Swiss Bianco Yeoman

[bmot]

Hi all-

New poster who signed up just to weigh in on the Yeoman.  I'm hoping I'll be happy with the Sapphire +B I have on the way from SwissBianco.  If it carries comfortably and I don't miss the awl, I expect any price under $100 will be worth it for a good edc for years to come.  (I found the +Bs on ebay but thankfully checked their actual website where the model is a few dollars cheaper than the ebay price).

I've carried a Spartan daily for 30 years and absolutely love it.  Because it has served me so well, I've never paid attention to all the other models over those years and hadn't even thought about modding.  I also don't have much time at this point in my life to tinker with vics (pun intended). Having read up on some other models over the past month and with my Spartan showing some wear, I'm now interested in a different tool set and settled on the Yeoman.

Giving up the small blade is tolerable in the trade off.  My openers don't get used too often except as screwdrivers, so combining them and gaining a true phillips is a gain.  The only tool I've missed not having over these decades of carrying the Spartan is a pair of scissors.  And for some strange reason, everyone who puts anything in print these days seems to be using smaller and blurrier fonts than they did 30 years ago, so having the magnifying glass seems like a helpful tool I never needed in the past.

Also, my Spartan was an early model and is truly spartan: no toothpick or tweezers, so I gain those and more with the plus scales. 

My only concerns are 1) why no awl? -- there's room on the back side, and 2) will the third layer be noticeably uncomfortable in my back pocket where the trim Spartan has nicely fit alongside an equally thin wallet?

If it rides well and I don't miss my awl too much, I'll happily carry the Yeoman for the next 30 years and consider the cost well worth it.  (And if I hate it, I also bought some plus scales to spruce up the old Spartan and the new SAK can live in the glovebox).  Either way it's a win!

The Awl is made to go on the opener layer spring, and your Yeoman doesn't have the opener layer, so no awl .

[Maccabeus]

...
The Awl is made to go on the opener layer spring, and your Yeoman doesn't have the opener layer, so no awl .

Thanks for the insight (as I said, the details are new to me)!  I guess I'll answer the other question about preference once the yeoman arrives.

[Kid33]

I got my Yeoman mechanic in the mail just now...  Great knife except for some reason when I open the screw driver if feels like I am opening it over a stop sign shape  (Octagonal)   It opens smooth to the lock but after that to keep opening It feels like it is going over corners instead of smooth.   It just doesnt open like all my others...   ANy ideas?   Its not real bad, but definatly not smooth.  It has tension and then feels like it slips and then clicks to all the way open..  On my others the backspring kind of raises and then sets down on the driver, this backspring does not lift as much and i can feel a click/ slip feeling and then it fully opens.  Its definitly sticking kind of to something.. not smooth

[HankSolon]

Great knife except for some reason when I open the screw driver if feels like I am opening it over a stop sign shape  (Octagonal)   It opens smooth to the lock but after that to keep opening It feels like it is going over corners instead of smooth.   It just doesnt open like all my others...   ANy ideas?

The screw driver isn't intended to open as smooth as other tools. Hard to describe but it's a heavy duty tool. It has to stay in 90° and fully opened position. But it must be able to get closed again.

[Kid33]

Great knife except for some reason when I open the screw driver if feels like I am opening it over a stop sign shape  (Octagonal)   It opens smooth to the lock but after that to keep opening It feels like it is going over corners instead of smooth.   It just doesnt open like all my others...   ANy ideas?

The screw driver isn't intended to open as smooth as other tools. Hard to describe but it's a heavy duty tool. It has to stay in 90° and fully opened position. But it must be able to get closed again.

Im sorry, I meant to say my other screw drivers.  I opened my other  screwdrivers on different models and they are all the same except this one.  I will try and make a video.  tks for the reply

[Syph007]

Does it feel very weak?  Some of the swisschamps I had were like that. 

I figured it must be due to the plastic mag 'glass'.  A stronger spring would wreck it, and I think the tolerances on it are not very tight.. so a slightly smaller mag will make the phillips even weaker than normal.  I also have had one malformed phillips. One of the lugs had a huge gash in it.  Can you see anything like that?

[Kid33]

THhis video is still uploading, I have to go to work.  I try to show the difference. I made the video real quick, but hopefully can communicate what I am feeling.    GIve it a half hour or so. 

[HankSolon]

Ah ok, now I understand. I'm curious what Robert says, since he had more phillips in his hands as most of us. But it seems as if there wasn't used the appropriate mag/phillips spring for that phillips screw driver.

But I'm not sure. I exchanged my newer phillips with a white LED. The older versions shows the typical snap.

[Syph007]

Ya thats all kind of wrong.  Ive never had one like that before.  I wonder if it is mismatched hardware.  Can you tell which versions of the parts you have from this picture?

[Shalom]

I have a factory Explorer with the newer magnifier in plastic and a SwissBianco Yeoman also with the newer magnifier.
Both have that "not smooth extra clicking between half and full open, and the backspring lift very little" that Kid33 is asking about.
On all my SAKs with the old style magnifier models  the Phillips opens smoothly till 90 degrees and continues smoothly from there till fully open.
So it may not be just SwissBianco.
Does everyone's factory Explorer (new magnifier ) have a smooth opening Phillips from half to full open ?

[Syph007]

I have a fresh from factory swiss champ with the new spring like in the lower picture above, and it snaps solid at 90 and 180.  It doesnt have that weird stop before open all the way.

I bet if the wrong spring was mixed with the new phillips it would do that.  It should be possible to identify what spring and phillips version by inspection though.  If it is a mis match then thats a factory error in the parts transition.

[Kid33]

Ya thats all kind of wrong.  Ive never had one like that before.  I wonder if it is mismatched hardware.  Can you tell which versions of the parts you have from this picture?

(Image removed from quote.)

Uopn inspection,  I do believe I have the MisMAtch set as pictured.  THe Spring has the Lillt Bump and the Screw driver has the half moon cut out back.   GOod Call.  SO  What do I do?

[Syph007]

Ya thats all kind of wrong.  Ive never had one like that before.  I wonder if it is mismatched hardware.  Can you tell which versions of the parts you have from this picture?

(Image removed from quote.)

Uopn inspection,  I do believe I have the MisMAtch set as pictured.  THe Spring has the Lillt Bump and the Screw driver has the half moon cut out back.   GOod Call.  SO  What do I do?

So you have the spring from the top, but phillips from the bottom?  Is that right?

[Kid33]

Ya thats all kind of wrong.  Ive never had one like that before.  I wonder if it is mismatched hardware.  Can you tell which versions of the parts you have from this picture?

(Image removed from quote.)

Uopn inspection,  I do believe I have the MisMAtch set as pictured.  THe Spring has the Lillt Bump and the Screw driver has the half moon cut out back.   GOod Call.  SO  What do I do?

So you have the spring from the top, but phillips from the bottom?  Is that right?

Well, I think.. now that I am looking again. Im not sure.. lol.     
Looks like the New Backspring  and the Old Screwdriver.    I will try and take some pictures. 

[Syph007]

Definitely not.  Ive had 4 swisschamps so far with the bottom parts and they snapped at 90 and 180 perfectly.  Very odd behavior for sure.  If I ever get one like yours I will take it apart to investigate.

[Kid33]

Definitely not.  Ive had 4 swisschamps so far with the bottom parts and they snapped at 90 and 180 perfectly.  Very odd behavior for sure.  If I ever get one like yours I will take it apart to investigate.

Ok, after finally getting under the lights and looking closely compared to your pictures,  It is the New Driver and The New backspring.    SOrry for the confusion folks 

Ps. I was looking at my Swiss Champ thinking I was looking at my Yeoman..     

The Swiss Yeoman has the OLD SPRING AND DRIVER.        

[HankSolon]

@Kid33

Could you make a closeup pic right from above with opened mag & phillips? I want to have a view inside the knife.

[Kid33]

@Kid33

Could you make a closeup pic right from above with opened mag & phillips? I want to have a view inside the knife.

[sir_mike]

Are these legit Yeoman's?

Ebay item number:  221239736828

Paste number is search bar!

[Kid33]

Are these legit Yeoman's?

Ebay item number:  221239736828

Paste number is search bar!

wow good find.. those sold fast.  dang

[zoidberg]

Going by those pics I would say it looks like the new spring and old phillips.

[sir_mike]

Are these legit Yeoman's?

Ebay item number:  221239736828

Paste number is search bar!

wow good find.. those sold fast.  dang

I am sure as soon as I listed it here, if they are legit someone here got them!

Was that a good price?  What are they worth?

[jazzbass]

Are these legit Yeoman's?

Ebay item number:  221239736828

Paste number is search bar!

wow good find.. those sold fast.  dang

I am sure as soon as I listed it here, if they are legit someone here got them!

Was that a good price?  What are they worth?

They were sold almost immediately after you listed. They are legit, are worth about $100 each NIB, and at least two were bought by another member here.

[Syph007]

4 yeomans for 25.99 each!?!?!?!    

[sir_mike]

Are these legit Yeoman's?

Ebay item number:  221239736828

Paste number is search bar!

wow good find.. those sold fast.  dang

I am sure as soon as I listed it here, if they are legit someone here got them!

Was that a good price?  What are they worth?

They were sold almost immediately after you listed. They are legit, are worth about $100 each NIB, and at least two were bought by another member here.

Just as I figured!  As soon as I posted the question, no doubt!  Who is gonna fess up?

[sir_mike]

4 yeomans for 25.99 each!?!?!?!    

Yeah, based on the price, I didnt know if they were real or not!

[sir_mike]

Knowing my luck, if I bought them and then asked, they would have been fake or something!   

It kinda makes me mad that I posted to ask and someone grabbed them but what do you do!

[ICanFixThat]

I didn't see this posting, but I saw the goods.  Makes up for some of my trigger finger mistakes.   

[Maccabeus]

I have a factory Explorer with the newer magnifier in plastic and a SwissBianco Yeoman also with the newer magnifier.
Both have that "not smooth extra clicking between half and full open, and the backspring lift very little" that Kid33 is asking about.
On all my SAKs with the old style magnifier models  the Phillips opens smoothly till 90 degrees and continues smoothly from there till fully open.
So it may not be just SwissBianco.
Does everyone's factory Explorer (new magnifier ) have a smooth opening Phillips from half to full open ?

My new (5th run) Sapphire SwissBianco Yeoman has just arrived and both the magnifier and the phillips open perfectly smoothly (with the 90 degree pause for the driver, of course).  No problems with this model SwissBianco.

[Shalom]

I don't know if Syph007 was right when he wrote " If it is a mis match then thats a factory error in the parts transition."
The factory model is a Spartan Lite I bought from the States thru Ebay  . It could be old stock .
The Explorer was bought here in Israel a year or so ago. I checked out Explorers in two stores this week. Both stores have a high turn around of SAKs.
In one store the Phillips opened smoothly all the way.
In the second store it had the weird clicking  "step" between half and fully open that Kid33 mentions.
Can't understand why 6 years after "the transition" there are parts still mismatched.
Maybe Syph007 can ask SwissBianco (Roger) about the parts that he used then and now?