What's the best Swiss Army Knife?
March 12, 2013 3:04 PM   Subscribe

Now that the TSA is allowing Swiss Army knives on flights, I'd like to get my boyfriend a replacement for the one he lost a while back. But, searching on Amazon, there seem to be a million options.

I'd love advice on which Swiss Army knife is the best. We like to do some hiking, but not backpacking. Picnic options like a corkscrew for wine would be nice.
posted by rainbowbrite to Shopping (15 answers total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
If I were you I'd definitely talk to your boyfriend about what he likes and doesn't like in a pocketknife or similar tool before dropping any money on one because there's a TON of options out there and no real consensus on "best". It's really about personal taste and preference and intended or foreseeable uses.

Having said that, I personally think that reasons Swiss Army Knives aren't as good as other multi-tool type devices out there from e.g., Leatherman and Gerber, primarily because Swiss Army Knives still haven't, to my knowledge, figured out how to put a lock on their blades.

Based on your specs, I'd look at corckscrew-equipped Leatherman and Gerber multi-tools and compare them against TSA requirements and what your boyfriend has said he'd like.
posted by gauche at 3:15 PM on March 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


Remember that there will still be a blade length limit of 6cm, and I think a maximum blade width as well. There is also a prohibition on blades that lock in place. I would wait a while until the dust settles a bit and you can be sure that a) the proposed new rules actually come into effect; and b) exactly which knives are compatible with the final version of the new rules.
posted by kickingtheground at 3:19 PM on March 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


Yes, the change in policy is a bit confusing: the news stories I've seen say that there's not just a maximum of 6cm blade length but also a maximum 1/2" blade width, and also that they'll still be confiscating locking knives and knives with "contoured grips" (whatever that means) even if the blade is within those guidelines.

And remember that given the way the TSA "works," there will continue to be a risk of confiscation even of knives that meet the stated rules, since the individual screeners often don't know the details of TSA policy and rule by personal fiat. So get a cheap one that it won't hurt too much to part with.
posted by RogerB at 3:39 PM on March 12, 2013


(Note that the TSA policy change doesn't take effect for another month and a half — not until April 25th.)
posted by stopgap at 3:42 PM on March 12, 2013


Best answer: If a swiss army knife meets the regulations (The larger blade is pretty close to the limits - I'm not sure which side of them it falls on), and you've already decided to get the corkscrew instead of the phillips screwdriver (those options are mutually exclusive), then decide whether you want a thin basic one (two "layers" - one layer is the two blades, the other layer is the two small utility pieces, eg can openers), or a thicker one (3-4 layers, includes the basics, and adds scissors and a saw or file or whatever), or a bulky one (5+ layers).

For hiking, I'd get one with scissors, a saw, and a file. Though your BF might prefer a magnifying glass or something else, or something smaller, or MOAR, or...

Regardless, order from a place that engraves them - it's very cheap ($6) to get a name or a phrase engraved into the handle (engraved in the blade can cost more but is usually not expensive), and just makes it a whole lot nicer.

That's the main difference between online retailers - they will all be pretty much the same on the price of the knife, but they all offer different engraving options and prices (different fonts, whether they can ink in the engraved text on the handle with silver paint, whether they can do each side, whether that's included in the basic engraving cost or extra, whether they can do the blade, etc).
posted by anonymisc at 3:48 PM on March 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


Also - ideally it will come with extras - tweezers and a toothpick (they slide into the handle) and a small screwdriver that slots inside the corkscrew. Buy the ballpoint pen, and put it in the toothpick slot. I don't think many people use that old pointy bit of plastic that kicks around in their pocket, but having a pen instead comes in handy.

Also, when you open the corkscrew, it reveals a tiny hole, which is for storing a pin. Put a pin in there if it doesn't come with one. It's only slightly useful, but it adds basically no weight and the slot is there for it, so why not. :)
posted by anonymisc at 3:55 PM on March 12, 2013


Best answer: Oh - you want either a Victorinox or a Wenger brand. Each (at different times) were the swiss army suppliers and they're the "name brands". If you can remember enough about the logo or look of his lost one, I assume it would be best to get whichever brand he previously had.
posted by anonymisc at 4:02 PM on March 12, 2013


Contrary to what earlier comments have said, Victorinox do make some knives with locking blades, and you can get models with both corkscrew and phillips head screwdriver like this one. I don't know whether it would meet TSA requirements, though.
posted by nomis at 4:56 PM on March 12, 2013


The hard core swiss army fans love the Alox. The electrician and cadet models come in various colors and are easy to find.

http://www.aloxworld.com/AloxWorld/Complete_list_of_Victorinox_Alox_Swiss_Army_Knives_-_AloxWorld.com.html
posted by PSB at 5:11 PM on March 12, 2013


Get a Leatherman!
posted by radioamy at 6:35 PM on March 12, 2013


Best answer: Sorry to tell you I'm less than impressed with the corkscrew on my Victorinox SwissChamp — I managed to bend it out of shape, just a bit, in an attempt to open a bottle of wine, and now the corkscrew doesn't quite fold back flat into its nook. Although it's conceivable that was more due to my ignorance of how to properly open a bottle of wine with a garden-variety corkscrew, as opposed to the fancier types I use at home.

Like you, I go hiking but not backpacking. I usually take the SwissChamp with me in case of emergency, but have yet to use it hiking except perhaps to open a stubborn food package that wouldn't tear by hand at the notch like it was supposed to.

I use it more around the house, though. The two tools I use most often by far are the small blade and the scissors.

Also fairly useful have been the large blade, the two larger screwdrivers (at the ends of the bottle opener and can opener), and the phillips screwdriver; also, the mini-screwdriver (the one that twists into the corkscrew for storage) when I wore glasses, but not since I stopped wearing them.

I've gotten infrequent use out of the bottle opener, pin, the ballpoint pen (surprised me as much as anyone since I usually carry one or two regular pens on me, but I've used it on the rare occasion I didn't, or my one regular pen ran out on me), tweezers, toothpick (yes, I know, eww, but still better than that annoying bit of food stuck in your teeth if you don't have any other suitable tool), pliers, saw, and awl (yay, I lost weight! now I need a new hole in my belt). The rest of the tools I don't think I've ever used.

Aside from my now-bent corkscrew, the one other tool on their I actually find irksome is the magnifying glass, as its power isn't that strong and its small size makes it difficult to use. Theoretically I shouldn't find it any more bothersome than any other tool on there I don't use (fish scaler?), but there have been times when I would have liked to use a magnifying glass, and the one on there wasn't up to the task I needed it for.

I will note that the SwissChamp is kind of on the hefty side, right around the limit of what someone (at least me) can comfortably carry in their pocket. If I were going to buy a new one I'd probably try to pare down which tools were really useful and try to find a lighter model with just those. Still love the one I've got though.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 8:49 PM on March 12, 2013


Get a Leatherman!

Truly. I carried around various Swiss Army knives for decades, but eventually graduated to a Leatherman Micro years ago. Therefore the Swiss Army has become a nostalgia item to me, but given the question I'd personally prefer a Wengar. With a Phillips, or the corkscrew? Your call.

given the way the TSA "works," there will continue to be a risk of confiscation

Seconding this -- I won't be taking any chances, for a while.
posted by Rash at 11:22 PM on March 12, 2013


Best answer: We use the Victorinox SuperTinkers at our house.
-not too large
-2 blade sizes
-SCISSORS
-flathead
-Phillips head
-can opener
-awl
We each have one and find them very handy.
Would benefit from a corkscrew, but is perfect aside from that.
posted by SLC Mom at 5:59 AM on March 13, 2013


Get a Leatherman

I too graduated from a swiss army knife (a long succession of Super Tinkers) to a Leatherman (Charge ALX right now) and wouldn't go back. The pliers are probably the most useful thing for me, and the can opener/bottle opener combo (as seen here) actually works great as a corkscrew replacement in my experience. One-handed opening and locking blades make a big joy-of-use difference also.

But it's not TSA compliant: the blade is too long, and it locks. Even the Leatherman Juice (with corkscrew with waiter's assist so you don't get a hernia) has a blade that's just-too-long to pass TSA.

If he's ever been a habitual knife-carrier, you probably want to ask him first. It happened to me: I got attached to a multitool, lost it, waited too long before replacing it, and then someone bought me one that they thought would take its place. It didn't. People can get attached to these things, and it's a dangerous game to gift him one without a good idea of his preferences.
posted by lostburner at 11:12 AM on March 14, 2013


The knife execption is now on hold. You still can't take a knife on a plane.
posted by "friend" of a TSA Agent at 5:32 AM on May 5, 2013


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