The Victorinox Tinker - Is it relevant?

This week on the channel, we take a look at the item one of my viewers said was all you ever need.
Well, is it?
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[@nunk150]

That is pretty cool can you shout me out in your next video

[@5MinuteKnives]

I pre-recorded the next few vids bud, so I'll prolly forget when the next recording session hits, BUT I will pin this comment for ya, so you can hopefully snag a few extra subs to your channel. Keep it up!

[@nunk150]

Smart

[@jasonmillsap8138]

Been a fan of the small Tinker for 35 years

[@vincentc6919]

I just purchased my first one at the BSA National Jamboree and have used the large blade a lot and I haven't seen it get too dull. I had to trim down some spindles for a bow drill set and it easily carved through 40 plus spindles and was still razor sharp. Great piece of EDC and I wont leave home without it...

[@MeMyself-jz9ms]

When I’m at work, doing DIY and jobs around the house I carry a leatherman wave a lot with the bit set. When I’m working in blade prohibited environments I carry my rebar edc with bit set, or a pocket ratchet and double sided bits, so the Tinker not so necessary for me. When I’m not doing jobs but just out and about I always pick up my Pioneer as my only carry tool these days because I love the rugged minimalism. I just love the stronger construction, which makes it more useful than a gadget with more but punier tools.

[@robinnautica9773]

Nice I just ordered a thinker in red as a gift for a good friends birthday. Was only 20€

[@daninmi1648]

"You've probably owned multiple versions of this throughout your life." Indeed I have.

[@5MinuteKnives]

Well, at least I'm in good company. :) Thanks for stopping by!

[@freman007]

The steel is a propriety stainless for Victorinox. It takes a fine edge, is extremely rust resistant, but does dull easily. But then it also sharpens easily, so it balances out. Carry it with a No. 8 Opinel Carbone to give a pretty good cutting knife.

[@5MinuteKnives]

I'll give it a shot. Thanks!

[@pep1dog1]

I carry the smaller tinker and I love it.

[@Deibodese]

I’ve only owned my Fieldmaster (a cross between an upgraded Tinker and a Huntsman) for about a week, but I’m already in love with it. I haven’t used the blades enough to have them full on me yet. Being a very poor knife enthusiast, the fanciest steel I own is VG-10, so low-edge-retention steel doesn’t bother me like it would someone accustomed to much nicer materials. The flip side is that resharpening a blade like that is practically something you can do in your sleep. Unless you have some huge project that requires cutting all day long, I’m sure it’ll stand up to most EDC needs.

[@5MinuteKnives]

Truth. Love the FM myself. Thanks for stopping by!

[@Spanky8402]

I like the Super tinker a little more, especially after learning how to use a T shank jigsaw with a Parcel Hook and key ring. That Phillips is amazing. I do miss the 2 layer, after going to the Super Tinker though.

[@5MinuteKnives]

I've been using the evo18 a lot in a edc pack I carry. For on body, I would rock a tinker I think.

[@bobcole612]

I’ve carried a Tinker every day for 30+ years, mainly for the Phillips screwdriver. My main knife is my Boker Kalashnikov, but my Tinker is always handy.

[@Gadgetdad007]

The compact is the best for carry.

[@YA-ee9zf]

It doesn’t dull in 2 seconds man what are you cutting with it?!?? I have it for years now and still sharp. Or you maybe sell knives and that’s your business.

[@5MinuteKnives]

or sometimes have to cut up more than 2 boxes. Put an edge retention test on your channel on this knife and let me know when it's up.

[@christiansalazar4604]

@@5MinuteKnives if you want to cut up boxes get a damn box cutter. SAKs aren’t made for that kind of abuse.

[@5MinuteKnives]

@@christiansalazar4604 or any other knife with modern steel. You mad bro? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@duanebledsoe7566]

I like to keep my SAK blades shaving sharp. But I do cut up boxes with them often. Yes I can tell it takes some of the edge off, but not to the point of being dull beyond use. It still keeps a “working” edge, even if it no longer shaves. Furthermore, Felix Immler did a video on this very thing, a torture test on carving up cardboard and then cutting rope every so often to sample the cutting edge after use on cardboard. I think he was up near 60 cardboard slices before he could even tell the difference in the cutting ability of the blade. All that said, the blade steel is weaker than I would like. Since I like to keep it honed like a razor, I’ve noticed that I can wear the blade down noticeably in just a few months. I haven’t had a SAK knife prior to this year but I’ve already gotten 4 since April, so every 3-5 months I’m getting a new one, and directly comparing the blades, it shows how much metal has been removed. Therefore, for myself, I see these tools as consumable items. Don’t get me wrong, I really like them and will continue to buy and use them. But none will last me 30 years as I’ve seen claimed by some people online. I’ll be lucky to get two years out of one before its blades are thoroughly used up. I think people who can keep and use one for years and years are mostly just carrying it around in their pocket and actually using it rarely. I’m using mine probably 10-15 times a day.

[@allosaurusfragilis7782]

@@duanebledsoe7566 I wonder if Victorinox would warrant it for you. They say they will.

[@kodyschmautz7799]

Tried and true. . . Except the tinker small is the way to go. It's just small enough to be noticeably better in the pocket yet blade and tool wise is pretty much no different yet the small one is rarely talked about/reviewed. And that's the thing really in all actuality if it were made by pretty much ANY and EVERY other knife company it would have had several price increases over the years (probably in the neighborhood of 50$+) so that's pretty cool you can still find these online all day long for 20-30$ shipped to boot. Hard to find a better value for a general/light utility knife/multi tool. Only thing that would really improve is if they made plus scales for 84 mm models to be able to carry a ball point pen everywhere in the same package.. oh ya and if they still offered all Swiss army knives with the option to have the stupid key ring or not but really isnt anything that a good pair of snips and a file can't take care of in 10.min.

[@freman007]

I think they discontinued the Small Tinker.

[@brugges]

Hi thanks for the video ! I have a hard time choosing between the Tinker and the Spartan... i'm not a wine drinker but the Spartan's corkscrew could be useful when i'm with family or friends. My main concern is the Tinker's Philips screwdriver (which would be more useful to me), do you guys use it often ? because it looks pretty big for most home applications..

[@5MinuteKnives]

I use the philips head waaaaaay more but the corkscrew is good if you wear glasses, because I have a little eyeglasses screwdriver adapter for the corkscrew... I couldn't decide either, so I just got both. 🤷‍♂️

[@johnyoung4747]

I used to carry my Dad's SAK, but worried about losing the heirloom and the Tinker most resembled his so that's what I got. My Dad's was taken from a Wehrmacht officer during the Battle of the Bulge and it has the same assortment of tools except for the Tinker's Phillip's driver instead of a cork screw on the German one. Since I encounter Phillips head screws more often than wine bottles, it was a good trade-off.

[@5MinuteKnives]

Good thinking! Keep that original safe

[@antdog11100]

Might have to cop one

[@5MinuteKnives]

Definitely think you should bradda! Won't hurt the wallet and you'll use it constantly. I would recommend thinking of a good way to carry it, as the cheap models have smooth scales that like to slip out of pockets. Other than that, they're great to have on you.

[@Prometheus1111]

I get great edge retention all the time, I use it to crop tops off boxes of steel nail plates for trusses, the polymer bands on units of lumber, sharpen my pencil, cut straps off nail plates, cut my food daily and I only have to touch up the edge a little about once a week. The blade actually being designed to cut well has a thin full flat grind, if you work at one of the blades good enough you can zero grind it and it would be so sharp it would cut you if you looked at it wrong. That orange SAK is sweet, the black one is classy though, very nice models.

[@5MinuteKnives]

Saw your last comment. This one's better. 😉

[@Prometheus1111]

@@5MinuteKnives perhaps 🤣🤣

[@ironman2326]

You should always keep your blades clean. You never know if you're going to need to cut food. Also if you accidentally cut yourself, you're less likely to get an infection.

[@ryanjohnson5288]

I love SAK's. I'm basically starting my own collection. I do agree, though, that they do dull almost immediately. It would be better if Victorinox made it out of a different material, like certain multitools, like Gerber tools. But, overall the Swiss has saved my ass multiple times.

[@5MinuteKnives]

Thank you! I don't know why people get mad when I say that but they aren't heavy use cutters. I do love my evo18 and huntsman a ton though. Amazing piece of kit to have... just not amazing knife blades is all. Appreciate ya bud! 🍻

[@ryanjohnson5288]

@@5MinuteKnives I very much love my explorer and other Victorinox knives, but stainless steel is not a good thing to make blades out of. My Evo S557 and SwissChamp knives are scratched to death just from sharpening, but they do come in handy when necessary. SAK's are useful, but not perfect.

[@5MinuteKnives]

Where have you been this whole time? haha. I've been taking fire ever since I said exactly that. Whatever you do, don't start a youtube channel. haha

[@Mulletboi1616]

I have the tinker and I use it everyday

[@WhispyWoods.]

Classic tool 👍

[@unitedstatesofamerica2417]

My blades stayed on the ground inker have stayed sharp enough for daily use for about a year and it’s lasted me haven’t sharpened it once yet and still going.Possibly a bad heat treat on yours.

[@duanebledsoe7566]

What are you using the blades for that they don’t require resharpening? I use mine at work and am commonly cutting green sucker limbs from trees, cutting vine overgrowth from the buildings, sometimes cutting down sapling trees that have gotten started. Also opening cardboard boxes, sometimes cutting handles into them or trimming the flaps off. Also whittling wood shims, opening plastic packages, and opening mail by cutting the envelopes. All this takes the edge off somewhat, and maybe not to the point where it always needs resharpened, but definitely enough that I can tell the difference in how well the blade cuts. Especially after use cutting vines and green plants. So I resharpen mine almost daily, sometimes more than once.

[@MB-pc4cs]

My bro picked me up ome of these in black. Which is awesome. That's a cool gift. I don't think I've ever owned a Swiss Army Knife. Interesting features. The only thing that's like??? Is the Awl. What am I going to do with an Awl? I guess it isn't impossible I may end up in a situation where I need to efficiently stitch together a birch bark canoe? I've been meaning the kobble together a new pair of boots?

[@5MinuteKnives]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@dennishenderson6988]

Fix It: Philips and flat screwdriver/prybar Packages: Little blade for packages Picnic: big blade for apples, food. Bottle opener.

[@wis1024]

You might have had a bad heat treat on yours, I've never had an issue with edge retention myself. I use it for everyday things at work and home. I made a nice canoe paddle last year using the tinker and only needed to touch it up on a butchers steel and it was popping hair off my arm again.

[@5MinuteKnives]

Fair enough but I'm not the only one who's noticed this so if it's heat treat that's a quality control issue. I'm tempted to to cutting tests with knives of various steels vs a sak just to put an end to the debate...

[@wis1024]

@@5MinuteKnives it is a soft steel that's for sure but that's why it's able to come back with just a butchers steel. The edge is likely just rolling over and people think it's gone dull when really it just needs to be straightened out. This is the case with most traditional steels or spfter steels, they aren't actually dull, just rolled. Take a cheap mora for example, I'll beat the crap out of mine on camping/canoe trips all year touching it up periodically on a polished steel and strop and really only need to take it to a stone for like 5 mins at the end of the year.

[@jelkel25]

I use a Camper which is a Tinker with a corkscrew out of habit, it was just more easily available when I started buying my knives than the Tinker. They are a lot of tools in a small, light and inexpensive package. No, SAK steel doesn't retain an edge as well as modern stainless but I wouldn't say it dulls easily. It does sharpen up easily too.

[@5MinuteKnives]

I'm with you. I had mine dull pretty quickly but the main blade on my hunstman doesn't seem to as much. They both sharpen well, so maybe I got a bad heat treat on one? Thanks for the feedback!

[@name5949]

Trust me that driver on the back will last you about 30 yaers i would highly recommend the victorinox dual knife sharpener fantastic little bit of kit for your Swiss army knifes the victorinox farmer x has bigger and stronger tools and blade and scales it's a stronger Swiss army knife allrand so you might even like it even more than those thanks again buddy 👍🏻

[@5MinuteKnives]

The farmer is on my list next. Thanks!

[@name5949]

@@5MinuteKnives you are going to love it so you have the victorinox farmer x and the victorinox farmer the X has the ✂️ thanks again pal 👍🏻

[@5MinuteKnives]

@@name5949 Appreciate ya. Stay safe out there!

[@johnossendorf9979]

After 36 years of EDCing my Swiss Champ the Tinker is not very "relevant" to me. That being said, I'v don the majority of cutting tasks with a Gerber Gator in 154CM for several years.

[@5MinuteKnives]

Good data point! Thanks for stopping by. 👍

[@Castleknight]

Nail nick = fingernail opening

[@5MinuteKnives]

Nail Nick! Thank you! I couldn't remember for the life of me. Appreciate ya. :)

[@grahamparr3933]

Yes.

[@name5949]

May i ask how many times a week would you sharpen your Swiss army knife? And how many times a day would you use your Swiss army knife? Because I've been using those for about 30 yaers now but i was wondering how long would a Swiss army knife blade last you if you have to sharpen it every 2 minutes?????? Thanks for sharing this with us 👍🏻

[@omarmahmuzic]

He's just a knife nut he can't justify his expansive blades..... So he told him self that lie that it will go dull in 2 minutes....... But hey you can't fix that lol

[@gladeshunter8796]

4116 is the steel . Slightly better edge retention than butter knife steel . I have a couple that collect dust for that very reason .

[@5MinuteKnives]

haha thank you so much! I mainly use it for opening boxes, the tweezers and the Philips head but I totally agree with your point. Thanks for stopping by.

[@dvl7612]

Swiza D04 forever !

[@ryankanters4385]

I dont sharpen it after a project, strobbing is enough

[@apmikalogran]

Get a plus scale for the pen

[@5MinuteKnives]

I moved up to a fieldsman for most things now and the evo 18 for my edc but good suggestion!

[@apmikalogran]

@@5MinuteKnives Spartan and or a tinker in my pocket and a manager on my keyring Spirit or handyman in the car a hercules or an everest wenger for camping

[@IMKINDOFABIGDEAL13]

Save yourself 3 dollars and get your tinker at Walmart for 19.99

[@5MinuteKnives]

I didn't know you could snag these at WM. Thanks for tuning in👍

[@IMKINDOFABIGDEAL13]

@@5MinuteKnives neither did I but when I say it was less than 20 bucks I had to get one. Hahaha

[@codyjames1952]

I love my Tinker but for carrying i have the Ultra tac deep pocker clip for it's like $9.00 for 2

[@johnshropshire3399]

👍👍👏

[@tecnotrog1]

Subscribed but I don't know what you are cutting to say it dulls so fast. I maintain mine with a leather strop.🦉

[@5MinuteKnives]

Appreciate ya! It was two cardboard boxes. Broken em both down and had a dull knife. was pretty surprised myself. Maybe I got a bad heat treat on that tinker? I still think they are amazing compact tools and have a bunch so it's all good.

[@alice_07]

Я люблю tinker small

[@ironman2326]

Your voice sounds like the KZbinr Company Man.

[@5MinuteKnives]

🤷‍♂

[@ironman2326]

@@5MinuteKnives not a bad thing. He makes good videos.

[@KungFuTweety1]

I put plus scales on mine ...so i have a pen

[@5MinuteKnives]

IU was thinking about doing that next. Thanks for the reminder!

[@usernameisusername]

Is that pretty easy?

[@grahamekellermeier8280]

Is it irrelevant that's not relevant I have a tinker and use it work its been good.

[@debbieholts7369]

i have one that is exactly the same but also has a saw blade. my edc

[@5MinuteKnives]

The saws are really handy on these! Gonne pick one up soon... Thanks for stopping by.

[@simonh6371]

That's the Hiker. A great knife and in my EDC rotation.

[@5MinuteKnives]

@@simonh6371 I just picked up a fieldmaster a few weeks back too. review coming soon...

[@simonh6371]

@@5MinuteKnives That and/or Huntsman are great knives featuring 2 tools Victorinox excel in, the scissors and saw. I have both but on separate 3 layer knives, Hiker, Farmer, Climber and Classic SD. I'm not sure if I'd carry a 4 layer but I think it wouldn't be a huge difference in thickness, in which case I'd opt for a Tinker Deluxe and a Farmer X.

[@5MinuteKnives]

@@simonh6371 I agree with all of that. Appreciate you educating us on the series man!

[@TheFrog767]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🍻

[@stephenmcvay5368]

Quote of the Day: "Blah, blah, blah."