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Toys

USB Swiss Army Knife 482

Posted by michael from the reasonable-excuse dept.
finno writes "The Register has a heads-up on a new Swiss Army knife by Victorinox. As the article says, 'Given that you can buy a Victorinox Swiss Army Knive with just about every gadget known to man, from horse-hoof awl to Hubble Space Telescope lens polisher, it's no real surprise that the company - in association with flash memory outfit Swissbit - is now offering cutting tools plus USB flash memory stick.' In my home state of New South Wales, it is illegal to be carrying a knife without a reasonable excuse such as 'the lawful pursuit of the person's occupation'. I got me a reasonable excuse now!"
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USB Swiss Army Knife More

USB Swiss Army Knife

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  • Nice, but... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Zone-MR ( 631588 ) * <slashdotNO@SPAMzone-mr.net> on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:38AM (#8530882) Homepage
    Nice, except flash memory is just a start.

    What I would really need is a combination pendrive, wi-fi, and bluetooth adaptor, and MP3/OGG player.

    Currently I carry a seperate USB flash drive, and MA401 pen-style wi-fi transceiver. The lack of built in memory on the MA401 means I need to plug in the pendrive every time I need to load the drivers.

  • Wheres the floppy version? (Score:3, Funny)

    by slash-tard ( 689130 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:41AM (#8530896)
    I need a 3 1/2 or a 5 1/4 disk to move my files around.

    Maybe in the next version they can add this and DAT disk support.

  • Great... (Score:5, Funny)

    by jstrain ( 648252 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:42AM (#8530899)
    Now I can be stopped at the airport for security violations AND supposed music piracy!

  • Detachable RO setter? (Score:5, Funny)

    by MrIrwin ( 761231 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:43AM (#8530901) Journal
    I have to use my pocket knife to operate the RO switch on my USB stick. Will this new knife have a detable device for setting it's own RO switch?

  • Leatherman (Score:5, Funny)

    by onyxruby ( 118189 ) * <onyxruby@ c o m c a s t . net> on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:43AM (#8530903)
    I want a Leatherman version with at least 512MB and it's bootable. I would pay decent money for that. Swiss Army Knives are toys, Leatherman's are tools. Never trust a tech without one.

    • Re:Leatherman (Score:2, Funny)

      by jstrain ( 648252 )
      Just when I thought I had seen all the uses for a Leatherman, I saw an old guy at Ozzfest using it as a roach clip. To each his own I guess.
      • I saw an old guy at Ozzfest using it as a roach clip

        I think that was Ozzy himself. Nothing helps take the pain of remembering that you destroyed your brain through drug-abuse than a little more self-medication.

        • Re:That was Ozzy (Score:3, Informative)

          by wideBlueSkies ( 618979 )
          >>Nothing helps take the pain of remembering that you destroyed your brain through drug-abuse than a little more self-medication.

          On a serious note: Sadly, this is a big reason why many substance abusers don't have the willpower to get up and quit. They're too busy feeling sorry for how they've hurt themselves and others.

          It's easier to quit tomorrow than to quit today.

          wbs.

      • Re:Leatherman (Score:5, Interesting)

        by (trb001) ( 224998 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @10:03AM (#8531516) Homepage
        All of us in college used it for this purpose...i worked tech support (think rigging lights and speakers, not ethernet) in college for the university union, and we all carried leathermans or schrades (my personal favorite). At the parties after shows, people would yank out their multitools for all sorts of useful stuff...roach clips, shotgunning beers, etc.

        --trb

    • Blue Knife of Death (Score:5, Funny)

      by AtariAmarok ( 451306 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:46AM (#8530932)
      Are you referring to the Windows 2000-enabled version of the Leatherman, affectionately known as the "Blue Knife of Death"?
      • You might wanna look into "Diamond Admnistrator +3". Leatherman equipped with 12 gems of highest quality which gives the bearer a "+2 charisma", "10% extra network speed" and a whopping "+4 luck with backup recoveries" - and ofcourse all the basic attributes!

        Can be purchased for 34,000 gold at your local magical store.

    • Re:Leatherman (Score:2, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Bah! Leatherman's are just toys too. Never trust a tech who doesn't lug around a full tool kit.

    • Re:Leatherman (Score:2, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      I'm still holding out for a leatherman with a small claw hammer. Perfect for inserting and removing dificult cards and cables. but I do admit that the pliers on a leatherman come in handy for twisting connections on your motherboard and hard drive together when you can't find a little plastic jumper. :)

    • Re:Leatherman (Score:5, Informative)

      by Thornae ( 53316 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:11AM (#8531108)
      Victorinox already make their own multi-tool [victorinox.com]. Basically, they looked at a Leatherman then made it better [swiss-knife.com].

      Trust me, try one of these, you'll never go back to Leatherman.

    • Re:Leatherman (Score:4, Interesting)

      by cybermace5 ( 446439 ) <g.ryan@macetech.com> on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:38AM (#8531311) Homepage Journal
      Leatherman? Bah. They try to fit too much into it, and all the tools end up being too flimsy.

      I, on the other hand, have been using the same Gerber Multi-plier for about 12 years (yes, I was 12 when I got it). It has blunt nose pliers instead of needle-nose, and all the tools are heavy-duty. For example, the Philips head isn't just a flat sliver, it's the real deal. The pliers actually work well for tighening bolts and nuts, you know, real bolts and nuts like on cars and bikes. And the real feature is the one-handed snap opening. You just fish it out of your pocket, flick your wrist and *snap* you've got pliers. Every Leatherman I've seen requires you to sit down with it and unfold some complicated metal origami, using two hands and paying very close attention because more often than not, the knives will fold out and you'll cut yourself.

      Mine is bead-blasted stainless, and has never rusted...I don't know about the more recent versions. I wouldn't buy a cheap version. If I ever replace it, I might have to go with this: Gerber Multi-Plier 600 DET [seriousoutdoorgear.com]. I mean, it doesn't have blunt pliers, but how cool is it to have a non-reflective black oxide pocket battlefield tool with such items as "C-4 explosives punch" and "blasting cap crimper"?

    • Re:Leatherman (Score:4, Insightful)

      by DNS-and-BIND ( 461968 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @10:36AM (#8531838) Homepage
      Never trust a tech who says that trendy multitools like the Leatherman are indespensible. Real techs carry real tools. They also don't trust other techs who have their URLs pointing to register.com spamsites.

  • Easy way around law for Techs (Score:3, Funny)

    by Mr.Phil ( 128836 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:43AM (#8530906)
    I take it you work in technology? Then there is an easy way to prove you need a pocket knife for you job. I am constantly using my pocket knife to open boxes with parts, shrink wrapped software, and new computers. I also use my pocket knife to cut zip tie bundles and the like.

    Not being allowed to carry a pocket knife? In AU? Don't you need one to keep off all the crocs? ;)

  • A flashdrive that security will take away. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by oneiros27 ( 46144 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:44AM (#8530908) Homepage
    For some reason, that just doesn't seem practical in the long run, if you ever have to go through a security checkpoint, such as airports, courthouses, whatever. 'Well, I tried smuggling the data in, but they took it away.' 'They found it?' 'No, they didn't like the knife'.

    But I want to know why the SwissFlame isn't allowed for sale in the US.

  • In my home state of New South Wales, it is illegal to be carrying a knife without a reasonable excuse such as 'the lawful pursuit of the person's occupation'.

    Amazing how much we hear about the US trouncing civil liberties from people on that side of the pond, when they refuse to look around and realize they have NO rights left!!

  • Access Denied... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Hawkxor ( 693408 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:44AM (#8530914)
    ..Is what I get when I try to load Victorinox at school. What are they afraid of, me attacking other students with Swiss Army Hubble Telescope polishers?
  • HEHE, silly NSW person!

    Anyway the only concern I have is a) I already have a Swiss army knife and a pen disk and b) the pen disk I doubt would put up with the beating it would receive on a camp. (Though my pen disk recently survived a trip through the washing machine and dryer so I might revise that above thought later.)

  • Hubble telescope (Score:5, Funny)

    by AtariAmarok ( 451306 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:44AM (#8530918)
    from horse-hoof awl to Hubble Space Telescope lens polisher

    They located these two attachments too close, if you ask me. Why, when I was cleaning the Hubble Telescope last week, I got the two mixed up. I hope no-one notices that huge gouge on the lens. The horse sure has shiney hooves, though.

  • Remember the Foreman USB Grill? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by wumarkus420 ( 548138 ) <wumarkus@NOSpAm.hotmail.com> on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:45AM (#8530920) Homepage
    This reminds me of the USB Foreman Grill April Fool's Joke [slashdot.org]. However, this seems equally useful/useless depending on how you look at it. So, I guess my real question is, how do we know this is for real?

  • 'the lawful pursuit of the person's occupation' (Score:5, Informative)

    by akedia ( 665196 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:45AM (#8530922)
    Well, this silly rule doesn't apply in my jurisdiction, but in my network rounds I always carry my trusty CyberTool [thinkgeek.com]. Bought mind at an airport in Belguim. Haven't met a machine this knife couldn't take.

    Boy Scouts always taught me to carry a pocket knife, either in your car or pocket, you never know how useful it will be.

  • Hate to say it... (Score:5, Funny)

    by 0xbeefcake ( 672592 ) <rob@xa[ ].demon.co.uk ['nia' in gap]> on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:45AM (#8530927)
    Now that's what I call cutting edge technology!

  • Offtopic (Score:5, Funny)

    by g0bshiTe ( 596213 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:46AM (#8530930)
    You know the author said in New South Wales it was illegal to carry a knife unless you need it for your job. God knows how many stores are held up annually by someone with a pocket knife. I mean really what would someone do? "Give me all your money, or I'll pick your teeth." Lighten up Parliment, I doubt that people with pocket knives will overthrow the throne.

    • Re:Offtopic (Score:5, Funny)

      by rocketfairy ( 16253 ) <nmt2002.columbia@edu> on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:03AM (#8531051) Homepage
      Hey, man, knives don't pick teeth, PEOPLE pick teeth.

    • Re:Offtopic (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Graff ( 532189 )

      You know the author said in New South Wales it was illegal to carry a knife unless you need it for your job.

      My favorite part of that law is the recursive definition [austlii.edu.au] they give for what constitutes a knife:

      "knife [austlii.edu.au]" includes:

      (a) a knife [austlii.edu.au] blade, or

      (b) a razor blade, or

      (c) any other blade,

      Apparently part of the enforcement of the law is to trap anyone trying to understand it into an infinite loop, rendering them incapable of ever using a knife due to their infinite reading of the document...

  • The Mysterious New Banner Ad (Score:3, Funny)

    by Trolling4Dollars ( 627073 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:46AM (#8530931) Journal
    Wow. I like that ad for that new product "Internal Server Error". Good use of whitespace in the design. ;P

  • I know it's a Swiss Army *knife*, but... (Score:3, Informative)

    by Kris_J ( 10111 ) * on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:46AM (#8530934) Homepage Journal
    ...the blade mades it impossble to take on a plane. As someone that's about to travel with only 128MB of flash RAM (no laptop, no iPod), I'd think it would be handier if it looked to the Cybertool for a whole bunch of blunt(ish) stuff like the screwdrivers, pen or pliers.

  • Security Threat of USB Flash Drives (Score:5, Insightful)

    by G4from128k ( 686170 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:47AM (#8530938)
    I'd bet that devices like these give security officers, IP hoarders, and trade secret people the willies. The idea that someone (employee, vendor, or confident hacker) could walk into any office, stick their keychain USB drive into a PC and transfer files to/from an internal network is not too pleasant to contemplate. Seems like a great way to introduce trojans or snarf sensitive files. I wonder if some companies disable USB Mass Storage on their PCs to prevent this type of unauthorized access?
    • or even a way to 'burn' information onto an 'optical drive' of some sort - boy would THAT be a great way to smuggle data in and out of places.
    • Place I used to work, they wouldn't let you bring in a laptop for obvious security reasons... but my USB2 HDD full of music was just fine... "so long as it's not a laptop"
    • Yeah, it's a good thing nobody's ever come up with a portable data-storage device before . . . especially one that's available on most computers. I'm envisioning some sort of "flexible disk", that had a compatible "drive" on all computers, and that could simply be secreted away in a pocket. If something like THAT had been around all these years, boy would we be in trouble now.
    • I work for a financial services company and that, in fact, is exactly what we've done. Only we went low-tech and disabled USB. Period. Of course, most people don't get floppies or CD drives either (not sure what the point of not giving CD drives is -- it's not like you can somehow hack an RO CD drive to become a CDRW).

      Are you saying there's a way to disable *JUST* USB Mass Storage? Because I'd love to know about that.
    • I'd bet that devices like these give security officers, IP hoarders, and trade secret people the willies. The idea that someone (employee, vendor, or confident hacker) could walk into any office, stick their floppy disk into a PC and transfer files to/from an internal network is not too pleasant to contemplate. Seems like a great way to introduce trojans or snarf sensitive files. I wonder if some companies disable Floppy Drives on their PCs to prevent this type of unauthorized access?(bold=changes)

      The poin

  • What kind of idiot legislature... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Fencepost ( 107992 ) * on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:47AM (#8530939) Journal

    Passes that kind of a law banning any kind of blade in any public place? It's the kind of law that can almost only be there to provide an excuse to throw more charges at someone - "He jaywalked, and he had scissors! Because this is his second offense, we'll be seeking the maximum of 12 months in prison."

    "knife" includes:

    (a) a knife blade, or
    (b) a razor blade, or
    (c) any other blade,

    • Better yet-- Jaywalking and running with scissors!

    • Re:What kind of idiot legislature... (Score:5, Interesting)

      by ajs318 ( 655362 ) <sd_resp2NO@SPAMearthshod.co.uk> on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:18AM (#8531149)
      You think that's bad? In the UK, you can't even buy safety razor blades {eg. Gillette sensor type, which can't make a cut more than 1mm. deep without serious modding, the process of which is likely to cut you} if you're under 16, but you can be expelled from school for not shaving!

      Clearly the law was meant to stop kids buying cut-throat razor blades, but it's still a bit idiotic. And if they want knives, they will just steal them.
    • 'Passes that kind of a law banning any kind of blade in any public place? It's the kind of law that can almost only be there to provide an excuse to throw more charges at someone...'

      That's the point. If enough laws and regulations are enacted, then everyone becomes (or can become) a criminal. Even if not enforced all that much, they allow for greater control of the peasantry.

  • ...or does the photo accompanying the Inquirer article look photoshopped?

    I'm not saying it's not a real product, just that the image looks a little suspicious.
  • WTF? Carrying a knife illegal in Australia? But.. but... Crocodile Dundee carries a huge machete-szed bowie around, and nobody says anything to him! Is it 'cause he's a big movie star and all that?

  • The only thing preventing me buying it... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Malc ( 1751 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:49AM (#8530952)
    ... is the lack of a kitchen sink.

    (Sorry, bad /. joke based on moving from Windows to Linux)
  • They link to a product called a USB watch [cashncarrion.co.uk]...

    Apparently the plug is on a cable that slides out of the watch. I can't imagine using a USB storage device that physically tethers me to the computer.

    I prefer to psychologically tether myself.

  • Incorrect configuration (Score:3, Insightful)

    by happyEverGeek ( 705021 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:51AM (#8530962)
    It looks great, but for a PC technician, I hope they make one with a philips blade rather than scissors.

  • Weight? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by MalaclypseTheYounger ( 726934 )
    I don't know if it would be an issue or not, but how heavy is this thing? Generally it's not a good idea to plug things into your PC ports that are anywhere close to having a significant weight. I'd hate to bend or break my USB ports from plugging this thing in...

  • Photo faked? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by pluckyduck ( 467768 )
    I don't know. Could this be an early April Fool's hoax?

    If the picture is accurate, it looks like the USB connector won't fit folded up. Looks like a bad cut & paste to me.

  • Knife Repository (Score:5, Interesting)

    by 4of12 ( 97621 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:53AM (#8530977) Homepage Journal

    My Swiss Army Knife is with me constantly because it's so useful. Had it for years. I've lost the toothpick and the spring in the scissors, but it's still indispensible.

    So, with the recent crackdown in the USA on small scale implements of terrorism such as nail clippers, I try to remember to put my knife in the glove compartment before a flight.

    I forgot once. And I sure didn't want to give away my knife. The TSA inspectors must have 10 million pocket knives by now. What to do before getting in line for the security scan?

    I found an fake potted plant in an isolated corner of the airport and hid the knife under some bark chips.

    When I came back 3-4 days later I just picked it up on the way out.

    • TSA Jackasses (Score:3, Interesting)

      by 0x0d0a ( 568518 )
      I really hate the TSA. The ban on nail scissors is ridiculous. Any of my friends that are serious about martial arts could hurt someone much more badly with their hands (or a nice, heavy, blunt object, which *is* acceptable) than a dinky half-inch blade. I'll bet that if I was intent on smuggling a blade in, I could hide a much larger blade in something metal (come *on*...if there's a metal plate normally in some electronic device and someone slices the thing at a diagonal to produce a *big* blade, then

    • Check out your local Goodwill store (Score:4, Interesting)

      by mks113 ( 208282 ) <mks@@@kijabe...org> on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:52AM (#8531441) Homepage Journal
      You want to buy your knife back? It might end up in the local goodwill store.

      Take a look at These pics [cockeyed.com] of items apparently confiscated in Sacramento.

  • More often than I would have thought, working in IT. Mostly, I use the screwdriver blades. How come, getting into computers meant driving all these screws? I also use the knife blades - usually cable related. And of course, there's cleaning your fingernails during a particularly boring meeting.

    I could see adding a USB memory stick as really helpful - though I wouldn't give up the screwdriver bits for it.

  • ... but does that picture look fake? It looks like a usb mem stick photoshopped onto a swiss army knife? Plus I don't think I would like the idea of 128MB being subjected to the crap that I put my pocket knife through (though I guess in reality, like SUV's, the majority of owners only use their SAK to trim their nails and open the occasional UPS box).

  • not so illegal in New South Wales (Score:3, Informative)

    by asr_man ( 620632 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @08:58AM (#8531009)

    Apparently you've got enough exceptions to keep yourself out of trouble:

    (ii) the preparation or consumption of food or drink
    (iii) participation in a lawful entertainment, recreation or sport

    Hopefully wood carving and popping bottle caps aren't illegal yet.

  • From the picture (Score:5, Interesting)

    by jandrese ( 485 ) * <kensama@vt.edu> on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:00AM (#8531023) Homepage Journal
    Did anybody notice the _other_ tools on this knife. There's the standard blade, good for cutting zip ties, opening boxes, and peeling off stubborn labels in a pinch. Scissors, which are generally useful, and a nail file, which I thought only showed up on the really big knives and the ones aimed at women. Where is the phillips head screwdriver, or even the flathead screwdriver? Actually, some knives have a nice snap on toolset that works quite well. IMHO, if you're going to stick a USB stick on a knife, it should have the following additional tools:
    1. Blade -- Every knife needs one. A combination large and small blade is nice but not necessary on this knife
    2. Scissors -- From cutting down labels to just about anything else, the Scissors are mandatory
    3. Phillips head screwdriver -- Or replace this with the socket set
    4. Flathead screwdriver -- Or replace this with the socket set
    5. Inanimate carbon-steel rod -- In place of the useless tweezers, for ejecting stubborn CDs or rebooting PDAs
    6. Micro-flashlight -- Built into the case, a small white LED bulb at one end is activated by pressing on a certain spot on the handle. The battery is stored in the case. I don't think any knife has this yet, but I know I've wanted it for ages. The light switch should be a toggle, so you don't have to keep holding it down while you're working.
    That's all I'm looking for in a knife. I'd pay $100 for one like that, especially if they called it the Geekman.

    • Re:From the picture (Score:3, Informative)

      by rnelsonee ( 98732 )
      Victorinox makes several models of knives with LEDs [knifestuff.com]. I have that first model. The LED is red (as to not ruin night vision), so it's not the brightest, but it worked well enough last night to find a hub's power cable in a rat nest of wires. The pen is a real life-saver - although it's not small enough to reset PDAs/hubs/etc. Even when old Swiss Army knives had the pen you took all the way out (this one is on a sliding track), they were still to big to use as a handy reset tool. But the battery and the

  • and the Swiss all flock to our side of the ocean to buy Leathermans... (no, really, they do!)

    The grass is always greener... :-)

    • coming out this spring or summer. You can see a picture of it here [technikmodern.at]. Nothing about it at victorinox.com which is pretty lame for info on their own products. Nothing on swissarmy.com even though they have the the SwissTool Spirit in a printed brochure. The nice thing about SwissTool is the bit tool. The attached tools in a multi-tool are pretty much useless as far as I am concerned due to the awkwardness of using them. The bit tool, which uses standard 6mm or 1/4" bits, pretty much solves that. The red

  • knife control (Score:3, Funny)

    by lone_marauder ( 642787 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:02AM (#8531037)
    In my home state of New South Wales, it is illegal to be carrying a knife without a reasonable excuse such as 'the lawful pursuit of the person's occupation'

    I fail to understand how a society can function without pocketknives. I'll be sure to use paper shipping tape on the next thing I send to Australia.

  • Illegal knives (Score:5, Funny)

    by 91degrees ( 207121 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:05AM (#8531067) Journal
    The law is similar in the UK. As in New South Wales, an exception is if a knife is a tool used for one's occupation. This is quite useful, since if I'm stopped by the police, I can explain that I'm a mugger and therefore the knife is a tool of the trade.

  • Get Real Tools (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Fished ( 574624 ) * <amphigory@@@gmail...com> on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:07AM (#8531083)
    I've become increasingly convinced that most "multi purpose" tools simply don't work very well. When I work on computers, I don't use a swiss army knife: instead, I carry a "screw stick" (one of those screwdrivers with four difference phillips and flat heads), a pair of needle-nose pliers, a regular pocket knife (a small gerber model that has one, sharp 2" blad) and a knoppix CD to diagnostics and the like. With those tools, I can fix anything. I might add a USB stick for quick backups and such if the price on big ones comes down some more.

    I used to carry a swiss army knife, but found it difficult to get leverage and even more difficult to get to small, recessed screws and the like.

    • Re:Get Real Tools (Score:3, Informative)

      by dknight ( 202308 )
      Dude, get a Leatherman. It is probably the single most useful tool a geek could ever own. Seriously, they have like every kind of knife/screwdriver you're gonna want, and they're very rugged and durable, and even look nice. They can be a bit pricey, but every bit worth it!

    • Re:Get Real Tools (Score:3, Informative)

      by Zathrus ( 232140 )
      instead, I carry a "screw stick" (one of those screwdrivers with four difference phillips and flat heads)

      If you're ever looking for a good multi-bit screwdriver, buy a Klein 10-in-1 screwdriver/nut driver. They're only $10, very well made, and really do include pretty much every bit you need on a regular basis, either for around the house use or on a computer. Includes 5/16" and 1/4" Nut Drivers, #1 and #2 Phillips, 1/4" and 3/16" Slotted, #10 and #15 Torx(R), #1 and #2 Square (aka Robertson).

      About the o

    • Re:Get Real Tools (Score:3, Informative)

      by CrankyFool ( 680025 )
      You're absolutely right -- multitools are a compromise solution trying to optimize a whole bunch of conflicting goals. If I'm at home, I'll never reach for one of my multitools first -- I'll go for one of the real tools.

      But the goal of a multitool is *NOT* to be a best-of-breed solution. It's to present an adequate compromise that you'll be able to carry relatively easily on you and that will present the best chances that you have the OK tool for the job when you need it. Multitools are smaller than the

  • pretty cool, but (Score:5, Funny)

    by JeanBaptiste ( 537955 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:11AM (#8531102)
    how does it match up to the USB Toothbrush [impress.co.jp]???

  • "horse-hoof awl"? (Score:3, Informative)

    by jpellino ( 202698 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:11AM (#8531105)
    It's a "hoof pick".
    Ignore it when it's needed, and you'll find out that tech is cheap compared to large-animal vets bills.
    • I have this particular knife. The hoof pick works quite well.

      I also have the Laks USB drive watch. That works great as long as the horse isn't skittish.

  • Top 10 Missing Swiss Knife Features (Score:5, Funny)

    by AtariAmarok ( 451306 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:22AM (#8531173)
    10. DRM-enabled so you don't cut anything you are not licensed to
    9. Large surface area on side with room for the Trump logo
    8. "Martha Steward" edition. It slices, it dices, it puree's, and it has a file for jail bars.
    7. "Matt Helm" special: knife inflates into full-sized bedroom complete with bed.
    6. Built-in $29.99 cell phone backup battery
    5. Special iPod opening tool for those rare occasions when you need to do battery work.
    4. Linking feature to enable a Beowulf cluster of swiss army knives
    3. "French Army Knife" version; opens wine with ease and aids in an easy retreat.
    2. "Rush Limbaugh" attachments: knives only on the right side, contains secret compartment that holds up to 80 pills (one morning's supply).
    1. FCC compliant - prevents carving of profane grafitti with its blades; and contains needle and thread to repair wardrobe malfunctions

  • Sheesh... (Score:4, Funny)

    by doppleganger871 ( 303020 ) <nothanks@noco[ ]ct.org ['nta' in gap]> on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:27AM (#8531196) Homepage Journal
    Can't carry a knife? I always leave a rather large knife in my truck/vehicle, and most of the time I have a folding pocket knife on my belt. I've used it several times outside of work, even as a makeshift screwdriver.

    Well... I guess that's not as important as the 9mm hole punch I keep on the other side of my belt whenever possible. :)

  • The philosophers are right. (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Denyer ( 717613 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:38AM (#8531309)
    Information is a weapon...

    The point about legal carrying of sharp edges raises another interesting point. I mean, have you ever tried stabbing anything with most penknives? You'd have more joy sticking a biro through someone's chest. (Yes, I realise there are some very high-quality penknives out there too.) Yet there's no attempt by many law-enforcement agencies to differentiate between a useful basic tool and a dedicated weapon. Rather similar to the data/MP3/filesharing situation.

    • Re:The philosophers are right. (Score:4, Interesting)

      by jfengel ( 409917 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @10:37AM (#8531848) Homepage Journal
      The hijackers on September 11th supposedly used box cutters, cheap little disposable knives. If you tried to stab anybody the blade would snap, but you can cut somebody's throat pretty effectively. But you can do more damage with a SAK than a box cutter, and apparently they were pretty effective with the box cutters.

      So I wouldn't discount what you can do with a SAK on a plane. Things have changed and an attack of this kind again is extremely unlikely. But an attack of a different kind is not just likely but inevitable, and the law enforcement authorities are trying to cut off as many possible avenues of attack as they can. Often stupidly and ineffectively (you can't do any damange with toenail clippers that you can't do with your teeth), but they have good reason to be paranoid of tiny potential weapons.

    • Re:The philosophers are right. (Score:4, Insightful)

      by CrankyFool ( 680025 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @10:45AM (#8531934)
      It's not law enforcement's job to differentiate between my 2" pen knife and my Benchmade [benchmade.com] -- it's the politicians' job. If the law says knife blade, the cops look for knife blades. If the law said "bad ass blades over six inches," that's what the cops would go for.

      Though realistically, you're also inaccurate because the laws do treat different knives differently. It's legal for me to walk around with a 3.5" knife, but not if it's 4.5. It's legal if it's single-edged, but not if it's double-edged. And don't even get me started about my balisongs.

  • Wow (Score:3, Funny)

    by Valegor ( 693552 ) * on Thursday March 11, 2004 @09:41AM (#8531331)
    Now if extortion for the pictures I have on my flash stick doesn't work I can just stab the guy. Thanks Victorinox.

  • Outlaws (Score:4, Interesting)

    by smyle ( 108107 ) <Hutson DOT Kyle AT gmail DOT com> on Thursday March 11, 2004 @10:19AM (#8531670)
    In my home state of New South Wales, it is illegal to be carrying a knife without a reasonable excuse such as 'the lawful pursuit of the person's occupation'.

    If knives are outlawed, only outlaws will have knives.

    Have to admit, I hadn't heard about this law before. I carry a Gerber multitool-whatever-they-call-it. It has a knife blade, but more importantly it has a #2 Phillips screwdriver tip, perfect for opening just about every PC case made. I already have my excuse.

  • Link to more info. (Score:4, Informative)

    by amembleton ( 411990 ) <aembleton&bigfoot,com> on Thursday March 11, 2004 @10:22AM (#8531703) Homepage
    Click here [victorinox.com] for more info on the USB Swiss Army Knife.

  • This is nothing.... (Score:5, Funny)

    by AusG4 ( 651867 ) on Thursday March 11, 2004 @10:30AM (#8531773) Homepage Journal
    Kalashnikov is now offering an AK-47 complete with 120GB firewire hard disk. Never be caught off guard again! Not only is this weapon the choice of counter-government revolutionaries around the world, but now it stores over 15,000 MP3's.

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