On the process of choosing the right EDC Swiss Army Knife, my story

[Gee.B]

We may be approaching 2023, but not everything has turned digital. Sure, some of us tend to work from home, play online or use our phone as a watch. Yet, some things remain deeply rooted into the physical world. You can't digitalize tools. Just like watches did survive the Apple Watch generation, the pocket knife remains in our pocket. It's part of our EDC. And it's hard to replace it. Here is the process I went through when choosing the right EDC for me.

Asking oneself the right question when choosing a knife

Now, choosing a good pocket knife is also hard. And that's especially true for Victorinox models. That's why aficionados have several of them. I myself probably own around 15-20 Swiss Army Knives. Now, as I was trying to choose, I asked myself the wrong question, which was : If I were to choose only ONE knife, which one would it be ? But that's not the correct way to deal with the situation. I would try to think about various situations that would require various tools on my Swiss Army knife. For instance, despite being a city guy, I would suddenly look for a knife that has a saw for when I go camping in summer time. Though it made sense, it just was not right.
The more features does not mean the better. At all. Otherwise we'd all have a SwissChamp, right ?

MacGyver may have us believe he carries only one Swiss Army Knife throughout his adventures, we know 1)- that's not correct, 2)- com'on guys, it's a TV show !!

Just like there is not one pair of shoes that will walk you to the dancing club AND to the forest, pocket knives have to adapt to the situation. So I began to think in terms of Every Day Carry. It may seem trivial, but there is a real difference here. Things suddenly get a bit more rational.

For camping I have the Victorinox Ranger Wood 55¹. And it is just perfect - really perfect - for that purpose. Yet I certainly do not picture myself carrying a 130 mm / 63g knife everyday in the city. And that's probably not legal either over here in France...

So the sub-questions I asked myself were :
- What tools do I concretely need on a daily basis ?
- Which model could I use in any "city situation" ?
- If it is an EDC, which model can i easily slip in my pocket and forget about it until i need it ?
- Which model would adapt my various "city styles" ?

Why I went to the Alox models

I immediately went for the Alox category. I never really liked plastic on objects. Ok, sorry, I meant "Cellidor", as Victorinox calls it for their popular... plastic knives. Don't get me wrong, those models are incredible, well built and packed with features but those scales simply do not look good to me. When I think about it, I believe this is because this is because we live in a world with cheap plastic smartphones whereas high-end model are made of glass, ceramic and aluminum. Though it may be durable, I just do not have a perception of good quality when I see plastic.

As I am thinking this through, this is maybe the reason why I went for the Ranger Wood 55 for Camping. The chestnut wood looks way more premium than... again... plastic.

In the same way, the idea of one knife and one only for the city had me look toward something a bit more premium. And that's why I chose the Alox family. As Victorinox describe them : "the scales are (...)  treated with a process known as ‘anodic oxidation’ to create an additional protective layer to prevent damage and corrosion."

Some will say that Cellidor models are more feature-packed and  in the end, that's what matters.  And they would be right, this is what matters. Yet, being a city guy who work as a journalist, I do not have many needs when it comes to tools on a an EDC knife. I would understand that the situation would differ if I worked as a mechanic or in the countryside.

Now, which Alox model ?


I was immediately drawn to the Harvester - Or Swiss Army 7. That prune blade, which replaces the can opener, is so beautiful and quite handy ! And when do I ever open cans anyways ?! I bought it. And then, I regretted it. if I am realist, all around, I do see a lot of small screws and i could really make use of the small flat screw driver that come with the can opener. My daughter came to me with a toy to replace the batteries. My Harvester turned out useless.

Then, I focused on that small flat screwdriver. And I went to buys the Farmer model. That three-layer knife looks awesome. To me, it's like an Alox version of the Cellidor Camper model with the saw in the middle. But then, wait a minute ? Sure I used a lot that Camper model in my boy scout years but do I actually need a saw today ? In the city ? After all, my Ranger Wood 55 already has a saw... And I am most likely to use it when camping anyways. Maybe I should in fact go to another model.

So I looked around the Pioneer X, which replaces the saw with a pair of scissors. It seems more appropriate to the city lifestyle. And from what I read, it's quite a popular model. Yet, this time, I took the time to think it through. And honestly, I can't really picture many situations that would require a dedicated pair of scissors. The blade is enough. Sure the scissors are more precise, and maybe more confortable. But in most situations, if not all, the blade can probably achieve the same thing.

Besides, I did find the Farmer (86g) and the Harvester (84g) a bit heavy for an EDC in my trousers pocket. OK, maybe not "heavy", but clearly it could be lighter.

Let's remove the saw, and what do we get ? The Victorinox Alox Pioneer ! I never had a two-layer Victorinox model. That would be a first. Let's do that !

The Victorinox Alox Pioneer, the gentleman's pocket knife


If I am honest, as I held the Alox Pioneer for the first time in my hand, I had this feeling of "downgrading" to a less polyvalent model.
It felt weird. But then I went through my thinking process again. And I came to the conclusion that I made the right choice (at last!).

Now I mentioned that one of my questions was "Which model would adapt my various "city styles?". I have to say that Alox knives are perfect for that. i already mentioned it but they have that timeless feeling. They're both robust and refined. I could picture them in the hands of a hard worker or in the hands of a big boss wearing a costume (does that mean big boss dont work hard ? 🤔).

I would add that the fact that the Alox Pioneer is an adapted version of the Soldier is also quite cool. I recently watched a video on this²

Optimizing the EDC

One recurrent questions that I read over here is : "how to make sure the knife stand upright in the pocket ?" And I have seen several people adding - even making their own - clips. A slim two layer-knife that stay still in my pocket would be perfect. So I bought a clip³ from Amazon. And I tweaked it. I came up with a sort of pocket clip that's very discreet and which works perfectly.

¹ - https://www.victorinox.com/us/en/Products/Swiss-Army-Knives/Large-Pocket-Knives/Ranger-Wood-55/p/0.9561.63
² - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi1zcoTiNFU
³ - https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B07KPKW72Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Frailer]

Thanks for sharing this; I find others’ “gear journeys” interesting.

My own path started with the Huntsman in the 1980s. I then moved to the Compact in the late 90s, where I remained until a couple of years ago, when I moved to the Pioneer + Classic.

Who knows what’s next?

[Aloha]

Appreciate you sharing your process. 

[Farmer X]

Good write-up on how you arrived at the perfect carry!

I agree that the Pioneer is a great carry. An Alox Bantam could awlso work very well for you.

Much as I hate to admit it, I currently reside in the city. I have a house, and cannot justify paying someone to do my landscaping. The wood saw comes in really handy for me.

I'm not a father, so I know next to nothing about battery-powered kids' toys. Do any of them have battery covers that are held on by a small Phillips screw? If so, a 58mm SAK with the combo tool could really save the day.

[nakken]

Brilliant article, Gee! Really interesting indeed, thanks for sharing

[Barry Rowland]

 

[MacGyver]

MacGyver may have us believe he carries only one Swiss Army Knife throughout his adventures, we know 1)- that's not correct, 2)- com'on guys, it's a TV show !!

Excuse me...?? 

 

[marlowe221]

Good write-up on how you arrived at the perfect carry!

I agree that the Pioneer is a great carry. An Alox Bantam could awlso work very well for you.

Much as I hate to admit it, I currently reside in the city. I have a house, and cannot justify paying someone to do my landscaping. The wood saw comes in really handy for me.

I'm not a father, so I know next to nothing about battery-powered kids' toys. Do any of them have battery covers that are held on by a small Phillips screw? If so, a 58mm SAK with the combo tool could really save the
day.

As a dad to two young children, you're correct! The 58mm combo tool is perfect for most kids toys' battery compartments. My Rambler is never far away since the Phillips works well on size 0, 1, and even some size 2 screws.

Also, the much derided back Phillips works very well on most kids toys too - after all, those screws are rarely very tight and are often recessed.. They are just there to keep the rug rats from easily opening the battery compartments and trying to eat the AAs inside.


Regarding the topic of the thread itself... I tend to agree that the more I consciously examine my every day needs, the stronger the pull to fewer layer SAKs tends to be. For example, I really like the wood saw but, as a suburban dad and programmer/DevOps engineer, do I really need one in my pocket every day? Probably not 

Do I need scissors every day? Well with the kids around, the scissors are sometimes safer to use than the knife blades, especially if I'm trimming a tag on their clothes or they are hanging off my shoulder as I am about to cut something. The 58mm scissors on my Rambler are great! Do I need the larger, 91mm scissors too? Well, sometimes I do...

A Spartan/Tinker (or Tourist/Tinker Small/Sportsman) + Rambler will normally do just fine for my every day needs. A Camper or Huntsman maybe on a Saturday that I plan to do some yard work or I'm camping/hiking somewhere. Others are more situational for me. Sometimes I just feel like a 3-layer SAK is more comfortable to grip due to the added thickness, so I'll carry a Climber or Super Tinker even if the scissors aren't strictly necessary.

Lately I've really been digging the Delemont models because I like the Evo scales... But hey, variety is the spice of life, right?

[Farmer X]

Do I need scissors every day? Well with the kids around, the scissors are sometimes safer to use than the knife blades.

I may not have kids, but sometimes my dog needs to get her wild fur trimmed. Scissors are a must for that task.

[marlowe221]

And not just dogs... I'm pretty clean cut, but the scissors help trim the wild hairs on ME! 

[ToolJoe]

I've tried various SAKs (Super Tinker, Recruit, 111mm Soldier, Hercules, Cadet) and the one that has stuck with me is The Spirit. Granted it's not as slim as a two layer Tinker but it has all the tools I need and even Mrs. TJ asks to use it. I'm working on getting her to close whatever tool she uses instead of just handing it back to me.

[Gee.B]

I've tried various SAKs (Super Tinker, Recruit, 111mm Soldier, Hercules, Cadet) and the one that has stuck with me is The Spirit. Granted it's not as slim as a two layer Tinker but it has all the tools I need and even Mrs. TJ asks to use it. I'm working on getting her to close whatever tool she uses instead of just handing it back to me.

Actually I forgot to say that I have a spirit tool. To be honest, this is my toolbox. I mean really. I got it about 10 years ago, I think it’s the Spirit X or something. Very useful. But cannot be my EDC

[Gee.B]

I'm not a father, so I know next to nothing about battery-powered kids' toys. Do any of them have battery covers that are held on by a small Phillips screw? If so, a 58mm SAK with the combo tool could really save the day.

Yes Philips screws…. I skipped the part where I try to revive an old Hiker model which has a back Philips screwdriver. I realized that it was often a big too big for those kid »s toys and that the small flat screwdriver did a better job. For bigger Philips screws, I take out the Spirit X

[ShropshireLad]

Forgive me for necroposting but I'm a new member and so like an excited puppy I'm racing through posts and can't resist commenting.

Been through what most of us have hence I have 11 SAKs plus a GAK.  But over the last few days I've been carrying my good ol Farmer together with the Jetsetter.  The small 58mm Phillips covers small recessed Phillips screws but also can handle up to PH2 if you don't torque too much.  No redundancy and I get to keep the scale tools.  I have a Farmer X as well but for summer I think I'm sticking with this combo, accompanied with Knipex Cobra XS.   In winter/autumn I can carry the Farmer X/LM Bond combo.

[Huntsman]

Dont worry about necro-posting SL - We love it - Even though the system gives you a warning

And of course you get to read threads you missed first time around - Love the evolution and story in the OP         

[Grand_Banana]

  A good read.  There’s a bunch of posts here about evolution of carry and selection that are really helpful for others’ journeys.  It’s one of the ways I ended up getting a Spirit X and Alox models. 

It took me a while to get past thinking I just needed one.  In reality, sure I have way more than I need, but a good portion are justified in use. 

Like Gee.B and probably everyone else here, I have several combos for various use situations and I feel well prepared for the tasks at hand. 

We might also take a page out of Tim Leatherman’s book. He has at least 2 full size pliers based multi tools on him at all times, and if I remember correctly he has a couple pocket sized ones as well.  Sometimes it’s just helpful. And honestly if I invented them id carry multiple on me.

I’ve also hit the point in my lab and home work projects where my tool box is quite extensive and my tool belt holds the primary real tools for the current job.  I don’t need most of those tools for general maintenance and reno projects.  My Wave+ or Spirit X has worked just fine as a toolbox in my pocket.  Really the only thing I don’t use my PBMT is on the tractors, but I’m not really part of the family farm game anymore. 

I think I’ve been inspired to post my own EDC journey. Might work on that soon 

[Huntsman]

^^^ Yeah .... Do it           

We should make it mandatory on joining MTo         

[MrToolJunkie]

I think this is a great thread. It is the journey that for me,  at least,  has never come to an end - at least not yet.  I have landed primarily on Swisstool Spirit models and some other SAK to compliment it. But,  I have been loving the Leatherman Free P4 since getting it from Amazon on the Prime deal and have really enjoyed using it.  I have a ARC and realized I did not like it mainly due to the scissors and while the bit driver works,  it struggles with recessed screws in its standard configuration.  I am sending it back to LM to fix the scissors as the ones in the P4 work perfectly. So maybe I will like the ARC more when it comes back.  I will miss serrated blade and love the file. Obviously I have the started blade on the P4 and a whimsical file. So paired with a Serrated Spartan or Ranger has those bases covered. I have started to enjoy whatever I am carrying as I continue to search.

[Grand_Banana]

^^^ Yeah .... Do it           

We should make it mandatory on joining MTo         

I may start working on that tonight 

I think posted a picture of my current collection and my preferred users when I joined.  Felt like the right thing to do like the SAK initiation thread. I’d like to see the evolution of members choices over the years.  I never thought I’d carry some of the stuff I do now.

[Swisster]

The Compact is the consensus optimal SAK  for EDC of YouTube knife channel content creators and it’s in my top 3 SAK’s.     

[ToolJoe]

I've found a Tinker to be the ideal EDC right now as it is too dang hot to carry anything larger in my shorts pocket!

[mfturner]

This has been a great thread to revive, I appreciate the detail in the OP’s description of the process.

I’ve been driven by the extra technology i now carry.   Up through the 90’s I was happy with larger four or five layer tools in my pocket because my keys were small and there wasn’t much competition for pocket space.  The four layer Wenger Safari is an example.  Then twenty years ago I added a cell phone, so I switched to a leatherman Micra with my car keys in one pocket and the cell phone in another so that I wouldn’t scratch up the display.  Then ten years ago car keys changed to FOB’s almost the size of my cell phone, and I’ve added reading glasses which can also easily scratch, so I switched to a thinner Waiter which fits with the FOB in one pocket.   I miss the scissors in the Micra for my nails though, so for long distance hiking I added a Compact to keep my toe nails under control.  That in turn made me appreciate its plus scale additions, so I’ve modified the Waiter into a Waiter+, with pen, pin, glasses screwdriver and small rectangle of sandpaper clamped under its corkscrew.

So that’s where I’ve landed for now, a Waiter+ when I’m not hiking and a Compact when I’m hiking days at a time.  I would probably also be fine with the Waiter+ plus a Classic too for hiking, or a modded Climber+.

[nate j]

for long distance hiking I added a Compact to keep my toe nails under control

Well, I’m curious.

How long of hikes are you taking that you need to trim your toenails along the way?  Or do your toenails grow unusually fast?  Or are you fastidious about keeping them just so?

Personally, I’m probably only trimming my toenails once every couple of weeks.

[mfturner]

Ha ha, good point, that does sound funny. 

Last year was only a 16 day Camino not quite 200 miles in 14 days of hiking,  and I learned to attend to my toes every night and morning.  It wasn’t really about how fast the nails grow so much as the mileage and hills, 15-20 mile days including “bonus” miles are really hard on your feet.  After a few toenails started lifting and turning black by the third day, I found that if I used  a small strip of first aid tape over my toenails in the morning, I only needed to actually trim them about twice a week, and I didn’t lose the toenails.  Soon I’m planning the whole AT, 2200 miles…so that’s on my mind too.

[G-Dizzle]

Ha ha, good point, that does sound funny. 

Last year was only a 16 day Camino not quite 200 miles in 14 days of hiking,  and I learned to attend to my toes every night and morning.  It wasn’t really about how fast the nails grow so much as the mileage and hills, 15-20 mile days including “bonus” miles are really hard on your feet.  After a few toenails started lifting and turning black by the third day, I found that if I used  a small strip of first aid tape over my toenails in the morning, I only needed to actually trim them about twice a week, and I didn’t lose the toenails.  Soon I’m planning the whole AT, 2200 miles…so that’s on my mind too.

We definitely need a gear list and status reports!

[mfturner]

A new thread maybe…for this thread I just appreciate how both my needs and competition for space have also influenced my SAK (or other multitool) preference.

[nate j]

Soon I’m planning the whole AT, 2200 miles…so that’s on my mind too.

Nice!  Are you planning to hike north or south?

We definitely need a gear list and status reports!

[mfturner]

I am busy until May, so I’m planning to flip flop, Harper’s Ferry to Maine, then Harper’s Ferry to Georgia.  It should let me take more time to enjoy the world at 2 miles an hour, vs a late starting race to Maine before they close Katahdin for the season, and I’d rather avoid the black flies of a SOBO start.  I’ll bump one of the outdoor threads to muse about tools for hiking vs camping, two ends of a spectrum to me and I like them both. 

For this EDC thread, I like my Waiter with plus tools for the previously mentioned reasons.

[nate j]

I am busy until May, so I’m planning to flip flop, Harper’s Ferry to Maine, then Harper’s Ferry to Georgia.  It should let me take more time to enjoy the world at 2 miles an hour, vs a late starting race to Maine before they close Katahdin for the season, and I’d rather avoid the black flies of a SOBO start.  I’ll bump one of the outdoor threads to muse about tools for hiking vs camping, two ends of a spectrum to me and I like them both.