Victorinox Waiter

Weighs next to nothing and just slips into a pocket, does everything you need it to and doesn't break the bank.

Very good choice for an EDC item. At 35 grams, hardly noticeable in a pocket. Can opener and bottle opener combined in one well designed tool. The inside corner of the screwdriver of this same tool will also fit some Phillips head screws. The corkscrew has several uses beyond removing corks from bottles. Add the useful little screwdriver and a straight pin, which will fit into the tiny purpose made hole beneath the corkscrew. The Waiter is very similar to a Victorinox Alox Bantam, but the overall thickness may make the Waiter more comfortable for any prolonged use. The length of this line of Swiss Army knives, 84mm, is a good size, and noticeably more compact than the standard 91mm or 93mm sizes, like the popular Farmer, for example. Sadly, Victorinox has discontinued some of the 84mm frame sizes, such as the Tourist model. But hopefully the Waiter and its brethren will continue. To keep the main blade nice and sharp, strop in on single ply cardboard, smeared with a little buffing compound. This makes a very good strop. If you have never used a strop, it really is a revelation. So much better than dedicated sharpening stones or honing systems, which can often be expensive. If the edge is nicked, of course, then a sharpening stone (never a grinding wheel, in my opinion) is needed. Once the edge has been repaired, then stropping is all that is needed to maintain a keen edge. And a cardboard strop is best to very quickly remove any burrs from the edge. The buffing compound will remove a burr, also known as a wire edge, with just a few strokes. A leather strop can quickly be ruined by burrs. So, if burrs are present on the edge, a cardboard and compound stop is best. Once the burrs are removed, then a leather strop can be used with good results. But a cardboard strop can do it all. As carbon transfers to the strop due to the fine abrasion of the buffing compound, the carbon will darken the strop. This is normal. Just use the cardboard strop until it is in tatters. And then keep it to remove burrs. More buffing compound can always be added. This Waiter model is surprisingly useful, affordable, adds very little to pocket bulk or weight, and is backed by an excellent warranty. Dealing with HH is, as always, an absolute pleasure.

Great little pocket knife

Received mine this morning, quick delivery and I absolutely love this used it for the day and can’t fault it another quality product.

A nice, simple, single layer EDC knife. Nothing fancy, but everything you need in a one layer knife.

Standard Vic quality construction and warranty. The 84mm frame size is a personal favourite. UK friendly too. Sharp blade, easy to strop to tip top condition. Wonderful corrosion resistance. Comfortable in pocket or actual use. Has opened many a tin of food. Actually lighter at 35 grams than my Case Peanut which weighs 38 grams. So, very good weight to performance ratio. Add the little screwdriver in the corkscrew and a straight pin in the tiny hole beneath the corkscrew to increase its usefulness. The corkscrew has been used to extract small round gasket type materials from recessed locations where a screwdriver blade was ineffective, there was no room for pliers, and a knife blade would have been damaging. And yes the corkscrew unpicks knots and threads very well. It can also be used to make a starter tear in those metal bands that encircle the necks of glass bottles, for responsible recycling. This works where there isn't room to tear the metal with a fine screwdriver, and trying to force the tip of a knife under the metal banding would possibly damage the knife and definitely damage you if you should slip! Alarmingly easy to do with wet hands. Yep - done that! Rotating the corkscrew under the metal banding uses the curvature of the tool as a sort of cam, letting the tool do the work instead of jabbing unsteadily with, as noted, risk of injury. On one memorable occasion the corkscrew even made an efficient coat hook! Oh yes - it does a splendid job of removing corks from bottles! You can enjoy being an ambassador for SAK usefulness to the admiring masses. And avert a potentially party-pooping beverage crisis! The Waiter is a fine choice for a streamlined yet capable SAK, a good alternative to the excellent Alox Cadet, at less cost and weight, with arguably similar potential. The corner of the screwdriver can also fit some Philips screw heads, with the right technique. All in all, a nice choice for SAK functionality when your bigger Huntsman or Farmer would be too much. The Waiter slips discretely into a sports jacket or suit pocket without an unsightly big bulge. Very sociable. The Waiter. The best alt.Vic? Maybe...maybe.

This knife + 6 pack of bottled beer + bottle of wine = excellent house warming present. Small selection of tools but all ideal for a party or a barbecue at a friends house. Non-threatening and not so expensive that you'll be too upset if you lose, lend, drunkenly give it away or just plain forget it when you head home. If you already carry other tools it is a great EDC knife that is small (with a decent size blade), light and easily sharpened while being cheap enough to abuse and use on stuff you maybe wouldn't want to risk a more expensive blade on.

On a sad day I lost my Sportsman and they were out of stock at Heinnie. The Waiter was, though, available and was in my pocket the very next day! I use it many times every day, especially the excellent blade. The steel is superb for stainless and, convexed, can be made so sharp that even sheeple notice. I cut my nails with this! The edge is also rather durable and easy to maintain and takes a fine polish with a chert stone. The other tools also work very well and the corkscrew is outstanding. The toothpick, though, will either give you an infection or usefully train your immune system, depending on your viewpoint. The tweezers are a bit weak. All this applies to these tools on all the many Victorinox knives that I've used and that's over a period of more than three decades. I give these knives to my friends and the brightest use them constantly thereafter (bit of a test really). You truly can't go wrong with Victorinox.

Out of all the Swiss Army Knives I have, this is the one I use all the time and in my view best in the range. Slim and unobtrusive. The few tools it has are well used. Nothing unnecessary on it. Excellent pocket knife. Think my Champ is more something to look at than use!