Woodsmans Owners Club

[Barry Rowland]

Now I'm wondering if my Huntsman is actually an old pre-Mag Woodsman(?).  My Dad got it for me in the fall of '83, with the grooved corkscrew and the pre-eye awl.  There are no other tools on the backside except the awl and the corkscrew.  I hate to admit it, but I was so excited to have a SAK that I didn't even pay attention to what the box said!

[Oxford_Guy]

Woodsman's brother - Modeler.

Oh, I like that! Pity it's also a discontinued model :-(


Might have to try to get one of these made up for me one day...

[jalind]

Now I'm wondering if my Huntsman is actually an old pre-Mag Woodsman(?).  My Dad got it for me in the fall of '83, with the grooved corkscrew and the pre-eye awl.  There are no other tools on the backside except the awl and the corkscrew.  I hate to admit it, but I was so excited to have a SAK that I didn't even pay attention to what the box said!

The smooth corkscrew, sewing eye, hook and keyring move were all in 1991, well after the five-layer Woodsman with magnifier had been made. My comment was intended to mean these things in general benchmark whether a particular knife was made before or after 1991, but not as a break point between the four and five layer Woodsman.

I just looked at some pages of a 1982 catalog, and the 84-85 extended catalog on SAKWiki. The 84/85 only has a Huntsman, no Woodsman in four or five layers. The interesting thing in the 82 catalog was having both a four layer Woodsman and a Huntsman. The only difference between them was T&T. The Woodsman didn't have them and the Huntsman did. All the other catalogs in the 1980's only show a Huntsman. They don't show any four or five layer Woodsman, which is only further puzzling.

This five-layer was made just prior to 1980 about 1978-1979 as that's when I bought it in Europe.

• Only two tools on the back layer: fluted corkscrew and eyeless awl.
• Large blade is the thicker 2.4mm tang/spine
• The "V" in "Victorinox" the same size as the other letters
• Keyring is on the blade layer spacer.
• Has a screw in the scissors and there's no groove in the scissors handle for the end of the spring to follow the handle. It just rides on the flat. Every time I've replaced the spring I've had to tweak it to follow the handle properly from fully open to fully closed. Fortunately it hasn't broken in at least fifteen years (IMO a tribute to improved springs).
• Cap lifter does not have a 90 degree stop; it should be used as a screw driver fully open.

It did not come with a mini-driver. I added it just this year. It's obvious the hex shaped driver was not made to fit this corkscrew. Finally found an old round one that fits better, but even it wasn't designed for this corkscrew.



If yours doesn't have T&T and has other design aspects from the early 1980's it could have been marketed and sold as a Woodsman. If it has T&T it's a Huntsman. It's apparent that during a very short time in the early 1980's a non-T&T Huntsman was sold in some markets as a Woodsman. This does not mean that any four layer "Huntsman" configuration without T&T is a Woodsman. It would have to have all the tool and tang characteristics of an early 1980's Victorinox SAK, circa 1982. IOW, it if has a sewing eye in the awl, it's nearly a decade too new.

At the same time, I don't find a five-layer Woodsman in any of the SAKWiki catalogs from 1976 through 1990. After that, all the awls have sewing eyes. It makes my five-layer an enigma. Either the five layer came and went and then returned, or it wasn't marketed in all regions (i.e. not in North America). Mine is certainly not older than 1977 or 1978, not from when I bought it, but from the 1976 catalog and some features the knives in it have.

This has had me going back through the on-line vintage catalogs in some great detail! It's been a very poignant reminder that Victorinox has not been consistent in knife name usage, nor have they been consistent in name usage for the exact same model of knife in different marketing and distributor regions. Further confounding matters is Victorinox at least occasionally marketing some of their knives in limited regions, not globally.

John

[Barry Rowland]

Thanks John!  It has T/T so it's a Huntsman.  Fascinating how the lines run so closely together for awhile.

Now I'm wondering if my Huntsman is actually an old pre-Mag Woodsman(?).  My Dad got it for me in the fall of '83, with the grooved corkscrew and the pre-eye awl.  There are no other tools on the backside except the awl and the corkscrew.  I hate to admit it, but I was so excited to have a SAK that I didn't even pay attention to what the box said

[jaya_man]

I'm dreaming up a little something....Basically Compact Woodsman...I think Jaya built one called a Yeoman WS?..

Awl instead of hook on the scissors layer though.

Is there something like a Champion minus scaler? AKA Woodsman add metal file/Ranger add phillips&mag?  Is there a Marlboro one like that?

In any case... I 'need' a Woodsman now,  off to the web...

Hey was just browsing and didn't realize somebody mentioned me... Yes I modded a Yeoman WS... the good thing about it is I can put the awl beneath the wood saw...



I also modded me own woodsman from a swisschamp not long before the Yeoman WS mod ...



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Barry Rowland]

 

[Barry Rowland]

Putting mine to work today...I really like this knife!!

[Barry Rowland]

Another pic in the sun...these Mexican special editions are gorgeous knives!

[Barry Rowland]

Another pic.  If anyone wants some American Walnut for scales pm me.  I have a bit!!

[jalind]

Another pic.  If anyone wants some American Walnut for scales pm me.  I have a bit!!

 

In addition to the old vintage Woodsman I've accumulated four of the Mexico, two with red scales and two with ruby (like yours). The red scales are beautiful, but you're right that the ruby are outright gorgeous. A note about the last two I got (Mexico): Found that a straight pin would not stay in the hole and discovered the scales weren't completely pressed on down to the outer liners by just a hair. It was just enough to lose the friction fit for the straight pin and you wouldn't notice it without examining the knife very closely using a flashlight looking for a gap. Used a small vise with heavily padded jaws (very dense closed cell foam) and pressed them completely.

John

[Barry Rowland]

Same with this one John.  It was just a fraction of a millimeter but enough that you could detect it with a light.  I'll apply Operation Vice to it and we'll be in good shape.   

[jalind]

Same with this one John.  It was just a fraction of a millimeter but enough that you could detect it with a light.  I'll apply Operation Vice to it and we'll be in good shape.   

Have you done this before? If not, then look at some videos (YouTube has numerous) and ensure the corkscrew is open and the T&T are out. I use very dense closed cell foam pads that are soft enough on the surface not to mar the scales. Slow application of pressure and letting it set for a while does the job . . . using a flashlight from under it to see if it has closed up. I was fooled a couple of times seeing the gap between a spring and the outer liner on the inside of it until I learned to look more carefully.

If the scales are flush to the liners the pin will have sufficient friction fit to prevent it from falling out and the friction fit of the pin is quite sensitive to that.

John

[Barry Rowland]

I haven't John, but I'll jump on Youtube.  I have to make a trip to the hardware store and get some foam pads.  Thanks for the heads up sir!

[jalind]

I haven't John, but I'll jump on Youtube.  I have to make a trip to the hardware store and get some foam pads.  Thanks for the heads up sir!

See how I used the vise on Day 21 in the "Discontinued challenge" thread - using the vise part near the end and note that it's a small vise. Also see how I did it during the Minimalist Challenge here, putting some scales onto a Waiter I'd modified into an Apprentice:

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,68346.msg1361428.html#msg1361428

John

[magentus]

Been carrying the Greenwood for the last couple of days. Here it is doing what a Woodsman does best; sawing and awling:
WP_20161218_004 by magpie2112, on Flickr

[Barry Rowland]

  

[FolderBeholder]

I'd like to eventually buy a more modern Woodsman, but until then I have this approximately 1961 (thereabouts) version:

[magentus]

I'd like to eventually buy a more modern Woodsman, but until then I have this approximately 1961 (thereabouts) version:

That's gorgeous - I love the old style bail with cellidor scales and wish Vic had continued them.

[FolderBeholder]

I'd like to eventually buy a more modern Woodsman, but until then I have this approximately 1961 (thereabouts) version:

That's gorgeous - I love the old style bail with cellidor scales and wish Vic had continued them.

Thank you magentus, I treasure this old gal.

[Gareth]

That's a real beauty FB.

[FolderBeholder]

That's a real beauty FB.

Thank you.    It's essentially the centerpiece of my small, yet growing, collection.

[FolderBeholder]

I currently have 3 variations of the Woodsman.  I don't know how many more there are.  Most likely a lot!

[Barry Rowland]

 

[jnoxyd]

I'd like to eventually buy a more modern Woodsman, but until then I have this approximately 1961 (thereabouts) version:






[img]https://c6.staticflickr.com/1/337/30923772253_337b08fa1c_z.jpg[/imago]w

That's gorgeous - I love the old style bail with cellidor scales and wish Vic had continued them.

Really great find!

[FolderBeholder]

I'd like to eventually buy a more modern Woodsman, but until then I have this approximately 1961 (thereabouts) version:

That's gorgeous - I love the old style bail with cellidor scales and wish Vic had continued them.

Really great find!

Thank you!  It is the centerpiece of my collection at this time.

[Poncho65]

This is a great thread and I love a saw on anything I carry so one of these would and should be on my list of SAKs to get

[Barry Rowland]

They are great knives Poncho.  I only wish Vic would bring them back to the US!

[Forklift]

I know the spirit of this thread is the 5 layer Woodsman, but I just came across this thread the same day I found a 4 layer Woodsman at an antique mall I check every few months.  I thought that I was buying an early-mid 1980's Huntsman (no hole in reamer) that was in great condition for $12.00 but when I got home I realized there was no toothpick or tweezers.

[Barry Rowland]

  All Woodsman are selcome and great find!!

[Daark]

My "Woodsmen"
latest Factory edition and a Woodsman before it became the Huntsman.