Thickness of 108 mm SAK liners

[Marius]

Just got a pair of vintage Safaris, a Hunter and a Pathfinder, to complement my only 108 mm, a current Solo. Something interesting that I observed and I would like to ask other 108 mm SAK owners about: two of them come with thicker exterior liners (Hunter and Solo), one with thinner liners (Pathfinder; same thickenss as the interior dividers, which are all the same on all three SAKs). The one with thinner liners exibits some spacing between the scales and liners (adhesion is not perfect). The two with thicker liners do not show any spacing at all, like the liners and scales would be crafted from one single piece (methaphorically speaking).

What I would like to ask the more seasoned 108 mm owners and colectors here: which 108 mm models did you experience with each liner variant?

[Marius]

Nobody? 

[Syph007]

I've only got one 108, the 2 layer one.  Its liners measure 0.045 outer, and 0.025 inner.

[Marius]

Thanks, Robert. Maybe this Pathfinder I got is an anomaly with the inner and outer liners all at 0.025? Is your two layers one like this one, no back tools, or is a GAK or Trooper (awl and corkscrew on the back)?

[Syph007]

Thanks, Robert. Maybe this Pathfinder I got is an anomaly with the inner and outer liners all at 0.025? Is your two layers one like this one, no back tools, or is a GAK or Trooper (awl and corkscrew on the back)?

Mine is the trooper with corkscrew and awl on back.

[Marius]

Thanks again. Now I want a Trooper as well Must resist...

[Marius]

That was it. The resistance against getting more of these nice working tools. A Trooper shall soon join the rest of the family 

[marduk]

If you're interested in different sizes of 108's, you might look up my posting on March 4 of this year where I noted a difference in the width of either the saw (utility tool) or the covering saw guard on various models like the Hunter, Trooper, & Pathfinder.

[Marius]

If you're interested in different sizes of 108's, you might look up my posting on March 4 of this year where I noted a difference in the width of either the saw (utility tool) or the covering saw guard on various models like the Hunter, Trooper, & Pathfinder.

Your 22nd posting you mean (quoted below)? I did not think about the tin saw guards but is interesting that you saw different widths there as well. My two (so far) 108 mm with saw all came without the saw guard. I like the combo tool as is, raw and mean  Works great IMO. Now, going back to those different widths: that combo tool may have became thinner over the time as an effort from the manufacturer to cut costs. This happened over the time to most SAK blades/tools, they became thinner.

So do you still have some of these Safaris with different combo/saw tools? Would you post here some photos to show those differences that you noted? As I said, my very few ones are identical saw-wise.

22Swiss Forum / Safari
« on: March 04, 2012, 02:33:38 PM »
In collecting Vic Safari style 108mm models, one question has puzzled me. Which models with the saw (utility tool) have saw guards and which do not? I've discovered that the Fireman has a saw guard. All the GAK's, Mausers, & Walthers also have saw guards. But the Hunters are different. All the Stag Hunters do have saw guards, the OD Hunters w/serrated gutting blades do, but the red and OD Hunters w/plain edge gutting blades do not. The Trooper (OD scales) and the Safari Trooper (red scales) do come w/saw guards. The Pathfinder usually does not, but I recently acquired a Pathfinder (an authentic Vic) in Asia and it did come w/a saw guard. Its saw guard, tho, was markedly different from all the other guards in that it had no small notch at its base unlike all the others that do have a notch. When I tried to fit the guard on one of my other Pathfinders, it did not fit.
By the way, when I say a model does not come w/a saw guard, I mean that a guard will not fit on the saw: it's either too small or the saw is too wide.
What's going on? Why do guards fit on some and not on others? I tried measuring both the guards and the saws, but I did not find any difference. I have to admit I didn't use a micrometer. But why the difference?

[marduk]

I still have them. I can't seem to part w/any my vics. Like most collectors (& addicts), I'm hooked. I have real problems taking & uploading pics, but I can assure you that you can't tell by looking which blades are thicker or thinner. Perhaps someone more adept than I can measure the saws and/or the saw guards with either a micrometer or caliper. I know that several years ago, about 2004, vic narrowed the width of their blades but the difference is visible. The difference w/the saw and the saw guard are not visible, at least to my naked eye. The Mausers & the Troopers (both OD & red scales) were produced until recently, especially the Troopers, & the saw guards fit them, but the saw guards don't fit the Pathfinders except the one I picked up in the Far East altho they too were produced until relatively recently.

[Marius]

I have couple more on order, I will check if there are any differences between the saw/combo tools width. I do not expect saw guards on any but I will see.

By the way, I compared the width of the main blade on these two older production Hunter and Pathfinder against the current production Solo. Although the Solo blade looks thinner, is not, appears like it would be just because of the finish of the spine. Where the older ones have their spines machined and nicely flatened, the new one is left as it was cut/stamped, then regularly polished for lustre - the end result is a smooth spine but rounder. I've seen the same on new and older 91 mm main blades. Cost reduction...

Edit: this (the main blade spines finishing difference) is visible on the photos that I posted at the beginning on this discussion.