Porshe Problem?

[marduk]

SAKWIKI notes that Wenger produced 4 knives in conjunction with the Porsche design shop from about 2002 to 2012:
Traveler, 1.535.00
Cigar Cutter, 1.537.00
Pocket Tool Chest, 1.539.01
PocketGrip, 1.540.00

Wenger noted that their scales look as though made of ruthenium but were in fact made with zinc and coated with titanium color.

In 2007 a 5th model appeared, the Traveler, 1.535. 02, but unlike the original Traveler cited above, this version was produced with black scales and tools. The Porsche pamphlet accompanying the knife notes that this is part of a series that includes the following matching items:

Fashion P’1000, black leather belt with “Metal buckle. Powder-coated” & leather jacket.

Luggage P’2000, black briefcase & laptop case.

Writing Tools P’2100, black aluminum, matt ballpoint pen.

Leather Goods P’3300, black leather wallet & black leather credit card
case.

Jewelry P’3400, “Black-coated titanium inlaid with onyx. Cuff links,” & black leather strap with black metal ring, “Powder-coated stainless steel.”

Smoking Particles [Accessories] P’3600, black “Powder-coated zinc and brass” cigarette lighter.

Pocket Knives P'3700, "Powder-coated stainless steel. Ruthenium grip plates. Swiss Army knife with 7 black tools. Blade, nail file, scissors, awl, screwdriver and corkscrew, can opener," i.e., Traveler.

Time Pieces, P’6000, "Casing:“Powder-coated titanium."

Sunglasses, P’8400, “Frame: Titanium.”

I have listed the items above to point out that some of them mention “powdered coated,” “titanium,” & “ruthenium.”

I pose the question: Are the scales of the black Traveler, 1.535.02, made of ruthenium as the Porsche pamphlet states or is it zinc and coated with titanium color, as Wenger states? 

[marduk]

Correction: The black Traveler's Wenger number should be: 1.535.00.02.

[enki_ck]

Maybe these threads can help you.

Thread that led to the creation of the wiki page:
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,52494.0.html

And where we got the info that it is in fact zinc coated with titanium colour.
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,13836.msg261392.html#msg261392

[marduk]

Yes, I've seen the other posts. But what concerns me is - why would Porsche single out the P'3700 and claim it's scales are made of ruthenium? It doesn't say that about the other metal products in the series, sunglass frame, key ring, cigarette lighter, etc.

Was Wenger referring to this knife or to the other knives in the series when it denied ruthenium composition?

Unlike the others, this one was special, with a limited run.

[enki_ck]

Can't help you there but I doubt they are made from ruthenium, judging by a quick read about it it doesn't seem like a sensible material to use for scales.

basilio and ColoSwiss have put much more research time into these so they might offer some more info on them.

[ColoSwiss]

Wenger says the handles are painted zinc. Since they made the knives I figure they're correct. As for the P'3700, why would they plate it with ruthenium and then powder coat it with black?

[basilio]

I think nobody will know for sure.
However, I thought it was pretty clear that Wenger used the word "ruthenium" as a reference to a color type, not to a kind of metal.
Otherwise, I don't think they could claim the scales to be made of something (ruthenium), when it was zinc.
I agree with Karl, here.
So marduk, I'm sorry but in my opinion, no, your black knife is not made by "ruthenium", whatever it really means.