Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Pioneer X Alox Multi Tool 9 Functions Silver

It's finally here! For years, Swiss Army knife fans have been clamouring for an alox model with scissors. Keen modders have gone to extraordinary lengths to create custom parts and tooling to fulfil this desire, but now we can enjoy what many see as the perfect every-day Swiss Army knife straight from the Victorinox factory. This particular style, branded the "Pioneer range" by Victorinox but known to fans as "alox" after the scale material, or "93mm" after the length, is very much in the same mould as the original Swiss Army soldier's knife issued between 1962 and 2007. In fact there are only four differences between that knife and the Pioneer X; the soldier's knife had no scissors, no keyring, a different shield design and different stamps on the tang, including the year of issue. But you came here for a review not a history lesson! So let's get the facts covered. According to UK law, it is legal to carry in public any knife whose cutting edge is under 3 inches and which is incapable of being locked in place. The Pioneer X falls comfortably within this definition, and so makes the ideal companion when you're out and about - the government website even gives a Swiss Army knife as an example of a UK-legal knife. In short, you should have no problem at all carrying and using this responsibly in public. The knife has several features. The main blade is long enough to handle most every-day urban tasks such as opening parcels, cutting bread rolls, string, etc. It's certainly good enough to handle heavier duties like wood carving too. It's made of a stainless steel and is stamped on the tang with three lines of text; "Victorinox / Swiss Made / Stainless". The blade is deployed via a nail nick, is held open by a fairly strong spring, and has no half stop. Opposite the main blade is a short awl, or reamer. This I have used many times to 'drill' small holes, particularly in leather belts. It can also function as a rough auxiliary blade, but is considerably less sharp than the razor edge of the main blade. On the second (middle) layer are the scissors. These are very sharp, reliable and precise as you'd expect from Victorinox. On the smaller red-handled Swiss Army knives the nail nick is on other side of scissors, enabling you to open them exactly like the main blade - from the top down. On the Pioneer X, the nick is on the other side and so you have to open the scissors a bit awkwardly from the bottom up. Not a critical flaw but difficult to understand why they've done that. The third layer houses the two openers. The bottle opener works well, and also acts as a flat blade screwdriver. As such, it includes a half-stop to help prevent the driver closing on your fingers under torque. The can opener also works well, and includes a smaller flat blade screwdriver head which can easily be put to use on most phillips head screws too. The 'handles' (more properly called scales) are made of aluminium with a checkered grip pattern and the signature red Victorinox shield. All in all, the Pioneer X is a very capable and well thought out tool that should last a lifetime.

I’ve been a Swiss Army Knife fan for more years than I care to remember, and the Pioneer-X Alox makes a superb addition to the several SAK’s I already own. I wanted a knife for everyday pocket carry, with the proviso that it had to be fully legal within the UK, and that it met certain specific requirements regarding its tools. (Those being: - large blade, large scissors, large & small width screwdrivers, and reamer/awl). The Pioneer-X has all of those, (along with bottle opener, tin opener, & wire stripper, which I didn’t particularly need). The very nicely engineered Alox-ribbed scales set this apart from my other SAK’s, all of which have the traditional red scales. The construction of the knife can’t be faulted, every tool being crafted to perfection, with no play whatsoever when any given tool is opened out for use. The blade, (circa 63mm cutting edge length), came “hair-shaving” sharp, straight out of the box. – And I know from previous experience, that maintaining such a sharp edge on this, as with any other Swiss Army Knife, will be easily done. My one small quibble, (albeit that other users might want this particular feature), was the key ring attachment. – For my purposes, a key ring attachment wasn’t needed, and one such as this, which sticks out rather bluntly at one end of the knife was definitely not wanted, as it could conceivably, over time, damage the fabric of whatever pockets it was being carried in. – My solution was to carefully file it completely away, leaving no obvious traces that it was ever there in the first place! Some may consider a knife with an overall length dimension of 93mm, and which weighs in at 94.5grams, to be slightly on the large side for everyday pocket carry. However, as an EDC item with all the, (sufficiently durable), tools to fulfil my typical daily needs, (and without going down the road of carrying an “all-out” multi-tool), the Pioneer-X will be really hard to beat. Overall, (at £28.90 at time of writing this review), typical Victorinox quality, and well worth the money.

I have a Nylon scaled Climber - two mm shorter, with a number of additional features I rarely need (Nylon scales are far less fragile than 'Celidor' even if you can't fit a toothpick and tweezers, or a 'Plus' option that adds a pin and pen). Because of that frailty I invested in an Alox 'Farmer', that is the agricultural version of an Alox Pioneer, substituting a saw for the file. Both purchases reflect the need for something durable, practically useful, and which doesn't need mollycoddling. PS The new Pioneer X swap the saw for scissors, and being in the Alox range there are no parcel hooks, or corkscrews, but the blades are thicker, the build quality is excelletnt and - contrary to some posted reviews about recycled second-hand SAKs - mine was supplied in the original Victorinox box, with the usual leaflet, and in absolutely pristine unused condition...

Great knife. It’s perfect for EDC because it has the things you will use everyday (unless you plan on cutting wood scissors seem much more useful). It is an attractive knife and actually has a space on the back to be engraved (I assume) which I wasn’t aware of so that’s a nice touch as well if you’re interested. Knife itself wasn’t sharp on arrival but not a big deal and it is also quite stiff and difficult to open all of the tools. For me that’s not a negative because it means you’re not complacent with it and it is less likely to close on your hand. Other tools work as expected and you know what you’re getting with a Victorinox knife, this one just adds a bit of individuality. Would recommend

I use this probably every day - mainly the scissors which are great on all SAKs - but all the other tools come in use quite regularly. The quality is good - not great in my case - there is some lateral play in the tools - but I can live with that for now. I like the finish and it’s easy to clean if it gets mucky. I use a pocket dangler and I don’t notice the weight in my pocket, but in the hand it feels quite solid and has a good weight to it.

Stronger springs than plastic-handle Victorinox knives. Makes them harder to open but also nicer to use. They do get a little easier to open after a few days of good use. This is normal. Still very strong afterwards. The blade is well under 3", even if you count the non-sharp part connecting the actual blade and the handle. I imagine there could be a situation where a policeman would say that is part of the blade. And this knife does not lock. I had to remove one star for the key-ring connector. It's in the perfect place to jam right into your palm when using the knife. I removed it with a file (picture attached). There are so many places they could have put it which wouldn't jam into your palm. You can see the difference in the photo that shows the Farmer model with it still attached. The scissors don't open as much as I'd like. The pivot is a little stiff. They only open as much as shown in the photo, which makes them barely more useful than my tiny 58mm rambler. I could probably fix it but haven't had time to try. Almost perfect selection of tools for me. But I actually don't need the scissors so might get a regular 2-layer Pioneer and give this one to my dad. I also have a Bantam which is really nice for ultra light carry, and can do most of what this Pioneer X can - just missing the scissors, awl/reamer and large screwdriver/pry tool. In the Pioneer I will probably sharpen the inside of the can opener into a box opener and cord cutter. Photo comparisons are with Rambler, Farmer and Bantam.

Looks great, good selection of tools. Perfect for carrying around on a regular day. Quality is really good and I love the alox scales

having had a Victorinox at my side for over 25 years I am not afraid to say I trust Victorinox tools with my life and I never leave home without one. I love the Alox SAK because the main blade is slightly thicker than the plastic handled variety . The handle scales are riveted to the tool which makes them pretty much impossible to break off and they have a lovely textured pattern which aids grip with wet hands.The can opener is brilliant and easy to use, the bottle opener does just that and the awl will make a hole with ease!. For me the addition of a pair of scissors cannot be underestimated, I use them pretty much every day because they are so sharp and accurate when cutting. for me not having scales that hold a toothpick and tweezers isn't really an issue as the scissors will dig a splinter out and the toothpick is a bit of a gimmick . I implore you to try a Victorinox with scissors and tell me im wrong!

Wow! This is a very high quality knife. The Alox scales give it a totally different feel and heft than a plastic handled knife. They're nice too and very lightweight and an excellent value for the price. But when you spend just a little bit more you're buying an heirloom quality knife that should last a lifetime if well cared for. I've got several Alox knives that will be handed down to my grandchildren. I hope they value them as much as I do.

Quite compact, I painted mine with some mat black nail polish to get it looking more like a black one with years of wear.

Ich habe mir das Victorinox Taschenmesser Pioneer X Alox gekauft, da ich ein Messer mit Schere wollte. Dabei fand ich zusätzlich noch die Griffschalen aus Aluminium schick. So viel zur Intention des Kaufes. Das Taschenmesser wird in einem kleinen schächtelchen geliefert zusammen mit einem Faltblatt, das die Verwendung und die Pflege des Messers erklärt. Das Faltblatt selber enthält mehrere sprachen darunter auch deutsch. Für mich ist das Faltblatt mehr als ausreichend, letztlich ist es ein Taschenmesser, und keine Boden-Luft Rakete die ich nutzen möchte. Die Verarbeitung des Messers ist perfekt. an meinem Messer kann ich nichts finden, was irgendwie nicht in Ordnung wäre. Die Messer Klinge ist scharf geschliffen, die Schere schneidet, und die Werkzeuge funktionieren alle. Ich bin mir sicher, dass ich an diesem Messer viel Freude haben werde. Fazit: Das Messer ist gut extrem verarbeitet und ist dazu noch schick. Es ist in Europa (der Schweiz) hergestellt. Daher geht der Preis auch für mich in Ordnung. Daher gebe ich 5 Sterne!

Pioneer X is a welcome addition to the Alox family of Victorinox. The popular Pioneer (based off Victorinox Soldier 1961) has been now been given an additional layer with scissors that collectors and customers had been asking for a long time. This Swiss Army Knife consists of a 93 mm (3.4 inch) folding knife with a blade length of less than 3" (complying with European knife laws), a pair of scissors, an awl/ punch (missing in the picture shown here), can opener with small flat screwdriver, bottle opener with large flat screwdriver & wire stripper. It has all the essential tools without the fancy ones (like the ever slandered corkscrew of course). It comes with anodised aluminium oxide scales / handles that are thinner than the usual plastic ones on other models, but much more durable and sturdier. It doesn't contain the signature tweezers and toothpick that the plastic handle models carry. If you are looking for a Swiss Army Knife with lots of functions, this is probably not for you. However, if you have been EDC'ing blades for a considerable time like myself, you will truly appreciate the features this knife offers. I use it as a backup / complimentary system for my Leatherman Wingman which has pliers and philips screwdriver that this SAK lacks. Pioneer X however, has a straight edge blade that the Wingman doesn't have and the wonderful Awl / Punch which has so many functions. Some of the other reviewers have complained that the scissors are difficult to use / open, but i haven't faced this issue so far. I even trimmed my nails and tried (some complained that you need long nails to open this) and still faced no issue. It is a great pair of scissors - similar to the ones you see on Climber, Huntsman and other models. The Alox scales are amazing, the tools are stronger, thicker, sturdier and the springs are tighter than the usual models with plastic casing. This entire tool is so much more durable and doesn't weigh more than a standard Climber. I would have probably liked a combo can/bottle opener tool and a philips screw driver instead of the dedicated can opener to make this the perfect EDC for me, but that's wishful thinking. For now this is a great EDC option in most parts of the world - including European countries like UK with very strict knife laws. In India, carrying this tool shouldn't raise any eyebrows as it is well within the legal limits prescribed for blades. I would avoid carrying it in Metros, Stadiums etc, where rules are more stringent. And for god's sake never put it in a cabin bag while flying. That has to be the worst way to lose a knife. Victorinox knives are made from Swedish steel that sharpens very quickly. Mine wasn't sharp out of box, but it took me less than 30 seconds to sharpen the blade using my Lansky. Now it is hair shaving sharp. Suggested sharpening angle 20 degrees or lesser. I particularly like the awl / punch which can be a secondary blade, self defence weapon (much more effective than the large blade which can cause more harm than good in self defence owing to its belly, lack of guard etc.) One thing to note is that I had to physically go to Victorinox store in Bangalore to purchase this as the vendor Circuit Board on Amazon kept sending Pioneer (the model that has no scissors and costs 800 Rs less) instead of Pioneer X. So please beware of this. Happened to me twice within a week. Overall, for the product I will retain a 5 star rating because it deserves nothing less. Victorinox is the world's largest pocket knife manufacturer for the last 100+ years for a reason. Impeccable quality and craftsmanship as always, at considerably affordable prices.

i am very satified with this victorinox pioneer x, but why oh why do the scissors have the nailcarve on the other side, then the whole world of victorinox fans know !? Very strange and clumsy, to change a given fact into the bad . Also indeed, the keyring knob pushes at the back in your hand, when holding the knife firmly. The pioneer x, as shown without keyring & right side nailcarved scissors, seem to be very rare or not a true option for buying !!