about 90% of the time 

Hell.... If Macgyver used it almost exclusively through out a whole season it must mean something... right...? 




So...., any Recruit fans...?

[Bunk Tuppins]

 

[gustophersmob]

The recruit is one of the very few cellidor SAKs I still have. Part of that is sentimental as it belonged to my grandfather. But it’s also the only (?) out of the “standard” 84 and 91mm range with no back tools and therefore flush back springs. It definitely makes it more comfortable to use.

Here’s mine with a couple comparison shots with a cadet.

[marlowe221]

I don’t have a Recruit yet. But clearly I need one. That and the Sportsman are the big gaps in my 84mm collection.

[BPRoberts]

I have one Recruit. Don't carry it a ton, but I like it for whittlin'. The smooth back is nice for longer sessions.

[Steelej1976]

I am a huge fan of the Recruit, it is my favorite Swiss Army Knife!  I did not understand all the 84mm love, even though I had a Cadet I could never jive with it, until I got the Recruit and now I get it.  The Recruit has the classic Swiss Army Knife vibe in addition to Traditional knife vibe because of it's smooth backsprings.  You can get a Recruit for less then the cost of a Classic SD.  I agree I also like the fact that it was one of MacGyver's favs as well. 

One other thing about my Recruit is I remove the keyring, it is so much easier to take the keyring off the 84mm and 93mm then the 91mm.  One other thing about the 84mm is the can opener can fit a greater variety of Philips screws then the 91mm and it opens cans about equally as the 91mm.  Yep the Recruit is great 

[Bunk Tuppins]

Don't forget the snap.  With no back tools the Recruit's bottle opener and main blade close with some of the snappiest snaps of the entire Vic fleet.

[MacGyver]

Don't forget the snap.  With no back tools the Recruit's bottle opener and main blade close with some of the snappiest snaps of the entire Vic fleet.

Wow... really intriguing you should say that.... i feel it's quite the opposite actually... It has the most balanced snap of the 84mm line, not as "biting".
Or maybe it's just mine.... i'll confirm that when i get 1 or 3 backups for it 

[Bunk Tuppins]

I recently picked up a black and then a red one.  Both of them snap like nobody's business.  The 93mm line has an excellent snap on most models.  Still, for some reason I think the Recruit and the Celidor Bantam are particularly loud snappers, possibly the Celidor scales are able to vibrate and resonate more than aluminum.

[marlowe221]

I always worry I would miss the back tools when it comes to the Recruit. I feel the same way about the alox models, though I just took the plunge on a Cadet so we'll see I guess.

I use the corkscrew a good bit for miscellaneous things... What's it like to be missing it? The Pioneer has the inline awl that (I'm told) can be used for some of the unofficial uses of the corkscrew. But the Recruit doesn't have an awl either! The small blade is arguably redundant on larger SAKs (I get why people like having two - I like having two blades myself most of the time). But on a SAK like the Recruit where number of tools is at a premium, I might feel more comfortable with something like the 84mm nail file instead of a small blade - in other words, if the Recruit were essentially a Sportsman without the back tools instead of a Tourist without the back tools.

Do you Recruit fans miss having the back tools at all?

[Bunk Tuppins]

I mainly use the corkscrew for wine, but always in the kitchen, so I don't need to carry something with a corkscrew, except maybe for auxilliary uses like untying a shoelace or something.  Likewise the awl is generally something I might use at home.  So the back tools don't matter much to me. 

I do tend to combine a two-layer knife like the Recruit (or Spartan, or Sportsman, or Cadet) with a 74mm or 58mm with scissor in the other pocket, like Classic or Executive.

I think you will like the Cadet and the Recruit.  Both are simple, basic knives with the basic tool set.  Both are pretty low profile in pocket, esp if you use a suspension clip.  The Cadet is elegant and has a fabulous file, same as Sportsman.  The Recruit is solid and very inexpensive.

[gustophersmob]

I always worry I would miss the back tools when it comes to the Recruit. I feel the same way about the alox models, though I just took the plunge on a Cadet so we'll see I guess.

I use the corkscrew a good bit for miscellaneous things... What's it like to be missing it? The Pioneer has the inline awl that (I'm told) can be used for some of the unofficial uses of the corkscrew. But the Recruit doesn't have an awl either! The small blade is arguably redundant on larger SAKs (I get why people like having two - I like having two blades myself most of the time). But on a SAK like the Recruit where number of tools is at a premium, I might feel more comfortable with something like the 84mm nail file instead of a small blade - in other words, if the Recruit were essentially a Sportsman without the back tools instead of a Tourist without the back tools.

Do you Recruit fans miss having the back tools at all?

I personally never got on with the back tools. The ones I would find useful like the Philips and awl are very awkward to use as a back side tool, imo. I don’t drink wine, and never saw the need for most alternative corkscrew uses. Maybe as a micro driver holder, but I don’t need a micro driver often enough to compromise on the comfort aspect that comes with a smooth backside.

Since the cadet has the nail file, I think that would substitute for some of the common alternative uses of the corkscrew, like loosening knots and it also makes a decent small 2D Philips driver.

The second blade on the recruit is more limited in application, imo. And to me, cellidor is always a weakness compared to alox. I just don’t love plastic in my knives. But as the only standard size cellidor knife with no back tools, it does have a special place.

Still, my personal preference is for the pioneer. After daily carrying one for 10 years, I’ve become so used to its strengths and limitations I don’t see much reason to change.

[marlowe221]

Now that I really think about it, I can’t remember the last time I used the back side awl for anything. The in-line awl is another matter entirely!

The corkscrew, for me, is a catch-all. It’s my preferred package opener, for example, and I’ve done the trick to open a stubborn jar lid with it a few times. That kind of thing. I’ve never opened a bottle of wine with a SAK and I have never had any of the small tools that twist into the corkscrew either. 

So I guess I use it. But I don’t use it much.

[MacGyver]

I always worry I would miss the back tools when it comes to the Recruit. I feel the same way about the alox models, though I just took the plunge on a Cadet so we'll see I guess.

I use the corkscrew a good bit for miscellaneous things... What's it like to be missing it? The Pioneer has the inline awl that (I'm told) can be used for some of the unofficial uses of the corkscrew. But the Recruit doesn't have an awl either! The small blade is arguably redundant on larger SAKs (I get why people like having two - I like having two blades myself most of the time). But on a SAK like the Recruit where number of tools is at a premium, I might feel more comfortable with something like the 84mm nail file instead of a small blade - in other words, if the Recruit were essentially a Sportsman without the back tools instead of a Tourist without the back tools.

Do you Recruit fans miss having the back tools at all?

It depends on the situation and environment i'm in. For urban/suburban/office environment  it does about 90% of most tasks.

Lately i had only been using my alox Minichamp on my keys, and got by for most tasks. Still have a Deluxe Tinker on my work backpack if i need it. If i go somewhere i'm likely to need the back tools, i'll just take something with back tools along...

Think i miss not having a straight pin on it rather than the awl os CS. The backside phillips is rather redundant to me, other than making the SAK sleeker and smoother, the placement is not the best and the can opener is a great phillips, and if i meed a more sturdy SD i can use my hex bits with the bottle opener.

About the small blade, i'll always prefer the small blade over anything else. Nail files and grooming is what the 58mm's are for, but to each it's own... 

[Sneider]

I simply have no use for back tools and prefer the comfort of a flush handle back.
This is also one of the reasons why I like Alox models so much!
For me, the Recruit is one of the best 84/91mm Cellidor models that are still in production!