The Pocket Space Race
Growing up we always loved that our dad had a red Swiss Army Knife Classic SD (the "SD" stands for the nail file's "screw driver tip" added in the 1970's).
Now that our son is a licensed driver, I wanted to give him a cool keychain for his pocket. But the high schools understandably heed closely to TSA carry-on guidelines for student safety. That rules out the SAK ("Swiss Army Knife") on his keychain. That started a shopping experience that led me down the Every Day Carry rabbit hole.
I started to look for different "Every Day Carry" tools for keychains. Sporting goods stores have these all over point-of-sale by the cash registers. The name of the most common model EDC escaped me. But a quick online search revealed the name "Gerber Shard": No blade, "TSA-approved", and while not particularly attractive, it might be handy to have around in lieu of a SAK. But the name "Shard" points to its main drawback: who wants a sharp shard attached to a keychain poking around in their jeans?
Further search revealed Nite Ize's DoohicKey as a slightly better no-blade EDC to the Gerber Shard. Not particularly attractive either, the DoohicKey is rounder and slightly more useful than the Gerber Shard on account of the wrench (a trio of hex openings for 1/4”, 5/16”, and 3/8”) and the scoring point that can be used to open packages. It also seemed less likely to stab you through the pocket than the Gerber Shard.
For around $6 the DoohicKey and Gerber Shard are certainly more affordable than the Swiss Army Knife Classic SD.
Victorinox made headlines last summer when it was announced that the manufacturer of Swiss Army Knives was working on a tool that would not have any blades included. People freaked out. Their personal blade rights were being encumbered upon by neutral Swiss Army knife and luggage merchants.
“We are in the early stages of developing pocket tools without blades.” Victorinox will continue to make knives. Rest assured that their initiative to "compliment the existing range of multi-tools rather than replacing them" is all about staying competitive in the airport-friendly EDC market. The EDC battle is on for pocket-share. Victorinox has been the strong leader for decades. But airport security has withered away their market share and seeded an enormous second-hand market online for confiscated knives.
“With innovation at the core of our brand, we are constantly listening to our consumers and their needs; and acknowledge that there is an appetite for the functionality, versatility, and craftsmanship the Swiss Army Knife is known for in more specialized fields and situations.”
https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/07/business/swiss-army-knife-blade-scli-intl/index.html?ftag=MSFd61514f
There is currently available a Swiss Army Knife-style tool that is TSA-approved. The Victorinox Jetsetter was introduced in 2012. Almost completely identical to the ubiquitous Swiss Army Knife Classic SD that my dad still carries in his pocket, the Jetsetter was supposed to get loyal customers by the post-9/11 security requirements yet still retain that smooth Victorinox Swiss Army Knife appeal. Why have we never heard about the Jetsetter?!
The Jetsetter's tools include Scissors / Key ring / Tweezers / Toothpick / Bottle opener / Wire stripper / Phillips screwdriver 0/1, magnetic as described on the product site. It is a little hard to believe that the TSA would be OK with the scissors. The TSA website specifies: "Scissors with blades smaller than 4 inches and other sharp objects that do not contain a blade may be placed in carry-on baggage."
But it's up to the discretion of the TSA agent whether or not they decide to allow you to carry-on the Jetsetter. Folks claiming to be agents online say that, while the Jetsetter is permitted for carry-on, it's best that passengers in line put the tool in the bin in order to be more upfront about it.
Unfortunately Victorinox doesn't include the nail file flathead screwdriver in the Jetsetter. The multitool provides a Phillips screwdriver, wire cutter, and bottle opener and takes up the same space that the pen blade and nail file do on the Classic SD. It's easy to see the tool choice issue that Victorinox is facing. The scissors are the real prize and take up two slots. So on the other side of the tool, the tool provided either must take up two slots or Victorinox needs to develop a tool to slot in next to a nail file with SD (screw driver flat head). An early version of the Jetsetter (2013) called the Jetsetter Flash Drive included a "clamshell package opener" and a USB drive. The clamshell package opener is menacing enough in its appearance. TSA agents would be skeptical at first sight.
It's easier now to understand last summer's blade-free announcement from Victorinox is meant to address this inconsistent practice and to compete against new brands like Leatherman, Gerber, and Nite Ize. In 1997 Victorinox developed the Swiss Tool to compete with Leatherman. It's more expensive and not as extensible as the Leatherman.
The unwritten rule for air travelers is: if you want to keep your Victorinox Swiss Army Knife-looking product or avoid unnecessary hassle, regardless if it's the so-called TSA-approved Jetsetter or a modded SAK with its blade removed, you had better stow it away in checked luggage.
Where does that leave my kid trying to get to school with his keychain? Well, it means he now has the house key connected to the blade-free Nite Ize DoohicKey. It will be interesting to see if the DoohicKey's blunt edge tools come in handy for him or not. Maybe we should have just gotten him a fidget object like the Rizzle instead.
Victorinox wants to keep its products in your pockets. Companies like Gerber, Leatherman, and Nite Ize are impinging on their market sector despite not being as attractive as Swiss Army tools. Whatever Victorinox comes up with, it will be interesting to see how much it retains of the classic aesthetic of the Swiss Army Knife. If it's too similar in form & appearance, it will continue to attract the unwanted attention of TSA agents trying to keep passengers safe. If it differs too much from the look, it might alienate loyal customers.
While the SAK Jetsetter sure looks a lot nicer than the Gerber Shard or the Nite Ize DoohicKey, its ongoing dilemma here is a marketing research paper waiting to happen.