I finally received my old display case today.

[Chako]

The seller even threw in an extra Spartan knife. I have noticed that some of these differ from what is described in SAKWiki. So if I ID them wrong, please correct me. There are even a couple I am scratching my head on in IDing them. Here are the photographs as promised.

Here is the display case with the extra knife.


2 Huntsmans. One with economy scales minus the toothpick and tweezers.




Fisherman.


SwissChamp.


No clue what this is.


Champion.


No clue. It has a pruner, but I can’t seem to find any 91mm like knife in SAKWiki.


And 3 Spartans.

[Zack]

The one with the Bee is a Gourmet.

[Chako]

That is what I at first thought, but the knife is definitely 91mm and not 84mm. 

[stressmaster5000]

No clue. It has a pruner, but I can’t seem to find any 91mm like knife in SAKWiki.
(Image removed from quote.)

Its an original "Outdoorsman" from the early 1970's.
http://www.e-webtechnologies.com/sak/Vic_Outdoorsman_Serrated.JPG

[Chako]

Fantastic Stressmaster5000. 

Any idea about the bee?

[Sazabi]

Fantastic Stressmaster5000. 

Any idea about the bee?

IIRC, a number of 91mm Gourmets were made, but they are pretty darn rare, modded Gourmets aside.

[Chako]

I did not know they made 91mm Gourmets.

Very interesting.

[Sazabi]

I just heard that secondhand over at SOSAK's forum, but yeah, it's an interesting little mod. XD

[bren10man]

SwissChamp.
(Image removed from quote.)

"Swiss Champ"  NOPE!!

That is a Champion circa early to mid 1970's to 1986, prior to release of the Swiss Champ in January 1987 (at least in the USA).

I have owned several of these: lost/stolen 1 (first one, have the box still); replacement  was bought in Alaska (used) and used in Iraq-retired. NIB from Victorinox direct; 1 I bought at a pawn shop in Korea (my EDC); and 1884-1984 100 year Victorinox commemorative, bought in Korea.

[Chako]

You are right. I forgot about the pliers that are absent on this model. Good catch. 

[Pacu]

Vic and Wenger need to stamp on the blade what model they are for losers like me.


Nice display you got there too

[Sazabi]

Vic and Wenger need to stamp on the blade what model they are for losers like me.


Nice display you got there too

Yeah, they'd all be Champions and Golfers, and whatever Wenger uses. 

[Neil]

Resurrection time

any chance of a close up of this one please...

[Chako]

Here you go Neil.

[Neil]

Any idea what the logo represents? I couldn't make it out in the original hence my request.

[Chako]

No clue.

[Neil]

Shame    I quite like looking up the advertising on SAKs and trying to figure who ordered them.  I've a special soft spot for those with inlaid logos rather than just print jobs.

[stressmaster5000]

Any idea what the logo represents? I couldn't make it out in the original hence my request.

I thought that logo looked familiar. I have an old Victoria Bakers knife with the same logo and the NAME! Hans Kaspar AG Zurich. There is a phone number as well.

http://www.kasparhans.ch/en/firm_history.html

[altered.ego]

Any idea what the logo represents? I couldn't make it out in the original hence my request.

Looks like a face and a crown to me. A prince, maybe a princess or something.

[Neil]

Wayne to the rescue  Thanks.

[Chako]

Thank you. That solved the mystery. 

[Jmora]

trivial question: since some of these knives have been fanned continuously for 20 years or so in a display case, do you notice any weakness in the backsprings? It would be something if they were still just as strong.

[Sazabi]

trivial question: since some of these knives have been fanned continuously for 20 years or so in a display case, do you notice any weakness in the backsprings? It would be something if they were still just as strong.

Although prolonged fanning isn't recommended, you should only truly worry about Wengers that have been fanned for a while; prior to the current backsprings, they were known to have issues with partially fanned tools, IIRC.

[stressmaster5000]

trivial question: since some of these knives have been fanned continuously for 20 years or so in a display case, do you notice any weakness in the backsprings? It would be something if they were still just as strong.

Although prolonged fanning isn't recommended, you should only truly worry about Wengers that have been fanned for a while; prior to the current backsprings, they were known to have issues with partially fanned tools, IIRC.

While I probably do not have any Wengers that have been displayed in the fanned condition I have found numerous Wenger SAK's with what I would call weak back springs. I do not know if it has anything to do with use since some of them look rather unused. It could be that Wenger used some inferior steel or perhaps got a bad batch or 2 but whatever the reason I must agree here that some Wengers do exhibit a weak back spring problem.

Now concerning Victorinox, I have usually found that any Vic I have noticed with a weak back spring it is usually caused by the liners, either wear or gunk seizure of some kind. There are a couple of aberrations though. I have a couple of 84mm SAK's from the 1960's era that exhibit a weak opener layer back spring. Both are rare models and one looks much more worn while the other looks less worn. It must have been a problem with just that one spring design or perhaps maybe a bad batch of steel, etc. I am no expert in the heat treating process or and any other process that steel goes through for back springs so take my guesses as just that, a guess.

Had to edit since I had made a mistake in the layer on the 84mm Vic with bad back spring.

[Chako]

No issues with the back springs.