Victorinox Bantam Alox Swiss Army Pocket Knife, Medium, Multi Tool, 5 Functions, Blade

One of my favourite SAK’s is the Bantum and I also own the Cellidor version, so when I wanted to try an Alox SAK the Bantum was an obvious choice for me.The first thing I noticed with this knife is it’s slim profile. I thought the original Bantum was a slim EDC option, but this Alox knife is something else.It is essentially one layer thick and the textured aluminium scales keep it lightweight and thin.You get a decent sized blade and a combo bottle/can opener tool with wire stripper and slotted screwdriver tip. And that’s it, there is no set of tweezers or toothpick and no loop to attach this to a keyring or pocket clip.The rivets seem well profiled, as we’d expect from Victorinox and the overall fit and finish is very good.It is still impressive how every knife that leaves their factory is so well made, when they make them in such large numbers.I really like how there is a small blank section on the reverse scale should you wish to engrave something.I think this would make a great option to add to a pouch or wallet as its slim profile and low weight make it extremely easy to carry and fit in alongside other tools. For this reason it would be a good secondary knife too.The blade shape is really useful and has been time tested and the extra tool has enough functionality for most daily tasks. I love the slimness of this knife and the now classic design. I barely notice it in my pocket and know that I have a knife with the Victorinox quality on me should I need it.I also think it would make a good gifting knife or one for young adults who you may wish to introduce to safe, responsible knife handling.As mentioned, you can’t add this to a keyring, but that aside, this is a really good option if you are looking for a simple, non threatening EDC pocket knife. It is also UK legal which is worth considering.

Arrived within 7 days - well within the estimate. The Victorinox box was a bit squashed in the posting package but as it wasn't going to be a gift that wasn't a problem. I once owned an expensive multi-bladed Swiss Army knife and could never find it when I needed it. If you need to search for your multitool, you may as well go to the shed and get the proper tool for the job. The Bantam is exactly what I wanted: a good quality reasonably priced knife that is small and light enough for genuine every day carrying. The best knife is the one you have with you, not the one in the drawer at home. The blade is long enough for everyday jobs, but short enough to comply with UK law. The knife is slim, smart, robust and arrived sharp. The blades open and close with a satisfyingly positive click. If you want a good little knife that you can carry easily and discreetly, that will cut well, open bottles and tighten small screws, this is the knife for you. The metal side plates ("scales") are smart, give good grip, and have a classier appearance than the cheaper red plastic version - although I believe the red plastic version includes a toothpick concealed in a slot in the plastic.

The best knife in the world is the one you have with your. It's the important underlying philosophy of why you should always carry a pocket knife.I have been carrying EDC knives (Every Day Carry) for a couple of years now, in a variety of styles and models, and and I have learned a few things.First of all, an EDC knife should be as light and portable as possible. If a EDC knife becomes so heavy you can feel it when it's in your pocket or on your belt, it becomes a slight burden.This pocket knife is the thinnest and the lightest I have ever owned. It slides into your pocket and almost vanishes there. When I get home from work I immediately put my wallet, my phone and my keys out of my pocket. But this knife stays in. Other EDC knifes I owned always got in the way at some point, for example when lying down on the sofa. This Victorinox Bantam Alox (which is it's real name) doesn't. Not ever. You do not feel it when it isn't needed but always is ready when you do. There is always a Victoronix with a couple of tools more, but keep in mind that many of those tools aren't always very usable. Do not sacrifice portability or your next knife will just be sitting in your drawer after a couple of weeks.Secondly, an EDC knife should be reliable. The reputation of Victorinox in terms of reliability is as high as they come. Even the steel they use is pretty durable for the price.I have used this knife for a couple of days so I can't guarantee the reliability but I doubt it will disappoint me.Thirdly, an EDC knife should be cheap. Almost disposable. If you do it right you are gonna use your EDC knife day in day out for all sorts of things, things it supposed to do, things that are unhealthy for the knife (like cutting cardbord) and maybe things it doesn't really supposed to do (like prying something open with the screwdriver). An EDC knife should be something worry free. You can buy a beautiful £100 knife but the fear of losing it would become a burden. If I lose this knife, I certainly will be disappointed but it's far from a disaster. If I lose this one, I would bu a new one instantly. The price makes that a no-brainer.Fourthly, an EDC knife should be more than knife alone. This one is a bit controversial one. Many knife owners swear by just a knife and it is by far the most commonly used tool. But personally, I always missed two things on my knife-only pocket knives. A bottle cap opener, and some sort of screwdriver. This thing has it all and, more importantly, it doesn't sacrifices weight or thinness for it. Not even a little bit.And lastly, EDC knife should be legal. To be honest, technically speaking, there are better knives in the world than this one. There are thousands of knives you can open and close in a fraction with a second with one hand and lock the blade securely in place. Even if the perhaps sacrifice portability for those features.Although this knife is easy to open, with gripping points that are big enough and a solid feel, it will never be as fast or as easy as a true folder. On top of that, this Victorinox knife doesn't lock the blade, meaning it isn't as safe to use and can't handle as much pressure as folders do.However, there is one important note here. Folding knives with fixed blades are illegal in most parts of the world. On top of that, these kind of knives are often (wrongly) considered as weapons by most non-knife-loving enthousiasts. In the past, when I took out my EDC knife, people consistently always gave me that weird look of "Oh my god, what is he going to do now!?" Even if the blade size was just as large as this one. With a Victorinox pocket knife, that isn't the case. People see a Victorinox knife as a tool even boyscouts will work with. And, I can carry this knife around legally. I can't board a plane with it but I don't have to worry about explaining it to the cops if I ever come in the position where I'm being searched.What else is there to say about the knife? Well, it feels great. That's the primary point of attraction here. the Victorinox Bantam Alox feels like a thin, light, well engineered, and beautiful piece of steal. The grooves in the casing bring a very comfortable grip to the design and opening and closing the tools feel confident as come to aspect from Victoronix. However, unlike most other Victorinox knives, there isn't any flimsy plastic involved in the design. An aspect I despised from other Victorinox knives. No plastic casing that could break, flimsy key ring, useless toothpick or tweezers. The design is focused on bringing you the essentials in a beautiful package. You might be disappointed in the lack of toothpick and tweezers, but keep in mind that leaving those two out of the design made is so much thinner and more appealing. So ask yourself, how much did I used that toothpick and tweezer anyway? It's a simple, solid, and elegant design that's relatively easy to clean.This pocket knife looks very stylish. It's the kind of knife you wouldn't hesitate to take out of your pocket on a fancy wedding party. It looks good, and it feels great. It's the kind of knife that makes you say to yourself "Oh, I get why they mad this thing" the second you take it out of the box. (The box that shipped in only 2 days to me across the channel) .If I have to give one point of critique to this knife is that I wished the blade was just a bit larger but I doubt the overall design constraints would allow that.I highly recommend this knife to anyone that is looking for a probably legal (check your local laws) EDC pocket knife.