The Victorinox Swiss Tool

I figure since the name of the blog is Aircraft Maintenance and Tools I should start some reviews I guess of some of the tools I have found most helpful to me. I'm sure all of us carry some sort of multi tool like a Leatherman, Gerber, Buck, etc. I have had a few Leatherman tools from the very first style they offered to the Leatherman Crunch which had a vise grip on it(I liked that one but someone thought they could take better care of it than I could so it disappeared). My favorite multi tool that I have owned is my Victorinox Swiss Tool.

The Victorinox is large by most multi tool standards and pretty heavy. To get to the pliers you have to open the handles back like the older Leatherman. The handles are formed so that the edges are not sharp but rounded over so that when you bare down on them they will not bit into your hands. They handles are also slightly open when the pliers are closed all the way so you cannot pinch your hand there either.

My Victorinox is an older model so some of the features have changed but most are similar. The pliers are needle nose style with an open larger toothed mid section and a wire cutter/stripper on the lower section near the joint. One of the things I really like is that all the other tools are on the outside of the Victorinox. No need to open the pliers to get to the knife for example. So the other tools are: straight blade knife, large flat blade screwdriver, medium scraper blade with a bottle opener, small flat blade screwdriver with a can opener, and a wood/plastic saw on one handle. The other handle has a serrated knife, pick or awl, phillips srewdriver (#2 size), small flat blade srewdriver and a file. The file has a fine side and a course side as well as a fine toothh saw on its edge. All the tools open and lock into place with a simple finger and slide lock. Engraved onto either side of the handles are ruler marks-inches on one side and centermeters on the other. With the tool open and layed flat you can measure from 1-9 inches.

I believe the new Victorinox has a scissor onstead of a second knife but like I said I have and older model. Some guys have told me that my Victorinox os too heavy but being a line guy you have to use what you have and I have had to use mine as a hammer, pry, etc. It has some battle scars and wounds and Victorinox would repair it for me for free and make it all pretty for me but then it just would not seem like my Victorinox.