I've been carrying the same SAK for 23 years now (except for about 2 years when I "lost" it in the cushions of my sofa <img src="images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />). I'd like to get a couple more to put in my BOB and PSK but can't find this particular model.

It's made by Victorinox and used to have metallic embossing reading "Alpineer" (the embossing rubbed off long ago). It has the following tools:

main blade and smaller blade
can opener / small slotted head screwdriver
bottle opener / large slotted head screwdriver
awl
corkscrew
toothpick
tweezers
phillips head screwdriver
magnifying glass

The only SAK's I have found with both the phillips head screwdriver and the magnifying glass also have a bunch of other stuff and are so large you walk funny if you try to carry it in your pocket. This knife came in handy all through college and since then I feel naked without it. It's helped me get many slivers and other sharp things out of my hide, the different screwdrivers have kept my truck running for years, the corkscrew was used for "solutions" class, I didn't even own another can opener until a few years ago and the magnifying glass is very useful for aerial photo interpretation and map reading. Not to mention it has two blades as well!

If anyone has heard of this particular model of SAK I would be eternally grateful to hear from you. This thing has grown to have sentimental meaning to me and I'm afraid of another sofa incident.

Terry

Your ideal SAK has:

main blade and smaller blade
can opener / small slotted head screwdriver
bottle opener / large slotted head screwdriver
awl
corkscrew
toothpick
tweezers
phillips head screwdriver
magnifying glass

I can't find my (~25 year old) favorite model today, either - it's like a 91mm Camper, but with a scissors layer added or like a Huntsman without the "parcel hook" - I'd buy several if I could find that model today. My "perfect" SAK doesn't exist either, but it would be similar:

main blade and smaller blade
can opener / small slotted head screwdriver
bottle opener / large slotted head screwdriver
corkscrew with eyeglasses screw driver
small diamond hone in lieu of the toothpick (larger dimensions but same location)
tweezers
flat phillips head screwdriver like the WAVE one so it will fit the same location as the awl (round one will make my knife too fat for me with all the other stuff)
saw
scissors

I almost have this - but it's with awl instead of with phillips and I had to add the eyeglasses screwdriver from Victorinox as a "replacement" part (didn't come with it). I suppose, while I'm at it, that I could wish the main blade to lock, but so far those models are larger than I want for EDC. If I could find my old favorite model, I'd take a heck of a crack at modifying it to what I wrote above - but no surgery on this one unless I have "spares' to try it out on first.

Anyone with a corkscrew model ought to get the screwdriver gadget that stows in it - it's a forehead smacker once you have one.

Hello, Victorinox??? Anyone reading these???

Apparently the Alpineer is now a different knife altogether.

How about the Swiss Army Explorer? It only has scissors and the hook in addition to your list.

Here's a look: 1.html]Swiss Army Knife Explorer[/url]

Since this is my first post, here's the entire URL, just in case the above doesn't work:
http://store.yahoo.com/swissarmyexpress/swisarexred51.html

........m

Not sure your favorite is here, but Victorinox is greatly expanding its offering in the North American market. Here's a preview from the upcoming SHOT Show Report:

http://www.equipped.org/pp/pic916.htm

As for lock blade traditional size SAKs, they are only available from Wenger and there are no new ones this year in this market.

Since you guys are looking for specific models that appear to be out of date, you might want to do a search on eBay.

SOMEBODY is bound to have found one in a drawer somewhere that they are now selling for little or nothing. Make sure you look at locations and shipping cost... that could nearly double your price.

Here's one I found on a quick search for "Alpiner":
Ebay Auction, Alpiner.

And no, I don't work for eBay. This is just the way I generally solve these kind of problems. <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the link. The Explorer looks like it might do the trick. Those little scissors do come in handy. I'll check out the stores this weekend to get a look at one and compare its size with my SAK.

It's amazing how attached to a knife you can get. I have a fully stocked tool kit in both of my vehicles and more in my garage yet I still pull out my SAK first when I need to work on something. I still open cans faster with my SAK can opener than with any other kind. Old habits die hard I guess.

Terry

I know what you mean. Someone good at working on SAKs and multitools could make a nice living selling custom models. I want what I want and would be willing to pay more (within reason of course) to get it. Just like our PSKs are very "P", the tools a person carries say something about them. I'm a little afraid of what it says about me, however <img src="images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Terry