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I was thinking about what blades and tools we ever actually use on our Swiss Army knives. Very plural “knives”; between the four of us we have, uh, more than 4 Swiss Army knives. Some in packs, some stored away unused in bureau drawers. There are implements on all of them that we often use, and stuff we rarely if ever even unfold.
Starting with the knife blade, or blades. I sure don’t need two blades; I never use the smaller one on most Swiss Army knives, and rarely use the larger one. I have better knife blades, more suitable to the task at hand and equally accessible for most purposes. Still, I guess maybe a single blade on a Swiss Army, or it isn’t actually a Swiss Army knife.
The corkscrew; eh, we’ll bring something better on car campers where we have an actual bottle of wine, but, in a pinch, that dinky thing will sufffice. I could live without it. I would like to have a bottle cap opener, but, again, carry something better and more conveniently accessed.
I don’t think I have ever used the little saw blade we have on some Swiss Army knife models. The wee scissors, despite carrying better scissors in the first aid kit, do see frequent use.
The flat-head, Phillips head and mini-wrench may be the most often used Swiss Army “tools”, perhaps because it is hard to turn a Phillips machine screw head and hold a nut simultaneously with just a Leatherman tool when tightening up some loose or squeaky boat hardware, or making other mechanical repairs.
Toothpick rarely. Nail file even more rarely (have a better nail file, already on the nail clippers. And on long trips a piece of slender rattail file in the repairs bag).
The Swiss Army tweezers may be the most often used, but, again, we have better gripping micro-hemostats in the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] aid kit for plucking out cactus spines and the like. Still, those Swiss Army tweezers are sometimes handiest for extracting easy stuff.
The ubiquitous Swiss Army knife awl, not very often. See a variety of other possible puncturing implements, including a hot nail head or a tent stake through plastics or synthetics. Also needle and thread and cable ties and duct tape.
The only time I have used that awl was to crudely make a new belt buckle notch. I’m sure someone, somewhere has actually used that awl for other purposes. Do tell.
There are now a bewildering number of Swiss Army knife “specialty tools” available, including SA models with flash drives and altimeters, rivet tools (huh?) and, seriously, a freaking Orange Peeler or Hoof Scrapper. Not a two-in-one tool I hope.
The younger son once won a Swiss Army knife with a teeny weeny LED light. Now with teeny weeny dead LED batteries, one of the current bureau-drawer models. Is it still a freaking knife if it needs batteries?
If you could design the ideal Canoe Tripper Model Swiss Army knife, what tools and implements would it have? Fire starter flint & steel? Whistle to be guaranteed always-legal? Magnifying glass to read miniscule map notations (or fry ants)?
Fold-out spatula for frying Spam? (Apologies to Memaquay). Sharp-tined salad fork to dig the last piece of spinach from the bowl? (Apologies to Conk). Roach clip and grinder? (Apologies to nameless)
Starting with the knife blade, or blades. I sure don’t need two blades; I never use the smaller one on most Swiss Army knives, and rarely use the larger one. I have better knife blades, more suitable to the task at hand and equally accessible for most purposes. Still, I guess maybe a single blade on a Swiss Army, or it isn’t actually a Swiss Army knife.
The corkscrew; eh, we’ll bring something better on car campers where we have an actual bottle of wine, but, in a pinch, that dinky thing will sufffice. I could live without it. I would like to have a bottle cap opener, but, again, carry something better and more conveniently accessed.
I don’t think I have ever used the little saw blade we have on some Swiss Army knife models. The wee scissors, despite carrying better scissors in the first aid kit, do see frequent use.
The flat-head, Phillips head and mini-wrench may be the most often used Swiss Army “tools”, perhaps because it is hard to turn a Phillips machine screw head and hold a nut simultaneously with just a Leatherman tool when tightening up some loose or squeaky boat hardware, or making other mechanical repairs.
Toothpick rarely. Nail file even more rarely (have a better nail file, already on the nail clippers. And on long trips a piece of slender rattail file in the repairs bag).
The Swiss Army tweezers may be the most often used, but, again, we have better gripping micro-hemostats in the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] aid kit for plucking out cactus spines and the like. Still, those Swiss Army tweezers are sometimes handiest for extracting easy stuff.
The ubiquitous Swiss Army knife awl, not very often. See a variety of other possible puncturing implements, including a hot nail head or a tent stake through plastics or synthetics. Also needle and thread and cable ties and duct tape.
The only time I have used that awl was to crudely make a new belt buckle notch. I’m sure someone, somewhere has actually used that awl for other purposes. Do tell.
There are now a bewildering number of Swiss Army knife “specialty tools” available, including SA models with flash drives and altimeters, rivet tools (huh?) and, seriously, a freaking Orange Peeler or Hoof Scrapper. Not a two-in-one tool I hope.
The younger son once won a Swiss Army knife with a teeny weeny LED light. Now with teeny weeny dead LED batteries, one of the current bureau-drawer models. Is it still a freaking knife if it needs batteries?
If you could design the ideal Canoe Tripper Model Swiss Army knife, what tools and implements would it have? Fire starter flint & steel? Whistle to be guaranteed always-legal? Magnifying glass to read miniscule map notations (or fry ants)?
Fold-out spatula for frying Spam? (Apologies to Memaquay). Sharp-tined salad fork to dig the last piece of spinach from the bowl? (Apologies to Conk). Roach clip and grinder? (Apologies to nameless)