The Angler's Club

[Captain Hook]

Sometimes all you need is pliers and a fish scaler, for those who love to fish the Angler provides an excellent toolset. This SAK is also the slimmest in the current lineup to provide pliers, and one of the few that pairs pliers with a corkscrew. I think it deserves some love! 

[Ron Who]

I don´t need a scaler but I do need both pliers and scissors when fishing.
However, neither the Angler nor the Fisherman provides both.
Therefore I put the fish scales on my Handyman.

[Jim the Brave]

I think the most useful part of the fish scaler is the hook disgorger. (While fishing). The measuring marks come in handy for multiple other purposes.

Has anyone actually managed to have much luck truly scaling fish with a fish scaler? Mightn't the wood saw be quicker and more effective?

[pipedreams]

I think the most useful part of the fish scaler is the hook disgorger. (While fishing). The measuring marks come in handy for multiple other purposes.

Has anyone actually managed to have much luck truly scaling fish with a fish scaler? Mightn't the wood saw be quicker and more effective?

The scaler works...barely.

When I was a kid, I used a bottle cap. I’d punch a hole in it with my reamer (on my Champion) and screw it to a stick. It worked great. I carried a couple of screws for this in my tiny tackle box.

The saw would work, but the BACK of the saw would work better. You’d just have to be careful not to close it on your hand.

[Jim the Brave]

I've never done a ton of fishing, but I've never felt that fish scalers did the trick. Always ended up using something else, like the back edge of a knife blade or something. I wonder if the saw teeth might work on some with more pervasive scales.

[FolderBeholder]

Looking forward to this Angler arriving. 
The seller didn't open the tools, so it is a mystery at the moment.  Should know the condition by end of week.

[PitCarver]

I've never done a ton of fishing, but I've never felt that fish scalers did the trick. Always ended up using something else, like the back edge of a knife blade or something. I wonder if the saw teeth might work on some with more pervasive scales.

I've always used the back of a knife blade too. I got a cheap bait knife, from a closeout, and it works great,
The only thing I use the scailer blade for is the hook remover

[VICMAN]

Looking forward to this Angler arriving. 
The seller didn't open the tools, so it is a mystery at the moment.  Should know the condition by end of week.

Nice find, Fobe!

[Barry Rowland]

 

[PitCarver]

After I first read this thread I got to thinking that Victorinox absolutely needs a knife that has pliers, scissors and a scaler/hook remover blade,
I'm thinking about getting a champ and removing the saw and magnifying glass.  Id even bet it's something I could even do.

[Barry Rowland]

You absolutely could, and there's plenty of people here who knows how to.  Check out the Modder section too!

[PitCarver]

Checking prices on the eBay and realized how much they've gone up on used champs, lately.  I actually think it'd be fairly easy to cut the pins right below the liner and simply remove the unneeded layers and re peen the pins.
That being said, y'all realize that I'm a stingy old guy, right?

I went rummaging through my old knife cases this morning and found one of my old fishin' knives and that a long with the Gerber Dime from last months challenge will suit me fine until I find the right project piece.



2 knife blades,
Pliers,
Scissors,
Screwdrivers,
2 bottle openers.

I about forgot about the package opener too.   

[Barry Rowland]

Fishing is why my son got me my Dime.  It's a great fishing tool and a lot easier to clean up too!

[PitCarver]

Wanting to see how a champ mod may look, I got this knock off SAK for free from the Temu.  Crappy rendition but it was free.

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Doesn't look too bad at first glance.  The characteristic scissors hump found on many Chinese SAKs is absent.
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Looking down, the tolerances are definitely not there.
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The scales were simply glued on and the pins were peened onto the liners.

[PitCarver]

Houston, we have a problem...

Unlike a Victorinox, this SAK-a-like was put together with peened pins on both sides.  So after grinding them out I was left picking up the pieces.
In more way than one.

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Using diagrams from the Internet, I'm in the process of trying to assemble it back into a useable form.  The major drawback is the springs are only rudimentarily
Similar to a Vic.

I'll post a pic when I get all the blasted pins lined up with the intended holes .

Or IF I get them lined up .  ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ ͡⁠°⁠ ͜⁠ʖ⁠ ͡⁠°⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

[Farmer X]

Did you receive it with that bend in the tweezers?

[PitCarver]

That was fresh out of the box, Farmer.

Progress report.
As the pins were bent, I'm assuming during the assembly at the Chinese SAK alike factory as I can't bend them by hand, I'm up to the last liner.
I'm close...
I'd have liked to do away with all the back tools but don't have the necessary springs to have made it happen.  It's getting nearly ready.  I'm thinking that a true Victorinox Champ would have been much easier to reassemble but the experience with this one is priceless.  I know that I've got some old SAK copies around here, somewhere, that must be over 50 years old. I might have to dig some of them out and see how the build quality was back then.

Hopefully I'll have some pics of the final build later today.

[IMR4198]

   That Chinese Champ looks a lot better than my Dollar Tree messterpiece with the humpy scissors.  After I pried off the scales, I think I would have reached for the stuper glue and put 'em back on.  Trying to put that thing back together wouldn't be my idea of having fun.  The knife makers over there are certainly capable of making a really good grade SAK copy, if they choose.  Taking the Ruike as an example. 
   Let us know how the project proceeds.  Best wishes.  G
 

[Farmer X]

Pre-bent tweezers... Just goes to show how good the real deal is.

[PitCarver]

Pre-bent tweezers... Just goes to show how good the real deal is.

LOL.
I bent them into a more traditional tweezers shape and just put them back into their slot to fill in the hole.
I don't remember the last time I even used a tweezer, Victorinox or otherwise.

[PitCarver]

   That Chinese Champ looks a lot better than my Dollar Tree messterpiece with the humpy scissors.  After I pried off the scales, I think I would have reached for the stuper glue and put 'em back on.  Trying to put that thing back together wouldn't be my idea of having fun.  The knife makers over there are certainly capable of making a really good grade SAK copy, if they choose.  Taking the Ruike as an example. 
   Let us know how the project proceeds.  Best wishes.  G
 

You should hang on to your Dollar store humpy Swiss, Gary.   Their prices have gone up to a buck and a half now.  My store doesn't have any and the eBay doesn't have any under $10.00.
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[PitCarver]

I finished off my rebuild of the Chinese SAK-A-LIKE, last night.

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Showing all the tools that I felt were required for my build.

What I learned was well worth what I paid for the knife.
(Remember, it was a Temu freebie.)

1 -  No matter where the peened pins are,  grind them all off of the same side.
2 -  Be sure to keep the layer parts separate.
3 -  Referring to #2, be sure to reassemble the layers in the more or less same order as they sat.
4 -  Use some sort of spacer when you rebuild so that the layers don't pinch.
5 -  Don't try to tighten up the tolerances when peening the liners back on. Their tools and springs need the extra room.
6 -  Chinese SAK pliers suck. 

All-in-all, I had fun making my own fishing knife.
I now have a pattern which I can show a real modder what I'm looking for in a Victorinox rebuild.
It's now going into my fishing sling bag and hopefully see some use.

[IMR4198]

   I didn't realize I had made such a good investment.  There haven't been any of those knives at my local Dollar 'n a Half Tree for years.  I had a Q-Star that was very similar.  Seems like the Q-Star was better quality.  Not a lot better, but still.....  Just think what it would be worth now. 
Best wishes.  G
 
    I just saw your ChiCom Champ build, Pit.  It is just beautiful.  You are ready for the big time now.  Wowsers.