Victorinox Swiss Army Multi-Tool, EvoGrip Pocket Knife

This knife is available in the Wenger design and this Victorinox “hybrid” design. Victorinox bought Wenger some time back and now, both produce this model. The all-Wenger model has the brand name embedded at the bottom of the scales. BTW, those are not just stick-on grippy surfaces, they are recessed into the handles and the grip-tops are flush with the celador scales. The feel, in either direction, is just the berries. The ergonomics are simply awesome. At the moment, this model is the absolute favorite of about 7 SAKs that I own. Both the Wenger and Victorinox models are the same size & weight and have the same tool set, but I like this Victorinox better.First, it just looks and feels fantastic. The yellow is not as “bright” as appears in pictures, think that’s the lighting. The primary “best thing” is that it has all the best of the Wenger tools (who originally designed and produced it) and all the best of Victorinox tools wherever they would be an “upgrade”. I’ll digress a moment here to say that I think the Victorinox tools are, when speaking generally; better. But it’s not the case 100% of the time, and there’s a few places where Wenger tools do come out ahead. But on this model, wherever Victorinox had the better tool, it went in. Wherever Wenger had it right, their design stayed. Here’s the run-down: The awl/reamer is just a pointy, unsharpened spike on the Wenger model. Yeah, it’d work, but the Victorinox has the eyelet, is sharpened, and has a hollow grind on one side. The Victorinox reamer is simply better and it was incorporated. The Wenger toothpicks are sharper, but also shorter and a bit flimsier. WIth the tweezers, it’s less clear, the Wenger is spot-welded & doesn’t have the plastic tip. If the tip is the only thing connecting the two sides on the Victorinox, the Wenger might win this, but I can’t tell. I think the plastic tip aids in getting it out and in handling. Additionally, the Victorinox seats their location (on all models, as far as I know) on the outside of the scales. I think they are easier to access from there, but I understand those who feel the Wenger design preserves more of the round edge look of the scales. I prefer the Victorinox designs and location, and both are replaced by Victorinox versions on this model. The saw is still Wenger, and the tip has more of a downward drop that might help keep it from pulling it all the way out of the cut you’re making. Probably an advantage and disadvantage, but the difference is so minimal that I just don’t think it matters. The Wenger main blade was kept and has a little more belly to it making the cutting length just slightly longer. But, like the saw, this difference is too minimal to factor in. I’d consider it a plus if I considered it at all. Same steel I believe. But, unlike [maybe all] the Victorinox models in this size category, the blade locks. I love that. They do make a non-locking version, the 18 – no “S”, Some will mind the push-button style release, and I get their arguments, but having edc’d this model for a many weeks now, I have zero beef with it. Another example is the flat head screwdriver. The Wenger design has in an internal lock to it. If pushed hard, when you’re really bearing down on a tight screw, the blade moves inward, very slightly on a spring. It recesses into the knife and engages a lock. Won’t close up on you. Locks on it’s own when pressed on firmly. Wenger design, very slick. Lastly, the can opener: for no valid reason I prefer the cut-away-from-you design of the Victorinox model. It’s what I’ve always had/used. Either works fine, I’ve compared the two. It’s personal preference only, but I do prefer the Victorinox design for another reason besides familiarity. There’s a more significant trade off in my opinion: The Wenger can opener doubles as an excellent box-blade which can cut cargo tape and open boxes very well with a pull stroke. That’s a very handy “second blade”, sort of – it’s not sharpened to a honed edge but works well for things like this. That’s “two-tools-in-one” for the Wenger can opener. That said, the Victorinox can opener also has a small flat head driver on it, but this also doubles as a small 2D phillips driver. That’s “three-tools-in-one” for the Victorinox. For me, the Victorinox wins there too, and I’m glad that Victorinox version replaced the Wenger version there as well. In all, at least four tools were were replaced with the Victorinox versions on this model. Oh, the scissors: I like the Wenger design better and it was retained. The spring design is feels sturdier and the blades have micro-serrations. One would think the serrations a drawback until they go to cut a cable tie. The Wenger hangs on and bites into slipperier things like that. The Victorinox kind of “pushes” things away. Definitely makes a difference. Either will cut paper so I give the advantage to Wenger here and it too, was retained. All this leaves out the scales, the shape of which (I think) is a Wenger design. The ergos of the shape and inlays are just fabulous. I do wish the scales were mated flush with the tools on the bottom like all my other Victorinox knives are, but I can over look the small overlap to gain the rest of the awesomeness of the Wenger grip design (now incorporated in several Victorinox patterns, overlap and all). This knife is still available in the all-Wenger design and also in this “hybrid” Victorinox-branded model. I’m glad I chose it and I think it’s better for all the reasons I just went through. I wish neither one of them had the nail file, would prefer a second small blade instead. That said, the tip of the nail file doubles as a #1 2D Phillips driver often enough to be useful. I’ve also used it to pry molded plastic parts apart without having to dull my knife blade. You dads opening toy battery covers know what I’m talking about.This knife has replaced my other models for weekday edc (Every Day Carry). Very easy to carry in work slacks. I still opt for the stoutness of my Hercules model on weekends when I have jeans or cargo shorts with heavier fabric and deeper pockets, and I’m not driving so much where the fabric pulls tighter on the leg. I absolutely love this model and heartily recommend it to anyone trying to buy “the one” Swiss Army Knife to edc. I live in the sticks and use the saw, but if you’re not likely to need that, I believe the S16 is the same model without the saw. It’ll be a bit thinner & lighter and is also available in a non-locking version, the 16. All in all I completely recommend the S18 (or 16) and would opt for the Victorinox version first.3 YEAR UPDATE: Of all the SAK’s I own, this would still be the last to go if I had to surrender them one at a time. I have changed over to carrying my Explorer model at the office, however, as I find the tool set more suited to an office environment. That said, I still feel the S18 has the best ‘over-all’ tool set if confining my choice to only one SAK. The rubber grips have held up just fine and there’s been no issues around reliability at all – which holds true for my other SAK’s as well. A testament to the brand. My S18 is still found in my pocket every weekend, and more, without fail. Other than routine sharpening (ceramic rod) and a little oil, it gets nothing but use. Still offer my sturdiest of recommendations to this model.

I have been a huge fan of Swiss Army Knives for decades! I won’t be caught without one except on an airplane or in court. I have always had the Champion in the past. They DO break if you seriously misuse them, but not easily; you have to torture them. I went hmmm and ahhh for awhile and decided I’d try this instead of getting another Champion. I especially liked the multi-size nut driver and the “Channel Lock” style pliers. I have yet to use the nut driver thing so far, but I’ve already used the “Channel Lock” type pliers a few times. Nice! They open nice and wide, in a relative sort of way. The small knife is missing; it’s just a nail file type thing now. The Champion has a pen, tweezers, and a toothpick. Oh! I remember! There’s a “jeweler’s” screwdriver wound into the corkscrew on the Champion. That was missing. I grabbed that from one e of my old ones and put it in there.This one has two slots, but it only had the toothpick, if I remember right. I added the tweezers (from a broken Swiss Army Knife.) I’m thinking of changing my mind and adding the pen instead of one of them, probably the toothpick.Anyway! The remaining (large) blade now has a lock!! Very nice! It’s not going to close on your fingers or anything until you release it! The spring metal hold open devices on the scissors and the pliers have been improved! It’s hard to explain, but there’s MUCH less chance of them going off to one side and getting bent out of shape like they do on the Champion. There is NO reduction in quality anywhere! The knife was dangerously sharp, just under a razor blade. It’s already a little duller than it was, from my use stripping wires and stuff, but not much! I’m used to having to sharpen Swiss Army Knife blades every once in awhile. Absolutely no complaints! I guess I wish they’d send it with the tweezers and a pen. Not sure if mine was missing something or what, but every single Swiss Army Knife I have (I have three or four with just one little thing broken) has got a spare tooth pick, pen, and tweezers. Not a big deal at all.

I love this knife, it has the best combination of tools for me with great ergonomics and craftsmanship. Sometimes I wonder whether I should have gotten the 18 rather than the s18. The locking blade feature is great but the lock release lever sticks out enough to occasionally get caught in the fabric of my pants pocket when you pull it out. When I was young, I injured my hand when the blade of a pocket knife closed accidentally while I was using it, so I have always preferred a locking blade and that’s what affected my decision when purchasing this knife over other models. The non-locking blade model 18 is still very attractive though, and I do prefer the red color over the yellow.

Great size for Keychain. I use with Firefly ferro rod in tweezer hole for emergency fire needs.

This is a medium size Victorinox, currently out of production and was previously a Wenger model.Nice locking blade (why I got it). Seems to have all the stuff I need. The side panels do not seem to be as sturdy as the classic Victorinox brand….these are more of a cheap plastic.