Unusual scales on a Spartan

Mechanickal · **on:** October 15, 2016, 01:21:04 PM

Bought this knife a little over 4 years ago while on holliday in Austria.

It has te Austrian flag on the logo side, the other side is plain white Cellidor.
The logo itself is printed in the scale. So no inlay or engraving.

It apears to be available online, but I never saw one again afterworths.
So, is this a rather uncommon scale?

Still remember the shop I bought it from.
Typical Austrian knife store with an old clerk/owner.
Sharpened the blade before willing to sell it.

Got it dirt cheap too!
13 euro's is cheap for any new Spartan, but that might have been because there was no box.

So many memories behind it.
First long trip where I traveled without my parents (just got out of school)
First holliday with my current girlfriend.
And bought in my favourite country so far.

Because of this, it's unused and acts as a novelty on it's display.
I feel like I'm back over there every time I look at it.

shibafu · **Reply #1 on:** October 20, 2016, 04:22:21 PM

Certainly they are much less common than regular scales, but it is a standard souvenir item readily available in Austria so I don't think we could call it rare. There are various national flag designs available around the world, of which the Austrian one is among the best-looking I think.

Of course, the personal memories attached make it the rarest in the world

Mechanickal · **Reply #2 on:** October 20, 2016, 05:02:36 PM

Quote from: shibafu on October 20, 2016, 04:22:21 PM

Certainly they are much less common than regular scales, but it is a standard souvenir item readily available in Austria so I don't think we could call it rare. There are various national flag designs available around the world, of which the Austrian one is among the best-looking I think.

Of course, the personal memories attached make it the rarest in the world

Yeah, posted this for a merrit but I wasn't keeping my hopes up to be honest.

Ah well xD

Thunderpants · **Reply #3 on:** October 20, 2016, 05:59:22 PM

I got this French Spartan... sadly I didn't pick it up in France, I ordered it.
The reverse, the corkscrew side, is all white - but has the Vic logo. Usually the logo is on the non corkscrew side.
I'd forgotten how great Spartans are. Most of the gadgets you get on other SAKs are overkill!

Mechanickal · **Reply #4 on:** October 20, 2016, 06:02:48 PM

Quote from: Thunderpants on October 20, 2016, 05:59:22 PM

I got this French Spartan... sadly I didn't pick it up in France, I ordered it.
The reverse, the corkscrew side, is all white - but has the Vic logo. Usually the logo is on the non corkscrew side.
I'd forgotten how great Spartans are. Most of the gadgets you get on other SAKs are overkill!
(Image removed from quote.)

I like how they put motion in the flag, instead of just giving it plain colours.

ColoSwiss · **Reply #5 on:** October 20, 2016, 10:30:55 PM

In addition to the Flag Classics, there are a fair number of larger Vics with national flags on the handles.

sir_mike · **Reply #6 on:** October 21, 2016, 12:28:33 AM

Don't forget about the ones that West Marine has/had on clearance!

shibafu · **Reply #7 on:** October 21, 2016, 01:33:07 PM

There are also some 91mm models with red scales, and a small flag diagonally across with the name of the country below, like the 58mm classic flag series. Here's the Irish one: http://www.carrollsirishgifts.com/spartan-ireland-flag.html

Thunderpants · **Reply #8 on:** October 21, 2016, 03:48:53 PM

Quote from: sir_mike on October 21, 2016, 12:28:33 AM

Don't forget about the ones that West Marine has/had on clearance!

They still have them - $9.77 for a beautiful Spartan is a great deal. Sadly shipping across the Atlantic more than doubles the price!

Mechanickal · **Reply #9 on:** October 21, 2016, 05:53:12 PM

Quote from: Thunderpants on October 21, 2016, 03:48:53 PM

Quote from: sir_mike on October 21, 2016, 12:28:33 AM
Don't forget about the ones that West Marine has/had on clearance!

They still have them - $9.77 for a beautiful Spartan is a great deal. Sadly shipping across the Atlantic more than doubles the price!

A spartan costs AT LEAST €16/$18 in Europe...
Why are American prices lower while the shipping is further??

Thunderpants · **Reply #10 on:** October 21, 2016, 09:13:58 PM

I have no idea why our American cousins can get our amazing European products cheaper than we can!
The original price on those Spartans was $29 - I guess they are just trying to get rid of them. But still, I too have never seen a Spartan that cheap in Europe.
It's the same with alox - for some reason they have a lot of shops selling cool colours relatively cheap. I bought some olive green Cadets for something like $17 each - I bought a box of 8. Only recently do we have Schweizermesser selling Pioneers in nice colours. While they are reasonably priced (compared to Swiss Bianco) they're not cheap.

Mechanickal · **Reply #11 on:** October 21, 2016, 09:23:40 PM

Quote from: Thunderpants on October 21, 2016, 09:13:58 PM

I have no idea why our American cousins can get our amazing European products cheaper than we can!
The original price on those Spartans was $29 - I guess they are just trying to get rid of them. But still, I too have never seen a Spartan that cheap in Europe.
It's the same with alox - for some reason they have a lot of shops selling cool colours relatively cheap. I bought some olive green Cadets for something like $17 each - I bought a box of 8. Only recently do we have Schweizermesser selling Pioneers in nice colours. While they are reasonably priced (compared to Swiss Bianco) they're not cheap.

Maybe it's good thing though...
makes me think twice before purchasing

TonySal · **Reply #12 on:** February 20, 2017, 02:22:15 AM

Any ideas on GITD replacements? Not a great response from Swiss Bianco, will try Google again...

TonySal · **Reply #13 on:** August 17, 2018, 02:14:31 AM

Oh, I got my Staglow scales by just buying a new Climber

...but it's a bute, Spartan with a saw!

pfrsantos · **Reply #14 on:** August 17, 2018, 12:26:27 PM

Quote from: TonySal on August 17, 2018, 02:14:31 AM

Oh, I got my Staglow scales by just buying a new Climber
...but it's a bute, Spartan with a saw!

I asked where I usually get my SAKs and they told me Victorinox has discontinued their production. Apparently, no more GITD scales are going to be made.

VICMAN · **Reply #15 on:** August 17, 2018, 02:34:02 PM

Quote from: Mechanickal on October 15, 2016, 01:21:04 PM

Bought this knife a little over 4 years ago while on holliday in Austria.

Still remember the shop I bought it from.
Typical Austrian knife store with an old clerk/owner.
Sharpened the blade before willing to sell it.

So many memories behind it.
First long trip where I traveled without my parents (just got out of school)
First holliday with my current girlfriend.
And bought in my favourite country so far.

I feel like I'm back over there every time I look at it.

Cool SAK Mechanickal!

Thanks for sharing the memories....that is what makes a particular knife so special!

m47mu74nt · **Reply #16 on:** August 17, 2018, 02:57:04 PM

My fav' non-standard Spartan scales :

PS: I nearly bought an overpriced climber to get Stayglow scales a few days ago, but gave up...

Mechanickal · **Reply #17 on:** August 17, 2018, 03:22:07 PM

Oooh blast from the not so distant past...

I was a newbie when making this thread in an attempt to get a badge.

Great fun seeing this again...

And I recently got a mint stayglow Climber for €20...
And there were 3 more!

Harris · **Reply #18 on:** August 17, 2018, 04:14:43 PM

The non-standard SpartanI like the best. Lucern is one of my favorite places.

pfrsantos · **Reply #19 on:** August 17, 2018, 04:28:40 PM

Quote from: Harris on August 17, 2018, 04:14:43 PM

The non-standard SpartanI like the best. Lucern is one of my favorite places.

I can see why you like it!

Myron · **Reply #20 on:** August 17, 2018, 05:20:00 PM

Just like Mechanikal, I really enjoy picking up unusual VSAKs and Spartans in particular when we travel. Sometimes I carry the knife for the duration of the trip and then post it home, and sometimes I just tuck it in my suitcase and it never gets used. A few I've collected in recent years:

Mechanickal · **Reply #21 on:** August 17, 2018, 06:17:44 PM

I really like those anchor scales!

Myron · **Reply #22 on:** August 17, 2018, 07:38:45 PM

Quote from: Mechanickal on August 17, 2018, 06:17:44 PM

I really like those anchor scales!

thanks! Me too, and there's another one from this series with knots but the shop was out of stock when I found these....

VICMAN · **Reply #23 on:** August 18, 2018, 02:51:40 AM

Quote from: Harris on August 17, 2018, 04:14:43 PM

The non-standard SpartanI like the best. Lucern is one of my favorite places.

Very cool Spartan Harris!

VICMAN · **Reply #24 on:** August 18, 2018, 02:52:28 AM

Quote from: Myron on August 17, 2018, 05:20:00 PM

Just like Mechanikal, I really enjoy picking up unusual VSAKs and Spartans in particular when we travel. Sometimes I carry the knife for the duration of the trip and then post it home, and sometimes I just tuck it in my suitcase and it never gets used. A few I've collected in recent years:

Nice collection Myron!