Victorinox Climber

This isn't necessarily my favourite SAK. But in its role as a handy compact tool kit it still gets quite a bit of use. It doesn't leave the house, because there are other models I prefer for EDC, but it is kept in a convenient place, and has proven its worth over many years. The scissors are probably used the most. Just the right size for many tasks, and fully ambidextrous. While I have never had a Victorinox scissor spring fail, break, or become damaged, replacement springs are very inexpensive. The eyeglass screwdriver is an excellent addition. It has served as an impromptu scribe, mini drill for softwoods or green wood, and can be used as a thumbtack in some cases. The corkscrew is great for unpicking knotted cord or shoelaces, and can often reach into tight spaces where a knife blade, screwdriver, or pliers could not reach. It is nice to have a smaller secondary blade, for detailed jobs. Some Vics omit the pen blade, such as the Cadet (a favourite) or the Compact. But it's missed at times. And if you have ever snapped off the tip of your main blade and learnt the hard way that your prized pocket knife is not meant for prying, nor for expertly throwing your knife (too much TV can influence a young mind) to transfix a chunk of kindling, only to have the mortally wounded piece of firewood topple face down and turn the sharp point of that heroic blade into a flat screwdriver as it has the last laugh, then at least the small blade remains even if a cringing life lesson has been given. So if you have decided that you don't need all the extra tools of the thicker SAKs but scissors would be useful, the Climber is an ideal choice. Less expensive than the very popular Pioneer X, and offering the excellent back tools along with the handy toothpick and tweezers, the Climber is still pocketable without veering into gadget bulk overload. Vic's superb warranty applies, and it wouldn't break the bank to replace this one. All in all, the Climber gets a hearty recommendation! Great stuff.

As many do, I've a pile of SAKs, but either this or it's posh t*rt sibling, the Pioneer X, are with me everyday. Why? Because they both offer the everyday essentials (knife, scissors, bottle opener and awl) in a reasnobly small package. I've others that carry more tools, or are smaller or slimmer, but these two are my favourites. SAKs can be sharpened up to scalpel levels with just a leather strop, but they don't hold that edge for long, so I usually also carry a knife' as well, but these are really for the other tools.

The Climber is my favourite Victorinox, and I have a lot of SAKs! I carry my Climber every day. It's not too bulky, and has a really good mixture of useful functions (I agree with J's review). I Love the classic Red SAK look. Everything is so well put together, the fit and finish is great. The knife/scissors/can opener is very sharp out of the box. I own a Pioneer X (which apart from a couple of stupid, but correctable design issues... such as the nail nick for the scissors being on the wrong side, and that terrible key ring mount, is a beefed up version of this mostly). I keep toying with the idea of swapping to the Pioneer X for the more robust blade/tools/etc.... but the it's the tweezers, tooth pick, and to a lesser extent the corkscrew that stops me. All in all, this pocket tool is art. It's just so useful and friendly! (SAKs are the iPhone of the knife world.... I think they come across as much less intimidating you know?). I wholeheartedly recommend this tool.

This is in my pocket all day, every day. All the most useful functions of a SAK (with the possible exception of the saw). The Mrs borrowed mine so much that I caved in and got her another SAK, too, that now lives in her handbag.