I only have one Tinker with 90 degree Phillips and the material feels pretty soft to me. Maybe the inline is from the same stock as the other layered tools and therefore harder?
Finding a specific SAK?
- Thread starter tm3
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AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Neither are super hard, but the primary weakness of the backspring Phillips is the tang and pin. It's really not a hard use driver, but ok for lighter use, such as opening battery compartments on kids toys and the like. It's very easy to over torque it, and kill the entire knife though, by breaking the pin, or splitting the liner It's peened to.
The inline Phillips rides on a thicker pin, peened into brass cup washers, and with a much wider tang to spread the load, and reduce the torque trying to splay the liners and split the knife apart. It can still get a bit chewed up on a stubborn, badly fitting, or damaged screw though, but being a pocket knife, it will always be a compromise over dedicated drivers. That said, I do prefer the Victorinox drivers over other pocket tools, because it's more likely to deform if overloaded, than break or chip. More chance of being able to dress it back up, and keep it functional.
My Deluxe Tinker driver is fine for most of the day to day stuff I encounter though, like a loose screw in a door handle, or tightening up the knob on a saucepan lid. I've even used one to change a lock. I wouldn't try driving a screw into hard wood with a backspring driver though.
I have, and use, all three types. The backspring (84 and 91mm), the inline (91 and 85mm Wenger), and the Cybertool but driver. The one on the 58mm Rambler/Manager is a surprisingly effective one too.
Final tip... If you need to turn a Phillips screw (not hard use application), but the T-handle configuration of the backspring Phillips doesn't let you get access because the handle is in the way, the tip of the can opener works like a charm.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Here's a mod I built a few years ago in 84mm (Waiter size), which has both backspring Phillips AND corkscrew. It also let me incorporate two main blades, one plain, and one serrated.
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Cool modification! And I like those textured red scales also.
I used to think that the hook was "perfectly useless", until I bought a d started carrying a Victorinox SAK (I had always been a Wenger guy) and relegated my trusty old and well worn Wenger to car duty.
It was only DAYS after purchase that I had to fix an office chair and it proved to be the perfect tool to fit the apolstrey (sp?) back on without cutting and re-sewing. Just a couple days later, I had to fish truck keys out of a sewer grate. Then it got cold, and I was having issues getting my boot laces tight enough over my thick wool socks...then...
Unfortunately, the knife got stolen. I returned my Wenger back to my daily carry...but If I DO need to replace it, the hook is now one of my MUST-HAVE implements (along with a Phillips screwdriver, pen blade and saw).
You are way more creative than me then. After the blade I use the corkscrew most
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
That's my most common use of the hook, although I have used it for shopping too.
I had a couple of instances of shopping bags falling over and spewing their load into the boot of a taxi. So for a while, I took to using my lanyard with a carabiner clip, and fed it through all the handles of the bags to keep them closed. I then used the hook to lift them all in and out of the taxi boot in one go, strung together. I now have an insulated shopping trolley, which makes things even easier.
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