Commuting - Just broke my Swiss army knife

Use it for all sorts of little jobs, the tip of the little blade just snapped, I used that for gouging out shards of glass from tires and found it perfect for that job.

Now I intend to get a new one but should I be looking at something else? I have a bike multi-tool already and that's fine. Leatherman type devices seem expensive and heavy but I'd consider it.

so what sort of things do you look for in a multi-blade knife? I'd deffo go for one that locks next time.

I love my Swiss Army knife - it has large blade, saw, two driver blades, can/bottle opener, tweezers and cork screw. The only thing missing are scissors. The blade locks open so it wont snap shut on your fingers when whittling - this feature makes it illegal in the UK. I carry a Crankbros multitool on the bike.

I love my Swiss Army knife - it has large blade, saw, two driver blades, can/bottle opener, tweezers and cork screw. The only thing missing are scissors. The blade locks open so it wont snap shut on your fingers when whittling - this feature makes it illegal in the UK. I carry a Crankbros multitool on the bike.

I had one with scissors. I found it in the snow while walking in in the wilderness near Mammoth. Five years later, I lost it in nearly the same place.

I had the same swiss army knife from age 10 to around 30ish when it vanished. A few years before that one vanished, I received a leatherman pst (http://www.smartknives.com/Leatherman-Multi-Tools/Leatherman-PST-Variations.htm) that I shelved (hey, I had my swiss army knife) and while I tried for a while to recapture the glory of that missing knife (not too much crap, not too little), I couldn't and have since become extremely happy w/ that specific model of leatherman (the others all seem to have too much crap). I have a couple of them now, not too hard to find 2nd hand. I also have a truly crappy modern-day swiss army knife that I can use as a bottle opener and that's about it.

I had a Gerber 600 for nearly 13 years before losing it just recently. This was something that received daily use in construction and maintenance. Nice tool. The only thing that didn't hold up so well was the #2 phillips driver.

I would buy something like knitting needles or a nail file. last time I took a plane flight, they confiscated my Giant tool - "no tools allowed on the plane". I'm getting the distinct impression here that anything a man might have in his luggage can be confiscated but a woman can have all her feminine junk. Take for example acetone - absolutely forbidden on an aircraft. But, a woman can take nail polish remover - that's cool. Aerosols - absolutely forbidden on an aircraft. But a woman can take her hairspray.

+1 on the Gerber Multi-pliers, I have had mine since ~94 it has done everything I have ever asked it to do.

For cycling, I carry a generic multi-tool and a multi-hex tool. Off the bike, I just carry a very small Gerber lockblade knife: http://www.gerbergear.com/index.php/product/id/57

My Swiss Army knives sit in a drawer largely ignored because they're too big to live in my pockets.

I don't think I have carried a swiss army since I got a Gerber. I like swiss but a multi-tool with locking blades and pliers is pretty handy. I had an early Leatherman but I prefer Gerber. I have not found a need for any of them cycling.

I carry the Victorinox Ranger SAK. It has everything I need and very little I don't.

I like my swiss army knife. Mine is the "climber" model. Look on Amazon.com, they have a bunch of different versions of it. You should be able to find one with just the right combination of blades and tools for you. It is always in my pocket. I carry a bike multi tool on my bike too, because the knife doesn't have a chain tool or hex drivers.

Glad there are no pictures of severed fingers or sliced palms... snapping knives can be dangerous :)

I have heard the Gerber multi-plyer things are ok.. Personally, I usually go fixed blade though because those locking mechanism freak me out when i'm trying to cut something difficult.

Might take shipping it back to Wenger or Victorinox, in Switzerland,
but they can be taken apart, and broken blades replaced.

I used to carry swiss army knives but nowdays I prefer the Leatherman multitools. I also carry a lockblade.

I always keep a Leatherman on my belt when not at work. I work with tools on my belt so there is no need for a multi-tool there. I also keep one in my trunk bag on the bike.

I keep my Topeak Alien II in my bag, and inside my waistband always have a nice Gerber knife. I've found the approach like this gives me the best of cutting and tool usefulness.

I keep my Topeak Alien II in my bag, and inside my waistband always have a nice Gerber knife. I've found the approach like this gives me the best of cutting and tool usefulness.

Yes, part of the joke is a lot of those multi-tools are good at doing a bunch of different tasks horribly.

On the bike, I carry a basic multi tool. Off the bike I used to carry a swiss army mini attached to my keychain. But since 911 i gave it up. I have to regularly pass through metal detectors and people get freaked out, even if you carry nail clippers.

There is your basic consumer Victorinox Swiss Army Knife, and then there is the old military version. The military alox versions are much more robust. A totally different animal. The awl on an alox model is perfect for picking shards out of your tires, and leaves your blade for real cutting chores.

Victorinox alox Farmer:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l256/Buzzbait67/Knives/Victorinox%20Farmer/Picture072.jpg

The Wenger alox Standard Issue is a work or art, and very durable:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l256/Buzzbait67/Knives/Wenger%20Standard%20Issue/Picture080.jpg

Or you could go the heavier multitool route and purchase a Victorinox Swisstool Spirit:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l256/Buzzbait67/Knives/Victorinox%20Spirit/Picture113.jpg

This has a good lock on the blade and an excellent lock on the big screwdriver. Ever have the screwdriver start to close when under a lot of pressure? I have.
I've owned a lot of swiss army knives this is what I like the best so far. It is a little better at cutting too.

http://www.swissarmy.com/MultiTools/Pages/Product.aspx?category=lockblades&product=54874&

Might take shipping it back to Wenger or Victorinox, in Switzerland,
but they can be taken apart, and broken blades replaced.

+1 - you might still want an alternative while you wait, of course.

I've had several knives fixed under warranty, so might be worth contact. Regrettably, they don't cover loss :-)

I also own a multi-tool similar to the Gerber - very useful, but not as good as the swiss for simplicity and carry-ability. OTOH, not as versatile as the Gerber.

The Wenger alox Standard Issue is a work or art, and very durable:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l256/Buzzbait67/Knives/Wenger%20Standard%20Issue/Picture080.jpg



This is what I have. It was given to me by a client when I went to Switzerland on business. Mandatory military service got him a month off every year to "go jump out of airplanes with his buddies" and no chance of seeing action. So it's a true "Swiss army" knife.

Leathermen Wave (http://www.leatherman.com/products/product.asp?id=9&f=6&c=1) and a LED Mag Light (http://www.maglite.com/AA_Cell_LED.asp) on my hip at all times. I uses them both daily. People think I am crazy, But most the time I don't even realize they are there. They look big but are not heavy at all. I love them both

I uses them for everything from cleaning my finger nails to cutting big zip ties at work, and even cream cheese or peanut butter spreader.

I uses all the tools from the Leathermen pretty regularly, and the mag light comes in when my bike light has ran out, finding pressure readings on different tires, also seeing in low light.

If it's a victorinox, send it back, they'll repair/replace. I sent a broken knife back to them probably 15 years ago, it was 20 years old at the time. When they got it they said it was beyond being fixed in the US, they could either ship it back to Swizerland and have it repaired, or they could just give me a new knife. I said a new knife was fine.

FWIW for an everyday carry I carry a Leatherman Juice, I think the Juice C2 is probably the closest current model. When I expect heavy use I have a holstered SuperTool. I actually usually carry a plain lockback pocket knife without any tools in my pocket, since 99% of the time I just need a blade and I can have that out in a few seconds without looking. If I need tools I've got time to dig around in my bag.

I usually carry a little button cell LED light too. It's about the size of about 3 stacked quarters, and it's plenty of light for digging around for keys, looking behind a computer, whatever. DealExtreme sells them 10 for $4.50 or so.

Leathermans are worth the money.

Your Swiss Army Knife should have a lifetime warranty. Send the broken knife in and they will send you a new one.

I would ship it back to them, they are guaranteed for life. Worth the shipping for a new one in about 2 - 3 weeks.

Your Swiss Army Knife should have a lifetime warranty. Send the broken knife in and they will send you a new one.

I did that with a knife I got back in the late 60's, and they sent me a new knife that had more stuff on it than the old one.

I usually carry a Victorinox Executive 1996 Atlanta Olympics commemorative. My other Swiss Army knife is a Climber from the '80s that's been around the world a few times. One of life's great decisions - orange peeler or corkscrew?

I had Victorinox then went down the Leatherman and Gerber road. Have gone back to the Victorinox again now. I once sent my Victorinox back and they repaired it free of charge, and i know they can repair if you want. You can never replace the 'proper' tool and i stopped using my leatherman etc because it was a 'bodgers' tool, i damaged more stuff by using it than anything else.

Also, its got the good old cork screw...essential if your in France!

Mat

I had a SWA for almost 30 years until inexplicably, it disappeared a couple of summers ago. It stayed lost until a TSA employee found it at the bottom of my backpack. Somewhat comically, I was thrilled that he'd found it...for about 1/2 a microsecond until I realized he wasn't going to give it back to me.

Naturally, I was late and didn't have time to run back to the car with it, so into the confiscation bin it went. What's a little frustrating is, i had flown at least 4 times with that backpack, without the darn thing ever being noticed.

I replaced it with a Leatherman Wave, which lives more or less permanently on my belt - except when I fly.

I've carried a Victorinox Classic on my key ring for well over 30 years. I get a new one every year for Christmas and have the old ones stashed all over the place including one on each bike. I doubt a day goes by when I don't use it for something. It is only 2 1/4" long and has a blade, scissors, nail file w/ screwdriver tip, tweezer and toothpick. I've got a lot of other multi-tools (including Leatherman and SOG) but the Swiss Army knife is what I rely on day in and day out.

I really like this little thing, available here (http://www.duluthtrading.com/search/searchresults/82374.aspx?feature=product_1&kw=key&processor=content)and elsewhere:

172509

I had a Gerber a while back, lost it. Have a Leatherman Wave now, like it a lot, but found I wasn't carrying it when I needed it. That gizmo clips on my key ring (house key, U-lock key, and it) and is ALWAYS there.

Use it for all sorts of little jobs, the tip of the little blade just snapped, I used that for gouging out shards of glass from tires and found it perfect for that job.


If you absolutely must misuse the blade that way, now that you've snapped the tip off, get a sharpening stone and reshape the blade until it has a tip. I did that with a used Huntsman I was given many years ago. Main blade's tip was missing. A bit of time with a sharpening stone fixed it. It's just a little shorter than it was when it was new. Anyone carrying a pocket knife should know how to sharpen it, anyway.

I have a SAK Huntsman with a saw and scissors. It is a bit to bulking for everyday carry.
I prefer a mini Leatherman with folding handles. The blade is stronger and better for digging out shards and you get pliers in a smaller package.

185533 Gerber. Can't be beat.

Since you have other tools, you don't need a complicated knife. You need a good, locking blade, and this is the one I've used for many years.

If you are looking for just a blade, I can't think of a better choice than a SOG Flash I. Small, great steel, sharp as hell, holds an edge, and incredibly lightweight. Spring assisted makes it easy to open with gloves on. Weight 1.3 ounces. For multitools, I love my leatherman wave.

http://www.amazon.com/SOG-Specialty-Knives-FSA-7-Straight/dp/B000KOW8A6/ref=pd_cp_hi_1

I've had a Schrade ST 1 Tough Tool since it came out, it must have been around 1999 when I got it, still works like the day I got it and I seem to not be able to loose it.

A number of years ago I gave my wife a SOG. She loves it. She thought she lost it a couple months ago and nearly cried. A couple of days later she found it at work and she was really happy.

I usually carry a Victorinox Executive 1996 Atlanta Olympics commemorative. My other Swiss Army knife is a Climber from the '80s that's been around the world a few times. One of life's great decisions - orange peeler or corkscrew?

No question for me! I like the citrus peeler. It doubles as a screwdriver and triples as a bottlecap remover. I've carried the Executive for maybe 10-15 years now. I'm on my second one as I lost the first. I have a Climber as well, but with the corkscrew, they are just a bit too wide for my pockets. Personal taste, I guess.
Besides, nowadays there are many varieties of excellent Australian wine with screw top caps, lol.
I have a Swiss-tech (vida supra) also. Nice little gizmo.

In addition to my Gerber Multi-plier tool mentioned earlier, I also carry:
a Vise-Grip Toolbox multi-tool,
a Radio Shack exclusive Leatherman tool,
a Lathshaw pocket wrench,
a pair of Fuller Brush folding scissors,
a 25th anniversary Buck 110 knife, which I have carried so long that I would not feel dressed without it.

BTW, this is in addition to the bike specific tools that are carried/stored on the bike.

I tend to agree with Texas Bix Bender "Always carry more 'n one rope, you might run across more 'n one rope can handle."