Best Pocket Knife Is A Swiss Army Knife   by Greg Scott

in Home / DIY    (submitted 2011-01-02)

Many people believe that the best pocket knife is a Swiss Army knife, originally named Offiziersmesser, which was too hard for people from English speaking countries to say, so it is known as the Swiss Army knife. The dominant colors are either red or black, but it is always easily recognized by its prominent Swiss cross. This little marvel is equipped with an assortment of handy tools, that can be of use to many people. Let's look at some of these and how they can be used.

As with most knives, it has two blades, one of which is the main blade and a smaller one for other purposes. There is a corkscrew, a can opener, along with a bottle opener. You can choose between a flathead or Phillips head screw driver, a nail file, and scissors. It also has a saw blade, a regular file, and it has a hook to tighten shoelaces on your stomping boots.

As areas of technology progressed, some additional tools were added to the handy pocket knife which include a few personal hygiene features. A pair of tweezers, and toothpick proved to be beneficial, and they added a scaler to help clean fish that were caught in the wilderness.

Along the way, they added more gadgets to this European wonder, like a magnifying glass, and a useful ballpoint pen. The magnifying glass became standard issue to start a campfire by focusing the sun's rays through the glass to create sparks on dried leaves. This helped the soldiers stay warm, and provided a means of cooking food.

If all those tools were not enough, a few more were included to make this device even more practical. A hex wrench with bits and carry case were added, along with pliers. These could be used to help build shelter from the wind and storms by using the pliers and hook to lace through rain slickers to create a roof like lean-to.

The age of computers added its necessities when they added a 32GB flash drive, a useful digital clock and an altimeter. Then they added a few more items like a LED light, a handy laser pointer for office personnel, and an MP3 music player. May as well count on there being a hex wrench with a snap on case holding the nuts and a set of pliers.

The 32GB Flash drive and Bluetooth technology were added in 2010, and makes the Swiss army knife a very useful tool for traveling, even camping where a wireless laptop would be handy. In addition to these, there are plans to make a version that is flight-friendly for individuals who travel with the airlines. However, this model is not expected to have blades.

About the Author

While a red knife might come to mind first, a black Swiss army knife is quite stylish. Regardless of its color, many people agree that the Swiss army brand is the best pocket knife.