Top 7 Alternatives to the Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Sentinel

Perhaps the most well-known knife if not most common pocket knife is the Victorinox Swiss Army knife. While the traditional Swiss Army knife is filled with tools and gadgets and perhaps the least used part is the blade, there is one model that puts the blade front and center. The Victorinox Swiss Army Sentinel is a blade only Swiss Army knife with a few tricks.

First, while the 3" stainless steel blade comes in both plain and serrated edges, it also features a thumb hole. This allows the blade to be deployed using one hand which is unusual for a Swiss Army knife. The Victorinox Swiss Army Sentinel also uses a liner lock which keeps the blade open and allows it to be used for tasks beyond those typical of daily use. Clearly Victorinox aimed the Sentinel at a more outdoors and active crowd.

One huge advantage of the Victorinox Swiss Army Sentinel is that as a Swiss Army knife, it has a very unassuming and non-threatening appearance. This means you can pull out this knife in public without causing panic and pandemonium. One last hidden secret of the Sentinel is that as a Swiss Army knife it contains a few hidden tools. Built into the polymer handle is a toothpick and tweezers. These are actually two very useful tools - at least the tweezers are useful.

The Victorinox Swiss Army Sentinel is a great everyday knife. But, it's not the be all and end all in the world of pocketknives. There are some amazing alternatives to the Victorinox Swiss Army Sentinel that are both classic and won't cause a panic in public.

Victorinox Swiss Army One-Hand Trekker

Before we get to the alternatives, we would be remiss to not mention the Victorinox Swiss Army One-Hand Trekker. This is basically the Sentinel with the addition of the following tools: reamer/punch, bottle opener, screwdriver (5mm), wire stripper, wood saw, Phillips screwdriver, can opener, screwdriver (3mm), tweezers and toothpick.

One important note is that the Trekker is much thicker (.70" versus .48") and heavier (4.6 oz. versus 2.6 oz.) than the Sentinel. As an EDC pocket knife, the Sentinel is much easier to carry.

Mercator K55 Black Cat

The Germans love their knives and make some very good ones. The Mercator K55 Black Cat has been made in Solingen Germany since 1867 and is a classic. The K55 comes in all metal (no wood or plastic) and uses a lock back to keep the blade open. The K55 is extremely thin and light.

The drop point blade is 3.5" in length and can be had in both high carbon and stainless steel versions. The traditional high carbon steel can be sharpened to an extremely sharp edge but is also more susceptible to corrosion and rust. While some might consider the all-metal design a little basic, the gold etched black cat logo pressed into the blade adds a nice touch of class. The price of the Mercator K55 Black Cat is also comparable to the Victorinox Sentinel.

Opinel No. 8

The French have an answer to both the Mercator K55 and the Victorinox Sentinel. In the late 19th century, Frenchman Joseph Opinel came up with what would become known to the world as the Opinel No. 8. Unlike the Mercator K55 and Victorinox Sentinel, the Opinel No. 8 embraces wood in a big way. The rounded beechwood handle gives the knife a solid feel in the hand while keeping the weight low. It also gives it a unique look that is almost as recognizable as the Victorinox Swiss Army knife.

The Opinel No. 8 sports a 3.28" stainless steel blade forged from Sandvik 12C27 Swedish steel. To keep the knife open, the Opinel No. 8 uses a rotating stainless steel Virobloc safety ring. The Opinel does come in a variety of sizes but the No. 8 is the original, and many consider it the classic French pocketknife.

Buck 110

Leaving the Old World, we arrive on the shores of the good old USA. Designed in 1963 by Al Buck, the Buck 110 is the definition of an American classic. The Buck 110 features a 3.75" clip point blade. The clip point is one of the most versatile shapes and is practical for almost any cutting task. As a lock back knife, the Buck 110 does require two hands to open like the Mercator K55 and Opinel No. 8.

The forged 420HC stainless steel blade is mated to a classically shaped brass and wood handle. While there are a variety of scale materials, such as bone, the traditional version is ebony wood.

Buck 110 Folding Hunter LT

The Buck 110 is about as traditional a knife as you can get. However, Buck has made a recent update. The Buck 110 LT is constructed of many of the same components as the classic Buck 110 except it swaps the brass and wood handle for indestructible nylon. Not only does the nylon give the knife a whole new, more modern look, but you also save four ounces of weight.

For many who see the value of the classic blade size and profile of the Buck 110 but want something a little more modern and lightweight, the Buck 110 LT is the perfect compromise.

CASE Mako

You can't talk about the Buck 110 without also mentioning the Case Mako. For more than 130 years, Case has been making knives in the United States. The Case Mako is one of their bestselling classic knife designs. The Case Mako sports a 3.25" blade forged from Tru-Sharp. Tru-Sharp is Case's proprietary blend of stainless and high carbon steel which gives the Case Mako the ability to hold an edge even after hard use.

The Case Mako is housed in a brass and laminated wood veneer handle. This is very strong and water resistant. The Case Mako requires two hands to open but the solid lock back also means that once open it is ready to take on heavy cutting tasks.

Cold Steel 54VPM Lucky One

The Cold Steel Lucky One is an American company, but this knife is made in Italy. The Lucky One is an elegant design and known as a "Gentleman's Knife." Just one look and you'll know why. The 2.6" blade is forged from CPM-S35VN and is housed in carbon fiber scales. The knife is lightweight at less than an ounce.

The Cold Steel Lucky One uses a slip joint lock which is legal in nearly every country in the world. For every day use, a slip joint is more than adequate. The shape of the handle allows for a solid grip. Slipping it into your pocket, you may quickly forget that it is even there.

SOG Traction EDC

Our one nod to the tactical folder crowd is the SOG Traction. With a 3.5" 5Cr13MoV stainless steel blade, the SOG Traction comes in either clip point or tanto. The Traction uses a traditional lock back mechanism that keeps the blade solidly open. SOG clearly intended this to be a hunting style knife. Like the Victorinox Sentinel, the SOG Traction can be opened with one hand using the thumb studs.

The handle is a lightweight glass-reinforced nylon with aggressive checkering and the molded SOG logo. This is also the only knife on this list with a true deep pocket clip.

Conclusion

Everyone had heard of and most people have owned at least one Victorinox Swiss Army knife. While the Sentinel is a great choice, it is not the only choice. Any of these alternatives would be a great choice as a replacement to or in addition to the Sentinel.

What do you think? Did we miss a great alternative or one of your favorites? Please let us know by leaving a comment below.