Swiss Army Knife

Why r/BuyItForLife recommends Swiss Army Knife

13 mentions from real owners

• #1Dec 6, 2025

  What’s a purchase that’s not fun, not flashy but now you swear by it?

  Stanley Thermobottle. Best purchase ever if you drink warm bavereges daily. Standard Swiss army knife and the small version for you keychain. Good mittens, were you can fold the mitten top back and habe a normal glove with cut out finger tips underneath. Jack Wolfskin has those. Also a retractable part for your thumb.

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• #2Nov 7, 2025

  I have to spend $150 at amazon this week

  Swiss army knife and a good flashlight like an OLIGHT or Fenix... Also a good lighter. Zippo is a BIFL... Depends where you are going if it get cold a stormy kromer hat. If it's warm, some sort of hat for warm weather (sorry no opinion)

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• #3Oct 9, 2025

  Thinking ahead: What BIFL Xmas gifts are you planning?

  Swiss Army Knife classic. They fit on a key chain and come in a ton of colors and designs. You will be surprised how often you will use it.

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• #4Oct 1, 2025

  What’s something you’ve bought once and never had to replace?

  Bought a good SAK with my first paycheck 17 years ago, still going strong.

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• #5Aug 6, 2025

  Recommended multitool

  Weatherman wave, or a mult blade SAK. The Wave has world class pliers, and fantastic blades, but the scissors are shit and it doesn’t have tweezers ( you can add a pair of SAL tweezers. The SAL has clinical quality steel and fabulous scissors, and tweezers. Personally I go for the Wave above the SAK. I got the bigger pouch and got the extended set of sockets. Add some duct tape and 10 zip ties and you can put me anywhere on the planet and I’d give it a go. In my work back I carry the Swiss card, but I’ve had at least 3 taken off me by border security on my travels.

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• #6Aug 6, 2025

  Recommended multitool

  Sure there is ---Wenger--been around for decades..............so distinguishing which brand is helpful eh? BTW Wenger also has a life time guarantee. Knock off SAKS--rule them out --rule them out. Swiss Army Knife brand--yes has that guarantee

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• #7Aug 6, 2025

  Recommended multitool

  Any swiss army knife. Which specifically is up to you but theyre tanks and have a lifetime warranty. I use mine 10+ times a day and feel naked without one.

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• #8Jul 1, 2025

  Someone left this plastic piece of junk at my work. Does anyone make a BIFL quality pen with similar features?

  Just get a swiss army knife, some do have pens ;)

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• #9Jul 1, 2025

  Name your top 5 BIFL items

  Oh look and I accept I'm a curmudgeon that's struggling with the state of the world and modern consumer behaviour, maybe my attitudes can be negative when they shouldn't be. That being said - how many other things exist in your kitchen that could open a box, cut a rope, cut a zip tie no idea why you are sawing a branch with a SAK that's a bit of the odd one out there)? Knives, kitchen scissors etc? I am not trying to knock something that brings you joy, i had an SAK as part of my EDC for years, you bought something you use and that's great. My EDC bag is a leather messenger bag I bought from Aldi 15 years ago that's turned out to be utterly indestructible. Like somehow this thing will outlive me, funny how often people these days ask where I got it. The other problem with BIFL is the people that buy something, treat it abysmally then act surprised it wasn't a BIFL product or complain about the quality. Hence me saying BIFL is an attitude not a product. I saw someone here asking about BIFL knives because they wanted to upgrade their current set, learn to sharpen them (Ideal to do it with cheap knives) and almost any knife can be BIFL. I get what you are after and it's laudable so I probably shouldn't have been so negative but it does irk me when it's about 'breaking free of the need to repeat purchase' but replacing functional things to do so. The reality is BIFL is 'don't buy shit' and the rest is window dressing.

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• #10Jul 1, 2025

  Name your top 5 BIFL items

  Yea maybe I haven't browsed the sub long enough to get tired of the consumerism. I would say my interest was more about breaking free from constantly needing to repeat purchase. For example my back pack I bought 10 years ago. I haven't had to think about another one since. I still use it every day as my work bag, and even when I go away on trips i take my work stuff out and put travel essentials in. Another would be my Swiss army knife. It sits in a "junk" bowl on my kitchen counter, whenever I need to open a box, cut a rope, saw a small branch, cut a zip tie. It's right there and I regret wasting money on $20 knock offs when I could have bought it sooner. I also bought it second hand on ebay for about half price . I was wondering if others had stories or recommendations similar

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• #11Jun 13, 2025

  Starting a 'buy it for life' item list

  wooden leaded pencils in a steel fishing tackle box next to an old Swiss Army Knife, sitting next to a cast iron fry pan , in a good wheel barrel in a shed with a good shovel and hoe.

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• #12Jun 1, 2025

  My 40 year old Victorinox Swiss army knife is having a retirement party this weekend.

  That sounds like a damn good reason to buy a Swiss Army Knife, and good on you too for not losing it. I've been carrying around a leatherman for about 10 years now, and I'm shocked I haven't lost it.

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• #13Jan 11, 2025

  What did you buy not realizing you bought it for life?

  Swiss army knife when I was a teen, probably 20 some years ago. Thing still functions as though it was brand new. Some scuffs on the siding, but no gouges or chips, anything major. I used to carry it in my pocket daily for a good 15 years.

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