What do you think?
Rate this book
Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Camping & Outdoor Survival Guide: 101 Tips, Tricks & Uses (Fox Chapel Publishing) How to Sharpen Your Skills and Handle Emergency Situations with Just Your Pocket Knife
Sharpen your survival skills with this handy guide for your Swiss Army Knife! Sharpen your survival skills and learn why you should keep a Swiss Army Knife with you at all times, whether you are exploring wild jungles, tall peaks, or city streets. As a handy "everyday carry" for life's challenges, the versatile Swiss Army Knife can't be beat! Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Camping & Outdoor Survival Guide shows how to use your iconic red multi-tool to handle 101 different bushcraft needs and emergency situations. From starting a fire and making a shelter to catching a fish, building a stove, or repairing your gear, discover why the SAK is a must-have for every survival kit and outdoor adventure! Inside this book—the first survival guide of its kind to feature the Swiss Army Knife—author Bryan Lynch includes basic advice on knife care, and reviews the many models and features currently available from Victorinox AG, makers of the Original Swiss Army Knife. The book encourages awareness about emergency preparedness and shows how the Swiss Army Knife can be used in a myriad of situations from starting a fire to making a shelter and everything in between. Learn how to use your Swiss Army Knife These days it's common to hear about a person, or a group of people, who have had to be rescued in a natural setting or who have overcome a survival situation. In general, most people venture out into situations they are not prepared for because they think it can't happen to them. "Emergency situations happen all of the time," says outdoor enthusiast and author Bryan Lynch. "We put our seat belts on every time we enter a car not because we want to get into an accident, but just in case. Why not take that same approach to other emergency situations?" Be prepared and confident in any survival situation with Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Camping & Outdoor Survival Guide !
224 pages, Paperback
Published May 13, 2019
24 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 13, 2019
The title says it all really. A very complete guide on the Victorinox Swiss Army Knife (a brief history on it and it presents a good variety of models) and there is also a bunch of survival tips. Well done and perfect for what it try to accomplish!
April 8, 2019
Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Camping & Outdoor Survival Guide
101 Tips, Tricks & Uses
by Bryan Lynch
One year my brother gave me a Swiss Army Knife as a gift. I ended up taking it back to upgrade and get more gadgets on the knife knowing I would use it often in the future. How did I know this? I was living overseas and had moved a number of times only to find I didn’t have the tools I needed to put a toy together or fix equipment or open a can or bottle of wine SO I wanted the BIG knife with EVERYTHING on it. And, that is what I traded it in for. I have carried that knife with me for decades and still take it out from time to time to use when needed. I have given Swiss Army Knives to friends as gifts even giving his and hers knives to very good friends. I have also taken it to school (to teach sixth grade) and had a student steal the pen and glasses screw driver I had bought separately to have should my daughter’s glasses need tightening or I should need to leave a message somewhere.
In this book I read about the various knives Victorinox produces and tried to identify the one I have. I learned how to clean the knife...and it has not yet been cleaned as mentioned in this book so see myself doing so soon. I learned how to replace springs and how the knife should be personalized and that I can replace the red outer layer my husband chipped fixing something outside one day. I also came away wanting to take a survival course and at 67, female and living in Lebanon don’t see that happening any time soon ;) Who wouldn’t want to know how to make cord from trees to tie something with or how to handle situations that were mentioned in this book?
Did I enjoy this book? Definitely
Would I buy this book? Yes
Would I give it as a gift to others? Yes...with a Swiss Army Knife
Who do I see benefiting from this book? Just about anyone but perhaps scout leaders and survivalists would benefit most.
Thank you to NetGalley and Fox Chapel Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
101 Tips, Tricks & Uses
by Bryan Lynch
One year my brother gave me a Swiss Army Knife as a gift. I ended up taking it back to upgrade and get more gadgets on the knife knowing I would use it often in the future. How did I know this? I was living overseas and had moved a number of times only to find I didn’t have the tools I needed to put a toy together or fix equipment or open a can or bottle of wine SO I wanted the BIG knife with EVERYTHING on it. And, that is what I traded it in for. I have carried that knife with me for decades and still take it out from time to time to use when needed. I have given Swiss Army Knives to friends as gifts even giving his and hers knives to very good friends. I have also taken it to school (to teach sixth grade) and had a student steal the pen and glasses screw driver I had bought separately to have should my daughter’s glasses need tightening or I should need to leave a message somewhere.
In this book I read about the various knives Victorinox produces and tried to identify the one I have. I learned how to clean the knife...and it has not yet been cleaned as mentioned in this book so see myself doing so soon. I learned how to replace springs and how the knife should be personalized and that I can replace the red outer layer my husband chipped fixing something outside one day. I also came away wanting to take a survival course and at 67, female and living in Lebanon don’t see that happening any time soon ;) Who wouldn’t want to know how to make cord from trees to tie something with or how to handle situations that were mentioned in this book?
Did I enjoy this book? Definitely
Would I buy this book? Yes
Would I give it as a gift to others? Yes...with a Swiss Army Knife
Who do I see benefiting from this book? Just about anyone but perhaps scout leaders and survivalists would benefit most.
Thank you to NetGalley and Fox Chapel Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
April 1, 2019
Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Camping
by Bryan Lynch
This book is a packed guide for survival, using one of the many different Swiss Army knifes. You will learn about all the different knives that they make, I think I actually saw one with the kitchen sink!
With knife In hand, you can whittle logs or branches into so many different things that can be detrimental to survival. Included is a chapter on the care and instructions on how to sharpen the knives. In this book is also basic to advance survival topics such as, fire starting, water collection and basic first aid.
If your an outdoors person, you should have this guide in your library, better yet in your backpack so you don’t leave without it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
#Netgalley
by Bryan Lynch
This book is a packed guide for survival, using one of the many different Swiss Army knifes. You will learn about all the different knives that they make, I think I actually saw one with the kitchen sink!
With knife In hand, you can whittle logs or branches into so many different things that can be detrimental to survival. Included is a chapter on the care and instructions on how to sharpen the knives. In this book is also basic to advance survival topics such as, fire starting, water collection and basic first aid.
If your an outdoors person, you should have this guide in your library, better yet in your backpack so you don’t leave without it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
#Netgalley
February 7, 2019
Omg...I had NO idea...where was this book back in the 1970's when I had a Swiss Army Knife?? I used that thing to death camping, fishing, etc...I lost it at some point way back in the day (I think...It could just be packed away in the attic, too..I need to either go look for my vintage knife or purchase a new one.) Now that there is a book about it's many uses and maintenance, I need to get the knife back! I never knew it had so many uses as are listed i this book! Fans of the gadget will love this book. So much info! I loved my old kit!
I received a Kindle ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
May 6, 2019
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Camping & Outdoor Survival Guide is an officially sanctioned Swiss Army Knife guide to the available models, their assorted multi-tools, and a useful collection of bushcraft tips and how they can be utilized with the multi-tools in the swiss army knives. Released 9th April 2019 by Fox Chapel, it's 224 pages and available in paperback format.
There's an introductory chapter (15% of the content) which includes a history of the development of Swiss Army knives along with some really handy tables which show the different styles of knives available and which accessories are standard with which models.
The next chapter (10%) includes a really good tutorial on maintenance and sharpening knives as well as cleaning and repairing of worn out or lost small accessories (toothpick, scissors, tweezers, etc). I was fascinated by the plastic divided replacement parts box with all the springs and bits. I never knew such a thing was available.
The bulk of the book (70%) is used on a really good, creative, and thoughtful guide to bushcraft. It includes good philosophy and crisis management along with many well photographed tutorials on gathering materials, assessing situations and making a plan, making fire, securing shelter, finding or filtering safe water, fishing, and foraging for food.
There -is- a sort of prepper vibe about some parts of the book, however, in crisis situations, being able to repair or make tools and source/repair transportation (bicycle repair for example, though not covered, has a sidebar with some interesting ideas for scavenging parts for further uses) can have profound effects on survival. It's much better to be prepared than not.
There aren't a lot of new books with sensible reproducible hints and survival tips which are realistic for the average person. This one is.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Camping & Outdoor Survival Guide is an officially sanctioned Swiss Army Knife guide to the available models, their assorted multi-tools, and a useful collection of bushcraft tips and how they can be utilized with the multi-tools in the swiss army knives. Released 9th April 2019 by Fox Chapel, it's 224 pages and available in paperback format.
There's an introductory chapter (15% of the content) which includes a history of the development of Swiss Army knives along with some really handy tables which show the different styles of knives available and which accessories are standard with which models.
The next chapter (10%) includes a really good tutorial on maintenance and sharpening knives as well as cleaning and repairing of worn out or lost small accessories (toothpick, scissors, tweezers, etc). I was fascinated by the plastic divided replacement parts box with all the springs and bits. I never knew such a thing was available.
The bulk of the book (70%) is used on a really good, creative, and thoughtful guide to bushcraft. It includes good philosophy and crisis management along with many well photographed tutorials on gathering materials, assessing situations and making a plan, making fire, securing shelter, finding or filtering safe water, fishing, and foraging for food.
There -is- a sort of prepper vibe about some parts of the book, however, in crisis situations, being able to repair or make tools and source/repair transportation (bicycle repair for example, though not covered, has a sidebar with some interesting ideas for scavenging parts for further uses) can have profound effects on survival. It's much better to be prepared than not.
There aren't a lot of new books with sensible reproducible hints and survival tips which are realistic for the average person. This one is.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
January 24, 2021
I would like to give a better rating, but it is not possible.
The vast majority of the photos of the Swiss army knives contain errors: wrong identification of the tools, difficult to locate in the legend, missing identification, etc.
Clearly there was a flaw in the diagramming and there was a lack of revision.
Then there are several things that I found interesting and that did not have any photo or diagram explaining how to do it. Some things are difficult to understand or imagine only by reading a text.
However, with things like cutting a simple aluminum can, there are a lot of photos (which is very unnecessary!).
You can see that there is a wrong priority in showing very simple things, which could have been simplified, instead of showing how to do the most complex things.
I thought I would learn how to use all the functions and tools of the pocket knife correctly, but at the end, the excerpt from page 219, summarizes what the book is really about:
"This book [briefly] explores how to use the Swiss Army Knife for outdoor survival situations" ("briefly" is by me)
The vast majority of the photos of the Swiss army knives contain errors: wrong identification of the tools, difficult to locate in the legend, missing identification, etc.
Clearly there was a flaw in the diagramming and there was a lack of revision.
Then there are several things that I found interesting and that did not have any photo or diagram explaining how to do it. Some things are difficult to understand or imagine only by reading a text.
However, with things like cutting a simple aluminum can, there are a lot of photos (which is very unnecessary!).
You can see that there is a wrong priority in showing very simple things, which could have been simplified, instead of showing how to do the most complex things.
I thought I would learn how to use all the functions and tools of the pocket knife correctly, but at the end, the excerpt from page 219, summarizes what the book is really about:
"This book [briefly] explores how to use the Swiss Army Knife for outdoor survival situations" ("briefly" is by me)
April 6, 2019
I've had this book for review for quite a while now, looking at it several times for reference. At first glance, this looks like a catalog for Victorinox, but the main part has a lot of practical tips for woodcraft and survival. Easy instructions and beautiful illustrations.
July 7, 2023
Great, thought provoking read!
Great book on the SAK, with a lot of often overlooked tips and tricks! Enjoyable to read, well paced, finished it in one sitting, and look at my knife in a whole new list of possibilities.
Great book on the SAK, with a lot of often overlooked tips and tricks! Enjoyable to read, well paced, finished it in one sitting, and look at my knife in a whole new list of possibilities.
September 10, 2020
I'm not really the outdoor survivalist type - my Swiss army knife lives in my handbag - but this is a lovely little book, full of useful tips. I really enjoyed it.
August 30, 2023
Well illustrated and concise. I picked up several new tricks. I have carried several of these well made knives. Even when I wore dress suits, there was a small one in my pants pocket. Recommend!
April 9, 2019
Bryan Lynch shares a lifetime of researching the ins and outs of the possible uses of the classic Swiss Army Knife. I have always had one, as have my children, and thought we were quite well versed in the versatility of the Swiss Army Knife. It is the first thing we pack on a camping trip or a nature walk. Now I will have to have a pouch to carry mine around everywhere I go. There are also hints and tips for keeping the knife clean and sharp and using together several of the options for off-the-wall jobs I never would have thought of on my own. Thank you!
This book was easy to read, the pictures were clear and helpful and there were so many things we had never thought of using our knives for. I am happy to recommend Bryan Lynch's work to friends and family. My only complaint is that I was not aware of the SwissChamp XAVT. Now I must have one...
I received an electronic copy of this how-to guide from Netgalley, Bryan Lynch and Fox Chapel Publishing. I have read and reviewed this work strictly on my own volition.
pub date April 9, 2019
Fox Chapel Publishing
Review posted on April 9, 2019, at Goodreads, Netgalley, Amazon, and B&N
This book was easy to read, the pictures were clear and helpful and there were so many things we had never thought of using our knives for. I am happy to recommend Bryan Lynch's work to friends and family. My only complaint is that I was not aware of the SwissChamp XAVT. Now I must have one...
I received an electronic copy of this how-to guide from Netgalley, Bryan Lynch and Fox Chapel Publishing. I have read and reviewed this work strictly on my own volition.
pub date April 9, 2019
Fox Chapel Publishing
Review posted on April 9, 2019, at Goodreads, Netgalley, Amazon, and B&N
April 12, 2019
Wow, I’m incredibly impressed by the usefulness and depth of material this book covers. I initially thought it would only cover a few basic things, but this was rather thorough. It gave great tips for camping and survival, just as it says on the tin. I will have to buy the physical book for myself and for my son, as I think that the information is vital for all kinds of camping or survival situations. The first part of the book goes over some main models and what each tool is called and used for. Then the rest of the book is filled with usage, techniques, tips, and cautions. This book would make a great gift for any outdoorsy type, a scout, hunter, survivalist, prepper, or simply anyone wanting to learn clever ways to use their Swiss Army Knife for various situations. Thanks to the publisher and NG for the opportunity to read and review that is book.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews