Interesting video. A SAK, a Wenger Traveler to be precise, has gone everywhere I have for the past 40+ years. Some time back the scissors broke. I sent it in, got a brand new knife in return. Sure beat the "too bad, buy a new one" response from Case when I sent one of theirs back about the same time.
Victorinox official video: terrific!
- Thread starter Texas Star
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OP
Texas Star
US Veteran
How'd you break the scissors?! Wenger had a sliding bar for a scissors spring.
Case has a rep for taking care of customers. What happened to their knife and how and which model?
I'm not trying to challenge you or do anything but learn what happened. But this seems interesting.
I've never broken a Vic. spring or lost one, but I can see how a spring might manage to pop out of the scissors and be lost. People lose tweezers and toothpicks, too. They sell spares.
BTW, I own both brands of SAK. Vic. did buy Wenger and operated it for a time, then decided to put the Vic. name on all knives. Wenger may still make some models, but use the Vic. name on them. I think they'll continue to make their watches and other items.
Texas, thanks for posting that cool video. I, like so many others here carry a small Swiss Army knife everyday. It is usually not the only knife I have on me, but it is attached by a little lanyard to my thumb drive, where I store all of the data that I use in my teaching. Tests, lectures, syllabi, etc. now I see that I can get a combination knife and thumb drive in one piece!!! I'll have to look into that.
Best Regards, Les
Best Regards, Les
Texas Star's post writing that he's glad you finally got a Tinkerer reminded me of the picture of your old one. If I recall correctly you retired it after sharpening away so much that the blade tip is above the handle. Have you considered filing its kick? The kick is the lower front corner of the tang that stops blade closure short of the edge touching the back spring. Most new slip joints have generous clearance between the edge and back spring when closed. Your worn blade would have even more room to move inward. Using trial and error filing tiny amounts off its kick should lower the point into the handle.
After reading that I had to swap pocket knives to a simple slip joint Jack knife with stag handles and 1095 carbon steel blades. The world is back in balance!
Why would you buy or carry anything else??
OK, I can take a ribbing!!! My other most carried knife is a Case with jiggled bone scales and a carbon steel blade made in the 1960s. When I'm in the field, it's a Puma from the 1960s, with the old fashioned "Pumaster steel" blade and India Stag scales!! I was only kidding about getting the combination thumb drive and knife, anyway. But I will plead an indulgence on the technology, as the information on that thumb drive is a tool that I use I make the money to spend on old fashioned revolvers!!!
Best Regards, Les
Best Regards, Les
Thanks, K22fan (I have a 5 screw K 22 and love it) I'd never thought of filing the kick. In fact I've never before heard the term 'kick'. However the main problem with the knife was that the red plastic scales had worn so much that the points of the Victorinox shield were exposed. Those things are as sharp as the point of one of the blades! Made it very uncomfortable to handle. I retired it to the collection and got a new one; I probably could have sent it back to Victorinox and had new scales put on it. It's the one my wife sent me in RVN after I lost one sitting in the seat of a Huey with my butt about three inches off the floor Perhaps in the picture you can see the points standing up a bit. I retired it in 2003.
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I have several. But i'm gonna have to find 'em! Damn...
Along time ago, they could be found in the PX with the Eagle Globe and Anchor on them. I have a couple. In fact, I have seen some in blue scales with the Air Force emblem on them.
I think I "need" another one. LOL
Along time ago, they could be found in the PX with the Eagle Globe and Anchor on them. I have a couple. In fact, I have seen some in blue scales with the Air Force emblem on them.
I think I "need" another one. LOL
OP
Texas Star
US Veteran
I have a blue Classic with the USAF Academy emblem. It was one of several SAK's that I bought from a batch of confiscated knives. I hand picked examples that had seen little or no use. Some would pass for new. Paid $3.00-$7.00, I think $12.00 for a SwissChamp, which gave me a spare of that model. I soon did get a leather SOS sheath and accessories from Swiss Army Brands, as with the other SwissChamp, which was obtained new. They sell those pouches separately, and more simple ones, that I have for other models still too thick for pocket carry.
It's amazing, the number of businesses, colleges, etc. that order SAK's with their logos. One I may try to obtain is a Swiss maker of jams and preserves called Hero. I really like their products, which have a more tart, tangy flavor than do most US brands. I saw a pic on the Net of ther version, which had Hero in white letters on a blue knife.
Ralph Lauren and others have SAK's with their clothing brands on them. His has diagonal wide stripes of green and deep yellow. L.L. Bean has had their versions, may still.
Several Presidents have had their signatures on SAK's that they give to preferred visitors. LBJ chose black as his handle color and Ronald Reagan selected blue. I think that says something about the men, but can't speculate here without getting into politics.
I found a Vic. Classic in a drugstore pkg. lot. It has Paxil on the green handle. Some drug. I showed it to my doc and she said they used to give those out to pharmacists and doctors. I'm not sure, but think I saw a feature on TV that some of that promotional gift giving is now illegal. Don't know if it applies to pocket knives, maybe just to bigger bribes, er, gifts.
I didn't attend the USAF Academy, but at least guarded a President there, when he made a commencement address to graduating cadets. Didn't think to check the BX there but we were on a tight schedule, and the five of us who'd driven over from a base in Denver to assist Academy cops and the Secret Service had to get back to base soon after the President left. But I now have that little memento as a souvenir of that place.
Who else here has advertising SAK's?
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The fastener broke and the scissors came apart. I actually sent two knives back to Wenger, mine and my dad's, that had a broken tip off the blade. We each got a brand new knife, no questions asked.
Not sure what model the Case was. It had a small clip point blade and a pen blade. After a few years, the larger blade wouldn't open or close all the way, wasn't safe to use. Sent it in twice, got the same reply. "We don't have the parts and/or we don't cover user abuse." Abuse? I learned a long time ago a knife isn't a screwdriver, chisel, or pry bar. Something, anything would've been nice. A coupon for 20% off a new knife for example. I'd rather do business with an American company, carry an American made product, but it won't be a Case.
OP
Texas Star
US Veteran
Thanks. Unless there was a QC flaw in the Case, sounds like you maybe didn't oil the joints occasionally and use a toothpick or pipe cleaner to keep the knife wiped out and clean. The old Wostenholm I*XL firm even stamped some blade tangs, Oil the Joints. But most owners probably don't, or even clean the insides. Leave the knife half open and oil the exposed edges of the springs, too. They may rust, otherwise.
However, some newer high tech knives have Oilite bushings and no oil is needed and may just gunk up the knife. If in doubt, ask the manufacturer.
This said, I see why you don't like Case.
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