Victorinox Cadet

Concept: 4 out of 5
Execution: 4 out of 5
Yeah, but: They can be hard to find.

The Long Version: The Victorinox Cadet is one of the best Swiss Army Knives. At a modest 84mm length, with just two tool layers and Alox scales, this thing just disappears into a pocket until it's needed. Of all the knives I have, this is the one I can recommend to just about anyone without needing to know the specifics of where and how they'll use it. Besides, it's fairly cheap.

The Cadet is the knife that taught me that Swiss Army Knives don't need to be bulky plastic-handled four-layered boxes that aspire to be Swiss Champs. It has the standard openers layer, a large blade, and a nail file. As usual with Alox knives, there are no back-side tools, toothpick, or tweezers, but the metal scales lets this knife be the thinner than the single-layered Cellidor Bantam. While I like the classic red Cellidor handles, and their iconic visibility makes the knife seem harmless, there’s no doubt that the textured Alox handles give a better grip.

There are knives that I carry because I like them, others that I carry because I like to use them, and those that I carry because I need them. The Victorinox Cadet is one of the few knives that falls into all three categories: an attractive-but-utilitarian design and small size make it a pleasure to carry, it's equipped with a great blade that's big enough for actual work, and has other useful tools that expand its usefulness beyond what a single-blade knife can do.

Another way that I think about utility knives is to contrast how easy they are to carry with how useful they're likely to be for work. A small keychain knife is incredibly easy to carry with the tradeoff that it's not all that useful most of the time, while a folding knife over 3" or so can do a lot of cutting but requires a lot more dedication – and justification – to cart around. Once again my Cadet hits this sweet spot for me, being suited for near-ubiquitous carry and yet capable enough that I rarely feel the need to use something bigger. Yes, if I'm breaking down a skid-sized shipment then I'll reach for my Sebenza, but that's maybe a once-a-week thing, while I can use my Cadet several times a day.

The only real problem with the Alox Cadet is related to its strength of slimness: its ability to disappear. Mine went missing, making it only the second knife-bearing tool that I've ever lost. I hope that I find it somewhere in the house some day, or failing that, that someone else finds it, uses it responsibly, and falls in love with it the way I did. I liked mine so much, in fact, that I eventually went out and bought another one.

last updated 1 mar 2014

Victorinox Soldier 2008

Concept: 3 out of 5
Execution: 3 out of 5
Yeah, but: Heavy but multi-functional.

The Long Version: Swiss Army Knives are proven tools that have been refined over time, which is a nice way of saying that there are often only small variations between models. Victorinox's 2008 Soldier traces its lineage back to the Trekker that I reviewed in September.

The new Soldier knife shares a few traits with the older Alox Soldier model from my last review: it has the same can opener, and no tweezers or toothpick. But otherwise it's a very different knife, being much bigger with a locking blade and a locking 'cap lifter' that's big enough for some serious prying. There's a philips driver and awl on the back, an excellent saw, and the one-handed-opening blade with its very interesting serrations.

The Soldier puts the serrations on the front of the knife, where most of the cutting is done, and leaves the base of the blade plain for detail work. This is a sensible and uncommon way of doing things, but in practice it works very well. They're also incredibly sharp, with a fine pitch that's going to be miserable to resharpen, but so far that hasn't been necessary.

The handle on the Soldier is dark green nylon with grippy bits and a bas-relief shield. Like all 111mm knives, I find it far too large and heavy for pocket carry, but keeping a grip on it shouldn't be a problem.

I said in my review of the standard Trekker that the one-handed model is what I would buy if I had to do it over again, and the Soldier proves me right. This is the knife that I carry in my work bag as a backup to my lighter pocketable SAK, ensuring that I always have the ability to break down an inbound skid of product, reduce the wooden pallet to kindling, and reassemble the best bits into a serviceable table. I may never need to do that, but there's no doubt that the Soldier is a very capable knife.

last updated 1 feb 2014

Wenger Standard Issue

Concept: 3 out of 5
Execution: 3 out of 5
Yeah, but: One of the best.

The Long Version: In this era of mil-spec spec-ops mall-ninja tacticool aspirational garbage it's easy to forget that the title "Swiss Army Knife" is not yet another example of marketing's language abuses. Victorinox and Wenger do actually make military-issue hardware, both historically and currently. This review is of the Wenger Standard Issue, which is the smaller Alox knife in the photo above; the other knife will have to wait a little bit for its companion review.

The Standard Issue is a 93mm metal-handled knife with a large blade, in-line awl, can opener, and bottle opener. That's remarkably like the Victorinox Pioneer, and for a very good reason. The knives issued by the Swiss Army were all made to the same specifications, despite being supplied by different companies. So the 1961 Soldier knives, and their 'civilian' variants, are all built on the 93mm Alox platform pioneered by the Pioneer. It's a rugged and versatile tool set in a minimalist work knife, so it makes perfect sense that it was in service for some thirty-five years.

Setting aside the manufacturer and its historical legacy, the only difference between the Victorinox Electrician (that I reviewed last January) and the Wenger Standard Issue is the bail on one end and the can opener on the other. And even though this is a Wenger knife, the can opener is the cuts-forward Victorinox style with the small screwdriver tip, not the sharpened hook that typifies most Wenger knives.

The 93mm Alox is my favourite style of SAK for medium-duty work tasks, being solidly built without being too large or heavy for just-in-case pocket carry. The bail on the Standard Issue makes it easy to retrieve from a watch pocket or to clip to things, and provides an immediate cue to the orientation of the knife as it's drawn, with the only downside of needing a bit more care when closing the blade.

One other distinction that marks the Soldier knives is a date stamp on the tang of the blade. Mine is marked 99, making it more than a dozen years old, and it has had at least a few years of solid use before being put away to languish in a drawer. It was rescued by a friend of mine who gave it to me, and after just a bit of work it's as smooth and sharp as my newer knives. I don't hesitate to use it for difficult tasks, carry it often, and sharpen it as needed, yet I'm sure it has another good dozen or more years to it. As nice as a new Swiss Army Knife is, old ones can be better.

last updated 31 jan 2014

Wenger EvoWood 14

Concept: 5 out of 5
Execution: 4 out of 5
Yeah, but: Almost my perfect knife.

The Long Version: There are two brands that make "Swiss Army Knives", Wenger and Victorinox, and I've always gravitated to the latter. I bought and reviewed the four-layer Wenger EvoGrip18 a few years ago, but while it's a nice enough knife I never liked it as much as I wanted to. Four layers is a bit too thick for my taste, and even when it was broken in a little the plastic-and-rubber handle never felt as nice as it should.

What a difference a material change makes. My most recent acquisition, and SAK of the Month for November, is the Wenger EvoWood 14.

The handle scales on this EvoWood knife, which are made of walnut, are fantastic. It might not be as hard-wearing as celidor or nylon, but it feels great to hold and it really takes advantage of the sculpting in the Evolution-series handle shape. Not only is it easier to hold than flat plastic, it also gives a tactile cue to the orientation of the knife. I often have to take a second to figure out which end is which on my Victorinox SAKs, which I didn't even realize was a problem until I noticed that the Wenger always seemed to be the right way around.

The Evo 14 is a three-layer knife, and its 85mm length puts is just a touch longer than October's SAK of the Month, the Small Tinker. That makes the Wenger just about perfect. Its blade and tools are just as useable as on the larger 91mm knives, but it's easier to carry, while three tool layers offer a lot of versatility without becoming too fat. Yes, the proportions of the EvoWood 14 are just about perfect.

The tool set is a useful mix that doesn't match any other knife. It has only one blade, with a nail file where the small blade would usually go. The middle layer is scissors, which Wenger does better than Victorinox. The third layer is the cap lifter, which lacks the right-angle detent of a Vic knife, and the can opener, which is the largest difference between Wenger and Victorinox tools.

The Wenger can opener cuts with the tool moving forward between strokes, with the can rotating clockwise, while the Victorinox cuts in the oposite direction. This lets the Vic have its small screwdriver, while the hawksbill cutter of the Wenger works as a secondary blade for rough cutting. Another great feature of the Wenger opener is that the curved back works on all of those coin-slot screws that the flat blade of the cap lifter can't turn effectively. It's nice to have variety in the world.

The wooden scales don't hold tweezers or toothpicks, but the Evo 14 does have an awl and corkscrew on the back. The handle next to the awl has a cutout, making it easy to deploy, but the awl doesn't have a sharpened edge or a sewing eyelet, making being pointy its only atribute. The corkscrew is the same as those on Victorinox knives – they're the same company these days – so the little Vic accessory screwdriver will work on it, but I don't have a big need for corkscrews in my life.

There is another model – Evo 16 – that is identical except that it trades the corkscrew for a Philips screwdriver. That's almost certainly the model I should have bought, and if I see it with a wooden handle, I almost certainly will. But in a pinch the tapered tip of the nail file can drive a Philips screw, making the EvoWood 14 very nearly my perfect knife.

last updated 6 nov 2013

Victorinox Small Tinker

Concept: 3 out of 5
Execution: 4 out of 5
Yeah, but: Small is good.

The Long Version: The Victorinox Tinker, August's SAK of the Month, is a very useful knife. It's a two-layer knife with the basic utility toolset: philips driver and awl, small and large blades, and the cap lifter and can opener. The small Tinker is exactly the same knife, except 8% smaller. That's enough to make it the SAK of the Month for October.

The 91mm standard-sized Tinker isn't my favourite two-layer knife; March's SAKOTM, the Compact, offers more versatility for the same size, with few drawbacks. But the simple little knife from February, the Bantam, is my favourite of all of the cellidor-handled knives I own. I bought the Small to see if that smaller form factor would still be as charming with a slightly thicker knife.

Tinker, Small Tinker

The Small Tinker is the same length as the Bantam, but is wider to accomodate two tool layers that split out the functions of the Bantam's two tools. The blade becomes the large and small blade layer, the combo tool becomes the openers layer. While I could have stopped there and saved a few dollars by buying the Recruit, the Small Tinker's backside tools don't add much to the size and weight of the knife.

Having both 91mm and 84mm Tinkers has let me do some direct comparisons between the tools. The large blade, cap lifter, and can opener are all scaled down on the smaller knife, but the screwdriver tips of the openers remains the same size. The small blade, backside T-handle Philips driver, and awl are the same between both knives.

Mechanic, Tinker, Small Tinker, Bantam

A perfectly valid question would be why anyone would own both the small and standard tinker. Frankly, I'm having a hard time answering that one. My suggestion would be that the Small Tinker would be nicely paired with the Mechanic, an Alox knife for utility tasks, or the Compact for variety. For those who want just a single knife, though, the Small Tinker remains an excellent choice.

The strength of a Swiss Army Knife isn't that it has the best tools for the job, but that it's the tool that's most likely to be available. The Small Tinker is smaller enough that it's a bit easier to carry than the 91mm variant, but its tools remain just as useful. That makes it pretty easy to recommend.

last updated 4 oct 2013

Victorinox Trekker

Concept: 3 out of 5
Execution: 2 out of 5
Yeah, but: The One-Handed models are better.

The Long Version: It's always nice when I read one of those "what knife should I carry" forum threads only to discover that I already own the tool that keeps being recommended over and over again. It's unlikely to happen, but there's no question that the Victorinox Trekker is what I would want to carry if I ever find myself in nature for any length of time. That's enough to make it September's SAK of the Month.

The Victorinox Trekker – aka Trailmaster in places where Cold Steel doesn't have that name locked down – is a very serious SAK. Notable for having a locking blade and nylon handles, there's also a one-handed opening version that's the basis for the contemporary knives for both the German and Swiss armies, and that model is worth a serious investigation for anyone who wants to never lose their tweezers or toothpick.

As a 111mm knife, the Trekker is substantially larger and heavier than the 93mm Alox knives; to be completely honest, I find it far too large to carry for casual or occasional use. But that's not a problem for people who want a medium-to-hard-use tool, which the Trekker undoubtedly is. Both the blade and the cap lifter have liner-locking mechanisms to keep them in place, and both are considerably larger and heavier-duty than their smaller-SAK counterparts. Even the attachment point for the split ring is stronger than the usual, and could probably be a powerful striking tool in its own right.

The Trekker also includes the extremely useful wood saw, which is my weapon of choice whenever I need to deal with wood or plastic, as well as the standard can opener, backside philips and awl, and it has the standard tweezers and toothpick in the handle. I'd combine it with a small pouch for belt carry, and just add a hatchet, tent, camp stove, food, water purifier, sleeping bag, cot, and a personal locator beacon for an excellent outdoors kit.

My Trekker pre-dates the one-handed models, which is what I would buy now if I had to do it all over again. But this is one of those times when there's no bad choice, and these biggest Swiss Army Knives deserve a considerable amount of respect.

last updated 13 sept 2013

Victorinox Tinker

Concept: 3 out of 5
Execution: 3 out of 5
Yeah, but: The knife other knives build on.

The Long Version: The Victorinox Tinker, August's SAK of the Month, barely needs an introduction. Its tool mix is pretty much the core Swiss Army set, making for a useful two-layer knife: large blade, small blade, can opener, cap lifter, awl, Philips screwdriver, toothpick, tweezers. It's the Mechanic without pliers, it's the Hiker without the saw, it's the Spartan with a Philips driver: it's the 91mm version of the smaller 84mm Tinker with the exact same tools. Pretty fundamental stuff.

The Tinker has a couple of notable omissions from the staple Swiss Army Knife tool mix: no scissors or nail file. This makes the Tinker into a task-oriented knife for people who are likely to be doing mechanical things, like fixing vacuum cleaners or trimming hoses, rather than a knife that would be carried for no particular purpose.

I was fortunate enough to be carrying my Tinker on the day when I had to frame and hang fourteen photos at work, which meant driving drywall screws into chipboard instead of hammering nails. The knife, cap lifter, awl and screwdriver all came in very handy, and there was nothing else I needed. Well, a tape measure would have been useful, but that's life.

I carry my Tinker when I'm feeling a little more industrious than my Compact, but when I'm not expecting to need the additional elaborateness of my Mechanic or Explorer. It's a solid, practical choice for a no-nonsense two-layer Swiss Army Knife. It doesn't stand out from the crowd, but that's not really what it's there for.

last updated 4 aug 2013

Victorinox Executive

Concept: 4 out of 5
Execution: 2 out of 5
Yeah, but: Do you like oranges?

The Long Version: The Victorinox Executive, July's SAK of the Month, lands in an interesting middle-ground between the keychainable 58mm knives and the larger work-rated ones. It has tools that are larger and more functional than those on the classic Classic, but still inoffensive enough to use almost anywhere that isn't airborne.

Available in red or black celidor, the scales contain the same tweezers and toothpick as the Classic. This should make it easy to find replacements should the need arise.

The tool mix on the Executive is geared toward light utility and grooming. The file is remarkable for being an actual cut metal file that covers the width of the tool, not just a strip of match-starter abrasive set into the centre of it, and its tapered 'cleaner' tip can be used with small Philips screws. The SAK scissors are always handy, and the small blade is about the same size as the blade on the Classic. There's also a larger, but still very slender, main blade, as well as the unique 'orange peeler' tool.

The orange peeler is a serrated blade with a slot screwdriver tip, and presumably it's sized so that the depth of the blade will pierce the peel but not the fruit. And yes, I've tried it and it works pretty well, even though I can't peel and orange with this tool in anything approaching the speed that Penny manages without it.

Even if citrus isn't important in your life – with apologies to Bill – the orange peeler still works well as a serrated knife blade. I wouldn't be reaching for it when I need to cut through a rope, and can't really say when it would be better than using one of the two straight blades, but it's good to have options.

I find that the 74mm Executive is a bit too big for my keychain, but it would be perfectly at home in a desk drawer, even if it isn't mahogany or cherry-wood, or carried loose in a pocket. I like it for those times when I don't expect to need a knife at all, want something just a bit tougher than my alox Classic, or as a second knife that can be loaned to family or friends. That doesn't put it in heavy rotation among my favourite tools, but then again, I'm not much of an executive.

last updated 1 july 2013

Swiss Bianco Victorinox Carver

Concept: 2 out of 5
Execution: 5 out of 5
Yeah, but: Pick a theme and stick with it.

The Long Version: Swiss Army Knives are such paragons of multi-functional virtue that searching with Google for exact matches to "the swiss army knife of" produces over ten million results. Audio codecs, shovels, fighter jets, forensics, filmmaking, public health, portable grills, smartphones, snowmobiles, bank accounts, barn equipment, business agreements, workbenches, window treatments, tube amps, telecom equipment, essential oils, Linux, Listeria: if something has existed long enough for there to be a blog post about it, someone's called something The Swiss Army Knife Of it.

This makes June's SAK Of The Month, the Swiss Bianco special Victorinox Carver, especially perverse. Equipped with five tools in three layers, all it does is cut.

The 93mm Carver is essentially an Alox Harvester that has had its cap lifter swapped out for a second large blade. That gives it two identical large blades, one pivoting from each end, and a hooked small pruning blade. The middle layer houses the exceptional Victorinox wood saw, and the fifth tool is the in-line awl. While that's technically more of a poking tool than a cutting one, it's an excellent rough-duty blade, and I wouldn't want to mess with one in a dark alley.

The automatic question about the Carver is "why bother?" Why bother with a multi-tool that only does one thing, and why carry a knife the size of a three-layer 93mm Alox SAK when it has blades that open with nail-nicks and no pocket clip? Well, did I mention that it's a special with a limited (but unspecified) production run that was made with Copper-coloured Alox scales in addition to the unadorned-aluminum version?

I have too much invested in Beanie Babies to keep track of Swiss Army Knife resale values, but I suppose novelty value must count for a lot.

I'm an accumulator, not a collector, so even though I appreciate that it's an uncommon bit of cutlery my Carver is a working knife. The hooked pruning blade is excellent for breaking tape, although straight out of the box it verges on being too sharp and aggressive. Having a pair of large blades, while odd, does mean that the Carver can cover a lot of miles before needing to be resharpened. And the wood saw is simply unbeatable for any softer material its length can span. While I haven't used my Carver for this task yet, the SAK saw is my tool of choice for rough-cutting PVC or ABS plastic pipe as well as wood.

While the all-blades all-the-time approach of the Carver is amusing and thematically appropriate, it would have been nice to see a metal saw in place of the second main blade. That would be a first for this size, as far as I can tell, which makes this dream configuration highly improbable – but by extension, accomplishing this remarkable feat would create a very desirable knife if Swiss Bianco could pull it off. I know I'd buy one, for whatever that's worth.

About the only odd quirk of the Carver, aside from its existence, is that the second large blade sits higher in the handle when it's closed. This means it's an easier blade to open, and a more comfortable knife to hold when it's in use, so it's the one that I use for most tasks. I consider this a feature rather than a bug, since I always prefer to use one blade for the majority of the work, leaving the other freshly sharpened for critical tasks.

The Carver is an easy knife to carry. Its weight rides securely in a jeans' watch pocket, the smooth tool-free back makes it easy to draw, and the thickness of its third layer gives it a square profile that's comfortable to use. While the Carver is thinner than the Mechanic, and so falls within my range for pocket carry, it wouldn't look foolish in a belt pouch, either.

As a Swiss Bianco special, the Victorinox Carver is only available directly through the regional Swiss Bianco distributors, and not through Victorinox or other third-party retailers. I'm pleased to say that the Canadian dealer that I purchased from was helpful and easy to deal with, despite the lack of a traditional e-commerce website, and my Carver arrived promptly with reasonable shipping costs. I have no doubt that I'll be ordering from them again.

last updated 4 dec 2010

Victorinox Mechanic

Concept: 4 out of 5
Execution: 3 out of 5
Yeah, but: Mechanic don't care.

The Long Version: Why would someone want a small multitool that includes pliers, but not want a pliers-based multitool? It might sound silly, but it's a serious question. Without an answer to it, there's not much point looking at the Victorinox Mechanic, which is May's SAK Of The Month.

Honestly, I'm not really sure of any reason why a Mechanic might be a better choice than a Leatherman or similar pliers-tool that also includes a knife blade and screwdriver. Many of them have cap lifters and can openers; some even include SAK-style tweezers. My Leatherman Style is smaller, slimmer, includes scissors, and its pliers are better. From a strictly practical point of view the Mechanic is a bit of a stumper.

If I really need a pair of pliers then I'd probably reach for one of my four pliers-based tools, each in a different size, or – heaven forbid – an actual pair of pliers. While the jaws of the Mechanic are good, they're not good enough to beat the competition. No, the real advantage of the Mechanic over its competition is that it simultaneously does a stellar job of being a Swiss Army Knife. Swinging a small set of pliers out of a traditional-looking red cellidor SAK has a certain appeal. The Mechanic is a pretty cool knife.

The Mechanic, as a SAK, has exactly the tools it should carry. There's two blades, large and small, as well as the can opener and bottle cap lifter with all of their assorted functions. Normally I'm happy enough to exchange the openers and small blade for a combo tool, as on the Bantam or Compact, but the Mechanic really deserves its dedicated tools.

The cap lifter is a better slot screwdriver than the combo tool, and the sharpened edge of the dedicated can opener doubles as a scraper and staple puller, neither of which are something the combo tool is very useful for. I also prefer twin blades on any SAK that will do heavy cutting, as on the Electrician, so that I can use the short blade for most utility tasks and keep the bigger blade sharp for when its size makes a difference.

Add in the backside philips screwdriver and awl and the Mechanic becomes a very useful tool to have for working-around-the-whatever. Pulling lightly-embedded nails, punching pilot holes and driving screws, prying, lifting, and cutting – this is a very helpful utility knife. Over just the past couple of days I've used the can opener to punch through and remove a plastic insert from the neck of a soy sauce bottle that was slated for recycling, the pliers to move something that was too aesthetically unappealing to touch, and the knife to cut stuff. No, I'm not exactly MacGyver's understudy, but I do okay.

The Mechanic is a three-layer knife, but the pliers layer is the thickest on any SAK, so the total knife isn't exactly svelte. It's still a bit slimmer than the four-layer Explorer, and is still small enough that I'm willing to fit it in my jeans watch pocket, but it's right on the threshold. That stops the Mechanic from replacing my Tinker, which is the same tool set without the pliers, since there are times when it's more tool than I want to carry. But I do carry the Mechanic, and use its pliers, more than any of the pliers-based tools that I have.

It may not objectively make sense, but the Mechanic is a pretty cool knife.

last updated 3 may 2013

Victorinox Explorer

Concept: 2 out of 5
Execution: 2 out of 5
Yeah, but: We can't all want Swiss Champs.

The Long Version: I tried to use the Explorer, I really did. I've been reviewing a different Swiss Army Knife each month, which gives me a reason for a little variety in what I carry. But the Explorer is a thick four-layer knife, and it's just too bulky for me to like. I ended up carrying it in my backpack instead of in my pocket, and unsurprisingly, it saw very little use.

The Explorer is remarkable for adding a really excellent in-line Philips screwdriver and a magnifying glass to the foundational SAK toolset. Large blade, small blade, scissors, can and bottle openers, corkscrew, awl, and hook – no nail file, but otherwise it's a very complete kit. The Explorer really is an iconic Swiss Army Knife.

But aside from the magnifying glass, it doesn't have any core capabilities that the two-layer Compact doesn't have, and it even lacks a few tricks. Yes, the Explorer's dedicated openers and screwdriver do work better than the combo tool, but I carry a SAK for contingencies, not in place of a proper toolkit.

The screwdriver really defines the Explorer for me. The Victorinox in-line Philips is vastly more useful than the backside driver, and it even has a ninety degree detent position, so it can beat the T-handle configuration for both power and ergonomics. Its asymmetric handle still isn't as nice as a proper screwdriver, but it really is usable for more than the quick turns that the backside driver or combo tool are good for.

Those who like the bigger tools – anyone who aspires to a Swiss Champ – will be very happy with it. Having it kept my "I Own A Swiss Army Knife" checkbox ticked for more than a decade; I even bought two other large knives simply because that's the form factor that I always expected a SAK to have. Bought, but not carried, just like the Explorer.

Even though I prefer the single and two-layer knives for everyday carry, It's still good to have the Explorer for the times when I need more than my Tinker but not something as heavy as a pliers-based multitool.

last updated 13 apr 2013

Victorinox Compact

Concept: 3 out of 5
Execution: 4 out of 5
Yeah, but: I shouldn't like it this much.

The Long Version: Only one layer thicker than February's SAK Of The Month, the Bantam, the Victorinox 'Compact' adds a lot of options over the slimmer knife. Like the Bantam, there's a large blade and combo tool taking up one layer, while the Compact includes a second tool layer that has a pair of scissors. That alone doesn't make much of a difference, even though the Victorinox scissors are quite good, but the Compact also adds back-side tools and the 'plus' Cellidor scales.

My favourite back-side tools are the awl and the Philips screwdriver; I avoided the Compact for months because it has neither, but it has turned out to be one of my favourite knives anyway. I would only use the backside awl for starting screw holes – unlike the inline awl of January's SAKOTM, the Electrician, which can work as a cutting tool – and the corkscrew actually does that pretty well, in addition to all of the other cork-screwy functions that the awl can't do.

While the backside Hook tool is a fairly low-demand item, to be polite, the Compact adds a narrow nail file to the exposed surface of it. This creates a workable substitute for the typical nail file tool, which would otherwise need the spot that the combo tool takes up in the Compact. And let me tell you, I love the combo tool – it replaces the screwdriver, can opener, and the backside Philips driver all at the same time. So anything that lets me have the combo tool is a win, and on the Compact there isn't a single downside to having it on the knife. Okay, I do sometimes wish I had a small second blade, but I can live without it when I need to.

This is something of an 'unofficial' use for the combo tool, as Victorinox doesn't seem to know about it, but the acute corner makes an excellent Philips screwdriver. No, I wouldn't want to hang a sheet of drywall with it, or use it for any real work, but that's true for the backside Philips as well. All I'd really use either for is loosening a screw before removing it by hand, or other occasional light tweaks, quick tasks, or desert-island emergencies. The rare inline Philips can be genuinely useful, but using the combo tool instead of the backside Philips isn't giving up much.

Hidden in the 'plus' scales is a small pin (look in the corkscrew cutout) and a slim pen, which join the traditional tweezers and toothpick of the standard Cellidor-scaled knives. I can't quite say that I've never used these two additions – I tried using the pin for something, which didn't work, but the tiny-slot eyeglass screwdriver that fits into the Victorinox corkscrew did the trick instead.

It's tough to find a SAK-appropriate task that the Compact can't do, despite it only being a two-layer knife. In terms of actual functions, rather than just tool counts, it compares quite favourably to much thicker knives. I generally choose an unreviewed SAK for daily carry each month, but I think the Compact may continue to ride shotgun for quite some time.

last updated 9 mar 2013

Victorinox Bantam

Concept: 3 out of 5
Execution: 3 out of 5
Yeah, but: The combo tool rules.

The Long Version: I've inadvertently started a collection of Swiss Army Knives, and February's SAK of the Month is the Bantam. It's about as simple as a Swiss Army Knife can be without living on a keychain, consisting of just a tweezer, toothpick, large blade and a combo tool. This is all accomplished with a single tool layer and those iconic red Cellidor scales, making the Bantam about as slim as a non-Alox SAK can be.

The Combo Tool is a clever little thing. It replaces the functions of both the flat screwdriver and the can opener, and takes the physical place of the small blade. This sheds an entire tool layer without really giving up any core abilities. The acute corner at the working end of the combo tool even makes a better Philips driver than the regular screwdriver or can opener can.

Despite its unsharpened edge, the combo tool does open cans. It may not be as speedy as the standard model, but I really don't care. If I'm using a Swiss Army Knife to open a can then I'm also going to be desperate enough to make the finer points of its effectiveness irrelevant. The SAK is better than finding a rough slab of concrete to use to grind away the seam around the lid, so mission accomplished. Let's face it: if I ever go camping and am willing to carry the weight of canned food, then bringing along one of the two normal can-openers from my kitchen isn't going to be the cause of my logistical nightmare.

While the Bantam is very thin for a plastic-scaled Victorinox, it's only slightly thinner than my heavy-duty Alox Electrician, and thicker than the Alox Cadet. The single tool layer and plastic scales also allow the knife to flex slightly when squeezed, so sometimes the combo tool binds on the knife when it's being folded away.

The Bantam has only one knife blade. I have to admit that I prefer dual blades, as I let the short one do most of the work and reserve the large blade for slicing paper or similar tasks. But giving up the small blade for the combo tool has proven to be a good compromise, and I carry the Bantam whenever I want something lighter-duty in my pocket.

last updated 11 feb 2013

Victorinox Electrician

Concept: 5 out of 5
Execution: 4 out of 5
Yeah, but: Soft stainless – it's the "inox" part of the name.

The Long Version: Until recently I've been something of a Swiss Army Knife neophyte, thinking that the boxy red-scaled models were about all there was. These are the knives that I remember my father owning, and they're nifty, with lots of options but not particularly practical or easy to carry. Discovering the multitude of thinner knives, especially the aluminium-scaled Alox ones, has been a revelation. It's entirely posible that the Victorinox Electrician could be the perfect pocket utility knife.

The Electrician has four tools: Large blade, sheepsfoot blade, caplifter, and awl. The aluminum scales don't include tweezers or a toothpick, and there's no cork screw, so right away a couple of the SAK calling-cards have been stripped away. There's also no can opener, which is odd for a model that has a cap lifter, and while I don't miss it I do wish that the Combo Tool that combines both tasks, and then some, was included in the cap lifter's place.

The Cap Lifter, which is nominally for opening bottles, is something that I mostly use as a small pry bar and screwdriver for all of those screws that are sized for a coin. Pretty standard stuff: it locks at ninety degrees as well as straight out, and if you've seen a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife before, it won't hold any surprises. Similarly, the main blade is the typical pattern, and while this 93mm knife packs a slightly bigger punch than most, it's not all that unusual.

The two greatest things about the Electrician are the sheepsfoot blade and the awl. Yes, the awl: it's that tool that normally sticks out of the back of the knife, and along with the Parcel Hook, ranks among the least useful of the common SAK tools. Except that, when I really do face the occasional need to punch a hole in something, the awl has no substitute. And the Electrician's awl is in-line with the handle, making it far more dexterous than the ones that stick out of the back of other knives, and it has an uncommon bend along the spine, replacing the nail nick as an opening method and making it extremely useful as a narrow wedge.

About the only actual use I have for the Can Opener tool is as a staple puller, and the Electrician's Awl does a good job here instead. The awl also serves admirably as a rough blade for tasks that might nick the dedicated knives, like breaking nylon zip ties, and naturally it makes a very strong piercing tool. About the only thing it can't do is sew – for that the traditional SAK awl, with its eye, remains superior. That seems like a minor niche (rhymes with quiche) feature to give up in exchange for a genuinely useful tool.

And then there's the sheepsfoot 'electrician' blade: this is what truly sets the Electrician apart. It's an exceptional utility knife, being long enough to cut through most material and short enough that it's a snap to use. The point being in-line with the blade – like on a box cutter – makes it excel at tasks like cutting boxes, breaking tape, and stripping labels, which is almost everything that I actually use a knife for when I'm at work.

The length of the 'electrician' blade is just right: long enough to do work, and short enough to be easy to control. I prefer working with knives that have blades that are shorter than my fingers, as it's an intuitive size, and the electrician beats that by being shorter than my thumb. Combined with a large handle, this knife is easy and natural to us even when I keep it in my hand while moving boxes around.

Of course, I cheat: the electrician blade has a crescent-shaped section that's designed as a scraper. It's sharply beveled but not actually sharpened; a couple of passes with a Spyderco triangular stone took care of that and turned it into the worlds' largest serration. Now when I slice through heavy plastic film – the wrap around six-packs of pop bottles, for example – the material gets cut even if it bunches up at the base of the blade.

Like all of the super-stain-resistant SAK steel, the blades take a sharp edge and then don't hold it for very long, but the short blade takes just seconds to retouch on a pocketable DMT sharpening hone. And routing most of the heavy work to this utility blade leaves the large blade razor-sharp for the times when it's needed. Win-win.

The aluminum scales also contribute to the Electrician's utility. The knife loses the tweezer and toothpick, but in exchange it gains a solid grip from a tough material that will only look better as it gains scratches and scars. The two-layer Alox knives are also only slightly thicker than a single-layered Cellidor knife like the Bantam, so even at its above-average 3.5" length, it's an easy knife to carry.

The Victorinox Electrician is also easy to carry for other reasons: it's a Swiss Army Knife, and despite its militaristic roots, they're generally pretty innocuous. It's going to be the absolutely last choice of the Mall-Ninja Tacticool crowd that make owning knives so obnoxious for those of us they call 'sheeple'. Non-locking slip-joint blades are fairly inoffensive and legal almost everywhere, while the Electrician is still big and solid enough to have real utility.

The last review I wrote was of my Chris Reeve Sebenza, which is a highly refined modern locking-bladed knife. It's possibly the best of its kind, and it's certainly the best knife that I own. But I could buy eight Electricians – $45 MSRP, dealers may sell for less – for what my plain Small Sebenza cost. Let me tell you, if I had found this little knife first, I might have saved myself a lot of money.

last updated 7 jan 2013

Chris Reeve Small Sebenza 21 Insingo

Concept: 4 out of 5
Execution: 4 out of 5
Yeah, but: It cuts stuff – is anything else about it important?

The Long Version: Sebenza. I first heard its name in reverent tones when I joined the usenet alt.rec.knives eighteen years ago, and I've been seeing it mentioned, even if it's only as an aside, almost every time I've researched a higher-end folding knife. This is the knife: there are a lot of other really good pocket knives out there, a few costing more and most costing less, but sooner or later they're all compared to a Sebenza.

Making the jump up to the Sebenza wasn't something I did easily. I read every review I could find online, watched the beginnings of many YouTube reviews, and spent a few weeks going through my knife box to revisit some of the favourites that I've been neglecting since buying my Spyderco Caly3. I decided that the Small Sebenza would suit me best, and that it would make a great self-present for Christmas.

But echoing through many contemporary Sebenza 21 reviews was another word: Insingo. This is a Sebenza variant with a different blade shape that seems better suited to my typical urban-work tasks than the traditional woodlands-hunting drop point pattern. Apparently it's in low-volume production, despite not being mentioned anywhere on the Chris Reeve Knives site, so when I found a dealer with one in stock I grabbed it. In early September. I have impulse-control issues.

Reviewers invariably call the Insingo's blade shape "a modified wharncliffe", but doesn't come close to describing what it's good for. A wharncliffe – similar to the sheepfoot – has a straight cutting edge and a spine that meets it in a blunt point. The "modification" is that the Insingo inherits a subtle belly and has a narrow but unsharpened swedge. It's extremely strong with excellent penetration ability, and it's very easy to slip between the taped-down flaps of a cardboard box without hurting the contents. That's not as tacticool as the chisel-tipped tanto, I know, but how many of us actually need to stab through car doors?

Translated from Zulu, 'Sebenza Insingo' becomes 'Work Razor'. There's really no better description of the blade. It's not what I would choose for field-dressing a deer, but it excels at field-dressing cardboard boxes, which I'm much more likely to do. It's very hard to think of any warehouse or utility tasks where I would choose another blade pattern over the Insingo, and in the three months that I've owned it, the only other knives I've willingly used have had "Victorinox" stamped on them somewhere.

The Sebenza's handle design is simple, subtle, and effective. Very slightly concave on top and bottom, this slab-sided titanium feels solid without needing any particular grip to work well. It's a small detail, but it makes a huge difference; the Sebenza is easy to hold and I know from feel where it is in my hand. There's a finger choil on the bottom just in front of where the knife naturally balances when open, giving it a secure hold and a lively feel.

I was amazed to find that its handle is the same thickness as my broad and finger-grooved Caly3, because the Sebenza is noticeably more agile and dexterous to use. I actually work my way down a line of cardboard boxes faster and more confidently than I do with my Caly3 or Medium Voyager, which have blades of similar lengths. I hadn't expected that at all, but there's just something about the shape and balance of the Sebenza that works better – for me – than everything else I own.

The Sebenza's clip took a while to get used to. It has a secondary bend in it that seems sized to securely hold the top of a jeans' pocket, which is a sensible thing for an American-made knife to have. This gives it a strong hold, but also needs a little more care when putting it away. And for some reason the Sebenza's clip seems unusually willing to catch on my usual messenger bag or computer chair. But a simple hex wrench, included with purchase, is all that's needed to remove the clip to bend it back into shape. That same wrench can completely disassemble the knife for cleaning or maintenance, as well – there's no reason why this tool shouldn't last for decades.

The Sebenza is expensive, but the Sebenza Insingo – Sebingo – is my perfect knife. The blade is the right size, the handle has the right weight, its construction is flawless, and its pedigree is beyond reproach. The only criticism I can really level at it is how quickly the blue anodizing has worn from the thumb stud, but I was planning on sending it back to Chris Reeve to have it replaced with a silver double stud regardless. The fact that that might even be an option is pretty cool.

One thing I haven't been able to determine is if the Insingo is an attractive knife or not. No, it's not really relevant, but my Benchmade Stryker is almost ridiculously good-looking, and it wouldn't hurt if the Seb could keep up. The slab-sided swedge doesn't really match the aesthetic of the rest of the knife, and the blade profile is certainly unusual, creating a slightly odd combination. But the way it feels and works is very convincing, so that's enough for me.

It's too soon to know if the Insingo has satisfied my desire to own one really good knife, or if it has just set a new high-water mark for my budget and introduced me to a new manufacturer. It certainly isn't the last knife I'm going to buy – I've already picked up a couple of new little ones – but it has changed what I look for.

last updated 20 dec 2012

Youtube Product Reviews

Concept: 3 out of 5
Execution: 1 out of 5
Yeah, but: Hey, internets.

The Long Version: Here's something I don't understand: the Youtubed single-take video review. I've been shopping for a new pocketknife recently, and these things are the dominant form of experiential information about it. Let me tell you, most of them are just plain bad, and many of them are much worse than that.

Coughing, bumping the camera, um, let's see, dropping things, focus hunting or locked on the wrong thing; um, background noise, hiss and wind noise; shaky camera, um, I don't know if you guys can see this; helmet-POV, hand-on-each-side demonstrations, um, webcam, hey youtube; missed framing, drifting auto exposure, fidgeting; dumb catchphrases, um, random backgrounds; bad video and worse lighting; scantily researched, improvised, self-indulgent and rambling presentations.

Seriously, I've seen considerably higher production values – and better scripting – from some very average efforts at amateur porn.

Writing a good review is hard work: look at just how rarely I accomplish it despite my many attempts. Taking photos is also an acquired skill, and one that most casual reviewers lack. That's usually okay, since the goal is description, not art, and a still photo can be puzzled out or skipped over as the viewer prefers. But when people take a video camera out to the garage because they think that it's easier than acquiring and/or combining those two other skills, bad things happen.

Making a good video is a lot of really hard work, which is why I don't do it. I can't say that I won't ever create a video review – they have their place and can draw a lot of attention – I absolutely promise that it won't be recorded with my cellphone.

last updated 24 sep 2012

Spyderco CF Caly3: One Year Later

Concept: 3 out of 5
Execution: 4 out of 5
Yeah, but: You had me at "laminated steel".

The Long Version: A year ago I bought a Spyderco Caly3 CF, so it's time for a quick update to the original review. To recap just a little, my reason for buying the Caly is that I really like my old Spyderco Native, but wanted a plain edge; my conclusion was that they're both great knives, and I couldn't really recommend either of the current generation over the other.

Well, the reality is that I carried the Caly almost exclusively for half a year, and only started using the others again when I noticed that the Caly was wearing through the back pockets of all of my jeans. The very similar Native almost never made it out of the house; my second choice was my clip-point 3" Voyager, and occasionally I'd carry one of my 4" Benchmades for variety.

The Calypso is the most sophisticated and functional knife I own. It has an excellent blade and a superb handle; the carbon fibre scales have enough grip and the thin profile carries extremely well. Yes, I wish that the scales at the pivot end wouldn't wear through my jeans quite so quickly, and the broad blade makes it difficult to accomodate my phone in the same pocket, but those are easy to forgive in exchange for such a great shape.

A slightly larger issue is that the open/close action isn't particularly smooth, and sometimes emits a slight squeak. It's not ideal, but it has never been annoying enough to make me investigate possible solutions, let alone enough to discourage me from carrying and using the knife. And after a year those are the only little quibbles that I have.

I've even become accustomed to the deep-carry pocket clip, which none of my other knives have. The last time that I carried my Stryker I realized that I was taking it out of my pocket by wrapping my index finger under the bottom of the clip, a la caly, instead of by grasping the butt of the knife between thumb and knuckle, which was my old method.

The refinement of the Caly's construction is really remarkable. It's easy enough to design a knife that works well when it's open, but look at the way the closed blade merges into the handle. It's perfect. There are some really exceptional knives that miss details like this, and it makes the Caly3 very nice to handle and carry.

The Caly's flat-ground blade is amazing, being able to slice exceptionally well and being easy to insert between the flaps of a sealed cardboard box. Because, let's face it, I'm no Survivorman wannabe: I use knives for breaking tape, cutting cardboard, stripping labels, and otherwise opening things. But I do actually use a knife on a daily basis, and the Caly3 has handled every task I've tried. I do occasionally need to sharpen the awesome ZDP steel that makes up the core of the laminated blade, but it does hold and edge significantly better than the ATS134, 154CM, or AUS8A steel in my other knives.

Size is always a contentious issue – look at the excitement when Apple offers an extra half-inch – and a lot of the appeal of a certain knife will depend on how it's being used. For box-breaking duty I like to keep my index finger along the side of the blade as a depth control, and the Caly's blade and handle design is as large as I can comfortably hold without over-extending my average-sized hand or gripping the knife by the sharp bits. Even the Spyderco hole comes into play here, providing a better grip for my thumb.

It's possible that the Caly3 really could be my perfect knife – or, at the very least, one of my perfect knives. No matter how good the Caly is, I accumulate knives because I enjoy them, not because I have some life-critical task that can't be done with my current selection. So the fact that I've just gone ahead and ordered yet another knife isn't a criticism of the Caly3; in fact, the one that I've picked out to complement it is an overwhelming testament to its excellence.

But that's a review for another day.

last updated 14 sep 2012