OT  Toys for Boys _ Victorinox Swiss army multi tools.  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2010, 04:32:51 pm
content: Hell I feel funny , I got at my 42 an Victorinox knife - multi tool.Got an medium size 84mm folded " Recruit " version . ( ebay - used - cheaply )I was an boyscout at my youth , and become even ranked as senior officer.At that time we was looking for the big impressive knifes , I still remember one made by Tramontina Brasil ,extra large one ... Rambo style ..Time flights away , and this days the VICTORINOX had make many steps , by making new and more complex designs.They had add on them LED lights - digital clocks - and even the half tools of my tool box , in a single multi tool of them .Well the large designs are heavy and very expensive ..My own needs was for something simple , reasonable sized , so to be able to chop water bottles - fruits and my ropes , if I need to escape ..If you have an dream model of the Victorinox line to speak about , or an interesting story to share ,be my Guest ....PS : The one that I got , are marketed in the USA with the part code SKU 5002EUROPEhttp://www.victorinox.com/product/1/100/1000/1102/0.2503

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2010, 07:18:17 pm
content: Found here and two worthy videos on youtube ...( I had watch all ready about 50, many kids play the reviewers )But those are the official ones , and worths watching ..How they build them ..And one more advanced version ..

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 21, 2010, 07:44:27 pm
content: I'm more of a Leatherman person myself. Scissors and screwdrivers can often be improvised, but it's really hard to improvise pliers. I have a Squirt P4 (tiny pair of folding pliers with knife, file, screwdrivers, bottle opener and awl) on my keychain and carry a Charge Ti (full size pliers with locking tools and a screwdriver with replaceable screw bits) in my bag. The most used tool is the awl to poke at things like recessed reset buttons. I often take a Squirt E4 (similar to the P4, but with wire strippers in addition to pliers) when I have to do electronics work somewhere else.

author: lhc
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2010, 08:34:06 pm
content: Leatherman Wave+bit kit in my bag, Victorinox Sportsman Ecoline (different handles) in my pocketI feel bad for people in countrys with stupid laws about blades.

author: XynxNet
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2010, 10:28:25 pm
content: I love them. I got a Victorinox Camper in 1995 as a present. Since that time I have it every day in my pocket and use it regulary. It still works like a charm as oposed to other knives who disasembled themself after a few month of use. These Victorinox guys seem to really know what they are doing.http://www.victorinox.com/product/1/100/1000/1.3613The Leatherman Wave also proved itself to be a good tool. But it isn't one I want to carry around every day.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2010, 11:24:27 pm
content: I do not remember my age when I got my first Victorinox ... it should be when I was thirteen ..At those young ages , most people are not able to properly maintain one object like that,most of those knifes they die in the stress test period, when you are trying to do with it , what ever you had see in the movies , like throwing it on woods , or trying to cut aluminum or other soft metals.The first small knife in our life's , its doomed to die prematurely, from the abuse or Sea water.I selected this simple version (other than usability factor) ,because now I am aware of what it can kill it.For instance , as less moving parts on it equals to :1) less weight = less damaged from free fall.2) less openings = less hide outs for remaining dust in it.3) Dust and water = corrosion , the less openings keeps those enemies away.4) less maintenance = Less time to spent , so to do the cleaning and lubrication.Now that I am matured , I think that I will manage to keep alive my second Victorinox ,for more time than the first one .From my Dad , cars electrician , he left to me one electricians knife OKAPI made in Germany,I safe guard this one , so to keep the memories alive too..

author: Zad
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2010, 11:45:11 pm
content: I got my Victorinox Champion when I was 16, my parents bought me it for doing well in my exams. I still have it! Definitely the worse for wear now, but it still gets used, especially the cross-head screwdriver.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2010, 11:58:05 pm
content: Ok now that I got your attention ...Lets do one technical quiz ..I had notice even at the youtube , hundreds of people to wonder,how the " wire stripper tool" works on the victorinox ? .Its just an half hole , on the bottles opener tool , low end of it .An reasonable version as answer , would be that you cut the wire isolation by the knife,then you add the cable on the hole ( at the point with the spliced isolation) and you pull the cable,by having your finger on it , so to separate the isolation from the wire.

author: Time
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2010, 01:06:02 am
content: I use the leatherman and I pretty much have my tactical knife on me at all times:

author: Time
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2010, 02:33:18 am
content: Quote from: shafri on August 21, 2010, 08:41:58 pmSounds like a leatherman.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leatherman

author: DJPhil
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2010, 04:09:17 am
content: Quote from: alm on August 21, 2010, 07:44:27 pmMy sentiments exactly. I had a leatherman way back when, but it was before they sorted out how to make the pliers useful without the handle frame biting into your hands as you squeezed. I was given a gerber with the giant blocky style pliers and have kept it in good repair for something like twelve years now. It's saved a life (though not in my hands) and a few thousand dollars of equipment since I've owned it, so it's become a treasured tool to me.Quote from: alm on August 21, 2010, 07:44:27 pmI picked up an E4 at Radio Shack as an impulse buy way back when I was rich. It's probably the most useful tool for it's size I've ever owned! It stays on my bench nowadays and serves as my primary wire stripper. It's holding up well after two years of steady full time bench service.The only other thing I carry is a benchmade pocket knife. I was griping about how it was impossible to find a non-serrated pocket knife. Most of what I could find with a straight blade looked like it was designed by a teenage boy to look as mean as possible for no good reason. My brother found one and gave it to me as a birthday present. I'd have never paid that much for a knife myself, but it's very well made. I should send it in for sharpening, one of the great perks of benchmade.

author: ElektroQuark
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 22, 2010, 02:29:31 pm
content: My last adquisition in a recent trip to SwitzerlandSpecs here:http://www.wenger.ch/rangergrip-155-821-x-1-077-155-821-x

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2010, 04:10:23 am
content: Father I have sin ... Got an victorinox knife , and now an Gerber Pocket SharpenerWell I had an double sided stone , but it looks that I am not good at it,so got an better fool proof solution.Thanks God that I found an Russian on youtube who had both versions , the ceramic and the Diamond type,and he discovered that the ceramic one, started to fail prematurely.

author: logictom
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2010, 02:14:19 pm
content: Quote from: Time on August 22, 2010, 01:06:02 amThat guy just loves to cut shit up! After watching that video I've got to get one of them for myself!My two favourite and most used tools. My Victorinox Swisstool was a gift and has taken much abuse over the years and still going strong. Still not sure what all the tools are suppose to be used forI was recently given a Maglite, the double AA, used mostly when I've got the PC case off or trying to read a IC. Couldn't live without them now.Looking to pick up one of those small Leatherman's for the pocket soon

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2010, 04:12:00 pm
content: My Gerber Pocket Sharpener just arrived , in a world record time USA->Greece 4 days ..It works nice too .. Diamond type , not ceramic.If you are ultra passioned with stars and stripes , do not look at the bottom of the paper..

author: dfnr2
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2011, 02:11:34 am
content: Thanks for pointing me at this thread. Since I was perhaps 10, I have never been without my Victorinox. Although now I have dedicated tools for the bench, back then, it had everything I needed:small blade - cutting PCB traces, holding down wires while soldering them to the PCB, cutting insulation, etc.big blade - bigger cutting tasksscrewdrivers - obviousawl - making holesWhen we visited switzerland, I splurged and bought one of the victorinix swiss army knife variants that's 2 inches wide and has every tool in it, but still ended up using the basic model mostly. Quality through and through.Dave

author: ipman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2011, 07:24:06 am
content: Leatherman Charge TTi here. Titanium handles, steel blades, carrying case includes most used bits as PH1/2, flat screw, torx, etc.Quite heavy tough (considering titanium handles), but far superior to Victorinox as a tool (not knife, altough the blade is good quality).I live in one of the countries were a blade longer than 9cm is considered a weapon. Fortunatelly, this one complies with 7.37 cm blade length. Not to mention the new airline security measures ...

author: Richard W.
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2011, 04:19:42 pm
content: I have a small Leatherman MINI with foldable handles wich is really good, and a Victorinox Swiss Tool wich is betterBut the Swiss Tool is to heavy for the pocket. So i got me a Victorinox Handyman.The pliers and scissors are excellent as well as the other tools.that knive in the video... impressive...but how long its so sharp? Razorblades are extremely sharp, but not very durable.

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2011, 06:07:31 pm
content: In my pocket a Victorinox Cybertool 34 for general stuff, and a no-name leatherman clone in a drawer of my office desk at work.I like the small bit set of the cybertool, but some of its tools are outright silly, like the reamer, or, probably the most useless, the hook for carrying packages. The toothpick is also not something I badly need. Victorinox isn't responsible for the no alcohol policy of my employer, but that policy makes the corkscrew useless, too, and the can opener partly pointless.

author: Ronnie
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 14, 2011, 12:22:40 am
content: Quote from: alm on August 21, 2010, 07:44:27 pmI bought a Leatherman PST sometime Nov 1997 and still using it. My favorite tool is the bottle/can opener so I can drink bottles of beer wherever I gohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Leatherman.jpg

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 14, 2011, 01:20:50 pm
content: It looks that we are under attack from Leatherman Fun boys ..

author: Vertigo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2011, 06:45:36 am
content: Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on August 21, 2010, 11:24:27 pmfirst of all victorinox uses a steel that is optimized for corrosion resistance, and in my experienceonly saltwater is any kind of threat.second i have found my victorinox knives very difficult to break accidentally.in fact the only damage i managed to do was on the flat screwdriver/cap lifterby over torquing it and bending the blade a bit.in any case. did you know about the victorinox lifetime warranty?i actually tried to use it once, and lo and behold it really is a lifetime warranty!i had an old abused one i bought off ebay which had bent liners etc.so i mailed them, they told me to send it over so i did and a few weeks lateri received a brand spanking new knife.i love victornox knives, and i will not leave the house without one on my person, ever.usually i carry an explorer model, but depending on what i will be doing i might switch itwith a ranger model, or even a hercules, and i plan to get a deluxe tinker model at some point.i also own some of the smaller ones, but i never carry those.as stated in another thread, i also like leatherman and own a charge AL,but i never carry it cuz it is just too damn heavy and clumsy and just a veryuncomfortable chunk of metal to carry.also i never find myself needing the pliers when out of the house.for sharpening i use a lansky kit:it takes some trickery to get the clamp to grip the small blade of a swiss army knifeproperly, but it sharpens amazingly well.Quote from: Ronnie on July 14, 2011, 12:22:40 amdude!that thing u got right there is a collectors item.if it is still in decent shape i recommend you set it aside andget some cheap other thing to open your beer with, cuz this one will be worthmoney later on, if it isn't already.

author: Vertigo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2011, 07:00:58 am
content: Quote from: Richard W. on July 04, 2011, 04:19:42 pmif you are talking about the recon 1, they are made of AUS8A blade steel, which isa middle of the road quality kind of steel.it is made in japan, and prettymuch analogous to the chinese 8CR13MOV that is used in the majorityof reasonably priced folding knives.its significantly better then swiss army knives in terms of edge retention, but it is also morevulnerable to corrosion.if you want something that excels at edge retention you might look into knives made of154cm, S30V or VG10.i guess i should also mention that besides the type of steel the heat treatment of it is also key toits performance, and some brands have a better reputation then others for doing that.for instance buck uses 420HC in allot of their knives, which is a lower end steel.but they have a propriatary heat treatment that is so good as to make these knivesjust as good as the AUS8/CR18MOV steel ones.anyways what is really amazing about those recon 1 knives is the weight.those things are extremely light for their size:4" blade vs 5.3 oz! amazing!also they have that 'triad' lock mechanism, which i own 2 knives that have thatand i can tell you those things lock up like the doors to fort knoxi don't think there is a stronger lock system on the market atm.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2011, 08:43:57 am
content: Quote from: Vertigo on July 25, 2011, 06:45:36 amInteresting approach, diamond rode + stones.You look passionate and familiar about steel and compositions.But this specific kit is an overkill for some one who owns just one pocket knife.Nice to know about the warranty , I just take a look of the documentation that came with it, and it is true.

author: Vertigo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2011, 08:47:34 pm
content: the lansky set is also available in regular stone version, and yeah it mostly makes sensefor people with more then 1 knife to sharpen.victorinox service is great.i didn't even have that paper when i sent my knife in, wasn't a problem at all.