Chris Pirillo » knife

Is a Swiss Army Knife in Your Life?

Chris Pirillo — Wed, 19 May 2010 16:09:54 +0000

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Swiss Army Knives . All opinions are 100% mine.

Though I’ve never been much of an outdoorsman, I was absolutely a Cub Scout.

I seem to remember picking up my first pocket knife at Camp Mitigwa. That opportunity was afforded me by the grace of my parents – likely due to having previously mastered knife safety (not to say that I’ve always been good).

My younger brothers and I would often marvel at the process by which my grandfather could turn (1) a small branch and (2) an acorn into (3) a faux pipe… with nothing more than his not-so-rusty trusty whittle skills.

Since hanging up my neckerchief, I’ve not had a pocket knife in my pocket. The closest to it would be some kind of USB flash drive on my keychain – but that’s without any sharp edges, virtually useless for routine tasks (like opening boxes, unscrewing fasteners, or fighting off wild boars that happen to wander into my house).

Imagine my delight when I was given the opportunity to play with a Swiss Army Dual Pro X this week. I didn’t really play with it, per se – but I did use out at any given opportunity. Unfortunately, no wild boars wandered into my house this week (so I really can’t tell you if it would be effective in that scenario… yet).

Let me just say: I love the loops. Every other pocket knife I’ve owned wasn’t designed for as much convenience. I don’t have to keep turning the knife around, “scouting” for the primary blade. There it is – no questions axed. That was a pun.

Every geek needs a set of screwdrivers (flathead and Phillips) at his or her disposal. The wire stripper may also come in handy for those who deal with A/V cables on a regular basis, too. I’m sure they could’ve accommodated a cable crimping tool on one end, but the call for that is probably not as high as it is for a can opener. With that blade, I quickly opened a can of whoop ass.

Not really – but I totally turned people’s heads when I demonstrated total control over my Dual Pro X. They were all like: “I wish the iPad came with that.” And I’m all like: “Maybe it’ll come in the second generation!”

But why should you wait for something you can get right now? Inevitably, you’ll find yourself in a situation that would call for something sharp – isn’t it, then, wise to equip yourself with the right tool for the job? If you’re using a car key to work your way through a job that another instrument would excel at – you’re not the sharpest tool in the shed. Literally.

It’s completely up to you – but don’t expect my sympathy if you wind up losing a leg due to an unexpected wild boar home invasion. Oh, and please don’t ask me to whittle anything for you, either. You’re fully capable of doing things yourself – and the Dual Pro X will allow you to fulfill that capability.

By the way, you can “Like” the Victorinox Swiss Army Facebook page and participate in Share the Adventure for a chance to win stuff and compete for a $25,000 Ultimate Adventure.

Is a Swiss Army Knife in Your Life?

Knife Safety

Chris Pirillo — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:03:14 +0000

Knife Safety

Seconds after slicing my fingertip, I snapped this shot over the sink. Yeah, it hurt – a lot. I’m better now, though. It looks worse than it actually was, mind you.

Always cut away from yourself. I forgot to follow this rule.
Always make sure your blades are sharp. I remembered to follow this rule.
Always have a firm grip on the handle. I remembered to follow this rule, too.

Moments after washing up, placing gauze over the wound, and applying pressure, I poised my hand above my head (heart) and paced a bit. I started to feel faint, went to lay down, and phoned 911. When the operator transferred me to the local respondents, she stated: “I have someone on the line who has cut off the tip of his finger.” I had to interject, laughing – “I just cut off the SKIN on the tip of my finger. I don’t want to pass out and start gushing blood all over the place.”

When the fire department crew arrived (four of ‘em strong), I greeted them at the front door and offered beverages and snacks. They took one look at the finger in question and placed a band-aid over it. Of course, within seconds, the bandage was soaked (since I was still bleeding rather profusely). They bandaged it tighter with gauze and tape, and I pressed against the wound continuously for the next few hours.

It’s been a couple of days since the accident and I’m still oozing a little (which Imei says is normal – and she’s a nurse, so she’d know). The good news is that I haven’t been traumatized to the point where I’m avoiding sharp instruments – I’m just being hella more careful with them!

Knife Safety

What Would You Want in an All-in-One Gadget?

Chris Pirillo — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:00:21 +0000

What Would You Want in an All-in-One Gadget?

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What kind of gadget do you think this is? I asked my chat room, and they gave me several interesting answers. None of them guessed correctly that it is a Guppie! To be more exact, it’s the Lil Guppie Multi-Tool from our friends at ThinkGeek!

In most situations a guppy isn’t going to help you get a whole lot accomplished. Sure, they’re cute and small, but generally don’t do very much other than look cute and small. The Lil Guppie Multi-tool, however, is a fish of a different kind. Easy to carry, packed with tools, great for making light repairs – not to mention that it’s cute and small, too.

The adjustable wrench on the Lil Guppie Multi-tool opens to 10 mm so it can be used for light repairs and assembly jobs. The carabiner is great for attaching to a D-ring, belt loop or backpack. The high-carbon stainless steel blade has a razor sharp edge and can be opened or closed with one hand. The tail of the Guppie is a flat blade screwdriver that can handle smaller size screws in a pinch and the base of the jaw is a Phillips screwdriver. The curved fin is a built-in bottle opener. The Guppie also comes with a detachable stainless steel pocket clip that makes a great money clip.

For only $20.00, it’s absolutely worth picking one of these up for yourself. And, with the holidays right around the corner, why not grab one to give as a gift, as well?

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What Would You Want in an All-in-One Gadget?