Wierd, non-catalog SAK's, what do you have?

[bren10man]

OK...I just finally won the bid on the SIG 550 Assault Rifle Wenger SAK on Gunbroker.com.....That got me thinking, esp. with all the collectors here:

What is the WIERDEST, rarest, or non-catalog SAK you have?  The Toilet Paper key SAK from Wenger and the Wenger "Braces" knife is well known, and listed on here.  Swiss and Camp Flame knives are another...but too well known by many on here.

MODS do not count.....those are Franken knives.  Good, but not factory.

Here is what I have:

Deluxe Angler/Fisherman.  Lord, I don't have much info on it.....Bought last DEC at a luggage store in an underground market in Seoul.  First and only one I have seen...I couldn't let it get away!!  (other knife is the Swiss Flame I bought during same shopping spree)




Craftsman w/o pliers but with fish scaler...bought in Alaska in 1996:

[ICanFixThat]

Nice idea, I don't know if I have any because there are so many catalogs I don't have, how would one really know if it was non-catalog or not?

Is "Craftsman" labeled on the box for your knife?  Only based on what I'ce seen, I would have called it an early Champion.

I have a wierd 58mm knive I can't ID, maybe I be able to find it and post pics.  I might have a couple vintage as well, but I suspect they are just not known, or named vs. non-catalog.

I think the Singapore army knife (black nylon Bantam) would be non-catalog, since it's model number indicates it's a special run.  Those SwissBianco knives would be considered non-catalog, but not custom, since Vic made them and warranty them.  I'm lucky to have a Yeoman 2, and a couple recent +B Alox knives.  Although the +B stuff is pretty small quantity.

I guess my "Ski Patrol" was probably non-catalog, but I'm really guessing.

It's pretty hard to know what was non-catalog, as outside of North America Nylon Eco Scales seem much more abundant, but they never appear in our catalogs. Sometimes people consider them rare, but in other countries they are quite plentiful.

[Sazabi]

Nice idea, I don't know if I have any because there are so many catalogs I don't have, how would one really know if it was non-catalog or not?

Is "Craftsman" labeled on the box for your knife?  Only based on what I'ce seen, I would have called it an early Champion.

I have a wierd 58mm knive I can't ID, maybe I be able to find it and post pics.  I might have a couple vintage as well, but I suspect they are just not known, or named vs. non-catalog.

I think the Singapore army knife (black nylon Bantam) would be non-catalog, since it's model number indicates it's a special run.  Those SwissBianco knives would be considered non-catalog, but not custom, since Vic made them and warranty them.  I'm lucky to have a Yeoman 2, and a couple recent +B Alox knives.  Although the +B stuff is pretty small quantity.

I guess my "Ski Patrol" was probably non-catalog, but I'm really guessing.

It's pretty hard to know what was non-catalog, as outside of North America Nylon Eco Scales seem much more abundant, but they never appear in our catalogs. Sometimes people consider them rare, but in other countries they are quite plentiful.

Can you describe your "weird" 58mm?

[bren10man]

ICANFIXTHAT:  it is, believe it or not, a Craftsman marketed only in Europe, but not in the USA.  Made from 1987 to about 1991 only.

This one has no hook, has sewing eye, bottle opener opens 1/2 way, and has can key in Phillips screwdriver on the bottom of the knife.  So that makes it 1987-1991 era.  I bought it in Alaska in 1996.

The box end is marked in Arial upper case print CRAFTSMAN.  I do not remember the model number, as they told me that when I sent Swiss Army Brands a letter in 2006 to inquire about it. 

The closest knife I have seen like it was the pre-plier Craftsman shown in the 1985 catalog.   In fact, the model number in the catalog is VERY similar from what I remember what Swiss Army Brands told me it was in 2006 (as much as I remember).

[ICanFixThat]

Hi bren10man, sorry if I sounded like I was doubting you, I was just wondering how much you had to go on.  Sounds like you have some great background on that piece; worth recording in the Wiki especially if you can locate that model number (did they reply by letter?).

I guess if it was marketed in Europe then it would not really be non-catalog except for NA right?  Or do you think it was never really in the European catalogs either?  I know that SAB did not bring in all the models in the early years, and also seemed to be a bit late at picking up the new models.

Sounds like a great knife to hold on to.  Maybe someone else will recognize it and have the model number.

Thanks for showing it.  You should upload the pic to the Wiki, if you can't locate the model number you can just call it 'an early Craftsman'.

[ICanFixThat]

bren10man, Today I'm looking at some historical catalog stuff.  It looks to me like when Victorinox first started introducing the Phillips driver there was a lot of confusion on the naming, or they may not have had time to update all the pictures, because they show corkscrew sometimes but the text says Phillips.

Interesting though I believe I have the model number for your knife.  It is a "Craftsman" model 1.47 93, and it should have a can-key on the phillips, but maybe yours is later than that.

I'm going to check another one that is in better shape, time for another catalog update for the wiki.

[ICanFixThat]

Nice idea, I don't know if I have any because there are so many catalogs I don't have, how would one really know if it was non-catalog or not?

Is "Craftsman" labeled on the box for your knife?  Only based on what I'ce seen, I would have called it an early Champion.

I have a wierd 58mm knive I can't ID, maybe I be able to find it and post pics.  I might have a couple vintage as well, but I suspect they are just not known, or named vs. non-catalog.

I think the Singapore army knife (black nylon Bantam) would be non-catalog, since it's model number indicates it's a special run.  Those SwissBianco knives would be considered non-catalog, but not custom, since Vic made them and warranty them.  I'm lucky to have a Yeoman 2, and a couple recent +B Alox knives.  Although the +B stuff is pretty small quantity.

I guess my "Ski Patrol" was probably non-catalog, but I'm really guessing.

It's pretty hard to know what was non-catalog, as outside of North America Nylon Eco Scales seem much more abundant, but they never appear in our catalogs. Sometimes people consider them rare, but in other countries they are quite plentiful.

Can you describe your "weird" 58mm?

Well I can't find it right now, but going from memory 1 side is Blade and Phillips/Cap-lifter combo tool (the blade opens away from the keyring I remember because I like that, they shoudl all do that), and the otherside is scissors and the cut&picker tool.   I've seen a couple over time, but never thought much of it until I knew more about these knives and realized I could not name it.  Am I forgetting something?  I'm not really that knowledgable on the 58mm, I use the wiki when I need help.

[Neil]

Well I can't find it right now, but going from memory 1 side is Blade and Phillips/Cap-lifter combo tool (the blade opens away from the keyring I remember because I like that, they shoudl all do that), and the otherside is scissors and the cut&picker tool.   I've seen a couple over time, but never thought much of it until I knew more about these knives and realized I could not name it.  Am I forgetting something?  I'm not really that knowledgable on the 58mm, I use the wiki when I need help.

That is unusual, like a Rambler plus but with a normal blade rather than an emergency one   As it has the picker tool I'd guess its a run dome for a pharmaceutical firm.

[ICanFixThat]

It might have the emergency blade, now that you mention it.  What's a Rambler Plus?

[Gareth]

The only slight odd one I have is a Sportsman.  Most indicators say that it's fairly new (I got it second hand so I don't know exactly how old it is), most conclusively it has the slimmer blade tang, but also a smooth corkscrew.  What makes it odd is that it has no split ring (not so odd I agree, but not catalogue spec AFAIK) but also it has no sewing eye on the reamer.



Anyone know why this might be?

[stressmaster5000]

It might have the emergency blade, now that you mention it.  What's a Rambler Plus?

That I know of, there is no such beast according to Victorinox but obviously Smartknives has made up some names for a few strange models before. This knife is most likely a special order for a pharmaceutical company since it normally is found with drug name scales and has both an Emergency style blade and a Cut-n-Picker blade along with Scissors and a Phillips Combo tool. I currently have 2 both with the same drug name scales but I have seen a red scaled version sold by a seller on eBay who is smart enough to be able to change out the scales and sell it as a rare oddi1ty.

All models other than that I have seen with the same drug name scales.

[ufox9al]

Well I can't find it right now, but going from memory 1 side is Blade and Phillips/Cap-lifter combo tool (the blade opens away from the keyring I remember because I like that, they shoudl all do that), and the otherside is scissors and the cut&picker tool.   I've seen a couple over time, but never thought much of it until I knew more about these knives and realized I could not name it.  Am I forgetting something?  I'm not really that knowledgable on the 58mm, I use the wiki when I need help.

Could it be a Vagabond? (http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Vagabond)

[ICanFixThat]

Well I can't find it right now, but going from memory 1 side is Blade and Phillips/Cap-lifter combo tool (the blade opens away from the keyring I remember because I like that, they shoudl all do that), and the otherside is scissors and the cut&picker tool.   I've seen a couple over time, but never thought much of it until I knew more about these knives and realized I could not name it.  Am I forgetting something?  I'm not really that knowledgable on the 58mm, I use the wiki when I need help.

Could it be a Vagabond? (http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Vagabond)

No we're talking 4 implements here rather than 6.  I think I have a couple Vagabonds as well, but that's a known knife.

I think it's this maybe unofficially named Rambler Plus model. 

Stressmaster... I think I may have bought that knife on ebay, but in all the excitement over some other ones I have not got to it yet.  I'll have to try and track down both of them.  I don't remember it having advertising, but it could have.  One problem with 58mm... too small to keep track of.

[Neil]

The only slight odd one I have is a Sportsman.  Most indicators say that it's fairly new (I got it second hand so I don't know exactly how old it is), most conclusively it has the slimmer blade tang, but also a smooth corkscrew.  What makes it odd is that it has no split ring (not so odd I agree, but not catalogue spec AFAIK) but also it has no sewing eye on the reamer.

(Image removed from quote.)

Anyone know why this might be?

I suppose it could have been sent back for repair at some point and had whatever first came to hand shoved back in it?  Or, as your aware, sometime SAKs get put together with bits of old stock, hence we only have approximate phasing out dates for most of the tools.

[bren10man]

bren10man, Today I'm looking at some historical catalog stuff.  It looks to me like when Victorinox first started introducing the Phillips driver there was a lot of confusion on the naming, or they may not have had time to update all the pictures, because they show corkscrew sometimes but the text says Phillips.

Interesting though I believe I have the model number for your knife.  It is a "Craftsman" model 1.47 93, and it should have a can-key on the phillips, but maybe yours is later than that.

I'm going to check another one that is in better shape, time for another catalog update for the wiki.

Can key is on the Phillips on the knife I bought in Alaska.....

[ICanFixThat]

bren10man, Today I'm looking at some historical catalog stuff.  It looks to me like when Victorinox first started introducing the Phillips driver there was a lot of confusion on the naming, or they may not have had time to update all the pictures, because they show corkscrew sometimes but the text says Phillips.

Interesting though I believe I have the model number for your knife.  It is a "Craftsman" model 1.47 93, and it should have a can-key on the phillips, but maybe yours is later than that.

I'm going to check another one that is in better shape, time for another catalog update for the wiki.

Can key is on the Phillips on the knife I bought in Alaska.....

Nice! Check the "Handyman" entry on the "Catalog-B" I uploaded to SAKwiki yesterday.  It has a note about the "Craftsman" model 1.47 93.  I also have maybe a slightly earlier catalog/brochure that shows the Craftsman with a corkscrew, but the description says it has Phillips with can-key (same model number).

[yud]

the Oddest SAK I have is the Wenger Double Blade




I have done a little restoration work on it but not much I replace two springs and a pin (it was busted and I had the parts )

[ICanFixThat]

That Wenger DB is very nice!

In this other thread I posed a pick of an 84mm with SuperTinker tools, and Smartknives seems to call that a Salesman.  Can anyone confirm that name?

I have a old 84mm Golfer (0.1602) (no long-nail-file), based on the model number I'm assuming this is the original Golfer, before model 0.3422 which is the model with the long-nail-file.  Does anyone know for sure if this is correct?  If so it would mean the long-nail-file was introduced in the 1980s, does that sound right?

Update: corrected model number 0.16602

[duder]

The long nailfile was introduced in 1942.

[duder]

I thought the number for a 84mm Golfer without nailfile was 0.1602. I don`t know which one came first.

[ICanFixThat]

Thanks, that makes sense about the long-nail-file as it was popular on several older pocket knives from other companies.

SAKwiki may have the model number wrong for the Golfer with long-nail-file.  It certainly would appear so because of the big difference in the numbers.

Thanks

[ICanFixThat]

I thought the number for a 84mm Golfer without nailfile was 0.1602. I don`t know which one came first.

Thanks, that makes sense about the long-nail-file as it was popular on several older pocket knives from other companies.

SAKwiki may have the model number wrong for the Golfer with long-nail-file.  It certainly would appear so because of the big difference in the numbers.

Thanks

Sorry I read your message wrong.  I had a typo in my early post, the model with no-long-file is 0.1602 as per the catalog.