Victorinox Swiss Army One-Hand Trekker Lockblade Pocket Knife (Black) Reviews

• A versatile if slightly larger SAK

  
  By A1ZTE3K3EN4TS3 on 2006-03-18
  I love the locking blade, and I love how it can be opened with one hand (the other is usually whatever it is you need to cut, right?). I also love the fact that the flat-head screwdriver locks when it's open, saving your hand from the accidental snap-pinch you can get while using it on other models. The weight and feel of this knife are pefect too. The only downside is it's slightly larger proportions. This is longer than the 3 1/2" models, and it makes a difference. If you're planning on carrying this in your pocket, it needs to be one of the only things in there. Still, if your lifestyle demands a slightly more rugged SAK than usual, this is a great choice.
  
  

• Exactly what's useful

  
  By AM6MSAYED9O1I on 2005-11-24
  I don't open a lot of wine bottles outside of a kitchen, I don't study things with a tiny magnifying glass, and I don't often scale fish. I just need a great knife with the essentials and this knife provides exactly that.
  
  The serrated locking main blade is great. I use the one handed feature all the time: my left hand will be occupied holding something, but my right can easily grab the knife and open the blade. Having serrations makes cutting twine, threads, and rope much easier.
  
  One warning though: at almost 4.5" this knife is fairly large; larger than most pocket knives. For some people that might rule the "pocket" part out.
  
  According to Victorinox, this knife is the official field knife for the German Army. I can see why: it contains exactly what's needed without the superfluous attachments that weigh down so many other knives.
  
  

• Perfect Size

  
  By A28S3AJ6Z2BDJX on 2006-01-03
  There are this type of knives with more tools included, yet I felt that too many tools only make knive's grip worse. For most people(unless your hands are either too small or too big), I think that this is just perfect size providing excellent grip and tools used most frequently.
  
  

• GOOD ONE!!!

  
  By A2JYOE9OH5NU1J on 2006-08-18
  Its a very good pocket knife, it has everything I need, no a lot of tools that you'll never use.
  Just one complain, the philips screw driver, why isn it in straight position when you open it? I mean like the bottle opener and the other screw driver, why in "T SHAPE"? this makes a little dificult to use it or in sometimes useless.
  
  Victorinox will have to reconsider the position.
  
  For that reason I'm giving it 4 Stars.
  
  The Construction in general, the quality of the plastic and the finish at all is FIRST CLASS!!!
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Nothing China about this knife

  
  By AA7UD1HV5N0OE on 2006-10-18
  Victorinox swiss army knives are not made in China..
  
  All Victorinox swiss army knives are made in Schwyz, Switzerland.. If you will look on the main blade of your knife you will see the Victorinox Switzerland stamp..
  
  The quality difference between an authentic swiss army knife such as a Wenger or Victorinox, compared to cheap Chinese copies is instantly apparent..
  
  This particular knife is as good as it gets for an outdoor or survival folding knife.. The steel although somewhat soft by todays standards, is easily sharpened on a stone, rock, etc.. It is also for all intents and purposes rust proof.. There are currently some German army versions of this knife currently on the market, with olive handles, the German army seal and no tweezers or toothpick..
  
  I highly recommend..
  
  
• I really like the knife
  By A1FAQI4FDAZBL6 on 2006-12-30
  I'll start with a disclosure. I have not used the knife in any outdoor settings. I have used it primarily to open packages at home.
  
  Having said that, the knife is great. I like the fact that I can swing out the blade with one hand and that the blade locks in place. The main blade is placed exactly on the center of the handle so the knife feels balanced with the blade open. The blade has serrated edge on the front two inches of the blade. The edge is ground only from one side.
  
  The one hand trekker model looks to be the same as the German army version which has olive green handle and the Bundeswehr insignia.
  
  One word of caution. When opening the blade with one hand the thumb is placed in the hole toward the end of the blade. If the thumb slips out while the blade is half open, one may instinctively try to open it all the way by pushing on the heel of the blade. The blade is edged all way to the heel so putting the thumb on the heel will result in injury. This is not an academic point. My son actually cut his thumb exactly in this manner and is now sporting a band-aid on his thumb : )
  
  I still recommend this pocket knife highly. And my son does too : )
  
  
• An outstanding knife.
  By A3K0E3JE6481QQ on 2006-03-02
  I've been a fan of the traditional Swiss Army Knife and a loyal Victorinox customer since the age of twelve. I've owned five different models of the traditional SAK and I've probably given away dozens of them as gifts. This is my latest acquisition and I can confidently say it's the best SAK I've seen so far.
  
  What's so great about it? The new large form factor design is comfortable in the hand, particularly in a model like this without a gazillion blades. The construction quality is first rate, with smoothly functional brass bushings, detents on the secondary blades, and a rock solid lock on the main blades. The serrated main blade can handle everything from cutting cheese to slicing through heavy sisal rope. The design of the Victorinox saw blade, utilizing alternating teeth with excellent bite and enough gap space to prevent clogging, is the best on the market.
  
  Drawbacks? Nothing major, and mostly a matter of opinion. While stainless steel is easy to care for and resistant to most abuse carbon steel is still superior when it comes to taking and keeping an edge. One the rare occasions I need to touch up the blade I use a pocket sharpener from Gerber that's smaller than a credit card. It's easy to use, can easily handle sharpening the serrated blades, and puts on an edge that can shave the hairs from the back of my hand. Which is a stupid thing to do with a serrated blade, but I'm a traditionalist. You can find similiar sharpeners using small ceramic rods in almost any department store.
  
  The only other thing you should be aware of is the awl. It's the same design found on the underside of dozens of SAK models. While it's a great little tool it is absolutely unforgiving of mis-use. *Do not* try to punch the awl through heavy material or it will snap out of it's detent and close on your fingers. If you use strong, steady pressure it works fine, but try to jab it through heavy leather or a nylon pack strap and your new nickname will be Stubby. Use your head when you use your tools and you won't have any problems at all.
  
  
• The Trekker Is First Rate
  By A2X48XAIS788IW on 2006-04-25
  
  This was my second Swiss Army Knife purchase. I also purchased the Fieldmaster. I don't like the Leatherman or Swisstool type utility gadgets, so I took a chance and bought this one.
  
  The quality of the blade is first rate, and especially the sawblade. I have found uniform and excellent blade quality in all the Victorinox knives. You are not going to have problems cutting smaller tree branches, etc...with this one. The locking blade is solid, and with a little practice you will have no problems operating it with one hand. The "action" gets smoother the more you use it and now after working it for several days it comes open with very little effort. It is sharp enough to cut a piece of paper without any trouble. I can definitely see quite a few uses around the house for this knife. It doesn't have scissors, but I can live without that.
  
  I don't think this is the right knife to be carrying around in your pocket though. It's just too big to be comfortable. I can envision it in my backpack or glove compartment, or in the kitchen drawer. The only thing that keeps this from getting 5 stars is the plastic grip material. It doesn't feel to solid and I can see it chipping or cracking over time. Other than that, a very good blade with almost no wiggle that could stand some heavy duty torque if you are trying to cut something tough.
  
  
• Why "steak knife" serrated? Why?
  By AZAHFQLTQROPA on 2008-01-30
  Be aware that the large blade is - for some inexplicably stupid reason - "steak knife serrated" - except for the last inch or so (which is straight).
  Re-sharpening this blade will take a bit of work, and the lack of a non-serrated blade is a significant drawback.
  
  Also, the tip is rounded off and dull, the blade is clearly only intended for use slicing.
  
  This isn't clear on the first Amazon picture (it looks like a straight blade with a normal tip). To make things more confusing, the Swiss Army website shows this as a non serrated knife (what I thought I was buying) - there are apparantly multiple versions of the same knife floating around.
  
  One handed opening is rather awkward and slow (a Leatherman Wave is much faster). It is also very difficult / dangerous to close one handed, but I think this applies to all the locking SAKs
  
  Quality is great, fit is perfect, the knife is fairly light, blade locks well, but you'll probably want to go for something a bit better.
  The "Outrider" edition is currently only $3 more and is, in my mind, a far superior knife. A little bigger, but it even includes scissors (which this lacks)
  The "Locksmith" is also only a few dollars more and comes with a file.
  
  
• Excellent blade and few things more
  By A2QNMPNXW1QAQ5 on 2006-03-27
  I originally needed a bottle opener and a can opener to open all the soda pop at parties, but my roommate recommended that I get a swiss army knife. This black pocket knife is extremely versatile as well as aesthetically pleasing (definitely more so than the red Swiss Army knives). I wouldn't exactly consider this a one-hand knife, as the main blade is not easy to open with one hand (though it is possible with a pushing flick of the thumb). The main blade is great for everything - I've used it from cutting fruit to opening bags.
  
  The saw is less useful indoors - I've only cut a pen in half with it, but it makes the knife a lot more interesting. As my girlfriend puts it, "Everyone guy who walks into your room fondles that knife."
  
  Overall, high-quality product for an excellent price.
  
  
• Good knife
  By A1B1A3IRSUDW74 on 2006-11-10
  It's a might bit bigger than I thought it would be, but it is a nice size for larger pockets. The serrated portion of the blade is handy and the flat portion keeps its edge nicely. Take extra caution when closing it with one hand as I've already sliced my thumb once and come close a number of times. It seems the placement of the lock-release doesn't give much room for a thumb to move.
  
  
• great quality
  By A384BWXUDRCQZ3 on 2006-12-19
  ...well what else would you expect? I mainly use this while out gardening.
  
  This knife is a hefty piece, solid too. I particularly like the single edge ground knife blade (one side is ground the other is not, makes resharpening the serrated section much easier).
  
  I had scoffed at the inclusion of a pair of tweezers - until I used them to pull off a tick that had found its way onto my arm while I was out gardening.
  
  Only improvement I would make would be to have the awl locking too - I have a habit of folding it into a finger every once in a while.
  
  UPDATE!
  after plenty of use int eh garden / garage the blade is still razor sharp.
  
  
  
  
• Good Knife
  By ABSYIF0ONC2AF on 2007-03-02
  I got this knife because it was on sale, and I saw the guy on the show "Man vs Wild" use it.
  
  Pros:
  -Very Durable (even the ring that attaches to your keychain is tough)
  -Enough useful tools (saw, philips head, flat head screwdrivers, bottle opener...)
  -Main blade size
  -Blades lock, one handed use (even when opening)
  
  Cons:
  Due to the main blade size:
  -It's a big knife to keep with you all the time (eats up a lot of pocket space)
  -(possible con but not definite) the blade is over 2.5 in long; so depending on the state you live in, you may need to get a concealed weapons permit if you want to carry this knife all the time
  
  
• Excellent quality
  By A49RHYG4JV81C on 2007-04-17
  Just received this item today. As you would expect from Victorinox, it is an excellent quality knife. The blade was razor sharp out of the box. Had read some reviews saying it was too large to carry in your pocket, but it's only slightly larger than my deluxe tinker knife and it feels right at home in my jeans pocket. The main blade is easily opened with one hand but the only complaint I have for the knife lies within the locking mechanism. It is positioned to where if you're right handed you'll need some practice to be able to efficiently close it with one hand. The bottle opener/large screwdriver also has a locking mechanism which makes it nice to pry things open with. The wood saw is nice with a very large blade, but it's practically impossible to open with one hand and it doesn't lock. I also had to examine the knife closely to find where the saw is opened from (the very tip of the saw protrudes from the bottom of the knife when it's closed). Overall, this knife keeps up the Victorinox tradition of great quality for a good price. Get this if you want a swiss army knife with more emphasis on the knife part rather than all the unnecessary extras. The only thing I would change about the knife would be to reverse the locking mechanism so it's more right hand friendly and to possibly add a locking mechanism to the saw, but other than these two very minor complaints it's a great buy.
  
  
• Weak blade
  By A32TEORZAVQK9Y on 2007-05-07
  I recently purchased this knife as my first swiss army knife. I found that the main blade was very weak, when stabbed into a piece of wood the tip quickly rolled 1/8". However, if this knife is used solely for slicing(probably what it was meant for) it would probably hold up fine. Clearly the blade is not meant for heavy duty work. If you are going camping or hunting you would definitly need a secondary larger knife. The locking mechanism is reliable, although not tight, there is some wobble which is acceptable. All around the knife is pretty good as long as you know its limits.
  
  
• Great Knife
  By A32N8IFQYJV978 on 2007-12-24
  I bought this knife about 4 weeks ago and it has not left my pocket yet. I have found so many uses for this knife. When camping its locking blade is perfect for eating and everything else you need a good blade for. The main reason I purchased this knife is for its locking blade it will not allow you to accidentally close it causing injury to anyone. I also like that the bottle opener/flat head screwdriver locks as well. Most of the tool is like any other pocket knife however the phillips screwdriver is a T-handle design so it will not squeeze into any tight spaces. In most cases the small flat head will do the job but sometimes it is very inconvenient not to have a good phillips screwdriver.
  
  
• Great For Drinking (and Hiking)
  By ALMK0YBTI72RL on 2008-07-04
  This is the knife you need if you're going to do some serious drinking, because not only does the main serrated blade lock, but the bottle opener does, too. (This is also the flat-blade screwdriver, good for prying things. So it does make some kind of sense.)
  
  This is also the knife if you're going to do serious hiking. You never know when you're going to find yourself with an arm pinned under a giant boulder. The saw will come in very handy. This is when the one-handed operation really shines.
  
  I bought this one in a kit including a "free" Classic. You can never have enough Swiss army knives.
  
  And speaking of which, you will have noticed this knife is sold in a couple of different variations. Here is a summary. Compared to this Trekker...
  - Bundeswehr is similar, sans toothpick/tweezer
  - Parachutist has belt cutter instead of saw
  - One-Handed Trailmaster is same thing, old/non-US name
  - Trekker Camo similar, non-serrated blade
  - Sentinel only has the one locking blade
  - Fireman has saw AND belt cutter
  - Rescue Tool has saw AND belt cutter, and window breaker
  - Workchamp and Hercules have all that, "but wait, there's more"
  
  For more info, check victorinox.ch.
  Look on Youtube for videos demonstrating one-handed operation.
  
  
  
• Fantastic Knife - One tool missing
  By A3F4WH211QT2QG on 2006-07-28
  I've owned many of these Swiss Army knives and this is the current knife that I take into the wilderness. The blade is sharp enough and big enough to filet a High Sierra trout and the quick one hand opening might be handy in the event of a bear encounter... ha! NOT! But I feel more secure knowing I can open it quickly. The tool that it is missing that I really miss is the corkscrew! How could they do away with it in this model. If it had the corkscrew, then I would carry it in town and everywhere but without the corkscrew, I take one of my other SA knives that also has the same lockblade but also has the corkscrew when I feel I might be in the need for that tool. I'm not a big wine drinker, but I do like being prepared.
  
  Still for the wilderness whether a day hike or the John Muir Trail, this is an excellent knife to have and the Amazon sale price makes it a bargain to boot.
  
  
• Great knife, but not perfect.
  By A1ISLU6VM74XHV on 2007-01-16
  it's a good compramise between size and versatility.. a bit large than a regular swiss, (but not as much larger as i expected)...
  
  My main complaint is that the liner lock for the main blade is designed to be left hand operated.
  
  I guess it's not a bad idea incase you ever injur your rihgt hand, but it's annoying to close it onehanded with the right hand which is the point of liner locks.
  
  Totally worth $23 on sale.
  
  
• Awesome universal knife
  By A1J99REDHEGJIJ on 2005-12-15
  This knife is a little bit larger than my previous universal Swiss Army knife that I broke this summer. I did not know that it had lifetime warranty and therefore threw it away. Now, I will be smarter. This knife has everything what man will need in a real world situations (three types of screwdrives, saw, and mostly awesome part is its 3.5" blade plus bottle/can opener). I am highly recommend this knife who like to have everything available for immediate use.
  
  
• My favorite of the 111mm series
  By A32GO2DUORG295 on 2006-02-08
  I carry this model on a daily basis,It is slim for its length and
  is a well thought out knife. As an intresting note of endorsement
  the German Army adopted a version of this knife in 2003 for issue to all German Army troops...the only things they had Victorinox change was to put military green handle scales with the german federal eagle, and drop the tooth pick /tweesers.There have been times I needed the tweesers, and its very handy to have them.They work well I might add.
  I find it best carried in a compact nylon/velcro victorinox belt sheath rather than a pocket. But is is hard to beat as a basic daily carry knife or field knife. The serrated main blade will saw through some very tough material, the wood saw is one of the better ones placed on any brand of knife.
  
  
• Swiss Army One-Hand Trekker
  By A4B4F3XQXHSD2 on 2006-02-23
  This is the frist swiss army knife I enjoy having on me all the time. I hunt 4 months out of the year and there is always a need to have a knife on you. The lock blade is fantastic and has the perfect number of tools. I would like to have another smaller blade with the knife but I cant complain. The black outer finish is very durrable and will hold up over time.
  
  
• this knife is sick
  By A1ZWKCEE7TOGGR on 2006-08-23
  I got this knife the other day and was really surprised at how sharp it is. I like that the blade locks because I feel so much safer when a blade can't close on my hand. The one thing I dont really like about this knife is the way that it is surrated. Most knifes are surrated at the end closest to the handle but this one has the tip surrated instead. It really does not make much of a difference I just found it to be different than a many of the other knives that i have bought
  
  
• Well..I like it
  By A2MWAWK5COZU0 on 2006-12-20
  Does what it's supposed too. Great quality, good price on amazon.
  
  
• GREAT QUALITY KNIVE
  By A2EM7HB9DONCDV on 2006-12-28
  I BOUGHT THIS KNIVE ON AMIZON GREAT PRICE, GOOOD LOCK, EASY TO SHARPIN AWSOME KNIVE! (CHINA CAN'T DO THIS)
  
  
• Perfect Combination
  By AUVL1XFO0I312 on 2007-01-09
  I've had several and this one is the best; size, lockability, blades... I love this knife!
  
  
• good for everything!
  By A7VE2GP8QVG51 on 2007-03-08
  it's big enough to do anything. somebody could say that it's too big but, you know, nobody knows future. i can see that the knife will help especailly when it's emergency.
  
  
• Nice knife
  By A1L6PBIR22S3FA on 2007-04-13
  I like this design. It feels sturdy, and lock blades are safer to use. Its a little heavy to carry day to day. The Swiss Army insignia is only painted on. I hope it does not wear off with use.
  
  
• Gift fir Dad
  By A34PBCO1VUESA0 on 2007-05-26
  A man always needs a pocket knife in his pocket. Gave this to my father for Christmas. He's finicky when it comes to quality. He was very impressed with the blade and the locking mechanism. A real find for the guy who likes gadgets.
  
  
• Very Nice
  By ACOK7CTS63KRY on 2007-06-18
  This item was beyond my expectations. It is bigger than I thought it would be and it came with the blades super sharp. The locking mechanism on all the parts seemed quite sturdy and it is a great little tool. My husband is very pleased :)
  
  It is a big big for a pocket knife, but it is well worth it to have around.
  
  

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