I heard the subject line calling me from afar... :-)

Back in the days when "laptop" PCs were prohibitively expensive, and the group I was part of was doing a week here and a week there in cities accross the US, some members of the group just had UPS ship their desktop computers to their hotels ahead of them. Just call the conceirge (ok, "front desk" at the EconoLodge) and ask them to hold it for you. They're used to that sort of thing. For something as small as a knife you could FedEx it overnight. Nobody cares what it is.

Of course, if you were truly blade-obsessed like some of us, you'd view the trip as an opportunity to immediately buy yet another knife at your destination, then just have it shipped home. :-)

>>Why do most SAKs continue to come with a corkscrew?<<

Well, I guess the manufacturers just assume that many of the people buying their products are civilized. Ahem...

Seriously, there's obviously demand, and, unlike most tools, when you need a corkscrew nothing else is nearly as convenient (yes, I know about the back-of-the-saber technique, and the wet-feather technique, etc. The statement stands). Even some makers of military equipment have realized that if you don't give the troops a coffee grinder (Sharps?), corkscrew (some WWII bayonets), beer-cap-lifer (other bayonets (German), Galil assault rifle bipod base) or whatever, they're going to misuse some other piece of equipment to get the job done, perhaps ruining it and endangering lives in the process.

Besides, unlike with a lighter, no decent group of people could ask to use your corkscrew, and not offer to share the wine... :-)

And, if you find yourself some sunny day on a mountain top with a lovely lady and a bottle of wine, and you think you won't miss a corkscrew if you don't have it... I've got to think you're missing something about the point of survival.. :-)