The Explorer - Old and New

[marlowe221]

My first SAK was an Explorer that I got in 1997 or 98. I would have been 15 or 16 and was in Boy Scouts at the time. I still have it and it's in great shape considering its age. I just bought a brand new Explorer and thought I would post a few pictures comparing the most recent model to what the Explorer was like in the late 90s.

First, the in-line Phillips...

 

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As we all know, the modern Explorer has a shorter Phillips than the older models because the magnifying glass was changed and made larger so as to have a larger viewing area. In this picture, the 90s Explorer is on the far left and the new Explorer is in the center. The far right SAK is my Delemont collection S557 which also has the in-line Phillips. It may not be obvious in this picture, but the new Explorer and the S557 have in-line Phillips that are exactly the same length. In fact, the Phillips on the new Explorer and S557 appear to be identical in every way, as far as I can tell.

Now the magnifying glass...

 

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Nothing new here - the new Explorer's mag glass is larger, has a lower magnification factor, and the clear housing. Personally, I find it to be MUCH easier to use than the older style in terms of bringing something into actual focus. The housing, though, feels kind of flimsy compared to the older style (no surprise there). The lens does appear to be glass (and feels like glass to the touch).

Finally, a picture of the two Explorers with all tools closed.

 

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What's interesting here is the big gap between the Phillips and the mag glass on the new Explorer. We all know the Phillips had to be made shorter to accommodate the larger mag glass but... it didn't have to shrink as much as it actually did. As you open the mag glass, there is still plenty of room for more screwdriver... more length could be there and still have room for the mag glass to open just fine. But... they didn't do that. 

Will the shorter Phillips matter much when it comes to actually using the tool? Only time will tell. The difference in length between the two Explorers isn't really all that much. It's not like you're going to use the older Explorer to tighten the screws on most doorknobs, for example. Even the older model is still too short to get past the knob (btw, the flat screwdriver on the Classic SD/Rambler/etc works great on most doorknob screws, believe it or not!). So, we'll see how much difference it makes in actual practice.

For all the criticism the back Phillips gets on models that have it, it's actually longer than the in-line Phillips on the new Explorer. I tried, but failed, to get a good picture of this but it's true. Of course, the back Phillips still has the problem of being at a 90 degree angle to the main axis of the knife, but there you go.

Any way, I hope this is helpful to anyone curious about the differences and changes that have happened in the Explorer over the years. I really like the old model AND the new one too!

[dimledger]

Interesting comparison!

The in-line Phillips driver may have been shortened more for use on the 91mm knives that have the flashlight tool opposite it.

[nakken]

Excellent comparison, thanks for sharing!

[marlowe221]

Interesting comparison!

The in-line Phillips driver may have been shortened more for use on the 91mm knives that have the flashlight tool opposite it.

I don't own a SAK with the LED/in-line Phillips layer but I suspect you're right.

[GrouchoM]

Thanks, that was very helpful!

Typos courtesy of Samsung Auto-Incorrect™

[ComboTool]

I'm very surprised to see that the Delémont S557 uses the same in-line Phillips as Victorinox 91mm SAKs. It used to be a very different part, shorter and with a different tang shape (with the Wenger-style press-to-lock system). Does anyone know when the change occurred?

[K9medic]

Well, that's spooky, I just bought an old Explorer yesterday morning, and the first post I see is about old explorers.   Tool setup makes me think the mid-1990s, black scales with a few dings and scratches and a tiny twist in the tip of the small blade.  She needs a good clean and oil as a few of the tools are very stiff to open.  Just about the biggest I like to go for trouser pocket carry so a bit of TLC and she might become my new EDC.   

[Farmer X]

Great comparison photos! But now you're making me think I need to add an Explorer to the horde (or is that hoard?).

[ComboTool]

All this Explorer talk made me take a closer look at mine, and I noticed something I hadn't seen before: there are (at least) two different grey magnifier housings. The one on the left is the one I've encountered most often, but the one on the right (the knife is no longer an Explorer but it used to) is markedly different with no bevel around the glass. This may not be very visible on the pictures, but the color is also slightly different, a little yellower for the bevel-less, a little reddish for the more common one. I have no idea when this change occurred.

[XAVT]

Excellent information and clear photos, thanks for sharing.