On a typical day, a person wouldn’t normally mention the words pocket
knives and PDAs in the same sentence. Just the idea
conjures up nightmarish thoughts of someone trying to use a pen knife as a
stylus substitute! EEP!
But in this case, I can talk about pocket knives and PDAs together and not
feel frightened… Check out this trio of small
Swiss Army knives with built-in
styli. Just when you thought that Swiss Army knives included every type of blade
and doo-hickey known to man, they go and add another feature that makes you say
"cool".
In this review I’m going to take a look at the Midnight Minichamp II, the
Signature II Lite with Stylus and the Stylus Knife.
Midnight Minichamp II
This knife reminds me of a mini version of the
Cybertool that I reviewed not long
ago. It doesn’t have the
same number of tools, but it just reminds me of a baby version of this same
knife.
It is only available in the classic red version. It is 2.28 in (58 mm) in length x 0.65
in (17 mm) wide and weighs 1.6 oz. The Midnight Minichamp II is a solid little
knife that can fit into almost any pocket or bag.
| The tools / blades that are included are as follows:
1. Small blade |
 |
As you can see, there are plenty of tools that can be useful in many different
situations. And for PDA users, there is even a retractable stylus! Woo hoo!
Of course this stylus is not one that you’ll want to use all the time, it’s
just for use when you’re in a pinch because it’s definitely not super
comfortable to write with for an extended period of time. Also, the tip is made of gray plastic and isn’t
the smoothest that I’ve ever felt. As a result, I would only feel secure using
it on a PDA that has some type of screen protection installed.
For those of you that might not have a PDA that requires a stylus, you can
switch out the stylus tip with the ballpoint pen tip that is included. Just
extend, pull out and snap in the new tip. Fast and simple.
Another nifty feature of this knife is the built-in light. By pressing and
holding the Victorinox logo on the side of the knife, it activates a red LED.
This can be useful if you carry the Midnight Minichamp II on your keychain and need
to find a keyhole in the dark. The light runs on a Panasonic CR 1025 3V coin
cell battery that is rated to last approximately 2.5yrs under normal conditions.
All in all, this item makes a great addition to anyone’s key ring, gear bag or
tool pouch. It’s made with the same quality that Swiss Army has long been known for, and
comes with a lifetime limited warranty.
Price: $38.00
Pros:
Lots of tools in a small package
Includes a mini light
Cons:
Stylus tip is rough
Signature II Lite with Stylus
This pocket knife is a minimalists version of the one above. It has half as
many tools as the Minichamp, and as a result is quite a bit thinner and lighter
to carry. It is 2.28 in (58 mm) in length x 0.47 in (12 mm) wide and weighs in
at 0.8
oz.
| The tools that are included are:
1. Small blade
|
 |
The Signature II Lite is available in red, black, sapphire, amethyst, and
emerald translucent colors. And like all Swiss Army knifes, this one is solid
and well made.
I especially like the little scissors. They are surprisingly sharp and
strong. I didn’t have a problem using them to cut thru some thick card stock.
Like the other knife reviewed above, this one also has a built-in red LED
light that is activated by pressing and holding the logo on the side. The small
coin cell battery that powers it can be easily replaced when needed. I’m not
sure how hard it might be to find the specific cell (Panasonic CR 1025 3V)
though…
If this little guy also had a little Phillips screwdriver tip, it would be
the perfect replacement for my little Old Timer knife that I carry in my watch
fob pocket every day. It does have a flat head screwdriver tip though.
Price: $26.00
Pros:
Built-in light
Small package
Cons:
Stylus tip is rough
Stylus Knife
This knife is identical to the one above except that instead of a built-in light, it
has a pair of tweezers. Another difference is the fact that it is not available in as many color
choices as the
Signature II. Instead, it is available only in Translucent Sapphire Blue,
Translucent Ruby Red and Classic Red.
| Included tools:
1. Small blade
|
 |
If you want a small Swiss Army knife for your pocket or purse and don’t think
you need or use a light, this might be the one for you.
Price: $22.50
Pros:
Compact design
Tweezers
Cons:
Stylus tip is rough
All the knives in this review are available at
StylusCentral and other fine
retailers.
Product Information
| Price: | 22.5 |
| Manufacturer: | Swiss Army |
| Pros: |
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| Cons: |
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