Item #45 in Camping & Hiking

Victorinox Swiss Army Classic SD Pocket Knife, Red

Made by Victorinox

Sales Rank on Amazon.com: 157

Lowest Price: $7.99

Average Review: 4.5 stars

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See more items in: Sports & Outdoors: Camping & Hiking

Amazon.com Reviews

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

The following review received 54 helpful votes out of 58 total votes:
Review Date: 2003-12-05
"Classic Indeed"

After 14 years of service my Victorinox mini-Swiss Army Knife (SAK) has finally begun to show its age: the toothpick went missing, the enamel casing cracked, the insignia fell off. So I've bought another (the original sits in a drawer, its knife blade as sharp as ever, the screwdriver still perfectly utile, the scissors are gummed up but could probably be cleaned out with some rubbing alcohol).
For versatility and simplicity it's hard to beat this item. Sure there are SAKs with more blades and tools, but the simple knife/screwdriver/scissors combination is going to meet the vast majority of your needs (ok, it doesn't have a bottle opener: use a door strike plate, MacGyver). The toothpick is so-so, but I can't count the number of times I've needed to tweeze something and used the SAK tweezers when I couldn't find the bathroom set. The key fob, while not the most exciting of features, does provide a convenient way to carry the SAK around with you.
This item is sure to please. I love mine. You'll love yours. Buy one for someone else - they'll love theirs. 5 stars

The following review received 29 helpful votes out of 33 total votes:
Review Date: 2002-07-26
"The classic still a sentimental and useful favorite"

I have been a collector of pocket knives since I was a kid and I'm always doing something around the house, needing to file a nail, tweeze a splinter, cut off some twine or open a letter. I bought one of these years and years ago in the train station at Zurich with my leftover change and I have it to this day...
The knife takes a bit of sharpening--the type of steel used is resistant to rust and holds its shine, but it also makes it a bit more difficult to hold an edge. Nonetheless, with a good sharpening stone and some care, you can make a fine edge useful for opening letters, cutting twine or cutting open a box.
This version contains six tools, including the knife blade, scissors, nail file with screwdriver on the end, plastic toothpick, tweezers and lanyard/key ring attachment. If you attach a string to the ring, you can use the pocketknife as a makeshift plumb bob.
This is a small knife, just 2-1/4 inches long, so it fits flat in a pocket or purse. I personally like to have a corkscrew and Philips screwdriver as well, but that is on a larger model that doesn't fit so well in the back pocket of your trousers. Since this is so small, don't forget to remove it from your pants pocket before you head to the airport, as passengers are no longer permitted to board with such items. 5 stars

The following review received 18 helpful votes out of 20 total votes:
Review Date: 2002-08-02
"A Tool For All Seasons...."

After a number of years living out on the ragged edge of civilized society in the rural reaches of southern New Hampshire, I have learned the practical wisdom of always having a utility knife in my pocket. I have several of these Swiss Army pocket knives(one in the otherwise unused ashtrays of each vehicle, and one in my Land's End briefcase)and always have one on me personally. I cannot tell you how often I have used one to do everything from pick away the remnants of a sliver from my somewhat leery granddaughter's thumb to opening a bottle of diet soda on a hot summer afternoon. It truly is a tool dfor all seasons, whether one uses it to pick away the ice from one's car door lock on an icy frigid morn or to snip off the tag from some flip-flops at the local Eastern Mountain Sports shop so you could walk around without being burdened by shoes or socks on a scorching day in the local hamlet of Peterborough. Having everything the common guy or girl needs in a pinch (knife blades, scissors, nail file, screwdriver, toothpick, and tweezers, and also has a key ring for one's car or house key. I have them in a variety of colors, but the one I usually carry is candy apple red! Enjoy! 5 stars

The following review received 16 helpful votes out of 43 total votes:
Review Date: 2003-10-26
"THE SPRING SPRUNG"

AN EAGLE SCOUT AT 12 YEARS OF AGE, I'VE BEEN AROUND POCKET KNIVES OVER 30 YEARS. BOTH "REAL" SWISS ARMY KNIFE MANUFACTURERS, WENGER AND VICTORINOX MAKE GENERALLY GOOD QUALITY KNIVES. THIS PARTICULAR KEYCHAIN KNIFE BY VICTORINOX IS NOT UP TO STANDARD. IT IS MORE ORNAMENT THAN TOOL. I BELIEVE SOME OF THE EVALUATIONS ARE REFERRING TO SWISS ARMY KNIVES IN GENERAL RATHER THAN THIS PARTICULAR KNIFE. I RECEIVED THIS KNIFE FOR MY KEYCHAIN AS A BIRTHDAY GIFT. AFTER 2 WEEKS OF LIGHT USAGE THE SPRING FOR THE SCISSORS FAILED. I STUDIED THE KNIFE IN GENERAL AND THE QUALITY IS JUST NOT AS GOOD AS THE LARGER KNIVES. VICTORINOX SENT A REPLACEMENT SPRING FOR FREE. IT'S A LITTLE TRICKY TO EXCHANGE THE SPRING. THE KNIFE FUNCTIONS AGAIN, BUT THE FAILURE IS IN THE DESIGN. THE WENGER KEYCHAIN KNIFE I NOW USE HAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SPRING DESIGN FOR THE SCISSORS.
IF YOU USE THE SCISSORS OF YOUR KEYCHAIN POCKET KNIVES, PLEASE CHOOSE THE WENGER...AT LEAST UNTIL VICTORINOX ABANDONS THIS CHEAP SPRING DESIGN ON THIS MODEL. 3 stars

The following review received 9 helpful votes out of 10 total votes:
Review Date: 2005-09-30
"If you are going to carry a pocket knife, this is it"

I am unable to imagine myself going somewhere without my Swiss Army knife (except a plane, of course). This 2 1/4 inch all-purpose tool is always on my key ring, and is useful for about 70 or 80% of those cases where you need some sort of tool but the tool box is inaccessible.

This gem has a tooth pick, a pair of tweezers, a sharp knife, a nail file, a screwdriver formed on the end of the nail file, and a pair of scissors. I have probably used the knife and the scissors more than any other tools.

The knife and the tweezers are useful for splinters and thorns, and thus the tweezers often become the third most useful tool. I must admit that occasionally I use the toothpick, particularly when real toothpicks are not available.

The screwdriver is small enough that it can also fit into a Phillips head screw. I have even been able to use the flat blade on some small hex head screws.

The difficulty with carrying tools is that they can fill your pocket very quickly. This small Swiss Army knife is small enough to fit into a purse or a pocket and yet large enough to be useful. While the larger Swiss Army knives have even more and larger tools and blades, they are also harder to carry. Of course this particular knife will not replace a tool box, but I find it amazing how many tasks I can accomplish with the simple tools available in this gem.
5 stars