Wandering Albatross—February 6, 2025
My Midnight Champ, essentially the same knife with the same tools but with translucent deep blue scales and a flashlight, found its way to the washing machine after several years of dutiful service, and I was appalled at the damage it sustained there (though, oddly, the LED light that's not water sealed still worked somehow). I decided it was time for a replacement especially since, since I purchased it, I have moved aboard a boat and prioritize submersibility when I jump overboard for a swim or go kayaking and things might go awry. This one's more durable at the expense of the light or, if you don't get one with the light, tweezers or toothpick. Is it odd that I really like the toothpicks on Victorinox knives? I even used them as...Toothpicks. But I digress. I like the wide array of tools on these MiniChamps regardless of which you choose. The bottle opener's a bit fidgety but otherwise, the only downside is how long it takes you to develop the ability to instinctively grab the right knife or tool out of the vast array it sports. The small phillips head screwdriver is the best small phillips head screwdriver I've ever had in terms of connecting exceptionally well with small phillips head screws. And as someone living a slightly more risky than average lifestyle, I like that it has a near-scalpel type blade and that the orange peeler one that's great for clamshell product packaging is also a pretty good design for cutting through clothes to access a wound with removing the item of clothing -- Which is probably what it was originally designed for. It's nice that it augments a first aid kit in the form of an everyday carry piece that's near always in my pocket. And with the aluminum scales, it's even thinner than with the plastic ones. I added a zipper tie to mine, so it's easier to handle and I have an inch more material to grab onto before it potentially slips out of my hand and falls overboard...And I break down in tears over losing a $50 exceptional and surprisingly manly looking for its size (with those checkered aluminum scales), pocket knife. I attached a proper lanyard with carabiner to my Victorinox Skipper Pro sailing knife, which I had to buy directly from Victorinox because Amazon didn't carry it at the time, but that would defeat the minimalist sizing of this one. Great job, Victorinox! I'll try to keep this one out of the marina washing machine. Read more
D.Zimmerman—April 9, 2018
At a mere two and one-quarter inches long, the Victorinox MiniChamp might look like a novelty or a toy, but it’s a genuinely useful if diminutive Swiss Army knife. It’s amazing just how many implements Victorinox was able to pack into something small enough to put in a pocket and forget it’s even there. Of the 17 “functions” as they’re called in Victorinox marketing (there are eight actual implements, but several of them have multiple functions), only the ruler and the cuticle pusher are of questionable value, the former because it’s so small as to be almost pointless, and the latter because I can’t figure out if it’s something that anybody would ever actually use for its intended purpose. I would have prefered a small scraper or chisel or large flathead screwdriver instead of a cuticle pusher; however, it can be opened to extend the length of the knife which makes the pen easier to write with, so it’s not wholly worthless. The remaining functions (including the ubiquitous keyring) are a generally well thought out collection of useful tools. -There are two blades of similar length, which might seem redundant, but each is a different shape making them well-suited for different tasks. They’re thin but sturdy and very sharp and hold their edge. -The orange peeler does its job, cutting cleanly through the skin without digging into the meat of the fruit. It also excels at opening those aggravatingly secure blister packages that everything seems to come in these days. -The scissors are good for small scale tasks, like cutting fishing line, or removing tags from a newly purchased item of clothing. They’re the classic Victorinox design with the flat wire spring which some people don’t like but I've never had a problem with in all the decades I've owned and used Victorinox knives and tools. -The small flathead screwdriver works well for screws like what you find holding a lightswitch cover in place, and as a light-duty pry-bar for jobs like removing a battery cover from a child’s toy or a TV remote. This is also where you find the questionably useful ruler etched down the broad side of the blade. There are markings for both inches and centimetres, although the fine, grey lines are somewhat difficult to see against the silvery backdrop. -The Phillips head screwdriver is the thickest tool on the knife but is fine-tipped enough to be used for eyeglasses repair. This implement does triple duty as bottle opener and wire stripper, but I can’t comment on those functions simply because I’ve never used them. -The keyring is a tiny split-ring that can be used as, well, as a keyring, but only for a single key because it’s too small for more, or it can be attached to a larger collection of keys, or used as an attachment point for a lanyard. -The nail file is my most-used tool and works very well keeping my nails smooth and short. Unlike the nail file on most other Victorinox knives, the one on the MiniChamp has a pointed tip which I prefer because it makes it easier to scrape the gunk out from under my nails. -There is, of course, a pair of tweezers slotted into one end. What can I say? They’re tweezers and function exactly as you would expect. They’re good for pulling a splinter out of a finger, or picking up a small object like a sewing needle. No toothpick on the MiniChamp because the other side of the knife holds the pen; however, if you prefer a toothpick to tweezers, you can always buy a package of replacement toothpicks and simply swap out the tweezers. -The pen seems like a gimmick at first but is, in fact, quite practical. You won't want to use it to take notes during a lecture, but it's perfect for signing your name, jotting down a short reminder, or adding to a shopping list. People are always surprised when I pull out my pocket knife to write something down -- “Those Swiss think of everything,” said a coworker -- and I once had to go to almost heroic lengths to convince someone that I wasn’t joking when he asked to borrow a pen, and I offered him the MiniChamp with the pen extended (“There really is a pen there. Yes, it really writes. No, it’s not a joke. You can see it right there. Here, let me show you. See? It writes. No, it’s not a trick. Yes, I’m serious,” and so on; he did eventually take it and then stared at it in wonder as if he still couldn’t believe his eyes). The ink capacity is obviously small, but the pen can be replaced simply by pulling it out and pushing in a new one until you feel it click in place. -Last and certainly least, the cuticle pusher. I suppose there are people who might find this useful. I just don't happen to be one of those people. It's rounded on the end with a slight curve across the blade, so it's not a good scraper, but it might work well as a small scoop, should you ever want such a thing. The best utility I've found for it is to use it in conjunction with the pen which gives you a better grip and makes it easier to write. The quality of materials and workmanship are excellent, but what else would you expect from Victorinox? All the implements open smoothly and snap open and closed with a satisfyingly crisp click. My MiniChamp came neatly and securely packaged in Victorinox’s traditional silver cardboard box, and I suspect that those reviewers complaining about poor packaging and low quality materials and workmanship were the victims of unscrupulous sellers or a cheap knockoff (and Amazon really should do a better job policing that sort of thing), because a genuine Victorinox product that’s shoddily made and falls apart as soon as you remove it from the package is pretty much unheard of. It’s not a substitute for a larger Swiss Army knife or a multitool, but the MiniChamp makes a nice compliment to your everyday carry kit. Read more
