6 Handy Uses For The Hook On Your Swiss Army Knife

Despite being around for over a century, Swiss Army knives are the gifts that keep on giving. Initially referred to as the "officer's knife", the multi-tool was developed by Karl Elsener I (whose company is now known as Victorinox) for military units in Switzerland. But with time, even ordinary civilians found their endless uses endearing, and the design has slowly evolved to be a staple in homes and workspaces worldwide. And over time, Swiss Army knives have expanded to include an ever-growing assortment of tools.

Because of this, you may be wondering which features you actually need for your day-to-day life (and those that don't really move the needle for you). While some Swiss Army knife tools are pretty straightforward, like scissors, screwdrivers, or knives, others can make you wonder what they're actually good for. One of the tools that many people aren't as familiar with is the parcel hook. 

The parcel hook is exactly what it sounds like — a long flat section with a hook at the tip. If you're on the fence about getting a Swiss Army knife with a hook or wondering what to do with the one you already have, here is what it was made for and the many other uses that you may not be familiar with.

Originally, the parcel hook was designed to help carry boxes or parcels via string, which can hurt your fingers when carried directly for long periods. In theory, you can use any type of string to do this, but of course it helps to use something sturdy to avoid unexpected breakage that can damage your stuff. On an ordinary day, you can use it to comfortably carry grocery bags, sports equipment, or other items that might be difficult to grip.

Apart from string, you can also your Swiss Army knife hook in tandem with bungee loops to do the job. On Amazon, the HORUSDY bungee cords come in a set of five for $7.99. But, if you want a wider version that can be used to secure and lift larger boxes, the dbest Trolly Dolly flat bungee cord may be a better choice. With over 21,500 reviews, it's a fan favorite among heavy duty users with an average rating of 4.5 stars and a price of $12.99 for a four-pack. 

Similar to other Swiss Army knife tools, the hook isn't limited to just one task. There are some other lesser known ways that it can help make your life better.

Lacing your shoes properly can mean the difference between being reasonably comfortable for long hours and having blisters midway through your hike. Not to mention, improperly tied or loose shoe laces aren't just messy, but they can also be dangerous because they can cause you to trip. With your multitool, you can use the hook to tie your shoe lace through tight spots.

While it's important to lace up, it can also be hard on your fingers to take your shoes off when you need to. Thankfully, the Swiss Army knife hook can also help pull out tight shoes laces at the end of a long day by safely loosening the shoe laces without damaging them and making it easier to slip your feet out. Apart from taking apart shoe laces, hooks can also be really useful to help unfasten tight knots of other varieties too. Although other tools on your Swiss Army knife, like the corkscrew, might also yield good results, the hook can add a lot of value on its own.

Whether you're looking to open a can of Coke or trying to feed your cats wet food, pull tabs can be incredibly useful if you don't have a can opener on-hand. But while they make it easier to open cans in general, there are some special cases where they can still be challenging to use. For example, some elderly people may lack the dexterity to use pull tabs. Alternatively, for anyone who loves getting their nails done, pulling on tabs can put your expensive nail polish or extensions at risk of being ruined. 

With your Swiss Army knife, you can easily pull tabs with less stress because all you have to do is hook the end of the pull tab and pull. That said, if you're someone who needs help opening cans a lot, the Jokari Easy Open Can Opener ($6.98) can provide a little more leverage and may be easier to use.

The parcel hook has other uses in the kitchen as well. For example, if you don't have an oven mitt or serving tongs, you can use the Swiss Army hook to pull hot objects, such as oven or air fryer trays.

These days, we do so many things with our cellphones, from calling family members and browsing social media, to joining meetings remotely. Unfortunately, it can be a little bit of hassle, especially if you still need to use both hands for something else like following recipes online or changing diapers. In a pinch, you can use your hook as a base and the body as a stand, so your Swiss Army knife can act like an impromptu phone holder. But take note, it's not necessarily the most stable, especially if you're planning to lean a whole tablet against it.

If you do find the need to use a phone stand often, you may want to consider getting a dedicated gadget for it in your home or workspace. Some popular stands include the Nulaxy desktop phone holder, which retails on Amazon for $14.99. Over 52,000 people have given a thumbs up, and the device, which can also be used with larger devices, has an average rating of 4.7 stars. If you're an iPhone user who wants something a little more sleek, MOFT's Phone Tripod may be a good choice. While it's $39.99 price can tag be a little excessive for some, it has a 4.4 rating from nearly 900 reviews.

With so much versatility in such a small package, it's no wonder multitools are essential for hikers and campers. Surprisingly, there are also tons of possible uses for the Swiss Army knife hook for camping, from the set-up and cooking process to the clean up after. 

For campers who love cooking with portable stoves or open flames, the hook can be pretty useful when you're lifting pots with metal handles that can be too hot to hold with your bare hands. Just make sure that the handle is thin enough to be comfortably lifted to avoid accidents. Speaking of cooking while camping, you might also want to check our recommendations for high-tech outdoor cooking gadgets that can do things your Swiss Army knife can't. 

Additionally, you can use your hook to manipulate metal wires for securing things together or turning them into an eyelet, which can be useful if you need to reinforce things like ripped tent fabric or a place to hang your camping safety gadgets. Lastly, you can even use the hook to pull out tent pegs that have been secured too well to the ground.

There's a reason why the term Swiss Army knife is synonymous with being an all-in-one solution. It's probably saved a lot of people from all kinds of unexpected repair troubles. For example, when it comes to the hook, it can be used for pulling on strings with a lot of tension, such as with fences, trampolines, or even bike chains.

You can use your Swiss Army knife hook for other types of repair that involve touching or pulling anything greasy. Alternatively, it's an easy way to attach a hook screw to any surface while using less effort twisting than with your bare fingers. So, if you just got a Canon Selphy CP1500 for the holidays, you can quickly buy a photo frame and hang up any printed photos in your home.