Fantastic. That was the only good review of this tool that I could find on RU-vid. All the others unbox it to hold it into the camera lens but can‘t show any practical use. You nailed it! Keep up the good work 👍🏻
Best Victorinox minichamp review ever. Great job. I also have multiple Victorinox knives and just considering buying the alox version of it. The reason being esthetics and thickness. Just like you, I had the swiss card. I really loved it but it also broke on me after few months of use (I kept it in the wallet). I love to have the pen and tweezers handy and find them very useful so what I'm thinking about is to use the tweezers and pen from the broken swiss card, keep them in the wallet and that way enjoy the alox version of mini champ without having to sacrifice the pen and tweezers.
Wow! Amazing review. You covered everything and in a pleasant way. Thanks! Not sure why I watched your vid, to be honest, as I've been carrying a minichamp for over 2 years now. I guess I needed the confirmation that it is a great little EDC tool :D
Great video. I just bought a mini champ. I had no idea it was so tiny haha. But they pack a lot of useful tools in a remarkably small and easy to carry package. I think this knife is like my 5th or 6th victorinox, and I absolutely love every one I’ve ever bought. I EDC the normal Swiss champ, which might seem a little old fashioned these days but I get a CRAZY amount of mileage on that thing everyday at work, and the weight isn’t too noticeable after a while. I think I might start using the mini champ as my “around the house” EDC, or even just as a supplementary knife. Good insights
Thanks for your nice comment! I can't blame you, at one point I was having on me the mini champ in my Keychain with a fenix flashlight (until today I have this combo), and one Deluxe Tinker in the rear pocket, plus the Swiss Tool Spirit on my belt haha. I loved it. Today I reduced it to only the mini champ, and the Swiss tool in the car. Have you considered the Swiss tool? To me does a better job than the Champ (big one) as you can lock the tools, plus the pliers are a dream!
I carry a sewing needle pre threaded and wound around it under the orange peeler and emergency blade. I wear my mini champ on a lanyard around my neck for edc. It keeps it really handy.
Regarding the cellidor scales (plastic handles), it is very rare for them to fall off. A nice bonus is that you can change to a different color if you want! Also, the cellidor scales weigh less than metal, which can be a plus. As you note in a response to another comment, when you do opt for the alox (metal) scales, you lose the toothpick, tweezers, and pen. The alox version feels very solid and substantial. It is quite nice, though expensive.
Yeah, per se they don't fall. It's a good design but with the flaw that when you drop them, this connection can break and you need new ones. Luckily it's easy to find and swap for new ones. Mine resisted many falls before breaking apart. Even so, I'd still choose them again over any other tool, be it Leatherman or others. Thanks for your comment!
I have read that the so called Cuticle remover and hook was aphotecary tools, the hook was used to open medicine bottles and pull put the cottonwool before you could reach the pills. the Cuticle remover was a spatula to measure small amounts of ingridients when the aphotecary made their own medicins.
Makes sense! That hook is really sharp and beefy. And regarding the spoon, I guess I read it also. I'll check later how many grams one can get in the spoon 😁 If anything, idk how I'd feel using this tool, usually kept in the pocket, touching health sensitive stuff haha.
That orange peeler/hook is actually a packet or box opener - you pull through the plastic/paper packet or taped box to open. Which would be consistent for the pharmacist's needs, opening sealed pill or powder packets frequently. And that "ruler" allows the pharmacist to measure powder or liquid contents in a vial. To accurately measure dozes. Finally, that second blade is a scalpel. Think about it: you can write prescriptions or compute dozes with a pen; you can check dilation of the eyes with the light. Practically a pharmacist's tool! I hear they did not market the tools as such due to its implication/possible association to drug use. I'd like to turn the thought around and consider these as great first aid/self-care tools.
Really enjoyed that, and you showed me a few new ideas, has to the wire bender I’ve always thought it was a wire stripper, as in cut around the plastic with the blade then place it into the notch and pull. I’m not a big collector of victorinox but I have three, both of the champs and one alox plus one I bought in 1980 as an hunting knife but I’ve since found out it’s the German Army knife made by Victorinox, all my other Victorinox are butchers blades, and I rate them high quality for the price.
They are cool but there is one huge problem with these mini SAKs, they are far too expensive for no apparent reason. It should cost half the price or less. For the same price it's better to buy mid size SAK. Of course Victorinox makes decision hard to make, because most of mid size don't have a file, but if that is not a problem, then mid size is a way to go. If I wouldn't use mini champ on a key ring, it's inconvenient, I prefer to keep mid size SAK in a pocket anyway.
Indeed! Victorinox made it a bit unfriendly for the user, having to lose something in their offers... It must be a marketing strategy. I used to carry a Tinker Deluxe, which is the max. I can tolerate in my pocket. But then I found the Minichamp was doing the job better for 90% of the time, specially that great Phillips which is more practical for everyday (as a not expected situation) than the middle version. And then I need something more capable, I take the Swiss Tool, because of the practicality and also its locking tools, which the middle versions don't have.
Great video. I'm a big fan of the MíniChamp. In the past I swapped the scales to be able to carry the tweezers and toothpick, leaving out the pen. My latest one I'm keeping the pen and adding a Streamline Nano, which doubles as a pull.
Hello! Do you find some tools on the MiniChamp have weaker spring snap, than other 58mm? Most specifically the combo tool (Phillips / cap lifter) ? Thanks!
Haha yes! This is something weird to experience. They for sure are not strong as the bigger models, and I'd guess these springs are there only so the tools don't float around, I would never trust them to hold while doing some work with them. It has to do with the size of the springs, the beefier, the stronger. I have kind of like 3 strengths of springs: 1) Small victorinox, 2) regular size ones, 3) Multi tool able to lock ones.
@@m.a.s.engineeringgadgets4867 Thanks for your reply! I just find that my Rambler and MiniChamp both have noticibly weaker springs than any other 58mm I have in the collection... specially on the Phillips / cap lifter tool, which is very weak!
Great video! Although I prefer the Midnight manager for my Keyring... i find the extra tools on the mini champ i can just use the knife for...for example...peeling an orange or opening a package...i gave my mini champ to my Dad and he loves it though!
Hey there thanks for your comment! Haha indeed, sometimes can be a bit too thick, it depends on the tolerance for carrying stuff. I used to carry my Swiss tool (see video) on my belt 😂 thanks for watching!
Just bought one, it doesn't was my first option, as i find some uses redundant, i was looking for the manager or the rambler, but curiously both were more expensive than the minichamp 😅 , anyway you make look to the cuticle thing in a different way, but the ruler with the small screwdriver and the file should be just one use and let space for something new
I can agree with you. There are things that are redundant or do not differ that much. I think Victorinox should review their designs. On the other hand, you can split the use among the similar tools to reduce wear. But what I love about the Minichamp is the hook. It's so sharp, you can tear anything with it.
Great video. I am on my 4th mini champ as it keeps getting confiscated by the TSA and I have to purchase another one via eBay. This is also my EDC for the last 5-6 years.
Haha I guess they're so integrated as a EDC it's hard to realize to leave it home. I lost mine also similarly, by entering to a festival and checkpoint at the entrance...
Alox Mini Champ has a metal sleeve. But loose the slot for tweeters or toothpick and no pen. The Classic SD has the most useful tool set. After that the multi-tool Philips screw driver and bottle opener of the Rambler/Manager comes next. The Rambler can hold both tweeters and toothpick. The Manager has a ball point pen so only one insert. The sleeve ought to be able to hold a pin. I believe some have heated a pin and melted a slot to hold it. There are also LED torch in the Lite, Signature Lite, Manager Lite and Mini Champ Lite. Useful for short use such as lighting up a keyhole or searching for something dropped on the floor but you have to press the button all the time to keep the light shinning. The spoon curved cuticle pusher was once called the pharmacist's tool for measuring out powder to put in capsules. So a drug dealer tool! I have manged to peel oranges with the standard blade for decades and even with the hook and sharp edge would still use the standard blade. The ruler should be in mm and half millimetre and could be on the back of the nail file (either Classic or Classic SD type). Not sure why this has not been added to the Classic or Classic SD. To tighten the screw on a pair of glasses (spectacles) I have used the blade or scissors pf the Classic - not ideal. None of the 58mm line have a tool for this. Your modification is as good as it gets. The insert screw driver from the 91 mm Champ is the best tool for this.
@@m.a.s.engineeringgadgets4867 well, as someone whose mother tongue is English: we don't say "comma" in either case. If it's 3.4 we'll say "three point four". No one says "comma". Even Americans don't say it and they're famous for being stupid 👍
Hey! Thanks for your comment, I was considering doing the Swiss champ next. What would you like to see in particular? More of a used focus, or more of a show tools/comment on them? I'd appreciate your feedback!
@@m.a.s.engineeringgadgets4867 like the one you did here. That would be awesome! The SwissChamp is my favorite 91mm and the MiniChamp is my favorite 58mm.
There are many ways to use the same tool. I learned it as a wire bender, maybe because people use it more often like that, than as a wire stripper. Theoretically yeah, you should cut the isolation and use this tool to separate it. Not that useful in my expierence.
@@m.a.s.engineeringgadgets4867 you can strip a wire of its insulation w/o nicking it first. Just grab the general area to strip with the notch, then pull away.
If you use a knife for a year regularly without stropping, honing, sharpening you are sadly doing it wrong. The paper cut clearly show more ripping than cutting, the edge does look like a saw under the microscope because the soft Victorinox steel ain’t made for so long time absent to sharpening. Buy yourself a strop with compound and strop just a few minutes in a shallow angle and the knife is razor sharp again!
You're absolutely right. I don't take much care of this knife as it deserves, but I guess my point was to actually show that still gets the job done as a everyday help when you can't reach the main tool. Thanks for your comment! BTW Have you tried maybe the victorinox sharpener? I was always curious to know if it worked properly.
Great review! I wouldn't mind a review of the regular Victorinox champ, it's not a knife for me, but others will definitely appreciate your in-depth meticulous reviewing style applied to it - I'm sure. Victorinox makes the minichamp in an "Alox" version as well, btw, if the plastic scales bother you too much.
Thanks for your comment! I really love the MiniCHAMP and I use it every day. The bad thing about the alox is that then I lose the pen haha that's a compromise I can't take! I was considering to do the Swiss champ too, it'd be a 1hr video for sure haha. I had the chance to make my own victorinox in Switzerland, an experience I'll never forget! Great tools, great quality.
Thanks for your suggestions. I was evaluating them before buying the one I got. The Champ alox drops the toothpick / tweezers and the ballpoint pen. Which to me, removes one of the most useful thing for every day: a pen that can write in any position as it's pressurized. The midnight includes the led, which to me is really dim, and a cellphone has a more powerful light, again it drops the tweezer / toothpick which can be doable. But the logo is made of plastic and it's painted, which wears out and looks really bad after short time. The logo on the other models is actually metal inserted. So there you go, it you appreciate looks vs extras, go for the alox. It looks great and is full metal, therefore long lasting (no plastic handles). If you want a cool factor, get the midnite. Also tos thicker. I take the classic MiniCHAMP 😁
@@m.a.s.engineeringgadgets4867 The LED on Midnight MiniChamp would be used when the cell phone is too bright for certain situations, or when you just don't want to use up your cell phone battery, or your cell phone battery is dead. So I'd not rely on cell phone for light, nor would I compare the two! Both would be used for different situations. Always good to have backup. :) Watch *nutnfancy* EDC mistakes video. He recommends a separate light, apart from cell phone, for EDC. It makes logical sense. I also have a tiny *Olight i1R2,* which is around 4cm long, and 1 1/2 cm wide. Very nice and compact, yet *VERY* bright! It cost but $20 in the U.S. It can be recharged, as well.
@@m.a.s.engineeringgadgets4867 True! On the minichamp rules is on the same rivet/layer as the "cuticle pusher". I think if both are removed a can opener from medium size victorinox would fit (rivet is probably too thick for it though). Would be willing to try
