Wenger universal wrench replacing Magnifier

HankSolon · **on:** April 29, 2013, 08:07:52 PM

What you see is part of my next project. I had a universal wrench left and have my girlfriend who doesn't need a magnifier on her swisschamp. Here we go.

Used an old Scissors spring without backtool. No big deal with grinding down the spring. But there's one issue with the phillips. It would close too much.

Here's my solution (used an previously damaged back spring to get a spacer):

crackout · **Reply #1 on:** April 29, 2013, 08:11:06 PM

Ha, using the fourth pivot is mighty brilliant.

Nhoj · **Reply #2 on:** April 29, 2013, 08:39:49 PM

This mod might become very popular. I have heard lots of people here wanting a universal wrench in a vic. Is that the new or old phillips?

tattoosteve99 · **Reply #3 on:** April 29, 2013, 10:17:49 PM

That's the new style, note the notch in the back, the old style doesn't have this and it is longer. Very nice mod!!

HankSolon · **Reply #4 on:** April 29, 2013, 10:36:58 PM

Exactly, that's the new phillips.

Here it is, (not my, no) "her" new Swisschamp with Cybertool Bit-Driver and Magnifier replaced with a Wenger Universal wrench.

By the way, you could also have used the standard backspring from the phillips/mag, but here the snap of the wrench would have been poor.

nuphoria · **Reply #5 on:** April 29, 2013, 11:23:32 PM

Brilliant

Syph007 · **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2013, 12:10:39 AM

I love it! I loathe the plastic mag 'glass' so it would be a great idea if Vic would do away with in and put in a wrench like you have. Looks like it 'just' fits but it looks great in your final build!

Ive got one wrench to use in a mod, I just cant decide exactly what I want to make with it yet.. but pairing it with a phillips driver as you have makes the most sense I think.

Great work!

HankSolon · **Reply #7 on:** April 30, 2013, 06:50:06 AM

Thx all. It fit's right now. But I had to do a little spacer trick on the wrench too. Grinded a little too much.

But, grinding down a spring and getting spacers (I think I saw it with a phillips or scissor before - has anyone a link for it?) is nothing new. Just a variation of existing techniques. So credits go to this forum.

Ohh and Robert, wrenches are not that good after all. But here in Germany we have a good recycling system, so @all just send them to me. Good for environment and stuff.... :-D

ducttapetech · **Reply #8 on:** April 30, 2013, 11:45:19 AM

That is a sweet mod! Good work.

sent from Ducttapetech's roaming device

PTRSAK · **Reply #9 on:** May 01, 2013, 09:35:50 PM

Quote from: HankSolon on April 30, 2013, 06:50:06 AM

... wrenches are not that good after all. But here in Germany we have a good recycling system, so @all just send them to me. Good for environment and stuff.... :-D

I'm quite happy to handle the environmentally safe disposal of Wenger Wrenches for the southern hemisphere.
Just my little way of making the world a better place.

TurkTeen · **Reply #10 on:** May 01, 2013, 09:44:14 PM

I have always wanted to have the inline phillips, mag glass and the LED on a same SAK...this might be the solution!

Just pair the wrench with the phillips; and the LED with the mag...

Hmm...

-base set(spartan)
-scissors
-LED
-Mag glass(old one preferred)
-Wrench
-inline phillips
-Pliers(optional)

IS MY DREAM COMING TRUE?!

Outback in Idaho · **Reply #11 on:** May 01, 2013, 11:13:07 PM

Quote from: PTRSAK on May 01, 2013, 09:35:50 PM

Quote from: HankSolon on April 30, 2013, 06:50:06 AM
... wrenches are not that good after all. But here in Germany we have a good recycling system, so @all just send them to me. Good for environment and stuff.... :-D

I'm quite happy to handle the environmentally safe disposal of Wenger Wrenches for the southern hemisphere.
Just my little way of making the world a better place.

Has anyone opened them up to 9.5mm (3/8") and sized them inwardly? Would gladly accept a few for this test for the North-Western US territory.

HankSolon · **Reply #12 on:** May 01, 2013, 11:27:13 PM

Quote from: TurkTeen on May 01, 2013, 09:44:14 PM

I have always wanted to have the inline phillips, mag glass and the LED on a same SAK...this might be the solution!

Just pair the wrench with the phillips; and the LED with the mag...

This is a very possible setup. My extended swisschamp has a LED paired with a mag. An additional layer with phillips and wrench is reasonable. But don't underestimate the width of these 4 tools. Will result in a fat knife.

Syph007 · **Reply #13 on:** May 01, 2013, 11:29:17 PM

I hope the wrench part wont be discontinued with Vic absorbing the wenger lineup. If it is, I think that might be the next custom part I make up with the next waterjet run.

HankSolon · **Reply #14 on:** May 01, 2013, 11:37:09 PM

Quote from: Syph007 on May 01, 2013, 11:29:17 PM

I hope the wrench part wont be discontinued with Vic absorbing the wenger lineup. If it is, I think that might be the next custom part I make up with the next waterjet run.

Will hope so too. A custom wrench... hmm sounds good, maybe you can adjust it a bit, so that a standard phillips/mag spring will fit too.

But again... there should be a test run made in Germany, too. Too tired to find a good reason, but there is one. :-D

ironraven · **Reply #15 on:** May 03, 2013, 03:53:09 AM

That would be an excellent layer to add to a Compact. Excellent work!

Sr.Multiherramienta · **Reply #16 on:** May 03, 2013, 11:28:12 AM

Really interesting. Is nearly the perfect Champ.

Quartz · **Reply #17 on:** May 06, 2013, 04:29:47 AM

Question:

I have a wrench I pulled out of my Wenger because I thought it was useless. It's not wide enough to fit over any of the real heavy duty bolts or couplers I encounter, and the stuff small enough to fit can be better serviced by pliers. Why do people like this tool? What am I missing?

Raukodur · **Reply #18 on:** May 06, 2013, 08:13:12 PM

Quote from: Quartz on May 06, 2013, 04:29:47 AM

Question:

I have a wrench I pulled out of my Wenger because I thought it was useless. It's not wide enough to fit over any of the real heavy duty bolts or couplers I encounter, and the stuff small enough to fit can be better serviced by pliers. Why do people like this tool? What am I missing?

I am thinking the exact same question.

Syph007 · **Reply #19 on:** May 06, 2013, 08:29:25 PM

Quote from: Raukodur on May 06, 2013, 08:13:12 PM

Quote from: Quartz on May 06, 2013, 04:29:47 AM
Question:

I have a wrench I pulled out of my Wenger because I thought it was useless. It's not wide enough to fit over any of the real heavy duty bolts or couplers I encounter, and the stuff small enough to fit can be better serviced by pliers. Why do people like this tool? What am I missing?

I am thinking the exact same question.

Works on lots of little bolts Ive come accorss. There are many different versions of it, some have more fine steps to work on more bolts. The biggest perk its its metal and can fit accross from a phillips and not have that awful plastic magnifier. ANYTHING is better than that piece of plastic in a nice SAK.

Quartz · **Reply #20 on:** May 06, 2013, 10:00:03 PM

Quote from: Syph007 on May 06, 2013, 08:29:25 PM

Works on lots of little bolts Ive come accorss.

The "little" is kinda my issue. It's built super thick like it's designed for heavy duty torque, but there's no way nuts small enough to fit in it will need more torque than what the pliers can deliver. To add insult to injury, on most Wenger's the wrench is somewhere in the middle layers and they have those double-thick evo scales, meaning you can't even get it close enough to go around any bolts in the first place.

Quote from: Syph007 on May 06, 2013, 08:29:25 PM

ANYTHING is better than that piece of plastic in a nice SAK.

Eh, I dunno it's any worse than the corkscrew, which is basically just an eyeglasses-screwdriver-container. I've used the mag on an Explorer once or twice to figure out which sub-pixel pattern an LCD was using, whereas the wrench doesn't seem to be usable at all.

HankSolon · **Reply #21 on:** July 08, 2013, 07:58:10 PM

As I thought. The new mag/phillips backspring allows an easy replacement of the wenger wrench. As seen on the pics below.

The only issue: I had just a new (but not the newest!!) phillips to try. So the spring for my version of the phillips would need some grind job. I assume that the effect on the (good till strong) snap of the wrench will result in a perfect snap, however.

HankSolon · **Reply #22 on:** July 08, 2013, 07:59:19 PM

missing pics

HankSolon · **Reply #23 on:** March 26, 2014, 05:14:13 PM

Improved stopper using a broken scissor.

Fattsgalore · **Reply #24 on:** March 27, 2014, 01:04:40 AM

Quote from: Nhoj on April 29, 2013, 08:39:49 PM

This mod might become very popular. I have heard lots of people here wanting a universal wrench in a vic. Is that the new or old phillips?

What he said. I could use that little wrench over the mag or LED.
To bad I don't have SAKs to experiment with.

It the wrench and inline phillips the same thickness?

Bookmarked...

HankSolon · **Reply #25 on:** March 27, 2014, 09:09:07 AM

Mag AND wrench won't work (they are on the same side).

LED AND wrench won't work, too. The old style spring (for phillips/LED - MAG) won't give you enough snap on the wrench. An old scissors spring (without backtool) might help but it would need some modding to get the fit in here (and I'm not sure, if the LED would "snap" in closed position, even if you mod the area around the middle pin).

That said: scissors, wrench, LED and phillips almost have the same width. So no spacer is needed here.

I used the new phillips/Mag spring at the mod here, since

the new spring is something, what I can get very cheap
the wrench side needs no special modding!!!
older phillips are easier to get

EDIT -> added additional explanations, see the picture below:

Hello Lurker! Remove this ad and much more by logging in.

Wenger universal wrench replacing Magnifier

Donations

Community Links