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This also applies, but not only, to apples: a good knife is often irreplaceable on the go
Photo: Gerd Blank
I got my first knife from my father, I was probably about seven years old at the time.
Nowadays the behavioral police would probably knock on our door, back then it was no problem to shovel a pocket knife into the hand of children as well.
Of course it was a Swiss Army knife, the small version of the one my father always carried in his pocket.
He used it to carve small flutes out of the branches of a willow tree, to cut an apple or a piece of salami on a hike.
For as long as I can remember, knives have been sharp family members and are always there.
EDC is what they call it today, ie "Everyday Carry".
New jackknives keep being added, sometimes from friends as gifts and sometimes because I've found a new one for my growing collection.
However, I am not allowed to put every knife in my pocket and take it everywhere with me.
Because the Weapons Act also sets narrow limits for knives.
Basically: The purchase of jack knives is allowed.
However, if a knife can be opened with one hand or it can be fixed with a lock, it must not be carried in public.
This also applies to multitools where the knife blade can be operated with one hand.
Of course there are exceptions that you can see on taschenmesser.de, for example.
But in general: knives are not toys.
They can still be fun.
I tested these knives and multitools:
Victorinox Spartan Onyx Black:
retro charm with a new coat of paint (RRP 95 euros)
Victorinox Classic Alox
: mini tool for nail care (RRP 35 euros)
Victorinox Hunter Pro
: for hunters and collectors (RRP from 95 euros)
Leatherman Skeletool CX
: tool
box for your
pocket ( RRP 130 euros)
Leatherman Style CS
: The futuristic nail care (RRP 35 euros)
Puma IP Birch III
: Carved from good wood (RRP 52 euros)
WESN Allman
: Thick blade, narrow hips (RRP 160 euros)
Böker Plus Urban Trapper
: A slim one Minimalist (UPV 113 euros)
Böker Plus Tech Tool Copper 1
(RRP 56 euros)
CRKT CEO
(RRP 55 euros)
That's how I tested the knives
Processing:
Are there any protruding burrs or other processing defects?
Is the mechanism smooth and stable?
Handling:
How well can you use the knife?
Legal:
Can the knife be carried?
Value for money
: is
it worth buying?
Victorinox Spartan Onyx Black
It may be a little sentimental, but every time I pick up a Swiss Army Knife, I'm happy like a little boy.
It awakens memories of hikes and first attempts at carving in me.
Victorinox serves this nostalgia in the best way by offering this knife unchanged for decades.
In the classic models, details are rarely changed.
For example the color of the handle and blades, like the Spartan Onyx Black.
As the name suggests, the blades are blackened and the handle is made of Cellidor, a plastic to which a protective lacquer layer has been applied.
The result looks noble - but can hardly be distinguished from the classic PS variant.
Instead of a single blade, a total of 13 tools are installed - although I would not have identified the small ring and the cord with the manufacturer's logo as tools.
The rest is retro with a new coat of paint: the blade is short and narrow, a tad too small to be fun peeling apples.
The corkscrew stays closed for me most of the time, the bottle opener is very practical.
Recently I also had to use the can opener because the opening ring broke off the dog food.
That worked extremely well.
Overall, the Spartan Onyx is a nice pocket knife - and black looks extremely good on it.
But I would choose the PS variant.
It's just as chic, but only costs half the price.
Victorinox Classic Alox
In addition to the typical design, such as the Spartan Onyx, Victorinox offers the Classic miniature knife, for example.
Despite the small dimensions, a nail file and scissors are built in next to the blade.
The tools are sufficient for the care of the fingernails and the packaging can also be opened with them, but otherwise the gem will usually stay folded up in the jeans.
Victorinox Hunter Pro
The Swiss not only have multitools in their range, but also pocket knives that only have one blade, nothing else.
With the Hunter Pro, this blade is quite large.
The tested version is a knife with one-hand operation and lock, which is why it must not be carried with you ready for access - unless you use the knife for professional reasons.
For professional use there is a practical belt pouch that is secured with a Velcro fastener.
The knife sits perfectly in the hand, the sturdy blade does a good job even with heavy carvings.
However, the blade is too big for fine work.
Leatherman Skeletool CX
German jurisprudence forbids the carrying of multitools ready to use, where the blade can be opened and locked with one hand.
Fortunately, I have a permanent place in my camper for my Leatherman skeleton tool.
The blade is quite short at 6.6 centimeters, but there is still space for a small saw.
The interchangeable screwdrivers are really practical.
For example, I used it to cut off a piece of water hose and use the pliers to tighten a gas connection.
The futuristic look is so martial that at most the artificial heart of the »Terminator« would beat a little faster at the sight of this knife.
Nevertheless, I don't want to do without this tool - even if it unfortunately has no place in my pocket.
Rules are rules.
Leatherman Style CS
On the other hand, the tiny Leatherman Style CS poses no problems.
Similar to the Victorinox Classic, it is mainly used for nail care, but of course it can also open bottles.
The scissors are quite large and therefore easy to use.
The blade is small and the file even smaller.
A pair of tweezers is also included and I often use it, because when collecting wood, a splinter can end up in my finger.
Puma IP Birch III
You can't buy one of my favorite knives.
My friend Gianni had it made for me by a knife maker.
The handle comes from the horn of a Sardinian mouflon, which defines the shape of the blade.
In the past, such knives were used to pull the fur over the ears of animals in the truest sense of the word.
I use it to cut my cheese.
Another knife was also a gift: My friend Martin gave me the Puma IP Birch III for his birthday.
The stainless steel blade comes from Solingen, the handles made of violet and birch wood were handcrafted in Spain.
The blade is 76 millimeters long, cannot be locked and can only be set up with two hands.
The Birch can therefore be carried without any problems.
The handle is great, it feels wonderful to work with.
However, the cut is not very well done, here you should lend a hand again.
But as a sturdy knife for opening packages and packaging or for preparing snacks, it is extremely practical.
The short, wide blade is easy to use, and even finer work can be done quite well with it.
WESN Allman
The US company WESN produces its knives by hand.
New models are pre-financed by Kickstarter before they are mass-produced.
The Allman looks a bit clunky at first glance - but this impression is deceptive.
The wide blade has a reasonable length of 720 millimeters.
The rather narrow handle of my copy is made of a mixture of fiberglass and epoxy resin.
Titanium is used for other variants.
The knife can be opened with one hand and the blade is locked in the process.
Therefore, the Allman is not allowed to be carried in public
.
It feels great in the hand, and the wide blade is extremely useful for rough cuts, for example cheese.
When peeling an apple, the handling is not optimal.
The blade is sharpened and needs a little love and attention after a while.
It's worth it, because this knife is a great everyday tool that also fits on a desk
.
Böker Plus Urban Trapper
The knife maker Böker builds pocket knives with a focus on design for its own Plus line.
I particularly like the linear Urban Trapper.
In the »Linear Micarta« variant, the blade has been given a dark look.
The handles made of hardened fibers and synthetic resins fit perfectly in the hand.
The blade is sharpened and the knife can be used for fine work thanks to its straight shape.
The knife is opened with one hand with a so-called flipper, and the blade is locked in the housing.
That is why it is not allowed to be carried in Germany, but only to lie on the desk to open letters and parcels.
The Urban Trapper is available in different versions.
In the classic variant, the handle is made of a glass fiber reinforced plastic.
Böker Plus Tech Tool Copper 1
The Tech Tool requires both hands to be used to open it.
So you can take this chic pocket knife with you everywhere.
The more it is used and picked up, the faster the copper handle changes.
In Hamburg, the effect is known from the copper roof of the Michel, which has acquired a greenish patina due to the weather.
It will take a while for the Tech Tool Copper to oxidize.
Nevertheless, this effect makes the knife a very special piece of jewelry.
CRKT CEO
A long and slim knife at the end: The CEO is - as the name suggests - a fine knife for high demands.
Rough carvings are not his thing, I would mainly use it as a letter opener.
And it actually looks gorgeous on the desk.
With its clip, I could also attach it to the inside pocket of my jackets - if I were wearing a jacket. But carrying it is not an option anyway, because the 8.5 cm long blade can also be opened with one hand with a thumb stud.