It’s a big EDC market out there, and tons of awesome gear is released all the time. We made The Drop to help you discover the latest and greatest essentials worth a spot in your EDC.
The Victorinox Swiss Army Knife (SAK) is one of the most classic EDC tools you can have in your pockets. The Classic SD, in particular, pares things down to the essentials with a stainless steel knife and a helpful set of tools in a compact format so small that it can fit on your keychain. But if you want to elevate things, you can carry this tool’s special edition Damasteel version for added class and allure in your EDC.
With the Classic SD Brilliant Damast, Victorinox has hammered together 333 layers of beautiful stainless steel into an intricate pattern that adorns both sides of the outer scales of the Swiss Army Knife. This unique metalworking technique means that every single Classic SD Brilliant Damast will have a unique look not shared by the others. The Damasteel technique employed by Victorinox sets it apart from faux-Damascus steel blades and designs that rely on laser-etched designs instead of hammering and forming the steel itself.
The Brilliant Damast lets you carry an EDC-essential tool with more style. Its hammered stainless steel handles come with the same nail-nick opening knife, spring-loaded scissors, and nail file that the original comes with. In some ways, because it doesn’t have a bright red handle, it is more discreet than the original in places where a knife might turn heads. Of course, the Damasteel technique does come with an added cost. But if you want the original red-sided Cellidor Classic SD, that’s available for much less.
What we like: For big fans of Swiss Army Knives, the Damasteel treatment offers an elevated way to carry a practical EDC essential.
What to watch out for: One downside of the Damasteel treatment of this SAK is that it does not allow for the storage of the tweezers that the regular Classic SD has. If you’re looking purely at value rather than aesthetics, it can be hard to justify spending this much on something that does less than the standard multi-tool. But in many ways, you must simultaneously look at the Damasteel version of this SAK as a functional work of art. Be sure also to check out its siblings in Crystal and Carbon.
Final verdict: While the price tag is high, the Victorinox Classic SD Brilliant Damast is a gorgeous EDC multi-tool that lets you carry something unique to stand out. If you’re looking for a compact non-locking folding multitool knife with an added touch of class, it’s hard to pass this one up.
