# Swiss Army Knives **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [December 1, 1999, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-army-knives/358 "1999-12-01T00:23:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diamond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@Diamond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamond)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-army-knives/358/1 "1999-12-01T00:23:00Z")
I found your answer to be accurate. They can be considered over-rated, especially when compared to other knives on the market. Although light and easy to sharpen, the blades are fairly fragile, and don’t respond well to twisting or lateral forces. I currently carry a Gerber knife and a Leatherman Supertool; this seems to cover most situations. BTW, I sure wish I’d had the Leatherman when I worked on fighters in England! ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-army-knives/358/2 "1999-12-01T04:26:00Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4\_158.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_158.html) ---
**Author:** ![keystream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a3d4f5/32.png) [@keystream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keystream)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-army-knives/358/3 "1999-12-01T06:55:00Z")
MPSIMS was a little prescient on this one: [http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/002842.html](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/002842.html) ---
**Author:** ![Jomolungma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b2d939/32.png) [@Jomolungma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jomolungma)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-army-knives/358/4 "1999-12-01T07:50:00Z")
I once knew an habitue of an East Village bar who went by the name _Leatherman Supertool._ ---
**Author:** ![heretic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/46a35a/32.png) [@heretic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heretic)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 1999, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-army-knives/358/5 "1999-12-02T17:53:00Z")
Apples and oranges, I’d say. An SAK isn’t a serious, heavy-duty tool, but it is a very handy, versatile and elegant device, and, having used mine for many different tasks in many different places, I swear by mine. The knife blades aren’t the best in the world, but that’s not really the point (so to speak). They’re perfect for cutting apples and oranges, though. ben ---
**Author:** ![Babar714](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Babar714](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babar714)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 1999, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-army-knives/358/6 "1999-12-02T22:56:00Z")
As far as supertools go, Swiss Army does make the best, in my opinion. Not your regular SAK, but the SwissTool. A very versatile and well built tool. Gerber is second (again in my opinion). I don’t like Bucktool and Leatherman. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 1999, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-army-knives/358/7 "1999-12-21T02:03:00Z")
I was told by my sister in law who bought some Swiss Army knives while in Switzerland as presents for the folks back home that the RED ones that we all know and love, are common over here in the US. The ones that the Swiss buy are blue. That is was a Swiss Army Knife dealer guy told her. ---
**Author:** ![EddietheDane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@EddietheDane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddietheDane)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 1999, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-army-knives/358/8 "1999-12-23T13:45:00Z")
Those of us who know a little something about edged weapons know how thoroughly worthless a Swiss Army “knife” is in terms of being a working folding knife. SAK’s are made with soft, stamped, untempered mild steel, which does not take or hold an edge very well. Further, the blades are not tempered (as far as I can tell) and prone to easily bending and snapping. Most critically, there is no locking mechanism which protects the user from having the blade snap shut at the wrong time. Knives are supposed to be just that - knives - strong, sturdy, sharp and reliable. SAK’s fail on all counts. They are merely toys which will more often than not fail you in your times of greatest need. If you are looking for a folding knife, consider a real knife by makers such as Cold Steel, Spyderco, Sog, Benchmade and others, who have not forgotten that the primary purpose of an edged tool is to cut, slash and stab - NOT to pick teeth, clip nails, pry cans open or any of the other sundry and whimsical chores which have been assigned to utility knives such as SAK’s