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| | | | | | |  | The Tinker Swiss Army knife by Victorinox is as popular as it is funtional. Its features are geared for the "handyman" in all of us. Perfect for toolbox, kitchen draw, glove compartment, motorcyle or boat.
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| | | | My Swiss Army Knife Story:
I have been fascinated with tiny multipurpose gadgets since I myself was a tiny gadgethead. Watches, swiss knives, multitools, smart phones (well, they weren't around when I was a kid), all reminded me of myself, a tiny jack of all trades. Although most people will tell you I'm just a jackass.
I "received" my first multitool at the age of 9. My dad bought himself a $5 knockoff chinese made army knife in a swap meet while we were visiting Florida. By "received" I mean I appropriated the tool shortly after I turned 9, if you catch my drift. I'm not proud of the way I got it, but, being a die-hard MacGyver fanatic, I just had to have it. True to form, it was a copy of a Huntsman, but I didn't know any better in those days. It was red, shiny and looked just like the thing that saved Angus's life every episode Friday night.
After years of destroying... I mean... taking apart several toys with it, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to be a mechanical engineer. Who knew a $5 knife could have such an impact on a kid. Several years later, I'm now an accomplished engineer with a Tinker 91 mm swiss army knife burning holes in my pocket. I have a Huntsman Lite in the car, a Super Tinker at home, and a Leatherman Wave with bit kit as a mini toolbox. I hope to add a Compact to the collection soon. Victorinox availability is very limited in the West Indies.
In my professional career, I have used the SAK almost daily in several industries. While I was in the Facilities Management business, I used the Tinker to open up control boxes, test and tighten modules and connections, installed chilled water line insulation and so on. My technicians would always try to get me to party with it. I would make fun of their large stainless steel toolboxes compared to my pocket knife.
I do have three full toolboxes and power tools at home. I almost never need to use them thanks to Victorinox. In the Marine Construction business, rope is your mistress with your knife being your wife, and I never visited a platform without my Tinker. Duct tape was a must-have item in my van. I wouldn't be caught dead without it in the remote areas we were reclaiming land with a busted old 320L Excavator. I can't tell you how many times I had to use the Macgyver dynamic duo of Tinker and duct tape to fix the dashboard of that thing. I even had to defend myself with the little 3 1/2" blade when some locals got rowdy during a contract mobilization.
Now in the Fluid Handling industry, the Tinker has put on a business suit. It helps me in the office just as well as it did in the field. I cut fruit with it, open up cans of crude food while hiking, use it fishing and diving (fresh and seawater), put together 3 entire desktop PC's with it, installed audio in 3 cars (with a little help from the Huntsman), and so forth.
My Tinker has been the most faithful friend to me and I cannot even imagine living life without it much to the dismay of my girlfriend. I managed to sway my girlfriend to the "sharp side" by getting her a pink Wenger nail clipper, although initially she hated it.
6 months of later I can now say "I told you so" because she uses it almost every day! Ha! I win! Everyone should have a SAK. Get one that defines you and you'll be surprised to see how attached you'll get to it.
At the end of it all, I feel so personally attached to the Tinker because I feel it describes and defines me. It's sharp, classy, strong, useful, clever, good looking :), and always there when you need it!
Valmiki - Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies
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