# What's in your Swiss Army Knife? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 22, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993 "2017-04-22T16:15:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/1 "2017-04-22T16:15:39Z")
Mine was bought in the early 70s, the kind that has the checkered metal grip, red with white cross logo. Main blade says “Elinox” on one side. Besides the main blade, there is an awl, a bottle opener and a can opener. The two openers have different size flat screw driver ends. Sleek and efficient – minimum pocket bulge. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/2 "2017-04-22T16:34:22Z")
Victorinox “Deluxe Tinker” On one end: long knife blade can opener On the other end: short knife blade scissors pliers screwdriver/bottle opener On the back: Phillips screwdriver a hook for carrying things bound in baling wire In odd niches: tweezers toothpick ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/3 "2017-04-22T16:37:46Z")
My ‘everyday knife’ is a Victorinox [Champion](http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Champion) I bought in 1982. I mostly use the scissors. The knife I keep on a lanyard in my backpack (that I take to work with me) is a Victorinox [SwissChamp](http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=SwissChamp). So in answer to the question in the title… Pretty much everything. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/4 "2017-04-22T16:41:03Z")
My Swiss Army Knife is made by Leatherman. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/5 "2017-04-22T16:43:33Z")
> [@Fleetwood](#): > > My Swiss Army Knife is made by Leatherman. So you don’t have a Swiss Army Knife. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/6 "2017-04-22T16:43:45Z")
I sadly retired all my SAKs to a box in the back of the closet. One too many “ohh, that was close” moments and I decided I am just not going to use a knife without a fixed or locking blade. And SAKs seem to be averse to using locking mechanisms on all but the absurdly large(5 inch or whatever they are) models. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/7 "2017-04-22T16:55:23Z")
Mine’s a Wenger. Large blade, nail file, saw, scissors, can opener, bottle opener, straight screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver, awl, toothpick, tweezers. The toothpick and tweezers have been out of commission for decades (neither one actually lost: The tweezers came apart and the toothpick is irretrievably jammed in), and the scissors had a good run (Wenger scissors are much better than Victornox), but don’t work well any more. I also routinely carry a Leatherman and a utility pen. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/8 "2017-04-22T17:27:19Z")
I prefer the multi tools that have the pliers in the middle. I have one but forget what all is in it. I think pliers, a knife, saw, file, can opener, flathead screwdriver, philips screwdriver, wire cutters. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/9 "2017-04-22T17:53:21Z")
> [@Fleetwood](#): > > My Swiss Army Knife is made by Leatherman. I have a Leatherman I keep in my glove compartment. I got pulled over once by local cops. After I got my insurance/owner’s cards out of the glove compartment, one cop pulled his gun and screamed, “HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. HE’S GOT A BUTTERFLY KNIFE!!!” The other cop, a much older guy _who knew me_, saw that the thing freaking out his partner was my Leatherman. He calmly explained what was happening and told the other guy to holster his weapon. Instead of a ticket (which I deserved) I got an apology. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/10 "2017-04-22T18:34:23Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > … a hook for carrying things bound in baling wire… So _that’s_ what that fucking thing is for. I’ve often wondered but never been motivated enough to enquire. I’ve always liked to imagine it was for turning one’s SAK into a coat hanger for Action Man / GI Joe. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/11 "2017-04-22T18:36:34Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > My ‘everyday knife’ is a Victorinox [Champion](http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Champion) I bought in 1982. I mostly use the scissors. The knife I keep on a lanyard in my backpack (that I take to work with me) is a Victorinox [SwissChamp](http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=SwissChamp). > > So in answer to the question in the title… Pretty much everything. This. Daily knife versus the “hey, you never know knife”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/12 "2017-04-22T19:27:39Z")
I have two SAKs - a Classic on a set of spare keys and a Tourist that lives in the compartment on the loveseat with the remote and the nail clippers for the cats. My _carry_ tools and knives are all Leatherman or Gerber. ETA: I also have a Rally that I found in my mother’s desk after she died. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/13 "2017-04-22T20:24:30Z")
[This.](http://partsolutions.com/engineering-the-worlds-largest-swiss-army-knife-the-1300-wenger-giant/) Actually I’ve got several Leatherman multi-tools. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/14 "2017-04-22T20:25:59Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > This. Daily knife versus the “hey, you never know knife”. 😃 The Champion and the SwissChamp are pretty much the same. The latter replaced the former, and has a few more things. Liks **silenus** , I have Classics on my key rings. I also have Spartans, Soldiers, a Bundeswehr Trekker, a Victorinox Bundeswehr pocket knife, and a Wenger Highlander. Plus a Champion in the original box, and a Champion and SwissChamp in leather ‘basketweave’ Victorinox belt pouches. (The SwissChamp pouch has a sharpening steel in a side pocket.) And who knows what other SAKs I have lying about? ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/15 "2017-04-22T21:10:24Z")
Mike is a Victorianox but is minimal. Only a knife blade, a slot head screwdriver, a tweezers, and a toothpick. I bought it for ten francs probably 40 years ago in some store (probably Franz Karl Weber) on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. The white cross on it has totally worn off, the white anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/16 "2017-04-22T22:41:24Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Victorinox “Deluxe Tinker” > > On one end: > long knife blade > can opener > > On the other end: > short knife blade > scissors > pliers > screwdriver/bottle opener > > On the back: > Phillips screwdriver > a hook for carrying things bound in baling wire > > In odd niches: > tweezers > toothpick First thing outta the gate matches mine. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/17 "2017-04-22T22:51:33Z")
I have a SwissChamp for around the house, a Midnite Manager on my keychain and a Traveller in my backpack. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/18 "2017-04-22T22:55:02Z")
I have a Leatherman Juice CS4. > **[Leatherman 74208003K Juice CS4-Pocket Multi-Tool, Storm Gray - Multitools -...](https://www.amazon.com/Leatherman-74208003K-Juice-CS4-Pocket-Multi-Tool/dp/B0007UQ1BU)** > > Leatherman 74208003K Juice CS4-Pocket Multi-Tool, Storm Gray - Multitools - Amazon.com I get a lot of use out of it but I’d really rather have spring loaded pliers. I’m thinking of buying this Gerber for my sister’s birthday because it says the pliers are spring loaded. > **[Amazon.com: Gerber Gear 22-01471N Suspension Needle Nose Pliers Multitool...](https://www.amazon.com/Gerber-22-01471-Suspension-Multi-Plier/dp/B000EDPT9K)** > > Amazon.com: Gerber Gear 22-01471N Suspension Needle Nose Pliers Multitool Multi-Plier with Nylon Sheath, Gray : Everything Else Also, the Juice seems to have jumped $25 in price. I like mine, but I wouldn’t have bought it at $75. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/19 "2017-04-22T23:02:35Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Mike is a Victorianox but is minimal. Only a knife blade, a slot head screwdriver, a tweezers, and a toothpick. I bought it for ten francs probably 40 years ago in some store (probably Franz Karl Weber) on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. The white cross on it has totally worn off, the white anyway. Is it a [Bantam](https://www.swissarmy.com/us/en/Products/Swiss-Army-Knives/Medium-Pocket-Knives/Bantam/p/0.2303?gclid=CIuxxtuVudMCFRSEfgodDDkLBQ)? ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2017, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993/20 "2017-04-23T04:35:18Z")
I’ve had a Victorinox Classic since my Dad gave me my first one for my 10th birthday. I got a Backpacker in the early 90s and that’s my daily carry now. Lockblade, saw, bottle opener w/small common screwdriver, can opener, tweezers, toothpick, corkscrew, awl, and I added the eyeglass screwdriver that fits in the corkscrew. I’m on my second as I lost mine 10 years ago. I also have a Gerber multitool for work and in both cars along with flashlights and lighters. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-your-swiss-army-knife/784993.md?page=2)