Victorinox Swiss Army RangerWood 55 Multi-tool Pocket Knife

It's great to see that Victorinox isn't resting on its laurels and is bringing in some new and better products for an ever changing market. The first time I saw this Knife was on a Youtube video for bushcrafting. I liked the look and size of the unit and the added hardware made it a pretty attractive tool for an outdoorsman. The knife came razor sharp and needed some lube and use to get it loosened up for regular use. The neatest feature was the fact that the blade lock release is the Victorinox symbol on the side of the knife. Very slick system.I've been keeping this in my Bushcraft Haversack for a while and finally got a chance for some extended testing while out in the woods for a long weekend. The first positive thing is that it's very comfortable for use in simple tasks and it doesn't make your hands tired with an odd grip. My XXL size hands fit it very well, where most folding knives get lost in my paws. I've never previously considered a Victorinox due to their normally diminutive grip and odd handle configuration. That's not the case with this knife. The blade shape is perfect for most tasks and keeps a decent edge for what I would consider a long time compared to most stainless steel knives outside the tool steel quality in custom designs. The rest of the tools on the unit are in good order, but I always question the corkscrew. Why a corkscrew? For the intended purpose, there are a few other items that would have been a better fit.In short, this is my new go to for backpacking, woodsman tasks and scout outings. It won't replace my Benchmade auto for every day carry, but it's a very close second with its multiple tool options.

I own lots of knives... I don't know how many I have, but I've been collecting knives for 30+ years or so. Among my collection are several Victorinox knives, ranging from Swisscards, to Classic size knives, and even a kitchen knife, which I absolutely love. This knife does not disappoint... I hike almost daily after work due to a high stress night job. I don't need a huge Crocodile Dundee bowie on my belt to tackle the trails I walk on, but I do need a knife in case things take a turn for the worse, and I'm stuck for some reason. This blade fits the bill perfectly. I love that the main blade locks, and all you have to do to unlock it is press the Victorinox symbol on the handle. The size is perfect for my needs, and the wood is beautiful. I make a wax for my outdoor tools that is 50/50 food grade beeswax and organic *NOT BOILED* linseed oil, and the wooden scales soaked it up beautifully... Factory edge is decent... It's good enough for utility work, but sharpness is a very subjective topic. Ease of sharpening, in my opinion is more important, and I believe I can get a scary sharp edge on it without too much hassle. At least that's been the story with my past Victorinox blades. Overall, I'm extremely pleased with this tool, and I feel you will be too.

I got my first SAK probably when I was 8 years old or so, and I still think they're good tools, as long as you understand and respect their limitations; small, slip jointed knives and tools aren't usually the best/perfect for the job, but often they're adequate and can get it done.That said, I've grown some in the intervening decades, and so have Victorinox knives apparently.So, how does this knife compare to other similar tools? We'll start with the similarities: the can opener, cap lifter, awl and corkscrew are all fairly run of the mill (the cork screw is a little longer, and the cap lifter a little larger than other SAKs).And then the obvious differences: the knife and saw are huge by SAK standards, and the knife locks open. The larger size of the handle is also more comfortable, and the wooden scales are comfortable and attractive compared to the plastic handles of their typical knives.It has far few tools than my Leatherman Wave, but it's much more comfortable, particularly as a knife or saw.Missing (but not missed) are the tweezers and toothpick.In the photo you can see the difference in blade sizes. Marked on the green tape is roughly where the center of mass is. The two SAK knives are much more comfortable to pinch grip than the Leaterman, making controlled cuts easier.Adding a Tortoise FireAnt to improve its utility and make it the perfect carry for a day hike/overnight.

5 years update: Still my favorite knife. Only maintenance I've done to it is cleaning with a toothpick and a cloth once or twice, and sharpening the knife with a dollar tree $1 stone once or twice. Wonderful SAK.4 years, and this is still my favorite knife. Full size locking blade makes a great butter knife or steak knife. Full size saw cuts branches very well. I have used the can opener multiple times to open a can in the time it takes a friend to find their can opener in the drawer, very sharp can opener, works very well. The can opener end is also a philips screw driver which I have used on occasion to tighten bolts. Sewing awl is great to have. The bottle opener/flathead screwdriver piece I have not used much at all, and the can opener opens bottles just as well.The only thing this doesn't have on it is a swiss army clipper. So I use that on my key chain with my key fob for the car. That has a knife, file, clipper, trimmer, tweezers, toothpick. I highly recommend the swiss army clipper and this. I really enjoy having a full-size swiss army knife. It fits perfect in the hand and gets lots of use.