This guy has some really great vids on YouTube. He seems to clean up and sell vintage Swiss Army knives as well as collecting them. He has a whole series on just cleaning and repairing old ones.


Here, he has a look at a 2009 - made Climber compared to a horn-handled equivalent from the 1930's.
It's interesting to see the small changes over the decades.


That 2009 knife differs from the usual Climber in that it has commemorative red scales with gold trim for being made in the company 's 125th year. Normal Climbers have the usual scale choices of red, black, and whatever else they may be making at the time. Scales of buffalo horn or cattle horn are still offered on some models, as is stag.


I think you'll like this video. I think it's the one where he shows pics from a 1942 catalog, in which the knife was just called the Model 235, measuring the usual 91mm closed. There was an 84mm version, called 235K, presumably for "Kurtz", short.


I have a modern Climber, but all it offers over the Spartan is scissors. I keep it in an emergency bag that is basically a grooming bag like travelers use for shaving gear, etc. One can keep a knife, some food, flashlight, Kleenex, other stuff in it and have a handy addition to your car's supplies. I imagine that it'd go well on a bicycle, too.


I like the Camper, which subs a saw for scissors more than I like the Climber. But it's nice to get the Huntsman, which has both scissors and saw. It's too thick for pocket carry, but goes well in such a small pack or in a belt pouch. Swiss Army Brands sells such pouches.

I wonder what it says about me, when I think this is a cool video?

Ivan

I love my sak's. Great video, Thanks for posting.

I have collected vintage knives for many decades. Folders and military are my favorites. Being that I am an American, I mainly collect American made knives. The SAK's have always been fascinating to me but I own just a few and never use them. They are contradictions to me. I admire hand built quality and these are just assembly line knives. Yet these knives fascinate me. I cant pass one in a store without handling it and admiring. What neat and well thought out knives. If a Leatherman PST did not ride on my belt from belt from dawn to dusk I would have one of many SAK's knives in my pocket. The variety of models seem limitless. If I were a world traveler, a SAK would be my choice. There is something inoffensive about their appearance.

My very first knife was an old SAK, 4 blades, with that same shackle, and the old style awl, and the new forward action can opener.

I asked for a pocket knife for my 6 th birthday, and a co-worker of my dad's gave him the SAK to give to me. It was in new condition, even though it is was 20 years old. Unfortunately my dad filed off the blade points before he gave it to me, probably under orders from my mom

I used it with care for years, put points back on the blades. Eventually the shackle broke off, and was lost. The awl broke and got resharpened. It is still a solid knife, and in usable condition, not bad for a sixty year old knife.

I have an officers model that I got on 2005 \ 2006. A gift from a vendor at work. At first 8 to 9 years it rode in my motorcycle first aid kit. Here in the last year or so I only began to carry it. I like it and use almost daily .light duty packages and stuff. I am looking for a case Tiny Traper only because I want to down size a bit in that pocket. I will most likey still carry the swiss in rotation like I do all my lockblades.

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