Crazy

[ulli]

a blue fisherman for 10 Euros...

http://www.ebay.ch/itm/262850724940?ul_noapp=true

[Huntsman]

Last one I saw the seller wanted about $170 

Although from the oxidisation and wear on this one I'd say its been used for its intended purpose !! 

Shame about the cracked scale - But I bet it would scrub up reasonably well with a little soapy water, oil and care

Only posts to Germany 

[GigaHz]

Am I missing something or is it crazy that the bidding is so high for an unopened box that might just have a standard model?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1970s-Victorinox-Swiss-Army-Knife-BRAND-NEW-BOX-And-Packaging-/252672814569

There was a Spartan inside. He got his money back.

[jazzbass]

Last one I saw the seller wanted about $170 

Although from the oxidisation and wear on this one I'd say its been used for its intended purpose !! 

Shame about the cracked scale - But I bet it would scrub up reasonably well with a little soapy water, oil and care

Only posts to Germany 

I posted about this on some thread but I don't remember where - believe it or not, this corrosion is a byproduct of out gassing of the scales, not the environment of the knife. Years ago the first Fischermesser I bought was like this - not quite as bad as the one in this auction but still corroded - and I thought the same thing. "Wow... this thing must have sat in someone's tackle box for years and the salt air destroyed it". Thing was the knife itself was pristine - I don't think it had ever been used. But the scales were cracking, the inlays and bail turning black, and the tools were even rusting (yes, the stainless steel was rusting).

However, it turns out it's a defect with some batches of the early blue scales. In addition to 10 or so other Fischermessers that have had the same problem, I found an old Elinox Spartan from the 60s with blue scales that was doing the same thing. You also see this issue in some early cellidor scales from the 1940s and some of the bright red Elinox scales from the 60s, although they are rarely as bad as the blue scales for whatever reason.

[Tomcat_81]

Thank you, jazzbass! That explains a lot - I've seen a couple of knives with this defect and always wondered
if it was due to some desinfectant, oil  or something alike.


When I first saw this poor fisherman I thought about buying it, just to try out how it will clean up.

What do you think, folks?
Should I get it and post pictures of the restoring process?

Tomcat

[Ron Who]

Thank you, jazzbass! That explains a lot - I've seen a couple of knives with this defect and always wondered
if it was due to some desinfectant, oil  or something alike.


When I first saw this poor fisherman I thought about buying it, just to try out how it will clean up.

What do you think, folks?
Should I get it and post pictures of the restoring process?

Tomcat

I would like to see someone do that. Personally I don't have the tools and skills for this. However from the description above I seriously doubt there will be anything left to restore, only the implements and their springs might be worth saving. You would have to build a completely new knife from these!

[Tomcat_81]

So now, you can officially call me "crazy" ;-)

Bought the wreckage, but as some may know, I have a soft spot for wrecked knives:
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,65385.0.html
Let's see how it cleans up.
Curiosity killed the cat ;-)

Tomcat

[jazzbass]

So now, you can officially call me "crazy" ;-)

Bought the wreckage, but as some may know, I have a soft spot for wrecked knives:
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,65385.0.html
Let's see how it cleans up.
Curiosity killed the cat ;-)

Tomcat

Good luck! The scales will probably have to be replaced completely. One of the ones I had cleaned up really well, but within a month or so everything was corroded again - esp the inlay and the bail. Looks like the front scale on this is cracking through, which means it will start disintegrating. Whatever is coming off the scales tends to eat away at the outside liners too, so they may need to be replaced.

[Tomcat_81]

Good luck! The scales will probably have to be replaced completely. One of the ones I had cleaned up really well, but within a month or so everything was corroded again - esp the inlay and the bail. Looks like the front scale on this is cracking through, which means it will start disintegrating. Whatever is coming off the scales tends to eat away at the outside liners too, so they may need to be replaced.

Thank you for your thoughts!
I'm expecting the inlay to be completely corroded - one of my Spartans of similar age had its shield transformed into a greyish, extremely brittle substance. A complete loss and way too thin for being rescued.
Well- let's see, I'll show it in good macros.
I'm also expecting the worst from the liners and the (possible?) file/metal saw as they have been a real headache on middle-aged Vics for me. That's why I started to be fascinated by the brass-lined, old ones.
The scales will be something to experiment with, maybe I'll find a way of giving them some stability. I've done so on older, non-victorinox knives, just for the sake of rescueing the old look.
Turned out far from perfect, but at least something to keep the hands busy with.
And finally, if everything else fails- I (and you) will have gained some pictures, a nice thread about a doomed knife and maybe even some tools to be salvaged and re-used! Frankenstein yo-ho!

Tomcat

[jnoxyd]

Thank you, jazzbass! That explains a lot - I've seen a couple of knives with this defect and always wondered
if it was due to some desinfectant, oil  or something alike.


When I first saw this poor fisherman I thought about buying it, just to try out how it will clean up.

What do you think, folks?
Should I get it and post pictures of the restoring process?

Tomcat

Show us photos of the rust on inoxidable tools, it is interesting!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[glenfiddich1983]

Good luck! The scales will probably have to be replaced completely. One of the ones I had cleaned up really well, but within a month or so everything was corroded again - esp the inlay and the bail. Looks like the front scale on this is cracking through, which means it will start disintegrating. Whatever is coming off the scales tends to eat away at the outside liners too, so they may need to be replaced.

Thank you for your thoughts!
I'm expecting the inlay to be completely corroded - one of my Spartans of similar age had its shield transformed into a greyish, extremely brittle substance. A complete loss and way too thin for being rescued.
Well- let's see, I'll show it in good macros.
I'm also expecting the worst from the liners and the (possible?) file/metal saw as they have been a real headache on middle-aged Vics for me. That's why I started to be fascinated by the brass-lined, old ones.
The scales will be something to experiment with, maybe I'll find a way of giving them some stability. I've done so on older, non-victorinox knives, just for the sake of rescueing the old look.
Turned out far from perfect, but at least something to keep the hands busy with.
And finally, if everything else fails- I (and you) will have gained some pictures, a nice thread about a doomed knife and maybe even some tools to be salvaged and re-used! Frankenstein yo-ho!

Tomcat

 

[Thunderpants]

Sounds like the restoration of the Fisherman deserves its own thread!
It would be a shame if it got lost here in this big pile of ebay rip-offs.
Good luck with it.

[ulli]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VICTORINOX-2010-DAMASCUS-LIMITED-SWISS-ARMY-KNIFE-VERY-RARE-/282360353681?hash=item41bdfd1391:g:wfkAAOSwCU1Yoo5X

...thats about 25 x the original price. That means, in 7 years they are worth around 125`000 $, in 2030 around 2.5 Millions!

Not a bad investment.

Could there are some "fakes"/copies around? You just have to take a LE 2016 and replace the scales. No engravings on the 2010, only the 2010 on the plate.

[jazzbass]

Show us photos of the rust on inoxidable tools, it is interesting!

Sure. Here is the same knife - a blue Fischermesser - that I picked up years ago. The front scale has totally disintegrated and fallen off, but it looked much like the one in the auction in question. Note the rust on the top of the main and pen blades, the file (being plated steel and not stainless at the time is the most susceptible), and the top of the caplifter. While this does look like your standard dirty eBay knife, I have cleaned off portions of the rust and can tell you that it has pitted the surface of the tools.

[jnoxyd]

Show us photos of the rust on inoxidable tools, it is interesting!

Sure. Here is the same knife - a blue Fischermesser - that I picked up years ago. The front scale has totally disintegrated and fallen off, but it looked much like the one in the auction in question. Note the rust on the top of the main and pen blades, the file (being plated steel and not stainless at the time is the most susceptible), and the top of the caplifter. While this does look like your standard dirty eBay knife, I have cleaned off portions of the rust and can tell you that it has pitted the surface of the tools.

(Image removed from quote.)

Thank you, jazzbass!  I've forgotten make my own photos of rust. I had  the same problems with this knife  and after the regular cleaning of rust on the tools covered the surface with varnish  to prevent the release of gas. Let's see what comes out of this, at least stop rust knives that lie in the box next to this toxic knife. Here is next knife in the box:


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Tomcat_81]

"Come closer, gentlemen, get your tickets and proceed through the gates into the lair of Ahab, the zombie-fisherman!"

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,70795.new.html#_

Have fun!
Tomcat

[BerkshireHunter]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VICTORINOX-2010-DAMASCUS-LIMITED-SWISS-ARMY-KNIFE-VERY-RARE-/282360353681?hash=item41bdfd1391:g:wfkAAOSwCU1Yoo5X

...thats about 25 x the original price. That means, in 7 years they are worth around 125`000 $, in 2030 around 2.5 Millions!

Not a bad investment.

Could there are some "fakes"/copies around? You just have to take a LE 2016 and replace the scales. No engravings on the 2010, only the 2010 on the plate.

And its now over $5K... seems like someones playing a joke   

[cody6268]

Buck Crosslock, $30.  Gut hook was either broke or cut off  the end  ofthe saw blade.   Street price new for this knife is $40, so $30 is just absurd for a broken, modern production knife.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Buck-Knives-183-Alpha-Crosslock-Black-Handle-Folding-Knife-/322420016558?hash=item4b11bb05ae:g:GYoAAOSw2gxYo6yp

[ReamerPunch]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Surge-MultiTool-No-830160-Leatherman-Tool-Group-Inc-/201842548792?hash=item2efec0e038:g:xe4AAOSwXYtYu6E3


LM Surge
Bids start from $120
Buy it now, for $200

[Guardian]

Unfortunately, there's always people with more money than sense

[ReamerPunch]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VICTORINOX-2010-DAMASCUS-LIMITED-SWISS-ARMY-KNIFE-VERY-RARE-/282360353681?hash=item41bdfd1391:g:wfkAAOSwCU1Yoo5X

...thats about 25 x the original price. That means, in 7 years they are worth around 125`000 $, in 2030 around 2.5 Millions!

Not a bad investment.

Could there are some "fakes"/copies around? You just have to take a LE 2016 and replace the scales. No engravings on the 2010, only the 2010 on the plate.

And its now over $5K... seems like someones playing a joke   

Sold for $5100

[cody6268]

$65 for a plain old used Spartan?  Are they nuts? 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-White-Swiss-Army-Victorinox-Stainless-Pocket-Knife-with-Case/222154661177?_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982&_trkparms=aid%3D888007%26algo%3DDISC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D41375%26meid%3Ddc4ea24638c9435e8af3c9e70293bd78%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D2%26sd%3D141467465383

[cali-SAK-attack]

CRAZY LOW?
TOO good to be true?

I dunno , but that is a CRAZY price , and I am stayin far away....... as I just went through a "Too good to be true" DEAL  on a pioneer. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Swiss-Army-Original-Knife-Swisschamp-Red-Victorinox-53501-New-In-Box-/272591922085?hash=item3f77bea3a5:g:mJkAAOSwsW9Yyjin

[AlephZero]

$65 for a plain old used Spartan?  Are they nuts? 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-White-Swiss-Army-Victorinox-Stainless-Pocket-Knife-with-Case/222154661177?_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982&_trkparms=aid%3D888007%26algo%3DDISC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D41375%26meid%3Ddc4ea24638c9435e8af3c9e70293bd78%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D2%26sd%3D141467465383

To answer your question: Yes. Yes they are.

[Thunderpants]

"its in very good shape"...

[AlephZero]

I probably wouldn't call late 80's - early 90's SAK "vintage" 

[cali-SAK-attack]

I probably wouldn't call late 80's - early 90's SAK "vintage" 

When you google "vintage" or "how old is vintage" - you get older than 20 years , or crap about grapes 
  so 1996 or earlier is vintage ....... who'd a thunk it!

[ddogu]

a blue fisherman for 10 Euros...

http://www.ebay.ch/itm/262850724940?ul_noapp=true

Well, that looks like the blue corpse of the fisherman himself...
Did the owner leave it in the boat or something?..

[gregozedobe]

CRAZY LOW?
TOO good to be true?

I dunno , but that is a CRAZY price , and I am stayin far away....... as I just went through a "Too good to be true" DEAL  on a pioneer. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Swiss-Army-Original-Knife-Swisschamp-Red-Victorinox-53501-New-In-Box-/272591922085?hash=item3f77bea3a5:g:mJkAAOSwsW9Yyjin

Yes and Yes.  This looks distinctly dodgy to me (I'm always extra cautious with deals that are "Too good to be true", particularly when the seller has zero feedback).

[MacGyver]

CRAZY LOW?
TOO good to be true?

I dunno , but that is a CRAZY price , and I am stayin far away....... as I just went through a "Too good to be true" DEAL  on a pioneer. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Swiss-Army-Original-Knife-Swisschamp-Red-Victorinox-53501-New-In-Box-/272591922085?hash=item3f77bea3a5:g:mJkAAOSwsW9Yyjin

Funnily enough (apart from having no feedback) the seller didn't post pics of the actual item, only the box and some generic  pictures taken from the net... 

Scammer's...