I bought my first 58mm SAK about 2 months ago, a Classic SD. Even as I opened the package and looked at it, I was questioning why I brought it. Well it only took one day of carrying it in my 5th pocket to change my mind. The little blade is great for precision cuts and what an easy way to carry a scissors and file. It's great when paired with a Spartan. I need to buy a Rambler now. Mark you're building a nice little collection of SAKs.
Been in my pocket for like 35 years now and I would not want to miss it a single day. The amount of times I had to use all the things on it, even the toothpick and tweezer, ... . Not a single day passes by that I have to use it. You become aware that you have it eventually. I gave one to my 16 year old son and I am sure it will be passed on to his children. Also the warranty is top notch. Broke the scissors and send it in for warranty and it came back fixed, I think it was like 5 years old. No questions asked.
Totally agree. I bought 2 used Signature Lite in a ebay bargain mainly as a gift for someone. I polished one and gifted and ended up carying the other in 5th Pocket. I am amazed with it's utility. I am really craving to buy a nice used Rambler.
I will admit, I carry a fieldmaster almost daily, but with having multiple sets of different car keys, my house/other keys have their own ring. They houses my rambler, which is amazing for the size. However, I decided to up the fun to a mini champ. I’m not sure why but it just called to me. I’m one of the few “as many tools as possible” people haha
Minichamp Alox owner here. Best little knife I own, it may be small, but it's got practical functionality for all of my daily needs. My outdoors version is a Pioneer X Alox.
I've been carrying a classic for over 25 years now, and in real world day to day use, they are very surprisingly efficient. They open mail, packages, cut rope/string/twine, and even make short work out of those plastic blister packages that defy tooth and nail and small charges of explosives. I've had and still have larger pocket knives and a Leatherman tool, but the little classic is soooo easy to carry and cuts what need to cut. Would I want to be stranded in the middle the Amazon jungle with one as my only survival tool? No. Is it going to takeout enemy paratroopers while yelling "WOLVERINES!" No. But for life in modern urban or suburban environments, its great. Why weigh down your pockets with larger and heavier knives when most times the one inch blade of a box cutter or small knife the size of the classic will do the job. And the SD tip of the standard classic works well on small to medium Phillips screws, and the tweezers will takeout a splinter in a finger or a sticker up between the dogs paw pads. This little knife has been a savior in many situations for me including a conked out Vespa motor scooter on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere when a battery cable vibrated loose, and a control on a trolling more at the far end of a long and winding lake. The SD tip got the job done and we motored back instead of rowed. Put a classic on your keys and after a while, you'll never be without one again. Carry in one of the keychain sheaths or make one our of some leather from Hobby Lobby so it can be just pulled out and used without having to takeout off the keyring. Just pull knife out of sheath. It can be a day saver.
I find them great for trimming off hangnails or filing chipped nails...more convenient and less absurd than pulling out a 91mm SAK to get the job done.
I bought the Rambler model at the start of the pandemic when we could only exercise from home (in the UK). At the time, I was keen not to be stopped carrying anything which might be construed as an offensive weapon under the very strict knife laws as I live on the edge of a major city with serious knife crime issues. The Rambler has seen good service for nearly two years now and has proven to be far more of a tool than a gimmick. I own a range of other SAK from the Spartan to the Work Champ and this is a good addition.
Rambler is a great EDC option. It's on my keychain right now. Thing about the rambler that is great as opposed to the classic is the orientation of the keyring, which puts the blade and scissors on the "long" end and makes it more useful IMHO. I also have a modified Jetsetter which is awesome and I carry it often for an EDC on my keyring as well when I am traveling or when carrying a separate knife for the primary blade. I don't think I would carry any of the 58 without the scissors, though. That is Victorinox's grail tool for these.
I bought Rambler instead of Classic SD. Not much difference in thickness but I need to have a bottle lid opener. Very useful when drinking beers with mates.
I did not think a tiny pocket knife would be much use either. Then I ordered a small peanut traditional folder. I made a necklace sheath for it and wear it around the house. Amazing how many times during a day I need something to open a package of food or mail. These tiny knives have a huge purpose And because they are so small, it is easy to keep it on you. Like in a necklace sheath.
You just gotta love the blades of those mini pocket knives. The other tools are also awesome. It's a lot of fun to explore what they could do, other than their standard functions.
I’m so glad I’m able to inform you. Yes some of the small details can be overlooked if you’re not aware of them. But if you can grab one of these rarer knives for a couple dollars I think it is a great deal.
True story from just yesterday: I got locked in a dumpling joint bathroom! No, this is not a classic fortune cookie joke (where the fortune reads, I am caught in a fortune cookie factory); the bolt lock was broken and the bolt could not be retracted. I have a Victorinox Signature (with a pen - a literal penknife). This has a screwdriver head on the file. I detached the bolt, problem solved. This is my keychain pendant, and it's great to always have a basic tool and a pen -- though I do think the more versatile bottle opener/screwdriver/wirestripper would be more useful than the file.
I used to keep either a Compact or a 85mm 2 layer Wenger on a pocket clip in my pocket. After I got a Rambler I gave up carrying anything else. I attach an inch-long lanyard and keep them in my jean's coin pocket.
Carry and use all the time, even the blade. They are much more capable than most people will ever know. They becomes that secondary knife that does most of your chores. Nice assortment you got there!
I used to put it in my keychain but that keychain stays in the bag. So I still have to grab it from the bag whenever I needed it. Then I found a video showing the 58mm on a necklace paracord. So now, I have a knife wherever I go. And sometimes and I forget it's even on my neck. 💯
I collect Classic SD and Classic in Alox knives, but also the Rally and the Rambler.I have about 50 of them but use a Black Classic SD on my keychain.I hope you still have them they're becoming valuable
I'm a uni student. I don't need a full size Victorinox in my day to day life, but I do wanna carry a multitool. The 58mm knives are a great way for me to have some tools on me at all time, even though I don't need them often. The most used tool for me is the bottle opener
The RU-vid comment is correct in that the smallest of the swiss army knives does not give very good large knife blade and all of the other implements are proportionately small and the larger knife is more useful for people with adult hands. Buy one small knife that makes it easy to carry but do not depend too much on the knife that it really is.
I always carry one, I have a variant on almost all my keys. I genrally use the Manager, I love having a pen with me all the time and the bottle opener/Philips screwdriver is very well used for beer and more little battery compartments now have Philip's screw. The old nail file used to work by the new one isn't always very good so together they are great. The other tool I used that is definitely very overlooked, even my me for a long time is the MiniChamp. It is now my go too tool for everyday, although I usually have somthing else with me in a coat or bag. I use every tool on it atleast once a week, but often multiple times a day, even the cuticle pusher! But not for cuticle pushing.
I had a off brand knife on my keys that was about a inch long. I used it all the time, since I had it on me. It ended up with chips in the blade but it was still sharp enough to cut, so I never touched it up, within the 10 years I used it. It had a file and a knife. I might still have it in a box or somewhere, but the keychain broke and it's so beaten up, that I want to just buy something else. I really want to try out the scissors on a Victorinox. I think this would be a great introduction to Victorinox, and I will more than likely get a bigger knife like the Victorinox cybertool lite, since I work on electronics and home repairs, that the driver bits would be priceless to have. For now, it would be awesome to have a knife back on my keys again.
The first (and only!) Swiss Army Knife I own is the Deluxe Tinker, which I got for my birthday. While it’s bigger (91mm > 58mm), the scissors are FANTASTIC. I’ve heard nothing but praise from them! (Most used tool, and apparently they can cut through paracord and leather belts!)
I LOVE my 58mm knife. I just keep it in my jeans' 5th pocket with a mini Bic and a mini Altoids tin full of extra stuff. I probably use it 10 times a day. Most used: blade (for opening boxes), scissors (tags and finger nails), small screwdriver (tighten screws, replace batteries in kids' toys), toothpick (yes, I actually use it). I'm kind of looking at upgrading my classic to a manager even if I lose the toothpick because when you need a pen you really need a pen and most of the beers I drink are not twist off.
Have you ever seen one of the 58mm SOKs that has a curved nail cleaner on the file? It's hook shaped and come to a pretty fine point and gets under the nail much better, IMO. Lost mine years ago and haven't been happy with any other design since.
Yes, that was actually called the pharmacy Knife. And it was specially designed to cut the plastic around Pharmacy bottles, and the hook was made to pull out the cotton out of the bottle. Very useful tool.
What you need are the presidential models? But they are great and i love the mini champ had one on keyring from 94 when they appeared! Mini champ is in Guinness book of records for most tools in small package?
I wish Victorianox would make some gov. building, airplane....tools. I think one in this size would be great, unassuming and not something people would freak out about.
Hey Mark, nice review. I keep one of the classic SD models on my keyring all the time. I just found them so easy to carry and surprisingly useful. But like you when I first looked at them I was like 'meh' so small. How could it be useful,🤔 Well dynamite comes in small packages as the saying goes. I typically carry a folder and some type of multitool but still since this rides on my keys it's like always there and I'm pretty fond of it now 😉 take care
I've also grown fond of those little guys. If you don't have a Vagabond I highly suggest you track one down! Easily my favorite 58mm (the Manager is a very close second).
You might also want to check out the Princess which is a discontinued model. Metal scales, One small blade. One old-style nail file. So thin and light, you'll think you lost it as soon as you put it in your pocket.
Ive used my Classic SD to cut an apple into wedges when I left my larger Victorinox knife at the house before. It took a little bit of effort but it tackled the job without any issues.
