A pocketknife used to be part of every boy’s standard outfit. With various rules in government schools, private malls, and other public places, not so many carry them any more. Mine do. But mine also carry a Totin’ Chip. It’s an earned card from the Boy Scouts that shows they have passed safety and usage qualifications for a knife, ax, hatchet, and other similar tools.
What wonderful tools they are in the right hands. A good pocketknife is useful for so many things. That big, long branch that looks perfect for a walking stick except for the couple of shoots on it, the screw that’s about to come out and needs tightened, the piece of popcorn stuck between their teeth, or the fishing line that needs snipped. My oldest uses his knife at least two or three times a day, often much more. Today’s knives even have USB memory sticks on them. Yes, really. I haven’t bought one of them yet, but with this sale, I think I’ll get the younger son one with the 1G flash drive.
One of the most important things when buying a pocketknife is quality. If the blade isn’t stainless steel, it could easily break and cause damage. If the scissors don’t have a good spring, they’re pretty useless. Victorinox is the maker of Swiss Army Knives. Their quality is excellent, and we’ve never had a problem with any of their knives.
Aside from quality, you want features. David says that what’s most important, other than the blade, are the scissors and the saw. Not all knives have the saw, so make sure to look for it. He recommends the Swiss Tool Spirit Multitool. If you’re looking for a first knife, you might want to go smaller. The Swiss Army Ranger Pocketknife is a more compact size, yet has more than twenty stainless steel features. It’s also only $19.99.
Victorinox is making your purchase easier right now with $10 off a $50 purchase. Since most of the knives are already discounted and available for free shipping (with Amazon Prime or a $25 purchase), this can be a very good deal! Time to get their Christmas presents early.