Please enter the reason behind your choice here... Thanks

I own both Tinker and Spartan SAKs and I find the Tinker is more useful to me because it has the proper Philips screwdriver in place of the corkscrew meaning you get the T handle effect which allows good pressure for unscrewing tight screws.

All the other blades are the same as the Spartan, but the tinker is a shorter knife so it fits in your pocket better.

And the topper of coarse is that it's the knife most used throughout the show by MacGyver.

I think it would really depend on what you would be using it for. I don't own any because I just never find that I need one, but if you're in a line of work where a SAK comes in handy, then pick the one that best fits what you plan to do with it.

Thanks Rockatteer. I agree with you...

You say that the tinker knife is the most used throughout the show by MacGyver. However when I checked the page below,

http://www.macgyveronline.com/pages/sakusage.html

it's the Spartan which is the one mostly used... How come?

Also...

I have just watched Three for the Road and this page:

http://www.macgyveronline.com/pages/saks.html

it says that the knife used is the Camper. However scissors are used in this episode (to make the "flowers" from the newspaper) and so it cannot be the camper... What do you think?

Finally, I own the tinker and the climber knife. I love them both but the tinker always remains my favourite...

This list is incomplete... I really need to put a comment advising that on the page..

Watch that scene again and take note of what he's doing

Tinker knife is been awailable in two sizes 84mm and 91mm and i like the 84mm because its better size for pocket. It would be nice if victorinox could make climber or huntsman in 84mm size also. The scissors and woodsaw are very usefull sometimes and corkscrew for opening knots. Can openers small screwdriver works good for philips srews also so i voted climber. I own all three models and more.

I watched it over for 3 times and according to me, Mac is using scissors... Even the motion of the hand seems like cutting with a pair of scissors...

Can you please help me understand?

The knife used in that paper flower scene could be any 91mm victorinox with scissors- climber,fisherman,huntsman,grand prix, but the knife used earlier in car is camper.Maybe they just changed the knife for this scene because of scissors?
There are many other episodes where the knife changes even in the same scene, wich is funny.

I guess you are right cause I am sure I saw scissors in that paper flower scene...

Maybe Rockatteer has another explanation?!?

No your right - it is scissors.

I remembered that scene as him slicing the paper with the blade, but I must have had it mixed up with another scene or something.

So if anyone can ID the knife model let me know and I'll update the list.

Was thinking of the Climber model but I do not think it can be recognized that easily...

Its very hard to say the correct model because the picture quality, but i gues for three layer victorinox climber.

Victorinox did make a knife they called the Alumnus which was an 84mm Climber. Back in the 70's and 80's they sold a more extensive 84mm lineup but apparently they didn't sell well enough. Now those knives go for a pretty penny on eBay.

In Three for the Road it was both knives, the Camper and then Climber. Everyone is right, it was switched for the scissors, and that happened in a few other episodes as well.

You asked for a reasoning behind my vote- I said Tinker because I like the phillips blade more than the corkscrew. I honestly had never bought a bottle of wine at 23 until just recently, and I could barely use the corkscrew to pull the cork. I've on occasion made alternate use of the corkscrew, but by and large I use a phillips very often (weekly if not daily) while the corkscrew was maybe once a year. For awhile I was on a kick of having the corkscrew because you can buy the mini screwdriver, but even it never proved as frequently useful as the phillips. Everyone is different though, it "can" open a bottle of wine, and may be very effectively if you had practice (I ended up huddled on the ground pulling with all my might, and then I nearly busted my own jaw when it let go...).

I like the fact that you can use the can opener as a phillips- so even if you are part of the Corkscrew Crew you still have a phillips (assuming the screw isn't recessed).

Thanks for the detailed explanation MacDriver... and yes I agree with you. In fact I happen to use the philips screwdriver more than I use the corkscrew...

So Rockatteer can update the list then and add the Climber knife to the Camper knife in Three For The Road...

Cheers

Just saw the page about the SAKs used in each episode...

Cheers for the update Rockatteer...

Yeah i have seen pictures of those old 84mm victorinox knives with scissors and saw on the net, but i would like if they could make them these days. Wengers classic knives are 84mm, but the can opener and scissors blades in my opinion arent as good as victorinox have.

Victorinox are and will always be the leading SAK brand in my opinion...

They also own Wenger.

Really?!? Didn't know that

Still Victorinox are my top brand of choice

Yeah, it was an acquisition that happened in 05, I believe. Victorinox was so kind as to let them be and just financially absorb them. It didn't really change the product a whole lot. Wenger officially calls their knives 85mm, but who cares about the 1mm...

There are a lot of good posts on here that people have made comparing the two, and they all end with "we know why MacGyver switched..."

MacDriver, can you please put some links to the posts here?

I'm really interested... Thanks

The Tinker is the superior knife here, just for having a phillips. I admit, the Spartan looks a lot cooler, but how often do you find a use for a corkscrew? I suppose you could add the little grey twisty screwdriver to it, but it's a flathead and not extremely useful now days. So beside opening a bottle at a dinner party, is there really anything else you can use it for? Any ideas?

Same argument against the Climber. Super Tinker is the same knife, but replaces the corkscrew with a phillips. Both have the hook though, which seems utterly useless. I've read that some models have a file added to the back of the hook, but still. Only use I could think of is fishing electrical wires out of a tight space, but even then it's really too short. So again, any use ideas?

bert003:
I use to think the same way, but then I got a Wenger and changed my mind. They are different, cost more and are harder to find the model you want, but they arn't junk. Wenger likes to try out new ideas and some of them are pretty crazy, which probably skews people's opinion of them, but I'd be as happy with a Wenger as a comparable model Victorinox.

Check out their actual Swiss websites to see to some interesting stuff that isn't offered in other parts of the world.

Maybe to untie knots?

I used it yesterday to carry a packet of 6 2-litre water bottles cause the its plastic handle was aching the palm of my hand

Yes Wheeljack, I am more than sure that Wenger are no junk, far from it. But I prefer Victorinox just because I find them more MacGyverish And I like their style...

However, I agree with you. Tinker SAK rules... The philips comes really really handy...

Thanks for your vote and detailed comment...

I would choose the Spartan. To me the corkscrew is more useful than the phillips screwdriver. The "T Handle" affect makes it useless for getting into tight places, and the small flathead on the can opener can handle most phillips head screws just fine.

The climber is nice, but I'd rather have the thinner frame that have the scissors.

Thanks Jack Straw...

I would like to hear more opinions on the Tinker philips screwdriver vs the Spartan corkscrew...

Which one do you think is more practical?

Cheers

i think the tinker is more practical because of the phillips head screwdriver.

So we have another vote for the Tinker... Thanks mac8