Why do you think Vic did away with the small clip point?

[Enginears]

Was it embracing their signature blade style more? Manufacturing process related? Aesthetics? I like the small blade and am curious about this part of the evolution.

[LoopCutter]

I thought the small clip was a Wenger feature!

[IMR4198]

 

1970.jpg (Filesize: 116.34 KB)

[Bunk Tuppins]

I seem to remember a small clip on the Tinker I had in my teens in the mid sixties.  I used to use that blade a lot and seldom opened the main blade.

[IMR4198]

      Vic made lots of knives with large clip blades as well.  Clip blades equal stabbing type weapons?  Large clip blades look more menacing, I suppose.  Small clip blades are just a vestige of a more aggressive tool.  Boy Scout folders had spear point type blades like the Vics have now.  So did things like the old Kamp Kings.  Looked safer to some one? 
     The photo is 53 years old.  I actually prefer a clip point if it comes down to that.  Personal opinion only.  Of course.  Best wishes.  G

[Echotech]

Can’t say I know the answer but here’s some cadets (II’s), two with clip points and one with a spear point

[IMR4198]

One more old photo from the same catalog.  Anybody have a camper like this?  Just for entertainment value.  Looks rather useful to me.  Best wishes.  G
 

old camper.jpg (Filesize: 133.3 KB)

[Bunk Tuppins]

Can’t say I know the answer but here’s some cadets (II’s), two with clip points and one with a spear point

The wiki mentions:

All 91mm SAKs prior to 1973 had a clip-point style small blade.
However this design was dropped in 1973 in favor of using the drop-point design - in line with the main blade.
Some Victorinox manuals and catalogs refer to this as an Angle Blade.

Same for 84s - 1973.

[Echotech]

[Explorer]

 

My old five turn hoffritz/Victoria climber has a small clip blade.
It’s a bit of a head scratcher though because it’s from the 70s but it has scissors from the 80s but then it’s also stamped Victoria on one side and hoffritz on the other 
It’s awlso missing the TNT

[Enginears]

One more old photo from the same catalog.  Anybody have a camper like this?  Just for entertainment value.  Looks rather useful to me.  Best wishes.  G
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That looks amazingly useful! Harvest some plants and mushrooms, saw some sticks to make a tripod, carve a pot hanger and open a can of beans and bottle of beer. Camping perfection, thanks for bringing up that image.

      Vic made lots of knives with large clip blades as well.  Clip blades equal stabbing type weapons?  Large clip blades look more menacing, I suppose.  Small clip blades are just a vestige of a more aggressive tool.  Boy Scout folders had spear point type blades like the Vics have now.  So did things like the old Kamp Kings.  Looked safer to some one? 
     The photo is 53 years old.  I actually prefer a clip point if it comes down to that.  Personal opinion only.  Of course.  Best wishes.  G

Yeah the clip point from the 100mm knives looks pretty aggressive, but its so nice to use. I am with you that I would prefer a clip point.

[IMR4198]

    My grandfather used to carry an old big multi-bladed knife with different types of tools on it.  The handles were long gone.  I don't know where he got it, or what it was.  Maybe he picked it up in WWI France.  One more old photo with clip blades.  All Vics.  Best wishes.  G
 

big clips.jpg (Filesize: 81.79 KB)

[Rich S]

If you have a grinding wheel or a Dremel, that is an easy fix. I do it on all my carried SAKs.

[Enginears]

If you have a grinding wheel or a Dremel, that is an easy fix. I do it on all my carried SAKs.

I thought about trying it. I probably will soon. Do you have some pics of the ones you have done?  Do you just use water to keep the blade cool as its ground?

[boatman422]

One more old photo from the same catalog.  Anybody have a camper like this?  Just for entertainment value.  Looks rather useful to me.  Best wishes.  G
  [ Quoting of attachment images from other messages is not allowed ]

Great pic. I have this exact one, slanted teeth on the wood saw and all: https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,83731.msg2071845.html#msg2071845

[IMR4198]

That's it, Boats.  Got to be a rare bird.  Best wishes.  Gary
 

[nate j]

The blades are stamped out of sheet steel.  I can’t see how changing the shape from clip to spear would simplify the manufacturing.

The change over date of 1973 predates the more hysterical hoplophobia, and the clip point small blade doesn’t look particularly aggressive anyway.

I agree that if you can only have one blade, there is a strong argument for a clip point for all around utility.  However, they do tend to be narrower at the tip than spear point or some other designs, and so potentially more prone to tip breakage in careless or inexperienced hands.  So, perhaps reducing tip breakage/warranty work could be a reason for the change, though the SAK small clip isn’t very deep.

The only other theory that makes sense to me is that it was done for aesthetic purposes, i.e. someone at Vic thought large and small spear points looked better than large spear and small clip.

[Rich S]

Enginears said:

"I thought about trying it. I probably will soon. Do you have some pics of the ones you have done?  Do you just use water to keep the blade cool as its ground?"

Grind slowly, cool a lot. SAK steel is easy to reshape.

[EMZ]

The blades are stamped out of sheet steel.  I can’t see how changing the shape from clip to spear would simplify the manufacturing.

I think it has to do with a more ecomomical way of stamping the blades out of the sheet. The clip point design leaves more sheet steel leftovers than the spearpoint design. The new design also uses a tiny little bit less metal. That seems neclegtable, but as many million blades are produced, in the end it saves a lot of metal. And there is one angle less with the spear point, so polishing will  be somewhat easier.

Just my thoughts.