Victorinox New Range

[James Y]

The thing that might bother me is the inability to remove the pocket clip, which might become necessary if the clip accidentally gets bent back, and you aren't able to remove it to bent it back to retain its grip.

Jim

[jwbnyc]

Nothing for me in these new models. The locking blade is okay, but not a selling point for me in this type of tool. I like to use KeySmart Nano Clips so the attached clip is meh to me. I’d also rather have a can opener, and back tools, if given a choice, so; the current line is fine with me. But, I’m sure they will sell well enough.

[vivi]

looking at their homepage it seems they're making a lot of models without knife blades, and seem to be pushing that package opener tool pretty hard.

not really my cup of tea. I'm happy with pocket carry when I grab a swiss army knife for the day. But it's cool seeing them do something different I suppose.

[RugerNurse]

If I didn’t own some Swiss Army knives already maybe it would, I like the pocket clip but for $80? The steel isn’t worth that. The appeal for me of SAK is a cheap knife to beat on because it’s $25

[Doc Dan]

The 91mm Alox with scissors only is desirable for me. It is on my must buy list.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I like what I see but bladeless pocket tools are not very appealing to me. They should have at least a 3.5 inch long locking blade.

[Brock O Lee]

At first I was intrigued, but now I feel underwelmed.

They've added all these bells and whistles, instead of fixing the one major flaw that should have been fixed years ago, in my opinion. The blade steel.

They have access to several makers of modern PM steels, right on their doorstep. But still they choose to remain stuck in the 1900's, with their soft-as-cheese stainless steel blades that don't hold an edge. Really disappointing.

This is coming from someone who loves the Pioneer. I've carried an alox SAK in one form or another for the last 25+ years, despite this handicap. It was in fact a search for better steel that brought me to Spyderco.

All I want is a Pioneer in properly heat treated PM stainless like M390, Elmax, or Magnacut (thinking about the European Bohler or Erasteel grades). With a proper blade you don't need a silly "package opener".

[Paul Ardbeg]

Locking is nice but not very important to me, i mainly use tools like the scissor on my SAK, always carry a knife. The liner being on the wrong side (unless you are a lefty) is also not very useful. I rather spend a chunk more for a MKM Malaga and get M390 or even Magnacut these days. Proper tools and blade steel with micarta handles iso plastic.

[James Y]

I prefer the standard can opener/small screwdriver over the box opener tool.

I personally don't need a super steel in a SAK. I understand that a SAK is not the type of blade for an all-day, everyday hard cutting blade. For me, the most-used tools on an SAK are the other tools, and I use the blade itself only once in a while.

The great thing about Victorinox blade steel is it takes a great edge extremely easily, is pretty durable, and is very easy to maintain. My kitchen knives are also Victorinox, and they're all I need.

At one point in my life, the only pocketknife I had for an EDC was a single Vic Spartan SAK, for around 12 years (including the 8 years I spent living overseas). It handled everything I would have needed a pocketknife for back then.

As for these new models, I think they're cool. Do I need one? No. But it is good that Victorinox is at least making them as an option that some will like.

Jim

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I read that Victorinox/Wenger use a softer stainless steel because it is more forgiving to damage and easier to sharpen snd maintain in the field than stronger, harder alloys. Some claim it is tested to about 55 Rockwell Hardness compared to 59 to 65 and above for most knife blades.

I have read testimonies published by Victorinox about hunters, hikers, housewives and househusbands, medical doctors, missionaries, soldiers, chefs, and everyone else including EMS and Fire Fighters saving lives and carrying out all sorts of needed activities with SAKs.

Supposedly a hunter field dressed a water buffalo with one.

I personally would want to carry a Spyderco lock blade folder along with the SAK.

[vivi]

I've always been fine with the blade steel on Victorinox knives. They have great geoemtry and take a killer edge effortlessly. I wouldn't choose on for breaking down an entire warehouse of cardboard though.

Not a fan of the package opener trend in Leathermans and Vics. Using a knife blade works fine for me. I'd rather the tool offer more unique utility than be a redundant item I'll never use. The only time I ever used one was to spark a ferro rod, but the back of saw blades work just fine too.

[aicolainen]

Victorinox's line of swiss army knives often miss the mark for me.
I wish it wasn't so, because the stuff they do make, they make very well. And at a pretty good price.

My issue is that they're stuck in the past and much of the toolsets are outdated.
There's probably no easy fix to this problem as one of the key design elements that allow them to keep the price down; the limited tool combinations of each layer, is also one of the biggest obstacles to getting unique tool combinations that work well together in modern trades and use cases.
The Cyber tool is a good example of a decent attempt to cater to a modern use case, but also a perfect example of how the basic design constraints are holding them back. There is no way this tool would have included a can opener or a cork screw if they made a tech focused tool from scratch. And that's just the small one, it gets even more absurd as they add layers for the M and L.

I don't know about these new models.. I have a feeling there's a substantial demand for SAKs that comes with a pocket clip out of the box, but I'm not sure adding a blade lock at the same time was such a great idea. There are some SAKs where a lock makes sense, but IMO these are not in that category.

What I'd love to see in a modernized SAK is one hand open knife blades. Throughout the lineup ideally, but at least in this Pioneer class of alox knives that I believe fills the role of primary EDC knife for many Europeans.
Ditch the blade lock, make the pocket clip optional and add one hand operation. And do it well - BAM! take my money!

[vivi]

they made some one handed models, but they had a number of flaws.

I own the one handed trekker.

it has the same resistance to opening as a typical SAK, which paired with a highly polished opening hole with no sharp edge makes one handed opening a pain. sometimes literally as it's easy for a thumb to slip off the polished, beveled hole.

The liner lock is also backwards compared to typical liner locks, which means I unlock it with my index finger and nudge the blade down with my thumb.

Over the years I decided to either go with a Spartan or a Leatherman, so the OHT never saw a ton of use.

So far every multitool that tries to replace a good one handed modern clip knife seems to have some flaws that keep it from working well for me.

[James Y]

I have a one-hand opening Vic Soldier. Good knife. I don't really carry it, but I do use it around the house occasionally.

One-hand opening across the Victorinox line might not be feasible. Aren't there some European countries where one-handed opening knives are illegal, whether they lock open or not?

Jim

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I have a one-hand opening Vic Soldier. Good knife. I don't really carry it, but I do use it around the house occasionally.

One-hand opening across the Victorinox line might not be feasible. Aren't there some European countries where one-handed opening knives are illegal, whether they lock open or not?

Jim

What do you think of the point on those being more blunt than the Victorinox lockblades with the two hand opening?

[aicolainen]

I have a one-hand opening Vic Soldier. Good knife. I don't really carry it, but I do use it around the house occasionally.

Mm.. most (if not all) of their current one handers are large frame (111/130mm) multi-layer multi tools. A very different use case than something slim and light like a Swiss army 1 or Alox Pioneer.

One-hand opening across the Victorinox line might not be feasible. Aren't there some European countries where one-handed opening knives are illegal, whether they lock open or not?

I'm European, but still no expert on the topic. As far as I know, most European countries doesn't care how a pocket knife is opened as long as it's not an auto/switch blade.
Germany has a weird twist that allows you to carry a knife that's either locking or one handed open, but it can't be both.

There's really only Spyderco that's put some real effort into providing a modernized take on the non locking folder.
Every other knife company seem to think a non locking knife has to be a throwback to the classic slip joint. That's a very narrow minded approach IMO. Some very few companies have outdone themselves with innovative thinking and added a pocket clip to some slipe joint models in later years, but one handed opening is still a very rare feature. I find it very strange. When so many people in a not insignificant number of countries are restricted to non locking knives - it just seems like untapped business potential (with the exception of Spyderco that realized this long ago).
These new models from Victorinox really highlights how hard it is for knife companies to add modern features to classic designs. Seems not even they could add a just a pocket clip without simultaneously adding a knife lock. It just has to be either or.

[James Y]

I have a one-hand opening Vic Soldier. Good knife. I don't really carry it, but I do use it around the house occasionally.

Mm.. most (if not all) of their current one handers are large frame (111/130mm) multi-layer multi tools. A very different use case than something slim and light like a Swiss army 1 or Alox Pioneer.

One-hand opening across the Victorinox line might not be feasible. Aren't there some European countries where one-handed opening knives are illegal, whether they lock open or not?

I'm European, but still no expert on the topic. As far as I know, most European countries doesn't care how a pocket knife is opened as long as it's not an auto/switch blade.
Germany has a weird twist that allows you to carry a knife that's either locking or one handed open, but it can't be both.

There's really only Spyderco that's put some real effort into providing a modernized take on the non locking folder.
Every other knife company seem to think a non locking knife has to be a throwback to the classic slip joint. That's a very narrow minded approach IMO. Some very few companies have outdone themselves with innovative thinking and added a pocket clip to some slipe joint models in later years, but one handed opening is still a very rare feature. I find it very strange. When so many people in a not insignificant number of countries are restricted to non locking knives - it just seems like untapped business potential (with the exception of Spyderco that realized this long ago).
These new models from Victorinox really highlights how hard it is for knife companies to add modern features to classic designs. Seems not even they could add a just a pocket clip without simultaneously adding a knife lock. It just has to be either or.

Great points, thank you for posting!

Jim

[Stuart Ackerman]

440A steel rules!!!

[James Y]

Jim

[jwbnyc]

Pretty predictable. Whatever Victorinox did it was bound to dissatisfy a sizable proportion of the herd. It’ll still sell like hotcakes. The only SAK I have with that type of clip is the Money Clip Alox. It works just fine. The other big complaint they seem to have is that it’s hard to close one-handed. it’s not a one-handed knife. Everything else seems to center around it not being heavy duty or a bushcraft knife. Well, golly.. what a surprise. Looks okay to me, if you want a package opener and some styling scales with a clip. Not my thing but, whatever. The scissors only model looks nice.