12 Best Swiss Army Knives For EDC

Buyers Guide

Although they’ve been around for well over a century people still have questions about the Swiss Army Knife. Below are some things you’ll want to look for when purchasing one.

Available Tools

Part of the fun is beyond the knife, despite it being in the title. Having a multitool for just about any occasion (use your imagination, here) can come in handy. Here are seven of the most practical uses for a SAK.

Blade – Each Victorinox Swiss Army Knife includes at least 1 blade with most featuring 2; a larger main blade and a smaller secondary blade. Because SAK blades don’t surpass the 4” rule imposed by most cities and towns on “concealed” knives you won’t rule afoul of the law which is one of many reasons SAKs make such excellent everyday carry items.

Screwdriver – Virtually all Swiss Army Knives have at least 1 screwdriver with most having 2; both a standard and Phillips head. Without this item, the versatility of the SAK would be seriously compromised.

Scissors – Another staple of the Swiss Army Knife scissors are typically quite sharp and able to cut many materials effectively including all types of paper, light cardboard, strings, fishing line and more. A couple of SAKs swap out their scissors for pliers.

Openers – The can opener was one of the original tools included on the earliest SAKs and it’s still with us today. Bottle openers too make a regular appearance on the Swiss Army Knife.

Corkscrew – Don’t let the night be ruined. Nobody ever has a corkscrew handy. One of the most searched things on Google is how to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew—but wait, you came ready. Another point for the SAK.

Tweezers – Splinters or insect stingers out in the woods are no match for your SAK. You may want to sanitize it first with a bit of alcohol if you’re going to have to dig deep.

Nail Cleaner – Sounds gross, but under your fingernails get grimy, and that can actually impact your health. The soft nerve tissue beneath the keratin of your nails absorbs the filth, and it enters your bloodstream. Skip all that noise; clean them up with your SAK.

Fish Scaler – Fishing’s great and all, but nobody likes picking scales out of their teeth. Bring it with you when you go out on the lake, and you’re heading back to the campfire at the site to enjoy your catch.

Chisel – Wedge something out of place, or hammer it in—use your SAK like a chisel and you’ll be handling your problems superior caveman style.

Other tools – The nail file, saw blade, reamer, toothpick are some more favorites you may want on you SAK. Some of the newer versions also sport a ballpoint pen and our favorite, the magnifying glass.

Physical Considerations

Size – Since the Swiss Army Knife is the prototypical everyday carry item you won’t find any that violate that intent or spirit. In other words they’re typically small enough to carry in your pocket without getting in the way. You should be aware though that the more features you want the thicker the whole device is going to be.

Style – Victorinox does a good job these days coming up with new looks and feature sets for their Swiss Army Knife without compromising the fundamental style everyone is so familiar with. Where you’ll find stylistic variation is in some of the new contoured or curved handles as well as in the material used for the scales.

Laws On Carrying A Swiss Army Knife

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t be bringing knives across borders, but what about bringing it around while you’re out and about? Many of us carry an EDC knife or a Swiss army knife (SAK) for ease of use, but also for protection. You never know what’s lurking around the corner.

There’s a universal rule in America—three-finger blades and below are okay, anything above that, and you run into trouble. Some territories (and all of the UK) require you to be a minimum of 18-years-old before you can purchase a knife of any kind, including kitchen cutlery. If your knife exceeds the width of three fingers, you’re going to run into a problem.

History Of The Swiss Army Knife

The Swiss Army Knife originated in Ibach, Switzerland in 1891 when the Karl Elsener company received a contract to supply all-purpose knives to members of the Swiss military. Another company, Wenger, also received a contract to produce knives based on the army’s preferred design. Both companies produced Swiss Army Knives until 2005 when they merged under the name Victorinox. The Swiss Army Knife remains one of the most well-known of Swiss products; right up there with discreet banking and precision timepieces.

The Swiss Army Knife has weathered 2 world wars and innumerable cultural changes somehow managing to retain both its appeal and relevance. Today the Swiss Army Knife is an integral part of most people’s everyday carry and there’s no doubt people will continue to buy Swiss Army Knives by the score as we move into the challenging times ahead.

Swiss Army Knives have stood the test of time, and adapted to certain parts of the future. They’re still immeasurably helpful, only now, some are coming with built-in 32GB flash drives, flashlights, and laser pointers to conform to the modern necessities of the everyday man. Despite technological advances, Swiss Army Knife models from the very first batch are still in use today, showcasing that the Swiss have truly withheld their immaculate quality since the devices’ inception.

Swiss Army Maintenance

With great power comes… a lot of moving parts that really need to be cleaned, my friend. Your SAK always has your back, so you need to stay on top of maintaining it. Taking it step-by-step, here’s what you need to do.

Disassembly – Start by pulling the pin on your SAK and (remember where these parts all go, by the way. Maybe take a picture) handling them with care. You want to be careful with what type of material and cleaner you’re going to be using, so this is the time to note which parts have rust, sticky bits, and to try and think of why. It’s always best to keep your SAK in a dry place, so this could be the perfect time to look at yourself and realize that you weren’t taking care of it the way you should have been.

Cleaner – A trick of the trade is to use jewelry cleaner. You want to avoid rust-removers and other harsh chemicals, but jewelry cleaner is meant to put a shine back on the metal. Gold is one of the most malleable metals, and this stuff is meant for it—imagine how amazing it’s going to do against steel. Dipping a few parts of your SAK into the cleaner and letting them soak for no more than three minutes can take all the gunk off, and keep these parts moving perfectly.

Soaking The Chamber – The chamber, or the main part where all your little blade pieces come poking out of, are key to the operation of your SAK. Grab a toothpick and a dime-store toothbrush—it’s time to get scrubbing. When this is sitting in your pockets (especially in jeans) you get all sorts of nasty caked-on grime that accumulates over time. It makes for pretty lousy use when you actually need to whip out the thing in a pinch. Soak this in some white distilled vinegar after you carefully scape all the gunk out of it.

Check Your Components – They’re all clean, and now it’s time to check them out. Is your corkscrew dull? Is the blade losing its edge? Assess each component and see how they’re doing. Most often, the only thing you’ll need to do is sharpen your blade. This can be done with a standard cutlery sharpening kit, or if you’re hardcore about it, an electric sharpener.

Getting It Dirty Again –  All this work, and now you’re going to get the thing messy again. I’m not joking. The metal is all squeaky clean, and now, you need to use a throwaway rag and some lube to get the parts all ready to go again. Yes, the lube is going to slowly attract dust, dirt, and grime over time, but it’s a necessary evil to keep your SAK working efficiently. Once you’ve lubed all the pieces, put your knife back together, and wipe each piece down with a rag.

We hope you found these Swiss Army Knife reviews helpful and that they serve to inform your decision when you’re considering the various Swiss Army Knives for sale today. Be sure to check back in regularly for more helpful review guides from Gearhungry.